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I have a Bambino (was given it as a Christmas present) and I think it's a good starting point. You can make espresso (kinda, though painfully) with an Encore. If you decide you're into it you can get unpressurized baskets and a better grinder and it'll perform adequately. There are things about it that are annoying (I have to boil water separately for an Americano) but it heats up quickly, is easy to clean, and has been reliable for me so far despite heavy, heavy use.
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Aug 2, 2021 03:00
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Do you use the auto froth?
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Aug 2, 2021 03:11
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Mu Zeta posted:Do you use the auto froth? Not since the first week. It doesn't do a great job of incorporating foam/making microfoam. That said, I don't have issues with the steam wand manually. I also use an Acaia scale and don't use the automatic shot timer. I'm hoping the little guy can last me another year or two, when I'd like to upgrade to a E1 Prima.
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Aug 2, 2021 04:01
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Bushido Brown posted:I have a Bambino (was given it as a Christmas present) and I think it's a good starting point. You can make espresso (kinda, though painfully) with an Encore. If you decide you're into it you can get unpressurized baskets and a better grinder and it'll perform adequately. There are things about it that are annoying (I have to boil water separately for an Americano) but it heats up quickly, is easy to clean, and has been reliable for me so far despite heavy, heavy use. From my understanding the lowest setting on the Encore isn't "up to par" with what I would need to make a decent espresso grind? The grinders are also a bit more expensive than I anticipated. What are the benefits of getting a stand alone grinder and brewer vs a all-in-one like a Breville Barista Express?
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Aug 2, 2021 05:26
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obi_ant posted:From my understanding the lowest setting on the Encore isn't "up to par" with what I would need to make a decent espresso grind? I had some issues with the encore but was able to pull ok shots, even with an unpressurized basket. But it was not consistent and was an awful workflow. A benefit of a stand alone grinder is that it’ll be ready for your next machine. My current grinder is insane overkill: I use a rocket fausto. But (1) I love it and get great results and (2) I won’t upgrade that component for a decade. I could have a high end machine and my grinder would still be adequate.
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Aug 2, 2021 06:06
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I will just drop in another mention of the 9barista, which I've now had for a few days and absolutely love. I've been experimenting and tasting and it makes some lovely espresso. I am using it with an Encore, because that's what I had, but 9barista actually have it as one of their recommended grinders. I don't know if this is just to soothe people's burning wallets, rather than going "once you've bought our €370 pot, you'll need to spend the same again to get decent results, lol sorry". I am already finding a lack of "resolution" at the bottom end though, so there may be a grinder upgrade in my future. For now though, it's tasty. Also here in Eurozoneland, that Bambino looks to be the same price as the 9barista, while being an actual machine with steam and everything, so I think I'm probably in a niche with my little pot!
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Aug 2, 2021 08:44
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obi_ant posted:From my understanding the lowest setting on the Encore isn't "up to par" with what I would need to make a decent espresso grind? The encore can grind fine enough, but can only be adjusted incrementally, and the increments are too large to comfortably dial in espresso, which relies on the resistance of the coffee puck to reach the desired pressure (and therefore flow rate, and also extraction). Too coarse and the shot will gush and underextract, too fine and it will not flow at all. Pressurized portafilter baskets get around this by having the basket provide the resistance, allowing you to use any grind (even supermarket pre-ground) but they are a compromise and the coffee won’t extract as well. Having a more consistent grinder will make more of a difference to your coffee than having a more expensive machine will. You can make god shots on a silvia or even a bambino, but a cheaper grinder just can’t match a large flat burr grinder. Bushido Brown posted:I had some issues with the encore but was able to pull ok shots, even with an unpressurized basket. But it was not consistent and was an awful workflow. I was going to ask what grinder when you mentioned the VAPE1 lol fwiw i heartily endorse this manner of upgrade and think the grinder should be, at a minimum, a third to half of the budget of an espresso setup hypnophant fucked around with this message at 12:01 on Aug 2, 2021 |
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Aug 2, 2021 11:57
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The problem with not getting a sufficient grinder is that all your shots will be mediocre at best and you'll have to do extra work to even achieve mediocrity. Buy once, cry once.
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Aug 2, 2021 15:17
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If anyone is looking to "save" 5% on anything from Flair, order in the next 2 weeks. They're increasing prices but they notified email subscribers early as a friendly heads-up, which I appreciate. Got me to pull the trigger anyhow, even though it's only  for my $200 neo + accessories.Sign up for their email list and get another $10 off! Cheapest hobby ever!
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Aug 3, 2021 06:20
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 severely triggered rn
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Aug 3, 2021 06:57
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Dren posted:The problem with not getting a sufficient grinder is that all your shots will be mediocre at best and you'll have to do extra work to even achieve mediocrity. Buy once, cry once. On that topic, guess what just arrived: 
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Aug 3, 2021 09:28
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bizwank posted:
This was actually one of the more interesting ones he’s done really (to me). I had no idea what those machines were doing inside!
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Aug 3, 2021 12:36
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bolind posted:On that topic, guess what just arrived: Nice! What burrs?
