Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Help needed please.

I noticed my expensive kettle was leaking last night, and soon as it only gets used for brew making I should get myself coffee machine like Krups etc.

I know nothing about these, so what particular brand/model should I be looking for, and what about the cost and convenience of buying the sachets/pods?

I started by looking here, but I would sooner hear your experience or thoughts

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&k...sl_1j7m7xr8t_b

Thanks in advance
Rob

Jaybird-UK

I'm sure I'll get shot down in flames, but I gave up an espresso machine for a pod based one. Small compromise on taste but massive in the cleaning and convenience factor!

I have a Nescafe Dolce Gusto, cant compare it to anything else but it suits me for a daily drink.

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

Hot tap, jam jar and a table spoon of instant coffee. Jobs a gooden!

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Will certainly look into the Nescafe Dolce Gusto, thanks.

Can you be a little more specific about the Jam jar method please

I may add that Im a bit of a freak when it comes to brews, if its not how I like it then I dont drink it! Obviously there is an exception to the rule occasionaly depending where I am at the time.

mamoon2

You want a Nespresso machine. They come in various makes and models but all use the Nespresso pods. Great selection of coffees and seems to be the most popular type of pod coffee so no chance of it fading out leaving you with a redundant machine.

Ours was £200 and makes cracking coffee (latte or cappachino) sp?

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

My wifes mum has a perculator. It's amazing but I can't find them for sale anymore

Chip

I have got Tassimo, it works fine, coffee is lovely.

Chip

Dr.No

As I'm sat here typing this whilst drinking a short Americano made using my espresso set-up, which is north of £2K - noting that you're "a bit of a freak when it comes to brews" the important questions to ask initially are:

1. What's your budget?
2. How much do you value the taste and experience of the 'end result' (1-10)?
3. How much do you value the convenience and hassle factor in making the coffee, cleaning the kit etc.?
4. Are you willing to invest in barista type skills in order to make your brew, or do you want something so simple that even a woman could use... ;-)
5. What sort of coffee do you drink (espresso, americano, cappuccino, late, etc.)

Let me know some answers and I'll try and help further. Certainly, if you have limited budget, want a half-decent brew, and don't want too much hassle making it or learning too many skills to do so - then a Nespresso isn't a bad option. You can get MUCH better - but cost increases, as does the hassle and skill required to obtain it.

HTH

DN

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Thanks for the response guys

I have no specific budget although I thought paying three figures for a kettle was expensive, but what the mrs wants and all that!

With regards to coffee I hate milky or weak tasting coffee, and in the instances of instant coffee then I find that Nescafe Alta Rica and Columbia is the best, with

I think something that simple, basic, and eaily cleaned has got to take preference over something that expensive with lots of gadetory.

So with that all in mind I think im leaning towards the Dolce Gusto, it seems very good value for money

Thoughts ?

Rob

tony de wonderful

Children are starving in East Africa and all you can talk about is what £1000 coffee machine to buy?

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

I said three figures, not four!

Also if it makes you feel any better they can have my redundant kettle, the trouble is by the time they have walked 10 miles to a fountain to fill it and walked the 10 miles back it will have leaked all the water out, plus they may be struggling for some 240V

dpb

Value for money is a bialetti clone

But im confused - are you going to brew up in a saucepan ?

zip106

Dolce Gusto for the price.

All you then need are 3 different pods - Lungo, Ristretto and Americano.

Don't bother with the ***** Latte/chocococko/ Machiato ones - taste crap.

dbrad

iTrader: (26)

My Gaggia Brera gets delivered this week, hope its good.

acstua

iTrader: (1)

Nespresso are sposed to be one of the best pod jobs
my brothers just sold up his espresso machine and was considering one (not got the time etc to **** about getting the grind right etc)

ive a tassimo at work and its fine for the odd caffine fix throughout the day

Suresh

I've got a Jura eno3. Choice of beans important of course and current Lavazza medium are nice but a rad under-roasted for my taste.

If you're used to instant then a Senseo will be a good upgrade for minimal outlay.

Dr.No

^^^ for a good, day-to-day dark roast try the Kirkland Espresso beans from CostCo - not bad at all.

Dr.No

... and you'll get better results from a Nespresso machine than Dolce Gusto.

Littleted

Dolce gusto here best thing I've bought great capas and lattes none of the others did a nice one all little crappy coffees etc

I bought the creative it's automatic , before I had the one with the leaver which is as good you just got to measure the water but it's easy

Even bought one for the church coffee shop and they sell like wildfire

If you have money though the top end delonghi ones at 900 are the dogs but you must get one that has milk container on the side as frothing milk is a ball ache and the basic guide is get one like the coffee shops pop ya cup choose flavour and wait but they cost

Dolce for me though

urban

iTrader: (1)

Yep, but I'd swap Americano with Caffe Grande Intenso

Totally agree - and they're for **** anyway

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Nespresso all the way.... do believe the hype!

billythekid

We have a Gaggia bean to cup. Not a cheap machine, but in reality its cost is small compared to the cost of beans.

It must be getting on for 5 years old now, never missed a beat. I made a very small (2 mins job) modification to the bean feeder as it would sometimes jam up. But other than that - works every time.

Perhaps slightly slow to warm up - but its not that bad.

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Is it one of these guys?
http://www.gadgetspeak.com/gadget/ar...ima_EN660.html

Rob

Luan Pra bang

I have one of these, it replaced what I would call a proper coffe machine as this thing makes a perfect espresso every time.

http://www.espressocrazy.com/machine...ne/89/?cc=6639

It makes a better expresso than any other machine I have used including some nespresso machines over three times the price . It that it only accepts illy pods so if you want to try a vairety of coffees then it is not the machine to use. I would personally say though that any machine without the ability to adjust temperature by .5 degrees at a time will be rubbish for a variery of coffees as each coffe has a different sweet spot.

Littleted

Capuccino is my fav with some extra think squirty cream on

mmmmmmmmmmm

Americano and Grande Intenso also nice, proper size cups not gay small ones

BlkKnight

Bean to cup is the way forward (unless you want really technical!)

I've a De'Longhi Magnifica ESAM4200 which is great. Been running it for 3 years now - one cup every day minimum.

The beauty of using beans is that:
- Cheaper to run long term
- Variety
- Not tied to single source / being held over a barrel.

I pay £9.00 for 1kg of beans (london coffee co) which lasts a couple of months. I'm sure it's cheaper than the pods.

hodgy0_2

La Pavoni

EddScott

My wife bought me a Dolce Gusto machine and I have to say I don't really like it. I'm not hugely keen on the taste, tends to be a bit wishy washy and can also make me feel sick - you know if you have something too milky sickly it just sits in your stomach for ages?

If I've got time over just instant, I use one of those plunger things.

I personally don't like the idea of being tied in to the pods.

urban

iTrader: (1)

What flavour was the pod?

One of those gay milky latte things