While I love espresso, I have never had a home machine. At home I have stuck with Turkish coffee and your basic "pour over" or French Press methods. (I'm a real hands-on kind of guy)
In terms of grinders, I currently have a Capresso Infinity and a Lodos Turkish grinder (couldn't find a Zass Turkish grinder anywhere). I always buy my coffee from a local roaster on the day it is roasted, so I do know the advantages of fresh roasted coffee from a good supplier.
I now want to buy an espresso machine for home use. From what I have read here, the Rancilio Silvia seems to be very popular. Also the Ascaso that had it's "First Look" looks interesting, but I would probably buy a less expensive model. Finally, I am intrigued with the manual models like the La Pavoni. I really don't want to spend more than around $800 USD. Also, I don't want to have to upgrade too soon, so I want to buy a GOOD product first off.
Now for the questions!
Are there any others I should add to my short list? Will my Capresso grinder be OK to start out with? Can a total espresso novice like myself be able to master a manual machine? I love "hands on" things and from what I hear once I master it, I won't be needing any upgrades.
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