Any advice on the best setting for a typical espresso? Is it the finest scale?
10941
I don't set it on the finest setting but pretty close to that. For espresso, you want the grind to be fine enough that as the water goes through it extracts the most flavor but not so fine that it becomes mud and the water doesn't go through well. If you have an espresso machine at home, you will want to play with the grind a little. The grounds should be well packed and not have excess moisture in them when the extraction is complete. If there is moisture left in the grounds, you will need to adjust.
10942
Absolutely. Go for as fine a ground as you can get without coffee dust flying out of the machine. A very fine setting and dark-roast beans will get you the strongest flavor -- because the more surface area that touches the water, the stronger the brew. I also use more coffee per cup than most instructions suggest: 1/4 cup of grounds per 8-oz mug of coffee. I prefer medium dark beans and less than espresso strength. You get more coffee flavor from beans that aren't dark roasted, in my opinion and that of many coffee roasters, baristas, buyers and growers. If you like the burnt bitterness of espresso, though, go for it. Absolutely. Go for as fine a ground as you can get without coffee dust flying out of the machine. A very fine setting and dark-roast beans will get you the strongest flavor -- because the more surface area that touches the water, the stronger the brew. I also use more coffee per cup than most instructions suggest: 1/4 cup of grounds per 8-oz mug of coffee. I prefer medium dark beans and less than espresso strength. You get more coffee flavor from beans that aren't dark roasted, in my opinion and that of many coffee roasters, baristas, buyers and growers. If you like the burnt bitterness of... » Read More Absolutely. Go for as fine a ground as you can get without coffee dust flying out of the machine. A very fine setting and dark-roast beans will get you the strongest flavor -- because the more surface area that touches the water, the stronger the brew. I also use more coffee per cup than most instructions suggest: 1/4 cup of grounds per 8-oz mug of coffee. I prefer medium dark beans and less than espresso strength. You get more coffee flavor from beans that aren't dark roasted, in my opinion and that of many coffee roasters, baristas, buyers and growers. If you like the burnt bitterness of espresso, though, go for it. « Show Less
10943
Try the finest setting with a measured dose. Something like 15 grams for a double. If the water has trouble passing through and takes more than 12 or 13 seconds to start dripping out them adjust the grind a little coarser, keeping the dose and the tamping pressure the same. Adjust just the grind until you get your desired time of around 30 seconds or your desired volume.
10944
You want expresso grind to be powder like and feel smooth between your fingers. If your beans are freshly roasted you can try one step less fine because the beans have a little more moisture in them. Really fresh ground beans should brew with some "crema" brown foam on top. That amount of crema is a clue to freshness. Different beans with different roast times also can change the "best" grind setting. Experiment, LOL
1966416
Get a different machine. I bought a $20 stove top unit at IKEA that makes 6 cups of espresso. It's stainless steel and wonderful. My experience with the Espressione was awful too.
1011693
We clocked this at 9 bar, a little over a moka pot at 6, but under the recommended 15 for espresso. The Nespresso line is 19 by comparison. A bar is about 14.5 psi, so you need a little over 200 for "true" espresso.
277374
Honestly, the only way you're going to get a good cup of espresso and get a nice puck to pop out when you're done is to use a good burr grinder. Blade grinders will slice the beans unevenly and not produce a good cup o' espresso. I picked up a Breville Smart Grinder along with this machine and have been enjoying perfect shots of espresso every time. Trust me...it's well worth the investment.
2116338
Bialetti has been making Aluminum for many years. It is the gold standard for making Espresso. But, I have never had a cup from the Aluminum version. Coffee can have a Ph of 4.7 and will eventually corrode Aluminum. I bought the Stainless Venus for easy dishwasher cleaning and beautiful appearance. It is just perfect, eventually it will need a new gasket, and those are easily available. Recipes... add a teaspoon of Vanilla Ice Cream, or Chocolate. Sounds like Latte or Mocha. After all Ice Cream is milk, sugar and foam. This saves all the bubbling fuss of frothing. This is how my Italian Grandmother from Genoa Italy made it! Forty years before StarBucks. Treat yourself to some ILY Espresso beans, ground. That is about as good as coffee can get Ciao! ( sorry, I am only half Italian )
485843
the finest settings are still extremely coarse, no where near espresso powder. and the grounds are extremely inconsistent, fine powder (created accidentally, and stuck via static electricity to the top of the receptacle where they first enter it), mixed with the very coarse actual grounds (even at finest setting).
1620621
That is a very good way to describe it. In our bedroom it matches well with our espresso set unless in direct sunlight where the red undertones really come out -- it is a great unit though both from a construction standpoint and ease of use.
1086480
Not sure. Most espresso grounds I've seen are more fine than this. That said, I'd give it a shot. This coffee is amazing.
202298
I have found that the best brew from an espresso machine comes from a very finely ground coffee in whatever roast you prefer. Almost any grocery or Costco has a bean grinder where you can set the grind to suit your preference. I prefer a very dark roast, particularly the Espresso roast from Peets.
1168760
I agree that it's a little lighter. Crema is good, it's a basic espresso. Still looking for the perfect bean, but for the money, this is pretty close.
1009689
Percolator setting or drip. Just not espresso. French press should be course ground, not fine. Espresso coffee is much too fine for FP. I went with Percolator setting myself.
2233528
Thanks JJLet me know how you like the A10.Now the question is, how are you grinding your beans? I have a Baratza Vario and I am also very happy with it. Occasionally grinds will stick in the basket due to static, but overall pretty rock solid. They have the new Vario that doses by weight; wish I had it. When I use my Chemex or Hario pour overs, I weigh out the beans and water. If you haven't tried a pour over, it's an inexpensive investment which brews excellent coffee.Happy brewing my friend...
2071334
The fineness of the grind is critical in this thing. I find that Espresso grind is way too fine. If I get a bag of Verona or Espresso roast beans from Starbucks I have them grind it "fine drip." That seems to work perfectly. I have taken to taking half fine drip and half espresso grind to use up the finely ground coffee. It takes a bit of pressure, but the coffee is fine.
529384
Haven't tried the Nexpresso.Rule of thumb for a better espresso is the higher number or pressure of the bar pump the better.
1503634
The espresso is excellent. You can prepare it in two strengths: 1) knock your sock offs and 2) strong. My machine works fast and effectively and the coffee is very full bodied and rich in flavor.
1144444
Hi Frank:If, cost and value and taste are your concerns, you will get far more for your dollar with the Mr. Coffee Espresso Maker. With this machine you control the flavor and number of shots. I've had many brands and they typically fail after a short time. Hands down this is the best machine yet and I use it everyday. One tip, grind beans yourself as preground is too fine and will likely block filter.Hope my feedback help! Happy brewing.
89360
We are in the Pacific NW. We use setting number 2 for our espresso machine. On that setting we can get a good tamp and run about 25 secs... Our machine is a rancilio.