# Which Type Of Machine For Convenience & Good Coffee



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

A few years ago i was making great coffee using an Ibertal mc2 grinder and an Ascaso Arc Fun Espresso machine. Me being me i got lazy and then used my coffee equipment less and less until i gave up and sold it, i bought second hand so there was no great loss money wise.

I now want to make great coffee again as i do miss good coffee at homebut im wondering if any of the other coffee machines produce the same great coffee? I want the fresh coffee taste without it being bitter or stale tasting like instant coffee. I dont really have a budget yet as i just want to see what type of coffee machine should i go for how good are the pod or filter machines in comparison? My partner will be using it too so ideally i want something simple that does not mean messing about with dials and settings etc.


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Pods don't make that fresh taste.

if you're still looking for espresso then I recommend you look at the Sage machines - pretty hard to beat for convenience and automation that I sense is what you're after ;-)

Don't forgot to spend as much on your grinder as you do the espresso machine - if you don't get something with built in grinder.


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

I take it you cant get away from grinding beans for that fresh taste. The sage machines look good and expensive but there is a few on ebay. It would seem you cant get away from having to faff about and adjust the grind and tamp the coffee. Is it considered better value getting and all in one bean to cup machine?


----------



## Rakesh (Jun 3, 2017)

mystic.bertie said:


> I take it you cant get away from grinding beans for that fresh taste. The sage machines look good and expensive but there is a few on ebay. It would seem you cant get away from having to faff about and adjust the grind and tamp the coffee. Is it considered better value getting and all in one bean to cup machine?


I don't have much experience with bean-to-cups but the general consensus is you have to spend big to get the same quality coffee you would from a seperate machine and grinder.

If you are after a machine and grinder all in one the Sage oracle is your best bet, these are pricey but are very intelligent machines and capable of producing very good espresso. The Sage barista express is another decent machine with a built in grinder but I reccomend buying machine and grinder seperate, if one breaks you wont have to send the whole unit back and if you ever want to upgrade (which, if you end up taking it serious is inevitable) it makes life that bit harder as you couldn't upgrade the machine or grinder separately.

As an owner of the Sage Duo-temp pro I have to admit it is generally very easy to use, turn the dial one way for espresso, the other way for steam wand, I have a Super Jolly on the way and although my plan originally was to buy a grinder and machine in one, the members of this forum quickly changed my mind.


----------



## Wes78 (Apr 18, 2017)

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?37481-My-Oracle-Adventure


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

You have to grind fresh beans to get that fresh taste. Pre ground 'fresh' coffee won't cut it.

You can get very good b2c though - but not from the high street.

Davecuk did a review, can get from Bella barista. Melita I think?


----------



## cold war kid (Mar 12, 2010)

Of the pod machines I've used in hotels and at friends houses the nespresso ones have been the only one I'd bother buying if I was lazy.

The downside is the coffee isn't amazing ( though it is passable ), the pods are difficult if not impossible to recycle and they work out very expensive over time. They couldn't be more faff free though.


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Wes78 said:


> https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?37481-My-Oracle-Adventure


Or the Rolls Royce route - as Wes chose 

Unique i believe - the only automated manual machine on the market? Auto grind, auto tamp, auto this and that. But you still have control - it's not b2c.

From what I read it's quite magnificent - Wes can tell u more.


----------



## Wes78 (Apr 18, 2017)

Convenience and good coffee was exactly what I was looking for when researching. I have to say that the Oracle does deliver in both departments.

I will also add, as Kennyboy eluded to, the automatic element is their but with the optional manual features for when/if you have the time/inclination.


----------



## Sparki (Jun 27, 2017)

It was similar for me, i love good coffee but just dont have the time after reading Dave's mellita review i bought one and I love it.


