[Closed] PSA gaggia baby

Cheers grim168, a virtual pint to yourself for that psa. I have a Gaggia Baby Class that is playing up despite fitting a new solenoid valve and pump to it so this will do me fine in the meanwhile till i can get the Baby class up and running again.

Ahh, it'll be here by lunchtime t'morn.....no more ****ing about with a moka-pot on the stove and my familiar double/double espresso shot to my heart in the morning will resume from wednesday.

Well done grim168 😀

Does a machine actually make better coffee than a cafetiere?

[i]Does a machine actually make better coffee than a cafetiere? [/i]

different, certainly. A lot of people think better too. Completely different method too.

Splutter....Splutter ..cough....... A very simple answer - yes.

Longer answer : You need pressure of at least 9bar to fully extract the aromatic oils and beneficial flavonoids oils from the freshly roasted and ground beans which can only be achieved by use of a pressurised machine with a suitably regulated water temperature of between 185-195 degrees Fahrenheit or approx 94 degrees Celsius, the water pressure makes instant contact with the ground coffee and if all is well with your tamping procedure (how firm you squash the ground coffee down in the holder) you should get a short espresso shot with a lovely thick caramel crema within 20-25 seconds.

Then if you like you can add freshly boiled water just off the boil to make a normal everyday type coffee and top up with warm milk or you can steam some milk and make a frothy cappuccino.

Yep....i'm a coffee geek and i'm not ashamed about it either.

Does a machine actually make better coffee than a cafetiere?

Completely different. Not better or worse, just a different product. Like the difference between say, wine and port. Or Brie and Cheddar.

Then if you like you can add freshly boiled water just off the boil to make a normal everyday type coffee

You'll get a similar drink, but if that's what you drink it's not worth the expense imo. The heat and pressure are harsh for many coffees. There is much more to coffee than espresso, after all. Many lighter roasts are not best brewed in an espresso machine. Some African ones for instance make a nice light infusion which is half way to tea if you use a cafetiere. Refreshing.

Can you put Mellow Birds in these fancy machines?

Like molgrips says, you choose you beans to suit what style and flavour of coffee you prefer, Indian monsoon malabar is a general all round fav of mine for a cappucino followed by Costa Rica'n beans for espresso - especially anything from the Zarcero or Tarrazu region although there has been a few duff batches over the past while but get a good one from a trusted roaster and it's lush!.

You do get roasted beans that taste and brew better in a cafetiere so you takes your pic and makes your choice 🙂

Can you put Mellow Birds in these fancy machines?

I don't see why not?, whether or not you'd want to drink it or throw it over the face of your worst enemy is up to you, i hear it may be used as a coffee enema - perhaps try it that way with a little biscoti on the side?

😛

So your paying 20% VAT and they are running off with the profit etc.

Does a machine actually make better coffee than a cafetiere?

Maybe go ask that question over at [url= http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums ]coffeegeek.com[/url] 🙂

Can you put Mellow Birds in these fancy machines?

... and this one too 😆

Filter coffee from Starbucks taken black is far more detailed and full bodied than an Americano.

So your paying 20% VAT and they are running off with the profit etc.

surely that's the definition of buying something. anything. from anywhere?

Filter coffee from Starbucks taken black is far more detailed and full bodied than an Americano.

+1

an americano (IMO) is generally not a nice drink. tastes like a watered dwon espresso, and nothing like the 'regular' coffee they badge it as.

i LOVE espresso based (short) drinks, i love nice filter coffee.

i cannot fudging stand americanos (normally - some exceptions obvs)

I don't mind them, they are sort of smoother and easier to drink - many filters are too acrid for me black.

It's arrived, and as it is the same dimensions exactly as my Gaggia Baby Class that cost £300 a few years ago, obviously i had to take the new baby machine apart to satisfy my curiosity and yep...it's exactly the same internals so for an extra £100 or so pounds for the Class model all that buys you is an aluminium exterior....and an aluminium drip tray.

Anyway, i'm very chuffed wi it for £99, had three espressos already...twitch...twitch.....shake....wibble....wander over there, stare out the window 😯 ....oops, freaked the neighbour out ...tum-de-tum---------->twitch...shake...twitch [img] [/img] <------------- wander back over here....take intense interest and note the dust behind my monitor - mental note to self - remember to dust later......etc....etc....

[img] [/img]

New and old, i'll repair the old one as i've just fitted a new pump and solenoid valve to it but there's still no water out of the grouphead and it's not airlocked so i'll have to fiddle with it.

[img] [/img]

A decent espresso out of it as well, this is the fourth and my final one......for sure...no more t'day...that's it...honest....i'm away out to run up trees, or climb buildings...........i could build a new shed?....clean the garden and wash the bins.....hoover the car out......paint the hallway......Hmmmmmm.......bike run!...thats it - go for a bike run!...in the mud...and it's actually dry outside....i'll light the stove first so the house is warm when i get back later........back [img] [/img] ...... back from what? [img] [/img] ....Ah yes....A bike run - grand idea..... then i can have an espresso.....Doh!
[img] [/img]

it makes guinness too?

surely that's the definition of buying something. anything. from anywhere?

Don't question Horaconomics.

My wife taking the hint from me leaving the Amazon tab open = WIN

So, thanks OP!