Hi there!,
To keep it brief, I have my 21st birthday coming up in a months time and have been advised that if I want, one of my relatives will be getting me an espresso machine. I've been an avid coffee drinker for many years (mainly using my french press) and spent around 4 years making espresso casually. Anyone have any suggestions on a decent espresso machine that is <$1000 or any general tips on what I should be looking for.
I've noticed that Briscoes may be the best place to grab one, especially since they always seem to have deals on them, even more so for the display stock.
Any suggestions are helpful, cheers!
Hi mate, do you want to treat espresso as a hobby? It sounds like that's the direction you'd like to head in, so I'll add some tips from a hobbyist perspective, with a budget of <$1000 in mind.
I would avoid any machine with a built-in grinder. This allows you to upgrade (or service) machines and grinders separately. You will also have much better micro-level control over the fineness of the grind with a separate grinder. As an example, something like the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is a fairly competent entry-level grinder.
I would recommend aiming for a machine with a 58mm portafilter, if you can find a machine that comes in under budget. This is the standard commercial size and most accessories (portafilters, baskets, tampers) on the market are 58mm. This is less important but something to keep in mind.
Have a read about pressurised versus non-pressurised baskets. Pressurised baskets make for more easily pulling a shot, however non-pressurised baskets will give you a fuller-bodied extraction. I believe some of the $500-$1000 machine come with both types in the box, but if it were me, I'd be leaving the pressurised baskets in their packaging.
Check out Trade-Me! There are some awesome deals to be had on high quality, second-hand espresso machines. I don't know how many listings I've come across of people selling expensive machines for a fraction of retail because they don't know how to use them properly, or don't want to take the time to learn. In fact that's exactly how I picked up my Ascaso Uno Pro 4 - an $1100 machine - for $250.
I had to write this in a hurry so apologies if things are scattered! Feel free to fire back any questions or need more detail. Hope that helps somewhat.