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I just ordered one, and I'm going to be very annoyed if it arrives looking like that.
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Dec 6, 2011 19:08
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Mine arrived looking fine. I placed the order the day the new website was launched and it had a working tracking number. It took a minute to get through their system given Thanksgiving but I was properly notified when it was given to UPS and was all good. I was invoice #91. I'm betting this is an isolated incident but it's not acceptable and you should raise enough hell to get it fixed to your liking.
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Dec 6, 2011 22:13
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Here's the response I got, which is fairly disconcerting and leaves me with pretty much zero faith in their quality control.quote:Hi Ari, So it seems that they have a new tech, who can't even pick the correct part for the correct grinder. It's great that I got a metal base as an upgrade, but it leaves me wondering what other parts are in the grinder, where they're from, and what condition they're in. I don't know about you guys, but after this I think I would never consider purchasing a more expensive grinder from Baratza. So I guess I'll check if the grinder works. I don't really feel like spending a ton of time cleaning something that arrived dirty, and I'm wondering if I should be more of a pain in the rear end to them, or if I'm just wasting my time.
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Dec 7, 2011 02:58
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AriTheDog posted:So it seems that they have a new tech, who can't even pick the correct part for the correct grinder. It's great that I got a metal base as an upgrade, but it leaves me wondering what other parts are in the grinder, where they're from, and what condition they're in. I don't know about you guys, but after this I think I would never consider purchasing a more expensive grinder from Baratza. Based on another thread elsewhere, they did recently start training a new tech. I would take some comfort in knowing that they actually disassembled your grinder and replaced parts as needed. I've never heard of the base being accidentally swapped like on yours, but it is a drop-in piece that is exactly the same shape, so I can understand how the error was made with multiple grinders open at the same time on the bench. Obviously your grinds bin was not cleaned as it should have been. The other photos you posted seem pretty minor to me on a refurb, unless the grinder was literally covered with coffee dust as you suggested (please clarify...). FWIW, it is completely normal to receive a brand new grinder with residual grinds in the hopper, burrs, and grind path, because they are tested with coffee before being shipped out. It looks like they refurbished your grinder and completely skipped the cleaning step afterwards. Baratza does seem to have the odd hiccup like this, but they have one of the best customer service reputations in the whole coffee industry. I am sure they would replace your grinder if you asked them, but I doubt there is anything wrong with it.
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Dec 7, 2011 04:23
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My mom said my aunt is looking for a Christmas gift idea for me and I was thinking about a vac pot. I've wanted one for a while, but never really pursued buying one for some reason. Does anyone out there have one and have any input on what to look for? I'm thinking I might want one that has a stand as I can see using it as a neat theatrical type thing.
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Dec 7, 2011 04:28
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rockcity posted:My mom said my aunt is looking for a Christmas gift idea for me and I was thinking about a vac pot. I've wanted one for a while, but never really pursued buying one for some reason. Does anyone out there have one and have any input on what to look for? I'm thinking I might want one that has a stand as I can see using it as a neat theatrical type thing. What grinder do you have? Vac pots are a lot of fun. You can get cheap stovetop models, but they don't really have the theatrical aspect of being able to take the brewer to the table and make the coffee right there. If you want a tabletop model, the standard manufacturers are Yama and Hario. You probably also want to get a butane burner instead of the anemic alcohol lamps often come with. This tends to make the overall price creep up towards $100.
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Dec 7, 2011 04:41
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Bob_McBob posted:What grinder do you have? I have a Capresso Infinity. If I go tabletop, I definitely do plan to get a butane burner, but I'd probably buy that part on my own. The roaster I like back in MI made me coffee with one of the Yama ones and he used a butane burner too. It was fun to watch which I think made me want one even more.
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Dec 7, 2011 04:52
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rockcity posted:I have a Capresso Infinity. If I go tabletop, I definitely do plan to get a butane burner, but I'd probably buy that part on my own. The roaster I like back in MI made me coffee with one of the Yama ones and he used a butane burner too. It was fun to watch which I think made me want one even more. Sounds like you have your bases covered. Figure out which size you prefer and look for either a Yama or Hario. I am not too familiar with prices down there, but up here Yama tends to be a lot cheaper.
