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Useful response thanks.
Throwing a curveball in there… I have the potential of getting a la pavoni classic, free, it’s pretty old but it’s never been used much and from what I can tell a full new set of gaskets and a descale and it’s unlikely to be too much different from a new one.
Grinder I was thinking something like this…
Sage BCG820BSSUK the Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Grinder - Silver https://amzn.eu/d/1mxT7vr
Then as it’s the big 40 next year perhaps slash a bit more on something like a rocket apartmentto…
Or for £300 there is this option..
Breville Barista Max Espresso Machine | Latte & Cappuccino Coffee Maker with Integrated Bean Grinder & Steam Wand | 2.8 L Water Tank | 15 Bar Italian Pump | Stainless Steel https://amzn.eu/d/2URYIO2
Sainsburys_Ed-
Throwing a curveball in there… I have the potential of getting a la pavoni classic, free, it’s pretty old but it’s never been used much and from what I can tell a full new set of gaskets and a descale and it’s unlikely to be too much different from a new one.
Yep! There's a minor difference between pre and post-millennium versions but it's easy to get service kits for both. I've just stripped and serviced mine (see around 20 posts up page for the result of infrequent descaling!) and it was pretty straightforward all things considered. Electrics are very basic. Plumbing consists of a single copper pipe. I'd jump at the chance of the La Pavoni personally (naturally biased of course).
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Sage smart grinder pro is a very capable grinder for espresso. I’ve been very pleased with mine. I considered the MC2 when I was choosing grinders as it was traditionally the go-to home grinder for espresso, but you should remember it’s quite an old-fashioned design now and suffers from being a bit messy and switching between grinds can be a bit hit and miss. The Sage smart grinder pro has addressed all those issues. Works really well with machines like the Gaggia Classic.
It’ll be absolutely fine with the La Pavoni but you’ll maybe get more out of it with one of the Niche grinders.
mmccarthy
Jonny69
It’s tricky tbh. £300 just about gets you an entry level electric grinder for espresso or a moderate espresso grinder second hand.
Or a very good hand grinder (for espresso and pour over), scales, and some equipment for making a nice pour over brew.
You may find that the advantages of a better grinder are slightly wasted on a cheaper espresso machine as it may struggle to make enough pressure, and grinding yourself may be more trouble than it’s worth.
As James Hoffmann said - making good espresso at home is a time consuming hobby as it takes quite a lot of effort to get right (or words to that effect).
You might see the best benefits from buying a newer machine second hand (like a Gaggia classic) as you’ll see lots of improvement over the Dualit which is about as cheap as espresso machines come.