Coffee machines ?

Author
Discussion

jackal

Original Poster:

11,248 posts

281 months

Thursday 17th December 2009
quotequote all
I have a coffee every morning. I don't know anything about coffee. I just have some Nescafe instant stuff. It's not particularly nice but I don't mind it and its become a bit of a ritual. I'd prefer something better but don't think I want to go to the hassle of beans and a 300 quids worth of Gaggia etc..

So do I have any options ? A filter coffee maker would presumably just be a waste for 1 cup for 1 person every day ? I don't think I like filter coffee either. Whenever I've had it it tastes mettalic to me and nothing like a decent Late or capucino from one of the cafes like Costa Coffee. How about those Krups Dolce Gusto thingys ? Are they worth looking at ? Ot maybe there is some other intermediate device that will make me a better mug than the standard instant crud ?

F-Stop Junkie

549 posts

199 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
I'd go with the Aeropress. Works with any normal medium grind coffee you buy at the supermarket, works brilliantly for one, is quick and straight forward, and easy to clean.

Plus it's light and (relatively) small so you could take it away with you if you go on holiday, or take it to work.

Yes, it seems like a lot of money for a bit of clear plastic, and the packaging is quite naff, but I use mine almost everyday and wouldn't be without it.

jackal

Original Poster:

11,248 posts

281 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
right just been looking into it

love the look of the Gaggia classics but it seems clear that:


1. good coffee means freshly ground beans

2. so that means getting a grinder as well ... i.e. another £150 quid and using up yet more kitchen space therefore a bean to cup machine is a far better setup and has the benefit of being quicker/less fiddly and self cleaning with far lower maintenance

3. gaggia titanium seems to have lots and lots of reliability issues (the k series of the coffee world !) and it seems that the delonghi Magnifica does everything and more, a lot better. It also does the milk very very simply and automatically as well.

Edited by jackal on Friday 18th December 01:51

WTD

818 posts

232 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
I've heard good things about the nesspresso http://www1.nespresso.com/ machines, think they aren't too dear and the capsules means it's very easy and clean to use!

sherman

13,071 posts

214 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
jackal said:
right just been looking into it

love the look of the Gaggia classics but it seems clear that:


1. good coffee means freshly ground beans

2. so that means getting a grinder as well ... i.e. another £150 quid and using up yet more kitchen space therefore a bean to cup machine is a far better setup and has the benefit of being quicker/less fiddly and self cleaning with far lower maintenance

3. gaggia titanium seems to have lots and lots of reliability issues (the k series of the coffee world !) and it seems that the delonghi Magnifica does everything and more, a lot better. It also does the milk very very simply and automatically as well.

Edited by jackal on Friday 18th December 01:51
You could always try buying pre ground coffee from someone like Illy and then using that. It lasts for ages ad no grinder nessesary. If you want to buy a batch of proper coffee buy a manual grinder. Buy a proper coffee machine like a francis francis machine?

mcflurry

9,079 posts

252 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
For a single cup, how about a French press and some Illy or Lavazza ground coffee?


Miss Pitstop

4,289 posts

201 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
I've got a nespresso and love it. Perfect for one cup and easy to use/clean (as long as you don't get one with the built in milk frother - get a seperate aerochino if you want hot/frothy milk)


snotrag

14,446 posts

210 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
jackal said:
so that means getting a grinder as well ... i.e. another £150 quid
What utter rubbish.


I am a coffee fan. So much so that I very rarely drink instant - only to be polite if its offered.

Manual coffee grinder. They can be had cheaper than this, i jsut google for an example.

http://www.anothercoffee.co.uk/products/item210117...

Plus a cafetiere of the size you desire.

Plus some nice, fresh beans.