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Dec 7, 2011 05:04
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Bob_McBob posted:Based on another thread elsewhere, they did recently start training a new tech. I would take some comfort in knowing that they actually disassembled your grinder and replaced parts as needed. I've never heard of the base being accidentally swapped like on yours, but it is a drop-in piece that is exactly the same shape, so I can understand how the error was made with multiple grinders open at the same time on the bench. Regarding being covered in coffee dust, yes, it was covered in larger grinds that were stuck on by static. It wasn't terrible, but it was definitely noticeable. That said, the knowledge that they test the refurbs by grinding coffee is a reasonable excuse for this. At this point I just want to use the loving thing and start drinking good coffee. I've been testing it out with some not-very-oily beans, and it certainly works. The more coarse grind settings are very uneven, although lacking any very fine powder. Is this typical? I'm getting some pieces that are probably a couple millimeters in length, and some that are just tiny specks. It's looks kind of like what comes out of a blade grinder. Is this typical? I'lll make some French press in the morning and report back.
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Dec 7, 2011 06:41
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AriTheDog posted:Thanks for the info. You're right that it's pretty minor, but the fact that no one took a look at the grinder and said "hey, wait a minute" before boxing it up and shipping it out says a lot about how they do things. There's clearly no check list, so screw ups like this are bound to happen. Not the kind of company I'd want to give a few hundred dollars to. How coarse are you talking about. You shouldn't be using gravel for press pot.
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Dec 7, 2011 06:55
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I prefer french press or drip brew but my girlfriend is obsessed with the pod machines so I'm thinking about getting her one for christmas. She's not super fussy about her coffee, it just needs to be quick and easy to operate/clean. So, is there any consensus for the best pod/capsule style coffee maker?
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Dec 7, 2011 21:09
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Rids! posted:I prefer french press or drip brew but my girlfriend is obsessed with the pod machines so I'm thinking about getting her one for christmas. She's not super fussy about her coffee, it just needs to be quick and easy to operate/clean. How much do you want to spend? Why not get an espresso machine that can also accept pods? They're a bit on the pricy side, but allow for a bit more versatility and the ability to make much better coffee.
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Dec 7, 2011 21:25
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Rids! posted:I prefer french press or drip brew but my girlfriend is obsessed with the pod machines so I'm thinking about getting her one for christmas. She's not super fussy about her coffee, it just needs to be quick and easy to operate/clean. Probably the Keurig, even more so because you can buy a filter basket and put your own coffee in it, though I have a feeling she'd probably stick with the pre-packed k-cups. It would give you another option for simple drip brew with fresh coffee though.
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Dec 7, 2011 22:10
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Pod machines (including espresso machine adapters) are kind of poo poo even compared to capsules.
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Dec 8, 2011 00:22
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Okay I thought capsules and pods were the same thing. When did coffee become so complicated. I'm looking at a little Nespresso machine. Also I live in Australia so it'll need to be a relatively mainstream brand for me to find it. All opinions appreciated.
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Dec 8, 2011 01:39
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Rids! posted:Okay I thought capsules and pods were the same thing. When did coffee become so complicated. Ironically complicated to make lovely fast coffee easier.
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Dec 8, 2011 01:47
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Not to mention incredibly wasteful. What's the environmental toll on a case of those plastic pods every week?
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Dec 8, 2011 03:11
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Clanpot Shake posted:Not to mention incredibly wasteful. What's the environmental toll on a case of those plastic pods every week? Linked earlier in this thread, a fantastic read for anyone considering a k-cup machine. Basically boils down to the advertised quality, ease of use, and environmentalism of k-cups are all lies. http://www.dearcoffeeiloveyou.com/love-keurig-nope/ I will put it in the OP.
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Dec 8, 2011 03:43
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Grabbed this link out of the article above ^^^. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00018RRRK...XXG0BFCZMNCE43& Any experience with it? That's about the ceiling of my budget for a grinder so it's between that and a hario manual.
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Dec 8, 2011 04:07
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Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:Any experience with it? That's about the ceiling of my budget for a grinder so it's between that and a hario manual. It appears to be a burr grinder of the crushing knobs fake variety like most cheaper "burr" grinders. I think you would be better off with the Hario.
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Dec 8, 2011 04:38
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Friend wants me to reccomend him a good burr grinder under $100. Trying to remember which refurbished one is the best. Last page had some gripes about the Baratza, and the Rancillo Rocky is pricier than I remember. What else is there? Capresso Infinity? That Starbucks one? Something else that isnt a Hario hand mill?
