Recommended machine for home

both look very slick. Good pricing for those who don't want to spend heaps but still go the whole coffee making hog.
 
both look very slick. Good pricing for those who don't want to spend heaps but still go the whole coffee making hog.
For a low production product which has very few off the shelf components the price is ok, however if you are interested they usually have a 30% off promotion leading up to father's day.

It is also built to last unlike many of the the more complicated electric units.
 
The ROK (previously Presso) Espresso maker is an interesting thing - this is quite a good if basicish review of it. Interestingly they had my EXACT same thoughts were I saw how it worked, which was a slightly improved/beefed up Aeropress.

The relative simplicity of it is good (after the evidently vastly improved the original product that was having major issues breaking etc) - less things to go wrong, maintain etc - so for a lot of buyers it's a good fit. However, my expectations of this machine concur with what the the reviewer says in their summation:
When I kept everything piping hot I did get a pretty nice shot! Was it exceptionally good? I wouldn’t go that far, but it was pleasant, tasty, and pretty simple to prepare

I do think that their grinder is a more compelling product - it strikes me as a poor man's HG One. Again I like the relative simplicity and also the minimal grinds retention. If their grind particle consistency tests are legit then it looks a very good product BUT.....and here's the real achilles heel in it for me.

It's limited to 12 set grind steps. Now even on a very cheap Sunbeam EM0480 you've got 25+ steps - and the vast majority of $200+ grinders (especially when it's equating itself in promo's as a $600 grinder at a $200 price) are stepless, thus infinitely adjustable. Therefore it's going to be somewhat problematic to truly 'dial in' your espresso machine when there's ~8% difference in grind size between each step and no options in between. Thats a HUGE jump between each level & if it's as inflexible as it looks in theory will definitely be a deal buster for many buyers.....I myself would have strongly considered getting one if it'd be stepless. Perhaps they'll revise it as they did the Presso -> ROK, nice idea etc anyway so I'll keep an eye on it for a v1.1.
 
@Nick the Knife You are right, you have to flush a least 2 shots of boiling water through it to get a good coffee, and heat the cups.

I got a couple of nice double walled glass cups and when they broke I got a couple of double walled SS ones which are certainly more robust.

Heating the milk, if you use it also helps.

This may not be the perfect unit for some aficionados but my solar powered is a very low energy house, the Rok fits in perfectly.
 
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