Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz

We like coffee.  A lot.  We're not "must have coffee or can't function" types.  We just really like the taste, and we like the sort of pomp/circumstance of its production.  Nor are we so snobbish that we only drink hipster coffee made by men with beards and bowties.  Granted, Rush is sort of hipster (he has three pairs of Sperrys!) and a beard, but he won't wear a bowtie no matter how much I beg.

Needless to say, we're not big on typical drip coffee in our house.  The journey to coffee heaven has been a fairly long one.  One day a year or two ago, I decided I wanted an espresso machine, so I could make lattes, so I bought us this little, inexpensive DeLonghi EC702 Espresso Maker.

DeLohghi EC702 Espresso Maker

And we liked it for a while.  But it just didn't have the horsepower we wanted.  The espresso was definitely passable; It just lacked depth or something. 

But in the meantime, we used the heck out of our Bodum Chambord Double Wall Coffee Maker.  She was an wedding gift, and we love her, but things came to a head because Rush accidentally broke the glass carafe, and it took us a while to find the replacement piece.

Bodum Chambord Double Wall

 
And because that wasn't enough, and I had heard nothing but good things, I bought Rush the Chemex 6-Cup Coffee Makerfor our anniversary.

Chemex 6-Cup

Which leads us to today.  For Christmas, Rush and I decided to upgrade our espresso machine.  Our rationalization is that we owned the old one for a year and half, so our cost per use was minimal.  Plus, our adored dog sitter likes espresso, so we gave the old one to her as a thank you.

After quite a bit of research within our price range (sub $500), we picked this baby:

Breville BES840XL

The Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine. She's still petite and compact on the counter, but she's definitely next steps for us.  With the magnetic tamper, gauge to help us get in the right range, pre-programmed shot sizes, and moveable steam wand, we quickly felt like we had moved up in the world.  Oh, and there's a little storage spot in the bag of the drip tray for unused accessories.  Makes great espresso and comes with built in storage?  Heavenly.

So what's next for us?  Perhaps, for now, I'll just have another cup of coffee.  Hmm... which maker to use...