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I like a nice coffee, but I'm no coffee snob. We've got a Tassimo which is getting a bit old and could do with replacing as it doesn't always give a crema.
Looking for advice on the type of machine to go for. It'll be used for 2-4 cups a day, but will need to change coffees ie to decaf for certain members of the family. Steamer essential for the cappuccino drinkers. Prefer not to use pods to cut down on plastic waste (Tassimo is shocking for this).
So should I be looking at bean-to-cup (my preference but not sure how to switch to the occasional decaf), the wifes suggestion which uses ground coffee but can use ESE pods (which would be good for the decafs), or just go with a nespresso for ease of variety, or something else entirely?
Suggestions and a speculoo please 🙂
Get a decent machine and a pot of decaf instant for the weirdo....
We ditched / set aside the Nespresso for same concerns. De Longi coffee maker of some kind was the one we went for in the end, allows to use ground coffee - so can swap in decaf (we too don't end to have full car after 1pm..) some little issues but has frother / steamer, one or two cup inserts, as well as a pod insert.
joins very cluttered setup on the kitchen worktop...
Every time I see these adverts I think of the coffee threads on here....
Don't disappoint me, you lot 😀
Frau Stern bought me a Miele coffe machine that makes Latte Machiatio and Cappuccino. It was horrendously expensive but it makes great coffee everytime. It also instructs you when it needs cleaning and descaling. Lovely bit of kit and it gets used a lot in our house.
No specific recommendation, other than to stay away from Cuisinart. We got one as a freebie and it was worth what we paid for it.
You know the bit in the Ad where the bloke gets three separate beakers one each with coffee, water and milk...I'd love that...
sorry, carry on.
I hate those adverts. The people in our local coffee shops are the nicest you could meet, and not patronising or sneering in the least. And they all do filter if that's what you want.
Anyway OP, whatever tastes good to you. Personally I would go bean to cup as I can't get on with the taste of pod based coffee.
Those adverts are made to appeal to the type of person who would go to McDonald's*
Back on topic - we have a DeLonghi Autentica bean to cup machine and it's great. Press a button and a nice coffee comes out.
Keep a cafetiere and a bag of ground coffee in the freezer for those that have decaf.
* I much prefer Burger King
Pods without the plastic waste : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JHYQHU6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qnizBb770DB54
Nespresso here - recycle the pods by getting Nespresso to pick them up whenever you get a bag full.
Having said that I'll happily grab a coffee from Greggs if I'm out and about so probably count as a coffee philistine... 🙂
Most bean-to-cup machines, even pretty cheap ones, let you put ground coffee in instead (and will detect when you do this and bypass the bean/grinder part). Get one of these and some decaf beans, work out the right grind setting for a nice cup from the machine and bob's your uncle.
Links aren't very obvious on the new forum; "these" points here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hario-MSS-1DTB-Mini-mill-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B01GPMH590/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1533314602&sr=8-3&keywords=hario+grinder
I have a Delonghi machine which is excellent - magnifica
As mentioned above you can use normal coffee in the grinder bit and turn the switch for the de-caff coffee on the odd occasion to accept ground coffee in the top.
If you shop around I think you can get them for around £200.
I'm not a coffee snob - but when real coffee is so easy it makes sense - although I really don't like instant now!
+1 for the Delonghi. Does ground or ESE, quite compact, frother and makes good coffee. About £140.
Gaggia Classic with a proper STW grinder
La Pavoni + Decent grinder. Will last a lifetime.
You need to visit this site and get your best credit card out....
Aeropress. No faff or hassle, just good coffee in a minute whenever you want it.
If you want portability then go for aeropress, if not just get a delongy bean to cup. Life is too short to worry about anything else, they both make perfectly acceptable coffee...it's all about the beans anyway, so good beans in a crap machine equals good coffee....crap beans in a good machine equals crap coffee.
