What coffee maker?

[Kappelgaard]

Moccamaster as a normal coffe maker, and for espresso I like the Italian DIY style, where you cook the water on the stove.

[Maris]

I've got a Gaggia Classic and Rocky grinder combo. I'd say that that the Classic is a great place to start. It is the 'M&S' of coffee makers, easily obtainable and produces consistent results. If you believe the forums then the 'best' is the Rancilio Silva.

Due to the popularity of the Classic, you can also find them at great prices on your favourite auction site, as many people have been given them as presents or bought one, used it twice and then discard it.

Have you fitted the Rancilio steam wand? Well worth doing. The new classics also come with a crap pressurised basket and plastic "perfect crema device", works great once the basket is eplaced and plastic thing binned.

[china]

Three of my hobbies included in one shot (pun intended).



I use a Isomac Tea II and Compak K3 Touch grinder.

[PhilipK]

Gaggia machines are superb. I do know that Gaggia UK went bust last year so parts are difficult to source. I don't know if they have a new UK distributor yet.

I understand that they were bought by Phillips. Some forums suggest that the customer service has suffered very badly as a result.

We have a Baby Gaggia (and a Gaggia grinder which gives 32 levels of grind!) which must be getting on for 20 years old and still working fine. The current models don't seem to have the same build quality (plastic bodies rather than metal, switches that don't quite "click" correctly, etc).

Must admit that I'm tempted by a bean-to-cup model - and the Jura looks very impressive.

[AM94]

Must admit that I'm tempted by a bean-to-cup model - and the Jura looks very impressive.

Come over to the dark side :D

[marine bill]

If you are serious about bean to cup machines, at least take a look at Jura.

http://www.uk.jura.com/

I've had mine for many years and it has been brilliant.

me too excellent, i'd recommend their machines

[5wany]

If you don't want to spend to much on a first machine to see how you get on try lidl.
They had a SilverCrest machine last month for £39.99, its made by deLonghi.

like you we decided to get a coffee maker, we got one and must admit for the money its a capable performer. TBH the cost of some coffee and new cups was more than the machine :lol:

You might be lucky and one of your local stores still has one, it was the 1st week Dec it went into stores (i think)

[sjdavies47]

I've got a Gaggia Classic and Rocky grinder combo. I'd say that that the Classic is a great place to start. It is the 'M&S' of coffee makers, easily obtainable and produces consistent results. If you believe the forums then the 'best' is the Rancilio Silva.

Due to the popularity of the Classic, you can also find them at great prices on your favourite auction site, as many people have been given them as presents or bought one, used it twice and then discard it.

Have you fitted the Rancilio steam wand? Well worth doing. The new classics also come with a crap pressurised basket and plastic "perfect crema device", works great once the basket is eplaced and plastic thing binned.

Hi,

No I haven't fitted the Rancilio wand yet. This thread has been the first time I've heard of it. Sounds like a good idea though, the Gaggia wand is a bit rubbish...

[Red Steve]

Forget all that.

Best coffe is made by this



with this in:

exactly my thought.

[sparmar1]

I use a Rancilio Silvia with a variety of coffee from hasbean :)

Does the job very well, i'm going to add a grinder at some point, either a Mazzer Mini or Rancilio Rocky.

Sanjay

[Taff]

I like strong, black well flavoured coffee.

I find that all the 'capsule' machines don't do strong enough coffee and I hate being tied to having to buy 'their sachets'.

Have found the tase comes from grinding your beans fresh and making in your preferred machine - which is probably dictated by how much you have to spend.. A £10 bioletti or cafetiere with freshly ground beans can make a great cup - and can be adjusted to how you like your coffee. As can some of the lovely bean to cup machines posted on the thread...

I run a business so tend to use this with freshly ground beans in.. I get a lot of positive commments from customers!

[mjb]

+1 for Hasbean

You could do a lot worse than getting one of these for about £25 http://www.aeropresscoffee.co.uk I find it great for 1-2 cups at a time. All you need to do is boil the kettle.

