Any coffee lovers in the house? Looking for upgrade suggestions to my 2011 bean to cup DeLonghi Magnifica coffee machine.

[01001101]

I drink a lot of coffee.. Black Americano is my life blood.

I've owned the DeLonghi Magnifica since 2011 and I would love to know how many cups it's made because it's probably the hardest working machine in the house.

Even though I've taken very good care of the machine, it's starting to show it's age a bit and I think it's time to think about a replacement and find a retirement home for this one.

So if anyone reading this has any suggestions I'd appreciate it.

Looking for the following:

- Water tank must hold at least 1.8 or more liters.

- Must be able to use both coffee beans and ground coffee. (At the moment I'm using Lidl's ground house blend. I buy it because it's cheap and surprisingly good for what it is.)

- Quite operation is a must as I'm sure my neighbours are sick and tired of hearing the current machine wake up in the early hours of the morning. I feel it literally shakes the whole house as it goes through the cycles.

- I would prefer an automatic bean to cup machine instead of the barista style machine. I find the automatic machines are just less hassle and easier to clean as I'm pounding coffee throughout the day.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[Josh]

Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

As i ended up chatting to Justin about how to make coffee last night for a couple of hours i figured that i might just make a thread on how to pull a decent espresso. an Espresso can be the base of most coffee drinks, add water and get an americano or long black, add steamed milk for a latte...

forums.overclockers.co.uk

This should be a good shout.

 

[Minibiker]

Sorry to crash the thread, what's the best way to make a latte without a machine? I drink coffee a lot daily but prefer the smoothness of a Latte...

 

[goldy6660]

I have the same magnifica machine think it's the 4200? I hate the tray and find it a pita to clean. Definitely interested in hearing recommendations if they are easier to clean

 

[One More Solo]

Sorry to crash the thread, what's the best way to make a latte without a machine? I drink coffee a lot daily but prefer the smoothness of a Latte...

How are you making coffee without a machine? Instant? Not being glib, it’s just going to narrow down the possible options.

@OP my instinct is you might struggle to find a decent bean to cup machine that handles beans and ground.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Sorry to crash the thread, what's the best way to make a latte without a machine? I drink coffee a lot daily but prefer the smoothness of a Latte...

Strictly speaking, you can’t. Because simply the pressure required for an espresso.

But practically speaking, you can get similar (but I would say still nowhere near) results but making a strong coffee with like a Moka and then add 80% milk by volume to it. You don’t need much foam since it’s not a cappuccino. If you want foam you can get a small foam whisk thing.

 

[Minibiker]

How are you making coffee without a machine? Instant? Not being glib, it’s just going to narrow down the possible options.

@OP my instinct is you might struggle to find a decent bean to cup machine that handles beans and ground.

Just the basic, Nescafe, water and milk, nothing special but I'm going to buy A coffee machine next month... So many to choose from though

@Raymond Lin Think I will be better just getting a machine and sticking with normal coffee for a month, thank you though

 

[One More Solo]

As Raymond says, a Moka pot or Aeropress plus milk warmed in the microwave would get you some of the way there for limited outlay.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Just the basic, Nescafe, water and milk, nothing special but I'm going to buy A coffee machine next month... So many to choose from though

@Raymond Lin Think I will be better just getting a machine and sticking with normal coffee for a month, thank you though

The biggest element for an Latte is the percentage of milk by volume. It pretty much overpowers and equalises lots of coffee variables. In fact, I would say it's almost a waste to use really delicate beans in a latte and best with more cheaper beans or coffee with it. The lactose in the milk will sweeten it up naturally anyway.

If you are using Nescafe, then just add hot milk to the powder, sklp the water.

 

[Scam]

For an Americano I’d stick with my freshly ground beans (from Hasbean sub) and an Aeropress. Granted, it’s a bit of effort if you’re making more than say two or three a day though, but flavour wise you’d easily beat a bean-to-cup machine with supermarket beans..

