Espresso Machines

Curious what if any of you are using for espresso machines onboard. I forget where I had read but something about boat electrical and these machines not playing well together.

Any tips?

stiggy said:

Curious what if any of you are using for espresso machines onboard. I forget where I had read but something about boat electrical and these machines not playing well together.

Any tips?

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Are you referring to the Nespresso machines? If so, they need to be used on pure sine wave inverters. Their electronics don't live long on a modified sine wave inverter. I've been using one for several years through my inverter without issue.

Ted

The coffee made from pods is terrible compared to, well, just about anything else. We've had both Nespresso and Keurig and they pale in comparison to a decent superautomatic machine (takes whole beans, grinds them for each cup). Trouble is it's difficult to find a decent super that'll fit in most boat galley areas.

O C Diver said:

Are you referring to the Nespresso machines? If so, they need to be used on pure sine wave inverters. Their electronics don't live long on a modified sine wave inverter. I've been using one for several years through my inverter without issue.

Ted

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No specifically. The missus would love to have a true espresso machine onboard but will make whatever work. She'll drink drip coffee as long as theirs Bailey's in it!! I'm not as picky. As long as it's hot and black I'm good with it.

stiggy said:

No specifically. The missus would love to have a true espresso machine onboard but will make whatever work. She'll drink drip coffee as long as theirs Bailey's in it!! I'm not as picky. As long as it's hot and black I'm good with it.

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I would say that the information I gave relative to pure sine wave inverters is relevant to any coffee maker with any electronics other than just a heating element.

Ted

It sure makes the night watches better. I would go with a superautomatic if ours goes. That would free up some counter space. You defiantly want to put a filter on the water inlet and make sure you de-lime/descale the machine as directed by the manufacturer. Note that our boat is Euro electric and the 220/230v machines work more efficient.

Lavazza Blue Expresso Machine - It's an expresso maker not cappuccino. Basically it makes a great cup of coffee, not nearly as strong as a real expresso. It uses pods similar to Kurig accept it tastes good and has a natural coffee cream on top. Far better than Starbucks. It came with a coffee machine that I ordered for my company. They said it was for free so what the hell. I liked it so much that I bought one for the boat, $120. It has a little larger foot print than a Kurig. It's the only coffee that I can drink now. Black, strong with a natural cream on top. I love it.

True expresso machine price has no upper limit but quality is more questionable. Look at Saeco machines. High end are full of electronic gizmo but if you want a true expresso machine that will not cost you arms and legs look at Saeco Aroma model. We have two of them, one is 18 years old, the other one is 9 years old, both function perfectly well and we never got any issue. They are both very simple, meaning On/Off button, start/stop button and steam on/off button, in summary not much that could go wrong. But they are working very well, are sturdy and reliable and make very good expresso.
Don't forget that good expresso comes from good coffee so a good coffee bean grinder is a must and may cost you as much as the coffee machine...

L

The home setup is a Rocket R58 and a Baratza Grinder. I'll look into what our inverter setup is per O C Diver's suggestion.

I spent a year or so poisoning myself with a Keurig before springing for a Breville "true" espresso machine. I speak of home,in the boat I've found the best solution is a good insulated French press.

We use a Sunbeam brand machine onboard, like we previously used at home. A domestic espresso machine with milk frothing wand, integral water tank not plumbed in. We keep a small grinder onboard. Our current machine at home is better than the one onboard, but the simpler one onboard makes excellent coffee. We run the genset to power it.

stiggy said:

Curious what if any of you are using for espresso machines onboard. I forget where I had read but something about boat electrical and these machines not playing well together.

Any tips?

Click to expand...

This high pressure (lots of crema) espresso machine has been working onboard for about 15yrs. ...... Until yesterday when it died

Sadly it appears they are no longer in production.

We use an Italian Elektra Leva machine which has an 800w element and is
manually operated. It takes 10mins (ish) to reach operating temp. It makes proper espresso based coffee (espresso, americano, cappuccino, etc) and operates on solar/inverter. We buy freshly roasted whole beans and have a quality German manual grinder capable of grinding uniformly finely for full extraction.

Grae, now that is retro.Goes nicely with the Moet.
Our first machine was a stovetop "Atomic", now a collectors item.
Boatpoker, that looks high end, unlike ours. 15 years is a heroic performance.

We use a Swiss SS expresso pot on a gas burner.

A small bean grinder works on any inverter , its just a motor.

A "4 cup" unit actually only makes 2 real sized cups , but its really quick .

Moka Pot Rocks!

I have used Moka Pot for ages. You can use it everywhere. Great coffee, need good beans with right roast, a good ceramic grinder and the coffee is awesome. Note the stainless foamer! Great to wake up every morning to get a sip. Simple joys in life.

I have a Pasquini Livia 90 and a Rancilio Rocky grinder. I also roast my own coffee on the boat with a Behmor 1600+. Fresh is good!