----------



## Robbo (Feb 17, 2016)

I find the behmor brazen filter machine is very easy to use and convenient. Ours has had almost daily use since I got one over a year ago. You will also get away with spending a bit less on a grinder for filter purposes only


----------



## Lefteye (Dec 30, 2014)

I have to say the pod system is good. It depends on what you put in it and don't expect it to give you all that grinding fresh and pulling a shot can give but in terms of convenience and consistency it's hard to beat. Avoid any pods from the shops and be careful with nespresso, but there are passable pods from nespresso and I really enjoyed the Colonna capsules. If you aren't going to do brewed and want more towards an ' espresso' style coffee for minimal initial outlay I think you would be hard pushed to look past it.


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

Thanks to everyone for the good replies. After looking at the Sage Oracle i think its way to expensive for me. I was then thinking about i should buy a weight based grinder but these seem unreliable at the moment. So i guess im back to looking for a separate grinder and coffee machine.

If i was going to have a budget of £400 for a second hand grinder and espresso machine how would you split the budget i.e. £200 for each item?

The previous grinder i had was a few years ago and it was the Iberital MC2, i found i was forever adjusting it and the grinds were not always consistent.

The previous coffee machine i had was an Ascasso Ar fun and this worked ok but i found the steam wand a bit useless at getting good results when frothing the milk. I would like a machine that does not have this issue.

What grinder and espresso machine do you recommend for my budget? I will be making espresso and latte coffee.


----------



## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

mystic.bertie said:


> If i was going to have a budget of £400 for a second hand grinder and espresso machine how would you split the budget i.e. £200 for each
> 
> What grinder and espresso machine do you recommend for my budget? I will be making espresso and latte coffee.


I'd be looking for a Eureka Mignon (ideally used for 200 but at a pinch 280ish new) and a used/refurbished Gaggia Classic with the Silvia steam arm mod. Gaggiamanualservice often sells such things on here for about 140-150 depending on condition (he refurbishes them and usually does the wand mod)


----------



## Rakesh (Jun 3, 2017)

mystic.bertie said:


> If i was going to have a budget of £400 for a second hand grinder and espresso machine how would you split the budget i.e. £200 for each item?
> 
> The previous grinder i had was a few years ago and it was the Iberital MC2, i found i was forever adjusting it and the grinds were not always consistent.


For the grinder go for something with 64mm burrs, like an Mazzer Superjolly, Compak K6, Brasilia RR55 etc, people will say go for a Mignon but as these don't really have the biggest burrs chances are you'll outgrow it quickly (They do give an excellent grind though). The 64mm's will give you brilliant grind quality and you wont outgrow it quickly, shouldn't be hard to find for £200 either. There's a Fiorenzato F5 for sale in the sales section at an absolute bargain price and an immaculate Mazzer Super Jolly (IMO the best 64mm grinder you can get







) for just £225 (If I remember correctly). The sales section on this forum is where you will find the best deals as the fellow members take good care of their gear, you just have to be patient and wait for something to come up rather than taking a gamble on eBay (Which can pay off don't get me wrong).

For the machine i'd recommend going for the usual Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia, and install a PID or find one with already installed. I decided to get a Sage Duo-Temp as I found one relatively cheap and still with a few months warranty left, lots of people advise against them as it has lots of electronics and people have had sage machines break, although i've never know anyone to return or have any major problem with a DTP and they are capable of producing very good espresso and have a PID already installed. One in immaculate condition went a few weeks ago for £180 if I remember correctly.


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

This is Dave C's very thorough Melitta Varianza review, should you wish to go down that route: https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/melitta-caffeo-varianza-csp/


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Dylan said:


> This is Dave C's very thorough Melitta Varianza review, should you wish to go down that route: https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/melitta-caffeo-varianza-csp/


After Dave's review - if i ever wanted to go back to 'press and forget' I'd get one of these


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

Wow after reading Dave's review the Varianza sounds perfect for me and my girlfriend. I could afford the £550 that BB are selling it for, is this the cheapest place to buy it from. I did a quick forum search but there does not seem to be any forum users who have bought one. It would be good to see how other people are finding it.

