Spec me: A coffee machine

I think the coffee snob thing is a bit overplayed here. A pod machine seems perfect for this guy. I'd certainly recommend that over a cheap espresso machine.

The snob thing probably only applies to instant coffee, but I reckon a tea drinker would turn his nose up at instant tea too.
 
Fuzz said:
Bean to cup machine is where it's at and I was thinking that it was going to cost me a fortune however after a bit investigation ended up buying a machine from Andrew James.
Expected it to be crap for the price but have been nicely surprised.
The only problem I have with it, is if we have a power cut in the night and I just press go without taking any notice of the settings... It defaults to ten cups. :eek:

Must have put 20 odd bags of beans through it by now at least. Still consistent as the day it arrived.
(I always refill it from a "brita filter" jug to help prevent scaling)

I took a chance on it for £70 but nope it's been brilliant.
https://www.andrewjamesworldwide.co...8sD54piAW4hy9PjHu2833AUv7cVUPeRgoEaAoja8P8HAQ

HA. :D
Oh look it's now No1. best seller on Amazon too :D
beantocup_zpsybtda8z6.png
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Worth bearing in mind that the price is likely due to it being a bean to cup filter coffee machine, with a regular filter machine being perfectly good at £23 from Andrew James. Your machine simply adds convenience of not having an individual grinder.

If you're after making lattes like the OP it's no good, you need espresso for that, which is where things get expensive, especially so for a bean to cup machine.
 
I wouldn't bother with something in that price range... it won't be able to compete with the coffee you get from the coffee shop... not easily. For 120 though, you should be able to get a lower-end Nespresso machine or a low-end barista-style coffee machine.

I started with something like a tassimo (I can't remember exactly what it was now) and that was better than instant, for sure.

I then moved onto a Nespresso unit, which was a nice improvement.

Now we use a Delonghi ESAM 4000, which is a bean-to-cup machine. You just put the beans in the top, it grinds them and makes the coffee for you. Great machine and fantastic quality for the price... highly recommended. We bought it for about 220 quid and it's well worth the extra over other options.

A christmas present for my wife's parents was a delonghi EC 330, which was on offer for about 100 quid... we've been using it while here and it makes decent coffee - so another good option.

Think about how much you spend going to the local coffee place even once per day... easily 5-10 quid for the two of you?

Less than one month and you've already paid for that bean-to-cup Delonghi which will give you a coffee that will compete with that shop.

Save up the extra, it's worth it.

Otherwise, go with a barista-style machine, whatever you call them.

Forget the pad/pod machines... they're not worth it... older coffee and not as good as what you've been getting from your shop (well, some Nespresso pods can be quite nice).

One of the more important things to consider is which beans you choose... there are some really gross ones around and everyone has a unique choice.

I recommend Lavazza Rosso as a good place to start.

Kenai said:
Worth bearing in mind that the price is likely due to it being a bean to cup filter coffee machine, with a regular filter machine being perfectly good at £23 from Andrew James. Your machine simply adds convenience of not having an individual grinder.

If you're after making lattes like the OP it's no good, you need espresso for that, which is where things get expensive, especially so for a bean to cup machine.
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Exactly... that's a bean to filter, not bean to cup machine... totally different thing and a waste of money.

Like you suggest... better to just get a standard filter machine, if that's the style of coffee you're looking for.

IMO, Nespresso pods can beat that coffee style quite easily.
 
Kenai said:
I've personally got a Nespresso pod machine, it's good and the aerocino thing for frothing milk is good too. I got it as I had a pile of vouchers burning a hole in my pocket, I wanted convenient so espresso wasn't a real consideration and bean to cup was too expensive. The range of different coffees with Nespresso rather than 'flavours' with something like Tassimo appealed to me more.

It's very much a pod espresso machine though, so it only does convenient espresso style pours, rather than makes drinks like other pod machines can. You have to do the rest, with help from the aerocino, if you want a latte or cappuccino or americano etc.

