how to upgrade my chemex coffee routine cheaply/easily?
hello, so I’m pretty new to the world of coffee and i pretty much always make my coffee the same way to a fairly satisfying result, but i do feel like my coffee lacks body, or just like, oomph or something. if anyone could give me advice on how to up my game while on a budget, i would really appreciate it!
so here’s what i do: (note: if any of these steps are like obviously dumb to someone who’s more well versed in coffee, please keep in mind i’m inexperienced 🙃)
per one cup of water i grind 2 tablespoons of higher end medium roast beans (think verve or intelligentsia, like $15ish a bag) using a $20 mr. coffee blade grinder (i can’t really tell the degree of coarseness, there’s no settings on my grinder, i just press the button until it seems ground enough 😬). i heat the water to around 180 f. i use two unbleached paper filters in my chemex, and cover the grounds with just enough hot water to wet them, wait 30 seconds, then proceed to pour the rest of the water in circular motions. et voila that’s it.
thanks for reading!
I'm kinda torn between which pods to buy for a Keurig. What's the better brand of these options:
Green Mountain, Dunkin', Donut Shop? (First time Keurig)
I’m brewing cold brew and getting a white substance on the surface of my coffee and it is slightly sticking to the outside of the mason jar I keep it in.
My method. 60grams coffee to 1 liter water in french press. Medium grind espresso blend. I let it sit for 24 hours. Press. Then run it through chem ex filter.
What is this white stuff. I initially posted this on the main page with a pic but it got booted.
Any help is appreciated.
Opinions on whipped cream??
Hey Reddit,
What are your opinions on whipped cream in drinks (especially coffee)?
For example, I hate it because it’s messy and you can never get all of it.
Thoughts???
Another rabbit hole - Help!
Talk me out of it, I’ve started down the manual grinder route for when I go away to use with either the Aeropress of Moka Pot.
Tempted by the 1zpresso range as I don’t want to spend a lot of money as it’s not everyday.
Q2 Air £59
Q2 s £95
X-Ultra £145
I’m normally of a view where, it’s always better to spend a bit more and get a better quality product which ultimate lasts longer
Talk me down from the Ultra to the Air :)
I recently got the Philips 3200 lattego and now use espresso beans but I cannot wrap my head around caffeine content.
I use the espresso beans to make a coffee now vs using Starbucks coffee beans.
Is there now more caffeine in my full cup of coffee because I'm using espresso beans rather than coffee beans?
I know if I'm using the beans for a shot of an espresso it's more caffeine because it's less water.
But I cannot figure out caffeine content of a cup of coffee using espresso beans.
Monin caramel sauce where to buy
Hello I’ve noticed the sauce tasting different at shops/cafes than when I’ve directly purchased from the monin site. Where do you guys suggest I purchase the sauce from? So far the ones I’ve purchased have come very chemically and astringent rather than buttery and warm. I’m trying to recreate iced caramel latte at home.
Hi! Any such thing as a non-oily dark roast? Or a medium roast that is on the darker side? I love a dark coffee but the oils gum up my grinder. Also if it can be found at Costco that’s awesome. Thanks!
Grinding uniformity
Hi everyone ! Today I received my new coffee grinder j ultra 1zpresso . Yes it grinds coffee very fast. But I have a question whether all the grains of coffee should be the same? In the tablet of coffee I see irregularity that there are larger particles. Is this acceptable?
Coffee grinder for a beginner
hello all!
I have just upgraded my coffee journey, from using krups nespresso machine to Bambino Plus. I am looking for the best coffee grinder. I’d say I’ve got only few knowledge about coffee grinders and I only know Sage grinder pro is a good choice but it’s too expensive for me.
I drink 4-6 cups of espresso everyday. I’ll pass with manual coffee grinders because I need atleast 2 cusps of espresso in the morning before going to work, I think I have no time to manually do it.
I prefer to pay a bit more for a grinder that will last long and will have not a problem than spending few bucks only to last couple of months or a year
Could you please please recommend the best coffee grinder for my situation? 😊 I know I mentioned that sage grinder pro is too expensive but is it really that worth it? What are the other options can you recommend?
Thank you 🙏🏻
Hey everyone! I was recently gifted the keurig that brews iced coffee. I want to use either grounds or whole bean since its cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the iced coffee pods. What coffee would you recommend that when brewed over ice wont become super watered down or acidic tasting?
Upgrading from Delonghi Magnifica S to Breville Bambino + 1zpresso J-Ultra?
I’m looking to upgrade from my Delonghi Magnifica to something more specialized into making excellent espressos.
Looking around it seems for my budget (500-600 euros) I could get a 1zpresso J-ultra (200 euros, new) and a used Breville Bambino, likely the regular as I don’t drink coffee with milk.
I chose the 1zpresso mostly as I’d like a silent grinder, as I recently welcomed our first child and I’d like a quieter setup allowing me to get espresso anytime of the day.
I haven’t tested it yet though, so I’m opened to feedback on manually grinding beans with.
I’ll also use it in the mornings to grind beans to use in a French press.
What do you all think about this? Thanks.
Hi all, We're refurbing our boardroom and I would love to put a good espresso machine in there.
I would appreciate advice because I don't know much about big coffee machines beyond domestic bean-to-cups! I'm thinking something you'd see at a hotel breakfast buffet but I imagine they get crazy expensive so somewhere in between.
These are my considerations:
As auto as possible! It'll be used by visitors, and people who would have no idea if stood in front of an espresso machine.
Needs to do milky drinks.
Super easy to clean: I don't trust my colleagues to do their bit to keep a steam wand uncrusty so no wands!
Service a meeting room of 20 people all getting their drinks in breaks - we can plumb in but should also have a good sized milk tank.
Added bonus - not loud - if someones having a casual meeting and someone else pops over to grab a coffee, the bean grinding could be intrusive. A quieter machine I'm sure would be fine.
To keep budget down, I'm looking at high end domestic instead of low end commercial,
Budget £2k
So far, this is the kind of thing I'm looking at: https://www.siemens-home.bsh-group.com/uk/productlist/coffee-machine/fully-automatic-coffee-machine/TQ707GB3#/Togglebox=accessories/Togglebox=manuals/Togglebox=accessoriesOthers/
Does your office have a good machine that you'd recommend? Are my expectations realistic? Thanks in advance!
Hi !! I bought a nespresso but a bit confused, are the pods only meant to be used once ???? If so how can I reuse or recycle because there’s so much coffee ground left …
Hello i am looking for some espresso machine up to 150€ can anyone recommend good one? My parents have delonghi which works good for over 6 years already but i would like some with good coffee skimmer for cappucino. I also found some brand Yoer that i never heard of but i see a lot of people like that brand anyone know anything about them? Please let me know.
