Pod / Capsule Coffee Machines

[LivingTheDream]

I've been looking at these recently as my coffee machine has broken.

Now, I'd really like a bean to cup but:

a) I'm not spending that much on a machine now - maybe once the extension is done.
b) I don't actually drink that much coffee at home - mainly pick one up when I'm out.

because of b I find coffee grounds tend to go stale and are therefore wasted (hence the b2c idea)

So, as a possible middle ground I'm looking at the capsule machines - but I have to decide on a type first. It seems there are a couple of choices:

Pure coffee/espresso capsules like nespresso and a few others. With these I guess I need a milk frother etc
Or the drinks machines like tassimo and dolce gusto which offer all manner of drinks as well as coffee.

So, any recommendations?

Also, I don't know if I like any of the options taste wise - anyone know of anywhere I can go to try them?

[LivingTheDream]

Good point on what do we drink

Daily I'll grab an americano with a splash of milk
Also quite like a latte or often a macchiato
Missus likes an occasional latte
I make bambiccinos for the kids (hence I like having a milk frother) and they occasionally have a hot chocolate


I appreciate the kids requirements are not coffee related and making those things is easy but machines like the tassimo can do them too - but maybe the quality/taste of the coffee is rubbish!

[LivingTheDream]

Thanks for all the advice folks

So as an update - the thread confirmed what I already knew - its very subjective.

I couldn't find anywhere to actually try the different options - so I've been a bit stuck.

I'm no coffee connoisseur, but I do like a nice coffee, I also like different types of drink, espresso, macchiato, long americano type and lattes, as well as others occasionally.

So.....

Nespresso - seems to be for the connoisseur, it looks fab but maybe too much about the coffee varieties for me, plus the machines with milk bit included are £200 odd. Close to the price of the cheapest bean to cup - although with the ability to have different bean varieties. Verdict - I'd be very tempted but until I know the difference between the options (taste wise) it's difficult to pick over a b2c machine

Bean to cup - thanks to those who pointed out the cheaper machines which I wasn't aware were available. This is probably the option I thought I wanted, but I have a nagging doubt over this where I lack the instant variety choice that capsule machines offer.

Other Capsule - I've looked at the options and, well, who knows - there's loads of options. The Nescafe Dolce Gusto didn't appeal.

So, I've decided the only way is to try the options,

I can buy a Tassimo machine and a variety of capsules for £75, so my break even point against buying from the mobile coffee man is 30 days - so I'm giving it a go, for 30 days or more.

If the tassimo doesn't work for me then I'll change without losing out too much, I am tempted with a nespresso machine.

I'll use this thread to offer my opinion if people are interested

[LivingTheDream]

Turn7 said:

Nespresso=£200 ??

Eh ?

http://www.johnlewis.com/nespresso-inissia-coffee-...

I guess I was looking at the all in one machines for ease - but you're right, that machine looks good.

Nespresso seems to be coffee only though and I liked the idea of making other drinks as well.

[LivingTheDream]

DUMBO100 said:

We got a Dolce Gusto on Groupon for £59. (50% discount) If you buy the Grande Intenso pods it's a surprisingly decent coffee

The Tassimo was £61 so similar and I suspect both are very similar in taste but I chose the Tassimo over the Dolce Gusto purely on brand (Nescafé doesn't appear to me) - this is the problem with not being able to sample all the options, you end up making arbitrary decisions.

We will see

[LivingTheDream]

Ok - so we've had the Tassimo for a week or so.

Bad things -

Some drinks are really bad, I noticed the double pod drinks like costa latte etc have a load of sugar in them. Even the creamer from milk has 7% sugar. Ok if you take sugar but I don't. So I add a splash of milk if I need it, that's fine by me.

It's not going to give a fantastic espresso like a nespresso - but as I said earlier, I'm no connoisseur so I'm Ok with that.

It's not the cheapest but that was never a driver for me (and even if it was, 25p, 30p, 50p doesn't matter compared to £2.50 from the coffee van.

Good things -

It's a drinks machine, that suits us really well - the kids are using it for hot chocolate or other drinks.

I love the variety of drinks, not just espresso. So I can have an espresso or americano or tea or loads of other things. I know I can with any other machine, but it just works and is easy to choose something to suit your mood.

Not sure about other machines but this one heats the water as it comes through which means no waiting for it to heat up unlike our previous machine.

Overall, it's very subjective - the Tassimo suits us mainly for the variety of drinks (not just coffee).

As for the coffees - well the costa americano is plain old costa coffee, fine for my morning drink but nothing special. The Jacobs ones are pretty poor, Kenco do some nice espressos and long coffees and carte noire do some lovely drinks with good varieties.

The twinings teas and chocolates are really good too.