Costco and Amazon usually have some sub $300 machines around Black Friday including super automatics that do everything for you including grind the beans. I’ve used both supers and manual machines and prefer the convenience of the super automatic even though manual machines produce better coffee, IMO even with moderately priced Costco beans it’s world’s better than what Starbucks puts out.
That was on sale last year and I took a look at it as a 2nd machine. I ended up with a bit nicer Philips from Amazon that was also on sale. Looking at Amazon right now the only thing you get for $100 more on their model 1200 is chrome. Another option for $50 more is a 2230 with an automatic milk frother, but I’ve repeatedly read that the daily cleaning requirements aren’t worth the trouble and people wish they had just bought one with a manual frother.
If you don’t need any additional features (like 1 button Café Americano), the Costco model should be a big upgrade from other home brewed coffee and better than what most chain stores serve. It won’t be the quality of a high-end machine or an excellent coffee shop, but shots from these kinds of machines are quick, easy, and IMO taste quite good. (Espresso lovers with big dollars to spend and who don’t mind the time and effort required with a manual machine won’t agree.)
Start with a medium or light roast and take time to play with all the settings to find what you like best. You can change the grind, the quantity of coffee, quantity of water, and on some machines the water temperature. Philips sells a water filter that is designed to seriously reduce the amount of scale that builds up in the machine - worth the money IMO.
You’re not supposed to freeze or refrigerate beans, but we did a blind taste test with beans stored in a sealed container on the counter for 1-2 weeks vs. beans frozen and then thawed in the fridge as needed. We far preferred the frozen/refrigerated beans. (Do not put frozen beans in any grinder, let them thaw first.)
Thanks for that info! I bookmarked your message to come back to. I always refridgerate pre-ground beans; always taste better and last for like ever in a sealed mason jason in the fridge.
Links to cheap machines under 300$? Anything i shouldnt skimp out on?
Costco and Amazon usually have some sub $300 machines around Black Friday including super automatics that do everything for you including grind the beans. I’ve used both supers and manual machines and prefer the convenience of the super automatic even though manual machines produce better coffee, IMO even with moderately priced Costco beans it’s world’s better than what Starbucks puts out.
This is $300 right now. Would you consider this one? https://www.costco.com/philips-800-series-fully-automatic-espresso-machine-with-milk-frother.product.4000161076.html
That was on sale last year and I took a look at it as a 2nd machine. I ended up with a bit nicer Philips from Amazon that was also on sale. Looking at Amazon right now the only thing you get for $100 more on their model 1200 is chrome. Another option for $50 more is a 2230 with an automatic milk frother, but I’ve repeatedly read that the daily cleaning requirements aren’t worth the trouble and people wish they had just bought one with a manual frother.
If you don’t need any additional features (like 1 button Café Americano), the Costco model should be a big upgrade from other home brewed coffee and better than what most chain stores serve. It won’t be the quality of a high-end machine or an excellent coffee shop, but shots from these kinds of machines are quick, easy, and IMO taste quite good. (Espresso lovers with big dollars to spend and who don’t mind the time and effort required with a manual machine won’t agree.)
Start with a medium or light roast and take time to play with all the settings to find what you like best. You can change the grind, the quantity of coffee, quantity of water, and on some machines the water temperature. Philips sells a water filter that is designed to seriously reduce the amount of scale that builds up in the machine - worth the money IMO.
You’re not supposed to freeze or refrigerate beans, but we did a blind taste test with beans stored in a sealed container on the counter for 1-2 weeks vs. beans frozen and then thawed in the fridge as needed. We far preferred the frozen/refrigerated beans. (Do not put frozen beans in any grinder, let them thaw first.)
Enjoy!
Thanks for that info! I bookmarked your message to come back to. I always refridgerate pre-ground beans; always taste better and last for like ever in a sealed mason jason in the fridge.