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Aug 3, 2021 13:05
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hypnophant posted:Nice! What burrs? SSP Unimodal. First impressions: it’s very heavy.
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Aug 3, 2021 13:24
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bolind posted:SSP Unimodal. You’re using it for espresso right? I found the unimodal set to be very challenging to dial in consistently and ultimately went back to the high-uniformity, I’m interested to hear your thoughts. It is indeed heavy.
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Aug 3, 2021 13:52
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hypnophant posted:You’re using it for espresso right? I found the unimodal set to be very challenging to dial in consistently and ultimately went back to the high-uniformity, I’m interested to hear your thoughts. Espresso and filter, but mainly espresso, although it has changed in the past, and maybe will again. Thanks for the perspective on the burrs. How long have you had yours, and are you happy with it?
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Aug 3, 2021 14:32
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bolind posted:Espresso and filter, but mainly espresso, although it has changed in the past, and maybe will again. I’ve had mine since february. I’m happy with it overall, with a couple of caveats: I got the version where the numbers go the wrong way, and they also coarsened the pitch of the adjustment thread and I wish they hadn’t. I find I pull espresso shots between 2.7 and 3 on the dial and filter coffee somewhere around 0, so it’s not exactly a chore to switch between them, but I’d like the espresso section to be a bit less touchy - maybe I would have had more success with the unimodal burr although it could just be my puck prep needs work. Other notes are that I clipped the little loops off the wdt tool but I still don’t think it’s very good as the wires are too thick, and I don’t ever touch the rpm adjustment. Ultimately these are pretty minor complaints and it’s a good, unfinicky grinder that makes great coffee.
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Aug 3, 2021 14:50
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As an update to my earlier post some pages back my EG1 has been sold to a local buyer as it lost the face off vs the Ditting 804 LS. Excellent workflow and ease of use on the EG1. I don’t see how any grinder could beat it. And very good tasting coffee. Not thrilled w custserv not responding to emails about what to do in the event of needing repairs and whether I could find parts and do anything myself. The Ditting is loving fat. So big. And really a bitch to move around. It’s so messy too. It does make the best coffee I’ve ever had though, unseasoned.
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Aug 3, 2021 18:59
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Ed Jurak posted:As an update to my earlier post some pages back my EG1 has been sold to a local buyer as it lost the face off vs the Ditting 804 LS. My theory on some of these more niche precision grinders is that they won't probably have the support unless these are products built by companies selling to coffee shops who will need support. They're so focused on precision and appearance that when they decide in 7 years that they need to change something in the new design, they'll stop making parts that fit the old ones. Hopefully they don't, and hopefully nothing breaks and needs a repair, but I wouldn't count on them having repair shops.
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Aug 3, 2021 20:31
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Colleague of mine is waiting for some centrifugal coffee machine from kickstarter since 2016. Today he told me - I guess it's finally taking too long - that he's looking into buying an espresso machine and a hand grinder. I think he's underestimating just how much of a rabbit hole that is, and also how many James Hoffmann links he'll be getting from me.
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Aug 3, 2021 21:57
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Jhet posted:My theory on some of these more niche precision grinders is that they won't probably have the support unless these are products built by companies selling to coffee shops who will need support. They're so focused on precision and appearance that when they decide in 7 years that they need to change something in the new design, they'll stop making parts that fit the old ones. Hopefully they don't, and hopefully nothing breaks and needs a repair, but I wouldn't count on them having repair shops. You know I thought about this and I totally agree. And TBH this was proven out on the V1 of the grinder as I saw a user deal with this exact issue on the net. Hopefully is a really tenuous word to use though on a $3500 investment though. So I figure the better investment in the long term is to have a machine I can repair or replace parts on myself (doesn't seem like the case anytime soon I could probably take a baseball bat to this thing and the baseball bat would lose).
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Aug 3, 2021 22:44
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I love the idea, and look, of the eg-1 and if I was ever going to upgrade it would be near the top of the list - but I can't get behind the constant-speed rpm adjustment thing. It seems like a lot of extra complexity and an obvious failure point for no real benefit. I'd give up rpm adjustability on the lagom without a second thought as well. I don't need, understand, or want that extra variable (coming from someone who has a decent). Hopefully now that the market has been established, more of the traditional high-end grinder manufacturers will start to offer single-dose-focused grinders. Malkohnig has signaled they're paying attention to the EK43 enthusiasts, and I hope they will continue to evolve as the community does.
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Aug 4, 2021 01:44
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 "I got my Flair a week before my nice grinder. Should I wait and watch how-to videos or go for it?" "well if I insist on using my normal grinder I should definitely use the pressurized portafilter, yeah?" nah yolo https://i.imgur.com/z9GExeY.mp4 E: did another with pressurized vessel, shot still went very fast but still enjoyed the process and to my uncultured taste both shots were fine. Hello new hobby! BrianBoitano fucked around with this message at 00:16 on Aug 5, 2021 |
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Aug 4, 2021 23:34
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What recommendations are there for ship to house fresh roasted coffee? Nowhere local sells roasted stuff and I don't want to gently caress with roasting it myself.