That will taste considerably nicer than instant, Guaranteed.

jackal

Original Poster:

11,248 posts

281 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
ok, no need to be violent !


i get you on the manual grinder thing

but i don't want to go into this and then not bother after 2 or 3 days

99% of everyone i speak to has a coffee machine in their cupboard that only got used for one week and then they couldn't be arsed anymore... cutting out stages like manual grinding is a way to safegaurd against this

I'll never be that into the process.. I want to just hit a button and then drink the Mofo

so that means easy grinding or preferably bean to cup all in one go

Pothole

34,367 posts

281 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
jackal said:
99% of everyone i speak to has a coffee machine in their cupboard that only got used for one week and then they couldn't be arsed anymore...
won't any of them lend you one?

jackal

Original Poster:

11,248 posts

281 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
Pothole said:
jackal said:
99% of everyone i speak to has a coffee machine in their cupboard that only got used for one week and then they couldn't be arsed anymore...
won't any of them lend you one?
funnily enough i did ask someone today but it was a present (as they often are) so they didnt want to give it away, sell it or lend it

Pothole

34,367 posts

281 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
jackal said:
Pothole said:
jackal said:
99% of everyone i speak to has a coffee machine in their cupboard that only got used for one week and then they couldn't be arsed anymore...
won't any of them lend you one?
funnily enough i did ask someone today but it was a present (as they often are) so they didnt want to give it away, sell it or lend it
that makes me laugh, they value it as a present so won't lend it to you but it sits in the cupboard gathering dust. People are strange, eh?

jackal

Original Poster:

11,248 posts

281 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
yep, there are folk out there that kill people for fun ... takes all sorts

Mobile Chicane

20,740 posts

211 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
Another vote for Nespresso from me. The advantages being:

- the coffee tastes and smells great (almost everyone who tries it is converted)
- it's very quick and easy to make
- there's nothing to clean
- sealed capsules mean that you can have lots of different blends on the go without the danger of coffee going stale: short, long, decaff etc

jackal

Original Poster:

11,248 posts

281 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
Mobile Chicane said:
Another vote for Nespresso from me. The advantages being:

- the coffee tastes and smells great (almost everyone who tries it is converted)
- it's very quick and easy to make
- there's nothing to clean
- sealed capsules mean that you can have lots of different blends on the go without the danger of coffee going stale: short, long, decaff etc
can it do latte & cappucino ?

JakeR

3,925 posts

268 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
jackal said:
Mobile Chicane said:
Another vote for Nespresso from me. The advantages being:

- the coffee tastes and smells great (almost everyone who tries it is converted)
- it's very quick and easy to make
- there's nothing to clean
- sealed capsules mean that you can have lots of different blends on the go without the danger of coffee going stale: short, long, decaff etc
can it do latte & cappucino ?
yes, if you get the right machine.

another vote for nespresso from me. the capsules arent that cheap though, about 30p each...

Mobile Chicane

20,740 posts

211 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
jackal said:
Mobile Chicane said:
Another vote for Nespresso from me. The advantages being:

- the coffee tastes and smells great (almost everyone who tries it is converted)
- it's very quick and easy to make
- there's nothing to clean
- sealed capsules mean that you can have lots of different blends on the go without the danger of coffee going stale: short, long, decaff etc
can it do latte & cappucino ?
There's a version with a milk heater / frother, eg:

http://www.johnlewis.com/230841715/Product.aspx


Pferdestarke

7,179 posts

186 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
WTD said:
I've heard good things about the nesspresso http://www1.nespresso.com/ machines, think they aren't too dear and the capsules means it's very easy and clean to use!
I have one of these and it's been reliable and easy to use. My girlfriend's parents are coffee nuts and love a couple of shots whenever they visit.

Service for extra capsules online is good too. 'Club Nespresso' I think it's called

uncinqsix

3,239 posts

209 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
sherman said:
Buy a proper coffee machine like a francis francis machine?
I wouldn't recommend a FrancisFrancis machine - I have one and regret being seduced by the form over function of the thing. It does work pretty well, but you can do better for similar or less money.

Lord Flathead

1,288 posts

178 months

Friday 18th December 2009
quotequote all
jackal said:
ok, no need to be violent !


i get you on the manual grinder thing

but i don't want to go into this and then not bother after 2 or 3 days

99% of everyone i speak to has a coffee machine in their cupboard that only got used for one week and then they couldn't be arsed anymore... cutting out stages like manual grinding is a way to safegaurd against this

I'll never be that into the process.. I want to just hit a button and then drink the Mofo

so that means easy grinding or preferably bean to cup all in one go
Here you go, go on spoil yourself smile

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These are really rather special.