Favorite Coffee Gear

[Musicphan]

Hey Coffee Lovers...

Out of curiosity - what is your favorite method to brew coffee? And when you purchased such gear, where did you purchase it? From mass merch, Amazon, specialty store? I am looking to expand my coffee gear offerings and wondering what everyone likes.

TIA _ Mike

 

[shadow745]

For me the only method that will ever do is espresso... a moka pot would be 2nd, followed by press if it came to that. Never tried Turkish, but imagine that could be quite awesome as well as I strongly prefer heavy texture over clarity any day. Some of my equipment purchases were from manufacturers like Helor, vendors such as Seattle Coffee Gear, etc., but the majority of things I've had I bought off of used sites like Craigslist for great prices and after cleaning/rebuilding I had like-new items quite affordably.

Hard to say what the majority of people would like as coffee in general is quite varied. Budget, intended use, expectations, applied time/effort, etc. seems scattered...

 

[Musicphan]

For me the only method that will ever do is espresso... a moka pot would be 2nd, followed by press if it came to that. Never tried Turkish, but imagine that could be quite awesome as well as I strongly prefer heavy texture over clarity any day. Some of my equipment purchases were from manufacturers like Helor, vendors such as Seattle Coffee Gear, etc., but the majority of things I've had I bought off of used sites like Craigslist for great prices and after cleaning/rebuilding I had like-new items quite affordably.

Hard to say what the majority of people would like as coffee in general is quite varied. Budget, intended use, expectations, applied time/effort, etc. seems scattered...

are you still rocking the Ms. Silvia for your espresso machine?

 

[shadow745]

are you still rocking the Ms. Silvia for your espresso machine?

Sorta... the one I had was 16 years old and of course still going strong with regular cleaning/preventive maintenance, but after my heavy use I knew it'd be a matter of time before I'd have to really tear it down and replace the heating element, which is a bit involved/costly due to the design of that V1 boiler as the element is brazed in and not simply replaceable. So... I opted to go for a Silvia Pro as I'm a big fan of the insane dependability of the Silvia line and of course get great espresso from them and never question the reliability day after day for years. Although I hardly texture milk these days so no actual need for a double boiler, but I really like the function/design/stainless components of the Pro model so I got one. That combined with the Helor 106 (serious hands-on beast) and my roasting setup I'm honestly quite content and set for life.

 

[Musicphan]

Nice upgrade... I was looking at that model a month or so ago. Looks like a significant upgrade from the OG Silvia. I opted for the Rocket Apartmento because I faced the same challenges about having a well-USED machine. Maybe we can combine our two old dead Silvas to make one.. LOL

 

[shadow745]

Actually mine was still doing fine and I did eventually sell it. Anything mechanical can/will give out in time and I just didn't want to be without espresso for any length of time if that original element was to go out. Regardless of care/use/water quality a heating element can only realistically last so many cycles. Surely me adding the PID minimized wear on it due to the light pulsing instead of the highs/lows in stock trim, but yeah I just wanted a new/more efficient spin on a solid old school favorite and the Pro strongly delivers no doubt. Having used quite a few machines over the years for home/commercial use I'm still very impressed with the Silvia line compared to any of them and it's simply the endgame for me.

 

[SmallFry]

Hey Coffee Lovers...

Out of curiosity - what is your favorite method to brew coffee? And when you purchased such gear, where did you purchase it? From mass merch, Amazon, specialty store? I am looking to expand my coffee gear offerings and wondering what everyone likes.

TIA _ Mike

Hario V60 drip cone (plastic resin version), Hario Buono kettle and a decent hand grinder.
I roast own beans at home. The V60 gives me a good way of evaluating the success or failure in getting the most from my beans.
If I did a good job, the coffee is brilliant. If I pulled up too short, it's a bit grassy or "vegetal" (to cite the experts.) I'm careful not to overcook my beans and destroy the wonderful flavours they offer.
I mostly prefer Ethiopian beans, but I just roasted some Honduran beans which really knocked my socks off - very floral and fruit tasting.
I own an espresso maker and a moka pot, but the V60 is the one I use on a daily basis.

 

[Chaplain]

Actually mine was still doing fine and I did eventually sell it. Anything mechanical can/will give out in time and I just didn't want to be without espresso for any length of time if that original element was to go out. Regardless of care/use/water quality a heating element can only realistically last so many cycles. Surely me adding the PID minimized wear on it due to the light pulsing instead of the highs/lows in stock trim, but yeah I just wanted a new/more efficient spin on a solid old school favorite and the Pro strongly delivers no doubt. Having used quite a few machines over the years for home/commercial use I'm still very impressed with the Silvia line compared to any of them and it's simply the endgame for me.

Did I buy yours off ebay?

 

[shadow745]

Did I buy yours off ebay?

Yes as Seattle Coffee Gear happened to be selling them through their eBay store and it was a smooth transaction.

 

[Perseus]

Hey Coffee Lovers...

Out of curiosity - what is your favorite method to brew coffee? And when you purchased such gear, where did you purchase it? From mass merch, Amazon, specialty store? I am looking to expand my coffee gear offerings and wondering what everyone likes.

TIA _ Mike

Well I just received my Breville BES870XL ( Amazon ), a couple of days ago, read all the reviews and tutorials, and the manual LOL
Used "Death Wish" whole bean fresh pack, warmed everything up! Measured 17 grams on electric scale, ground in 870XL knocked on sides to get residual grind still clinging to the grinder, did a two cup dose on 3 on the grinder, 3:00 o'clock on the Grind Amount. Pressed it to 30 lbs. Did a 29 second brew @ 88% on the pressure gauge. I used that coffee cause I drink it a lot on the crappy espresso machine I was using cause I wanted to see the difference in taste with the 870XL. First time results were impressive, however the puck was watery! I think the grinder still holds too much ground beans up inside. So next time I'll move the grind amount to 4:00 o'clock to compensate for stragglers left behind! No bitterness at all with 2% milk frothed. For a unrefined bean like "Death Wish" ( don't get me wrong D.W. is good coffee ), I was impressed. Starbucks never tasted this good, and this was my first attempt!!! Goodbye Starbucks. I have roasted my own green coffee beans with a air popper before and already have a 3 lb. bag ready here at the house. I like to go with a light to medium roast cause it seems sweeter. Hi all I'm new to the forum....I'm Perseus

 

[Ronaldooo]

I personally run and love the Breville Barista Express. It's not cheap, but is worth every penny. I have had mine for over 5 years and it continues to make perfect espresso. It has the grinder and steamer wand all in one unit. Really one of my better home appliance purchases in my lifetime. If you want a more affordable unit, check out https://www.coffee-statistics.com/coffee-makers/ .