# Cappuccino for beginners



## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

Just bought a Gaggia classic and looking at making a good cappuccino. Anyone advise on best way of doing this? I'd like it to be large but not too strong, the same as a regular Costa size say. Anyone any advice?


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Stubhoy said:


> Just bought a Gaggia classic and looking at making a good cappuccino. Anyone advise on best way of doing this? I'd like it to be large but not too strong, the same as a regular Costa size say. Anyone any advice?


Get a Costa cappa cup, put a shot in and top up to the brim with foamed milk?


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## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

MildredM said:


> Get a Costa cappa cup, put a shot in and top up to the brim with foamed milk?


That's the thing, bought the Costa filter coffee and tried it but it never came out very good, could hardly taste the coffee was like warm milk lol don't even know if it was right stuff for the machine.


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## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

MildredM said:


> Get a Costa cappa cup, put a shot in and top up to the brim with foamed milk?


Just to clarify I've had the machine for a total of 2 hours and it's my first machine so trying to work out how best to use it.


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## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

Just tried it again and had better results this time.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

filter coffee is the wrong stuff mate. If you do not have a grinder tell them you need coffee ground for an espresso machine. it will be finer than filter offering more resistance to the water as it goes through the puck. Coffee is all about extraction ratios. Use the advanced search option, top right and have a look through as there is a mine of info available


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## cloughy (Apr 11, 2018)

you wanna be grinding your own beans to get the results you're looking for. Once you're making decent espresso then it's just loads of practice with the wand to get the right milk consistency for a cappa. There's some good videos on youtube regarding frothing with a classic


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## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

Thought I had the wrong stuff! I'll have a look see what I can find.


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Is it a new type Gaggia Classic (the Phillips version?). If so it comes with a pressurised portafilter so as @dfk41 says you should be OK with pre-ground coffee for Espresso. If it's a pre 2015 Classic it may have a non-pressurised filter in which case you'll need a decent grinder.


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## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

It's 7 years old so it won't have a pressurised portafliter.


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

One way to check is to pull the basket out and see if it has one hole or multiple holes on the underside. One hole = pressurised filter.


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## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

It's has lots of holes. What's a decent grinder to get?


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

You have two choices. Buy a new pressurised filter basket (see link below - quite expensive because you also need the pin) which will allow you to use pre-ground, or get a good grinder. The choice for grinders is limited only by your budget, but expect to be paying £100+ for a good 2nd hand unit. You can find cheaper ones which will do the job - sometimes advertised on this forum too. Or (actually three choices) get a hand grinder - cheaper.

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=263741149767&category=159902&pm=1&ds=0&t=1522849461000&ver=0


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## les24preludes (Dec 30, 2017)

Stubhoy said:


> What's a decent grinder to get?


The best value in grinders is a Mazzer Super Jolly. Expect to pay around £150 and you should find some in the For Sale section. Reason why is it has loads of easily available spares, and uses 64mm burrs, which are a good size for a really nice grind. For home use you are unlikely to need a hopper, and if you use a lens hood instead it will blow out the grinds so no retention issues. It will probably come with a doser - the cylinder in front with a handle on the side. But this can be removed and a funnel put on instead (read thread "pimp my shelf octopus funnel"). Even with a doser it works fine and you can delay modding it. I used a Super Jolly for a while quite happily, and have one in For Sale with new burrs. If you want to aim a little higher do what I did and move up to a Mazzer Major (£200+). Small but noticeable increase in taste quality. There are loads of grinders around, and many good bargains, so doesn't have to be Mazzer but a Mazzer is a kind of established currency round here. Have a look at the Niche thread as well.


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## Stubhoy (Jun 18, 2018)

les24preludes said:


> The best value in grinders is a Mazzer Super Jolly. Expect to pay around £150 and you should find some in the For Sale section. Reason why is it has loads of easily available spares, and uses 64mm burrs, which are a good size for a really nice grind. For home use you are unlikely to need a hopper, and if you use a lens hood instead it will blow out the grinds so no retention issues. It will probably come with a doser - the cylinder in front with a handle on the side. But this can be removed and a funnel put on instead (read thread "pimp my shelf octopus funnel"). Even with a doser it works fine and you can delay modding it. I used a Super Jolly for a while quite happily, and have one in For Sale with new burrs. If you want to aim a little higher do what I did and move up to a Mazzer Major (£200+). Small but noticeable increase in taste quality. There are loads of grinders around, and many good bargains, so doesn't have to be Mazzer but a Mazzer is a kind of established currency round here. Have a look at the Niche thread as well.


Think I'm going to try one of the cheap grinders to get me started, I'm hardly a connoisseur so don't thinkn I'll notice the difference to start with. Are the cheap £20 ones from Argos no good at all or would they do to get started?


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Stubhoy said:


> Think I'm going to try one of the cheap grinders to get me started, I'm hardly a connoisseur so don't thinkn I'll notice the difference to start with. Are the cheap £20 ones from Argos no good at all or would they do to get started?


https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?45053-Iberital-MC2-%A360-Collected-(Nottingham)

Something like that would do you for starters. You really need a burr grinder, the cheaper ones are likely to be blade grinders.


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Where are you Stu?


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