Coffee machine recommendations?

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turtleattacks

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#280293 7-Dec-2020 08:56

Kia ora,

We are looking to replace our home Nespresso machine and am looking for a full fledged coffee machine.

Can someone recommend a machine that'll be suitable for two persons making 4-6 coffees a day?

We usually drink flat white, latte and sometimes ice coffee in the summer time.

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#2617225 7-Dec-2020 09:13

This is the coffee machine that we got about five years ago. Still going strong.

https://www.harveynorman.co.nz/home-appliances/coffee-and-beverages/coffee-machines/breville-barista-express-espresso-machine.html

Apart from the price, the details are the same. It does everything - that is: it grinds, it brews and it steams.

1101

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#2617227 7-Dec-2020 09:13

How much do you want to spend ?
Want fully auto or fully manual ?
You'll also need a grinder

Not much difference in many of the sub $700 coffee machines .

turtleattacks

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#2617228 7-Dec-2020 09:14

rogercruse:

This is the coffee machine that we got about five years ago. Still going strong.

https://www.harveynorman.co.nz/home-appliances/coffee-and-beverages/coffee-machines/breville-barista-express-espresso-machine.html

Apart from the price, the details are the same. It does everything - that is: it grinds, it brews and it steams.

That seems to be the one to get, might wait for the price for that to come down in price.

What would be the difference in that with a more expensive Breville version? https://www.jbhifi.co.nz/home-appliances/breville/breville-the-barista-pro-sea-salt/384454/

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Handsomedan

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#2617229 7-Dec-2020 09:15

I've had a Breville Barista Express for a number of years and find it to be excellent - it's not the flashest, most expensive or newest model on the block, but it makes me a damn good coffee...in fact it makes me several damn good coffees every day.

https://www.breville.com/nz/en/products/espresso/bes870.html

Can be had for as low as $600 on sale, but according to Breville, full retail is $1200.00

When I say "a number of years" I mean somewhere in the region of 5-6 years without a single failure.

Edit: Spelling

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turtleattacks

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#2617230 7-Dec-2020 09:16

1101:

How much do you want to spend ?
Want fully auto or fully manual ?
You'll also need a grinder

Not much difference in many of the sub $700 coffee machines .

Happy to spend under $2000.
Does automatic mean that there's a selection of 'type of coffee' and it just makes it for us?
Ideally we would have a built in grinder as we have limited space, or can we buy pregrinded coffee beans?

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sen8or

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#2617233 7-Dec-2020 09:17

How big is your budget and what do you mean by "fully fledged"?

If you want a manual machine, you'll also need a grinder. 4-6 coffees a day over the long term, I'd steer away from the appliance brands like Sunbeam, Delonghi, Breville etc and go for something more built for the long term. We have an expobar at our work, makes 10+ a day easily and hasn't skipped a beat in the 2 years we've had it. Combine that with a reasonable grinder and you'll be set, but you are looking at +/- $3k. There's also rocket, Vibiemme and Profitec which all produce heat exchanger models for $2-2.5k that will do a great job.

If you mostly make milk based drinks, I'd steer clear of single boiler units like the Rancilio Silvia, cheaper than a heat exchange / dual boiler but you'll have to get used to waiting for the machine to switch from coffee to steam.

Ofcourse, it all depends on whether or not you want to take the plunge for a manual machine including learning how to make coffee and steam milk etc, not just press a few buttons.....

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Handsomedan

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#2617234 7-Dec-2020 09:17

turtleattacks:

rogercruse:

This is the coffee machine that we got about five years ago. Still going strong.

https://www.harveynorman.co.nz/home-appliances/coffee-and-beverages/coffee-machines/breville-barista-express-espresso-machine.html

Apart from the price, the details are the same. It does everything - that is: it grinds, it brews and it steams.

That seems to be the one to get, might wait for the price for that to come down in price.

What would be the difference in that with a more expensive Breville version? https://www.jbhifi.co.nz/home-appliances/breville/breville-the-barista-pro-sea-salt/384454/

It has a digital screen

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Wakrak

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#2617238 7-Dec-2020 09:30

If you're in a rush to get the 'Breville Barista Express Coffee Machine', you could pricematch JB Hi-Fi vs. Briscoes since they use the same product numbers: BES870BSS / BES870BKS.

JB HiFi $745 - 10% (Briscoes pricebeat) = $670.50

turtleattacks

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#2617239 7-Dec-2020 09:32

Wakrak:

If you're in a rush to get the 'Breville Barista Express Coffee Machine', you could pricematch JB Hi-Fi vs. Briscoes since they use the same product numbers: BES870BSS / BES870BKS.

JB HiFi $745 - 10% = $670.50

Thanks - what's the 10%?

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Wakrak

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#2617282 7-Dec-2020 09:34

Wakrak:

Thanks - what's the 10%?

Briscoes will beat a competitors price by 10%. Can do it over the phone or in-store. If over the phone, sometimes they give you free delivery, sometimes they don't.

1101

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#2617283 7-Dec-2020 09:35

turtleattacks:

Happy to spend under $2000.

For that sort of money, avoid the basic delongi , sunbeam etc etc
Get something with a BOILER , and a separate grinder . Something that can be serviced , is is Designed to be serviced (rather than interal parts riveted on & a nightmare to replace)

The home use machines are all pretty much the same internally, even the $100 machines use the same pump as the $700 home machines
Nothing wrong with a Delongi (I have one) , But I wouldnt spend alot of money on one (I paid about $400 , on sale ) .

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billgates

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#2617284 7-Dec-2020 09:37

Lelit Elizabeth V3 + Eureka grinder is a really good combo. If you do for this then make sure the below link is the V3 and not V2 model as V3 just came out few months ago.

https://www.espresso.co.nz/home-coffee-equipment/lelit-pl92t-elizabeth-double-boiler-pid-espresso-coffee-machine-eureka-mignon-specialita-coffee-grinder-black-combo/

Do whatever you want to do man.

Amosnz

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#2617295 7-Dec-2020 09:42

We have a Jura ENA Micro 1 at home (both of us work from home) which does about 4-5 each a day (and more when family visit). The ENA Micro range are automatic machines so no manual grinding/ tamping etc, and they are very compact. We take it out to the bach when we go for a weekend.

We use a separate milk frother which means no tubes etc to clean. We picked ours up 5+ years ago on special (not very common) for under $1500 but i think they are usually closer to $1800- $2k.

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jonathan18

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#2617386 7-Dec-2020 10:48

1101:

turtleattacks:

Happy to spend under $2000.

Nothing wrong with a Delongi (I have one) , But I wouldnt spend alot of money on one (I paid about $400 , on sale ) .

Umm, I think that’s a sweeping statement, going by my own experience. I bought a half-price Delonghi from Briscoes, just to use at work. It was, to be frank, dire. Perhaps ok if I drank only black coffee, but its milk... I think they even called the wand a ‘cappuccino frother’, and it was this bizarre rubber thing with a plastic cover. The result was a whole bunch of spluttering and dangerous spitting of milk. A number of their machines use the same type of wand, so it doesn’t just affect the very bottom end, and I would advise anyone to stay away from any model using this. I replaced that with a Sunbeam Mini - $250 at half price - and this is in a totally different league.

SpartanVXL

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#2617388 7-Dec-2020 10:50

And heres me with a Bialetti stovetop making two a day :)

I do use the one at work though and see how more than 5 or so coffees in a short time needs one of these machines. It’s an older model of the Breville barista express and works well to serve an office floor of 10+ people who use it.

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