Coffee maker: grounds or bean

Bean to cups are just so convenient. Even have mine on a timer so it automatically switches on at 5am I just need to press a single button and a minute later I have my drink.
They're perfect if you just want standard nice tasting coffee without going to too much effort.
 
chroniclard said:
Gaggia classic is way quicker than a stovetop surely? :confused: Its so simple to use.
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if you include the gaggia warm up a stove top (bialetti) will be quicker - top tip for better stove top coffee is to pre-boil the water you put in the bottom, makes for much less bitter coffee as your not cooking the coffee while the water boils.

Also the Sage's aren't really bean to cup, just espresso machine and grinder built together - i'd strongly recommend getting separates as the grinder makes more of a difference than the rest of the machine - being able to upgrade it is a real benefit.
 
firstborn said:
Where is it lacking? I'm wobbling between the Barista Express and the Pro now that I've spent too much time thinking about things... currently on Nespresso pods, I do want an all in one unit, rather than go separates. I've personally set a budget of around £600.
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For all intents and purposes the Pro will have the same issue. You wont be upset with either machine, just after owning it for 9 months now I would appreciate being able to pull a shot and do the milk at the same time. The BE/Pro both are single boilers so you'd have to wait for the steamer to be up to temperature. Admittedly as soon as the shot is poured if you switch over to Steam it's only about 10-15 seconds, enough time to pour milk into the jug, so it's not awful. But if you were making more than 2 cups, the wait would bother me.
 
firstborn said:
I'm wobbling between the Barista Express and the Pro now that I've spent too much time thinking about things..
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definitely wouldn't get the newer pro, with their near instantaneous warm up thermojet pro(bambino too) design, versus preceeding barista express they sacrificed temperature stability, convenience gone mad
so I'd get a BE or older DTP seperates, before the newer models - you can see multiple reviews (with temperature monitoring). some links in the main thread.
Other than running water through the head/pf, too, I not sure how there is temperature stability there.
Older Barista express deals are becoming rare, DTP even rarer.


It's like some of the older Gaggia and Silvia models that are more desirable than the latest
 
Put the handbags down boys! :D

Kenai said:
It's a DeLonghi that I have, I forget the exact model, it was on offer in Costco but i'm more than happy with the improvement from Nespresso.

It's taking up virtually no extra footprint, can quickly do a reasonable espresso, double espresso, americano style etc. and I can go from start to finish to get a decent coffee between meetings on Teams in a minute or two depending on what type of coffee i'm making. If I want to spend a bit more time with frothing milk I can with the steam wand (which is extremely easily cleaned too) and whilst it won't produce steamed milk that'll let you win any latte art contests, it's more than good enough to make a nice cup of coffee by a normal person's standards, rather than a coffee enthusiasts standards.

As ever with these threads, the budget will go a long way towards dictating the best solution, so we need to know what 'not breaking the bank' looks like.

I'm sure I remember reading a comment once somewhere along the lines 'the best cup of coffee is one that'll you'll actually drink' meaning there's no point spanking loads of money on gear to do super grinds for your espresso only machine, if it means you end up drinking less coffee because you can't be bothered to make it as much anymore.
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Budget wise not a lot, I was thinking £100, maybe £150.

I currently use pods, just feel buying ground bags or beans I can grind in the top (probably preferable for space) or with a grinder (nothing major for this either!) then I'd be happy.

At present i just heat my milk, but being able to froth is always a bonus (the in-laws have a stupidly expensive Nespresso with frother for instance)

Junglist said:
We have the Sage entry level bean-to-cup machine and it suits our needs perfectly - well, not perfectly but a solid 8/10. It's the Sage Barista Express.

Though I already want a new machine with a dual boiler.
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Interesting, I'll take a look.
 
The Sage Barista Express is like £500 isn't it? :p

I think you'll struggle to get a Bean to Cup machine worth having under £300. Quick glance at Amazon suggests you're well into 'unheard of Chinese brands' territory at £150.
 
Kenai said:
The Sage Barista Express is like £500 isn't it? :p

I think you'll struggle to get a Bean to Cup machine worth having under £300. Quick glance at Amazon suggests you're well into 'unheard of Chinese brands' territory at £150.
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Probably.