I tried the ESE pods but found they didn't have enough coffee in them for my liking, fortunately my machine (Francis Francis x1) has a normal coffee basket so with the separate grinder I can make coffee the way I prefer around 99% of the time - there is always the occasional duff cup but that is down to the operator and not the equipment.
Once you have found beans you like it is far cheaper per cup of coffee than any other pod system to run as well.
Gagging Brera? We’ve had one a few years now. You can use ground coffee with it too. Brilliant machine.
highpeakrider The Giro commemorative machine had my cc twitching! Bit too spendy compared to the standard R58 even with the free grinder and a further £500 off.
Long macc, topped up 3/4. Amateurs.
Flat white my @rse.
Frothy milk. Are you 5? 😉
Aeropress. No faff or hassle
I'd report you to the ASA if you were an advert :p Sure in the grand scheme of things they're not too bad but far from faff/hassle free.
Maybe I'm just especially lazy... I ditched an Aeropress for a Delonghi been-to-cup but couldn't get consistent results and couldn't be bothered experimenting so ditched that for a fancy Nespresso model but couldn't be bothered with all the cleaning of the milk attachment thing so that's gathering dust now and I make do with a 4-shot latte in the morning from the local cafe.
@FuzzyWuzzy...please can i have your aeropress if it is languishing unloved?
Beener
I’d report you to the ASA if you were an advert :p Sure in the grand scheme of things they’re not too bad but far from faff/hassle free.
Maybe I’m just especially lazy… I ditched an Aeropress for a Delonghi been-to-cup but couldn’t get consistent results and couldn’t be bothered experimenting so ditched that for a fancy Nespresso model but couldn’t be bothered with all the cleaning of the milk attachment thing so that’s gathering dust now and I make do with a 4-shot latte in the morning from the local cafe.
It sounds like you being a lazy bugger is the main issue! 🙂
Started off with a Gaggia classic and hand grinder. Life is too short, especially with kids, or when guests want a coffee.
We acquired a DeLonghi Magnifica form our local Facebook Buy and Sell site for £60. It had only made 200 coffees. In the first month the total was over 600, Oops.
Can customise the grind and temperature plus other things.
Bean to Cup are the way to go.
That reminds me I need to clean the Gaggia and get it sold.
I did start off thinking the aero press was a bit of a hassle but now it's found a place to sit behind the sink between uses and I'm using a metal filter it's 2nd nature and gets used most days.
@beener sorry, got rid of it a long time ago 🙁
I've had a Sage Barista Express Bean-to-Cup for about a year now. It makes around 4/5 drinks a day and has been faultless so far with regular filter changes and cleaning cycles.
There's limited things to twiddle with (just grind coarseness depending on the beans, and tamping pressure).
It's expensive but has already paid for itself by reducing the other half's takeaway coffee expenditure.
Gaggia Classic with a proper STW grinder
This - two grinders and the one (older second hand with brass internals) Classic.
UPDATE: So I considered the wisdom of ST, dithered, and in the mean time my wife went and bought this:
Ok so it's not a bean to cup, but she bought an Easehold grinder too which had good reviews apparently. DeLonghi reduced from £190 to £130 and the grinder 'wasn't much. So all in a lot less than the beans to cup machines.
I quite like the separate grinder as I've been playing with the fine-ness to see what difference it makes . Also the manual press takes a few goes to get the right compaction for a nice crema.
Gotta say it makes a super espresso, I've been getting through quite a few! (Ok I know that's a longo above). The steamer works well too, my daughters are both previous baristas, and have just got back from their travels so I'm learning the art of the cortado, flat white and cappuccino.
Happy, coffee fueled days!
Delonghi Magnifica here too, love it.
My mates clubbed together and surprised me with one at my 50th birthday meal, not gonna lie they made me cry a bit, bastards 🙂
Anyhow it's awesome, not sure if it's still available but i imagine Delonghi do something similar. The smells from it are divine, there are knobs n stuff for tweakage but after making one cup it's all very obvious.