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An espresso machine that learns what you love
As a means of saving money, I've started to make my own coffee at home as often as possible. I've made enough pots in my French press to know how to get the brew just like the corner store does it, extra thick and black without being too bitter. This works out to the mutual benefit of my roommates, since I usually make a whole pot and don't drink all of it (although I've been known to do it every once in a while).
But sometimes, a girl's just got to get something a little bit more fancy. But buying an espresso machine for my apartment frightens me: if it took me two years to settle into a perfectly French-pressed pot, how can I possibly go back to square one with a gargantuan, steaming, spurting frappe factory?
"Buy your fancy drinks from coffee shops," you say...but when I'm out and about and the craving for an Americano hits, it always seems to be in the neighborhoods that sell them for 4 bucks a pop. Even if the barista behind the counter is smiling, friendly, and always knows how to make my drink just right, that's quite a hefty price to pay for an afternoon pick-me-up.
But now, I can have a fancy drink right at home, without worrying about following a complicated instruction book. The Gaggia Baby Dose espresso machine is one of the new additions to Gaggia's family of espresso-makers. Available in red or silver, it's a beautiful way to get your morning motivation or evening dessert accompaniment.
What makes the Baby Dose really stand out, however, are its memorization skills. According to Gaggia's Web site, the Dose uses an "innovative Dosing System, letting you set the exact amount of coffee in the cup. All you have to do is press the 'Coffee' button and your Baby Dose will memorize the dose you like." As someone whose been scared to take the espresso plunge for several years, this is music to my ears. It can also make two cups at once, so your friends, family or roommates don't have to worry about feeling left out.
You can find more information about the Baby Dose and the rest of Gaggia's line on their Web site.
It's an "automatic" machine, meaning that it can have the volume of brewing water preset for single and double shots. It's almost standard on all commercial machines, and on many home machines including the lower end Krups models. You still have to grind, dose, tamp your coffee correctly - the machine won't do that for you.
I echo swag's comments too - home espresso isn't worth attempting unless you have a quality burr grinder. I recommend the following purchase formula: If you are spending $500 or less, spend 50% on the grinder, 50% on the espresso machine. $500-$750, the ratio should be 40% grinder, 55-60% espresso machine. Up to $1000, 35% grinder, 65% espresso machine; over $1K, spend up to $500 on grinder, rest on espresso machine.
I dont know how this dose works, but i do know that technique is vital to getting a good shot of espresso, and if you screw up any part of the way, you may not always be able to recover it in the end.
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by retroworks
August 2, 2009 7:08 AM PDT
- Loved my Gaggia Dose. But like all coffee makers, they don't last. You can't make the assumption that the more you spend the longer a toaster/coffeepot/expresso machine will endure. Sigh.
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