# My Espresso making paraphenalia



## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

My current equipment

Gaggia Baby Dose in somewhat shabby silver paint finish - the finish has discoloured and worn offf in places over time but with regular descaling and replacement brewhead gaskets still does the business pretty well.

Iberital MC2 grinder - very pleased with this due to the great adjustability of grind fineness. I know there are opinions out there that the grinder is not that great (the guts are used by numerous other grinder brands eg Ascaso). I would be truly impressed if grinders such as the Mazzer Mini were a huge improvement but I cannot imagine me spending 500+ quid on one anytime soon.

Dualit grinder for french press coffee that I drink when on holiday, this was my espresso grinder but it doesn`t go fine enough for some beans even when taken to bits and modified. No way I would use the Iberital for this, it would take forever to adjust and I would waste loadsa beans getting it back to espresso grind.

My tamper is a one off made from a solid block of aluminium that a mate who works for an engineering firm produced for me.

Various jugs, brushes, shot glasses and a subtly bent meat skewer that is used for fishing grinds out of the grinder chute, oh and a kerrygold butter tub with a piece cut out that catches stray grinds.

Additionally I have taken to making my own vanilla syrup for lattes so other bits of everyday kitchen equipment get used for that. Anyone interested in my "recipe" and method just say and I will post it up.

As to the future, two words "heat exchanger" but no definite idea as to which machine.

Don


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## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

Take a picture and post on "Show off my Setup". Definitely post your recipe. I have not progressed to syrups yet preferring milk based cappuccinos/flat whites. I used to buy sprinkles from Whittards but have stopped that as I was putting so much on the top, it was detracting from the coffee!!


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## LeeWardle (Nov 16, 2008)

Helloo!

I'd love to see some photos too!

Lee


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

DonRJ said:


> My current equipment
> 
> Gaggia Baby Dose in somewhat shabby silver paint finish - the finish has discoloured and worn offf in places over time but with regular descaling and replacement brewhead gaskets still does the business pretty well.
> 
> ...


I think you would find a mazzer mini a step up, but a super jolly would be a bigger step up. I, however, would never see a reason to buy one new since a used super jolly which would last forever could probably be had for ~£200 used.

However, the iberital is a great grinder to start out on. Need some pictures though.


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

I wiil sort some piccies out tomorrow of my less than photogenic Baby Dose etc and will do a syrup making post asap.

Don


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

Heres some links to piccies of my equipment

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/funkee/IMGP2767.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/funkee/IMGP2770.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/funkee/IMGP2774.jpg

Don


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## Monkey_Boy (Feb 26, 2010)

nice set up dude!......that bottomless filter looks class!.....I really want one of those.....as far as the syrups go my company sells the Monin range, their really nice and I'm having fun with the gingerbread one atm


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

Cheers matey, the syrup bottle in the pics is a scrounged Starbucks one, the contents being my own home brewed vanilla syrup as described in one of my other threads. Bottomless portafilter from Happy Donkey is a great addition and really helps with judging the pour, watching the espresso come through is fascinating and some of the fanciful descriptions you read eg "it should pour like honey" are actually truly descriptive when you nail the extraction.

Don


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## Monkey_Boy (Feb 26, 2010)

just tried a bit of vanilla syrup in a cup of Java roast and I have to admit it gave it a very complimentary taste.......I've got Hazelnut to try later


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Nice to see the kit creeping out of it's corner and taking over the kitchen

On a visit to another Coffee Forums UK members place today I had a trolley case, satchel, camera pack and plastic box (overflowing) and needed to of us to move from the car to the house.

My wife didn't even notice the kit missing from the kitchen (as I had left the machine(s) at home)


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

I noticed that you had a bag full of beans in the hopper of your grinder. I tend to only put sufficient plus a little bit extra for a double-shot. In that way you can keep your beans fresher in their bag.

Nice kit though and thanks for the pictures.


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

The beans don`t last long in the hopper in our house, I did 10 more triples over the morning due to a visit by some coffee vultures (probably 300g of beans used). Have read about just putting a small amount in the hopper but never bothered with that due to the rate of consumption. Beans were roasted 4 days previously so pretty fresh and don`t last long once the bag is opened. I have also been warned by the lady wife about any tendency to exhibit excessive OCD regarding coffee production - I`m bad enough with bottomless PF, making own syrups, only buying beans that are proven to be freshly roasted, custom made tamper etc plus eyeing up HX machines.

I also have another cheapo but very well made (puts the Gaggia externals to shame with a solid cast drip tray) DeLonghi machine (£50 in an Argos sale) at work that I use with ESE pods, no 3 way solenoid and I cannot trust workmates who use it not to blast grounds all over the staff kitchen. I just needed a coffee fix at work and whilst not a patch on my home efforts its better than the commercial places in town and a lot cheaper.

Don


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