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Dec 8, 2011 05:17
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Archenteron posted:Friend wants me to reccomend him a good burr grinder under $100. Trying to remember which refurbished one is the best. Last page had some gripes about the Baratza, and the Rancillo Rocky is pricier than I remember. What else is there? Capresso Infinity? That Starbucks one? Something else that isnt a Hario hand mill? Maestro Plus, $95 refurb. Not in stock at the moment, but they update once a week, so you shouldn't have to wait long. For a bit more, the $140 Virtuoso refurb is about as good as it gets for consumer grinders for regular coffee. If you want to base your buying decision on anecdotal negative reports, I can find you significantly more for any of the other grinders you mentioned. The Rocky has never been remotely close to sub-$100, even going back 10 years. It's pretty much a dinosaur these days. The Vario has surpassed it as the grinder of choice for espresso at that price point.
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Dec 8, 2011 06:00
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So my standard setup is a pour over (daily use) and a french press (broken out occasionally because it's such a pain in the rear end to clean afterward). I've never had Aeropress coffee, but would you say it does anything better or differently enough to justify adding it to my collection? Also, the Starbucks down the street from me recently added a Clover. It kills me to drink the coffee there because you can see how amazing the Clover is at extracting flavor from the beans, but there's just so much unpleasant flavor in those particular beans. I wonder exactly how good I'd have to get in with the staff there for them to let me bring my own beans to use in their machine?
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Dec 8, 2011 13:02
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GrAviTy84 posted:Linked earlier in this thread, a fantastic read for anyone considering a k-cup machine. Basically boils down to the advertised quality, ease of use, and environmentalism of k-cups are all lies. Not disagreeing with them, but seems a bit silly to say don't use them because of waste, when that could be applied to just about everything we consume, may as well say never buy cereal unless its from a scoop your own shop and you use your own container, or only buy ground beef from a butcher wrapped in paper because of the plastic/styrofoam container. I don't own one, but we used to have a K-Cup brewer at a place I previously worked at and for a capsule/pod machine it wasn't bad tasting at all, obviously a pod machine is never going to compare to freshly ground etc, but its hardly the devil either.
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Dec 8, 2011 13:46
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You should see how many k-cup containers we go through at work. It's really stupid. I ought to look into getting a refillable one for myself.
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Dec 8, 2011 17:25
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Does anyone have a recommendation for a french press? My old one rusted out because the lid had this terrible lip that water could get in to but was impossible to clean.
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Dec 8, 2011 18:38
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The OP can help you with that.
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Dec 8, 2011 18:48
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Dunno if this exactly belongs here, but where can i get an amazing cup of coffee in NYC?
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Dec 8, 2011 18:48
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Loucks posted:The OP can help you with that. Does anyone have the Bodum it recommends and can comment on it personally? or
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Dec 8, 2011 18:49
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I bought a Bodum french press a couple years ago, and when I broke it one day (knocked it against a heavy pyrex measuring cup, totally my fault) I went out and bought the exact same one again. I'm really satisfied with it.
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Dec 8, 2011 19:17
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I've had one of these pressed for a couple of years: http://www.amazon.com/Frieling-Polished-Stainless-French-33-ounce/dp/B00009ADDS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1323371486&sr=8-5 Very high quality product.
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Dec 8, 2011 20:12
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icehewk posted:Does anyone have the Bodum it recommends and can comment on it personally? or I've had a couple of Bodum plungers and they are great, but fragile.
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Dec 8, 2011 20:23
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whereismyshoe posted:Dunno if this exactly belongs here, but where can i get an amazing cup of coffee in NYC? Stumptown, Café Grumpy, Gimme!, Blue Bottle, Ninth Street Espresso, RBC NYC, Kava... the list goes on. Bob_McBob fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Dec 8, 2011 |
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Dec 8, 2011 21:18
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Lord Dekks posted:Not disagreeing with them, but seems a bit silly to say don't use them because of waste, when that could be applied to just about everything we consume, may as well say never buy cereal unless its from a scoop your own shop and you use your own container, or only buy ground beef from a butcher wrapped in paper because of the plastic/styrofoam container. Waste is but one point, but sure, get fixated on it. It's just that it's wasteful, it's that they claim that they're environmentally sound, when they're not. aside: and you really should do those two examples you listed as outlandish. They're not. Local grocery has some really good granolas in their bulk food section, way cheaper and healthier than most box cereal. But alas, I rarely eat cereal. Buying from a butcher is a better practice overall because you're supporting small businesses, you get their expertise, you can pick the cuts you want to go into your grind and the tailor the fat/lean. quote:I don't own one, but we used to have a K-Cup brewer at a place I previously worked at and for a capsule/pod machine it wasn't bad tasting at all, obviously a pod machine is never going to compare to freshly ground etc, but its hardly the devil either. For the same price you can have some of the consistently best coffee money can buy. That they are swindling people into buying a lovely product under false pretenses makes them the devil indeed.
