# Hello from Belfast - hoping for guidance



## dmcoffee (Nov 3, 2017)

Hi all, first post from Belfast here

I've been in the market for a 'proper' espresso setup for a while now and have been using this forum to help shape my thinking.

*Current setup;*

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Nespresso (shudder) that I rarely use myself but it is convenient for when people pop over


Hario Skelton and a V60 / Moka pot for myself on a daily basis


In addition, I do find myself spending a lot of time and money in coffee shops to fulfil my flat-white habit (2 x daily) - hence this got me thinking that investing in a home setup will save me time and (possibly) money in the long run

*Potential future setup*

I can't locate any stores locally that will allow me to get hands on with equipment before I buy, so it's a bit of a step into the unknown. My current thoughts are



*Espresso machine : Rocket Apartamento *- I considered something like the Siliva, but the cooling/flushing seems quite long winded and with my penchant for milk drinks the Apartamento would save a headache in that respect. I would also drink espresso / Americano


*Grinder : Something like a Eureka Mignon,* largely for budgetary reasons, but I do like the relatively compact form. I would consider other 2nd hand options, but again cannot locate anything locally / eBay (hopefully once I'm able to access the forum here that will help)


This is realistically as far as I can go budget-wise at present and as a result, I have a few questions that hoping you folks can help with;


Would I be better going with a more expensive (robust/reliable/programmable) grinder (Mazzer / Rocket fausto, etc?) and a less expensive machine (Silvia?) given this is my first foray into the world of home espresso.

My only other slight concern is that I fork out a substantial amount of money on this equipment, only to still keep spending as much time and money on shop bought flat whites as I do now. With time and practice, there should be no *dramatic* difference in taste between a home made FW and one made on a commercial machine from by a skilled barista? Perhaps wishful thinking!


Many thanks


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## arash (Sep 19, 2017)

Hello and welcome, I my self am also a beginner and can't really comment on the grinders etc.. but I will just put your mind at ease about coffee quality and taste. I roasted some coffee in a frying pan at home last week, most of it has been used in my aeropress, I made one for my friend who introduced me to the world of great coffee and we both agreed that it was pretty good considering my lack of experience and rudimentary equipment used.

Get some great coffee and it will taste better than 90% of what you get on the high street, how ever basic your set up.

Hope that helps.


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## eddie57 (Mar 21, 2017)

Hi mate welcome to the forum


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Personally I would avoid the Silvia , especially as new purchase.

You'll need to factor in a budget for scales , tamper , milk jugs etc .


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## Snakehips (Jun 2, 2015)

Welcome to the forum.



dmcoffee said:


> With time and practice, there should be no *dramatic* difference in taste between a home made FW and one made on a commercial machine from by a skilled barista? Perhaps wishful thinking!


Unless you are currently frequenting particularly good coffee shops there *will be a dramatic* difference!

With the set up you are considering, some decent beans and as Boots says, some scales etc and as you say, a little time and practice .......... you will be knocking spots off coffee bought from the average coffee shop !

Good luck, enjoy !


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

I echo what snakehips said - if you like a Flat white from a chain like neros etc or a traditional Italian style then an apartamento and a mignon will enable you to make a better cup time after time with a little practice!


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Welcome to the forum

Sourcing good freshly roasted coffee is the secret.

The rocket will be able to reproduce what you are looking for , and normally, the simple maths with selecting a grinder is the more £/$ you spend the better/easier it becomes .

making espresso based drinks at home will take money and time to learn .


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## igm45 (Mar 5, 2017)

It'll take both time and patience however we will help you get there.

Unless you frequent particularly good '3rd wave' coffee shops it is likely you will look back with surprise to what you thought was good coffee.


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## Densven (Sep 10, 2013)

Hi and welcome to the forum. That Rocket and eureka set up will serve you well. I think it is also a combo on Bella B so should be a good paring. More expensive equipment will have some marginal advantages so always get the best you can. Being individual units though you can always upgrade one further down the line should you need to.

I have worked in the coffee industry as a trainer and my experience has been that it is usually not the equipment that lets down a good coffee being made well. It is the person making it. So expensive high end machines are great, but no good if you don't know how to use it. (I have made coffee's on a Delonge Magnifica that tasted far better than most coffee's I have bought at 3rd wave stores and certainly any chain store.) If you can stretch your budget, a training session with a coffee professional/supplier will help you get the most out of making coffee at home, or even checking out some of the tutorials on their websites/youtube on how to get the best out of your set up.

Fresh well roasted coffee, that is well extracted and complemented with some lovely textured milk is always going to taste great. SO yes, once you have learnt how to make it good at home, it will taste just as good, if not better than a store bought coffee. (Depending on where you buy your coffee.) This is probably why so many of us make coffee at home. You may even turn into a coffee snob (like myself) and feel a little depressed/angry every time you go out and pay for a coffee and they make it wrong!!!

Anyway, best of luck.


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## dmcoffee (Nov 3, 2017)

Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply - I knew that signing up would be a good idea!

In terms of where I get my coffee, I've avoided high street chains (nero, costa) etc for years and try to source the independent stores anywhere I visit. Having spent a bit of time in London (and guessing that some of these will resonate with readers) - Prufrock, Curators, Taylor St and Department of Coffee and Social affairs were regular haunts (and got my into my flatwhite habit!)

Closer to home I frequent similar types of places ( a relatively good coffee scene in Belfast)

For my home brewing, I appreciate the need to have freshly roasted beans and put my trust in a few local cafes who source beans from 3FE, RoastedBrown, The Barn, and Bailiies (local). I guess I will stick with these (albeit relatively expensive). Whilst I've never had a bad batch of beans, I guess I still don't quite know where my sweet-spot lies in terms of taste...do I prefer an Ethiopian to one from Costa Rica? That's what i'm hoping to learn


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