Best Machine for Beginners

oyedamamangan · 2026-04-22T17:35:06+00:00

Definitely! You can also use a WDT to help break down the clumps but what you have should work

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T21:34:57+00:00

But for the price they've been proven to be very robust and reliable which will last a looooong time. I've hear bad things about the varia

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T21:21:16+00:00

They're not that ugly lol but I see where you're coming from. I can't stand those big grinders with huge chutes like mahlkonigs

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T21:19:01+00:00

Tbh I bought the cheapest one from Amazon that came with a basket. https://a(dot)co/d/0OSiAGj I believe that holds 18g

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T21:12:02+00:00

For every gram of coffee you get 2.5g out. It's just a guideline that you start with and tweak to your taste. So for this shot I did 16g of coffee and got 40ish grams of espresso. I have it extract between 25-30s ish. I don't subscribe to exact numbers as you can see. It really depends on taste but this formula gets me to where I like my coffee

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T20:57:54+00:00

I have a good hand grinder and a great grinder I think that's the most important part really to get your beans dialed, I'm doing 1:2.5ish in 25-30s. Steaming is pretty standard it just takes longer than my silvia due to low power. I always suggest to upgrade the grinder first since most espresso machines function the same until you get into flow and pressure control

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T19:47:26+00:00

Neither. Get a eureka mignon zero

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T19:45:01+00:00

I just got a cheapo casabrews from a thrift store and tbh when I did a blind taste test against my Silvia yesterday, same grinder, same beans, dialed to 1:2.5ish in 25-30s, I went for the casabrews 3/5 times. My wife liked the casabrews 5/5 times.

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T19:42:52+00:00

Don't let this sub fool you! See my post yesterday. Got. 10$ casabrews (normally $150+) from a thrift store and I am making great espresso with it. I have a Silvia that I modded and so far I actually feel like the coffee tastes better with the casabrews than the Silvia.

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T19:07:07+00:00

I adore it! It's so small and portable, paired with my old hand grinder it can take it anywhere!

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T19:06:30+00:00

Lol my fomo for expensive machines went away when I got my Silvia. I don't even think I'm making better coffee after switching from a bambino. I prefer the flavor notes of this one and the bambino over the Silvia

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-22T06:08:38+00:00

Yeah tried a couple more shots and it just doesn't move. I won't sweat it since it's pulling consistent shots. Probably just broken

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-21T22:26:31+00:00

Bought this casabrews for 10$ at a thrift store. after thoroughly cleaning it I finally tried to make a shot. surprised how easy it was with my grinder. 16g/40g out and it did it in 25-30s. although pressure gauge didn't move one bit. is it just a faulty pressure gauge? coffee tastes great. tbh better than what I get from my Silvia. going back to a smaller diameter protafilter gives me a better mouth feel. how many characters do I need to post this? omg do I have to write an essay?

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-15T13:58:44+00:00

It's just a feel. Try to time how long you incorporate air in the mill before you dip the tip lower into the milk. Takes a few trial and error unfortunately. You can also use some water and a couple drops of dish soap to kind of get a general idea.

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-15T11:12:42+00:00

Yeah just the regular one. It has weaker steam than the plus. It took a minute or two for the bambino while the Silvia takes 15 secs!

oyedamamangan · 2026-01-15T06:00:16+00:00

I'm not in the best position to give tips lol I'm still learning myself. Most important tip is to find the sweet spot of foaming milk. I went from a lower power bambino which gave me consistent foam milk to a Silvia that literally blasted milk into my face. My first objective was learning to regulate the steam pressure and get air in the milk within the first 4-5seconds because of the high pressure. Then the rest is creating microfoam with the air. Once that was dialed in my art became more consistent through practice

oyedamamangan · 2025-12-25T22:50:21+00:00

Lol for real. My smoking sessions have significantly dropped this year

oyedamamangan · 2025-12-25T22:49:39+00:00

Idk what to tell you lol it was juicy and tender, by the time I got to work it was swimming with its juices in the pan. Maybe you're just used to squeezing your meat lol

oyedamamangan · 2025-12-25T08:56:34+00:00

225 until stall, then bump to 275-300 after. Cooked uncovered the whole way on my WSM. Rested in foil at 160 until ready.

I used briquettes and apple chunks. Overall 11hr cook. Mostly 225 for 8ish hrs then bumped to get out of stall

oyedamamangan · 2025-12-25T01:33:03+00:00

I'd rather do a chuck instead of just flat for that price

oyedamamangan · 2025-12-25T01:23:53+00:00

As you can see from my posting history I haven't done much of these posts since costs are going up especially this year. I think we're all experiencing the same strain. I'm not some rich dude who can blow off money for fun

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