# best setup for couple coffees a day



## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Hi Folks,

I am James and i Have been using bean to cup for around 18 months. We purchased a siemens built in coffee machine at work for a display kitchen and i got hooked pretty quick on expresso machiattos. I also spent a month in Australia recently visiting the local coffee shops a few times a day and was amazed how much better the coffee was than from my Bean to cup machine. I enjoy a latte when visiting the independent coffee shops but don't like the ones from the bean to cup machine as they are far too weak and milkly even with it adjusted down to be less milky and maximum strength double shot. I've tried quite a few different beans and have been recently enjoying Kenya blue mountain by coffeedirect.co.uk.

I am now fed up of having instant coffee at home and was about to push the button on a magnifico S bean to cup as my uncle has one that i quite liked but while looking around i came across this forum and had a read, it became apparent quite quickly that These machines are no use and that id be better off with a separate expresso machine with wand and a grinder. The trouble is i have 4 young children in the house and i am up for my first coffee around 6am, I'm a little worried that a grinder might make a racket and wake them up . the Magnifico S that my uncle has grinds very quietly indeed but im assuming that's because its built into the machine housing and gets some form of insulation from it.

Can anyone help recommend a good bean grinder that will be maybe a little on the quieter side? i See the Gaggia classic seems to be a big hit around here which i can get online for around £400 new.

Cheers,

James


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

The sage duo temp pro comes highly recommended.

But from reading the money is in the grinder


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## Skizz (Feb 10, 2020)

There's a PIDd Classic in the for sale section right now. Worth a look but you'll need to engage with the forum a bit more before you can post responses there.

Definitely worth doing some reading here as there's loads of useful threads on Classics and other starter-level machines that may warrant interest. If you were considering spending £400 on a new Classic then the same money should get you a better pre-2015 machine with aftermarket PID and possibly a used Mignon too. Good luck and have fun


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi James,

What is your budget for the grinder? I can do you a Eureka Mignon Silenzio for £300 delivered........very quiet!!......

Andy


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> The sage duo temp pro comes highly recommended.
> 
> But from reading the money is in the grinder


 Just had a look now , looks good. I'll need to start nerding out on grinders


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Skizz said:


> There's a PIDd Classic in the for sale section right now. Worth a look but you'll need to engage with the forum a bit more before you can post responses there.
> 
> Definitely worth doing some reading here as there's loads of useful threads on Classics and other starter-level machines that may warrant interest. If you were considering spending £400 on a new Classic then the same money should get you a better pre-2015 machine with aftermarket PID and possibly a used Mignon too. Good luck and have fun


 thanks for that, I'll have a good browse. I have a big birthday coming up so I think I have some leverage on the wife to up the budget to £1000 for machine , grinder, jugs etc. I don't smoke or drink so I'm hoping I can use that one too haha


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## MC1 (Jul 2, 2018)

Another vote here for the Sage Duo Temp Pro as a good starter machine. Only thing is, it's quite noisy when it starts up and purges but this is only for a few seconds (depends how far away your kitchen is from your sleeping family). You can pick one up new currently for £250 although I have seen them cheaper before when on offer etc. Worth keeping an eye out for.

As other people have said, have a search through the forum as there is lot of information from people who have been in your situation previously.

Cheers.


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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

2nd hand Classic + best grinder you can afford. I spend £60 on my classic from gumtree, £100 adding a PID and £250 on an ex commercial grinder, plus the usual extras (tamper/scales etc.), I'm still confident I couldn't have got a better setup for the money.

Grinder makes more difference than the machine at this level, mine isn't quiet at all and my 5 month old will sleep through it in the next room with the door open - YMMV.

The classic is very capable especially with a PID, its easily fixable/serviceable which is why they last forever and you'll lose hardly any money if/when you sell it. Buy a new one for 400 and you're going to lose a big chuck of that if/when you sell it. Plus the older pre-2015 ones are widely regarded as "the ones to have" anyway.

Plus for 2 coffees a day it's ideal, it's pretty much up to temp in 10 minutes (put it on a timer plug for 5:45 - ready to go when you wake up). You won't have to fill the tank or empty the drip tray too often and it won't chug electric.

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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

All the ones ive seen for 250 are out of stock.

Any hints were to look


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## Dave double bean (Mar 31, 2020)

Skizz said:


> There's a PIDd Classic in the for sale section right now. Worth a look but you'll need to engage with the forum a bit more before you can post responses there.
> Definitely worth doing some reading here as there's loads of useful threads on Classics and other starter-level machines that may warrant interest. If you were considering spending £400 on a new Classic then the same money should get you a better pre-2015 machine with aftermarket PID and possibly a used Mignon too. Good luck and have fun


I've blagged that, exactly same as the OP , one coffee before work couple at weekend that's all

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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

ThePeginator said:


> 2nd hand Classic + best grinder you can afford.
> 
> Grinder makes more difference than the machine at this level, mine isn't quiet at all and my 5 month old will sleep through it in the next room with the door open - YMMV.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for all the info. I never thought of the warm up , the bean to cup one at work must be instantaneous as its ready in like 30 seconds. 2 cups a day during the week and On the weekends I will probably have maybe 8 cups a day


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Dave double bean said:


> I've blagged that, exactly same as the OP , one coffee before work couple at weekend that's all
> 
> Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk


 Let me know how you get on with it . Is this your first jump to an expresso machine?


