Coffee Maker for the Coffee Lover

[daftpunk1]

Im looking to buy a good coffee maker but do you have to sped £800 for a decent machine.

Dont want to buy a cheap ass machine and find out its no good as its a christmas gift and one thing I hate is giving gifts that are of no use.

Is it worthwhile buying a budget machine...

 

[fizl]

What do you want from your machine, and how much interaction do you want with it when making a coffee? Filter/espresso/one touch cappuccino/bean to cup/pods/as mechanical as you can get etc

For ease of use I think nespresso are fantastic - you get a very predictable coffee, so as long as you like the flavour of the available pods you are on to a winner

For espresso then some cheap machines are good (couldn't name the brand as it was bought in NL and don't have it any more). I think as you get to the expensive end of the scale then like anything else, you end up with lots of money for smaller improvements. My favorite for this is a lever action machine, but takes practice, and you really need other equipment alongside to get the best flavours, like a burr grinder.

Bean to cup do get pretty good reviews, but have never owned one to give an opinion on (there is a thread hanging around about one though).

 

[Moor]

Another vote for nespresso, great coffe with no fuss and no cleaning and way under budget.

 

[Kurchatov]

I've used the basic Gaggia machines and more recently had a Saeco ben to cup machine. All work well and make decent coffee, however a few months ago I bought a commercial machine which I had plumbed into the kitchen and fitted with water softener on supply line. Bought a decent burr grinder and I must say the coffee now is much better than I can buy in any coffee shop.

Secondhand small commercial single group machine should be buyable for less than £500 (make sure it has been recently serviced!). Small burr grinder, probably £150-£200.

Machine will produce more consistant coffee and much better foam for your latte/cappuccino.

 

[daftpunk1]

Whats your thoughts on this machine....

Gaggia Cubika Plus Espresso Maker RI8151/60 Brand New and Boxed | eBay

Or this

DeLonghi BCO410 BC0410 Pump Combi Espresso Coffee Machine Maker 24 hrs Available | eBay

Or

*WOW* Krups KP2106PK3 Nescafe Dolce Gusto Melody Coffee Machine Red KP2106 | eBay

I dont want a coffee machine that only takes pods like these

50 NESPRESSO COFFEE ESPRESSO CAPSULES PODS PICK N MIX - CHOOSE YOUR OWN | eBay

I want one that you can just use a bag of coffee beans to make a cup.

Also do you know where to buy genuine kopi luwak beans....?

 

[fizl]

Have never used the cubika, but I have a gaggia classic that gives a not bad cup of coffee.

The de longhi I don't know much about, sorry.

The Dolce Gusto is also a pod machine, which I assume you don't want.

Out of those 3 I would probably go for the gaggia, but someone may come back who has some experience with those models.

 

[Kurchatov]

kopi luak beans: Sea Island Coffee sell them. Good company to deal with. I'd also recommend their Hawain Kona and their Jamaican Blue Mountain

On the Gaggia machines: worth adding a PID temperature controller which will give you a much more consistant cup of coffee. Either buy as a compete kit or buy the bits seperately; pretty easy to fit

 

[fizl]

Anywhere you would advise buying a kit for? for the days we can't be bothered with the lever machine, an improvement in the gaggia would be nice

 

[Andy 1974]

My wife loves coffee and the colour red,so ive bought her this CLICK.I'll get back to you on boxing day if it was the right thing to do.

 

[Hangerhead]

kopi luak beans: Sea Island Coffee sell them. Good company to deal with. I'd also recommend their Hawain Kona and their Jamaican Blue Mountain

On the Gaggia machines: worth adding a PID temperature controller which will give you a much more consistant cup of coffee. Either buy as a compete kit or buy the bits seperately; pretty easy to fit

So strange that these are the 3 consistetnly most rubbishedbeans by other vendors for being over-priced and under-achieving

you could also try londiniumespresso who I get beans from, java bourbon estate being one off my favourites.

 

[Soundburst]

I have a dolce gusto and quite enjoy it.

Saying that I think the portions are really small!

 

[AdrianMills]

I bought a Jura Ena 5 last year and it's, without a doubt, one of the best pieces of kitchen equipment I've ever bought. I had it on sale but after using it, I would pay the full price and more for one. The only Ena I see on the UK Amazon is the 3 but it's similar. Very good build quality, they take up very little space for a bean grinding machine and, on top of all that, they look awesome. A lot of coffee machine "purists" would scoff I guess but I'd call them on that and put up a cup of mine over theirs any day. ;D

Of course, the machine is only a part of the story, finding the right beans and settings that suit you may take some time after that. I was lucky, and the 2nd bean type I bought gave me the best cup of coffee that I'd had since I left Switzerland and France, and I've stuck with them since.

