Got the aeropress about a month ago and have not used anything since. Freaking love the results and how easy going it is! Next on the list is a new grinder, but unsure to go handgrinder or electrical.
Been using local coffee, labelled as French Roasted Coffee, it's pretty nice.
There are some great hand grinders available now compared to a decade ago. To get a remotely acceptable electric grinder you would need to spend around $150 or so for something like the Baratza Encore. For that same money you can get a really good hand grinder from 1zpresso or Kingrind which will produce more consistent grinds and fairly quickly.
As a fellow Aussie, the dual boiler often goes on special on Oz bargain. A friend bought theirs off there for $800 AUD.
I got mine for half price at boxing Day a few years ago (paid $1000 AUD) from David Jones of all places.
The other note is servicing. I've been told it's wise to have the breville machines serviced every two years or so. They replace the seals n so on which is helpful. You can do it yourself but there is a bit of mucking about.
After you've had some time to get used to it, could you give us another update and tell us how you like it?
I've been eyeballing hand grinders lately. I want something that is physically easy to turn (I work with my hands a lot), able to produce a decent amount, and capable of producing espresso grade grinds for my mocha pot (though I will be using it for my aeropress mostly).
I received the 1Z Q Air today so here are some comments:
The steel inside mechanisms are very attractive to fine particles due to statics, and the manual says it cannot be washed. So I had to use a rocket blower to clean it up afterwards, but given the trouble I probably won't cleaning it a lot -- maybe once a week. Next time I will try to spray some water on the coffee beans to reduce static. https://imgur.com/wkk5fAA
The upper chamber hold exactly 15g of my coffee beans -- these are ordinary sized beans around 1cm wide. So maybe I'll use the scale less if I wanted to cook exactly one serving. But I can foresee this become a bit tedious if more servings for 2-3 people are needed. The lower chamber is about 2/3 full after grinding the 15 grams of coffee.
It is very compact compared to my old grinder. Construction of the unit is solid. Cranking the handle is very smooth. The (online) manual is very detailed on instructions of how to adjust the granularity. The adjust button is stepped and has dials on the side so one can be very informed about current settings. https://imgur.com/6I68kAq
I'd consider it from serviceability perspective. The boiler machines are fairly simple to understand even with PID control. There are Silvia parts all over the place and the machines are easy to service. Looking at the internals of the Ascaso, it's a bit of a different picture.
With that said, I think I like the idea of a thermoblock for steam specifically.
As I sip from the unassuming plastic to-go cup from Cafe De La Casa, the aroma of rich, complex coffee immediately greets me, filled with notes of dark chocolate, roasted nuts, and ripe berries.
The flavors unfold in layers. The balanced acidity brings out delicate fruit notes, hinting at meticulously sourced beans. The body is full and velvety, with a natural caramel-like sweetness that suggests a carefully controlled medium roast.
As the coffee cools, subtle hints of citrus and faint floral notes emerge, revealing the craftsmanship behind this brew. Despite the humble cup, this coffee is a hidden gem, showcasing true quality in an unexpected place.
Ooh nice. I still use a popcorn popper, and no bean probe or nothin', but I like my results well enough. But I see something like this in my future because I like nerding on this stuff.
I agree with almar, how's it taste? Have you been having good results with the Skywalker?
Yup! Loving the skywalker so far, the built in roast profiles are solid.
If i really had to nitpick a complaint I wish the bean cooler was a bit better. Its no where near as poweful as the one attached to my bocaboca. Oh well.
Very cool! Glad to hear it. I've always imagined I'd move on to a FreshRoast after my popper kicks the bucket (or when I get tired of it), but, I'll do a little more research on this one too. Looks relatively affordable for the feature set.
I started with the fresh roast, good starter roaster but once you go over 250g, even with an extension tube its rough.
I really liked the bocaboca but for the price the Skywalker kinda blows it out of the water
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