[Tris]

So I have been looking at treating myself to a coffee machine, I just use a cafetiere at the mo.

However looking at the range of available machines and prices, it's a minefield. I was thinking of paying around the £100 - 150 mark, but the prices look like they go up to around a grand and above...

Anybody have any recommendations - can I get a decent enough machine in my price range? It must be able to take ground coffee, I don't fancy those pod things...

[SA Chris]

Some useful stuff here

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,8976.0.html

[Tris]

Cheers Chris - I read through that but half the links didn't seem to work and it seemed to be mostly about grinders, hence the new topic. I already have a coffee grinder 

Ta

[Dolly]

I've got one of these - Gaggia classic - which might cost a little more, but looks great.
I'm not sure how they compare with more modern new fangled machines but it makes pretty good tasting coffee and a nice buzzing noise.

[SA Chris]

read the second page.

[tomtom]

I was bought one of those Nespresso machines for my birthday and despite:

1. Its part of Nestle (I think) 
2. George Clooney did particularly annoying/swarmy adverts for it 
3. The 'pods' cost c.25p per coffee..
4. You have to buy the coffee 'pods' from them (there is a fill your own internet alternative..)
 

It makes a damned good cup of coffee every time (just finished one now) and I love it....

[Tris]

Thanks Dolly - I have done a bit of reading and it gets some great reviews. It is a little out of my price range, but I was thinking that my budget maybe a bit low anyway I have bookmarked the page as a contender.

Tom - do you happen to know the model by any chance? I could be swayed if they do 'fill your own' alternatives..

[nai]

I've got a Krups like this one.  4010 I think the model is.  Works well enough for only being £100, had it nearly 3 years and have only had to replace one seal which was available cheaply from somewhere online.   Only downside is it needs to be on for an hour or so to make really hot coffee.  If I'm in a rush I just microwave it.



Edit:  the latte frother thing is a bit of a faff as well but they all might be.

[tomtom]

Tom - do you happen to know the model by any chance? I could be swayed if they do 'fill your own' alternatives..

OK, these guys do the fill your own pod kits...
http://www.nexpod.com/

My machine is one of these: Takes less than a min to warm up & has a standby mode.
http://www.johnlewis.com/230855909/Product.aspx



The Aerocinno (milk frother) that came with mine is £50 extra but fantastic. Just pour milk in and it heats and froths it to the right temperature  - the stirrer is magnetically mounted, the pot non-stick - a great bit of kit. Popular with visting friends kids for making hot frothy milk...

The problem is the cost of the 'pods' and having to get them from Nespresso direct (reminds me of how injet printer manufacturers lock you into buying from them etc..) but the nespresso coffee is really really good...

[Drewski Rootbitch]

The best thing for me about my (filter) machine is the 'auto-start' option, You just set the clock fill it up and then it starts automatically the next morning, like magic.... or a teasmaid.
Also I like an insulated jug as this seems to keep the taste better than a heated base you get on some filter machines.

[Houdini]

Nespresso is wank.  The Philips Senseo is much better:



The pads cost between €1.50 and very expensive for a pack of 18 - & sometimes 20.

You can make any style of milky or non-milky coffee you desire, 1 or 2 cups at a time.  The parts are plastic so there is no need to have the machine running for a while to heat up and nor does it suffer from hot water being cooled by cold unused parts: the general reason one gets served tepid coffee in cafe's.  You can also use a refillable 'pad' & use whatever brand of coffee you'd prefer.  All the parts are dishwasherproof so it's no great shakes to clean.

€140.  We'll never go back to cafetiers.


(only barbarians microwave cold coffee.)

[Tris]

Thanks Nai - will look into that one.

OK, these guys do the fill your own pod kits...
http://www.nexpod.com/

Just had a quick look at their site and it appears they are in Switzerland and do not have any distributors in the UK. Reading on this forum, the pods are not re-usable either so I can't see any benefit in buying them, unless you really really want to put your own blend of coffee into them. Surely the cost would be the same as just buying a filled pod to start with. What with postage costs from La Suisse...

