The Best Espresso Machines Under £100
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- čas přidán 3. 08. 2024
- This was heavily requested, and to be honest - it was a pretty interesting experiment.
If Patrons don't want the other machines then I will be donating them to charity locally (and safely).
Here are links the machines (note: these are affiliate links)
Delonghi: geni.us/delonghiEC146B
Swan Retro: geni.us/swanretro
Krups: geni.us/krupsespresso
Amazon Basics: geni.us/amazonbasicscoffee
Andrew James: geni.us/andrewjamescoffee
Music:
"Pomelo" by Jobii
- Licenced through Epidemic Sound. You can get a 30 day free trial of fantastic music here: share.epidemicsound.com/V62Rh
Links:
Patreon: / jameshoffmann
My Books:
The World Atlas of Coffee: geni.us/atlasofcoffee
The Best of Jimseven: geni.us/bestofjimseven
Limited Edition Merch: www.tenshundredsthousands.com
Instagram: / jimseven
Twitter: / jimseven
My glasses: bit.ly/boldlondon
My hair product of choice: geni.us/forthehair
Neewer Products I Use:
geni.us/neewer-C-stand
geni.us/neewersl60
geni.us/neewerslider - Zábava
Upvote for James to do a blind test on espressos made on cheap machines vs expensive ones
I bet he wouldn't hit 60%.
@@yazcarloman3327 Are you kidding? You know people like this know their coffee inside out right? He'd nail it. This isn't a beer test or even whisky. Knowing what to look for in espresso and being experienced means you could easily pick good ones.
@@yazcarloman3327 Blind testing kills a lot of hobbies, yes. If it's something like a gaggia cc and a hand grinder for 300$ vs. a 2000$ machine + 800$ grinder things could get very interesting. especially if oneself had to prepare and taste the espresso.
He wont make such a video, this pretentious prick.
Yess plz
Challenge of the year...you should collaborate with a manufacturer and design your own entry level unit
Hope i can Like this a thousand times! :) That project would be such a treat to the coffee world. Up, up!
Well regarding the price level....good luck ! You'll be better served with a mocha express ;) or crowdfunded maybe but otherwise it's a tough price line if you wanna stay profitable and competitive
very good idea!
i could imagine you could make a cheap machine that could consistently do one fixed temperature, pressure & pour time for some nominal coffee grind and dose. so if james set up a machine that worked well on some specific load, he could release it with the warning that IF you work around the machine's limitations, it WILL make good coffee if you experiment enough with bean, grind, dose & tamp. although james requires a flexible machine that will get the best out of a wide range of inputs, i think most people would be happy with a machine that, eventually, produces the same good coffee indefinitely
He did this!!..........for a high end machine lol
What I've learned from picking up a handful of hobbies and becoming a bit of a nerd in each, is that the amount of knowledge and equipment that you need for a hobby is just as much as it takes you to enjoy it. For some people, that might mean investing thousands, and seeking perfection in every aspect, but for others, it might be a cheap machine that doesn't get up to 10 bar pressure and pre-ground coffee from the Dollar General. Point being, if you like the coffee you make, and you have fun doing it, then you're doing it right.
@@CrunchyTire everything is subjective. Say you were on an island with 20 people and those 20 people really enjoyed drinking piss. You prefer pineapple juice but they think that's disgusting and piss is the only drink that's really good. Are they right?
@@mountaindew267 Interesting comment, weird example but I get where you are going with it. I don't happen to think everything is subjective. I think there are somethings that can be measured as good or bad right or wrong. But the fact of the matter is everyone can't afford a $2000 professional machine or maybe they can afford it but do not want to invest that kind of money on a machine. If comparing head to head a professional machine with anyone of these machines the professional machine wins hands down but that doesn't mean people can't enjoy using a cheaper machine.
I feel like this is one of those things where you need to spend quite a bit to get to the point where it's really enjoyable and not just a gimmick that ends up unused on a shelf. I've had a cheap espresso machine and preground coffee / a terrible blade grinder... it wasn't fun and I gave it away. I'm not saying that anyone is wrong for enjoying messing about with a cheap and nasty setup... but I didn't, and I suspect they could get more fun and nicer espresso-adjacent coffee spending the same money on a burr grinder and a moka pot (and maybe some way to foam milk for a little latte type drink, but that could be an £8 French press from the supermarket). That's certainly been my experience, and there's a good reason why the moka pot is the standard way of making coffee in italian households - they're delightful, and although what you get out isn't quite espresso, it scratches the same itch.
@@CrunchyTire If people like it, it's good for them and that's all that matters. If someone likes the taste of McDonalds, that means the taste is good for them. There is no general "good" or "bad" in taste. There is only "they like it" or "they don't like it".
I bought an areo press and buy fairly cheap pre-ground coffee. It's good enough for me
Imagine making this guy a coffee in the office...
Wouldn’t even try…
I'd give him a Nescafe instant and tell him to like it or lump it.
He's the Gordon Ramsay of coffee.