If i were to buy 2 seperate machines then the grinder would need to give me accurate weight of grinds every time after setting the timer for a batch, i dont want to be guessing and adding or removing ground coffee, on scales off scales and so on, im not sure if there is such a reliable grinder for within £250. Probably i would be fine with a Gaggia Classic and fit the modified wand as far as a coffee machine goes. I just need that repeat-ability when it comes to grinding the coffee beans.


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

You would be weighing and adjusting most of the time with a separate grinder, especially when you changed beans.

Re-reading your requirements I reckon the melita would do the job.

Pump machine and grinder is a different world in terms of lack of convenience.

I'd only buy one of these from BB - the buying experience, after sales, price etc - unbeatable in my view


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

mystic.bertie said:


> Wow after reading Dave's review the Varianza sounds perfect for me and my girlfriend. I could afford the £550 that BB are selling it for, is this the cheapest place to buy it from. I did a quick forum search but there does not seem to be any forum users who have bought one. It would be good to see how other people are finding it.
> 
> If i were to buy 2 seperate machines then the grinder would need to give me accurate weight of grinds every time after setting the timer for a batch, i dont want to be guessing and adding or removing ground coffee, on scales off scales and so on, im not sure if there is such a reliable grinder for within £250. Probably i would be fine with a Gaggia Classic and fit the modified wand as far as a coffee machine goes. I just need that repeat-ability when it comes to grinding the coffee beans.


Post #10 in this thread, not a thorough review but might be worth PMing Sparki if you want to ask about a user experience:



Sparki said:


> It was similar for me, i love good coffee but just dont have the time after reading Dave's mellita review i bought one and I love it.


A full manual machine is a different experience to an automatic. When I first came here I was asking about B2C machines, but got convinced to try out a Classic and MC2, this lead on to a real interest in coffee, and several grinders and machines later I am still thinking of ways to upgrade or improve my coffee. Many here take it much further than I would ever dream of doing, spending multiple thousands on the very best kit and the tools to measure extraction the pro's use.

It's a slippery slope as they say.

Had I had a B2C I wouldn't have done any of this, and I probably would have been happy with the coffee as I wouldn't know any better (not that the Melitta sounds bad, it in fact sounds tempting even to me... maybe for work) but I would have missed out on a really interesting hobby.

So FWIW the Melitta sounds like an excellent B2C machine, and if you dont find the idea of taking up a new hobby appealing then its almost certainly the right buy for you. Choosing a manual setup is as much about the experience as it is about the 'best' coffee possible for your budget.


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I also have a Varianza (it sits in the corner ready to used), because although I love my Vesuvius, my wife find the Varianza easy to use (she won't grind tamp and whatever).....I can be a lazy bastard as well sometimes, and use the Varianza in the morning, quick coffee before I take the kids to school, when the V has not yet switched on and warmed up. When I'm feeling lazy, or when I have a friend round and simply want press button convenience. Good for Chinese tea as well.

I think mine has done 900-1000 shots now....so seems reliable so far. The one thing I have found is that if you use crap coffee in it, sometimes and very rarely, the little hatch that portions the beans can jam and reset the coffee making sequence...e.g. stuff with lots of brokens and bits (cheap roasted stuff )...perversely supermarket coffee tends to have less bits, simply because of the post roast sorting machines. So even thought it's a bean to cup, best to get decent quality beans and roasts from a good roaster.

I have a friend who changed from a prosumer machine to one of these and his machine had this problem every time his father grabbed coffee from Costa and it had lots of bits in it., never got the problem with his coffee from me. I then tried some costa style coffee with lots of bits (shards, brokens etc..)in it and sure enough eventually I was able to reproduce the error/reset.

So yes...the Varianza might suit your needs very well.


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I had a melita from BB. Found it very good for what it was. At the time I could not drink coffee so was for guests. But if I found myself not drinking coffee again, then thats what I would go for


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

I want to buy the Varianza and the reviews seem convincing. Im a very cynical person and i cant help but think that Dave has benefited somehow by giving the machine a good review. A free machine maybe or other benefits. Youtube is full of video reviews where the reviewer reminds you they are not associated or gaining anything from there review, its like they get the product for free and give it a good review. I cant help but think something similar is happening here.