 

[pringtef]

A grinder is the single most important part of your coffee configuration (well, other than the coffee itself), a great espresso machine with a bog standard grinder is wasted money.

For me, i'd go for a combo of the Rancilio Silvia and Rancilio Rocky grinder. Had this configuration for about six years, the Silvias a great machine to learn and develop making great coffee on. Only changing mine now as i'm going to get a Viemme Domobar.

You can get this combo for about 675 pounds, which will still leave you a bit of spare cash to try out some brilliant coffees.

 

[daftpunk1]

Think im set on this one but can you fit a full size mug on it and does it have a built in grinder.....

 

[pringtef]

Think im set on this one but can you fit a full size mug on it and does it have a built in grinder.....

This my suggest Daftpunk1, or someone else's?

If my suggestion, yes you can fit a full mug under it, and the Rocky is the grinder, the Siliva the espresso machine itself.

If not my suggestion, ignore me!

 

[daftpunk1]

Oops, forgot to add link.....

BRAND NEW GAGGIA PURE COFFEE ESPRESSO MACHINE RED | eBay

Just want to make sure you can get a proper big mug under it....

 

[Kurchatov]

So strange that these are the 3 consistetnly most rubbishedbeans by other vendors for being over-priced and under-achieving

you could also try londiniumespresso who I get beans from, java bourbon estate being one off my favourites.

Thanks for those few kind words. What is your personal opinion? Which other vendors have said what, with how much consistancy? How big a part does competitive jealousy play in their assessment?

Remember that my post was a reply to someone wanting to buy Kopi Luak; not an endorsement of his choice.

Happy to give you my own views on which beans at which price band will make the best coffee (in my own grinder and machine).

 

[Hangerhead]

if you've taken offence then I apologise, not meant to be taken that way.

I had bought this book from amazon a few years ago:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Espresso-St...r_1_40?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323159988&sr=1-40

After i read about the luwak and blue mountain coffees, i then went and read other review sites and whilst from then my opinion probably changed the search criteria I entered, it did seem to confirm wha the book had said.
as for the blue mountain, also covered in the book, it was written that the estates had been over-farmed and the coffee had suffered so much and it was felt the plantations would never recover.
That blue mountain (and the kopi) were both triumphs of advertising over substance.

So -'those kind words' were also from a feeling that the OP had asked what are the best beans in the world and had been informed of these mythical shat out beans and blue mountain, which are amongst the most expensive in the world for sure...

 

[Kurchatov]

I certainly agree that we do see a triumph of marketing over substance with many of the offerings from Blue Mountain and others.

I guess that the secret is to try as many different beans as you can and see what works with your preparation method and taste buds. Changing up from decent Gaggia with built in grinder to a professional machine with a decent burr grinder certainly changed my preferences in beans

 

[pringtef]

I certainly agree that we do see a triumph of marketing over substance with many of the offerings from Blue Mountain and others........

I think this is where the actual choice of coffee supplier becomes as important as the beans themselves. Buying Jamaican Blue Mountain from any tom dick and harry coffee supplier is like throwing at a dartboard with your eyes closed and hoping for a treble twenty.

A really good coffee roaster should have real professionals working for them who actually visit the plantations, are able to tell you the year and source of the product, and participate in programmes such the Cup of Excellence. As well as supplying real fresh roasted coffee of course!

 

[fizl]

Oops, forgot to add link.....

BRAND NEW GAGGIA PURE COFFEE ESPRESSO MACHINE RED | eBay

Just want to make sure you can get a proper big mug under it....

I don't have that particular Gaggia, but there is no way I could fit a mug under the one I have without removing the drip dray etc. They are made for tiddly espresso cups. I use slightly larger cups (common in NL for those who like milk with coffee) and even those are a bit of a tight fit

 

[daftpunk1]

Ended up going for this machine....

De'Longhi Icona ECO310.R Pump Espresso Machine, Scarlet Red: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

Not too pricey, will be a good starter machine and has great reviews on amazon. Only thing is, looks like I'll have to buy more cups and dont think I'll get a full size mug under there....

 

[fizl]

Get some nice espresso shot glasses and some wide 'tea' style cups for nice cappuccinos

 

[Andyh4324]

I thought i'd bump this thread as i'm in the same sort of situation as OP but I can only really afford to spend £100-150. I'd prefer to buy from Amazon as I have a voucher there.

I see there are a few Gaggia, Morphy Richards and De'Longhi machines in this price bracket plus a few other brands I don't know much about. Are these machines pretty much the same? Or are some far better than others?

Also I realise that most of the machines don't fit mugs under them so do people use something like this and put a couple into a mug?

 

[fizl]

Something like that shot glass would be fine, or you could use a short wide cup like a cappuccino cup (or tea cup) and put your froth/milk on the top