Gordon’s more humble than this pillock
@@god8347 somebody who's youtube profile name is "god" is criticising somebody else for not being humble 😂😂😂
"I bet you thought I was going to say ' Déjà Brew'... But I didn't because I don't hate you or me..." 😂😂😂 I love you James
still better than the coffee puns Derren Brown made when James was on his show
That sentence from James has made me feel oddly happy and appreciated.
Umami*
"Thanks Jeff" made me laugh way more than it should have
It would be great to see this "series" continued and see which espresso machine gets your stamp of approval for a price that does not completely break the bank
That was my thought. In my opinion, none of these machines should have existed, since they are not even worthwhile. Buying a drip coffee maker instead would arguably be a better decision. Although to be fair, it seemed like it may not be possible to be done by any manufacturer, considering the price point. The standard just need to be higher up. I would say $250-400 is going to be a more appropriate price range for budget options. All of these are just waste of money. 7:43 James statement here pretty much summarizes it, except for me it applies to every appliances discussed here.
Edit: I watched his other video, same topic but the under $500. Now those are real options.
The question is, which gives a better product, this or a pod machine like Nespresso or Illy?
He described that third one like I do my ex. "Hollow, empty, sour, and bitter." lmao
😂😂😂
😂😂😂
:DDDD
Best comment ever.... Made my day dude!
"It's just disgusting" XD
Potential next video idea: "Can you get good espresso for under £300?" ?
Yes! I would love a second phase to this.
We just need the Delonghi Dedica Style reviewed basically. Hahaha
@@anubhavchak that's not a good machine
If James does do this I can recommend the Sunbeam Barista Max expresso machine. Got it during lockdown, while my son, who is a barista, was at home with me. Paid $420NZD, about 210 uk, and he thought it pulled really decent shots and frothed milk well for a home machine. When I told him the price afterwards he was stunned. You have to grind a little coarse (somewhere between 18-20 on the machines grind settings) but I always get a nice sweet shot with good flavour.
Dunno if it is available in the uk though
how about the Breville 870XL guys ?
“A shape that makes me slightly uncomfortable.” - James Hoffman 2020
Do we need to put the beans in slowly again? giggity
onlyfans dot com backslash coffeedaddy
It sounds like the title of an erotic lovecraft fan fiction
Took me a minute to understand the context, but it makes sense...
Phalic tamper included....
Things I learned in this video: the reason my coffee might be tasting bad is that I simply am not preparing it right.
I had no clue that things that seem like small details could affect the flavor of the coffee so much. I'm glad I know now!
some of you may be wondering what he meant by "PID controlled." Well basically the temperature of the water has a sensor which talks to a computer, the way PID control works is if the temperature gets too low, you need to add more heat to get it back to the right temp, and if it gets too high you have to remove heat, but then you get iunto a back and forth where the temperature is always dipping and rising trying to catch up. the way pid works is it uses the area under the curve to calculate the error from the desired temperature, and it also takes the derivative to calculate how fast the error is changing, that way it can correct the error and find the "sweet spot" without having lots of temperature fluctuation.
no one has said this yet but thank you that's really interesting
A week ago I was unaware of James.
A week ago I was thinking I being cool with one of those (In comparison to those who drink instant coffee)
A week ago I was still thinking:
" I know something about coffee".
A week ago my life was much easier as I was ignorant about all of this science behind coffee.
A week ago I was also richer because I didn't feel the need to buy a coffee Crushgrind and was happy to do that with blades.
A week ago CZcams suggested me to watch a video about a guy who is buying coffee stuff from IKEA...🤦🏽♂️
A week later:
Watching 10 of his videos a day till 3am.
Thanks James for making my life more difficult but more knowledgeable about something I was in fact ignorant about.
I'm hearing ya, I've been watching his videos for an hour and am considering spending hundreds on a coffee machine.....I don't even drink coffee, I prefer tea. Definatley addictive
Totally true haha
Check out CoffeeGeek, you're welcome.
@@garyhost1830 Don't start watching Bit Tech then or you will also be looking into buying a CNC machine and making high end Gaming PCs when you don't even play computer games ! Also avoid people making tables with epoxy resin !
Same... and only started drinking coffee a month ago to get through University....
His voice is so calming. He’s the David Attenborough of coffee
On my goodness, so yes!!!!!
I could listen to him talk about anything.
if he was a chain smoker, he could pass as david attenborough with some fine-tuning using software
A very accurate description.
Except Attenborough usually seems to enjoy the things he talks about, when James is just full of contempt for anything that relates to coffee.
I found the DeLonghi machine in this vid at a thrift store for AU$5... and for that it makes great AU$5 coffee. I grind my beans in a kitchen blender, it's a beastly little machine and only used for coffee.. 8 seconds for a fine grind for the Delonghi, 5 seconds for a coarser grind for the plunger.
Yes, I am a heathen lol
Omg
So brave! You're like a thrifting Macgyver
just.. why?????
Because where there's a will (and no eff you money for expensive coffee grinders) there's always a way 😁
@@Tomeccho damn :D I am happy with sage dose control pro (200$ grinder) for my espresso needs (with gaggia classic pro).