No problems with the grinder or espresso machine on the inverter. I haven't roasted while on the inverter though. Not yet!

Richard

stiggy said:

Curious what if any of you are using for espresso machines onboard. I forget where I had read but something about boat electrical and these machines not playing well together.



Any tips?

Click to expand...

By being on anchor few times recently, I had to realize how much current my manual espresso maker can draw. It is a 110V machine, so is my water heater pitcher. I could not never use them at the same time, by running the generator and inverter. I did have fully auto Saeco (plastic) before. I can imagine that was drawing even more. I had no choice, but consider a manual espresso maker.
First I tried the electrical/portable one. It did not work. You need an extra adapter for it to heat up the water inside. I’ve returned it.
I was thinking about the $200 version portable espresso maker, but at the end I did not buy it.
I have ordered a manual, italian design, espresso maker and I love it. Yes, it is manual and requires very hot water, but it works perfectly and very fast. Plus, it is cheap at $41 on the big seller web site.
I have a grinder, but it is also electric. So, I use grounded espresso, also italian. I am very happy with this solution and all I need is to heat up water on my propane burner. See photo.

Happy Frog said:

I have used Moka Pot for ages. You can use it everywhere. Great coffee, need good beans with right roast, a good ceramic grinder and the coffee is awesome. Note the stainless foamer! Great to wake up every morning to get a sip. Simple joys in life.

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Simple and classic, I like it!
We also use a Moka pot, works for coffee and just heating water up tea if one is into that. And it takes very little room!

I have a couple bits of info. I have had a small Krups true espresso machine with frothing wand for many years. Fill the water tank and let it come to heat and make a quick double espresso. Now there is still enough water in the tank for another load, just slowly remove the coffee holder, refill with coffee and run again. Only it always seems that the second cup is not as good as the first. It is compact and we use it on road trips as well.

As for Nespresso, I don't like pod coffee but you can contact My-Cap . Com and they make the pods refillable. I grind my own beans and fill my own, for home use. Its kind of tall to fit under my cabinets.

RickyD said:

I have a couple bits of info. I have had a small Krups true espresso machine with frothing wand for many years. Fill the water tank and let it come to heat and make a quick double espresso. Now there is still enough water in the tank for another load, just slowly remove the coffee holder, refill with coffee and run again. Only it always seems that the second cup is not as good as the first. It is compact and we use it on road trips as well.

As for Nespresso, I don't like pod coffee but you can contact My-Cap . Com and they make the pods refillable. I grind my own beans and fill my own, for home use. Its kind of tall to fit under my cabinets.

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Under the cabinets on my boat or in the cupboards is what I should have said. The Krups is really short and very portable.

The pod coffee machines work just fine, it's just the pods that are crap. So the trick is to find decent pods for your drinking pleasure. I find most of the pods coffee tastes washed out. The other solutions is to purchase reusable pods, grind your own coffee before you leave on a trip and fill the pods along the way.

I currently cruise on a 29' boat so space is very tight. I use an Nespresso machine and, as stated above, find that the quality is a function of the pods you select. (Or maybe my tastebuds are broken). Also the milk foamer is fantastic, making thicker foam than I've ever gotten from a machine attached wand. An other advantage: the cleanup of both the espresso machine and the foamer is a much simpler process.
Pete

What? I can’t hear you over my milk steamer.

This was literally the first thing we moved onboard. Love it and so glad to see others who understand that coffee fuels everything else!

Airstream345 said:

Love it and so glad to see others who understand that coffee fuels everything else!

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So true. The coffee maker on a Los Angeles class submarine is wired to the vital electrical bus. Everything else around it will lose power, but not the coffee pot.

I have a De'Longhi Magnifica at home, but I'm a French press or Aeropress guy on the boat.

LeoKa said:

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So, basically an Aeropress?

Interesting, I never thought of bringing the aeropress onboard. That's actually what I use when I'm flying long haul. I'll drink pretty much anything....as long as it doesn't come from an airplane hahah.

Airstream345 said:

What? I can’t hear you over my milk steamer.

This was literally the first thing we moved onboard. Love it and so glad to see others who understand that coffee fuels everything else!

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+1 on the Breville Barista Express
I haven't moved mine on board the new boat yet, but I've been using it in the house for three years and it produces excellent shots, as well as great steamed milk.

Most of my taste buds were removed surgically (but, that's another story)
I use a MrCoffee maker. Rounded scoops coffee coffee grounds (what's ever on sale) for 12 cups, use 10 cups of water, spoon of sugar and canned milk. (learned about canned milk when I worked in logging camps but, that too is another story)
Day old? That is why microwave ovens were invented.
Yea yea, I know, I have no taste and I have been told I have no class too.
Do I look like I care? Not one bit.
When on subs, battle stations.... only shut the main pot off once. But, we had a coffee pot in the engine room.
I left my work boots there when changing crews. Came back, no boots. 1/2 through the patrol when the mess cooks cleaned the coffee pot, they found a pair of work boots. LOL