9 ms·

Maybe you care to share your setup?

lostlogin 4y ago
For the coffee is a Faema E61 Legend. I was shopping for parts for a ‘64 model and the parts added up to more than a new reproduction one. For finding is Mazzer Robur I restored. It’s massive. I love all their models but I can’t go past the air vents on the side, and maybe one day I’ll need to grind a years coffee in a day. I doubt it. I roast my beans with a Bosch heat gun (my superior Orzito died) in an old colander.
- the_third_wave 4y ago
  Try a cheap popcorn popper - more or less a heat gun with an aluminium cup attached. I've used one for roasting coffee with good results. The thing keeps the beans in motion while roasting them, all you have to do is switch it on and off at the right moment.
- chongli 4y ago
  That’s pretty awesome! I have a Lelit MaraX and a Niche Zero. I really want to get a lever machine next, but it’ll be awhile before it’s in the budget. Besides, I’m still learning how to use this current setup, having had it for a year and change.
  - lostlogin 4y ago
    I’d like a lever action too - I’d love a Faema Urania, similar but better styling to what I have. I love the e61 group head though.
    - chongli 4y ago
      The e61 is pretty sweet. I think my current dream machine is an Elektra MCAL. I am drawn to the idea of a machine with no machinery. Just a boiler and pressurestat and the spring lever to make coffee. The sweet sound of silence. Only the rush of water and the pouring of coffee to be heard.
      - lostlogin 4y ago
        You’ve gone a step further. I nearly got a Linea Mini, then discover the amount of electrics. The plastic, the fake lever. It got me thinking about what would last. I want manual. Prior to engaging the pump (pre infusion) you’re getting line pressure and it’s good. I need to try a lever, and also a real Linea. The Electra Belle is a ludicrous machine that looks amazing and is even less practical - saw one in the flesh in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand a while back. Old and tarnished and going strong.
        explaininjs 4y ago
        Somewhat surprised to not see any mention of the Flair lineup so far. I’ve had mine for years now and adore it. My use case is a bit different from most as I don’t often have electricity, but honestly it’s better than most but the highest end coffee shops I’ve been to (across Seattle, Portland, LA).
        chongli 4y ago
        A cup, a Flair, a hand grinder, and some kind of pot to boil water is definitely all you need to make amazing coffee when you’re out camping. Another one along these lines is a Cafelat Robot. I’m not sure which one is easier to pack or more durable though!
        explaininjs 4y ago
        Don't forget quality beans! And Flair packs pretty small and assembles quickly, plus it costs about half as much as the Robot. That said, I do love the Robot's style and color options.
        chongli 4y ago
        How could I forget the beans! That would be so embarrassing on a real trip! Yeah the Robot is definitely very stylish but the Flair seems a bit more rugged and practical looking, in a camping way. Excellent to hear that they designed it to pack small and assemble quickly!
    - boomskats 4y ago
      Mentioned elsewhere, but the Meticulous Espresso 'automated lever' machine looks really impressive. It finally went live on Kickstarter[0] yesterday. I can't wait. There are a bunch of videos around; the one Brian Quan did [1] is my favourite. [0]: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/meticulous/meticulous-espresso https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/meticulous/meticulous-e... [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-dxaLZTfGc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-dxaLZTfGc
      - greggsy 4y ago
        That is actually cool. Really innovative and it actually doesn’t look too hacky.
- quickthrower2 4y ago
  The Mazzer Robur is a grinder?
  - lostlogin 4y ago
    Yes, and a monster. It weighs 28kgs and is 70+cm tall. It’s pretty quiet by grinder standards and only runs for 3-5 seconds per shot, so that’s nice for others early morning. https://c4coffee.co.nz/products/mazzerroburgrinder https://c4coffee.co.nz/products/mazzerroburgrinder
    - quickthrower2 4y ago
      Beautiful! Do you make a lot of coffee? It definitely can get through a lot. I have a niche zero. 20s or so to grind a shot but there is no wastage. Ideal for a home setup making 2 a day. This is paired with a Breville Barista Express. Unlike most espresso people I am not tempted to upgrade this because I am so used to the workflow and it is quite good for a consumer grade machine (except for its grinder). With the niche I can make something 90% of the fidelity of a good cafe.
