Coffee machines - whaddaya know?

[Turn7]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Am I allowed to recommend my Delonghi Beans to cup yet ?

Wondered where you were......

[hollydog]

http://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/coffee-maker-list-N...

I have the citiz makes great espresso . But the coffee is not cheap. Makes very good milky coffee. Warm ya milk up in the microwave add to the espresso. Don't take much room up on the granite.

[nick_j007]

hollydog said:

http://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/coffee-maker-list-N...

I have the citiz makes great espresso . But the coffee is not cheap. Makes very good milky coffee. Warm ya milk up in the microwave add to the espresso. Don't take much room up on the granite.

I have the same machine (£150.00) and it's been going for 2/3 years every day between 3-6 capsules. I think it makes excellent coffee. I gather Heston Blumenthal (sp?) uses them in his restaurant ? Capsules about 30p each.

For the OP they don't do a dual delivery machine that I can see?

[FLGirl]

carreauchompeur said:

Jura Impressa:



Very expensive new, about £800, but I got a good s/h one on eBay. Beans in one side, water in the other, lots of settings and makes amazing coffee..

I like gadgets

Snap it's truly awesome and still running perfectly after 3 years.

[cramorra]

If you want real espresso/cappuchino only a portafilter machine will do - the rest makes something similar and appearance and sometime even taste but not the same - sorry standard coffee snob reply - but go to italy and see what is used
Lowest end of the market - a bialetti aka stove top machine is good
medium range - as quoted above - saeco aroma, gaggia europiccola or Miss Silva are good options - the silva with an etch over the other 2 which is reflected in the price
Above that you'll find a fight between E61 clones (the come plated ones) and more computerside options - which at this end of the market all make a good choice - and design becomes important (internally the machines often consits of the same components) if cappuchino is more you thing you want a heat exchanger or doual boiler machine (now we are over £1K...) plus you will need a grinder (budget option something like a demoka mini fir £150)- do not forget that like anything mechanical that is subject to heat and pressure and wet those mahines will require servicing and wear and tear - which you want to budget for, too
As said above the sky si the limit - if you want to sell your car look at
http://www.keesvanderwesten.com/speedster_purchase...
Good forums for further info apart from coffee geek are
http://coffeeforums.co.uk/
first class info from a retailer you will get if you ask for Claudette at bella barista - she is often busy but will call you back - she will not sell you something with out making sure it's what you need and their after sales service is great
http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/
good luck

[LordGrover]

Amazon is having a sale of sorts on some coffee machines - no idea whether any of the machines on 'offer' are either 1. any good or 2. well priced - just saying like: click.

[Bonefish Blues]

FLGirl said:

carreauchompeur said:

Jura Impressa:



Very expensive new, about £800, but I got a good s/h one on eBay. Beans in one side, water in the other, lots of settings and makes amazing coffee..

I like gadgets

Snap it's truly awesome and still running perfectly after 3 years.

I think my Siemens B2C is 6 or 7 years old now and still fine, also. Made in Switzerland, I note. Now which purveyor of shiny coffee loveliness also hails from Switzerland I wonder

[LordHaveMurci]

Just bought this one, not sure if I've done the right thing or not! Was tempted by some of the more expensive ones but this looked like great value.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaggia-74820-Coffee-Maker-...

[Watchman]

Everyone, thanks a massive amount for all your advice. Your guidance has been invaluable. I presented the £680 option to my wife who asked me to basically run away from that one at warp 7.

Instead she thought she wanted a simple "pod" based machine but, thanks again to you all, I managed to steer her away from those.

In the end, we went for a recognised brand from Amazon (because they have a very no-nonsense returns policy) which gives her filter coffee as well as cappuccino facilities, and isn't bank-breaking.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003UMHO8G/ref=...

Thanks again.

[LordGrover]

Looks good value.
Report back to let us know whether it's any good?

[Puggit]

Just picked up one of these brand new Philips Senseo things (with 100 pods) for £50.

Someone at school works for Philips and donated it as a raffle prize. The prize winner doesn't drink coffee

First cup made, and very nice too. The pods are compostable too...

[Arun_D]

I used to have one of the old Senseo machines before I got my Nespresso (fair to say, I've downsized my coffees a touch). Not bad at all, I must say. Especially considering the machine was around £40.

[Watchman]

lepetitoeuf said:

Can I hijack this thread?

Fire away - I got my answer.

[LordHaveMurci]

LordHaveMurci said:

Just bought this one, not sure if I've done the right thing or not! Was tempted by some of the more expensive ones but this looked like great value.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaggia-74820-Coffee-Maker-...

Gutting, paid £125 last week, now £99! Still makes nice coffee though

[GBDG]

LordHaveMurci said:

Gutting, paid £125 last week, now £99! Still makes nice coffee though

If you send their customer service an email within 30 days, they will refund you the difference.

[cqueen]

lepetitoeuf said:

Can I hijack this thread?

I want to get a grinder, but not an electric one. Preferably something that looks nice and does a good job of grinding. Needs to grind for espresso and cafetiere.

Any suggestions up to £100?

Q. Why not electric? It takes a long time to hand grind, and then if you mess up the shot - you have to grind again.

[CommanderJameson]

rsv696 said:

LordGrover said:

TheHeretic said:

I use one of these.

For lazy weekend morning espresso

Rest of the time a simple cone filter: click.

A spoonful of coffee, hot water, throw away filter and grounds, rinse.
Job-jobbed - enjoy excellent particulate-free filter coffee.

+1. Every coffee machine I've had has lasted 12mths tops before giving up the ghost. This is the same arrangement I've settled on, although I use one of these instead of the filter paper jobbie (mine was about £8 from Whittards) :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SwissGold-Coffee-Filter-re...

I keep one espresso pot in the kitchen & one in the camper van

And another plus de un from me.

Bialetti Moka (sounds dead posh, but it actually cost about fifteen quid), with a Bodum cafetiere for when I'm in a hurry.

[Bonefish Blues]

cqueen said:

Q. Why not electric? It takes a long time to hand grind, and then if you mess up the shot - you have to grind again.

Agree - I bought a hand grinder and it reduced my coffee intake significantly.

[sleep envy]

LordHaveMurci said:

LordHaveMurci said:

Just bought this one, not sure if I've done the right thing or not! Was tempted by some of the more expensive ones but this looked like great value.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaggia-74820-Coffee-Maker-...

Gutting, paid £125 last week, now £99! Still makes nice coffee though

Bought a Classic Baby Gaggia back in 2008 and it was no end of hassle - Phillips customer service is a joke and they wanted £160+vat to fix a machine I can now buy new for £190.

Currently back on the moka but a Rancilio Silvia will be providing my caffeine fix when it gets delivered.

[Flibble]

Bonefish Blues said:

Agree - I bought a hand grinder and it reduced my coffee intake significantly.

I bought an electric and it increased my coffee intake. Not sure that's a good thing.