It makes coffee good enough for me, though I'm under no illusion it's the best you can get it's considerably closer to espresso than to instant or filter.
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+1 having tried many "pod" machines as im just too tired to do anything else in the morning the nespresso is the best by a country mile.

Downside you can only buy pods from nespresso.

Upside it actually tastes like decent coffee unlike the other pod machines. Having owned tassimo and the gusto.

Go to a nespresso shop you can try as many as you like for free.
 
You can buy pods for a Nespresso machine in Tesco and Waitrose... you have been able to for more than 3 years... since before I left the UK...

Still crap compared to a proper bean-to-cup machine though and while the outlay may be marginally more for the bean-to-cup machine (actually, I think I paid 250 quid for a nespresso machine and 220 for bean-to-cup)... you get a MUCH better coffee...
 
Iv read that Aldi's instant coffee came up tops in blind tests, over costa, starbucks and other super market brands........... and when I say costa etc, I mean their shop bought 'proper' coffee, yet Aldi's still won.

Enough said, I bought Aldi's own brand coffee and it is indeed amazing.
 
Cheap grinder (somewhere like Lidl)
Bialetti Moka pot
Coffee beans

You'll have change out of £70 and coffee that will have you wondering why you haven't done this years ago.
 
crinkleshoes said:
You can buy pods for a Nespresso machine in Tesco and Waitrose... you have been able to for more than 3 years... since before I left the UK...

Still crap compared to a proper bean-to-cup machine though and while the outlay may be marginally more for the bean-to-cup machine (actually, I think I paid 250 quid for a nespresso machine and 220 for bean-to-cup)... you get a MUCH better coffee...
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I have never come across them in any waitrose or tesco ever. I have even asked nespresso and they have said they only sell direct so i think you are a little misinformed.

Tesco sell compatible pods however they are disgusting by comparison. I have had a bean to cup and espresso machines in the past however the nespresso does the best job at getting the closest for a pod and is totally acceptable imo.

Of course each to thier own but i personally think its the best pod machine and very nice coffee but you cant get the pods in the supermarket.
 
Never tried the compatibles tbh, find the genuines to be cheap enough (29p per coffee) and the nespresso app makes it nice and easy to get more :)
 
I was referring to the compatible pods, yes - not mis-informed... I've bought them myself :p

Some are terrible, some are great... some of the Nespresso pods are gross, some are good.

Definitely the best pod machine, I can't disagree with you there... and you say closest to bean-to-cup, not "as good as"

In your post before my last one... you said pods were the easiest to use etc... I had to disagree... bean to cup is just as easy, if not easier and you get a better result for less money in the longer term... let alone less waste created by the lack of pods.

Two posts ago, you said the compatibles are gross, yet in this last post... you say you've never tried them???

You also said buying pods from Nespresso was a downside, yet then you go on to say it's easy to get more.

LOL... swings and roundabouts a little with you ;)

It's not so much about the cost of compatibles... more the convenience of what is available when you run out or simply want added variety... and there are some decent choices available at your local supermarkets.



Nespresso pod machines make nice coffee... I liked the coffee while I had one... no issues.

But, when you are advising someone newer to having their own coffee machine between machines of similar financial outlay... a Nespresso machine or a decent and reliable yet cheap bean-to-cup machine... the bean-to-cup wins hands down for quite a few reasons:

- 100-1000x or more the choice in coffee to drink
- Fresher coffee
- As easy to use or easier than Nespresso
- Option for proper steamed milk
- Cheaper over the course of a couple of years

It's a no-brainer, really...

Please don't go into defensive mode to defend your choice of purchase... I bought a decent Nespresso machine a few years ago... my folks now have it and love it, I liked it while I had it... but given the choice again with what I know now and what's available in the market... I'd have gone straight to the DeLonghi.
 
