# Aldi Espresso machine - any good?



## Onticoms

https://www.aldi.co.uk/ambiano-gunmetal-espresso-maker/p/095683187811600

You seem to get a lot for £50...

1 x Espresso Machine

2 x Sieves for Crema system

Features

Steam regulation

Thermometer

Temperature indicator light

3 switches with 3 indication lights

Power on/off control

Espresso brewing function

Milk frothing function

Removable water tank (approx. 1.2L capacity)

Drip tray with removable draining rack

Measuring spoon/presser

Steam nozzle for milk frothing

Filter holder with 2 filters and crema system

Pump pressure: approx. 15 bar

Includes. 40 minutes auto-shut off

Includes measuring spoon and coffee presser

Guarantee/Warranty

Free 3 year warranty

Brand: Ambiano

Colour: Gun metal

Cord Length: Approx. 100cm

Dimensions: Approx. 288 x 202 x 315 mm

Power: 1.1W

Product Type: Coffee Machines

Voltage: 230V, 50Hz

Weight: Approx. 4.55kg


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## Stanic

no


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## AndyDClements

I've no experience of that, but I'd suggest you get £50 worth of coffee machine, just as you would with a £50 main-brand one. You'd probably find (and this is purely speculation) its temperature control is imprecise and varies quite a lot during the pull of the shot, so you would struggle to get a decent and repeatable shot of coffee.For £50, you'd probably be better off getting a second-hand better machine. You're unlikely to get a Gaggia Classic etc for £50, but perhaps if you're prepared (and capable) you could get one that needs TLC and repair for that sort of money.

I'd guess that a lot who by that sort of machine will then use supermarket purchased ground coffee, and end up with a rather nasty coffee drink.

If £50 is your budget then perhaps a hand grinder (Hario etc), and either a filter system (V60 etc) or Aeropress (OK, it's not espresso but closer than normal filter and gives a lot of control), coupled with decent whole beans ground as you need them..


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## Mrboots2u

Stanic said:


> no


This


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## Jony

You need a weeks forum ban!! 50 pounds can get you a V60 and maybe a hand grinder in the for sales at a little stretch


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## Glenn

I think @Stanic is really saying its a bargain and he hopes no one else beats him his local store. That coffee presser is a deal clincher.

If you listen closely you'll hear him heading to the car, to drive to the store, camp out and snap one up at opening time


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## Stanic

what you think is wrong

I've got a similar POS krups machine hidden in the depths of my cellar covered with many boxes full of other stuff

and memories of me thinking how great the output was, suppressed somewhere deep too


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## DavecUK

That Aldi Espresso machine just oozes quality from every pore. I'll bet that crema system allows you to use supermarket pre-ground, this just adds to the convenience and the 3 year warranty means you will suffer at least 3 years with the machine. The Italians have a lot to learn because they can't produce a good machine and get close to that sort of pricing!


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## Rhys

DavecUK said:


> That Aldi Espresso machine just oozes quality from every pore. I'll bet that crema system allows you to use supermarket pre-ground, this just adds to the convenience and the 3 year warranty means you will suffer at least 3 years with the machine. The Italians have a lot to learn because they can't produce a good machine and get close to that sort of pricing!


Look forward to your review


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## Obnic

Aldi - the store of dreams, where the floors are wet with the tears of hope.


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## hotmetal

Rhys said:


> Look forward to your review


LOL! If Dave takes one of those apart (physically as well as figuratively) he'll feel duty bound not to reassemble it in the public interest.


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## kennyboy993

Glenn said:


> I think @Stanic is really saying its a bargain and he hopes no one else beats him his local store. That coffee presser is a deal clincher.
> 
> If you listen closely you'll hear him heading to the car, to drive to the store, camp out and snap one up at opening time


Coffee presser...... ha ha i like that, made me chuckle Glenn


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## hotmetal

Obnic said:


> Aldi - the store of dreams, where the floors are wet with the tears of hope.


Hahaha! That's got to be the most poetic thing ever uttered about a discount supermarket! Is that why they've got those yellow 'Rubbermaid' wet floor warning signs up near the fifty quid coffee machine aisle? (Or is it other fluids involuntarily released after people read the word 'coffee presser'?)


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## Onticoms

Lol. Come for the advice, stay for the snobbery!


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## Jony

Onticoms said:


> Lol. Come for the advice, stay for the snobbery!


