Coffee machines - whaddaya know?

Coffee machines - whaddaya know?

Author
Discussion

Watchman

Original Poster:

6,391 posts

244 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Wifey wants one for Christmas. I've had a cursory look and it seems that you get small ones that can make one cappuccino or two espressos, or bigger ones that start at £100 and go up.

Details and reviews are limited. Any recommendations? It'd be good if a single "boil" could make at least two cups of cappuccino, and the machine didn't break down within a year.

Many thanks.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Double walled Stainless Cafetière and a kettle. Stove top stainless espresso.

Simples.

Roso

213 posts

161 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
go bean-to-cup. The pod ones make ok espresso but then you have to buy their pods, and the refillable ones are a nightmare.

My Delonghi Magnifica is still going strong 3 years later smile

dave_s13

13,813 posts

268 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
I've got one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001HZE7VU/ref=asc_df_B...



Makes 2 cups at a time no problem and with a bit of practice is very nice indeed.

Depends on your budget though - you can spend millions!!

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

254 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
I use one of these.




Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Uh oh...


eastsider

1,101 posts

222 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Roso said:
go bean-to-cup. The pod ones make ok espresso but then you have to buy their pods, and the refillable ones are a nightmare.

My Delonghi Magnifica is still going strong 3 years later smile
This. I bought the cheapest Delonghi Magnifica 2 years ago and its been great. Machine slightly more to buy, approx £260 from Amazon, but running costs much lower than pod systems.

LordGrover

33,531 posts

211 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
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TheHeretic said:
I use one of these.

For lazy weekend morning espresso yes

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. lick

Watchman

Original Poster:

6,391 posts

244 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Ooh I can already see I'm behind with the terminology. Bean-to-cup, or pod... what does this mean? Presumably a bean-to-cup has an inbuilt grinder and a pod is manufacturer's-only sachet or something? That right?

Is there not one where you can simply spoon your own pre-ground coffee into it? Although having said that, pouring beans in sounds pretty simple and would add to the aroma in the kitchen.

... and size-wise if they claim a water tank of 1-litre or more, does that ALL translate into useable hot water. In other words, will that give two full cappuccino cups and not just little espresso cups?

Shaw Tarse

31,543 posts

202 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Some other threads for you to browse coffeehttp://www.google.co.uk/search?q=site:+pistonheads...

DrMekon

2,492 posts

215 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Standard reply among the coffee geeks I know...

Cheap
Hario V60 drip / Aeropress (depending if you prefer your coffee short or long) + Porlex hand grinder

All you really need
Rancilio Silva (with a PID mod later if you are really geeky) + Iberital MC2 Auto

Shall we compare god shots
Commercial 2 group head machine + no idea what grinder people use at this level, but I know people with Rancilio Rockys that have moved up to commercial machines.

Roso

213 posts

161 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Watchman said:
Ooh I can already see I'm behind with the terminology. Bean-to-cup, or pod... what does this mean? Presumably a bean-to-cup has an inbuilt grinder and a pod is manufacturer's-only sachet or something? That right?

Is there not one where you can simply spoon your own pre-ground coffee into it? Although having said that, pouring beans in sounds pretty simple and would add to the aroma in the kitchen.

... and size-wise if they claim a water tank of 1-litre or more, does that ALL translate into useable hot water. In other words, will that give two full cappuccino cups and not just little espresso cups?
yeah bean to cup, you just put beans in one bit, water in another bit, then just press buttons. If you go for a filter type thing, you'll just be making filter coffee, not espresso. If you go for a "press" (the metal handle thing you fill with ground coffee) then you are forever cleaning it out I find. plus you need to find a grinder too, or buy espressoo ground which is finer than filter ground.

And yeah with most bean to cups you can push another button to fill up the whole cup

dave_s13

13,813 posts

268 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
TheHeretic said:
I use one of these.

For lazy weekend morning espresso yes

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. lick
Don't work on induction hobs though which is a shame because they make good coffee, and I have an induction hob!

Roso

213 posts

161 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
Don't work on induction hobs though which is a shame because they make good coffee, and I have an induction hob!
how long were you waiting? biggrin

Insanity Magnet

616 posts

152 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Here's a UK designed, engineered and manufactured alternative:

http://www.fracino4u.co.uk/featured.asp?featured_i...

The Piccino is essentially a scaled down commercial machine, based around two pressurised copper boilers - one for water delivery and one for steam (none of that thermoblock rubbish found in most domestics).

Not the cheapest but should be very good (their commercial machines are).


edit - copper boilers, not brass




Edited by Insanity Magnet on Tuesday 6th November 13:04

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

254 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
Don't work on induction hobs though which is a shame because they make good coffee, and I have an induction hob!
I use mine on a wood burning stove in the winter, (I only really drink coffee in the winter). Love the thing, really. Very simple, easy, and tastes fantastic.

Watchman

Original Poster:

6,391 posts

244 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Insanity Magnet said:
Here's a UK designed, engineered and manufactured alternative:

http://www.fracino4u.co.uk/featured.asp?featured_i...

The Piccino is essentially a scaled down commercial machine, based around two pressurised copper boilers - one for water delivery and one for steam (none of that thermoblock rubbish found in most domestics).

Not the cheapest but should be very good (their commercial machines are).


edit - copper boilers, not brass
Wow, that is a really elegant piece of functional furniture. I'll run it past Mrs W but I suspect the £600+ asking price might be a deal-breaker. That said, the engineering inside might sell it to her. We've had a small "one cup" device before which was more trouble that was worth. What we really want is a Costa/Starbucks in our house, with an eye on the cost. This seems to perfectly meet our requirements if I can get past the price.

Thanks for that. Best one yet..!!

Watchman

Original Poster:

6,391 posts

244 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
Roso said:
yeah bean to cup, you just put beans in one bit, water in another bit, then just press buttons.


And yeah with most bean to cups you can push another button to fill up the whole cup
This ^^^^^^^
Magic. That sounds like the type to aspire to. Thanks.

Hanslow

801 posts

244 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
We run a Fracino Piccino at home along with a Eureka Mignon grinder. Absolutely love it. We came from a Magimix Robo Cafe R500 bean to cup machine which lasted us a good five years or so, and is now elsewhere in the family.

Very happy with the Piccino, but you'll need to budget for a grinder if you're buying beans.

It's a bit more of an art to making the coffee, so we lost out on the convenience of pressing a button, but it's not too much of a skill to get a decent brew, but you will probably overdose on coffee whilst getting settings to your liking.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Tuesday 6th November 2012
quotequote all
graphene said:
jmorgan said:
Double walled Stainless Cafetière and a kettle. Stove top stainless espresso.

Simples.
I have a two-cup, double-walled cafetiere, but I still have to warm it (or cup, or milk), as once the coffee hits cold milk, it's too cold again.

I agree - insulated cafetiere, grinder, air-tight container ( kettle, you have anyway ) and you are away. Nevertheless, there are some nice machines around... http://www.fracino4u.co.uk (edit: as already linked)

Edited by graphene on Tuesday 6th November 13:47
Black coffee here. Got one of these fellas. Stays hot for ages. Went down the gadget route many moons ago and ended up binning the lot.