Good evening. I used to lurk on “the bad place”, but I’ve decided to sign up here.
The atmosphere seems…nicer here.
Currently using a Bambino Plus, alongside Eureka Specialita. The grinder will be staying, the Sage will be upgraded. I’m Dublin based, but a brother lives in Belfast, so ordering from decent sources will be though his address.
Prepare for the big question…Lelit Elizabeth or ACS Minima?
StephenM Welcome to the forum!
What’s your budget please ? If you can afford only one of those two, both are nice machines. Minima if you are ok with the little noise as Liz is small, compact and quieter.
Where are you on the water side? How many cups do you make a day? How many of them are milk-based ? 😊
LMSC I’m rather fortunate in that the budget will stretch to either machine. I know they’ll be quite a step up from Sage, but I wanted to get the basics of tamping, steaming, etc., sorted first.
In relation to water, and being in Dublin, hardness is high. I’ll adjust that via bottled water or by softening the water. Descaling is part of my routine with my current set up.
I make two to three cups per day, and steam milk. Two of the drinks would be back to back.
Hey all! Heard the cool kids have come here so the sheep has followed. NGL, am finding this a lot harder to navigate than the old place, but teething problems I’m sure! Am not quite in on the reason everyone’s moved - and if everyone comes over, doesn’t this just become the new old place?
youClown Welcome, you’ll likely come past a post or two on the reasons for this forum existing on your searches. It is a little different to navigate but I’ve come to prefer it as can see all unread posts easily without going through the sections. If everyone came over, it’d have the minds of the old place but the spirit of the new and think that’s the main intention. It’s just a super friendly place to be for us coffee crazed loons, on a freely hosted forum.
Enjoy your stay!
youClown I’m not sure that we are that cool, I think all the really cool people went somewhere else…However, we are proudly uncool enough to want to take the time and trouble to help others enjoy coffee as much as we do. Sometimes the really cool people are too busy being cool 🤣
Welcome to the forum.
Alexvs It’s just a super friendly place to be for us coffee crazed loons, on a freely hosted forum.
I think you have misunderstood the main purpose of the forum. It seems to exist primarily to part people from their hard earned cash in a never ending loop of new machines/ brewers, grinders and accessories. 😜
Mark-drinks-coffee That it does, and most of us are guilty, but willing helpers in that venture 🤣Nothing better than spending someone elses money for them!
youClown Welcome to our forum matey!
Cheers guys thanks for the warm welcome - already looking to throw myself into the thick of it! I have milk steaming problems need a-fixin (and am desperately trying to stay convinced that my Sette doesn’t need upgrading to a Niche)..
Take a look at this video. I’ve just moved from a Sage Bambino to a Minima and pretty much used the autosteam function all the time with the Sage. I needed to get my steaming act together quickly and this was brilliant in helping
dutchy101 I needed to get my steaming act together quickly and this was brilliant in helping
I watched this a couple of weeks ago too and it helped me be much more consistant with my milk texturing. In fact, I was even able to produce my first piece of Llatte art that was actually recognisable… although I’m still not brave enough to show it on here… but given time.
This man doesn’t seem to have the 1.5mm-steam-tipped monster wand my Cherub does! If only I could have the 16s of stretching and 35s of steaming time he’s got rather than my 10s window of time.. (I am aware of the stick-a-toothpick-in-there or use-a-smaller-diameter getarounds but would prefer to just learn to use what the pros probably do, even if it’s a steep learning curve)
youClown |One of the problems with big steam tips, and very powerful steaming is that it was designed for larger quantities of milk used in a commercial environment (which of course takes longer). With the smaller quantities usually used in the home environment, it becomes more difficult, it’s better to have higher temperature, pressure and a smaller hole tip to slow things down and help maintain pressure.
Hi
I was an occasional user of the other place and dropped by there when my espresso machine’s heating element gave up at the weekend. I posted a thread but it’s pretty much tumble weed over there.
Not quite sure what has happened but it appears people have relocated over here so I have signed up.
dancing-james Welcome to the forum, a lot of familiar faces here.
this is why we moved https://coffeetime.freeflarum.com/d/28-about-this-forum
Hey folks, I’m John. I remember lusting after an espresso machine 26 years back when I started the world of work… It was always going to be my reward to myself… “Now that I’m working, I’ll get myself an espresso machine!”. I have always loved coffee… it felt like the perfect celebration of adult working life!
Along the way there was a Krups 2 in 1 brew / espresso machine (which was a disaster - it didn’t make anything like a decent espresso, though the brew was decent. I knew nothing about machines, just assumed that a big name like Krups would be OK), and then around 7 years back I was introduced to the world of Aeropress and Porlex grinders.
I came very close to buying a used Rancilio late last year from a colleague at work… That actually rekindled the spark to have my own machine…
FINALLY in December 2021, I bought my Lelit Elizabeth and a Eureka Specialita. It’s early days, I am learning loads (and thank you to everyone who is so generous with their time and advice here).
I would add this - I LOVE COFFEE (see genetics PS below)! There have been moments already of rich, chocolatey cappuccinos where the taste lingers long after the drinking, utter bliss… I look forward to my daily coffees like you would not believe.
I’m based in Stockholm, Sweden, where there is a decent choice of roasters and retailers. Originally from the UK, I have also lived 10 years in Poland.
I hope my beginner’s questions will be ok! I am at the start of my journey and recognise that I have lots to learn.
PS - when I did a DNA report for amusement / family tree research, I learned that there are genetic predispositions to caffeine consumption (Copied - from 23andme.com - “Caffeine consumption and metabolism are influenced by genetic markers near the CYP1A2 and AHR genes … The AHR gene contains instructions for a protein that helps regulate how certain other proteins are made. One of the proteins that AHR regulates is CYP1A2, the enzyme involved in breaking down caffeine”). I have three variants associated with consuming more caffeine! (“based on your genetics, you are likely to drink more caffeine than average, if you drink caffeine at all”).
jcb1973 Along the way there was a Krups 2 in 1 brew / espresso machine (which was a disaster - it didn’t make anything like a decent espresso, though the brew was decent. I knew nothing about machines, just assumed that a big name like Krups would be OK),
I started the same way…I think in Sweden there is a lot of light roasting?