Don't forget to get a decent grinder and some quality beans. http://www.hasbean.co.uk roasts beans to order and has them to your door next day usually. Great service IMHO.

[Crash7]

Bean to cup is the way to go!

Initial outlay may scare you but if you consider what you pay for a cup of your choice in well-known chains it doesn't take long to pay for itself.

Jake

+1 8)

[PhilipK]

Must admit that I'm tempted by a bean-to-cup model - and the Jura looks very impressive.

Come over to the dark side :D

God I hate this forum - all it does is make me spend money (he says as he sips a coffee freshly brewed by his newly acquired Jura S9!)

[Optimum]

I've got a Nespresso Magimix and have to say that I find the choice of coffees far better than most capsule machines and the quality is head and shoulders above them. They even do some interesting special editions.

[AM94]

Must admit that I'm tempted by a bean-to-cup model - and the Jura looks very impressive.

Come over to the dark side :D

God I hate this forum - all it does is make me spend money (he says as he sips a coffee freshly brewed by his newly acquired Jura S9!)

:D

You won't regret it - unlike so many gadgets, this one will get used multiple times daily!

[ptcoll]

Forget all that.

Best coffe is made by this



with this in:

That is precisely what I used to make my coffee this morning.

Pete

[pipedreamer]

+1 for Hasbean

You could do a lot worse than getting one of these for about £25 http://www.aeropresscoffee.co.uk I find it great for 1-2 cups at a time. All you need to do is boil the kettle.

Don't forget to get a decent grinder and some quality beans. http://www.hasbean.co.uk roasts beans to order and has them to your door next day usually. Great service IMHO.

And another shout out to Hasbean. I buy green beans from them and roast in one of these - http://www.hottopusa.com/

Then ground in one of these - http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Ranci ... nder-.html

Then make using one of these - http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/coffeemac ... achine.asp

Cheers,

Peter.

[jpj]

Forget all that.

Best coffe is made by this



with this in:

That is precisely what I used to make my coffee this morning.

Pete

Missing out on the gurgle in the morning is one of the problems of not having a gas hob.

[Tahiti]

Hmm, intrigued by the Aeropress for work.

[Rod]

I mentioned it before in a similar thread but I use an Aeropress at work, the coffee being carp this device is the perfect solution in that it's portable, easy to clean and didn't cost a fortune.

http://www.aeropresscoffee.co.uk/

Just had a look at the site. Does the one at £17.99 make enough for two mugs of coffee? I can see some graduations on the cylinder no. 1 to 4, are these the measurements for the number of cups? I use a cafetiere and might consider buying this one too.

Rod

[mjb]

The marks are to indicate the amount of water to add. You can make up to the equivalent of 4 espresso shots in one go but I normally only do up to two at a time.

I bought one to give it a go for work but I've got one for home now as well as it is a lot less faff than using an espresso machine. Great if you just want a quick cup of decent coffee.

The nespresso type machines are ok but you end up tied in to using the pre-packed 'pucks' so don't have a whole lot of choice in terms of coffee.

[Rod]

Forget all that.

Best coffe is made by this



with this in:

That is precisely what I used to make my coffee this morning.

Pete

Missing out on the gurgle in the morning is one of the problems of not having a gas hob.

Decided to get one of these from John Lewis today, reduced from £32 to £22 in their sale. Made a brew when we got in and the coffee was really good :D

Rod

[Daz]

Forget all that.

Best coffe is made by this



with this in:

That is precisely what I used to make my coffee this morning.

Pete

Missing out on the gurgle in the morning is one of the problems of not having a gas hob.

Decided to get one of these from John Lewis today, reduced from £32 to £22 in their sale. Made a brew when we got in and the coffee was really good :D

Rod

How much coffee do you put in it, do you fill the container to the top??