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Aug 5, 2021 12:00
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SSJ_naruto_2003 posted:What recommendations are there for ship to house fresh roasted coffee? Nowhere local sells roasted stuff and I don't want to gently caress with roasting it myself. I've been getting Royal Mile roasted by a goon for a few years now.
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Aug 5, 2021 14:41
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+1 for royal mile
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Aug 5, 2021 15:03
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SSJ_naruto_2003 posted:What recommendations are there for ship to house fresh roasted coffee? Nowhere local sells roasted stuff and I don't want to gently caress with roasting it myself. I roast my own coffee but I feel like Black and White roasters is a really good equivalent.
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Aug 5, 2021 15:40
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SSJ_naruto_2003 posted:What recommendations are there for ship to house fresh roasted coffee? Nowhere local sells roasted stuff and I don't want to gently caress with roasting it myself. Goon coffee in SA Mart is good
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Aug 7, 2021 16:19
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Has anybody had lovely results with Cafec filters lately? I had always liked their light roast filters but this latest batch seems to clog up. I never changed grind, and I tried a regular Hario filter and it worked fine. A grind and pour that would draw down in 3:00-3:15 on the old filters or the Hario filters now just stalls and drips really slowly until I toss what’s left in the filter at 4:00 before it gets super bitter.
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Aug 8, 2021 14:09
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What's the cheapest coffee grinder yall would recommend? We bought the Krups precision but I think I'll be sending it back. It doesn't seem to be consistent enough
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Aug 9, 2021 12:55
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watch baratza’s site for a refurb encore
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Aug 9, 2021 13:07
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hypnophant posted:watch baratza’s site for a refurb encore And then upgrade the burrs when you have a spare $30.
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Aug 9, 2021 14:05
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For non espresso right?
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Aug 9, 2021 14:27
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BrianBoitano posted:For non espresso right? They'll grind fine enough no problem if you do the recommended tweaks. But with only 40 settings range, it's a crapshoot dialing in. You can get lucky with one roast and be off with another though with no recourse. You know, microns.
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Aug 9, 2021 16:28
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The encore is a pretty good entry level grinder but it should be noted that you can find hand grinders that can handle espresso for a similar price. A bunch of companies like timemore, and 1Zpresso have made cheaper models.
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Aug 9, 2021 16:35
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Thinking about setting up the La Pavoni again now that we're moving everything to the new place. I'd like to swap the Baratza 270wi that I have for something else, so looking for recommendations in that price point. I didn't really care for the grind to weight feature since it never worked quite right and the motor whine is just a little too high pitched for me, so it grates on my ears a bit and just makes the experience just that little less bit pleasant. Eureka Mignon, maybe? Does Mahlkoenig make a home grinder or is it all commercial ones?
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Aug 9, 2021 16:50
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Mr. Mambold posted:They'll grind fine enough no problem if you do the recommended tweaks. But with only 40 settings range, it's a crapshoot dialing in. You can get lucky with one roast and be off with another though with no recourse. You know, microns. This is where I'm at right now, my favourite beans need me to be at around 4.6 on the Encore I think. So, I'm going to piggyback on aldantefax's question above and also ask about Mignons. I've seen the name pop up in the thread before, and the price is about right for me, but there's a load of different versions. Can the espresso-focussed ones do a coarser grind for Clever/Aeropress fine? I'm guessing all the ones with the portafilter holder are espresso capable? I have my eye on the Silenzio, but I'd quite like to stop buying coffee grinders after this for a while, so I want to get it right! E: or if anyone wants to recommend another brand, please do. Ideally sub-€400, single-dose fine, brew styles as above Bobstar fucked around with this message at 17:01 on Aug 9, 2021 |
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Aug 9, 2021 16:58
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aldantefax posted:Thinking about setting up the La Pavoni again now that we're moving everything to the new place. I'd like to swap the Baratza 270wi that I have for something else, so looking for recommendations in that price point. I didn't really care for the grind to weight feature since it never worked quite right and the motor whine is just a little too high pitched for me, so it grates on my ears a bit and just makes the experience just that little less bit pleasant. The only one in this price bracket that will do what you want is the Mignon Specialita. I used to own one before I switched to the Niche, and I liked it a lot. Very quiet too. Edit: Actually, just realised that you mentioned that you have the 270wi, not the 270. That's quite a bit more expensive. You might actually consider looking into the Niche, as that's actually cheaper than the 270wi. Gunder fucked around with this message at 17:48 on Aug 9, 2021 |
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Aug 9, 2021 17:42
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Bobstar posted:Can the espresso-focussed ones do a coarser grind for Clever/Aeropress fine? Yes, what you are paying for in a higher end grinder is more consistent grinds + the ability to fine tune your grind.
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Aug 9, 2021 17:45
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Bobstar posted:This is where I'm at right now, my favourite beans need me to be at around 4.6 on the Encore I think. This is where a goon project 3D printed add-on to an Encore (similar to a Preciso) to dial in fine grinds raises its ugly head.
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Aug 9, 2021 18:02
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