Hi all,
Wondering what your thoughts are on a good value, fresh coffee making setup for the home.
Would an aeropress + milk frother be the best bet? Or a moka kettle? Maybe add a grinder for fresh ground beans?
I'm a bit wary of the coffee machines as my folks seem to go through them every 2-3 years. Would like something that will last, even if it is more lo-fi. I'd also like to avoid pods to cut down own waste.
Many thanks!
I thought I was the only one having issues with the seals on the Delter. Already on my second machine and cannot brew a coffee with it to save my life!
I moved to a V60 setup. Way better brews and no issues so far
Would the V60 be good for milk based coffees though?
DeLonghi Dedica + Breville Smart Pro grinder + the best whole beans you can afford + good creamy milk to froth.
My coffee standards are on the low scale, so for a budget setup I bought a Sunbeam EM0480 Grinder (~$169) and an Aeropress in the beginning. It'll be a bit different from espressos as the water pressure isn't high, but for black coffees and some milk mix it's good enough.
Later on I got a Sunbeam Mini Barista just under $200 and it does its espresso/latte duties well. I've hooked it up to a surge protection adapter as I hear its circuits are a bit sensitive — I hope it'll last 3 years!
P.S. Wait for discounts - I got all these via ebay 20% off :)
Aeropress isn’t a good idea if you’re making multiple coffees.
what type of coffee do you drink?
Typically just a flat white, nothing too fancy.
If you want lo-fi and budget of $200
I would recommend a Hario manual grinder or a Porlex - ceramic burr grinders.
Next would be Moka pot ($50), Nanopresso, Aeropress (or what ever new gizmos are like this).
Finally milk frother
https://www.kmart.com.au/product/milk-frother---black/226083…
If you're looking towards something faster
I haven't used this espresso machines and don't trust reviews on Kmart products but
https://www.kmart.com.au/product/espresso-coffee-machine/218… $89 can't go wrong.
Add electric grinder which will cost more than the espresso machine itself.
Just get a pod machine, get reusable pods, load with own coffee grinds.
Stovetop coffee maker is probably the nicest flavour of the cheapies. It gives a really nice flavour.
For a milk frother, go for the $3 ikea one It’s insane how cheap and good it is.
I prefer the taste of cold brew coffee so use the hario cold brew pot. I do miss having a hot coffee sometimes so use a delter coffee press which I much prefer to the aeropress, which doesn't get used at all anymore.
Cold brew is great, I make it really concentrated and if I want a hot coffee I just fill the cup about 1/3, zap it in the microwave and add hot water. Cold coffee just add ice or cold water instead of hot water.
I don't like the Aeropress much. It's not bad but if you ever want to make more than one coffee you're in trouble.
I got a small Rhinowares grinder, about $50. Then a Secura stainless steel french press (https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00JE36GLQ/ref=ppx_yo_d…). I used to have the glass ones but they are fragile (broke mine!) and get cold quickly. This one stays warm as it doubles as a vacuum sealed container.
Another cheaper option is a pour over filter. Get a $2 plastic one, and a reusable / cleanable filter and you are in coffee forever, tastes great too.
Ah I forgot about the french press, that might be a good option. They usually don't have disposable filters right? Do they last well?
Nothing to throw away, although most let you unscrew the metal filter things and replace if you want. The one I got from Amazon came with two spares. You can double up for a finer filter too.
I throw the grounds on the garden or compost. Worms love it!
The Rhinowares grinder is a real nice option too in my mind, or something similar. It fits inside either an aeropress or most french presses. Although I wouldn't put inside a glass one! Easy option to travel with, particularly if it's just a road trip.
Whats the budget? You could spend $500 on a cheap machine from Myer and it will only last a few years or you spend a few thousand on an Italian branded machine from a dedicated coffee place (ie not Breville or Sunbeam) and it will last many years provided you get it serviced
I was thinking around $200, depending on what that actually gets me. I suppose I'm most interested what the best manual/non-machine setup might be for making good coffee.
I think the high end Breville are pretty well made these days. James Hoffman on YouTube uses one frequently.
We have a couple of drip filter coffee machines. The only consumables are water and ground coffee. The older one is 20 years old and gets used daily. It's 10 cup, so we make it once a day - then if the coffee is cold we nuke it. It's easy and you don't have to watch it. The newer machine (same sort of thing) is from kmart and they were only $15.00 each normal price. They've gone out of fashion now, but still many under $100. https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/breville-12-cup-drip-filter-c…
www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?drip+filter+coffee+.TRS0&_nkw=dri…
If you want to approximate milky espresso drinks I'd go with a moka pot and then something to froth the milk. The simplest frothers are basically french presses (seriously you can just use a French press to do it) or you could go for something fancier that heats the milk. There are also stovetop steamers if you want to go all the way but I think they're a bit pricey.
For black coffee I'd go with an aeropress for simplicity unless you want to make multiple cups, in which case a French press is probably better. You can definitely do milky drinks with these too but I think the moka pot would give you a better result if you're trying to get as close to a flat white or latte as you can without going full espresso.
Delonghi dedica is very sturdy and reliable. A favourite of OzB
Depends on what kind of coffee you like.
If you like latte etc I would get something like those portable espresso makers - A Minipresso or whatever its called and then froth your own milk
I've always read that moka pots hide the characteristics of the coffee and just ends up really bitter, but never used one.
If you like black coffee an aeropress or delter would be fine. I wouldnt think they would make the best milk based coffee. I currently am using a Delter, but the known issues with the seal are starting to annoy me so I'm getting a V60 to try that out.
If you want to make coffee for the whole house and all the guests, Get a coffee machine - And an electric grinder. Hand grinding coffee for 3 people is the worst.