We had exactly the same DeLonghi espresso machine at the office and I can confirm it made drinkable espresso. Unfortunately, we "upgraded" to a bigger machine (as if that makes it better) that makes hot sewer water. :) And this is when my journey to discovering manual coffee started, so at least something good came out of this situation. ✨
So how do you make your coffee now?
If you don’t mind, do you the name of the particular model i can’t seem to find it
@@Adam-gv3uythe cheapest one is ec230(235)
Love the Marc Rebillet shirt
LOOPDADDY
Let's give a quick shoutout to Marc Rebillet!
How did I miss that! Also, imagine seeing James Hoffman at a Marc Rebillet gig. That would mean that anything is possible.
Was so happy to see this. Saw him in Chicago- was great. Makes me happy to know Hoffman is a fan too!
For real. Proud of you James lol
"It makes me sad that this was made in the first place. Thanks Jeff -_-" That line had me dying!
"I know you thought I was going to say deja brew, but I didn't because I don't hate you or me" 😂😂😂😂
I came down to the comments section specifically to look for this comment
The swan has been rebranded by kmart in Aus/NZ and has become really popular after a couple of consumer advocacy groups rated it better than a $1000 espresso machine and a $4500 fully automatic machine. I really suspect that preground store bought coffee was used in all machines but paywall prevents me finding out
Im in nz im looking at getting the kogan machine
"I bet you thought I was going to say 'déjà brew', but I didn't 'cause I don't hate you or me."
I laughed a little too much.
I literally lol'd
James' face always says more about how good the coffee is than his words :)
And that's more than enough!
i work in tech and i am convinced they make these cheaper options bad on purpose just to sell more of their expensive ones. manufacturing and tech has advanced too much for me to believe that for over 100 bucks they cannot put multiple temp sensors and a pressure gauge and a mechanism to stop the steam spewing out .. the premium ones could be sold at 100 bucks for a profit these days .
I owned a DeLongi espresso machine ages ago, the sound of that DeLongi pump takes me back! A lot like the one you tested, it made pretty good espresso when you did everything exactly right; but it was terribly fussy to do so - maybe one cup in 4 was "good". It was particularly sensitive to the grind, which was not good in a time before burr grinders were affordable.
So by your own admittance the grind made all the difference making it clear it's not the machine
Am I the only person seeing James so disappointed and stressed by testing these machines? I really enjoyed it James. Nicely done and I want to thank the patrons as well 😅
two things about James I couldn't guess:
1- his profession (he looks like a doctor and sounds like an automotive designer)
2- his age (looks like something between 35 and 70)
Age most definitely
Also won the World Barista Championship in 2007 and published a very popular book!
He^s 40 apparently
And an awful nitpicker
@@jpht1964 I guess that kind of personality comes when you've adapted your tongue so well to the nuances in coffee! :)
So glad your channel exists. I started out wanting to get an espresso machine to make myself some lattes at home. That led me down a rabbit hole and learning I can't make espresso for under 500 bucks. That then led me to your channel where I've learned a ton. So, Thank you.
James: "I don't wanna put my hand on a warm-ish machine, to remove the portafilter."
Also James: *Will put both his hands on the machine just to mock the quality of the plastic*
Title: "The Best Espresso Machines Under 100"
James: "no"
True we all held out hope that we could have some decent coffee, but not for under £100 it seems :)
@@shardlake 90% of people won't even tell the difference so why spend 1000 pounds on some crazy coffee makers
@@Solaxe because we’re the 10% :)
@@ho0dedguy09 good for you but I personally wouldn't spend more than 200$ on a machine I just want to make home made cappuccino I don't really care how hollow the coffee is if I'm not even drink it alone. I just find this guy kind of a purist who don't respect people who doesn't have the same compulsive passion for coffe
@@jose91807 then why are you even here
I’m canceling my machine order just to wait and hear your thoughts on the “minimum” machine to buy for a “good” good espresso. Cheers, James!
Me too. Waiting for upgrade of that Deloghi.
"If you can get the Sage duo temp pro at a good price it’s definitely worth it. James endorses that model" - I can vouch for this.
The older staple 'minimum' machines are:
- Gaggia Classic (but apparently after Philips take over they made the solenoid smaller, making it more prone for scale build up/blocking). You can get older ones second hand, but requires more research.
- Rancillio Silvia - Same quality as the old Gaggia Classic, but bigger boiler but more expensive.
But the new Sages are new in town (in comparison) and have done great. I have heard very good things, and James Hoffman does rave about them.
If I recommend to my friends, I would opt for the Sage Due Temp Pro as a 'buy it and you'll be happy'.
Or a second hand 'Gaggia Classic' or 'Rancilliio Silvia' and learn to clean/use/service it properly if you want to do it on the cheap, but this level of commitment isn't for everyone.
Or wait for a new video :) I'm sure it will surface soon.