As i said i dont see any forum users who have bought this, Dylan has suggested i contact Sparki, well Sparki registers 6 days ago and has one post, that post happens to tell me they bought a Varianza after reading Dave's good review, what a coincidence.

Last year i bought a set of headphones because they had lots of glowing reviews on a forum and also good reviews on youtube, they turned out to be terrible, i think manufactures and retails are manipulating people all over the internet and on forums to promote themselves and their products.


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> I had a melita from BB. Found it very good for what it was. At the time I could not drink coffee so was for guests. But if I found myself not drinking coffee again, then thats what I would go for


Why are you not drinking coffee your on a coffee forum lol? Why did BB send you a Varianza and do you still have the Varianza?


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

mystic.bertie said:


> I want to buy the Varianza and the reviews seem convincing. Im a very cynical person and i cant help but think that Dave has benefited somehow by giving the machine a good review. A free machine maybe or other benefits. Youtube is full of video reviews where the reviewer reminds you they are not associated or gaining anything from there review, its like they get the product for free and give it a good review. I cant help but think something similar is happening here.
> 
> As i said i dont see any forum users who have bought this, Dylan has suggested i contact Sparki, well Sparki registers 6 days ago and has one post, that post happens to tell me they bought a Varianza after reading Dave's good review, what a coincidence.
> 
> Last year i bought a set of headphones because they had lots of glowing reviews on a forum and also good reviews on youtube, they turned out to be terrible, i think manufactures and retails are manipulating people all over the internet and on forums to promote themselves and their products.


Mystic - do some more reading about this particular Dave and your fears will vanish. You may even decide to post something of a retraction if you felt compelled


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

kennyboy993 said:


> Mystic - do some more reading about this particular Dave and your fears will vanish. You may even decide to post something of a retraction if you felt compelled


I dont know what i should be looking for. I can only base my thoughts on how it looks to me. What makes you so certain my fears would vanish. I have no problem retracting what i said but it looks like a lot of clever marketing to me.

Not entirely the same but i found another review on youtube for the Varianza, this woman done an 8 minute video review, she had also done reviews of a few other items and she seems to make a point at the beginning of each video that she bought her item from AO.com and how they are so reliable and praising there delivery and service blah blah, sounds like she is gaining something too either that she works for them lol.

this fake review culture is so bad that you can pay or buy people to leave fake reviews on amazon or tripadvisor and so on, you can get bad fake reviews left for competitors, so one has to be a little dubious at times.


----------



## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

@mystic.bertie dave's a trusted & well respected reviewer, buy it with confidence


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

Phobic said:


> @mystic.bertie dave's a trusted & well respected reviewer, buy it with confidence


did he buy his Melitta Caffeo varianza and Caffeo Barista TS machines ? That so happens to be the ones BB sell.

where are the rest of the reviews for the equipment he tested, the website with the review on it coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com only has the one product on it. He went to a lot of trouble to review something that nobody on here seems to own and he does not usually review that kind of thing.


----------



## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

it's your choice at the end of the day









do a bit of fact finding, read previous posts from Dave, look at what others have to say about him on this forum.

wait around for a few days, you'll see plenty of others agreeing with kenny and me - we can't even agree on distribution techniques or DSOL v LSOL, it's not 1 giant conspiracy to con you out of £500









I'd even go further and say by it from bella myself, you'll struggle to find a better seller....


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

Phobic said:


> it's your choice at the end of the day
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I dont think it is a giant conspiracy but the forum is not exactly full of people who have bought one. So i cant read anyone's personal experiences, i guess thats why im reluctant to press the buy button. At the end of the day any respected person can be bought, tv, radio and magazines are full of celebrities and sports personalities endorsing things they would not touch with a barge pole, anyone can be bought.

