# Hi from Basingstoke



## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

Hi,

I'm based in Basingstoke. I'm currently using a Nespresso to help me survive sleep deprivation brought on by a toddler. 

In the past I used a De'Longhi Ec330s but when our daughter was a baby, the need for one handed operation while holding her made the Nespresso a necessity.

I've been giving a little thought changing my set up for a bean to cup machine but they're a little dearer than I want to spend and I notice they don't get spoken of very highly on here. Instead I wondered if I should keep the Nespresso for when I'm in a rush but redeploy the Ec330s from the loft and add a grinder to complement it.

I'd be grateful for some feedback on whether this is going to be any good or is the Ec330s a dead loss?

Thanks,

Paul.


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Dependent on you'd grinder, I'd dig it out and try a change of coffee by repacking the pods. You'll need a good grinder though.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Hmm

Never say never and all that. I started off with a Delonghi of some description. Thing is, it has a tiny odd sized PF and pressurised basket. I was lucky in that a previous Krups machine (that broke) used non-pressurised baskets which I had kept out of pure womblery but which fitted my EC-whatever. You can certainly try it, but you will need to spend more than the Delonghi cost on a grinder - even used. At least you'll be using fresh roasted coffee that you grind as required. Problem with the pressurised basket is that it prevents you from being able to establish the correct grind setting (although in fairness that's the point of them - grind setting is almost irrelevant as you can go way too coarse and the plastic widget in the basket will restrict the flow rate for you).

I would consider it as a stepping stone - you'll buy the grinder, get used to good beans, and within weeks you'll be looking for a Classic on here.

I'm not a million miles from Amazingstoke, near Windsor and have worked over your way a while back. They finished messing about with Black Dam roundabout yet?


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## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

Raptorex said:


> Dependent on you'd grinder, I'd dig it out and try a change of coffee by repacking the pods. You'll need a good grinder though.


I hadn't thought of repacking the Nespresso pods as it seems like a right faff. Is that more likely to give a good result than the De'Longhi?


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## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

hotmetal said:


> Hmm
> 
> Never say never and all that. I started off with a Delonghi of some description. Thing is, it has a tiny odd sized PF and pressurised basket. I was lucky in that a previous Krups machine (that broke) used non-pressurised baskets which I had kept out of pure womblery but which fitted my EC-whatever. You can certainly try it, but you will need to spend more than the Delonghi cost on a grinder - even used. At least you'll be using fresh roasted coffee that you grind as required. Problem with the pressurised basket is that it prevents you from being able to establish the correct grind setting (although in fairness that's the point of them - grind setting is almost irrelevant as you can go way too coarse and the plastic widget in the basket will restrict the flow rate for you).
> 
> ...


I did read about people disabling the pressure part of the porta-filter and wondered if I might want to do that.

The roundabout is finally done and is definitely an improvement except for a few crashes when the lights failed during the first week. That's the problem with it really. It doesn't work at all when the lights fail. Worse even that the lash up at Camberley.

I'm in process of buying a new house so all purchases are verbotten until we've moved which gives me a month or so to mull it over but any suggestions for a grinder? I was looking at the Baratza Encore as something around my budget (around £150) but is it any good? Maybe I should hold out for something second hand but a little better?


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

pcbasing said:


> I hadn't thought of repacking the Nespresso pods as it seems like a right faff. Is that more likely to give a good result than the De'Longhi?


I was thinking more of convenience you could pack a days worth, not ideal I know, and after grinding you are back to one handed coffee making.

As for if it's better than the De'Longi I guess would be up to taste. But I'd guess with a good grinder the De'Longi would win out.


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## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

Thankfully the need for one handed operation is a thing of the past. I'll likely retain the Nespresso anyway to allow me to squeeze in a quick fix before rushing off to work in the morning so I may well have a crack at the refillable pods. Any recommendation on brand? I did have a look a while ago and I recall that there were some made of metal and permanently reusable and some plastic ones which would eventually wear out. Perhaps I should start a discussion on that in another thread or will I get laughed off the forum?