@@livingart2576 , I had the Breville Barista Express (appears to be similar to that model but with the grinder etc). I'd say that's the bare minimum. However, I upgraded to a Breville "Dynamic Duo" (Dual Boiler and Smart Grinder combo), and I'd never go back. It has a full size group handle, adequate steam pressure, turns itself on in the morning, has the ability to steam and extract at the same time etc. Making a coffee is now a 5mins exercise instead of a 15min exercise, and it's been a daily workhorse for >3yrs now. Easily worth the AUD1100 compared to buying a daily coffee (365days*3yrs*$4.50=$4927!)
Not James but got some decent recommendations since I've been where you've been. Some options would be the gaggia classic ,rancillio Silvia, sage/breville higher end stuff works well but my favourites are the entry level lelits preferably with a pid. I got seriously the best budget extractions at 6 bars using a lelit pl41tem with a baratza sette 280 compared to other machines, but that's just one case
Play with a more expensive machine and you'll realise why the cheap ones are junk. Flimsy, small group handles with smaller diameter basket, junk tampers, single hole weak steam wands that take ages to heat up, and just a chore to use instead of an enjoyable experience.
I bought the Krups Calvi for 130€ as an experimental secondary espresso machine to my Bezzera Magica, and I surprisingly have to admit, I tend to keep going for the Krups, because I don't have to wait for it to heat up. Especially since my Magica broke, I only started missing it after a year. My Krups makes good enough espresso that it feels rewarding to make one, and that's enough for me most of the time.
"The whole machine actually just...
Bends."
That was beautiful, James.
Time to brew myself some filter coffee that I can sip on while watching this espresso related video.
Oh god so relatable
I’m sipping my “pour over” cup now.
Ha I'm watching in a cafe, sipping my barista made cappuccino (that isn't that good really)
Watched this drinking my pour over made with a Finnish filter holder older than me.
coffee aside, supporting Marc Rebillet asserts your status as a man of culture
Marc is the man.. He cracks me up.
Went to make this comment, found it at the top.
#norape
and where does he do that?
@@Battlehammer333 Look at his t-shirt
Lol now im drinking coffee for years but stil dont know when coffee is good or not..
This channel is a total lifesaver. this man is saving us potentially thousands of dollars. Thank you thank you thank you
Dunno about you, but I wasting so much more money now on coffee. But I'm loving it
Definitely looking forward to the "minimum entry level for pleasant coffee making experience" video.
I paid approx. €500 for a decent set up. Lelit PL41E with a Sage Smart Grinder Pro. It may be not the best grinder, but one of the better ones you could get for €200.
@@mjamjom4698 Agree. Researched grinders for some time; came to conclusion that Sage/Breville SGP is simply the best low cost grinder at the moment. Amazon here in Australia had it for AU$180 (111 Euros). I really didn't want to like it given all the snobbish forum comments, but honestly it's well designed and a bit of WDT (ie stirring) sorts out its main issue - clumping.
@@mjamjom4698 PS the grinder might be cheaper here but the Lelit is over 600 Euros, and all other decent Italian machines even more. Sigh.
Depends if it's espresso or not. If it's pour over I'm sure it would be a 10$ pour over and a $50 hand grinder. Add a cheap scale to that and you could probably get away with like $65.
Me: watches james hoffman videos
Also me: drinks lidl brand coffee from a krups nespresso machine
I really enjoy lidl ground espresso coffee. Think it's great. I've been doing espresso at home with various (obviously) machines for 35 years and must admit there's an awful lot of wanking that goes on. I've tried lots of cheap brands of machine and really you just have to learn to work with what you've got to some degree.
Haha
As long as you like it...
Calvin Rey I do! It’s kind off weird coffee, like it’s somehow inconsistent in taste. Sometimes it’s really sour and sometimes it even tastes a little burnt, but most of the time it’s pretty decent 🤷♂️
If you enjoy coffee then you should be welcomed here without judgement!
Swan Retro owner here (mine has another name, it is the same cheap asian product, which sold under various brand names). I've drilled out the pressure thingy, which leaves me with a "regular" portafilter. Its holes are pretty big, though, which makes it tough to have good pressure. This modification alone improved the espresso by a lot (given that I have a decent grinder and good coffee beans). Also a good third party tamper is pretty much needed.
Overall, the espresso isn't great, but good enough and much better than one might expect at that price point.
I bought the DeLonghi twice. The first one I used for years until it broke and the second one I eventually replaced with a more time convenient method. I learned to get get okay espresso by watching videos and practice. I have always had a limited budget and I wanted to make espresso as inexpensively as I could instead of spending all my money at coffee houses. I am considering going back to this DeLonghi machine because it was an easy machine to maintain and I don't have a quality experience to compare it to so I was used to having to hold the machine while removing the filter and live with it's other cheap quirks. I bought a real tamper instead of using that weird attached one which also helped.