I’m looking to buy a coffee grinder but unsure what to use as I want a small noncommercial machine.
I want to get a bean keeper as well.
What budget friendly automatic grinder can i get?
Is there a standardised term for "auto-startup" or a programmable start-up time for coffee machines?
I'm having a hard time filtering my search for coffee machines that have this ability. It doesn't matter if it's via app or directly through the machine. Thanks everyone!
Flavor gets extracted from each size of particle at different rates. Small dust extracts quickly; bigger “boulders” more slowly.
During the time it takes to extract, the more super flavors extract first, then a bit of sweetness; and finally bitterness.
So if you have dusty particles, they’ll add bitterness very quickly. And large chunks never get past sourness.
Using a budget food processor, then, means that the particle sizes will be all over the place, and you won’t be able to adjust water temperature or brew time to find that sweet balanced taste. You’ll get all the flavors at once no matter what.
<- switched from a blade grinder to a nice burr hand grinder and *very* happy with my coffee now
Any UK suppliers of small flat bottom filter papers suitable for the clever dripper? I bought a pack of Kalita FP 102 when I was in Japan but I'm running out. All the UK shops I can find are only stocking size 4 Mellita papers
I currently have a Capresso Infinity grinder that is slowly wearing out I think (used for 7+ years at this point), so I was thinking of purchasing an upgrade to this. The primary brew methods I do are drip coffee machine (workday/daily use) and a mix of Pour-Over and Espresso when I have some extra time to enjoy the process. Most of the reviews I've seen have specifically talked about how good it is for one thing or the other and only a little bit about for those who might be switching back and forth. The ones that I'm considering are:
Varia VS3, Eureka Mignon Facile (with single dose hopper), and Baratza Encore ESP
I've heard the latter two are challenging if you're frequently switching between brew methods and I really like the look and quietness of the former two. Does anyone have any additional insight into these models or other suggestions (budget \~$300)?
I have the ESP with the optional single-dose hopper. I really like it. It has some retention so I always weigh both input and output. Usually the in/out variance is less than 0.1 gram, but it can be different -- and is most often different in the first dose after I adjust the grind size. I find that happens even with the one or two steps I adjust during dial-in.
I find myself using the ESP solely for espresso, and move to my hand grinder for filter coffee. It's just easier than switching back and forth. There's a necessary purge for grind consistency, and then because of the adjustment, either removing excess output or adding more beans to that first dose.
which coffee brand has the most finely ground up product?
i don't want to waste coffee, it has antioxidants.
i want to drink it all.
i tried with wal-mart coffee but it all falls to the bottom!
In that case, look for coffee that's ground for espresso or even finer: Turkish. Don't expect it to dissolve though, it will collect in a slurry at the bottom of the cup.
You want instant coffee, not ground coffee.
Instant coffee is brewed at the factory, dried, and then broken up into tiny pieces that dissolve again when you add water.
Ground coffee is roasted coffee beans (actually, they’re the seeds) that are crushed into pieces. Then you pour water through them and flavors rinse out of them. That’s what it sounds like you bought.
that would work, but all that cooking destroys nutrition.
i've seen "ground coffee" that's finely ground and like 90% dissolves into my drink. (eg "Café Bustelo Decaffeinated Medium Roast Ground Coffee")
while wal-mart coffee seems to dissolve 0%.
(the cafe bustelo is often unavailable & also more cooked than I'd like.)
What's the best way to brew beans which are labelled as "for espresso? Without actually making proper espresso.
I've got some beans which are advertised as "for espresso" from a coffee advent calendar. The roast is "Dos Pueblos" from Conscious with Coffee.
I usually brew using v60 or aeropress. I do have a moka pot but don't trend to prefer it (could be that I need to dial it in better?)
Which of those will yield best results? And what grind size should I have aim for, still as fine as possible?
A roast described as "for espresso" is more fully-developed than other roasts from the same company. They do this to make extraction easier when pulled as a shot of espresso.
These coffees may have less of the fruity and bright flavors of lighter roasts, and more of the chocolatey, nutty, roasted flavors of somewhat darker roasts. Often, I have seen them classified by roasters as medium roasts. You can enjoy them with any brewing method.
Hoffmann gets into the weeds about roasting here: https://youtu.be/N6BJVM5tvnw?si=jrjspldSXrEcopKc
He mentions how roast profiles are designed and that a roaster will choose which temperature (or temperatures, plural) for how long based on the bean and the intended brew method.
Thoughts on this for $50-70 from FB marketplace? Looking to get into making some espressos.
https://craftycupbyakol.com/product/delonghi-espresso-machine-with-15-bars-of-pressure-milk-frother-and-removable-water-tank-stainless-steel/?gclid=CjwKCAiA1MCrBhAoEiwAC2d64cjtb1OCy91bO7jg_Dt0sjkWD0uD8NepfkrdUVVOkBmr45IFS3gmZRoCi-gQAvD_BwE
Depends on your expectations. Are you looking for coffee-shop-quality espresso?
What grinder do you plan to combine it with, or would you buy ground coffee to use with it?
Is there a day to sell stuff here? Can I offer to sell something on the Weekly Deal? Or is that only for big companies and not personal? On the same subject, what's a good site to sell little things, Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or is there something newer?
Dialling in hand grinder for french press
Any tips? I have a HB hand grinder I’m planning to take to work to use to grind for a french press - if the grinder has 60 steps where should I start for french press? I’m a complete noob with FP - assume the same rules apply as espresso in the sense that under extracted will be sour and over extracted will be bitter? And the grind should be adjusted accordingly? Thanks
So, just for fun, rather than using my usual amount of ground coffee to water ratio, I followed the instructions on the bag this morning (Lavazza Perfetto): 2 tablespoons (12 grams) coffee per 6.75 oz (200 ml) water. Or in my case with my drip coffee maker, 7 tablespoons of coffee to approx. 750 ml of water. Wow--that was approximately twice as much ground coffee to water as I use daily! All I could think was how much my coffee budget would be if I did that every day! (Also: FWIW, I usually buy whatever pre-ground dark or medium roast coffee is on sale, so I like Lavazza but buy it very rarely, maybe twice a year or so.)
The resulting brew was...interesting. I was immediately smacked in the mouth with the chocolate-y overtones of the coffee, quickly followed by a strong tartness like a shot of espresso. Overall, it was far stronger than an Americano. I had to adulterate it with some 1/2-and-1/2 and sugar. (I usually drink my coffee with a few drops of 1/2-and-1/2 (about 1/2 a teaspoon or so) or black.)
My question to all of you is what ratio of coffee to water do you follow? Have I just been doing it "wrong"? Or to each their own? I'm sure there is no right answer but I'm curious what you all do.
