Coffee makers?

[Vormulac]

Hello folks,

Being the stereotypical Engineer/IT Geek that I am, I am something of a caffeine freak. My Krups espresso machine is starting to get a bit long in the tooth and a seal is going somewhere.
With this in mind I have started to look at replacement machines, and thought that maybe it was time to advance a step or two and go for one of those automatic 'bean-to-cup' machines that grinds the beans, makes the espresso, froths the milk etc etc all with minimal input from the hung-over zombie standing in front of it.
My question is: Does anyone have one of these contraptions or have any experience/comments/recommendations to share? I don't have a gazillion pounds to spend unfortunately, so most of them are waaay beyond my means, but there are machines like a couple of the Delonghis and Krups that wouldn't necessarily require selling an organ to finance.

Thanks!

Vormulac.

 

[Waka]

Far better to spend the money of a tool for the WS, a nice block plane springs to mind. :wink:

 

[Vormulac]

Hi Waka,

Normally I would agree without a moment's hesitation, but this is a very important piece of kit for fuelling the fleshy part of the workshop's inventory, as without sufficient caffeine running through its veins, nothing very much gets done! :lol:

The thought of entering the workshop without fuelling up first makes me shudder, I'd end up impaling myself on the light switch or something equally daft!

 

[woodbloke]

Hi V - we got a espresso coffee maker (take no heed of Waka, he's a T bloke :lol: ) from, of all places, M&S for £99 a couple of years ago. It's not a 'bean to cup' machine but does make a very good cup of coffee. Fwiw, its a clone of an Italian machine beginning with B (not allot of help I know) but when I was doing my research on suitable machines that were going to leave me with all bodily attachments in place for the workshop, this one came out quite well (the B one, that is) - Rob

 

[Vormulac]

Hi Rob,

Sounds like a Bialetti clone to me, they're excellent machines. That has reminded me though, instead of just trawling through the deepest, darkest corners of the web, I ought to go and see what the more conventional stores can offer; M&S, Tesco, etc. Thanks for that!

V.

 

[Matt_S]

I've got a Gaggia coffee delux which makes very good espresso with fine ground beans, I'd love to get a grinder to go with it sometime soon....

I can't talk from experience but I have to say I'm dubious of whether the all in one jobies make as good an espresso. What do they say jack of all master of none? Anyway this is without ever using one!

 

[RogerS]

I can't talk from experience but I have to say I'm dubious of whether the all in one jobies make as good an espresso. What do they say jack of all master of none? Anyway this is without ever using one!

I'd go along with that comment.

What is it? Isn't it nine things to get right before you can make the perfect espresso?

• Right beans or combination
  Roasted by the right amount
  And roasted recently
  Freshly ground
  To the right degree of ground
  Using the right amount of ground coffee in the wee gadget
  Tamping it down by the right amount
  Water temperature at the correct setting
  Water flow just at the right rate

Have I missed anything ?

 

[woodbloke]

V wrote:

Sounds like a Bialetti clone to me, they're excellent machines.

Yup, that's the one, tho' I think the proper one is ever so slightly more expensive :wink: than the M&S clone. Worth having a trawl round the retail sheds....I know our local Waitrose (part of John Lewis) do an excellent range of coffee machines, tho' we have a giant Tesco on the edge of town that hasn't got any decent (IIRC) coffee makers - Rob

 

[andys wood shed]

Roger,

A clean cup

not often found in a workshop :lol: :lol:

Andy

 

[Paul Chapman]

Freshly ground
To the right degree of ground
Have I missed anything ?

And ground at the right speed. Some places I've been to grind the coffee beans too fast and all their coffee tastes burnt. Horrible

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DomValente]

Roger,

A clean cup

not often found in a workshop :lol: :lol:

Andy

And warmed

 

[Anonymous]

I got a nespresso machine for christmas, fantastic, simple, uses cartridges.

 

[SeanG]

For me it depends how much I want to drink, an espresso is for a brief moment of top quality coffee indulgence, for mine I use a Pavoni Eurocupola (my coffee is better than my spelling). For bulk caffeine consumption over a longer period (plane a bit sip a bit - repeat) filter coffee does the job.

For me the important factor is freshness - well stored beans very freshly ground! When I occasionally use pre ground coffee I find I have to use more to get the same level of flavour and it's still not as nice. Coffee is a food and as such freshness is key, as soon as it's ground flavour escapes (that nice smell from the grounds is flavour wafting away).

I'd advocate a Grinder and a filter machine for the workshop (Gaggia MDF is a reasonable entry level grinder). If you want as much caffeine as possible use a cafetiere - the longer the water is in contact with the grounds the more caffeine is absorbed into the beverage.

For more opinions that you can wave a winding stick at lookup alt.coffee (just don't expect the friendliness you get here).