I would love BB to send me one on trial, if im happy with the coffee it makes i would pay the full price for it, then i would be a forum user that actually has one. Im not an important person in the coffee world and so im unlikely to receive a coffee machine to personally review or on a trial basis.


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

mystic.bertie said:


> I dont think it is a giant conspiracy but the forum is not exactly full of people who have bought one. So i cant read anyone's personal experiences, i guess thats why im reluctant to press the buy button. At the end of the day any respected person can be bought, tv, radio and magazines are full of celebrities and sports personalities endorsing things they would not touch with a barge pole, anyone can be bought..


Not sure anyone can be bought....I certainly can't be bought! However, I do understand your mistrust.........it's misplaced in this case, but I understand it. In fact *I know* nothing I could ever say to you would convince you otherwise. I have reviewed a number of BTC machines over the years and never saw a machine that was anything but worthless. The Varianza was reviewed alongside a BTC machine that costs more than twice the price possibly the market leader in BTC machines. It walked all over the expensive machine and I can safely say there is a major manufacturer out there that will never have anything to do with me, because of my feedback on their crappy machine....but I don't care.

I can't tell you who the major manufacturer is, or the problems with it's machine...because business interests are so big they would probably sue me. However, if your interested in buying a machine that does not have a published review, from me...perhaps the Jura E8 is more your style. You can then be confident that you're buying a machine made by the market leaders in the field and will have paid enough money (perhaps twice the price) that your gonna feel confident about it's ability.


----------



## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

mystic.bertie said:


> I would love BB to send me one on trial, if im happy with the coffee it makes i would pay the full price for it, then i would be a forum user that actually has one. Im not an important person in the coffee world and so im unlikely to receive a coffee machine to personally review or on a trial basis.


you can always go to BB and try it....they'll let you spend hours there if you want to


----------



## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

mystic.bertie said:


> Im not an important person in the coffee world and so im unlikely to receive a coffee machine to personally review or on a trial basis.


No! It takes years to gain enough knowledge, experience and an excellent reputation to be trusted and their opinion to be respected.


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

There are many members here, I would go so far as to say every member who has been around a while, who would recommend Dave's opinion without a second thought. He has been around long enough and recommended the right products regularly enough for the experienced members to know they can rely on his word.

It also doesn't make a great deal of sense for Melitta or BB to try and buy Dave off, whilst he may be able to convince a forum that trust him that the Melitta is the best B2C, not one of us will buy it - as we all have manual set ups, a few newcomers might be convinced but Melitta aren't going to get rich off of his opinion. If they wanted to buy themselves some sales they should buy off the regular crop - like the Guardian and Telegraph who's 'top ten' lists are awarded to the deepest pockets.

As Dave said - I can completely see where you are coming from in your suspicion. You can choose to trust the combined knowledge of the forum or you can believe that Dave has us all duped on this one - none of us can corroborate the experience first hand as you say. There are a few other reviews out there on the internet which are pretty universally positive, but I can tell you not one of them will come from someone who knows as much about machines and the coffee they make as Dave.


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

Dave - Maybe i would have more trust if i had been following your reviews in the past like the other guys have been. For me at face value it does look like a clever marketing review. There appears to be no members on here with the Varianza and the same on the coffee geek forum or the home barista forum and so without other members feedback i wont buy it.

Phobic - Do you think they have demo models of all their equipment and will make you a coffee from said machine? I live 42 miles away from BB.

Dylan - I understand what your saying and i can understand why you trust Dave's review, as you say you guys have been following him for a long time and can make a better judgement than me. You also mention nobody on here has first hand experience with he Varianza and i guess thats why i am put off buying this coffee machine.


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

Back on topic







i know its above my budget for a grinder but is the Sette 270w worth considering? I can get a refurb model for £360 from coffeehit. I have read a few threads on this model and it sounds good. I see it has some reliabilty issues, is this enough for a reason not to consider this grinder? If i could find a grinder that gives me good weight repeat-ability on every doze then this should make it usable for my girlfriend.


