DeLonghi Bar 12 caffe veneto

[asdasdasdasdas]

Disclaimer: I am a total newbie.
Hi, I purchased this machine on eBay for $30 (new!) and was wondering what
your opinions are on this. I have never owned a pump machine before and I
realize that this is not even comparable to the machines in use by members
of this newsgroup. However, I was wondering whether I could even do
anything reasonable with this machine. Which grinder do you recommend that
I get?
Thank you,
Regards....

[Ken Fox]

Post by asdasdasdasdas
Disclaimer: I am a total newbie.
Hi, I purchased this machine on eBay for $30 (new!) and was wondering what
your opinions are on this. I have never owned a pump machine before and I
realize that this is not even comparable to the machines in use by members
of this newsgroup. However, I was wondering whether I could even do
anything reasonable with this machine. Which grinder do you recommend that
I get?
Thank you,
Regards....

This would depend on whether you intend to get more seriously into this
"hobby" or not. If you think that you would at some not too distant time
buy a good espresso machine, then there is no point in buying a cheap
grinder for your current one, and then have to upgrade it later. In that
case get a Rocky or possibly a Mazzer Mini, or one of several others that
might be recommended. Expect to spend $250 US at least.

If on the other hand you are not sure, then it is hard to make a
recommendation, as a cheap grinder won't produce decent results with the
DeLonghi, nor will it with anything else. Perhaps a compromise position
would be to buy a Solis Maestro, and then ultimately use the solis for drip
or presspot coffee later when you might buy a better grinder for a better
espresso machine. Some might suggest a Bodum Antigua, which supposedly can
be "tweaked," but if you read the reviews on Amazon it is hard to find
anyone who has owned one for more than a month that likes it.

good luck,

ken

[R]

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 09:32:55 -0600, "Ken Fox

Post by Ken Fox
If on the other hand you are not sure, then it is hard to make a
recommendation, as a cheap grinder won't produce decent results with the
DeLonghi, nor will it with anything else. Perhaps a compromise position
would be to buy a Solis Maestro, and then ultimately use the solis for drip
or presspot coffee later when you might buy a better grinder for a better
espresso machine. Some might suggest a Bodum Antigua, which supposedly can
be "tweaked," but if you read the reviews on Amazon it is hard to find
anyone who has owned one for more than a month that likes it.

I'd reccomend a Zassenhaus manual mill. They make excellent grinds
for ~$60, they just require a lot of muscle-work. However, if you
turn out to not be an espresso junkie, you're only out $60, and they
still look damned cool sitting on your counter. If you turn out to be
an espresso junkie, these will still make good grinds when you feel
like doing it "the old way", and you can invest in a ridiculously
expensive grinder later.

-R

[Jack Denver]

I really wouldn't go by Amazon reviews - the reviewers are mostly clueless
or beyond (one guy suggest using really oily beans that stick to the
container as a cure for static - these are the freshest, ya know). The
coffeegeek reviews are more like to be written by people who have some idea
what they are talking about. For example, this one:
http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/bodum_antigua_grinder/hakkr/2281
The "not fine enough for espresso" problem is mostly fixable thru the
"grinder tweak" documented on Ken Wilson's site. I bought one of these for
my inlaws who use it daily for drip for a couple of years and so far they
have not stripped the gears. Nylon gears are par for the course in this
price category and if you grind a few too many stones you have a fair shot
of shearing the gear teeth. All that being said, I'd go for a Rocky or MDF
or above myself (a Mazzer is even nicer), but if someone is on a tight
budget (as reflected by their purchase of a $30 espresso machine) it's hard
to recommend a $200+ grinder with a straight face. Perhaps the conical burr
Capresso Infinity for around $100 is a compromise choice.

Post by Ken Fox

Post by asdasdasdasdas
Disclaimer: I am a total newbie.
Hi, I purchased this machine on eBay for $30 (new!) and was wondering what
your opinions are on this. I have never owned a pump machine before and I
realize that this is not even comparable to the machines in use by members
of this newsgroup. However, I was wondering whether I could even do
anything reasonable with this machine. Which grinder do you recommend

that

Post by asdasdasdasdas
I get?
Thank you,
Regards....

This would depend on whether you intend to get more seriously into this
"hobby" or not. If you think that you would at some not too distant time
buy a good espresso machine, then there is no point in buying a cheap
grinder for your current one, and then have to upgrade it later. In that
case get a Rocky or possibly a Mazzer Mini, or one of several others that
might be recommended. Expect to spend $250 US at least.
If on the other hand you are not sure, then it is hard to make a
recommendation, as a cheap grinder won't produce decent results with the
DeLonghi, nor will it with anything else. Perhaps a compromise position
would be to buy a Solis Maestro, and then ultimately use the solis for drip
or presspot coffee later when you might buy a better grinder for a better
espresso machine. Some might suggest a Bodum Antigua, which supposedly can
be "tweaked," but if you read the reviews on Amazon it is hard to find
anyone who has owned one for more than a month that likes it.
good luck,
ken

[btreichel]

Post by asdasdasdasdas
Disclaimer: I am a total newbie.
Hi, I purchased this machine on eBay for $30 (new!) and was wondering what
your opinions are on this. I have never owned a pump machine before and I
realize that this is not even comparable to the machines in use by members
of this newsgroup. However, I was wondering whether I could even do
anything reasonable with this machine. Which grinder do you recommend that
I get?
Thank you,
Regards....