Advice is in the comments, defo not snobbery just a waste of money. we may ahve saved you 50 pounds


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## kennyboy993

Onticoms said:


> Lol. Come for the advice, stay for the snobbery!


Ha ha ha maybe - but it's amusing snobbery eh?!


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## Stanic

Onticoms said:


> Lol. Come for the advice, stay for the snobbery!


No love for a bit of banter?


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## Batian

OK, in true Brit fashion, I will speak up for the underdog!

Not to many years ago, when I made the rebirth from 'instant' and 'ersatz' coffee to supermarket pre ground, I found Aldi's Specially Selected Sidamo very nice and reasonably priced compared to any of the other major supermarket pre ground or beans.

My point is, if this £50 gadget plus some nondescript ground/beans excites a few peoples taste buds and makes them realise that there is another world of coffee , will it be a bad thing?

Unless you were brought up in a country that produces top coffees, I suspect most people on this forum, one way or another, have made the transition from instant, to ground, to beans, from supermarkets before discovering fresh artisan roast?

Holier Than Thou?

QED, the case for the defence rests!


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## hotmetal

To be fair, I started off with such a machine myself. Well, a Delonghi that was on sale for £50. Yes, it got me started (pressurised basket and blade grinder notwithstanding). Would I recommend someone buy one? No. Save the £50 and buy an Aeropress, Porlex and some beans. Good coffee doesn't have to mean expensive kit, but good espresso generally requires a minimum level of investment far greater than fifty quid, and to suggest otherwise is in nobody's interests. If I had have read the forum before buying my Delonghi, I would've been glad of that advice. Hopefully the OP will realise that we've saved him wasting £50, given him pointers as to how that budget might achieve good results, and had a bit of a laugh in the process.


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## 4515

Batian said:


> OK, in true Brit fashion, I will speak up for the underdog!
> 
> Not to many years ago, when I made the rebirth from 'instant' and 'ersatz' coffee to supermarket pre ground, I found Aldi's Specially Selected Sidamo very nice and reasonably priced compared to any of the other major supermarket pre ground or beans.
> 
> My point is, if this £50 gadget plus some nondescript ground/beans excites a few peoples taste buds and makes them realise that there is another world of coffee , will it be a bad thing?
> 
> Unless you were brought up in a country that produces top coffees, I suspect most people on this forum, one way or another, have made the transition from instant, to ground, to beans, from supermarkets before discovering fresh artisan roast?
> 
> Holier Than Thou?
> 
> QED, the case for the defence rests!


I, like a few others have been down that road. Many years ago I was bought a blade grinder and a Philips espresso machine. Used it a couple of times, put it in the cupboard and eventually sent it to the charity shop.

Next step, some years later was espresso on a budget and that setup lasted only months.

I fear that this machine will suffer the same fate and is as likely to disappoint as it is to excite

The advise to spend the £50 on a hand grinder and brewed will, I suspect, provide greater satisfaction


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## jimbojohn55

I'm getting flashbacks to my bad coffee years where I also went through 4 or 5 krups machines and a blade grinder but then upgraded to a 20mm krups burr grinder ..............hang on I wasted hundreds on these instead of going for quality.

What pisses me off is that every supermarket carries numerous pretend espresso machine all promising fantastic coffee when in fact they are selling short life aspirational bling designed to separate the masses from their cash without any commitment to provide a machine that can deliver a quality experience.


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## Onticoms

In case the 'lol' and the exclamation mark weren't enough, I definitely laughed along with some of those comments, and I'm sure we're all a snob about at least one element of our lives!

I've kindly been given a delonghi machine and grinder which means I'm learning the basics so that hopefully once we've refurbished the house I'll know what I want to replace it.

Just posted the aldi machine out of interest. I know I've got loads to learn and this threads part of that process.


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## Batian

Onticoms,

Aside from plea for the defence and mitigating circumstances.....

In addition to the other fine suggestions about best value and longevity, please consider a stove-top aka a Mokka. If you abide by the instructions, and use a decent coffee, they produce a very acceptable espresso type brew.

Arguably, the original manufacturer still stands out against the competition.

After all, millions of Italians can't be wrong?


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## 4085

[quote=Batian;547538

After all, millions of Italians can't be wrong?