----------



## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

mystic.bertie said:


> Phobic - Do you think they have demo models of all their equipment and will make you a coffee from said machine? I live 42 miles away from BB.


they tend to have most machines out on demo that you can use, give them a ring, a very helpful bunch they are, won't hurt to ask.

many of us have at some point made a pilgrimage to see them, if you're only 42 miles away it's a no-brainer, go and test the machine out for a few hours and if you like it you can take 1 home with you!


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Just a p.s.:

You wont find many/any user review for a B2C on a coffee forum. Manual coffee gear fosters discussion because of its complexities and tendency to create a hobby. A B2C machine doesn't do this, so other than the odd post by a member with just a few posts you will be SoL.


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

mystic.bertie said:


> Dave - Maybe i would have more trust if i had been following your reviews in the past like the other guys have been. For me at face value it does look like a clever marketing review.


Although I *understand* you don't trust me, it's probably not a great idea to* continue* making discourteous comments, based purely on your assumptions, without any facts. You might just want to think how you are coming across to other people, including me.


----------



## igm45 (Mar 5, 2017)

I have avoided comment until now, I think its fair to say:

1. @DavecUK has forgotten more about coffee than most of us will ever know.

2. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. You have been offered free, impartial advice. This alone is near impossible to find these days.

3. If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all.

Ok, your cycnical, we realise that. If you don't want to take advice, fine, don't. There is no need to make sweeping assumptions/borderline accusations.


----------



## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

mystic.bertie said:


> ...is the Sette 270w worth considering? I can get a refurb model for £360 from coffeehit. I have read a few threads on this model and it sounds good. I see it has some reliabilty issues, is this enough for a reason not to consider this grinder? If i could find a grinder that gives me good weight repeat-ability on every doze then this should make it usable for my girlfriend.


I think you have to decide for yourself if it is worth considering.


----------



## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

mystic.bertie said:


> Back on topic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As you seem very sceptical about other information on the forum , why would you ask or accept information on a rebuilt grinder:confused:

All that has been said about Dave is correct and can be attested to by many members of the forum, It is your choice to believe or not but ignoring his advice is your loss.


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

DavecUK said:


> Although I *understand* you don't trust me, it's probably not a great idea to* continue* making discourteous comments, based purely on your assumptions, without any facts. You might just want to think how you are coming across to other people, including me.


I am well aware i dont come across well, that is the problem with being cynical, i try to come across as polite and have civilised discussions, i have no intention of upsetting anyone but i cant just believe everything i read for reasons i have already mentioned, i apologise to you any anyone else who may feel offended by what i have said, its a bit risk to take i.e. say nothing for fear of backlash like this or follow my instincts and dont believe everything you read regarding online reviews. Sorry again.



igm45 said:


> I have avoided comment until now, I think its fair to say:
> 
> 1. @DavecUK has forgotten more about coffee than most of us will ever know.
> 
> ...


Sorry, that is what seems to happen when you question an online review, i will keep quiet in future. Be a mouse.



MildredM said:


> I think you have to decide for yourself if it is worth considering.


Yes thanks



Phobic said:


> they tend to have most machines out on demo that you can use, give them a ring, a very helpful bunch they are, won't hurt to ask.
> 
> many of us have at some point made a pilgrimage to see them, if you're only 42 miles away it's a no-brainer, go and test the machine out for a few hours and if you like it you can take 1 home with you!


I messaged them through the online chat, they sold there Varianza demo model but apparently still have one on display. They said let them know if im going to be heading over and they can get it set up for me.



Dylan said:


> Just a p.s.:
> 
> You wont find many/any user review for a B2C on a coffee forum. Manual coffee gear fosters discussion because of its complexities and tendency to create a hobby. A B2C machine doesn't do this, so other than the odd post by a member with just a few posts you will be SoL.