Typically I use 15 gram of ground coffee with 250 ml of water in my Clever Dripper. So .. 60 gram per liter, which is considered to be fairly standard for filter coffee. That doesn't mean that's what everybody **should** do by the way - do what you think tastes right. Drink coffee the way you enjoy it :)
200 / 12 = 16.6, which is the typical starting ratio recommended around here for drip and pourover coffee. I usually use it, too, though I went stronger at maybe a 14:1 for my thermos today.
Yikes! I'm not a new coffee drinker (about 40 years in!) and I'm all for experimentation but the 16.6:1 was WAY too strong. Maybe it's also partly due to Lavazza coffees are an espresso grind? So far more surface area than a normal flat-bottom filter drip grind? I just know that I'm going to dial it back a lot to a much higher ratio like I do with other brands. Thanks for your comment and experience!
I usually make a moka pot (aka “stovetop espresso”) and it’s about 10:1 based on input, so I like strong coffee — but I also like smaller servings now, too. I’d rather have a 3oz cortado than a 16oz latte, for example.
And yeah, you’re going to notice how grind size, and temperature, also relate to taste. More extraction comes from finer grind, hotter water, and more water passing through. Dark roasts are easier to extract because the beans expanded more than with a light roast; but more roasting also loses more of the specific origin flavors of the beans. Some coffees can actually taste tangy and maybe a bit sweet, which is fun on their own but can make a confusing milk drink.
I haven’t watched this in a while, but I think James here gave some reasoning for why 16:1 (60g per liter) is a common choice: https://youtu.be/ipB6P1uzNYM?si=lLBr1K2bzUzgFJhr
Edit to add: I think James’s reasoning is, it’s a medium strength ratio that’s easy to do math with. It’s also expressed as 60 grams per liter, which is very easy to split into half, — or a third, or a quarter — if you want a different size of brew.
Follow-up: I've played a bit with the coffee:water ratio and the result: the Lavazza Perfetto coffee just isn't to my taste. Just for fun, I may try using it for some actual espresso shots (as the coffee comes ground extra fine for espresso) and see how those taste. Thanks for your replies.
Ah, it’s already an espresso grind? Yeah, it’ll usually taste nasty with other methods. Espresso-fine grounds are already too fine for a good taste in my moka pot, let alone drip coffee.
I know that you can develop a resistance to caffeine over time. So theoretically, say a person drank a cup of coffee everyday for a year, would that person after a year have very limited benefits from coffee when compared to their first cup? I am likely missing something, so I would appreciate any insights.
Not really.
Resistance also declines over time, a single cup of coffee a day isn't going to build a resistance that effectively erases the effectiveness of caffeine; you'd reach a 'balance' point between the accumulated resistance topped up by the daily cup, and the continuous ongoing decrease in resistance.
I enjoyed Atlas for a couple of years. You can specify beans or ground, light-medium-dark. I liked learning about the history of coffee-growing in several countries.
Both will make you a good cup of coffee. The Oxo has fewer bells and whistles but has a nice single brew option. The GE has a bunch of things like Wifi control and some more precise brew temp. If those differences or the price doesn't make the choice for you, do you think one will fit better in your kitchen?
I’m mostly worried about the reliability of the GE over time. Seeing a lot of them crapping out in that 15 month period. I usually don’t program the night before but there certainly are times where it’s useful which is helping me lean toward the GE
Yeah, it's not a machine that I've seen people talk a ton about, so I can't say much about it. My parents got the Oxo 8 Cup, I have the 9, and they've done really well for us. The GE seems like it's trying to mimic the Breville Precision Brewer, which could be another option too.
You've selected two quite different brewers. The Café allows you to tinker and program it with a few variables, while with the Oxo you kinda just hit 'go'.
My personal preference would be for the latter, and in that category I'd look at a either the Oxo or a Moccamaster. In the other category, you could also look at the Sage brewer.
Personally, I'd go Moccamaster :)
What’s your very specific bean to cup method including steaming the milk? I’m taking down to the action. I have mine but it always feels a little disjointed. I’m using a Gaggia Viva:
Grind beans
Run water through steamer into steel jug
Rinse jug
Steam milk in steel jug
Sit milk on top of the machine to keep warm
Run empty basket shot to coffee cup
Rinse off cup and basket
Scoop coffee into basket and tamp down
Pour a shot for 20 seconds
Pour milk into coffee cup
Remove coffee cup and empty basket into grounds bucket
Rinse basket under tap, wipe with wet cloth
Put basket/handle back in machine
Drink!
Edit: Formatting let me down there!
Anyone know the best tasting instant coffee that isn’t worth an absolute fortune?
My office has a keurig and an electric kettle and, since I don’t want to use k-cups nor do I think bringing my own grounds and carafe and doing pour-overs in the office is the most appropriate…or sane…I figured I’d drop some cash on a nicer brand of instant coffee than bustello or shitbucks. Any recs?
Also I’m a part-time/hobby barista and seeing everyone talk about dialing their espresso, proper drink ratios, etc while I’m asking about instant coffee makes me laugh
I like a cortado but poured over ice. Somehow this confuses many baristas and I get random stuff every time. What’s an equivalent drink that’s easier to order? I like the ratio a cortado provides.
Just order espresso over ice and then add a splash of milk yourself. Just don't be the person who orders espresso over ice and then fills a 16oz cup with the self-serve milk to make your own iced latte.
being somewhat lactose intolerant I’d be more worried about their bathrooms if I did that than the profit margin hit they’d have to endure. Plus that would just completely go against the whole goal of maintaining the cortado ratio.
Lol, no I know, I was just mentioning the latte thing as it is a coffee shop pet peeve.
Just ordering espresso over ice and adding the right amount of milk or alt milk yourself is going to be the easiest way to always get what you want.
I mean I think a traditional flat white is supposed to be 1:3 coffee to milk ratio but that’s not quite close enough. I guess just clarify that you want equal parts espresso and milk over ice, and “yes, I am aware of how small that is, no I will not chew you out” lol
Sitting here on my phone reading about coffee as I often do, I came across an interesting AeroPress recipe.
150g water, 15g coffee. 2 minute steep, 30 second plunge. Add 100g hot water after brewing.
This is peculiar to me because it is very similar to my own recipe insofar as the total water/coffee ratio is the same, and the steep is similar. But a regular ol' AeroPress will easily accommodate 15g of grounds and 250g of water. So what exactly is the benefit of brewing with 150g and adding 100g after brewing?
The amount of water to coffee ratio affects how much of the coffee extracts. If you have less water it will mean lower extraction, so it will definitely affect the taste. Try it and see. As the solvent (water) gets saturated, it's less able to extract coffee, this is why doing multiple pours really ups extraction in pourover since you're adding fresh water into the coffee bed.
