ranwill Senior Member Joined: 25 Aug 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Bay City Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Aug 25, 2008, 4:17pm Subject: Help with first espresso machine purchase
I'm hoping to buy my first espresso machine in the next few months. I'm currently trying to decide between either a Gaggia Classic or a Gaggia Baby Twin. The Baby Twin is at the top of my price range - $300-$700. I already have a Rocky grinder.
I'm wondering if the extra boiler on the Baby Twin is worth the extra $200 I'll have to pay? Do you think that my choices are reasonable for the budget point? Is there another machine I should be looking at?
It's frustrating to try to decide without being able to see the machines. Does anyone know of a Brick and Mortar store in Mid-Michigan which stocks expresso machines? All I've been able to find is Automatic machines.
Posted Tue Aug 26, 2008, 5:33pm Subject: Re: Help with first espresso machine purchase
Have you considered an Expobar Office Pulser? It is $100 above your stated budget, but it might be worth saving up for another month or two. I had the cheap Gaggia Espresso for a couple of years and made alot of good espresso with it, so I have alot of respect for their machines. But the Expobar gets you into an HX which is where you may ultimately end up in your espresso career anyway. And if you like to steam milk, it will do alot better job of it. My Gaggia was ok with milk, but never great .
The Gaggia Baby Twin is new to me, but I see that the steaming "boiler" is actually a thermoblock and they use a Turbo-thingy to steam milk. I'd imagine that the Expobar would be much better working with milk. It also has a 50% larger water reservoir. I don't know anything aout their reliability, but there are certainly alot of reviews you can consult. I went from the Gaggia to an Isomac HX machine because I found a closeout deal 3 years ago. But the Expobar would have been my choice had that not happened.
So for what it's worth, I'd think that since you've got such a nice grinder, an HX machine might be the right choice if you can swing it.
Everman Senior Member Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Posts: 966 Location: Coffee Land Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Valentina Levetta Grinder: Mazzer Mini Roaster: Hottop
Posted Thu Sep 4, 2008, 8:58pm Subject: Re: Help with first espresso machine purchase
I doubt that the thermobloc would do well for steaming, better to just get the classic. Of course moving up to a heat exchanger machine would be a significant improvement.
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