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It depends on the individual. I like not having to get milk in all the time, making sure I have enough on hand to make the drinks I want, getting a latte in less time than it takes to boil the kettle, not having to regularly clean and service a bean-to-cup machine, etc. I have the Dolce Gusto and whilst I have tried other pod mchines before I'm not sure which I had - I have an inkling that it was a Nespresso but I can't be sure, and I can't tell much of a difference.

It suits me perfectly, and I use it every day. The Dolce Gusto pods are available from the Tesco at the end of the road and are not expensive.
 
I don't use a pod machine and would never buy one but I still would advise other people to get one if their circumstances were right.

For many people the quality of the coffee doesn't matter anywhere near as much as the ease of use and storage of the coffee. Hell, some people are even happy with instant :eek:
 
crinkleshoes said:
I was referring to the compatible pods, yes - not mis-informed... I've bought them myself :p

Some are terrible, some are great... some of the Nespresso pods are gross, some are good.

Definitely the best pod machine, I can't disagree with you there... and you say closest to bean-to-cup, not "as good as"

In your post before my last one... you said pods were the easiest to use etc... I had to disagree... bean to cup is just as easy, if not easier and you get a better result for less money in the longer term... let alone less waste created by the lack of pods.

Two posts ago, you said the compatibles are gross, yet in this last post... you say you've never tried them???

You also said buying pods from Nespresso was a downside, yet then you go on to say it's easy to get more.

LOL... swings and roundabouts a little with you ;)

It's not so much about the cost of compatibles... more the convenience of what is available when you run out or simply want added variety... and there are some decent choices available at your local supermarkets.



Nespresso pod machines make nice coffee... I liked the coffee while I had one... no issues.

But, when you are advising someone newer to having their own coffee machine between machines of similar financial outlay... a Nespresso machine or a decent and reliable yet cheap bean-to-cup machine... the bean-to-cup wins hands down for quite a few reasons:

- 100-1000x or more the choice in coffee to drink
- Fresher coffee
- As easy to use or easier than Nespresso
- Option for proper steamed milk
- Cheaper over the course of a couple of years

It's a no-brainer, really...

Please don't go into defensive mode to defend your choice of purchase... I bought a decent Nespresso machine a few years ago... my folks now have it and love it, I liked it while I had it... but given the choice again with what I know now and what's available in the market... I'd have gone straight to the DeLonghi.
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I agree its not quite as good but personally find it easier and more convenient and the taste to me personally is 99% there. in answer to your other points

I have never tried the compatibles from Tesco or waitrose and the way you said it was like they sold the genuine pods. I have tried 1 compatible that we get free as a trial and it was not a patch so just assuming all are as crap.

I mentioned the downside of only getting genuine's from nespresso as some like me will suddenly realise they have used the last pack and cant get any quickly and that is a pain that you cant pick them up on your weekly shop. However the app does make a convenient place to get them however some may see needing to buy £60 worth of pods for free delivery a down side. £60 worth last me and the wife about 2 months so its not so bad.

Im not goign into defensive mode however i dont see how it gets any simpler than put pod in press button lol.

I agree that the bean to cup gives more choice and i guess long term is cheaper. Personally i actually prefer the milk out of the nespresso machine as it does not add any water it simply heats it however that thing can be a pain to clean if the milk burns to the bottom however when we have our old milk steamer that also was a pain to keep clean so swings i suppose.

Each to their own but personally i like the coffee it cant get any simpler and i find it easier to have lots of choices without having to change the beans. I keep about 7 different coffee's as friends and family like different ones and even a decaf. to change the type i just put the different pod in. with a bean to cup changing the coffee type is not so simple.

each to their own though and i respect your choice and agree with you on a lot of points however there is also nothing wrong with the nespresso system and is without doubt the best pod i have tried ever.

I used to have a "coffee lady" that mixed her own blends for me and that was amazing but then she retired and i have to this day never found one as good :(
 
But that's like saying you tried the special edition Vanilla Nespresso pod and by default, all the other Nespresso pods are terrible... or you tried a really bad instant coffee and by default, all coffee is bad.