[Rod]

[quote="Daz"
How much coffee do you put in it, do you fill the container to the top??[/quote]

Filled it loosely maybe 2 or 3 mm from top. Made 2 mugs from it :) Reading the reviews it seems you could use a bit less if you 'compact' it slightly - resulting in a stronger brew. Any users of this Bialetti tried experimenting?

Rod

[seikopath]

+1 for Hasbean

You could do a lot worse than getting one of these for about £25 http://www.aeropresscoffee.co.uk I find it great for 1-2 cups at a time. All you need to do is boil the kettle.

Don't forget to get a decent grinder and some quality beans. http://www.hasbean.co.uk roasts beans to order and has them to your door next day usually. Great service IMHO.

And another shout out to Hasbean. I buy green beans from them and roast in one of these - http://www.hottopusa.com/

Then ground in one of these - http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Ranci ... nder-.html

Then make using one of these - http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/coffeemac ... achine.asp

Cheers,

Peter.

im more jealous of this than if you had just bought a white explorer ii

[chrig]

Bought my dad a year's subscription from Hasbean and think it's a great gift, as did he!

Conversely, was given a Cona coffee 'machine' as a gift last year (http://www.cona.co.uk) - quite cool as a party pice, works purely by good old fashioned physics and is supposed to brew at the perfect 'sweet spot' temperature but tbh the meth burner you place under the pot takes a while (can be 10 minutes) and can be a bit of a faff. Also, it's no use for a single coffee (only a full pot) so I think I'll be looking out for an everyday machine myself.

[Phil Lee]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I'm thinking of asking for a better coffee maker for my Birthday and thought I'd ask for some opinions here.

I currently have a Krups Espresso and Cappuccino maker. It has a 15 bar boiler but only has enough steam for 2 cups of espresso and just about two cups of foamed milk. It cost about £100 when I got it and I've enjoyed using it, particularly getting good at foaming the milk.

I'm thinking about getting a new coffee maker that is capable of more. Ideally I'd like to make 4 espressos or cappuccinos in one go without having to refill the machine. That should be enough when we have a few guests around. Since I enjoy the process of making the coffee and milk, I'm not sure about the automated machines and certainly don't want a Nespresso. I do want something that I can use every day, particularly in the morning at breakfast. That means it needs to get up to temperature quickly. I reckon I can persuade my wife to spend up to £500 on me since it is a 40th Birthday and can add some funds too.

Let the suggestions begin.

[degsey]

Gaggia are good. I have been using one for the last two years after getting fed up paying £2 a cup.

Just took mine apart on Sunday because of limescale even though I used filtered water!

Next I am going to buy a grinder.

[ralphy]

This produces a rather nice cup of coffee, but it's a love-it-or-hate-it design:



It's an Elektra, they have a vast range of machines and have a cult following in Italy. This one belongs to a pal who's a coffee fanatic, always a pleasure to call round to his place for a drink. :wink:

R

[Rod]

Forget all that.

Best coffe is made by this



with this in:

Forget the fancy gadgets this really does do a fantastic coffee :)

Rod

[Phil Lee]

I already have a Bialetti and, whilst I agree it does make a good coffee, the taste of mocha is somewhat different to espresso. Also I want a cappuccino maker as well.

[AM94]

I already have a Bialetti and, whilst I agree it does make a good coffee, the taste of mocha is somewhat different to espresso. Also I want a cappuccino maker as well.

Phil,

I know I've banged the drum for Jura machines before BUT, if you want a machine that heats up quickly in the morning, something that will make 4+ coffees without an issue in one go, will make multiple types of coffee (latte, capp, espresso, etc) and is self cleaning, I really think you should at least look at a Jura.

http://www.juradealers.co.uk/catalog/pr ... ucts_id=32

I've found the prices to be somewhat negotiable and they start at £725

[Phil Lee]

Phil,

I know I've banged the drum for Jura machines before BUT, if you want a machine that heats up quickly in the morning, something that will make 4+ coffees without an issue in one go, will make multiple types of coffee (latte, capp, espresso, etc) and is self cleaning, I really think you should at least look at a Jura

I am considering them, in fact I'm going to head over to Selfridges next week for a demo but they seem a little automated for me. I enjoy the skill that goes into making a good cappuccino.