      - ce4 4y ago
        The Niche Zero and the Mazzer Robur have the exact same conical burrs. The Niche is just a bit smaller and meant for home use.
        lytfyre 4y ago
        close, but not quite - Niche is using the burrs out of the Mazzer Kony, the Robur's slightly smaller sibling. 63mm for the Niche/Kony vs either 71mm or 83mm depending on which Robur model.
        lostlogin 4y ago
        The Niche is seriously well reviewed. https://www.home-barista.com/blog/niche-zero-grinder-review-t57516.html https://www.home-barista.com/blog/niche-zero-grinder-review-...
- discordianfish 4y ago
  I always thought that roasting beans is it's own science. Isn't 'beans roasted with heat gun' quite a weakest link in this pipeline to great coffee?
  - greggsy 4y ago
    ‘Blowing hot air’ is possibly the least technical aspect of the whole process.
    - readbeard 4y ago
      Haha but what about "pumping hot water?" Both of these things are surprisingly difficult to do properly, with enough consistency and control. I believe temperature profile can noticeably affect the roast, and being able to consistently hit a profile (and thus experiment and improve) is really difficult with something like a heat gun. I did the heat gun thing for a while, and the air popper thing for a while, and even modified the air popper to be able to control fan speed and heating element separately. I got good results but hit a wall and needed more control. I started building an Arduino-controlled air popper to be able to get more consistent results, then decided brewing top-quality coffee coffee was challenging enough when roast quality was delegated to experts. Since then, I've been buying from local roasters.
      - greggsy 4y ago
        ‘Pumping a precise volume of near-boiling hot water at high pressure’ is orders or magnitude harder than ‘blowing hot air’. Sounds like you need a popocorn maker :)
  - HeyLaughingBoy 4y ago
    As opposed to a hot-air popcorn popper or a skillet on the stovetop?
  - lostlogin 4y ago
    Quite possibly. I’d say it’s just how I like it 80% of the time, and amazing 10% and terrible 10% of the time. My go to is Yirgachefe. Every so often I buy beans to see what I’m missing and I’m usually very underwhelmed. It’s time I did this again. New Zealand is lucky as the importers don’t bring in much crap coffee and so the average is good. A large bulk is brought in by just a couple of companies and all seem to have high standards. The key to home roasting for me is freshness. I like coffee a couple of days after it’s roasted. I can control this and struggled when I was buying beans.
- abrookewood 4y ago
  Holy cow that machine looks crazy - and expensive! $9,995.00??
  - anecdotal1 4y ago
    The really good modern espresso machines are all in that price range.
    - stinos 4y ago
      Well, the automated ones. The manual ones like [1] are just the essence of what makes espresso and hence can in theory produce the exact same thing but at a fraction of the price. Main problem is that most parameters are controlled by the user, not the machine, so consistency is not easy to achieve. Especially temperature control is hard to achieve. On the other hand: want longer preinfusion? Just do it, no buttons needed let alone a manual. I have such machine and for that price combined with not having to wait for a Faema to heat up, take a rather large amount of space and whatnot, and given that I drink one max two espressos a day, and that those are so close to what a professional automatic machine produces: totally worth it and no regrets yet. I used to dream of an espresso machine producing those super tasty beverages which in my country are really hard to find (compared to Italy of course), now I just have one, and it's maintainance and hassle-free as well and is going to last a very long time (basically only one rubber ring which is replacable). Which cannot exactly be said of automatic machines. [1] http://www.cafelat.com/robot.html http://www.cafelat.com/robot.html
      - lostlogin 4y ago
        > not having to wait for a Faema to heat up, take a rather large amount of space and whatnot And whatnot. I started turning it off at night (not recommended by manufacturer) and at the same point in time I started charging an electric car that is used daily. The power bill has gone down. The electric car uses less power than the Faema E61. Not good.
    - dfxm12 4y ago
      "Really good" starts at $400 for the Gaggia Classic Pro.
- martin_a 4y ago
  > Faema E61 Legend Pffft... Jackpot! Great machine, especially by the looks! All the best for your espresso adventure!

