caffeinated-carp - it’s funny, our journeys are very similar except I’m in the states. I started off with a cheaper machine, not knowing anything. I think it was a delonghi but this was easily 15+ years ago. Not too long after that, after getting on “the” forums I realized I needed a better machine. I then upgraded to the Gaggia classic with the Gaggia MDF grinder. This served me well for quite a few years but I could never nail down consistent shots. My wife and I also only drink milk based drinks so even doing two milk drinks on the Classic was time consuming.
But once I got into making espresso drinks, that led me down the hole of roasting, to always have the freshest beans possible. My first roaster was a freshroast about 15 years ago. My wife still thinks this produced the best coffee I’ve ever roasted. When the behmor came out I purchased one of the first ones and that’s what I still have/use. Results are okay but using the machine always leaves me feeling like I have so little control, especially with 15 years of roasting experience. So currently have an order in for the Cormorant electric - CR600e
I’m also a cyclist; long story short, I got hit by a car while cycling about 8 years ago. Ended up getting some money from that and used some of the money to buy a Andreja Premium and Baratza Vario setup which I still currently have. Love the machine, makes milk based drinks super fast, especially with the 4 hole steam tip. Still cannot figure out latte art though and that has been incredibly frustrating journey.
I’ve tried almost every type of coffee making process out there. My all time favorite was the bodum electric Vac pot from 10+ years ago. I think I had 3 different ones because they didn’t have a great reputation for lasting long. But they made the most amazing cup of coffee. Was doing the pour over for a really long time, my wife bought me an aero press and didn’t really love it. Sat around for awhile and year or more later I took it out and started tinkering more with grind setting, timing, etc. Finally have a process nailed down that I really like, even for coffee I get at the store when I haven’t roasted. So now I don’t use the pour over anymore lol. Every day coffee for the wife and I is a Behmor coffee maker and Baratza encore grinder. Last summer found a really nice looking cold coffee brewer and we used that a lot.