Like already other people said: could you please do a video about a decent espresso machine around 300 £? I watch your videos now since quiet a while and i know that good a espresso machine cant cost less than 100£. But i think many of your viewers simply can't spend arround 1k (including a mill), it would be also way overpowerd for my single houshold. So jeah, i would enjoy a budget espresso machine and mill video! Thanks anyways for the good content, beside tha fact that it has turned me a bit in a espresso snob^^
D. I bought a SMEG coffee machine and I love it! I want James to do a review on it.
or just simply "what's the least amount of money you will need to spend to get a good enough espresso at home"
Cheap machine that is ok for proper espresso is Delonghi ECP31.21 series and their variations. They come with pressurised baskets but there are non pressurised available. If you have a little bit more money and spot Sage duo temp pro on offer this is the one to buy. Nothing comes closer to that machine at that price range, smeg, and anything similar are no better than what James has shown .
I have the Sage Duo Temp Machine, comes with pressurised and unpressurised baskets for proper espresso. It's about £350 but does go up and down in price so you might be able to catch it for a good price at John Lewis. I have had it just over a year and it's great, has a proper steam wand as well so you can create micro foam for the rubbish steam wands that make airy fluffy milk.
Comandante grinder + flair
"The bare minimum to have a good espresso at home" .. I'm waiting for that James
Flair manual press with the gauge, an electric kettle and a manual grinder. Probably looking at 350 all in.
@@JC-fj7oo مخوممووى
حممي😝🍐😛🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😛
#MeToo
I really like the way you editing the video, very short, concise and straight to the key points, very pleasant for viewing and understanding.
I am convinced he hates coffee.
I want this guy to review my life. I just know when he explains how miserable I am I won’t be ready.
😂😂😂😂😂..
If I can't come up with the $2000+ that produces really excellent espresso, I'll stick with the $30 that produces really excellent drip coffee and spend the other $1970+ on good beans.
I want to say thank you. For your charisma, for your good explanation and your sharing.
I wanna see a James Hoffman and Marc Rebillet collaboration - imagine Lood Daddy making songs about espresso with samples from James' delightful reviews
Great video. You hit all the key notes I was looking for
Fancy finding you here. :)
😎
I have the Delonghi, a birthday gift from my amazing girlfriend, yes it is basic but it's a fantastic entrypoint into coffee in my opinion, because, as students, we don't have hundreds of euros to spend on a machine so it's the best we can do right now....and honestly, I love it
Or the time to dial in a machine...if you wear umbro t-shirts and just want a quick coffee a Delonghi is a good cheap option.
Gotta appreciate these videos it’s a good way to find out if something’s worth buying in stores.
THIS is how to do reviews. Honest, highly attentive to every detail, and almost snobbishly picky.
"Dejabrew" got my like.
//cue the Initial D music.
Dejabrew earned the like for me!
I had to replay it for my girlfriend to groan at!
I love watching these videos not only as a coffee freak, but also as a product designer. In all of the ‘coffee equipment’ videos James mentions so many tiny details concerning design and handy usage, that’s just amazing! :) I think every product designer should watch a couple of these, thank you James!
Cool ! I wish I discovered how much I love marketing, earlier in life!
When he bent the one machine I almost died!! 😂😂😂
Great review! Extremely helpful. Thank you.
So glad I watched this as I was so close to buying another DeLonghi. I had one that I got on Ebay...worked for a while. During the height of the pandemic on the NE I thought about replacing it and found the one I wanted out of stock. That was a good thing as I've been close to trying again. You are so right...machine is noisy and not worth the effort...thanks for reminding me. I'll stick to my Moka pot and my aeoro-latte to make a very acceptable latte every morning. Used to be a barista and when you are accustomed to the pro machines...hard to get used to the at home variety. Thanks for your other videos. Moka instruction helped me fine tune my method with the easy stove top and inexpensive route.
The De'Longhi's EC152 (very similar to the machine in the video) was my first home espresso machine back when I was still a broke student. And with that, and a decent hand grinder, I made pretty good coffee in the most labour intensive way imaginable, for about two years. I pushed it to the very limits of what it's capable of, and during my time with it, it taught me an awful lot. I opened it up, serviced, tweaked, tinkered, and made perhaps a half dozen diy upgrades to it before I finally retired it.
And actually, right now, with my full-size machine tragically out of service - needing expensive parts I just can't find during lockdown - I'm considering dusting off the De'Longhi again.
More interested in the best least expensive bean grinder for espresso?????
What kind of mods did you do to the De'Longhi?
I agree, we need an explanation or even a video of your improvements!
Be interested to know what mods you did, as I have just got the same machine as you, and am pretty handy tinkering with things.
Normal people: *enjoys espresso with these machines*
James: This is Krups
My old Gaggia Baby was less than £100 back in 2012. Far from the best home machine but decently built with a commercial size portafilter and worked fine with non-pressurized baskets (although I think I had to buy one separately). Those were the days!
You can depressurize some of the Gaggia baskets and older DeLonghi too. The ones that have screws through the botom. Unscrew it, gut it, put it back together. Probably irreversible, though.
@@lukedgos what do you mean by gut it? I'm willing to try
I watch this on a rainy night, gives me the most comfortable feeling you could imagine
I love how much James hates everything in these cheap reviews. I'm going to keep watching in the vain hope that one day something surprises him
I'm using a cheap 80 pound machine , he should use 17 gram of coffee not 12 gram!
