Spec me a coffee machine
- Thread starter Dirk Diggler
- Start date
Soldato
Can I point out that anyone looking to buy a DeLonghi bean to cup coffee machine looks at their EBAY store. They sell refurbished machines (refurbished by DeLonghi themselves) at some very solid discounts. Here is an example for £263.99 for an Autentica. They often have machines available for hundreds under the new RRP.
With a bean to cup machine people really need to spend a bit. I've seen machines sold for £150 or so that are just utter rubbish. If someone is looking at the lower price points for something like this they would probably be better getting a higher end refurb instead of a cheaper brand new machine.
With a bean to cup machine people really need to spend a bit. I've seen machines sold for £150 or so that are just utter rubbish. If someone is looking at the lower price points for something like this they would probably be better getting a higher end refurb instead of a cheaper brand new machine.
Associate
We took advantage of this literally last week, was it first bean to cup and been very pleased with ours so far. Machine looked more or less new but had a couple of sticker marks which after a bit of a clean got them off.
Find it's very easy to clean, it does a run through of water each start up and shut off and the coffee disposal is very unfussy.
Already got through our first bag of beans so will have to go and get some more soon! Just so much choice don't exactly know where is best - we had some cafe direct machu Picchu beans as our first bag as were in Sainsbury's and thought they were good, but know there is a whole world of exploring to do!
Soldato
If you have a bean to cup machine you can make the most of some of the small batch roasters around. There are loads of places that will deliver premium coffee beans to you. We used to have a subscription with these people. There are loads of others as well. The price is higher than you pay in Sainsbury's for mass produced coffee but you can really taste the difference. When we lived in Brighton we used these people a lot and they now deliver - excellent quality coffee
I had the De'Longhi ESAM one for about 5 years, made a great coffee, you need to mess around a bit to get it dialed in to your beans/taste/water but once you get it there its a zero effort consistant coffee. i found that it produced better coffee making a small shot and topping up with water than using the dial to make a larger Americano stlye but but overall its a solid 4/5 every time.
A friend sent for the Sage models, the coffee is nicer but the faff to get to that is higher, if you are just looking for Nespresso like effort but nicer coffee you can't go wrong with the ESAM ones, if you want to be a coffee apothicary then the Sage ones may be for you.
Got rid of it when the grider started to age and kick more grinds into the housing than the puck, probably repairable or down to my changed use but decided to sell it and look for a replacement when i move and know what counter space i have, got £80 back for it so not a bad investment over 5 years.
A friend sent for the Sage models, the coffee is nicer but the faff to get to that is higher, if you are just looking for Nespresso like effort but nicer coffee you can't go wrong with the ESAM ones, if you want to be a coffee apothicary then the Sage ones may be for you.
Got rid of it when the grider started to age and kick more grinds into the housing than the puck, probably repairable or down to my changed use but decided to sell it and look for a replacement when i move and know what counter space i have, got £80 back for it so not a bad investment over 5 years.
Associate
You’ve had it a month or so now, what’s your experience? Would you recommend?
Yes, 100%. It get used every day by the wife and I and it's pretty much a press of a button for a cup - no messing with grinder settings etc. plus it's really easy to empty/ clean.
Soldato
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I personally don't care, but the wife is very fussy about her coffee.
I have a friend who is similarly fussy but far richer than us, to the point where he seems wholly justified in buying a "cheap" coffee machine for only £7,000.... so I asked his advice before we bought one:
^This was precisely the advice he gave... along with a long connoisseurey ramble about ready-ground being better than beans for longevity, as beans only last about a month from time of roast and so are a waste unless you're roasting them yourself, on top of which you have to be very picky about how well you grind them to your exact requirements, you're better off using ready-ground.
In short, he recommended the Sage Bambino as a perfect entry level machine, for which you can still grind your own beans if it matters to you that much, and which you can pick up for about £100 in sales events.
It's still not my thing (I'm too used to instant), but even I can make a reasonable cup of coffee with this thing and it neither costs the earth nor takes up half the kitchen.
I have a friend who is similarly fussy but far richer than us, to the point where he seems wholly justified in buying a "cheap" coffee machine for only £7,000.... so I asked his advice before we bought one:
^This was precisely the advice he gave... along with a long connoisseurey ramble about ready-ground being better than beans for longevity, as beans only last about a month from time of roast and so are a waste unless you're roasting them yourself, on top of which you have to be very picky about how well you grind them to your exact requirements, you're better off using ready-ground.
In short, he recommended the Sage Bambino as a perfect entry level machine, for which you can still grind your own beans if it matters to you that much, and which you can pick up for about £100 in sales events.
It's still not my thing (I'm too used to instant), but even I can make a reasonable cup of coffee with this thing and it neither costs the earth nor takes up half the kitchen.
Soldato
I have a Gaggia Classic Pro which I would recommend.
I'm in the market for a machine as well (either bean-to-cup or seperates): as long as it's a fairly decent cup, great. I tend to drink espresso black 'americano'-style coffee where available, rather than faffing with milk.
I expect there are very diminishing returns beyond a point. Budget is £1k - does extending the budget to that amount actually get you anything, beyond a sense that you didn't compromise....?
...I ask as it seems impossible to research anything on the internet these days - everywhere is trying to sell you something!!! The Smeg machines get good 'professional website' reviews and then terrible user reviews.
I expect there are very diminishing returns beyond a point. Budget is £1k - does extending the budget to that amount actually get you anything, beyond a sense that you didn't compromise....?
...I ask as it seems impossible to research anything on the internet these days - everywhere is trying to sell you something!!! The Smeg machines get good 'professional website' reviews and then terrible user reviews.
Caporegime
Do you have a preference for the type of machine @Nitefly ? Obviously there's quite a difference in making a cup between a pure bean-to-cup machine and an espresso machine + grinder.
For £1k you can get a very nice pure bean-to-cup machine like the Jura E8. If you want a more hands-on approach, then something like the Profitec GO, but that can be a stretch if you also need to factor in a good grinder.
For £1k you can get a very nice pure bean-to-cup machine like the Jura E8. If you want a more hands-on approach, then something like the Profitec GO, but that can be a stretch if you also need to factor in a good grinder.
Thanks for the quick response!
I think an all-in-one is probably the way to do it... I used to use a aeropress for the longest time... those are a little faffy but awesome! Then we got a Nespresso machine as a gift and became lazy.
The E8 sounds like it could be the ticket - thank you
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Associate
Just picked up a Delonghi Rivelia Automatic Bean to Cup machine as needed something simple to use for the better half.
Got it for a great price using a friends Sainsburys/Argos discount.
Really impressed. Picked up some Rave coffee beans, as I work just around the corner, lovely coffee.
Got it for a great price using a friends Sainsburys/Argos discount.
Really impressed. Picked up some Rave coffee beans, as I work just around the corner, lovely coffee.
I'm perfectly happy with Starbucks House Blend (Medium Roast).