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## Dave double bean (Mar 31, 2020)

JamesMac said:


> Let me know how you get on with it . Is this your first jump to an expresso machine?


Yep, although I've had 10 years inverting an Aeropress

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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

JamesMac said:


> Thanks for all the info. I never thought of the warm up , the bean to cup one at work must be instantaneous as its ready in like 30 seconds. 2 cups a day during the week and On the weekends I will probably have maybe 8 cups a day


You *can* switch a classic on and use it within a minute or two but it's sub optimal, ideally you want the whole machine, including the group, the whole mass of the boiler itself and the portafilter all to be up-to temperature for the best temperature stability. It'll be stable faster with a PID fitted, mines pretty much ready in 10 minutes.

This goes for any proper espresso machine to varying degrees. The big ones take the best part of an hour..

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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@Dave double bean - Slightly left field but how about a second hand La Pavoni Europiccola and a handgrinder?

Small footprint, heats up in 10 mins like a kettle and the hand grinder is pretty quiet in comparison to a big electric ex commercial.


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## Dave double bean (Mar 31, 2020)

Thanks, I bought the Gaggia Classic from the for sale forum and a new Comandante

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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Northern monkey La Pavoni Europiccola are really expensive for a hand machine aint they.


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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@Cuprajake Expensive new, but normally hover around 250-300 for a decent condition one second hand.

He mentioned £400 for a new classic, reckon you could normally get a La Pav and a nice hand grinder for not much more than that.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Do they make a decent cup or can you mess up if your a bit weak ?


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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@Cuprajake - surprisingly good for the cost. I promise you don't need to try and wrestle them like Stallone in Over the Top for a decent coffee! ?


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## MartinB (May 8, 2011)

Try and avoid the new classics if you can. A well looked after pre 2015 classic will look after you for many years!


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Dave double bean said:


> Yep, although I've had 10 years inverting an Aeropress
> 
> Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk


 Any tips on the Aeropress ? I just invested in one to keep me going until i bit the bullet on an expresso machine and grinder


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## Dave double bean (Mar 31, 2020)

Google the inverted method

Tbh its such a simple thing not much can go wrong although in the world of Aeropressers you can find them using gold farmed from NaSa etc etc

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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

JamesMac said:


> Any tips on the Aeropress ? I just invested in one to keep me going until i bit the bullet on an expresso machine and grinder







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## georgo (Apr 10, 2020)

JamesMac said:


> Any tips on the Aeropress ? I just invested in one to keep me going until i bit the bullet on an expresso machine and grinder


 There is one nice app for iOS and Android from Slovak developer with a lot of recipes.
You can find there recipes from world cup challenges.
Check it out.


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## jeff-72 (Apr 14, 2020)

JamesMac said:


> Any tips on the Aeropress ? I just invested in one to keep me going until i bit the bullet on an expresso machine and grinder


 I've been using an Aeropress for a few months. I watched a load of videos about whether to invert or use it the right way up. I've chosen to go with the inverted method, mostly because I think it is easier (the tricky part is supposed to be when you turn it up the right way again, but that is pretty easy). Watching the guy who invented the Aeropress showed me you don't have to fight it - you just press firmly and consistently, and it works a treat. I've also got a hand grinder, which is fairly hard work, but worth it for the difference it makes to the taste. I'd recommend that as a complement to the Aeropress. I'm really enjoying my coffee at the moment with this regime. Good luck and let us know how you get on.


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## jeff-72 (Apr 14, 2020)

ThePeginator said:


> 2nd hand Classic + best grinder you can afford. I spend £60 on my classic from gumtree, £100 adding a PID and £250 on an ex commercial grinder, plus the usual extras (tamper/scales etc.), I'm still confident I couldn't have got a better setup for the money.
> 
> Grinder makes more difference than the machine at this level, mine isn't quiet at all and my 5 month old will sleep through it in the next room with the door open - YMMV.
> 
> ...


 Which ex commercial grinder did you get? There seems to be quite a few on eBay, but hard to know what to chose and what price to pay. Aside from the risks about the condition they are in, would you say it works well having an ex commercial grinder in a domestic set up?


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

There's a lot of information about grinders on other parts of this forum, I suggest looking around. I'd avoid getting an ex-commercial from ebay or the like unless you really know what you're looking for, much better off looking in the for sale section here.

For a quiet high quality grinder a hand grinder is an option, something smaller like a Lido E (many other options, again look around) will produce good results, something like a Pharos will be better. The Niche is incredibly quiet but expensive and doesn't leave a lot for the machine. I think all ex-commercial grinders will be pretty quiet, my Ceado certainly barely makes a sound (just a very very quiet low hum aside from the noise of the beans breaking).

+1 for a la pav lever machine. They are silent but have exposed boilers so if they aren't going to cool down by the time your kids get up probably not a great idea. I loved mine before I moved to a pump driven e61 group but there are some ease of use issues with it (not just in terms of pulling a good shot). I'd skip the Sage Duo Temp (especially the Sage) and even the Classic, but if you are going to get a cheap machine a classic is probably the best optio, but it will be noisy. Increasing your budget puts your in the rotary pump territory (maybe you'll find one in the sale section here). You might also be ok with the Lelit Mara X as the pump is quieter than usual vibe pumps. The Lelit will probably be a very good machine for you but at just shy of £1000 doesn't leave anything for a grinder. However buy well, buy once. You might also find bigger lever machines in the sale section here.


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