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Stirling Premium Espresso Machine with Grinder (58mm Portafilter) $399.00 @ ALDI

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Home Appliance Sale - Wed 11th October

Sterling Premium Espresso Machine - $399.00

  • Stainless steel espresso machine with integrated burr grinder with 15 grind levels
  • Removable 250g bean hopper and powerful 360° swivel-action steam wand
  • 2.3L removable water tank
  • 3 temperature settings: low (65°C), medium (70°C) and high (75°C)
  • Thermo block heating system
  • PID temperature control and auto purge function for optimum extraction temperature
  • Adjustable coffee volume of cup size (Switzerland flow meter)
  • Water hardness setting, descaling alert & self-cleaning function
  • Overheating and over-pressure protection
  • Accessories: 58mm stainless steel die casting portafilter, double layer single and double cup stainless steel coffee filters, polished metal tamper, cleaning tool, brush and 450ml stainless steel milk jug
  • 3 Year Warranty

Review of a similar Stirling model without the grinder.

Special Buys
We will refund or replace any non-grocery specials within 60 days. Please provide your original receipt (or other proof of purchase), ideally with packaging, when you return the item to us.

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closed Comments

  • Is this a cousin of the machine James Hoffman famously reviewed still? The three temps quoted make no sense at all - too cold for espresso and too hot for milk (75 is anyway).

  • +12

    Yeah… if you're spending this much, you might as well just spend a bit more and get one from a proper name brand like the Barista Express.

    • +3

      I can't tell the quality, it's most probably inferior to Barista Express, but this is also a complete, cheaper solution with 58mm portafilter (vs 54mm in Breville's) and it comes with 3 year warranty, so you can bring it back to Aldi if something's wrong and they ask no questions.

      What's with those temperatures tho?

      • Know of any 54mm portafilters that are deeper so they can fit more coffee?

        • More about surface area. A deep 54mm puck is always worse than a 58mm puck of equivalent volume. Breville went with 54mm as it requires less pressure/ less strain on the pump.

      • The "no questions asked return option" is just for 60 days. Beyond that you need to deal with Stirling directly for any warranty claims up to the remainder of the 3 years.

    • Barista Express annoys me a bit with too much pump pressure and the water comes from a single jet under the shower screen. They have gone with 12 bar+ at the group head (for people who buy pre ground and use the dual basket). Single wall gets blown to bits/ chanelling.
      You can fully open the OPV to get close to 9 bar, but then you are just pumping heaps of water into the bottom tray.
      The only solution seems to be adding a dimmer circuit on the pump.
      The Sunbeam Barista Max works better (58mm), but is a landfill express internally (shocker to get apart and replace the rubbish plastic connectors, valves that last mins).
      This had an opportunity to fill a niche, but 75C ..what the??? It must be 75C at the spout, after going through the puck.

  • +3

    It looks pretty nice and you probably can't go wrong for the money. I'd rather wait until Black Friday and snag a great deal on well reviewed machine.

  • +5

    3 temperature settings: low (65°C), medium (70°C) and high (75°C)

    Huh. Espresso should be brewed up around 92-94°C

    • +1

      Premium Espresso

    • +2

      Could those temps possibly be referring to milk steaming temperatures?

      I wonder if this machine can compete with the Breville Barista Pro.

      • Could those temps possibly be referring to milk steaming temperatures?

        Steam has to be over 100c (its steam), standard temp is 125ish.

      • I think it's because of the 15 bar pressure. Generally 9 bar is the standard, I imagine the lower temp is to offset the bitterness from higher pressure.

  • +9

    Looks good from far, but far from good…

    • +1

      Schmozzle.

    • +1

      Do your best, silicone the rest.

  • -1

    De'Longhi ECP3420 with a decent grinder and new portafilter.

    About the same price in the end, much better coffee.

    • Where do you buy it? Because getting it from overseas is about $400 for the machine itself. And knowing what a "decent grinder" may mean when a coffee conneseur speaks, it's going to be another $400 or more.