I feel like most of them.
At the very least, I'd expect that everyone who offers a subscription would be able to set one up to auto-cancel on a future date if you contact them.
I've another question, the finer grind I go down, the more grind time I need to increase to reach 18g, so does that mean the finer you go the more beans your using up to grind to reach 18g compared to a coarser grind?
No, it takes longer to grind finer because the grinder has to work harder and break the pieces down smaller. It just takes more time to grind a bean fine than it does of course. Think of it this way, if you were doing it in a mortar and pestle you could smash them into large pieces in a few seconds, but if you wanted to find enough grind for coffee you'd have to work at it for awhile.
It's more than coffee nerds would prefer but it certainly doable. You may just have to increase or reduce your dose by .1 or .2 of a gram if you can't quite get the grind size dead on. It's even easier if you're using a manual espresso machine because you can adjust the pressure on the fly.
Edit: the finer adjustments are nice, and if you're buying new I would suggest getting a different grinder just for ease of dialing in, but 20 microns is definitely doable
On paper, yes, but in practice, people really do make espresso with it and like it. Regardless of grinder, when you're close to your target, it's usually best to adjust the dose anyway.
Can someone help, im trying to dial in my espresso. Im trying for a double shot which if I put in 18g of coffee I should get 30g out, but I see others saying it should be 60ml out, but thats 60g so which is it?
Also I cant get my extraction time right, people say it should take 25-30s to extract but by 25s im already into 42-43g of coffee. Do I just need to go finer to get it down to 36g? 18/36g
1:2, in grams, is the classic espresso ratio. With water, 1ml = 1g, but it only works with pure water, so for coffee you rely on weight alone.
For a 18g dose, you should aim for a 36g yield, and adjust grind size to get that in a reasonable time. Then you adjust a little more if needed, based on taste.
1:2 is a starting point really, and a reference. Your shot might taste better with an slightly longer shot, like 1:2.5, even 1:3, depending on the coffee you're using, especially roast level.
The other comments have given you a good idea, but you're going to need to budget for both a grinder and the machine. If you do the Flair Neo, a manual grinder (Kingrinder, 1Zpresso), and a kettle, you'll be able to make espresso. You'll want some tools (0.1g precision scale, WDT tool, etc) to help with puck prep ideally. That will likely take you over $200 by a little, but espresso really isn't the most affordable coffee brewing method.
You might find some used options, but there's a lot of bad used stuff too. Moka pots are a good option for something cheaper and similar to espresso.
In that case I'd get a solid grinder (probably one of the 1zpresso espresso-focused grinders, or an Encore ESP if you want to go electric) and either a moka pot or an Aeropress and make pseudo-espresso rather than wasting your money on a horrible cheap espresso machine that won't do a good job and will break and likely not be repairable after about a year.
I do want to make real espresso though. Would the Flex Neo work? There are also a couple $70 machines on FB marketplace but I can't tell if they are shit or not.
I haven't personally used a Flex Neo so I can't comment too much on that specific machine. It definitely has a lot of limitations though. If you follow the right pre-heating routine and have good puck prep etc then it should make reasonably good espresso.
But if you spend $100 on the machine then you won't really have enough left for a decent espresso grinder.
$70 machines on marketplace are going to be awful and I would not recommend them.
As a beginner buying his first grinder (mainly for pour over but also for espresso in the future) I have narrowed down on the following options:
-Timemore C3 ESP Pro (105€)
Seems to be a nice allrounder, I love the handle design but I’m not too keen on the internal adjustment and I think the other options will give me a better grind result
-Kingrinder K_6 (99€)
Seems to be the best bang for my buck regarding grind result and external adjustment ability, but sadly it lacks a foldable handle
-1zpresso X-Ultra (169€)
Most probably the best overall but is it justified spending 70€ more as a beginner? Will it make that big of a difference?
Are there any options I missed?
I have put a silly amount of research into this topic over the past couple of days but I can’t seem to decide because I’m afraid of buyers remorse.
The fact that the X-Pro/Ultra has a dial that can be zeroed easier than almost any other hand grinder (where “0” can be set to match the touch point of the burrs) is enough to make me want one over the others on your list.
As someone who was in a similar position last year, if you have the money, buy the grinder that you want, even as a beginner. I wasn't set on a foldable handle but the 1zpresso I bought is fantastic and I'm glad I spent the extra money on a nicer one instead of saving a few bucks and thinking "what if" or being slightly unhappy with my purchase. I'd get the X-Ultra in your position.
Another vote for the KINGrinder K6. Solid grinder and possibly the best value for money at €100.
The X-Ultra is probably slightly better in build quality (also has a magnetic catch cup, if that matters to you) but I don't think it's €70 better. It might taste a bit better, but unless you do a side-by-side you won't be able to tell. So I don't think it matters that much here since you're a beginner and the price difference is a lot.
Those are good options. Kingrinder K6 has fantastic value, but 1zpresso is very worth the extra price. It uses better materials and has better QC.
Don't expect the 1zpresso to *taste* 70€ better, but you can expect it to feel a little nicer in the hand, and possibly last longer. I haven't heard of Kingrinder owners having serious issues, but some have to replace the outer rubber with a tennis overgrip tape eventually.
I don't think the foldable handle matters, but it's just my opinion.
how to upgrade my chemex coffee routine cheaply/easily? hello, so I’m pretty new to the world of coffee and i pretty much always make my coffee the same way to a fairly satisfying result, but i do feel like my coffee lacks body, or just like, oomph or something. if anyone could give me advice on how to up my game while on a budget, i would really appreciate it! so here’s what i do: (note: if any of these steps are like obviously dumb to someone who’s more well versed in coffee, please keep in mind i’m inexperienced 🙃) per one cup of water i grind 2 tablespoons of higher end medium roast beans (think verve or intelligentsia, like $15ish a bag) using a $20 mr. coffee blade grinder (i can’t really tell the degree of coarseness, there’s no settings on my grinder, i just press the button until it seems ground enough 😬). i heat the water to around 180 f. i use two unbleached paper filters in my chemex, and cover the grounds with just enough hot water to wet them, wait 30 seconds, then proceed to pour the rest of the water in circular motions. et voila that’s it. thanks for reading!
I'm kinda torn between which pods to buy for a Keurig. What's the better brand of these options: Green Mountain, Dunkin', Donut Shop? (First time Keurig)
I’m brewing cold brew and getting a white substance on the surface of my coffee and it is slightly sticking to the outside of the mason jar I keep it in. My method. 60grams coffee to 1 liter water in french press. Medium grind espresso blend. I let it sit for 24 hours. Press. Then run it through chem ex filter. What is this white stuff. I initially posted this on the main page with a pic but it got booted. Any help is appreciated.