Yeah thats a fair point sir. Would have been great to read other opinions but its not to be on this particular machine


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

El carajillo said:


> As you seem very sceptical about other information on the forum , why would you ask or accept information on a rebuilt grinder:confused:
> 
> All that has been said about Dave is correct and can be attested to by many members of the forum, It is your choice to believe or not but ignoring his advice is your loss.


I have been using internet forums for about 17 years now and i have received a lot of great information and help, i have had a lot of great discussions too and helped other at times. I dont read newspapers because i dont believe anything they print, on the internet i try and use what little bit of common sense i have and judge the things im reading. so sorry for stepping out of line. Bad boy Roberto


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

Can we now stick to the topic now please guys.


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

I did a lot or research and decided to take a punt on the Sette 270w grinder, £360 for the refurb model from Coffeehit and it should arrive tomorrow.

I bought a Sage Duo Temp coffee machine today from a nearby Lakeland, they price matched the £279 price at go-electrical, it has a 3 year warranty too. For the sake of using my new toy today, i bought some Lavazza espresso pre ground coffee, it came out a bit bitter as expected but it still tasted ok-ish as a latte. I cant wait for my grinder to arrive and i also need to get some quality beans too.


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Good choices, congratulations


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

kennyboy993 said:


> Good choices, congratulations


Thanks Kennyboy. I used to buy my beans from Hasbean a few back. I have no idea what beans i was buying back then. To start me off is there a forum favourite as far as medium roast beans go?


----------



## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

I'm a dark roast man myself mystic so will leave more experienced others to help you ;-)


----------



## Sparki (Jun 27, 2017)

mystic.bertie said:


> I want to buy the Varianza and the reviews seem convincing. Im a very cynical person and i cant help but think that Dave has benefited somehow by giving the machine a good review. A free machine maybe or other benefits. Youtube is full of video reviews where the reviewer reminds you they are not associated or gaining anything from there review, its like they get the product for free and give it a good review. I cant help but think something similar is happening here.
> 
> As i said i dont see any forum users who have bought this, Dylan has suggested i contact Sparki, well Sparki registers 6 days ago and has one post, that post happens to tell me they bought a Varianza after reading Dave's good review, what a coincidence.
> 
> Last year i bought a set of headphones because they had lots of glowing reviews on a forum and also good reviews on youtube, they turned out to be terrible, i think manufactures and retails are manipulating people all over the internet and on forums to promote themselves and their products.


I found this forum and Dave's review whilst researching which B2C machine to cup machine to buy with my own money for our house. About a week after delivery of it whilst browsing here on different roasters etc i noticed your post being one i could possibly help with having just gone through the exact same research myself and having no where near the experience these guys have with other aspects of coffee. So yes in this case it was just a coincidence, for the record we are still very pleased with the mellita great coffee no faff which with 3 young kids is something we dont have time for in the morning.

Dave's review was spot on so thankyou Dave, to clarify i did end up buying the barista ts instead purely for the 2 separate hoppers (mrs drinks decaf after lunch time) but the review holds true for everything else in my experience.









Photo of it in my kitchen so you don't think I'm making it up just to make you spend £500 with a shop i have no connection to in the hope i get a free coffee or something


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

A bit late for bertie - but a manual set up will always edge it anyway. I'm sure Googlers will appreciate you opinion in any case


----------



## mystic.bertie (May 6, 2013)

@Sparki Many thanks for posting your feedback. It is a bit late now as i have gone the grinder/ machine route instead. I was reluctant to buy the Melitta because of the lack of members who have one. Im glad your happy with it, it does look like a nice machine.


----------



## messier0101 (Aug 14, 2015)

My apologies for the bump, but it saves making a new thread.

I currently own a Sage DTP and the pro grinder, and whilst it's a great piece of kit, there are times where I find it a bit of a faff to use, especially in the mornings or when in a rush.

Has anyone transitioned from manual to B2C, and possibly the Melitta Caffeo Varianza?


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

mystic.bertie said:


> ..


----------