I'm not a coffee snob for want of a better word but I do like a half decent cup.
currently have pods coming every six weeks for about £13/15.
 
some earlier disacussion we had
Participant said:
Here's a couple of vids of me making a shot and steaming milk using my De'longhi Magnifica ESAM4200, if anyone's interested. I'm not posting this as an exemplar of technique but to learn, so any technique flaws gratefully received...
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Kenai said:
I think you'll struggle to get a Bean to Cup machine worth having under £300.
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bunch of these on Amazon at £200 bargain
 
My Delonghi EC685 is still going strong. It’s an espresso maker so if you want anything other than Americano or espresso you’ll need a milk frother (or use the steam outlet).

I’ve got a grinder, but I seem to get a really good crema with pre-ground coffee, even coarser stuff designed for cafetières. A big advantage is that the machine is very small and slim compared to the massive bean to cup machines.
 
tom_nieto said:
My Delonghi EC685 is still going strong. It’s an espresso maker so if you want anything other than Americano or espresso you’ll need a milk frother (or use the steam outlet).

I’ve got a grinder, but I seem to get a really good crema with pre-ground coffee, even coarser stuff designed for cafetières. A big advantage is that the machine is very small and slim compared to the massive bean to cup machines.
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Aye I want something thin, can't find anything.

That looks okay actually, as I can still hear milk normally...otherwise I could do it on the steamer as you say?

Edit: Having done a brief look up of it I quite like. Will measure up tomorrow.
 
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Kenai said:
The Sage Barista Express is like £500 isn't it? :p

I think you'll struggle to get a Bean to Cup machine worth having under £300. Quick glance at Amazon suggests you're well into 'unheard of Chinese brands' territory at £150.
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Are you posting this aware of the Delonghi ESAM and have a dislike to it?

Personally I think it is a brilliant machine, and for under £200. It does both bean to cup and accepts grounds. Massive step up from a pod machine, as long as you aren't addicted to the dodgy E numbered flavourings.
 
dLockers said:
Are you posting this aware of the Delonghi ESAM and have a dislike to it?

Personally I think it is a brilliant machine, and for under £200. It does both bean to cup and accepts grounds. Massive step up from a pod machine, as long as you aren't addicted to the dodgy E numbered flavourings.
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Kenai said:
I only looked quickly but those show up as £349 for me, unless you buy a used one.
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Presumably everyone is talking about a totally different model if it's so readily available under £200.

Maybe someone could actually link the sub £200 Delonghi they're talking about because I can't see it (not new anyway).
 
dLockers said:
Are you posting this aware of the Delonghi ESAM and have a dislike to it?

Personally I think it is a brilliant machine, and for under £200. It does both bean to cup and accepts grounds. Massive step up from a pod machine, as long as you aren't addicted to the dodgy E numbered flavourings.
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Isn't it like £350.

Personally, I'd go for a gaggia classic (mine was £120 used) and a cheap grinder or a hand grinder to start with. It might be a little hassle but you'll soon learn to love it and unless you measure everything, proper fussy - it really isn't as time consuming as some will lead you to believe.
 
Kenai said:
Presumably everyone is talking about a totally different model if it's so readily available under £200.

Maybe someone could actually link the sub £200 Delonghi they're talking about because I can't see it (not new anyway).
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Begbie said:
Isn't it like £350.

Personally, I'd go for a gaggia classic (mine was £120 used) and a cheap grinder or a hand grinder to start with. It might be a little hassle but you'll soon learn to love it and unless you measure everything, proper fussy - it really isn't as time consuming as some will lead you to believe.
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Oh snap that's inflation for you. I paid 179.99 brand new from Argos in Camden Town, 28/12/2018.
 
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Kenai said:
unless you buy a used one.
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yes you can buy one of those Amazon warehouse (wink-wink) ones before they go to the landfill.
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dedica/685's a good choice
jpaul said:
alternative machines - this is another I would still consider, with any/next ebay voucher on current £150 offers
google threw this https://old.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/lckxu7/dedica_ec685_tuning/
it's got metered flow !
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neither my silvia nor hx have volumetric flow

the cleaning regime on the ESAM's, think there were posts in the earlier thread link do look a bit tedious, but those on silvia/hx ara a labour of love
 
At the begining of lockdown last year, i bought a Delonghi Dinamica bean to coffee machine. From the first time i used it i knew i had made the right decision. I was a big coffee drinker before then, but instant coffee.
For simplicity of use and for the coffee it produces it was an eye opener to me.
 
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