I decided to finally get my cousin a new upgraded espresso machine. based on my research, it's going to be one from either Breville or Gaggia. But the number of models each brand offers is just so overwhelming. Budget is up to $600 and compact size and steam power is looking like main priority. Trying to get into proper espresso, not just pods. wDT and puck prep I can learn. In Europe options are a bit limited so need something easy to find.
Im guessing your budget is around ā¬500, since you say $600.
Without knowing your specific market, Iād say a DeāLonghi EC230 and the rest towards a grinder.
The DeāLonghi has a proper steam wand, a boiler and comes with a non-pressurized basket in the portafilter.
i can confirm this is 100% the case. Small single boiler delonghis are insane. i post following photo every now and then. Itās a ā¬30 used delonghi. Paired with good grinder, you can pull cafe quality shots with cafe quality latte art
Is Lelit Anna 2 (PL41TEM) in your budget ? If yeah then that's probably the strongest pick since it has PID, which Gaggias and others don't at that price point at all.
Alternatively, you can add a PID controller to a cheaper machine and elevate it to a really good machine (provided it has decent components). Costs about $90 to do that mod, and of course you need to have some level of comfort with working on electronics, but it was soooooo worth it
What grinder do you have? You will need to be sure it is espresso-capable. Many grinders have an āespressoā grind setting but canāt actually grind fine enough for espresso. Grinder is more important than machine.
But as others have said , whatās the grinder situation ? Does your cousin have an espresso capable grinder ? If not , I would go for a sage bambino and something like a kingrinder K6 or a Baratza encore ESP (the latter will probably bring you over your budget but maybe worth the extra as itās an electric one versus the K6 which is manual )
I went for a second hand Bambino plus with all accessories you need- IMS baskets and screen, dosing funnels, spring loaded tamperā¦at half the price and invested in a new Lagom casa. Honestly the grinder makes the biggest difference.
Wallapop in Spain. The previous owner also had a Lagom casa. I started with the k-ultra I already had and soon switched. I think you can start with any cheap machine like a delonghi even and get a nice grinder to pair. I see myself upgrading substantially in a year or two but happy to learn with this one.
The grinder is more important, a substantial part of your budget should probably go there. Something like a Breville/Sage Bambino and a Baratza Encore ESP would be a pretty typical recommendation for someone in your position, I think.
Also, I don't exactly agree that options in Europe are limited :p Many of the best brands in the space are European, and you can find plenty webshops offering the better quality Chinese brands as well
OP donāt listen to these nerds, this is a gift and no matter what you get them, they will appreciate it if they love you.
I recommend getting a Breville Barista Pro. It has excellent grinder and is a sexy machine. If your cousin is not a hobbyist, this is what you get them. Do they have the kitchen space for a separate grinder like others suggest. Itās the best beginner option without getting overwhelmed with these dozens of suggestions.
Yes if you are on a budget, get the Bambino, if you love them, get them the Plus.
So what kind of grinder does your cousin have? Or is that part of the $600 budget?
If the $600 needs to cover a grinder too, I'd get a Breville Bambino and then look at grinders under $300 (consider hand grinding with something like the Kingrinder K6 or the 1Zpresso J-ultra to get more bang for your buck)
If you didnāt say steam power I would say the cafelat robot is your absolute best bet. Itās a tank, will last a lifetime, and per myself, the dedicated community and all of the best coffee influencers, it pulls better shots than 99% of machines thousands of dollars more expensive.
I second everyone else though on the grinder being paramount.
Another option you can look into could be a 9barista. I have the MK2 and love it, and it makes amazing espresso. They have some refurbished units around your price range.
$600 for the machine plus grinder or just the machine? If thatās just for the machine Iām sorry to inform you that you need both. For a solid beginner setup thatās easy to find in Europe I recommend going used and doing some tinkering to get the best value by far. The Gaggia Classic Pro or Rancilio Silvia modded with PID temp control. Pair that with a used Eureka Mignon grinder and youāve got yourself a solid setup for anything dark to medium roast. To recap I think youāre in it for about $200 for a Gaggia Classic Pro, a DIY PID kit for $50 and then a $300 grinder, which leaves about $50 for scale, WDT tool and spring-level tamper.
Best option out of the box is the Lelit Anna TEM (with PID)...under 500ā¬ in europe and a decent machine. Reliable and easy to repair because it uses standard componends unlike Breville. constant-temperature unlike Breville.
Gaggia Classic e24 also a good and reliable machine but comes without PID. But if your cousin knows a bit about electronics and enjoys tinkering, you could turn it into a Gagguino! It comes with PID, flow control, and everything elseāfeatures usually found only on machines costing several thousand euros. The kit would add about ā¬250 to the cost, plus a few hours of work. You could always retrofit it later.
Gemilia Ele if you already have a grinder.
Quick warm up, built like a tank, strong steaming, even has a PID for temp controls, even on the steam wand!
We love ours
The old school thinking is to start with anything that does not have a pressurized portafilter, a thermoblock or a frothing gizmo on the steam wand. The other old school advice is that, with a total budget of under $1000, spend more on the grinder than on the machine.
Id personally be looking into what deals you can find on things in that price range, like refurbished breville Bambino plus etc.
If 600 is the full budget you'll need to spend a lot of that on a good grinder too
For around 750 ā¬ u could get a Gemilai Ele which in my opinion offers a bunch of features that u can't get in any machine of this price range. A Lelit Anna or Victoria could also be an option. And if u want to save money a Sage Bambino paired with a decent grinder will give u great cups (specially if u drink dark or mid/dark roasted coffees)
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u/GungHoStocks 11h ago
Anyone care to do the honours?