You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Currently have a Nespresso delonghi latissima touch pod machine and am looking to dip my toe into a bean to cup machine.
Any suggestions for an affordable entry level that still makes decent coffee.
I like the removable milk container that is on my Nespresso so would like to have similar feature.
What have you got?
****OS earlier this month. https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/melitta-caffeo-solo/ If you know a Civil Servant they can get 6% off the machine at Curry's
Thanks for the link.
There’s no need to be rude 😉
I did the same a few years ago and got a Delonghi B 2 C machine. I got it from AO.com and with stacked discounts it cost about £150. It's the Caffè Corse 2600 iirc. It doesn't have a milk container but I'm not sure I'd want milk sitting about all day out of the fridge...
Taken in the slightly sarcastic terms intended. 😉
It doesn’t have a milk container but I’m not sure I’d want milk sitting about all day out of the fridge…
The container disconnects and is kept in the fridge. We had a mid range delonghi b2c with the milk container after previously having a Nespresso with an aerocinno. The b2c takes slightly longer and is a bit more faff but it's worth it.
@flyingpotatoes from another thread on bluetooth ear phones! Seems Curry's have a large amount of stuff on eBay that they punt out cheaply. This popped out whilst I was searching through the listings.
I moved from a manual espresso machine to a Bosch Tassimo to a de Longhi bean to cup and by far the bean to cup is the best. Manual espresso was fine but a lot of faff especially if you want to make two or three cups in one go and a lot of clean up. Tassimo was just too limiting in terms of what I wanted and always had that processed tasted about their coffee products to me. Bean to cup delivers a very good coffee, good enough for me at least, with very little faff and genuine one button push for coffee. I’ve not looked back. Lasted over 4 years so far with no maintenance apart from the odd de-scaling. Great bit of kit for the price. Think I got mine in a sale for about £230 or so.
That’s a great price @sandwich. I have an old Jura Ena7. It’s been serviced but needs replacing. The delonghi grinder I have is very good and I’m very tempted.
One thing i have noted is that filling with water from the side or front is a good thing because you need to fill them pretty often. But at that price you can’t go wrong.
Just an update. Bought a Delonghi Dinamica to replace our aging, serviced but leaking Jura Ena 7. It was £450 and seems like an upgrade. As expected, the grinder is better than the Ena 7, it makes a better crema, and the very best feature is that it fills from the front. If it had a warning plate for the cups, it would be perfect.
Recommended. But be sure to use the settings correctly and optimise the grinder and water temperature.
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7557800?clickSR=slp:term:delonghi%20coffee%20makers:16:33:1
@sandwich
Just seen your reply. Blimey I'm sooo tempted to buy that.
I'm looking at a few different models and can't decide. We were in Currys the other day and the wife saw the coffee machine and started moaning that it will fill the worktop. Must admit they are twice as big as the Nespresso machine I have now.
Can you all post pics of your b2c machines in situ so I can persuade the fun sponge wife?
Coffee centre. I use the grinder for french press and the milk frother instead of steam.
Black looks smaller and front loading water is an absolute must now be had both. Sits underneath a cupboard in a corner.
TiRed thanks for that. Looks great and not as imposing as I thought it would.
My nespresso is in exactly the same position in the corner.
Do you use the milk frother and is it easy to clean?
I use the milk frother as the steam function uses a lot of water. I had a milk attachment on my Ena and that was a pain to clean. I used to have an aerolatte and two minutes in the microwave. Worked just as well. Mostly I drink machiattos so just a small amount of foam.
And m very pleased with the new machine. Black looks smaller and the front fill is a step change. Grinder is very adjustable compared to the Ena.
We opted for a Gaggia Brera direct from the UK distributer, seem to recall it was about £350 with a 3 year warranty included.
The panarello stream wand attachment can be removed, leaving you with a single hole stream wand which is easy to clean but does require you to manually froth your own milk.
I normally drink coffee without milk, but my Mrs uses the steam wand all the time.
It's a work horse, used daily for at least 5 coffees, sometimes double that. It's easy to clean, easy to use, and produces espressos that are probably a 8/10 compared to the faff of our La Pavoni manual lever coffee machine in a fraction of the time.
If it broke, I'd buy another, it seems to suit us very well.
Ours fits under the corner. Wouldn't be without one.
[img] 
[/img]
Looks good Tracey. Doesn't look too massive when angled like that 👍