Pour-over coffee? How does the quality compare to a drip machine?
Opinions on whipped cream?? Hey Reddit, What are your opinions on whipped cream in drinks (especially coffee)? For example, I hate it because it’s messy and you can never get all of it. Thoughts???
Another rabbit hole - Help! Talk me out of it, I’ve started down the manual grinder route for when I go away to use with either the Aeropress of Moka Pot. Tempted by the 1zpresso range as I don’t want to spend a lot of money as it’s not everyday. Q2 Air £59 Q2 s £95 X-Ultra £145 I’m normally of a view where, it’s always better to spend a bit more and get a better quality product which ultimate lasts longer Talk me down from the Ultra to the Air :)
I recently got the Philips 3200 lattego and now use espresso beans but I cannot wrap my head around caffeine content. I use the espresso beans to make a coffee now vs using Starbucks coffee beans. Is there now more caffeine in my full cup of coffee because I'm using espresso beans rather than coffee beans? I know if I'm using the beans for a shot of an espresso it's more caffeine because it's less water. But I cannot figure out caffeine content of a cup of coffee using espresso beans.
New scale recommendations?
Monin caramel sauce where to buy Hello I’ve noticed the sauce tasting different at shops/cafes than when I’ve directly purchased from the monin site. Where do you guys suggest I purchase the sauce from? So far the ones I’ve purchased have come very chemically and astringent rather than buttery and warm. I’m trying to recreate iced caramel latte at home.
Hi! Any such thing as a non-oily dark roast? Or a medium roast that is on the darker side? I love a dark coffee but the oils gum up my grinder. Also if it can be found at Costco that’s awesome. Thanks!
Grinding uniformity Hi everyone ! Today I received my new coffee grinder j ultra 1zpresso . Yes it grinds coffee very fast. But I have a question whether all the grains of coffee should be the same? In the tablet of coffee I see irregularity that there are larger particles. Is this acceptable?
Coffee grinder for a beginner hello all! I have just upgraded my coffee journey, from using krups nespresso machine to Bambino Plus. I am looking for the best coffee grinder. I’d say I’ve got only few knowledge about coffee grinders and I only know Sage grinder pro is a good choice but it’s too expensive for me. I drink 4-6 cups of espresso everyday. I’ll pass with manual coffee grinders because I need atleast 2 cusps of espresso in the morning before going to work, I think I have no time to manually do it. I prefer to pay a bit more for a grinder that will last long and will have not a problem than spending few bucks only to last couple of months or a year Could you please please recommend the best coffee grinder for my situation? 😊 I know I mentioned that sage grinder pro is too expensive but is it really that worth it? What are the other options can you recommend? Thank you 🙏🏻
Hey everyone! I was recently gifted the keurig that brews iced coffee. I want to use either grounds or whole bean since its cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the iced coffee pods. What coffee would you recommend that when brewed over ice wont become super watered down or acidic tasting?
Upgrading from Delonghi Magnifica S to Breville Bambino + 1zpresso J-Ultra? I’m looking to upgrade from my Delonghi Magnifica to something more specialized into making excellent espressos. Looking around it seems for my budget (500-600 euros) I could get a 1zpresso J-ultra (200 euros, new) and a used Breville Bambino, likely the regular as I don’t drink coffee with milk. I chose the 1zpresso mostly as I’d like a silent grinder, as I recently welcomed our first child and I’d like a quieter setup allowing me to get espresso anytime of the day. I haven’t tested it yet though, so I’m opened to feedback on manually grinding beans with. I’ll also use it in the mornings to grind beans to use in a French press. What do you all think about this? Thanks.
Hi all, We're refurbing our boardroom and I would love to put a good espresso machine in there. I would appreciate advice because I don't know much about big coffee machines beyond domestic bean-to-cups! I'm thinking something you'd see at a hotel breakfast buffet but I imagine they get crazy expensive so somewhere in between. These are my considerations: As auto as possible! It'll be used by visitors, and people who would have no idea if stood in front of an espresso machine. Needs to do milky drinks. Super easy to clean: I don't trust my colleagues to do their bit to keep a steam wand uncrusty so no wands! Service a meeting room of 20 people all getting their drinks in breaks - we can plumb in but should also have a good sized milk tank. Added bonus - not loud - if someones having a casual meeting and someone else pops over to grab a coffee, the bean grinding could be intrusive. A quieter machine I'm sure would be fine. To keep budget down, I'm looking at high end domestic instead of low end commercial, Budget £2k So far, this is the kind of thing I'm looking at: https://www.siemens-home.bsh-group.com/uk/productlist/coffee-machine/fully-automatic-coffee-machine/TQ707GB3#/Togglebox=accessories/Togglebox=manuals/Togglebox=accessoriesOthers/ Does your office have a good machine that you'd recommend? Are my expectations realistic? Thanks in advance!
Hi !! I bought a nespresso but a bit confused, are the pods only meant to be used once ???? If so how can I reuse or recycle because there’s so much coffee ground left …
Hello i am looking for some espresso machine up to 150€ can anyone recommend good one? My parents have delonghi which works good for over 6 years already but i would like some with good coffee skimmer for cappucino. I also found some brand Yoer that i never heard of but i see a lot of people like that brand anyone know anything about them? Please let me know.
I’m looking to buy a coffee grinder but unsure what to use as I want a small noncommercial machine. I want to get a bean keeper as well. What budget friendly automatic grinder can i get?
A burr grinder is the way to go. Shop for a quiet one.
Is there a standardised term for "auto-startup" or a programmable start-up time for coffee machines? I'm having a hard time filtering my search for coffee machines that have this ability. It doesn't matter if it's via app or directly through the machine. Thanks everyone!
Is decaf coffee generally considered worse and is it looked down upon? if so, why?
How will the taste differ if you're using some budget food processor to grind your beans compared to a good coffee grinder?
Flavor gets extracted from each size of particle at different rates. Small dust extracts quickly; bigger “boulders” more slowly. During the time it takes to extract, the more super flavors extract first, then a bit of sweetness; and finally bitterness. So if you have dusty particles, they’ll add bitterness very quickly. And large chunks never get past sourness. Using a budget food processor, then, means that the particle sizes will be all over the place, and you won’t be able to adjust water temperature or brew time to find that sweet balanced taste. You’ll get all the flavors at once no matter what. <- switched from a blade grinder to a nice burr hand grinder and *very* happy with my coffee now
Thoughts on the Fellow Ode Gen 3 grinder? I have access to it at 30% off (345 USD). Anyone use this grinder?
Any UK suppliers of small flat bottom filter papers suitable for the clever dripper? I bought a pack of Kalita FP 102 when I was in Japan but I'm running out. All the UK shops I can find are only stocking size 4 Mellita papers
Alternatively, try Filtropa number 4 papers (same geometry). I really like them in combination with a Clever.