For the coffee is a Faema E61 Legend. I was shopping for parts for a ‘64 model and the parts added up to more than a new reproduction one. For finding is Mazzer Robur I restored. It’s massive. I love all their models but I can’t go past the air vents on the side, and maybe one day I’ll need to grind a years coffee in a day. I doubt it. I roast my beans with a Bosch heat gun (my superior Orzito died) in an old colander.

the_third_wave 4y ago
Try a cheap popcorn popper - more or less a heat gun with an aluminium cup attached. I've used one for roasting coffee with good results. The thing keeps the beans in motion while roasting them, all you have to do is switch it on and off at the right moment.
chongli 4y ago
That’s pretty awesome! I have a Lelit MaraX and a Niche Zero. I really want to get a lever machine next, but it’ll be awhile before it’s in the budget. Besides, I’m still learning how to use this current setup, having had it for a year and change.
- lostlogin 4y ago
  I’d like a lever action too - I’d love a Faema Urania, similar but better styling to what I have. I love the e61 group head though.
  - chongli 4y ago
    The e61 is pretty sweet. I think my current dream machine is an Elektra MCAL. I am drawn to the idea of a machine with no machinery. Just a boiler and pressurestat and the spring lever to make coffee. The sweet sound of silence. Only the rush of water and the pouring of coffee to be heard.
    - lostlogin 4y ago
      You’ve gone a step further. I nearly got a Linea Mini, then discover the amount of electrics. The plastic, the fake lever. It got me thinking about what would last. I want manual. Prior to engaging the pump (pre infusion) you’re getting line pressure and it’s good. I need to try a lever, and also a real Linea. The Electra Belle is a ludicrous machine that looks amazing and is even less practical - saw one in the flesh in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand a while back. Old and tarnished and going strong.
      - explaininjs 4y ago
        Somewhat surprised to not see any mention of the Flair lineup so far. I’ve had mine for years now and adore it. My use case is a bit different from most as I don’t often have electricity, but honestly it’s better than most but the highest end coffee shops I’ve been to (across Seattle, Portland, LA).
        chongli 4y ago
        A cup, a Flair, a hand grinder, and some kind of pot to boil water is definitely all you need to make amazing coffee when you’re out camping. Another one along these lines is a Cafelat Robot. I’m not sure which one is easier to pack or more durable though!
        explaininjs 4y ago
        Don't forget quality beans! And Flair packs pretty small and assembles quickly, plus it costs about half as much as the Robot. That said, I do love the Robot's style and color options.
        chongli 4y ago
        How could I forget the beans! That would be so embarrassing on a real trip! Yeah the Robot is definitely very stylish but the Flair seems a bit more rugged and practical looking, in a camping way. Excellent to hear that they designed it to pack small and assemble quickly!
  - boomskats 4y ago
    Mentioned elsewhere, but the Meticulous Espresso 'automated lever' machine looks really impressive. It finally went live on Kickstarter[0] yesterday. I can't wait. There are a bunch of videos around; the one Brian Quan did [1] is my favourite. [0]: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/meticulous/meticulous-espresso https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/meticulous/meticulous-e... [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-dxaLZTfGc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-dxaLZTfGc
    - greggsy 4y ago
      That is actually cool. Really innovative and it actually doesn’t look too hacky.
quickthrower2 4y ago
The Mazzer Robur is a grinder?
- lostlogin 4y ago
  Yes, and a monster. It weighs 28kgs and is 70+cm tall. It’s pretty quiet by grinder standards and only runs for 3-5 seconds per shot, so that’s nice for others early morning. https://c4coffee.co.nz/products/mazzerroburgrinder https://c4coffee.co.nz/products/mazzerroburgrinder
  - quickthrower2 4y ago
    Beautiful! Do you make a lot of coffee? It definitely can get through a lot. I have a niche zero. 20s or so to grind a shot but there is no wastage. Ideal for a home setup making 2 a day. This is paired with a Breville Barista Express. Unlike most espresso people I am not tempted to upgrade this because I am so used to the workflow and it is quite good for a consumer grade machine (except for its grinder). With the niche I can make something 90% of the fidelity of a good cafe.
