I would probably second the Bambino and hand grinder if you’re okay with grinding manually though. The espresso I made with it was totally enjoyable but just lacked the flavor complexity I’m able to get with my Linea Mini. Learn to use the non-pressurized and you’ll be better prepared to move to a high end machine in the future (if you so desire) You may just have to fine tune via grind amount because like rockoperapenguin said, the steps are large.ĭon’t use the pressurized baskets, eww. I used this machine for around 4 years and was able to dial in pretty well. I wouldn’t sweat the built in grinder too much. It matters far more if a person who's brand new to the hobby can easily get easily and reliably drinkable shots from the same equipment. And if someone isn't getting drinkable results, they may not stick with the hobby for long.īasically, it doesn't matter if you've been getting exceptional results from the same equipment. It's easy to get a passable cup with a pressurized basket, while some of us are still having problems with undrinkably sour shots on our unpressurized ones. Both of these would suit you well if you ever decide to go deeper into espresso as a hobby.īut if you're just wanting lattes, the Barista Express should be good enough.ĮDIT: A pressurized basket is a good way for someone who is new to the hobby to develop skills and confidence. ![]() Or if you want an electric grinder, one of the Eureka Mignon line would definitely work. So, what might be a better alternative? A Breville Bambino and a hand grinder (like the 1ZPresso JX-PRO) are easily cheaper than the Barista Express. It's really difficult to get the perfect grind size with the built-in grinder, and you'll often find steps are either far too coarse or far too fine. ![]() This is where the difficulties with the built-in grinder start to show. The espresso it brews should be perfectly fine, and you probably won't be able to tell the differences in lattes or other flavored drinks.īut if you want the absolute tastiest straight espresso, you'll want to switch over to an unpressurized (i.e. Now, what does this mean in practice? Basically, you'll want to use the pressurized (i.e. It can certainly grind fine enough for espresso, but it really doesn't have the fineness control required to make the tastiest espresso. ![]() The one thing that holds it back is the attached grinder. The Bambino itself takes up almost no space, and the Specialitá features a very small footprint. It seems more fiscally prudent to avoid being stuck with a larger machine with a substandard - and eventually useless - grinder. ![]() I have also run into quite a few users on this sub who bought the Barista Express and, after experiencing frustration with the grinder over time, ended up buying a Specialitá or something equivalent, anyway. For example, I kept my Specialitá through two espresso machines before upgrading the grinder. Another advantage to separating the espresso machine from the grinder is that one can then proceed down an upgrade path on the espresso machine after a year or so, but still continue to use what is arguably the finest mid-range dedicated espresso grinder on the market. I think so, for the following two reasons: (1) internal components are more updated (from my understanding) and (2) the Specialitá is an exponentially superior grinder to the one built-in on the Barista Express.
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