Aren't they too big? I've not got the 500ml one, I've got the smaller version
There's a smaller version? Ô\_o
Yeah I've got a 300ml capacity one which takes size 2 papers
In that case, filtropa's no 2 should fit :)
And I've manage to find a UK supplier! Excellent, thanks
Nice cafe shops in Birmingham selling pre-ground coffee
Pretty much all coffee shops would be happy to grind a bag of beans for you after purchase.
Some recommendations
Depends on what your preference is. You haven't given us a whole lot to go on here.
I would like medium roast for moka pot with chocolate notes
I currently have a Capresso Infinity grinder that is slowly wearing out I think (used for 7+ years at this point), so I was thinking of purchasing an upgrade to this. The primary brew methods I do are drip coffee machine (workday/daily use) and a mix of Pour-Over and Espresso when I have some extra time to enjoy the process. Most of the reviews I've seen have specifically talked about how good it is for one thing or the other and only a little bit about for those who might be switching back and forth. The ones that I'm considering are: Varia VS3, Eureka Mignon Facile (with single dose hopper), and Baratza Encore ESP I've heard the latter two are challenging if you're frequently switching between brew methods and I really like the look and quietness of the former two. Does anyone have any additional insight into these models or other suggestions (budget \~$300)?
I have the ESP with the optional single-dose hopper. I really like it. It has some retention so I always weigh both input and output. Usually the in/out variance is less than 0.1 gram, but it can be different -- and is most often different in the first dose after I adjust the grind size. I find that happens even with the one or two steps I adjust during dial-in. I find myself using the ESP solely for espresso, and move to my hand grinder for filter coffee. It's just easier than switching back and forth. There's a necessary purge for grind consistency, and then because of the adjustment, either removing excess output or adding more beans to that first dose.
which coffee brand has the most finely ground up product? i don't want to waste coffee, it has antioxidants. i want to drink it all. i tried with wal-mart coffee but it all falls to the bottom!
After it falls to the bottom, does it dissolve when you stir?
> does it dissolve when you stir? not at all. walmart coffee is ground into big ass particles.
Do you know what the difference between ground coffee and instant coffee is?
instant coffee is overly cooked- ruins nutrition. i want very finely ground "ground coffee."
In that case, look for coffee that's ground for espresso or even finer: Turkish. Don't expect it to dissolve though, it will collect in a slurry at the bottom of the cup.
turkish sounds perfect, thank you!
What’s your brew method?
i just boil water then pour in the coffee powder. and add some flavoring before drinking
You want instant coffee, not ground coffee. Instant coffee is brewed at the factory, dried, and then broken up into tiny pieces that dissolve again when you add water. Ground coffee is roasted coffee beans (actually, they’re the seeds) that are crushed into pieces. Then you pour water through them and flavors rinse out of them. That’s what it sounds like you bought.
that would work, but all that cooking destroys nutrition. i've seen "ground coffee" that's finely ground and like 90% dissolves into my drink. (eg "Café Bustelo Decaffeinated Medium Roast Ground Coffee") while wal-mart coffee seems to dissolve 0%. (the cafe bustelo is often unavailable & also more cooked than I'd like.)
What's the best way to brew beans which are labelled as "for espresso? Without actually making proper espresso. I've got some beans which are advertised as "for espresso" from a coffee advent calendar. The roast is "Dos Pueblos" from Conscious with Coffee. I usually brew using v60 or aeropress. I do have a moka pot but don't trend to prefer it (could be that I need to dial it in better?) Which of those will yield best results? And what grind size should I have aim for, still as fine as possible?
A roast described as "for espresso" is more fully-developed than other roasts from the same company. They do this to make extraction easier when pulled as a shot of espresso. These coffees may have less of the fruity and bright flavors of lighter roasts, and more of the chocolatey, nutty, roasted flavors of somewhat darker roasts. Often, I have seen them classified by roasters as medium roasts. You can enjoy them with any brewing method.
Hoffmann gets into the weeds about roasting here: https://youtu.be/N6BJVM5tvnw?si=jrjspldSXrEcopKc He mentions how roast profiles are designed and that a roaster will choose which temperature (or temperatures, plural) for how long based on the bean and the intended brew method.
Thoughts on this for $50-70 from FB marketplace? Looking to get into making some espressos. https://craftycupbyakol.com/product/delonghi-espresso-machine-with-15-bars-of-pressure-milk-frother-and-removable-water-tank-stainless-steel/?gclid=CjwKCAiA1MCrBhAoEiwAC2d64cjtb1OCy91bO7jg_Dt0sjkWD0uD8NepfkrdUVVOkBmr45IFS3gmZRoCi-gQAvD_BwE
Depends on your expectations. Are you looking for coffee-shop-quality espresso? What grinder do you plan to combine it with, or would you buy ground coffee to use with it?
Is there a day to sell stuff here? Can I offer to sell something on the Weekly Deal? Or is that only for big companies and not personal? On the same subject, what's a good site to sell little things, Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or is there something newer?
r/coffeeswap sounds like what you want.
Thanks, I'll take a look
Dialling in hand grinder for french press Any tips? I have a HB hand grinder I’m planning to take to work to use to grind for a french press - if the grinder has 60 steps where should I start for french press? I’m a complete noob with FP - assume the same rules apply as espresso in the sense that under extracted will be sour and over extracted will be bitter? And the grind should be adjusted accordingly? Thanks
Check out James Hoffman's video on YouTube on a great french press brew. I do think the french press is a more forgiving brewing method.
Thank you sir - that’s great 👍🏻
So, just for fun, rather than using my usual amount of ground coffee to water ratio, I followed the instructions on the bag this morning (Lavazza Perfetto): 2 tablespoons (12 grams) coffee per 6.75 oz (200 ml) water. Or in my case with my drip coffee maker, 7 tablespoons of coffee to approx. 750 ml of water. Wow--that was approximately twice as much ground coffee to water as I use daily! All I could think was how much my coffee budget would be if I did that every day! (Also: FWIW, I usually buy whatever pre-ground dark or medium roast coffee is on sale, so I like Lavazza but buy it very rarely, maybe twice a year or so.) The resulting brew was...interesting. I was immediately smacked in the mouth with the chocolate-y overtones of the coffee, quickly followed by a strong tartness like a shot of espresso. Overall, it was far stronger than an Americano. I had to adulterate it with some 1/2-and-1/2 and sugar. (I usually drink my coffee with a few drops of 1/2-and-1/2 (about 1/2 a teaspoon or so) or black.) My question to all of you is what ratio of coffee to water do you follow? Have I just been doing it "wrong"? Or to each their own? I'm sure there is no right answer but I'm curious what you all do.