I had a Delonghi, or two, that I played with. For $30 you did fine. I
would consider the Zass since it will always be useful (even with a
mazzer or rocky).

Ben

[asdasdasdasdas]

I am truly grateful (but not at all amazed) by the quality of advice I have
already received from the group. Thank you

Post by asdasdasdasdas
Disclaimer: I am a total newbie.
Hi, I purchased this machine on eBay for $30 (new!) and was wondering what
your opinions are on this. I have never owned a pump machine before and I
realize that this is not even comparable to the machines in use by members
of this newsgroup. However, I was wondering whether I could even do
anything reasonable with this machine. Which grinder do you recommend that
I get?
Thank you,
Regards....

[Cordovero]

I recommend the Gaggia MDF, a $200 espresso grinder that for some reason
Gaggia Shop is selling for $129 with free shipping. It will last you for
years.

http://www.gaggiashop.com/gagmdfesgrin.html

If you search for "Delonghi" and "Cordo" you will see my comments on the
equivalent of your machine.

If you are going to make milk drinks, then make sure to learn about "temp
surfing." By doing so, your Delonghi will do good things to milk. Without
it, it won't.

C

Post by asdasdasdasdas
Disclaimer: I am a total newbie.
Hi, I purchased this machine on eBay for $30 (new!) and was wondering what
your opinions are on this. I have never owned a pump machine before and I
realize that this is not even comparable to the machines in use by members
of this newsgroup. However, I was wondering whether I could even do
anything reasonable with this machine. Which grinder do you recommend that
I get?
Thank you,
Regards....

[asdasdasdasdas]

Thank you for your advice. For home use though, do you recommend the doser
on this one? Won't that unnecessarily expose coffee to air?

Post by Cordovero
I recommend the Gaggia MDF, a $200 espresso grinder that for some reason
Gaggia Shop is selling for $129 with free shipping. It will last you for
years.
http://www.gaggiashop.com/gagmdfesgrin.html
If you search for "Delonghi" and "Cordo" you will see my comments on the
equivalent of your machine.
If you are going to make milk drinks, then make sure to learn about "temp
surfing." By doing so, your Delonghi will do good things to milk.

Without

Post by Cordovero
it, it won't.
C

Post by asdasdasdasdas
Disclaimer: I am a total newbie.
Hi, I purchased this machine on eBay for $30 (new!) and was wondering what
your opinions are on this. I have never owned a pump machine before and I
realize that this is not even comparable to the machines in use by members
of this newsgroup. However, I was wondering whether I could even do
anything reasonable with this machine. Which grinder do you recommend

that

Post by asdasdasdasdas
I get?
Thank you,
Regards....

[Cordovero]

A google ng search for "doser vs doserless" will give you plenty to read, if
you're interested.

You should only grind enough for the coffee you're making, so there's no
unnecessary "exposure to air" issue in general. Nevertheless, having a
doser does cause some grinds to remain inside the doser, going stale. So
having a doser does mean you need to wipe it out. I have a dosered Rocky.

Those who have doserless grinders have posted that the disadvantage is that
those burrs really are grinding at some high speeds and such, and so it's
not like you just put your portafilter near the opening and have them fall
gracefully into your portafilter: rather, some grinds "spray". Some have
posted of their ways of minimizing this: often these creative schemes
strike me as more complicated than a doser.

So it's up to you what you prefer. I'd be interested in trying a doserless
model someday.

C

Post by asdasdasdasdas
Thank you for your advice. For home use though, do you recommend the doser
on this one? Won't that unnecessarily expose coffee to air?

[Owen Egan]

Post by Cordovero
I recommend the Gaggia MDF, a $200 espresso grinder that for some reason
Gaggia Shop is selling for $129 with free shipping. It will last you for
years.

Has anyone actually *received* an MDF for $129? A friend whom I sent
there a few weeks ago told me they were not in stock...

- Owen.
----

To reply by email, please remove the marsupial from my return address

[asdasdasdasdas]

Still out of stock as of today :(

Post by Owen Egan

Post by Cordovero
I recommend the Gaggia MDF, a $200 espresso grinder that for some reason
Gaggia Shop is selling for $129 with free shipping. It will last you for
years.

Has anyone actually *received* an MDF for $129? A friend whom I sent
there a few weeks ago told me they were not in stock...
- Owen.
----
To reply by email, please remove the marsupial from my return address

[Paul Pratt]

Post by Owen Egan

Post by Cordovero
I recommend the Gaggia MDF, a $200 espresso grinder that for some reason
Gaggia Shop is selling for $129 with free shipping. It will last you for
years.

Has anyone actually *received* an MDF for $129? A friend whom I sent
there a few weeks ago told me they were not in stock...
- Owen.
----
To reply by email, please remove the marsupial from my return address

I looked at the link and was astounded to see that includes a 12 month
warranty. Even at $200 that must be a fine line between profit and loss in
case of warranty parts replacement.

Paul