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

You won't get laughed off the forum, it has been discussed before. I can't remember but I think mostly it's not worth the faff. Do keep the Nespresso though - perfect for guests and others less inclined to learn how to do it the 'proper/hard' way. Also good when you're in a hurry.

You will notice an improvement in taste if you start buying whole beans from any of the roasters who get talked about regularly on here (Rave/Foundry/Hilltop/Jollybean/Hasbean/Coffee Compass and many more).

Ok so if you use a pressurised basket, it artificially restricts flow and emulsifies the coffee oils to create 'fake crema'. You therefore do not get any true feedback about your grind - so you almost don't need a grinder capable of doing espresso as the machine is designed to be used even with stale old supermarket preground beans. You'll get good results with better beans even using a cheap grinder.

If you don't use a pressurised basket, you will have to 'dial in' your grinder to the correct level to create the appropriate flow rate and extraction. That's really the process that we all concentrate on. It's based around grind level, tamping, distribution, brew ratio (dry grams in : wet grams out) and ultimately taste. This is then 'proper' espresso. The grinder then becomes the most important part of the kit, and a proper well-fitting tamper becomes desirable at the very least. I'm not sure how good the Baratza Encore is for espresso but have a search on here as it does get discussed occasionally, although I think many use it for brewed rather than espresso. Ideally a used Mignon or Mazzer Mini for a couple of hundred quid. I hesitate to recommend the Iberital MC2 which gets mentioned because it is cheap. I had one and whilst you could make espresso with it, it wasn't consistent. There are other entry level grinders that are deemed ok (Graef, Ascaso?)

I still maintain that the Delonghi will be a stepping stone if you use a better grinder and an unpressurised basket - you will want to upgrade. If you just buy a cheap grinder and use it as it is with the standard basket and better coffee, you'll still get ok results with minimum spend and minimum faff but you'll be "on your own" as all the advice on here assumes full control of all the variables.

This is the fork in the road where you decide whether to go down the rabbit hole of home espresso or just content yourself with cheap n easy, and just use the forum as a source of info about what beans to try.


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## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

Thanks for the detailed response, hotmetal. Stepping stone is fine. My budget will only go so far in one hit so I think I'll most likely get a decent grinder and slum it with the De'Longhi until such time as I can afford to replace it.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Cool. Exactly what I did. And I'd say that if you are intending to take it further then do look for a grinder of Mignon/Mini level so it'll be good enough for your next machine - be it a Gaggia Classic, HX or maybe you'll go the whole hog and get a big E61 if your new kitchen and funds allow! FWIW I shall now list my 'kit journey' as a warning about what happens if you let it get under your skin. ...

Before I discovered CFUK:

1 Krups, blade grinder, supermarket whole bean.

2 Delonghi EC700 or something, blade grinder, supermarket

After CFUK

3 Delonghi EC700, Krups basket, MC2, fresh coffee from Rave etc

4 Gaggia Classic with PID, MC2, scales, OKish tamper.

5 as above, Mazzer Mini

6 Rocket R58, Mazzer Mini

7 R58 and Eureka 65E, Torr Goldfinger

Now R58 and Ceado E37s. I think that's quite far enough for the foreseeable future! I am now just interested in trying new beans and improving my technique and latte art. Kit is not really a limiting factor now.

It'll suck you in if you are not careful!


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## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

Must resist. 

Just looking for good espresso and lungo.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

If you don't care about milk then that helps a bit.


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## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

If I can squeeze one more follow up question on this opening thread, if I wanted to experiment on the cheap what would I have to spend to get a decent hand grinder capable of making espresso? As, to start with at least, this will be a weekend pleasure I could probably bear to put a little manual labour in.


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## deedee2003 (Sep 20, 2016)

pcbasing said:


> If I can squeeze one more follow up question on this opening thread, if I wanted to experiment on the cheap what would I have to spend to get a decent hand grinder capable of making espresso? As, to start with at least, this will be a weekend pleasure I could probably bear to put a little manual labour in.


I also had the same question. After some research I found out that there are no cheap hand grinders for expresso.


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## pcbasing (Sep 20, 2016)

Thanks. You saved me a fruitless search.


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