A few months ago I crowdsourced my friends and followers (aka just my friends) for the best home espresso machines that are not prohibitively expensive. I took people’s advice and came up with a setup I feel great about! I will be sharing the espresso machine, grinder, and scale I got, the pricey machine that is now on sale, and the mold-free coffee beans I’ve been ordering.
I did not drink coffee daily until a few months ago, and I was rather proud of that. If you don’t require coffee I don’t necessarily recommend it? The science is mixed! I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with coffee, however it’s probably better if you’re not addicted to caffeine. But also it’s 2023 and honestly that’s the least of anyone’s problems. (I’m pretty upset about the state of the world at the moment and will not be getting into politics here because I think hippie shit is a respite from that, but I am Jewish and it’s all awful and I don’t think killing innocent civilians is ever ok. OK, glad we cleared that up.)
Phew, too early especially if you haven’t had your coffee. So a little backstory on why I have recently become a coffee drinker. I would drink it occasionally growing up, my mother memorably forced a mocha down my mouth before I took the SATs for the second time, because the first time I may or may not have nodded off. In my defense I have none. Except! I had probably a host of undiagnosed health issues including blood sugar issues, and in related news for a long time I didn’t drink coffee because I felt like it made my blood sugar spike and then crash. I resigned myself to a life of quite excellent green tea.
Cut to earlier this year. I’ve been dealing with mold-related illness which has made me tired and caused stomach issues that made me feel full and uncomfortable in the morning but in desperate need of caffeine. Also, I can’t drink tea on an empty stomach or I get nauseated. Guys, imagine how exhausting it is to be me and not just read about me! I got back into coffee and got quickly addicted! However, there were two issues.
1. It now costs about $7 to buy a cappuccino plus tip. This is not just in Brooklyn! Here’s why if you’re curious.
2. One of the moldiest foods is coffee, and my doctor was adamant that if I was going to drink coffee I needed to make sure to buy a mold free brand. Yawn!
I was skeptical about this mold free coffee, and I don’t think most people need to prioritize this, however I will share because that’s what you (don’t) pay for here! Something I’ve noticed throughout my life is that some coffee makes me feel incredible, and some makes me jittery or just doesn’t give me the hype I’m looking for. I’m not sure if this has more to do with mold, the quality of the coffee, or is simply a personal thing. For the curious, here are a few of my favorite places in different cities for incredible coffee that makes me feel good: (NY: Devocion, Villager, La Colombe, LA: Verve, La Colombe, ATL: Dancing Goats, Brash)
OK! So I realized if I was going to get into a #coffeelifestyle I needed to get my own beans and my own set up. Everything I researched told me that I would need to grind my own beans which sounded arduous, but turns out to be incredibly easy.
The internet and the world told me to check out a few Breville options, and I ended up getting the least expensive, the Breville Bambino ($300ish). I then bought a slightly pricier grinder, because I’ve used it at my coworking space and love it- the Fellow Grinder ($195). People also like this grinder which is a bit less $. I use this cheap Coffee Scale ($20) and it does the job. I’m telling you the exact numbers, because I hadn’t realized I would need to spend much money beyond the espresso machine. The price of these things fluctuates slightly, and you might find a better deal on Black Friday. I spent about $500, which is what I think you need to spend for a decent setup
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It took me a little bit of time to figure out, but I feel great about what I bought. You have to steam the milk yourself but it has a frother. The Breville Bambino Plus ($500) does the frothing for you, which wasn’t worth it to me. Breaking news! In researching this I’ve found that the Breville Barista Express is on sale for $559.95 from $749.55, which is an incredible deal. I’ve used this at my parents’ house and it is an absolutely elite machine that grinds and measures your beans for you. Girl math/ anyone math means that it’s practically the same price as buying all the other pieces separately. Highly recommend!
As I mentioned, coffee can sometimes make my blood sugar spike and then crash. To mitigate this I:
Use an alternative milk with protein, usually unsweetened soy or almond.
Add in collagen protein! I have a little electric whisk and add it in at the end. It doesn’t taste like anything.
Extra credit: This is very unnecessary, but I have this Sakara metabolism powder that helps with blood sugar and makes my coffee taste like a mocha. It is pricey, so I put less than half a serving in my coffee with the protein.
I try to have a savory breakfast with my coffee or shortly thereafter.
Last thing! I order this Fabula coffee after doing research about the best mold-free coffee. It is really great coffee, and I’ve compared it to hipster third wave coffee from my favorite shop in Brooklyn and I think it’s better. It is pricey. They run various subscription deals and had a half off for first time customers. I tried one bag and then created a new email so I could buy a bunch at half off. No shame!
Let me know if you have any other coffee questions or want me to get a phone stand so I can film a tutorial??
love, me