 

[mattyg]

My at home morning coffee is a late.
Big mug of milk. in the microwave for 1:30 then add the Instant and bang it back in for another minute.
Its my breakfast at nearly a pint.
You could also heat up the milk. pour it in a french press and go to town on the plunger... That will make a pretty fluffy milk
But i do have a £10k machine in the restaurant

 

[Hodders]

I believe an American comedian (Steve Wright?) once said "in the morning I make myself a cup of instant coffee to give myself the energy to make a cup of proper coffee"

 

[GTanny]

Sorry to crash the thread, what's the best way to make a latte without a machine? I drink coffee a lot daily but prefer the smoothness of a Latte...

A lot of the smoothness of a good latte comes from the way the milk is textured with a steam wand, if you want something close have a look at a milk frother that heats the milk, I have used a Lavazza Modo Mio milk frother before, when my old machine stopped working, and was impressed with the quality it produced and as it warms the milk it wont overheat it like a microwave very likely would.

I have never tried it with instant but if you find a good quality instant Espresso it should hopefully be a good start but also look into an aeropress or mokapot for a much better coffee base and neither of those are very expensive.

 

[dlockers]

I have the same magnifica machine think it's the 4200? I hate the tray and find it a pita to clean. Definitely interested in hearing recommendations if they are easier to clean

Which tray? I generally keep a cup under it at all times so the tray never gets used frankly. The grounds container can go a bit grim but I only clean that monthly at most...

 

[goldy6660]

The bottom grey one, and that black one that collects grounds tbh such a pain to clean

Which tray? I generally keep a cup under it at all times so the tray never gets used frankly. The grounds container can go a bit grim but I only clean that monthly at most...

 

[Ayahuasca]

Aeropress inverted method is still my favourite for an Americano.

I've used loads of different bean to cup machines over the years and I've got a Sage Barista Express at home but the aeropress method just brings out more flavour in a black coffee.

 

[J.James]

I love instant coffee made with (full fat) milk on the stove, none of this bean to cup nonsense. I'm currently thinking about getting a Dualit Cino Milk Steamer, It costs around £200, so twice the price of those milk warmer/frother machines, but with the added perks of being able to have a red hot cuppa and a big one at that.

 

[Skynet5]

I had a delonghi for many years. Well about 8. Wasn’t the magnifico.

When it failed (not hot and something else I can’t recall) I just binned it and bought a mid to top range Jura.

Dad said it was wasteful and I should have tried to get it repaired. Maybe. But the fact that it made 6/7 cups a day for 8 years I felt any repair money would have been for a short extension of life until something else failed.

Pretty sure most Jura let you drop in ground coffee. Does on mine anyway.

And importantly it’s hot. Hotter than I’ve ever had out of a delonghi and I see them at work if I ever bother going in.

 

[01001101]

I had a delonghi for many years. Well about 8. Wasn’t the magnifico.

When it failed (not hot and something else I can’t recall) I just binned it and bought a mid to top range Jura.

Dad said it was wasteful and I should have tried to get it repaired. Maybe. But the fact that it made 6/7 cups a day for 8 years I felt any repair money would have been for a short extension of life until something else failed.

Pretty sure most Jura let you drop in ground coffee. Does on mine anyway.

And importantly it’s hot. Hotter than I’ve ever had out of a delonghi and I see them at work if I ever bother going in.

I ended up with the Siemens EQ700 in the end.

Found an ex-display one for half the price.

On the memory it said it only made 5 cups when I got it.

Doesn't do ground coffee, but it does everything else I was looking for. I couldn't be happier.

I know what your dad means about repairing the old Delonghi. I just felt it was time to put the old one into retirement. It had served me well.

 

[SpudMaster]

I have the Melitta Barista TS Smart machine. Makes a nice coffee. Had it roughly two years now and its made over 2.5k coffees according do its stats