My Entry-Level Coffee Machine Practice
Categories: Life
How to achieve daily delicious coffee freedom for less than a thousand yuan? I want to share my experience in purchasing, using, and selecting accessories for my coffee machine through this short article. It’s one of the most meaningful items I’ve bought recently.
☕️ Almost every morning recently, the first thing I do after waking up is grind coffee beans, then extract them with a semi-automatic coffee machine, froth half a cup of milk into hot milk foam, and blend it into the coffee. A full cup, coupled with the morning sun coming through the window, the slightly bitter and rich aroma of coffee oils combined with the sweet taste of milk is very satisfying. After a month of use, I’ve used very few coffee beans and several boxes of milk. The price is much more affordable compared to buying Starbucks. The key is that the process of making it yourself and the taste are far better than buying coffee. The machine cost is recovered in a month.
🤖 Coffee machine has several types, such as capsule coffee machine, which is simple and fast to use, also automatic coffee machine, rich in functions and low in operation requirements, just press a button and it’s all done. I chose a semi-automatic coffee machine, De’Longhi ECP33.21.W from Sam’s Club, which costs only 629 yuan. The white metal body has a great texture, and it has only two functions: extraction and milk frothing. It’s actually not difficult to use. Choosing a semi-automatic machine is more about enjoying the hands-on process, and the simple functions are also easy to clean. I think this model is very suitable for beginners, with good texture and durability.
🫘 Coffee beans were also purchased at Sam’s Club. Before buying, I checked recommendations on Xiaohongshu and bought MM Classic Italian Blend Coffee Beans, 1kg for 99 yuan, the orange-yellow package. The moment I opened it and poured it into the storage jar after buying it was really, really comfortable. The coffee oil aroma and full-bodied particles, that wafting coffee aroma is unforgettable to this day. The taste, when I actually drank it, also exceeded my expectations. It’s not too sour or too bitter, but very mellow and fragrant. I’ve been drinking it for almost a month and the consumption is surprisingly small.
🥛 I had expectations for milk from the beginning: I must buy milk suitable for coffee. Whole milk will be more fragrant. The first time I tried Mengniu Fresh Milk 2L from Sam’s Club, it was only 20 yuan, super cost-effective, and I think the taste is also pretty good. The only problem is that the quantity is too large, and it’s difficult to finish it within the shelf life with a daily consumption of one cup. Later, I tried Hema’s Meiji Junyi Pure Milk, which has a mellow taste and is also good. Later, I tried the Younuo 4.0 recommended by many coffee friends. Hema was out of stock, so I bought 5.0, which is also very good. The sweet taste combined with coffee has just the right feeling. I should continue to use these brands in the future.
🎻 Speaking of coffee machine accessories, the one not to forget is the grinder. I chose an electric one. At first, I thought hand grinding would be more ritualistic, but then I thought it was unnecessary. Espresso requires very fine grinding, and hand grinding is too tiring. After grinding the powder, you need to flatten and compact it. The coffee machine only came with a plastic tool that serves as both a spoon and a tamper. I felt the quality was average, so I got a metal spoon. Then, to make the coffee-making process more ritualistic, I bought a distributor and a tamper. Their purpose is to make the coffee pressed more evenly and tightly. I think they are auxiliary items; the spoon that came with the machine is fine, but these are better. Then I bought a metal milk frothing pitcher. This is much better than a glass one. It’s very convenient for pouring milk and checking the temperature. Later, I bought a small brush, a coffee cleaning cloth, and a knock box. These three small items are cheap, but super convenient and useful, much better than using paper to clean before.
👷♀️ Regarding the coffee-making process, I haven’t learned to pull beautiful latte art yet, I can only say it tastes good. Coffee extraction needs to be careful not to take too long. The only tricky part is how to make dense milk foam, which you can learn and practice on Xiaohongshu. My technique is to place the steam wand at the center first, then rotate it diagonally to the 3 o’clock position. When the milk foam spins at high speed and the cup wall feels hot, you can turn it off. Then, pour it diagonally into the coffee.
😄 In short, before buying, I thought I would definitely let it gather dust, but after buying, I found that I habitually make a cup of coffee every morning to welcome my waking up. It even gives me motivation to get up, much like the anticipation of eating a freshly made delicious roujiamo and freshly ground soy milk in the cafeteria every morning in college. When friends come over, I can’t wait to make them a cup of coffee to try my craft. This feeling is pretty good.