Well the decision to travel with an Espresso Machine and Coffee Grinder instead of a chemical toilet has been a most excellent one.
A month before we left I scored a Breville Aroma from a local garage sale for $40.00. Usual story – used once and it ‘didn’t work’… (Loose translation = I have no idea how to make coffee) and it has delivered surprisingly good coffee – although that may be as much about the beans and the barista…
For those considering buying one it is a good little machine for the money. Having used a Sunbeam EM6910 for a good 18 months now I’d have to say it certainly isn’t in the same league, but it can still churn out a decent flat white.
Its limitations:
• Only one pump so it can’t deliver coffee and texture milk at the same time – no biggie really
• No auto settings – for people like Danelle… If you hit ‘pour’ it will pump water thru the portafilter until there is no water left in the tank.
• Lacks a hot water stream so you need to boil the kettle if someone is a black drinker
Positives:
• The steam wand does a good job of frothing milk
• We find that although the double portafilter looks small we get two ‘cup’ sized coffees out of it with no problem.
• It is small and therefore more portable than the Sunbeam.
All in all if you are doing some powered site camping and you are a coffee lover then it’s a decent option. We were going to revert to the stove top, but its just not the same.
One strange problem I have encountered is that on two occasions it has been unable to pump water thru the filter. I wasn’t sure whether the portafilter was blocked or the coffee ground too fine. Ironically both times when I had offered to make someone a coffee… After 3 or 4 attempts it righted itself, but I am yet to detect the problem.
The beans I roasted before leaving have almost come to an end now and as you can guess they are getting a tad stale. Still quite drinkable and most people wouldn’t notice, but we are on the decline in terms of quality so I have had Ryan ship me up 4kg of my green beans from home and this Sunday for my birthday the kids are getting me a popcorn popper so we can always have a fresh brew wherever we go.
I know it’s a tad obsessive, but some things in life just aren’t worth doing badly…
I haven’t had a coffee in Broome yet, but I have seen one Fiori sign which suggests there may be something good happening.download don t answer the phone dvd
Hey Andrew
it isn’t not obsessive mate, a good coffee is sometimes the difference between a good and bad day.
Have you tried the revolution beans from Black Star absolutely lovely. Take care mate
isnt obsessive<<<< post correction
I’ve had the Black Star Beans (from Brisbane) good stuff!
Yes Andrew….good post. Having just bought a 6910…and extremely happy with it…I still believe the best investment was the grinder…it really made the biggest difference.
Woe to you bean-betraying apostate! Repent back to you former grinds – your steam wand is found lacking and your mighty two-cup portafilla is malnourished under my the sunbeam. I give you 7-days to fast from your addictive feasts and should you not repent i shall pour on you eternal fountains of death….International Roast.
Donna.
Trav – you’re inviting trouble!!
Happy Birthday Hamo – hope you have a great one!
Hey, I was wondering… where does the average family-travelling-around-the-country drop in to vote on elections?
Apparently, DLS was a bad idea…
… who knew?