I also love how much he hates them! Weirdly makes me smile!
I think that was the story behind that grinder he is now using. Look up the video
We can't all afford expensive machines!!!
@@jeremychristian5409 I'm not quite sure I would call $600+ cheap! You're right about him being surprised though, and I think his continued use really shows how much he likes it
he would have a heart attack knowing i'm drinking instant coffee while watching this
I hope you dialled it in? :D
heathen
Same
Great video James. Thank you for doing this and it saved me from that impulse purchase for an espresso machine that will probably end up in the cabinet. Looking at the Flair instead now.
I drink folgers coffee with a bunch of coffee mate and have never had an espresso... but I think your videos are making me see the error of my ways
I got a french press (I was using a keurig before) and a c2 manual coffee grinder and I have gotten fresh roasted coffee from a local shop, and its such a difference for just some simple improvements.... I still have to use a little coffee mate though lol...
That Marc Rebillet shirt tho! Recently discovered this maniac, he's DOPE! :D
I'm so glad he's blown up. I started tuning in during his first few livestreams at the brewing company when he had about 2000 subscribers!
(googling Marc rebillet)
aside from the actual content of the video, my first thought was "if your local cafe is charging £100 for espresso, you should find a new cafe"
Dear mr Hoffman,
I own a really cheap espresso machine. After pressing my coffee in the basket, I put a piece of round paper filter cut from a v60 coffee filter. This way, the really bad water distribution of my machine is kind of normalised and I get a solid puc, a delicious espresso and a smile. Every owner of a crappy espresso machine like these should try it. Totally worth the extra effort.
Dear George,
I used your advice and seeing great results from my cheap De'longhi espresso machine. Shots are consistent and produce balanced and tasty shots. Channeling is practically gone. I honestly recommend the paper filter on top to any one having trouble getting good espresso due to flow issues.
Thanks again George
@@shnitz22 dear Gil, I am honestly really glad to hear that!!!!
Thanks! I've been researching around, and every other review seems to be biased or straight out bought, and I almost got a machine but decided to research further. Your video is by far the most educational of them all. I'm gonna save my money and got a decent machine down the line. I'm stuck on a dripping machine until then.
I think at some point when James conducts a survey of some sort of what kind of contents his viewers enjoys the most from the channel, he will find that we all kinda enjoy seeing him struggle drinking terrible coffee or testing terrible coffee products. I don't even know why myself, maybe it's that frustrated response that he shows that's so genuine it's delightful.
it's the reactions, both facial and verbal, and also the absolute ROASTING of certain products. : )
As much as I love the educational and informative content (and find it really useful, more of these!), I'm really here for that "I can't believe I just drank that" expression
I got the Delonghi EC155 for Christmas and after a little trial and error, I learned how to make a really enjoyable cup of espresso. It's my first espresso machine. I got it to get the Latte budget under control. With a little practice, people should have no trouble using this machine. One thing I learned is to tamp it lightly. This seems to make a big difference. Another thing is to drain any water out of the frother or your milk will be watered down. There are a number of helpful videos on CZcams for anyone interested. I think this is a good first machine for anyone just starting out with making home espresso.
I have a DeLongi that my husband bought. For both of us, the cost for a good quality expresso machine was way out of our budget. Honestly, it tastes fine to me when compared to what we can get from local coffee shops and is fine for lattes and Americanos. I only pay for iced drinks now and make hot ones at home.
Why do I have a sinking suspicion that James Hoffman is actually jacked as hell
Wyatt Parker funniest comment I’ve read in a while
I couldn't help but notice his lats every time he turned sideways.
azcomeazgo yeah when he leaned forward towards the espresso machine I saw his arms and was like... “huh, so, is James Hoffman jacked?”
Andrew James machine to James:
No YOU’RE a drippy little group head
LOL! Love your reviews on this video! Love the humor, too!
I have a similar machine, a Krups Il Primo circa 1994 with a “Made in Switzerland” stamp on the bottom. It’s true that every coffee puck has a blast mark from the water, but I’ve been using this for decades and I enjoy my cappuccinos far more at home than at most high-end coffee shops, which to me taste bitter and acidic. Maybe I’m a coffee wimp but to me it should taste bold, rich and full-bodied and not have me needing to add sugar to compensate for bitterness. With the exception of a few fine Portuguese restaurants, it seems no matter where I buy coffee from out, I need to temper it with sugar. Krups of course doesn’t make machines under $150 in Switzerland anymore, but maybe that is the secret in my case. Heck I don’t trust myself with a grinder so I have a subscription for Lavazza Qualita Rossa which I’ve enjoyed for ages now. To each his own I suppose! Thanks for your video, it was entertaining and educational. I don’t know how many more years I will get from my 27 year old machine so I will keep the deLonghi in mind... :D
What I have found most interesting since watching your video is that there is more to coffee than espresso. Its a precise thing and for good drinking a V60, Mocha Pot or similar will do nicely. I dont need a £500 bit of machinery to make a nice drink.
You do actually... that bit of machinery being the grinder.
