# New forum member - Method



## Method (Mar 28, 2019)

Hey guys & gals

40something who got hit by the coffee bug hard joining the forum as Ive already used it for a number of helpful bits of info

A family member gave me their old espresso machine. Its entirely manual, pretty terrible and leaky, and has a non-lined aluminium heater block which I really dont want to use anymore since finding that out. That said, it enabled me to learn the very basics of making an espresso....

Dont laugh: Ive been using ground coffee from Sainsburys which is supposed to be used in a cafetiere. Ive been 'tamping' my espresso with the back of a teaspoon (as best I can). Because the grind is course, it goes from dark brown to blond in about 4 seconds....so Im sure this tastes pants compared to how it should. The milk arm is hilariously weak, but also very limited in angles and my frothing 'jug' is a cup. All that said, ive managed to make quite a few nice tasting lates, though the milk isnt textured - its just a pile of big bubbles sitting on top of some warm milk.

Today is my wifes birthday and we splurged (after I found out about the aluminium non lined heater block) out - buying each other birthday presents (im in April) as a justification for getting new shiny stuff. Hopefully I havent made any terrible selections, but here is what I just had arrive (its in the hall still in boxes):

Sage Duo Temp Pro - has a tamper and a steamer jug (yay)

Sage Dose Control Pro grinder

Sage knock bin and a tamping mat

1kg of Columbia - Kaizen Natural beans from JollyBeanRoastery who featured on the beans section of this forum.

Good luck to me. Ive everything to learn! Please dont make me regret my purchases too much - Im not going to spends thousands on kit when at the moment the junk coffee ive been making so far takes 'ok' lol. it has to be better with this kit and some practice. Right?

Methy


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Welcome not a bad start to the Coffee world.


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## lhavelund (Dec 28, 2018)

The Sage Duo Temp Pro will make a decent coffee for quite some time - although I suspect upgrade-itis to set in quickly for a new grinder to take it to the next level.

Welcome aboard!


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Just remember to sell on your Sage machine before the warranty runs out !


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## MattyH17 (Feb 26, 2019)

welcome:good:


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## Method (Mar 28, 2019)

espressotechno said:


> Just remember to sell on your Sage machine before the warranty runs out !


Yikes! That sounds like you have a low opinion of Sage. The grinder I can get behind - I know its entry level. But the DTP seems to have very few parts to go wrong? Famous last words I guess


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## lhavelund (Dec 28, 2018)

Method said:


> Yikes! That sounds like you have a low opinion of Sage. The grinder I can get behind - I know its entry level. But the DTP seems to have very few parts to go wrong? Famous last words I guess


The problem is fixing it if something goes wrong. Sage/Breville, as far as I know, refuse to sell parts except to their own approved repairer, which makes fixing problems very expensive quickly.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

^This.

When it's cheaper to get a seal posted from Australia because you can only get them supplied & fitted over here (with a callout charge on top) from a single repairer, there's something seriously wrong.


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## pgarrish (May 20, 2017)

Dont panic! Plenty on here running DTPs for a few years, so you'll be ok for a while yet - plenty of time to get the itch for a fancier machine and save up before the DTP fails


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

ashcroc said:


> ^This.
> 
> When it's cheaper to get a seal posted from Australia


Initially, I genuinely read this as the cost of couriering a marine mammal...which I imagine to be very high indeed


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## alypse (Apr 20, 2019)

Welcome! Don't worry too much about gear. Enjoy and slowly improve technique. Desire for gear will come


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