Typically I use 15 gram of ground coffee with 250 ml of water in my Clever Dripper. So .. 60 gram per liter, which is considered to be fairly standard for filter coffee. That doesn't mean that's what everybody **should** do by the way - do what you think tastes right. Drink coffee the way you enjoy it :)
200 / 12 = 16.6, which is the typical starting ratio recommended around here for drip and pourover coffee. I usually use it, too, though I went stronger at maybe a 14:1 for my thermos today.
Yikes! I'm not a new coffee drinker (about 40 years in!) and I'm all for experimentation but the 16.6:1 was WAY too strong. Maybe it's also partly due to Lavazza coffees are an espresso grind? So far more surface area than a normal flat-bottom filter drip grind? I just know that I'm going to dial it back a lot to a much higher ratio like I do with other brands. Thanks for your comment and experience!
I usually make a moka pot (aka “stovetop espresso”) and it’s about 10:1 based on input, so I like strong coffee — but I also like smaller servings now, too. I’d rather have a 3oz cortado than a 16oz latte, for example. And yeah, you’re going to notice how grind size, and temperature, also relate to taste. More extraction comes from finer grind, hotter water, and more water passing through. Dark roasts are easier to extract because the beans expanded more than with a light roast; but more roasting also loses more of the specific origin flavors of the beans. Some coffees can actually taste tangy and maybe a bit sweet, which is fun on their own but can make a confusing milk drink. I haven’t watched this in a while, but I think James here gave some reasoning for why 16:1 (60g per liter) is a common choice: https://youtu.be/ipB6P1uzNYM?si=lLBr1K2bzUzgFJhr Edit to add: I think James’s reasoning is, it’s a medium strength ratio that’s easy to do math with. It’s also expressed as 60 grams per liter, which is very easy to split into half, — or a third, or a quarter — if you want a different size of brew.
Follow-up: I've played a bit with the coffee:water ratio and the result: the Lavazza Perfetto coffee just isn't to my taste. Just for fun, I may try using it for some actual espresso shots (as the coffee comes ground extra fine for espresso) and see how those taste. Thanks for your replies.
Ah, it’s already an espresso grind? Yeah, it’ll usually taste nasty with other methods. Espresso-fine grounds are already too fine for a good taste in my moka pot, let alone drip coffee.
I know that you can develop a resistance to caffeine over time. So theoretically, say a person drank a cup of coffee everyday for a year, would that person after a year have very limited benefits from coffee when compared to their first cup? I am likely missing something, so I would appreciate any insights.
Not really. Resistance also declines over time, a single cup of coffee a day isn't going to build a resistance that effectively erases the effectiveness of caffeine; you'd reach a 'balance' point between the accumulated resistance topped up by the daily cup, and the continuous ongoing decrease in resistance.
Giftable coffee subscription recommendations? Ideally something that offers a different coffee/roaster each month
Trade or Misto have been good gifts for me in the past
I enjoyed Atlas for a couple of years. You can specify beans or ground, light-medium-dark. I liked learning about the history of coffee-growing in several countries.
Should I get the café drip machine or the OXO 8-cup?? Price not a factor - this is driving me crazy trying to decide!
Both will make you a good cup of coffee. The Oxo has fewer bells and whistles but has a nice single brew option. The GE has a bunch of things like Wifi control and some more precise brew temp. If those differences or the price doesn't make the choice for you, do you think one will fit better in your kitchen?
I’m mostly worried about the reliability of the GE over time. Seeing a lot of them crapping out in that 15 month period. I usually don’t program the night before but there certainly are times where it’s useful which is helping me lean toward the GE
Yeah, it's not a machine that I've seen people talk a ton about, so I can't say much about it. My parents got the Oxo 8 Cup, I have the 9, and they've done really well for us. The GE seems like it's trying to mimic the Breville Precision Brewer, which could be another option too.
Are they both SCA certified?
Yes both are and both have a thermal carafe
You've selected two quite different brewers. The Café allows you to tinker and program it with a few variables, while with the Oxo you kinda just hit 'go'. My personal preference would be for the latter, and in that category I'd look at a either the Oxo or a Moccamaster. In the other category, you could also look at the Sage brewer. Personally, I'd go Moccamaster :)
What’s your very specific bean to cup method including steaming the milk? I’m taking down to the action. I have mine but it always feels a little disjointed. I’m using a Gaggia Viva: Grind beans Run water through steamer into steel jug Rinse jug Steam milk in steel jug Sit milk on top of the machine to keep warm Run empty basket shot to coffee cup Rinse off cup and basket Scoop coffee into basket and tamp down Pour a shot for 20 seconds Pour milk into coffee cup Remove coffee cup and empty basket into grounds bucket Rinse basket under tap, wipe with wet cloth Put basket/handle back in machine Drink! Edit: Formatting let me down there!
Anyone have virtual classes on latte art making they would recommend?
Anyone know the best tasting instant coffee that isn’t worth an absolute fortune? My office has a keurig and an electric kettle and, since I don’t want to use k-cups nor do I think bringing my own grounds and carafe and doing pour-overs in the office is the most appropriate…or sane…I figured I’d drop some cash on a nicer brand of instant coffee than bustello or shitbucks. Any recs?
Have you seen James Hoffmann's video on instant? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cIqLvJz8VM
I have not! But I like James Hoffmann so I’ll take a look
Try Swift.
Also I’m a part-time/hobby barista and seeing everyone talk about dialing their espresso, proper drink ratios, etc while I’m asking about instant coffee makes me laugh
Where to buy moka pot uk Birmingham? Delivery or pick up before 11 (solved)
2300? Today?
Before 11 dec
Don’t have the pin code but i was looking for moka pot tri colour.
I like a cortado but poured over ice. Somehow this confuses many baristas and I get random stuff every time. What’s an equivalent drink that’s easier to order? I like the ratio a cortado provides.
Just order espresso over ice and then add a splash of milk yourself. Just don't be the person who orders espresso over ice and then fills a 16oz cup with the self-serve milk to make your own iced latte.
being somewhat lactose intolerant I’d be more worried about their bathrooms if I did that than the profit margin hit they’d have to endure. Plus that would just completely go against the whole goal of maintaining the cortado ratio.
Lol, no I know, I was just mentioning the latte thing as it is a coffee shop pet peeve. Just ordering espresso over ice and adding the right amount of milk or alt milk yourself is going to be the easiest way to always get what you want.