    - ce4 4y ago
      The Niche Zero and the Mazzer Robur have the exact same conical burrs. The Niche is just a bit smaller and meant for home use.
      - lytfyre 4y ago
        close, but not quite - Niche is using the burrs out of the Mazzer Kony, the Robur's slightly smaller sibling. 63mm for the Niche/Kony vs either 71mm or 83mm depending on which Robur model.
        lostlogin 4y ago
        The Niche is seriously well reviewed. https://www.home-barista.com/blog/niche-zero-grinder-review-t57516.html https://www.home-barista.com/blog/niche-zero-grinder-review-...
discordianfish 4y ago
I always thought that roasting beans is it's own science. Isn't 'beans roasted with heat gun' quite a weakest link in this pipeline to great coffee?
- greggsy 4y ago
  ‘Blowing hot air’ is possibly the least technical aspect of the whole process.
  - readbeard 4y ago
    Haha but what about "pumping hot water?" Both of these things are surprisingly difficult to do properly, with enough consistency and control. I believe temperature profile can noticeably affect the roast, and being able to consistently hit a profile (and thus experiment and improve) is really difficult with something like a heat gun. I did the heat gun thing for a while, and the air popper thing for a while, and even modified the air popper to be able to control fan speed and heating element separately. I got good results but hit a wall and needed more control. I started building an Arduino-controlled air popper to be able to get more consistent results, then decided brewing top-quality coffee coffee was challenging enough when roast quality was delegated to experts. Since then, I've been buying from local roasters.
    - greggsy 4y ago
      ‘Pumping a precise volume of near-boiling hot water at high pressure’ is orders or magnitude harder than ‘blowing hot air’. Sounds like you need a popocorn maker :)
- HeyLaughingBoy 4y ago
  As opposed to a hot-air popcorn popper or a skillet on the stovetop?
- lostlogin 4y ago
  Quite possibly. I’d say it’s just how I like it 80% of the time, and amazing 10% and terrible 10% of the time. My go to is Yirgachefe. Every so often I buy beans to see what I’m missing and I’m usually very underwhelmed. It’s time I did this again. New Zealand is lucky as the importers don’t bring in much crap coffee and so the average is good. A large bulk is brought in by just a couple of companies and all seem to have high standards. The key to home roasting for me is freshness. I like coffee a couple of days after it’s roasted. I can control this and struggled when I was buying beans.
abrookewood 4y ago
Holy cow that machine looks crazy - and expensive! $9,995.00??
- anecdotal1 4y ago
  The really good modern espresso machines are all in that price range.
  - stinos 4y ago
    Well, the automated ones. The manual ones like [1] are just the essence of what makes espresso and hence can in theory produce the exact same thing but at a fraction of the price. Main problem is that most parameters are controlled by the user, not the machine, so consistency is not easy to achieve. Especially temperature control is hard to achieve. On the other hand: want longer preinfusion? Just do it, no buttons needed let alone a manual. I have such machine and for that price combined with not having to wait for a Faema to heat up, take a rather large amount of space and whatnot, and given that I drink one max two espressos a day, and that those are so close to what a professional automatic machine produces: totally worth it and no regrets yet. I used to dream of an espresso machine producing those super tasty beverages which in my country are really hard to find (compared to Italy of course), now I just have one, and it's maintainance and hassle-free as well and is going to last a very long time (basically only one rubber ring which is replacable). Which cannot exactly be said of automatic machines. [1] http://www.cafelat.com/robot.html http://www.cafelat.com/robot.html
    - lostlogin 4y ago
      > not having to wait for a Faema to heat up, take a rather large amount of space and whatnot And whatnot. I started turning it off at night (not recommended by manufacturer) and at the same point in time I started charging an electric car that is used daily. The power bill has gone down. The electric car uses less power than the Faema E61. Not good.
  - dfxm12 4y ago
    "Really good" starts at $400 for the Gaggia Classic Pro.
martin_a 4y ago
> Faema E61 Legend Pffft... Jackpot! Great machine, especially by the looks! All the best for your espresso adventure!