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Dec 8, 2011 22:44
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yokken posted:would you guys advise going to a hardware store with my Hario after i get it and find some washers and a spring to mod it with? does anyone feel like writing a mini-tutorial on hacking the grinder to be better? i have absolutely no idea where to start but i want a good grinder while i save up for an electric one. Do this. It's super easy, you don't need a guide. Take the Hario apart (this is easy, if you can't figure it out some dude at your hardware store can). Find the bit that is where the burr is spaced, and put 2 washers and a small spring in here. Hardware store bulk bits, preferably clean them. You will have to take it apart and clean this bit out sometimes, but it's not a huge pain for the increase in consistency you get. There is this post, though http://www.roaste.com/CoffeeBlogs/EricBNC/Hario-Skerton-Modification as well as this one http://www.home-barista.com/grinders/some-mods-to-hario-skerton-t18178.html as well as this one http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/grinders/500430 as well as this one http://www.home-barista.com/grinders/hario-skerton-open-top-hand-grinder-lid-t10472.html so maybe one of these will help. I have tried some of the more extensive mods and found them more trouble than worth, but a simple spring and 2 washers is super easy, and produces great results. The other stuff is kind of fun in a geeky way, but I drink more tea now anyway.
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Dec 9, 2011 00:19
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Anyone know if this machine is any good? From what I gathered, it's a 'Conti Comocafé', a lever espresso machine. From the OP I see this counts as a manual machine, which in skilled hands (not mine) should make some pretty drat good coffee. That's convenient because for whatever reason it's in my basement gathering dust and since I've been wanting to try something better than my Dolce Gusto capsules, I should probably give this thing a shot (  )I'm talking about it here instead of actually trying it out because 1) I don't know how to operate this thing (how many times should I work the lever, etc.) and 2) assuming it even works, I'd like to do this properly and actually grind my coffee instead of buying the packaged thing (already have capsules for that), but I don't have a grinder (yet)... or coffee beans, for that matter. For now I'll just switch it on and see if it heats water... edit: forget it, I took a closer look and that thing is all messed up, the heater is busted and who knows what else. No matter, I like this DIY coffee cult you guys have going on so now I won't give up until I try some of this fabled magic coffee. I'll go read the OP again and see if I find a brewing method that works for me. seravid fucked around with this message at 00:55 on Dec 9, 2011 |
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Dec 9, 2011 00:34
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seravid posted:Anyone know if this machine is any good? It's an open boiler gravity-fed lever machine. The most common machine of this design you normally see is probably the La Peppina. Basically, instead of a pressurized boiler, the water is held at brew temperature in the reservoir and simply flows down to the group by gravity. It's an incredibly simple design that works extremely well, but it means you get no steam for milk. List of gravity-fed lever machines If you want to fix it up and pull some shots, Orphan Espresso will get you sorted out with replacement parts and any other assistance you might need. You will have to buy a decent grinder, though.
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Dec 9, 2011 01:37
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After running into this thread a few weeks back and taking to the recommendation to get off the blade grinder and move to a burr, I was inspired to get an old hand crank grinder, and all I can say is MMM COFFEE!  It takes FOREVER to grind, but man is it worth it.
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Dec 9, 2011 02:00
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Bob_McBob posted:It's an open boiler gravity-fed lever machine. The most common machine of this design you normally see is probably the La Peppina. Basically, instead of a pressurized boiler, the water is held at brew temperature in the reservoir and simply flows down to the group by gravity. It's an incredibly simple design that works extremely well, but it means you get no steam for milk. Thanks but I'm in Europe, fixing it would get pretty expensive. beze posted:After running into this thread a few weeks back and taking to the recommendation to get off the blade grinder and move to a burr, I was inspired to get an old hand crank grinder, and all I can say is MMM COFFEE! I got one of those, but it's pretty old. How did you clean yours?  Not sure what to use down there (or even if it's salvageable).
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Dec 9, 2011 02:22
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If you want a quick and dirty fix, there are commercial grinder cleaners, otherwise you can try minute rice. You will have to disassemble it to properly clean it, though. Try running some cheap coffee through to see if the grind is even or not. If it is at least kind of even, it should be worth cleaning up properly. The below link has detailed instructions. http://www.orphanespresso.com/Vintage-Hand-Grinder-Restoration_ep_546-1.html Looking at the grinder, I would try to clean it properly. It's a sub 1 hour job if you focus on the functional parts only, easily doable in a weekend otherwise - and most of the time is waiting.
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Dec 9, 2011 02:55
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