# Others have been here many times before!



## salty dog (Jun 6, 2015)

Right ho! Present situation - Gaggia Classic about 4 years old modified very slightly with the Rancilio steam wand, a blind portafilter and a rather nice walnut handled naked portafilter with a decent basket. Grinder is another Gaggia - MDF. The naked portafilter has taught me a lot about grinding and tamping (there is nothing like a channelled jet of hot coffee in the eye!) , but I now want to go a lot further upmarket. (A word to those starting out - this Gaggia has been an excellent machine)

Sadly, lugging my boat up and down the beach is now just too much of an effort and so, with the sale of that and other impedimenta, I am going to have about £1200 to spend. In a couple of weeks I plan to hot foot it down to Bella Barista to see what is there, and as importantly get my hands on a range of machines so that I can compare.

It is obvious to anyone with a modicum of common sense and the ability to read that the grinder is as important as the espresso machine. My question of the moment is do I go with one of the offers which is a Eureka Mignon at half price, or good though it is do I spend more on the grinder and slightly less on the machine. I would like a dual boiler machine, I would like an E61 brewhead or maybe some might say that I have heard the buzz and these are desirables but not essentials.

What do you think? With the usual thanks to those who offer words of wisdom.


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