Used to have an earlier version of that DeLonghi that I managed to find in a thrift store for €3,50.
For that money it was easy to manage expectations and it served me well through uni. I do agree that the tamper is shite.
These days I have a barista express, improving on absolutely everything the DeLonghi had to offer, but what I want to say that (as James points out) you could do a lot worse than the DeLonghi if your budget can't stretch.
3 euros and 50 cents? How in the world did u get it that cheap, the store must be stupid to sell it that cheap right xD
I had a Barista Express, it was ok for about 1-2yrs before I upgraded to the dual boiler. Honestly, if my machines breaks and I'm not in a position to repair or replace it, I'll just go to filter coffee rather than buy one of the entry level machines to get by. I don't think I'd enjoy using an entry level espresso machine again after using a more capable one. The Barista Express is probably the bare minimum I'd recommend as an investment into making coffee at home (if you add up the cost of buying a daily coffee from a café it far exceeds the cost of a Barista Express and supplies over a year!).
I have a delonghi and agree with you.
I have an inexpensive Nespresso right now but it's great because I expect fuss-free caffeine delivery, not The Espresso Experience. I feel like partly it's the audience--after this many videos, I'm inclined to avoid the machines in this price range because I don't want to wake up every morning and think about how this doesn't feel like everything I was fantasizing about while watching this channel! I'll upgrade in a couple years once I can do it right.
I've been using a Delonghi Icona for the past couple of years. It makes a lovely cup tbh and is excellent at milk frothing. Learnt so much about coffee from having it and use it 4-5 times a day. It shakes, rattles and rolls but I've not needed anything more expensive. It cost £40 second hand ;) The previous owners had it for a week and put it in a cupboard. It's great for getting the girls round. And you get tampered with.
So we did formerly own the DeLonghi - my partner had started working at a large coffee chain as a barista whilst saving up to pay for her masters degree, and I was a PhD student... so budgets were tight but she cared enough to want to practice her coffee at home and make espresso and lattes. We did get some OK coffee out of it, despite a horrible cheap grinder (or preground) but it proved to be quite frustrating and fiddly so eventually we stopped using it and it went to the charity shop. I wouldn't recommend it.
I actually bought a delonghi because of this video a few years ago and it’s been great in my experience. It looks like that one but it’s metal on the front (ECP3630). Totally recommend it if you wanna get into making espresso without breaking the bank.
As an experiment I've been trying to get a decent coffee out of my old Dualit Espressivo (~£160 a few years ago) because I wondered the same thing. So I replaced the pressurised basket with a DeLonghi single-wall basket and bought a nicer tamper. The cheap DeLonghi grinder I used to use (~£40) wasn't up to the task of grinding for espresso. So I dialed in some tasty Square Mile beans on my Barista Express, then ground extra and extracted with the Dualit. It was less consistent, and didn't taste quite as good as with the BE, but it was absolutely better after a couple of tries than anything I used to make with it using a cheap grinder. Certainly good enough to make a half-decent cafe latte that tastes better than anything from Costa. I won't trade in my BE but at least the Dualit would work as a backup in an emergency. Thanks James.
Me before watching the video and recently got a delonghi espresso machine: nervously sweating
edit: I'm glad the best one out of these was delonghi, I dont actually have that exact model and mine was a bit more expensive as a beginner to coffee I enjoy my first machine lol
I also started out with a fully automatic delonghi. A lot of their machines actually provide great value for the price.
Do you use a Dedica 685 or a different one? How are you doing with it?
@@_leoniden Dedica 685 here. Bought a naked 51mm portafilter and plain 18g basket from alibaba for about £25 and a better tamper off amazon for about a tenner I think. After a bit of grinder hacking to get good consistent fine grounds I can pull consistently good shots. After reading this - hackaday.io/project/162176-open-source-espresso-machine/log/157592-temperature-stability-in-the-delonghi-dedica-style-ec685m and doing my own experiments with a thermometer I also found that thermal stability was better after running two shots through with an empty basket first. I've got it set on the "high" temp setting and my brew temp is about 90c. I don't let the double shot button run all the way but instead use a small scale and stop at the yield I want. Next step is some water chemistry because Bristol has mega hard water and although my v60 experiments with bottled water (tesco ashbeck as recommended by David at extract coffee) were good it's not sustainable.
@@_leoniden I owned a Dedica 685 for a while, and was getting very nice shots using a good grinder (Kinu M47 Phönix), after refitted it with a regular basket. It only lasted about 4 weeks though, until the motor could not get up to pressure any more, and I sent it back.
I'm now a very happy owner of a Cafelat robot....That could be one of the cheaper options for good espresso at home....:-)
I use a EC850.
It is pretty neat machine.
Though I mostly drink french press at home , as my hand grinder is too slow with fine grind, and it lot more cost efficient than Espresso.
"You can make a little Pixar movie about it in the future..." LOL
I’ve had the delonghi for over ten years and I’ve always liked it. Admittedly it’s only in the last two weeks (thanks to the CZcams algorithm and yourself) I’ve realised I needed to up my coffee game so I’ve bought a distributor, a spring loaded tamper and a bottomless portafilter!