I'm very picky with coffee, I had one favourite pod and two others that I found pretty decent... the rest of them, I didn't like.

Just sounds like you got a bad compatible... they're out there, for sure - I had a fair few... my taste buds don't like having the same thing time and time again, I get used to a flavour and want a change... some of the compatibles are worth trying... even found a fair few over here before we got the delonghi.



I think the bean-to-cup is simpler, because just as you stick a pod in... all you have to do with a bean-to-cup, depending on the size of the bean holder... is fill up the beans once a week or fortnight... so perhaps even slightly less effort than a pod machine ;)

The added benefit being, you can get a much larger variety of coffees... Lavazza Rosso is a good one that most supermarkets stock and there are other good ones too... but the best has to be walking into a place that has fresh roasted the beans that morning and picking up a fresh bag... awesome coffee :)



You're right in that all steamers can be a pain to clean... although I learnt quite a while ago that you pretty much have to clean it immediately and then it'll be OK. I have a slight preference for steamed milk... so that'll be a personal preference thing... although mostly we just have coffee with cream.


It's fair preference and thanks for debating it with me in the manner you have, I've had some interesting conversations on here that didn't go so smoothly.

It's good to have the viewpoints there so that others can make a more informed decision, whichever may be their preference... I very much liked the Nespresso machine...
 
crinkleshoes said:
But that's like saying you tried the special edition Vanilla Nespresso pod and by default, all the other Nespresso pods are terrible... or you tried a really bad instant coffee and by default, all coffee is bad.

I'm very picky with coffee, I had one favourite pod and two others that I found pretty decent... the rest of them, I didn't like.

Just sounds like you got a bad compatible... they're out there, for sure - I had a fair few... my taste buds don't like having the same thing time and time again, I get used to a flavour and want a change... some of the compatibles are worth trying... even found a fair few over here before we got the delonghi.



I think the bean-to-cup is simpler, because just as you stick a pod in... all you have to do with a bean-to-cup, depending on the size of the bean holder... is fill up the beans once a week or fortnight... so perhaps even slightly less effort than a pod machine ;)

The added benefit being, you can get a much larger variety of coffees... Lavazza Rosso is a good one that most supermarkets stock and there are other good ones too... but the best has to be walking into a place that has fresh roasted the beans that morning and picking up a fresh bag... awesome coffee :)



You're right in that all steamers can be a pain to clean... although I learnt quite a while ago that you pretty much have to clean it immediately and then it'll be OK. I have a slight preference for steamed milk... so that'll be a personal preference thing... although mostly we just have coffee with cream.


It's fair preference and thanks for debating it with me in the manner you have, I've had some interesting conversations on here that didn't go so smoothly.

It's good to have the viewpoints there so that others can make a more informed decision, whichever may be their preference... I very much liked the Nespresso machine...
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No worried :D im no keyboard warrior for the sake of it but its good to see other Debate their point as you get to see the other side of the fence and some time its greener some times not. I will try some compatibles then and see how it goes i also agree i get bored with the same flavour. The one thing i do quite like with nespresso is the "specials" change nearly every time i order and the flavours are not "sweet" like the tassimo which is the worst coffee machine i have ever owned period! Im not even sure what made me buy it tbh.

Agree with the Lavazza i have used that in my Espresso machine (traditional type) and its about as good as they get out the supermarket.

I do still use my espresso machine and do prefer it and that produces the same results as a bean to cup just with more effort so without doubt if your after the freshest coffee available i guess bean to cup or espresso machine.

I dont like filter coffee at all so cannot comment on this type.
 
BurningHorizons said:
Alternatively, a Bialetti Moka is also a good choice.
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This - if your tipple is espresso or latte particularly.

Best coffee I've had. I have a 2 cup and a 6 cup and they are great, although I prefer the capacity from a 2 cup which is ideal for a large latte.

I've tried all sorts of pod machines and to my taste buds nothing comes close to good quality coffee and a Bialetti.
 
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