I guess it looks like the pod machines are out for me. One of my xmas pressies was a grinder, so it makes sense for me to get a machine that takes ground coffee

Thanks for taking the time to respond and post the info though, the milk thing sounds cool. Will check that out for sure.. 

[Tris]

The best thing for me about my (filter) machine is the 'auto-start' option, You just set the clock fill it up and then it starts automatically the next morning, like magic.... or a teasmaid.
Also I like an insulated jug as this seems to keep the taste better than a heated base you get on some filter machines.

Sounds good - you got a link or model name?

[Tris]

Nespresso is wank.  The Philips Senseo is much better:

You can also use a refillable 'pad' & use whatever brand of coffee you'd prefer

(only barbarians microwave cold coffee.)

Cheers Mr H I will investigate the refillable thing..

Was thinking the same about the microwave thing, but each to their own... kind of like adding coca cola to a nice whisky 

[Drewski Rootbitch]

The best thing for me about my (filter) machine is the 'auto-start' option, You just set the clock fill it up and then it starts automatically the next morning, like magic.... or a teasmaid.
Also I like an insulated jug as this seems to keep the taste better than a heated base you get on some filter machines.

Sounds good - you got a link or model name?

This is my baby....
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Krups-FMF5-14-10-cup-Programmable-Coffee-Machine/3874168/product.html?cid=133635
Looks a bit boring, it's not designed by Porsche, but the coffee comes out hot and brown and good.
(more 5 man-sized-mugs than the quoted '10' cups)

[Tris]

This is my baby....
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Krups-FMF5-14-10-cup-Programmable-Coffee-Machine/3874168/product.html?cid=133635

Cool - added to list. Lovin the auto-start facility 

[Paul B]

On my travels I discovered Espresso so now I have this beauty:

http://www.cheftools.com/images/07-0572%20%20%2004.jpg

ceramic stove top requires a stainless device. Its good but doesn't seem to produce coffee as hot as that out of the old aluminium one.

[Canary M Burns]

 

Alan Partridge: "Coffee machines are the future Lynn, Kettles are saaaaadddd!!!!!"

[fatkid2000]

Fiorenzata machines the only way to go if you have the cash - makes mind blowing espresso.

[soapy]

i'm with paul b; simple, iconic and as strong a liquor as you want

[hairich]

me too soapy.i have the 12 cup one full every day.the truly great thing is that i can take it anywhere.it has been to font,rocklands,bishop,yosemite,val di mello.cant do that with your fancy dan machines can ya

[account_inactive]

i'm with paul b; simple, iconic and as strong a liquor as you want

I wonder how many of us will end up with Parkinson's from using these.....

Dolly is on the money.  We have had the Gaggia classic for 4 years now and its still going strong

[TobyD]

I highly rate these:

http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.htm

it is quick simple, portable, piss to clean and does not result in the slightly burnt taste you can get from the stove top jobs if they are left on a few seconds too long.

o, and its cheap. (£20-25 i think) so worth getting as a portable alternative.

I don't sell them BTW!

[Houdini]

Are you lazy?


I am, especially when it come to coffee.  I want it in one minute.  Which is the beauty of the pad machines - plus - no mess, imagine that!  No endless slooshing the grounds or knocking the bowl on the bin.

Those old skool coffee pot things make coffee taste bitter, I think.  Some people like bitter coffee though ...

[hairich]

coffee is supposed to taste slightly bitter thats the whole point of it

[moose]

my tuppenny's worth (from several years of trying to avoid biting the bullet and buying a proper coffee machine)

- aeropress: nice clean tasting brew but very inefficient on the coffee - costs a fortune to make submicron amounts .

- stovetop old skool thingys: a bit love/hate - sometimes the burned, bitterness is dead satisfying - but occassionally I want to drink without grimacing....

- cafetiere: good for quantities but I generally find the results a bit muddy tasting - the steeping seems to accentuate the bitter, earthy notes... bugger to clean too.