I actually had a delonghi machine for years and it was exactly as you said: an impulse purchase that spent years in the cupboard.
Now these are the questions I want to know the answers too. How cheap can I be?
Could always go manual! A ROK or a Cafelat Robot paired with a Comandante C40 or Kinu M47 Phoenix can make excellent espresso if you have the patience!
😆
@@thegetupkid311 that's about £500 though. Barista version of the robot imported to UK is £300 ish and commandante is £190 at best
Get a sage barista express 😀
@@danlarwood4068 gotcha. Mr. Ruck is in Japan, so there may be better options there for the price. I see people selling used ROK or Robots with some regularity around $150 in USA, and used premium hand grinders (picked up a Lido E myself) in the $150 range. EDIT: definitely should have specified "used" on my end!
Nvm - I loved him instantly with that “thank you, Jeff” line 😂😂
Wow love the Marc Rebillet shirt! He is a crazy but very good artist, i love his music. 😀 And really like the videos, just starting out on my coffee exploration and almost watched all of your videos already haha
5:28 I literally had to pause the video and digest that moment for a second.
Finally, he reviews something I can actually afford.
Yeah and then shits on absolutely all of them.
Something we can buy it is shit so we would waste our money 🤣
@@hasanshah1470 I mean a horrible coffee by his standards is likely very good to most of us
@@Solaxe yeah I agree, I really don't think his reviewing style is aimed at the a more general audience.
I got my partner a Breville one-touch VCF109 from Currys during black Friday sales and she absolutely loves it. 150 quid in the end (reduced from 300) and well worth it. Makes a great espresso and the milk frothing attachment is quality, lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos all come out great.
Does the end product taste like I've ordered it from a lovely little cafe in Italy? No, definitely not. But it's comparable to Starbucks/Costa etc. (in fact better because it all depends on what roasts/blends you're buying) and a damn sight cheaper in the long run.
Bought a cheap but nice retro looking machine to replace a Nespresso machine.. Couldn't get anywhere near decent (N)espresso. Tried different beans, bought a good grinder, bought other filters, created 5kg of waste. And then, I came across this video and what does James look at first?.. The same but slightly older model that I have. There is just no way I can get anything decent from this and I don't know why. *sadcoffeeface
I don't even like espresso but am I going to watch all 10 minutes? Hell yeah.
Great review for starters.
In 2008 I received the Delonghi as a gift. That got me started. Some research in 2011 got me a Rancilio Silvia (second hand) with Nemox grinder.
Only in 2019 I bought a first new one. Liked the Rancilio, but went for a Ascaso, although boilers might give you some extra. I appreciate the thermobloc.
the marc rebillet shirt was unexpected and delightful
How many Marc Rebillet t-shirts can you buy for £99?
Now I want to see Marc Rebillet review espresso machines, but in his own style you know
Thank you for the lesson, rather enjoyable, since I found myself confronted with the same question about two years ago. I did some research and went with a Gaggia Baby from the early nineties for 80 Euros. These are identical on the inside with the Gaggia Classic of the same time, but go for about half the price. There is no use pretending I know a lot about espresso, but I really like what I get from it and so do others, so much so, that my girlfriend who used to work as a barista got one for the same amount just a few month later and her friend, after drinking espresso at her place, bought one for herself as well. My point being, everybody I know who owns one, including myself, enjoys using it and the resulting espresso from it. I also bought a Gaggia MDF grinder for about the same amount. Also, if you want to, still every single part of the machine is available as a spare and the internet offers plenty of advice on fixing them. I like the idea of something lasting for a while and repairing instead of replacing. The Gaggia is already sought after, but prices for working units still seem decent, might go up though if more people pick up on them. Anyway, I appreciate the content, entertainment and knowledge you provide, please keep up the good work.
This is the most pretentious video I’ve ever seen and I’m in love with it.
and a subtle humor
Only to discover you should save for something better!
Amazon sells a 4 bar "espresso machine" (Von Shef) for £54 and Robert Dyas sells a similar-looking 5 bar machine (Salter) for £35. "Ideal for any coffee lover." I am fascinated and would love to see a review of one of these not-really-espresso machines.
5:20 Subtitles say "Craps" for the "Krups" 😅... Even CZcams knows it is bad!
At least it's auto generated subtitles. It would be kinda shady if he would've wrote it that way. 😂
Omg im so happy to find this video before ever having to buy a cheap espresso machine. Thank you so much for the insightful reviews
The delonghi was the machine i came into coffee with. I modified the portafilter and used a basket from another delonghi model and managed good espresso from it before grabbing a Rancilio Silvia and Mazzer Mini Electronic. Now looking for another upgrade.
How is the Silvia? It's an interesting machine. Why are you looking to upgrade? Just for more variety or is the Silvia not doing it for you
Love the Marc Rebillet shirt! Wild to see my two favorite creators in the same video, even if it’s only via indirect apparel cameo
Omg I love Marc. I just found this channel and couldn’t believe I was seeing it