Coffee - Show us your set up

You want to go down a rabbit hole?

Here is a sample what some crazy people would get for a good espresso…

Edit:
Well…I went too deep…
just spent $180 on a gasket, screen, portafilter and distributer… :man_facepalming:

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I have a kettle, it seems to do the job well enough too :+1:

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Gawd, what next, a percolator?

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Yes, with a fish in it. :wink:

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As long as you enjoy it that is all that matters.

Got any cherry pie to go with the black coffee?

I’ve just moved house and haven’t sorted my kitchen out, but here are the two bits of my coffee setup:

The Gaggia Classic (2019) arrived just yesterday, replacing an old DeLonghi. Thanks for the advice and inspiration in this thread! Loving the results so far and I’ve only just started. Now to window shop for accessories :laughing:

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I have an exact same grinder. You’re going to love it. :slight_smile:

Only the best in the whole county!

Bottomless portafilter and 18g basket are probably a most.

You probably also need a good tamper OR maybe get something like this (I ordered one recently)

This is the tamper ive been using for probably 8 years now.

Also, make sure you get quality beans. If it you get it on the supermarket, and it doesnt show when it was roasted, it probably not good.
I usually buy mine from a local roaster.
If on a pinch and ran out of coffee I get Peet’s Major Dickinson blend

Its reasonably priced and the pulls are consistent.

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Whistles

This is an expensive hobby. Better check my investments… :laughing: :money_with_wings:

Seriously though that looks like a good list!

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image

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Some of the best tasting coffee is when I am camping or used to go camping, but everything tastes good than. I’m going to set up a tent in my backyard and brew some instant on the jetboil from now on.

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I’ll second that and am running the suggested setup. Eureka Mignon Silenzio and a Rancilio Silvia.
Sure, theres always room for improvement, but also its not that you really need more for a damn good espresso.

Got myself a burr grinder. Not super expensive and seems to give a pretty uniform grind. Certainly beats the bladed grinder I had before and much less mess.

The question now is how fine is fine enough for espresso?

Each bag might be different and as the beans get older you will have to grind finer. This holds true if you want to be consistent time wise with the shot. You will have to test and see what setting makes it work for the time and flow you want.

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Of all the things on your list the only one worth spending the $$$ on is the espro tamper. For a beginner that is critical for getting the consistent tamp.
Levellers and things like that can all be bought on amazon for a fraction of the cost. VST baskets and all that jazz may show differences in lab tests, but i would be shocked if anyone on here is able to discern the difference in flavor they apparently create.
Bottomless portafilters are great for learning in terms of seeing what is happening with your puck.

Agree to some extend.

I still experimenting with the basket/filter/levellers.

I have to say the leveller is the best thinng.
Its more precise than the tamper in the sense that the pressure will be applied evenly and you know your puck will not be crocked to one side or another…

I am no longer using the tamper. I am just making slightly finer grounds.

I start most days with an Americano, I use a bottomless portafilter because it allows me to fit any of my coffee mugs easily under the machine.

The leveller is not supposed to replace the tamper though, unless you have one of those tampers where you set the level of the portafilter but that doesn’t look like what you linked.

i agree the leveller is great, and the reason i advised on the espro tamper is it really gives new people an idea of consistency. it’s foolproof in that sense.

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