These days, unless I'm desperate for an espresso, I go for the lazy man's option: a low-tech bit of filtering.  I bought a spare-part mesh filter thingy for an electric coffee maker from Lakeland Plastics and now just line it with a paper filter, balance it in the mouth of a jug (a cafetiere jug with the press removed) and gradually pour in hot water from the kettle.  Definitely the best way to get lots of "long" coffee: a much cleaner drink than from a french press but, because you're not using a hot plate, it doesn't stew (just microwave it if it gets cold) - my staple way of filling the thermos for a day's bouldering.

By the way.. recommend hasbean for getting lots of novel coffees - not too pricey and its always nice to try something a bit different.

[Fultonius]

Are you lazy?


I am, especially when it come to coffee.  I want it in one minute.  Which is the beauty of the pad machines - plus - no mess, imagine that!  No endless slooshing the grounds or knocking the bowl on the bin.

Those old skool coffee pot things make coffee taste bitter, I think.  Some people like bitter coffee though ...

They only make it bitter if you don't stop it before it starts steaming - the steam ruins the coffee. Stop it when you get the first hint of steam coming through and it'll taste waaay better.

I've got the gaggia espresso pure - I genereally get pretty decent espresso. Got my dad a 2nd hand classic of ebay and it's much higher quality than mine (build/noise etc) but the espresso isn't noticably better -  I'd still reather have one!

[tommytwotone]

I highly rate these:

http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.htm

it is quick simple, portable, piss to clean and does not result in the slightly burnt taste you can get from the stove top jobs if they are left on a few seconds too long.

o, and its cheap. (£20-25 i think) so worth getting as a portable alternative.

I don't sell them BTW!

Have seen one of them in the gourmet coffee place in York, always been tempted. Might have to treat myself.

[Paul B]

i'm with paul b; simple, iconic and as strong a liquor as you want

I wonder how many of us will end up with Parkinson's from using these.....

Dolly is on the money.  We have had the Gaggia classic for 4 years now and its still going strong

They do them in Stainless steel so you can stop worrying about it. I have one as you can't use the Aluminium ones on a ceramic hob for some reason. Strange thing is, it doesn't seem to have a large thermal mass and the coffee it produces always seems tepid.

[underground]

I have one as you can't use the Aluminium ones on a ceramic hob for some reason.

It's not that you can't, just that it leaves a bit of a barely visible grey residue 'pon ting when it's done. I suppose eventually it would become a big grey residue - but in my case, the hob gets cleaned quite regular with proper cleaning stuff, so it don't vex me...

[Paul B]

fairy nuff

[bigd942]

I've a standard coffee press and one of these



works well and I've never had any regrets over it

[robertostallioni]

looks good. where do you put your knob in?



Seriously, how does that work?

[bigd942]

www.presso.co.uk

[lagerstarfish]

I've a standard coffee press and one of these

works well and I've never had any regrets over it

Given the amount that I forget about my hob top coffee maker and make loads of stinky mess and burned rubber, this looks like a very sensible solution if the taste is right. Anyone in Sheffield got one that I can have a go with?

[Mr Cat]

I've got one of these - Gaggia classic - which might cost a little more, but looks great.
I'm not sure how they compare with more modern new fangled machines but it makes pretty good tasting coffee and a nice buzzing noise.

yeah, I bought the older version of this from fleabay - 40 quid...

needed a good clean but a bit of a bargain imo...

[SpanishJuan]

[/quote]

I wonder how many of us will end up with Parkinson's from using these.....

Dolly is on the money.  We have had the Gaggia classic for 4 years now and its still going strong
[/quote]

Parkinsons and Alzheimer's disease..... There was I going around saying the only thing that aluminium has in common with Alzheimer's disease  is that they both start with 'Al' but that doesn't work with Parkinsons disease.......

I have a nice st st inox18/10 GAT pot that has been going forever. It also makes a more pleasing splutter than Bialetti pots. Plus you can take it camping and have coffee in about 30 seconds on an MSR whisperlite
 

[casa]

I assume this guy is an advert/seller type thing is it?   

[SA Chris]

Do you think? The cunt has been trying it on for a couple of weeks now.