      • You can get a Breville Smart Grinder Pro for under $300.

        • +1

          My point exactly - $300 for the grinder alone and I just need to wait for someone to weigh in SGP is not the best choice :)

          • @pizzaguy: I love how people say to buy X instead, then you're already paying twice the price as the original deal. This would leave $100 left for a coffee machine.

            • @G-rig: What's the point of buying a cheap machine that makes bad coffee?

              It just sits on the counter reminding you that you dropped $400 on something that was pointless.

              • @ZuluOz: agree. don't know if it's good or not haven't tested or look into it.
                I got a gaggia classic - good to spend a bit more for decent stuff.
                Can be quickly 2k if you're not careful lol.

                Agree, best to get a standard group handle machine (58mm), can get nice accessories (bottomless portafilter, tamper etc).

              • @ZuluOz: PS you are probably right but not sure on here is going to spend more on a grinder than their first coffee machine.

                • @G-rig: I get the point, my point is there's no point buying a "bargain" that doesn't do the job you paid the money for.

                  Nobody has to buy a 2K machine combo, but at $400 that's a fair whack to getting a good combo, makes more sense to hold it and pick up a deal in Christmas sales.

                  • @ZuluOz: Yeah I'd get one of the recommended machines (Bambino or something, cheap Gaggia classic if you want to tinker/mod) and a grinder for $200-300 (I have the sunbeam em0480 personally which is still going strong).

                    Back in the day I got them both for 500$ from HN!

        • Waiting for that smart grinder to hit sub 250

  • +1

    At work we replaced a 7+ year old clapped-out Barista Express with this Stirling machine last time it was on sale. I wouldn't waste your money on the Stirling, the Breville was better even in the condition it was, it had had a hard life. We should have returned the Stirling and got our money back.

  • When it comes to repair & warranty, do you just bring this to Aldi or how does it work? Just curious.

    • According to ACCC the place where you bought it can't refuse to deal with a warranty claim.

      • This seems like a VERY handy tidbit.

        Any reference I can bookmark to show shops etc?

        • +1

          Who is responsible

          • Businesses are responsible for resolving problems with products they sell to consumers.
          • Businesses must not tell consumers to go to the manufacturer for a remedy.
          • @WatchNerd: This is useful info as some stores tell you to make a warranty claim on your own and send items to the manufacturer or service point at your cost.

            Been there, done that. No idea if Aldi is like that.

            • +1

              @pizzaguy: Aldi told me to contact the manufacturer (2yr into a 5yr warranty). I politely declined, reminded them of their obligation and then they took care of all of it.
              So guess they will try to handball first. But in the end, their customer service was really.good.

          • @WatchNerd: thanks a lot! <3

  • +4

    Slightly off topic but if you also purchase the Aldi coffee beans don’t just tip the bag in. Scoop some and check as you go.
    We have found 2 stones in aldi beans. The first bag destroyed our conical grinder.

    • -1

      That's how Aldi cutting costs.

    • Well, to balance the scale, I had the exact same crushing death experience with beans from a reputable bean roaster.

  • +3

    For what it's worth I've got the one without the grinder that the review in OPs post talks about. Have it for a few years and it's been going flawlessly paired with an old Breville dose control grinder. Got a bottomless portafilter/handle from aliexpress which has made cleaning easier. Also got a reusable filter screen, which we believe improves the pour, and keeps machine cleaner. Just my 2c that no one asked for.

  • This machine was the same price a year ago.
    Youtube promo video

  • +1

    75°C for espresso? Kidding right?

  • +2

    I forgot to come back to this thread. I grabbed one of these and it's actually been nice to use. It's my first coffee machine so no complaints after 3 weeks. I scanned my receipt so still have approx. 5 weeks left to decide if I want to keep it or not.

    • Great to hear actually, did you solve the mystery of strangely high temps referenced?

      • I set mine at 75 degrees and my partner loves cappuccino and she has no complaints about it not being hot enough.

  • James Hoffman cries at night in bed because of this machine

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