# The Coffee Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [September 23, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321 "2011-09-23T13:09:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/41 "2011-09-27T02:08:05Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > $150 or less. How happy are each of you with your products? I understand that great espresso grind will likely not be achieved in my price range. My Baratza Solis Maestro can generally be had for less than $150 and I find I can get the grind I desire out of it for my espresso. When I grind very, very fine I have to make sure not to overtamp or I won’t get anywhere near 1.5 oz of liquid in 25 seconds. That to me tells me I’m in the proper grind range with it. Operative principle: Grind finer, tamp lighter. What keeps this from being a great grinder for espresso is the fact that the parts aren’t commercial grade, and it will probably wear out in a few more years, at my rate of use (4 or 5 times a day, between me and the Mrs.) It did need servicing once, when a plastic ring broke. The factory replaced it with a sturdier part and serviced it for just shipping costs. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a Rancilio Rocky so I can _really_ control the grind, but I’ll wait until my Maestro dies. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/42 "2011-09-27T02:20:13Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My Baratza Solis Maestro can generally be had for less than $150 and I find I can get the grind I desire out of it for my espresso. When I grind very, very fine I have to make sure not to overtamp or I won’t get anywhere near 1.5 oz of liquid in 25 seconds. That to me tells me I’m in the proper grind range with it. Operative principle: Grind finer, tamp lighter. > > What keeps this from being a great grinder for espresso is the fact that the parts aren’t commercial grade, and it will probably wear out in a few more years, at my rate of use (4 or 5 times a day, between me and the Mrs.) It did need servicing once, when a plastic ring broke. The factory replaced it with a sturdier part and serviced it for just shipping costs. > > I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a Rancilio Rocky so I can _really_ control the grind, but I’ll wait until my Maestro dies. I’ve got the same grinder, and a Gaggia Classic Espresso maker. I’m not the espresso hound that Quadgop and other are, but I can be plenty persnickety when I want to, and to my tastes, the espresso is really good. I leave the grinding and tamping to Mr. Athena, so I can’t comment on that. I do know we use the grinder every single day, and have had it for several years, and so far, no problem. And, like Qadgop, we keep thinking we need a Rancilio Rocky, but that’s just our brains messin’ with us. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/43 "2011-09-27T14:45:04Z")
I’ve got a $15 Mr. Coffee machine and every morning I make four cups using store brand Columbian coffee. That’s as far as I care to amp it up. I drink it to wake up, not savor, but it really does have to be Columbian. For a weekend treat, we switch to a bag of Dunkin Donuts pre-ground. I like coffee but don’t like it black - milk and sugar, please! ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/44 "2011-09-27T15:20:56Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > [Here’s a video](http://aeropressme.com/?p=3) that shows one upside-down method. No mess, as you can see. And he just flips it… I always put the coffee mug, upside down as well, on it, then flip the whole deal over. Never had a spilled drop. Ah-ha–you don’t do the actual pressing upside down. Now I’m just wondering what the benefit of doing it this way is… though I suppose it avoids the leakage that you get otherwise, right? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/45 "2011-09-28T02:57:43Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My Baratza Solis Maestro … > [@Athena](#): > > I’ve got the same grinder… Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/46 "2011-09-29T14:59:06Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Ah-ha–you don’t do the actual pressing upside down. Now I’m just wondering what the benefit of doing it this way is… though I suppose it avoids the leakage that you get otherwise, right? I think one of the benefits is that the water stays in contact longer with all of the coffee with the upside down method. With the right-side-up method, the water starts to drip through right away. Also fitting the really tight plunger into the cylinder can be messy-- with the upside-down method, you fit the two pieces together when they are both empty and dry. Then you set the apparatus down, put in the coffee, add the water, stir the grounds, cover with filter and paper, and wait a bit. After about a minute, I grab the cylinder and invert it over a cup then start to press. \ The process makes sense to me this way. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/47 "2011-09-29T15:07:25Z")
Two cups of drip local roast in the morning - a blend of 50% Colombian and 50% Kenyan. Usually with turbinado sugar and half and half, but sometimes black. And,yes - Igottahaveitfirstthinginthemorning! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/48 "2011-09-30T13:46:37Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > **Ah-ha–you don’t do the actual pressing upside down.** Now I’m just wondering what the benefit of doing it this way is… though I suppose it avoids the leakage that you get otherwise, right? Hehe. I didn’t notice this part of your comment when I replied. You can press upside down, but only in zero-gravity conditions. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321/49 "2011-09-30T13:57:38Z")
I, too, have a Keurig machine. Best money I ever spent. One of these days I’m going to try Kopi Luwak. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffee-thread/597321.md?page=2)