Yes they can! This is aimed at Nespresso users and the like who think it is an upgrade, then after a few shots of shite as they are using pre found supermarket coffee, go back to their Nespresso and produce a better shot


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## igm45

dfk41 said:


> Yes they can! This is aimed at Nespresso users and the like who think it is an upgrade, then after a few shots of shite as they are using pre found supermarket coffee, go back to their Nespresso and produce a better shot


 @dfk41 are you talking about the Aldi coffer machine the OP refers to or a mokka that @Batian is?


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## 4085

igm45 said:


> @dfk41 are you talking about the Aldi coffer machine the OP refers to or a mokka that @Batian is?


Talking about the Aldi machine......we all know, through experience that you cannot really make a decent shot on one of these, without a grinder and a fair bit of knowledge. It is an obvious upgrade from a Nespresso rather than to a Nespresso and will end in tears, unless you are quite happy to accept and enjoy the level of drink this will produce


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## Batian

dfk41 said:


> Talking about the Aldi machine......we all know, through experience that you cannot really make a decent shot on one of these, without a grinder and a fair bit of knowledge. It is an obvious upgrade from a Nespresso rather than to a Nespresso and will end in tears, unless you are quite happy to accept and enjoy the level of drink this will produce


If I may point out, I suggested that the OP may wish to consider a stove-top (mokka) pot. This was because a mokka pot does (easily) produce a reasonable cup of coffee (and millions of Italians are not wrong !) and it was within the budget levels being suggested as a better alternative than the Aldi machine.


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## ChilledMatt

Onticoms said:


> Lol. Come for the advice, stay for the snobbery!


It'll be a step up from a jar of instant.


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## jimbojohn55

if you go to Warwick they have a fantastic green recycling facility for supermarket espresso machines - here is a group of ex customers


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## MildredM

Buy one and experience upgradeitus in one fell swoop


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## Badgerman

Newbie here. I was going to "upgrade " to this from a nespresso. Guess I will cancel my order. Thanks for advice!


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## hotmetal

Unfortunately espresso is a very fernickety process that is very dependent on temperature and flow rate. Realistically the cheapest you can do home espresso for is about £150 for a refurbished Gaggia Classic and approximately the same on a grinder (be it a small used Mazzer, dreaded MC2, or Feldgrind/Aergrind, among others). It's not snobbery or paying 'Apple tax' for a brand, it's just that anything less doesn't cut the mustard. Sure you will get 'coffee' out of a budget consumer machine but it's likely to disappoint anyone who cares about it enough to register for an account on here. Mokka pot is the closest budget option for something of espresso concentration. Aeropress is nothing like espresso but really lets you appreciate good beans with minimal skills and equipment.


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## dsc

I'm shocked someone can produce this at this price and still make a profit. I'm now tempted to buy one just for laughs to see how it performs.

Depending on the components it might be a good idea from a spares point of view although I seriously doubt they put an Ulka vibe pump in it...

T.


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## Rhys

Moka pots are good. You can even find one (used) on fleabay that will make a cappuccino as it steams the milk as well (Mukka Espress or something like that. It's cow-coloured anyway)


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## Missy

Rhys said:


> Moka pots are good. You can even find one (used) on fleabay that will make a cappuccino as it steams the milk as well (Mukka Espress or something like that. It's cow-coloured anyway)


It's rubbish. I have one. Nice bit of fun for camping but that's about it.


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## Stomalomalus

So I currently have no money. And for the past 3 years I have had an Ariete machine (the cheap DeLonghi). I'll be honest: it has been very good for us.

It has broken now, so I need to replace it and am looking at this machine.

A breakdown: I'm not in the UK, I'm in Hungary. I use beans that I grind myself (Pellini, they're the ones I've found that I like the most within my price range and I've tried about 20 different types). And I've been getting both consistently good espresso and capuccino out of that machine.

Better than most coffee shops (which is a sad indictment of coffee shops).

Since the machine broke, we've gone back to a stove top. It's NOT the same experience. Not close. Same beans, same grinder.

You can get good coffee out of one of these. I wanted advice to see if it was worth it and there is nothing here but snobbery.

I would say this machine would likely be far better than a stove top or aeropress in terms of how the coffee tastes and especially its creaminess and texture. Now I see there's a 3 year warranty, I may bite the bullet and get it, as I'm really missing my morning espresso. As I said, a stove top is just not the same.

And before you cry out, yes, sometime next year or the year after I do plan on upgrading. But until then, this looks like a good stop gap.


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