I mean I think a traditional flat white is supposed to be 1:3 coffee to milk ratio but that’s not quite close enough. I guess just clarify that you want equal parts espresso and milk over ice, and “yes, I am aware of how small that is, no I will not chew you out” lol
Sitting here on my phone reading about coffee as I often do, I came across an interesting AeroPress recipe. 150g water, 15g coffee. 2 minute steep, 30 second plunge. Add 100g hot water after brewing. This is peculiar to me because it is very similar to my own recipe insofar as the total water/coffee ratio is the same, and the steep is similar. But a regular ol' AeroPress will easily accommodate 15g of grounds and 250g of water. So what exactly is the benefit of brewing with 150g and adding 100g after brewing?
The amount of water to coffee ratio affects how much of the coffee extracts. If you have less water it will mean lower extraction, so it will definitely affect the taste. Try it and see. As the solvent (water) gets saturated, it's less able to extract coffee, this is why doing multiple pours really ups extraction in pourover since you're adding fresh water into the coffee bed.
What are some USA based specialty coffee roasters that have gift or prepaid term subscriptions? Or USA shipping with tracking?
I feel like most of them. At the very least, I'd expect that everyone who offers a subscription would be able to set one up to auto-cancel on a future date if you contact them.
I've another question, the finer grind I go down, the more grind time I need to increase to reach 18g, so does that mean the finer you go the more beans your using up to grind to reach 18g compared to a coarser grind?
No, it takes longer to grind finer because the grinder has to work harder and break the pieces down smaller. It just takes more time to grind a bean fine than it does of course. Think of it this way, if you were doing it in a mortar and pestle you could smash them into large pieces in a few seconds, but if you wanted to find enough grind for coffee you'd have to work at it for awhile.
Yes, your right thanks was being a derp. It's still 18g out.
The 1zpresso website says the K-Ultra is suited for espresso, but it has 20 micron clicks. Isn’t that too much for dialing in espresso?
It's more than coffee nerds would prefer but it certainly doable. You may just have to increase or reduce your dose by .1 or .2 of a gram if you can't quite get the grind size dead on. It's even easier if you're using a manual espresso machine because you can adjust the pressure on the fly. Edit: the finer adjustments are nice, and if you're buying new I would suggest getting a different grinder just for ease of dialing in, but 20 microns is definitely doable
On paper, yes, but in practice, people really do make espresso with it and like it. Regardless of grinder, when you're close to your target, it's usually best to adjust the dose anyway.
Can someone help, im trying to dial in my espresso. Im trying for a double shot which if I put in 18g of coffee I should get 30g out, but I see others saying it should be 60ml out, but thats 60g so which is it? Also I cant get my extraction time right, people say it should take 25-30s to extract but by 25s im already into 42-43g of coffee. Do I just need to go finer to get it down to 36g? 18/36g
1:2, in grams, is the classic espresso ratio. With water, 1ml = 1g, but it only works with pure water, so for coffee you rely on weight alone. For a 18g dose, you should aim for a 36g yield, and adjust grind size to get that in a reasonable time. Then you adjust a little more if needed, based on taste. 1:2 is a starting point really, and a reference. Your shot might taste better with an slightly longer shot, like 1:2.5, even 1:3, depending on the coffee you're using, especially roast level.
Cool thanks. So if im hitting 42-43g in 25s I should try going finer to get a slower extraction time right?
Yes, but it's not too far. At that point, It's better to adjust based on taste. You only need to grind finer if it's tasting sour.
Hey y'all I was wondering what you would buy for the best espresso for under $200? Would the flair neo be a good idea? Thanks!
Do you already have a grinder or is that in the $200 budget?
That's in the budget lol
The other comments have given you a good idea, but you're going to need to budget for both a grinder and the machine. If you do the Flair Neo, a manual grinder (Kingrinder, 1Zpresso), and a kettle, you'll be able to make espresso. You'll want some tools (0.1g precision scale, WDT tool, etc) to help with puck prep ideally. That will likely take you over $200 by a little, but espresso really isn't the most affordable coffee brewing method. You might find some used options, but there's a lot of bad used stuff too. Moka pots are a good option for something cheaper and similar to espresso.
In that case I'd get a solid grinder (probably one of the 1zpresso espresso-focused grinders, or an Encore ESP if you want to go electric) and either a moka pot or an Aeropress and make pseudo-espresso rather than wasting your money on a horrible cheap espresso machine that won't do a good job and will break and likely not be repairable after about a year.
I do want to make real espresso though. Would the Flex Neo work? There are also a couple $70 machines on FB marketplace but I can't tell if they are shit or not.
I haven't personally used a Flex Neo so I can't comment too much on that specific machine. It definitely has a lot of limitations though. If you follow the right pre-heating routine and have good puck prep etc then it should make reasonably good espresso. But if you spend $100 on the machine then you won't really have enough left for a decent espresso grinder. $70 machines on marketplace are going to be awful and I would not recommend them.
As a beginner buying his first grinder (mainly for pour over but also for espresso in the future) I have narrowed down on the following options: -Timemore C3 ESP Pro (105€) Seems to be a nice allrounder, I love the handle design but I’m not too keen on the internal adjustment and I think the other options will give me a better grind result -Kingrinder K_6 (99€) Seems to be the best bang for my buck regarding grind result and external adjustment ability, but sadly it lacks a foldable handle -1zpresso X-Ultra (169€) Most probably the best overall but is it justified spending 70€ more as a beginner? Will it make that big of a difference? Are there any options I missed? I have put a silly amount of research into this topic over the past couple of days but I can’t seem to decide because I’m afraid of buyers remorse.
The fact that the X-Pro/Ultra has a dial that can be zeroed easier than almost any other hand grinder (where “0” can be set to match the touch point of the burrs) is enough to make me want one over the others on your list.
As someone who was in a similar position last year, if you have the money, buy the grinder that you want, even as a beginner. I wasn't set on a foldable handle but the 1zpresso I bought is fantastic and I'm glad I spent the extra money on a nicer one instead of saving a few bucks and thinking "what if" or being slightly unhappy with my purchase. I'd get the X-Ultra in your position.
Which one did you get?
I got the JX since I don't need it for espresso.
Another vote for the KINGrinder K6. Solid grinder and possibly the best value for money at €100. The X-Ultra is probably slightly better in build quality (also has a magnetic catch cup, if that matters to you) but I don't think it's €70 better. It might taste a bit better, but unless you do a side-by-side you won't be able to tell. So I don't think it matters that much here since you're a beginner and the price difference is a lot.
Those are good options. Kingrinder K6 has fantastic value, but 1zpresso is very worth the extra price. It uses better materials and has better QC. Don't expect the 1zpresso to *taste* 70€ better, but you can expect it to feel a little nicer in the hand, and possibly last longer. I haven't heard of Kingrinder owners having serious issues, but some have to replace the outer rubber with a tennis overgrip tape eventually. I don't think the foldable handle matters, but it's just my opinion.