[swanbourne]

This produces a rather nice cup of coffee, but it's a love-it-or-hate-it design:



It's an Elektra, they have a vast range of machines and have a cult following in Italy. This one belongs to a pal who's a coffee fanatic, always a pleasure to call round to his place for a drink. :wink:

R

I love the design of that machine :D . I've been looking round for a coffee tamper recently and discovered that you can pay £50 for one "crafted from polished stainless steel with polished wooden handle". Sounds like these coffee aficionados are as mad as WISs :wink: .

Eddie

[JHM]

I love the design of that machine :D . I've been looking round for a coffee tamper recently and discovered that you can pay £50 for one "crafted from polished stainless steel with polished wooden handle". Sounds like these coffee aficionados are as mad as WISs :wink: .

Eddie

I'd say they are even worse, esp. the germans :wink: . Besides a good tamper, ones needs a proper kitchen scale, a stopwatch, a thermometer, a special pot for the perfect milk froth...well you get the idea :lol: !

Might be easier to move to Italy instead and just pop into the next bar at the corner.

all the best

Jan

[Crazyheuer]

Gaggia, :bounce:

[simonrah]

Less than a tenner, bung it in the dishwasher and a perfect cup of coffee time after time.

[triumph coupe]

I've been looking round for a coffee tamper recently and discovered that you can pay £50 for one "crafted from polished stainless steel with polished wooden handle". Sounds like these coffee aficionados are as mad as WISs :wink: .

Eddie

I'd not know anything about these tampers which are hand crafted to your own exact criteria and manufactured to the tolerances of your own machine

Here is mine... :D

[Phil Lee]

I'd not know anything about these tampers which are hand crafted to your own exact criteria and manufactured to the tolerances of your own machine

Here is mine... :D

Do you undertake commissions?

[triumph coupe]

[quote=Phil Lee][quote="triumph coupe":4fdzcy9j]I'd not know anything about these tampers which are hand crafted to your own exact criteria and manufactured to the tolerances of your own machine

Here is mine... :D[/quote]

Do you undertake commissions?[/quote:4fdzcy9j]
You'd not want a coffee tamper that I'd made! But if you give me a bunch of money (or a nice watch perhaps) I will buy one for you... It's far easier that way! :D

Mine is a Reg Barber

[url="http://www.coffeetamper.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=7"]http://www.coffeetamper.com/store/pc/vi ... Category=7[/url]

[Phil Lee]

I've been to Selfridges after work to see what they had. I had a brief demo of one of the Jura machines and have to say I wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be. The coffee itself was good, very good in fact. The problem was with the foamed milk. It was nothing like what I can do by hand with my Krups Vivo so it isn't an upgrade for me. The saleswoman who showed me the machine had shown it to a man before me and he was impressed by it.

Now that the automatic machines are ruled out I have to decide on a manual machine that will let me make more than 2 cappuccinos. I'm beginning to think I need a 2 boiler machine so if anyone has any pointers in that direction it would be appreciated.

[bambam]

Hi

Bringing this thread back to life - was in Habitat the other day and saw one of their Cusinart coffee-makers. Looks ok to me, but then I only have a kettle to make coffee at the moment. Enjoy a good cappucino and a nice flat white - so any thoughts on this:

http://www.cuisinart.com/products/co...ar/em-200.html

They're about £180 in the UK and you seem to get most of the accessories with it. I wouldn't be able to justify spending more than this to be honest.

Thanks

[ash]

I use 2 coffee machines, a Bosch Tassimo for quck no fuss coffee, tea, hot choc etc... but have a Rancilio Silvia which makes the ultimate coffee. It's not a bean to cup but it's well worth the extra steps if you really like a good coffee. Do a google search for "rancilio silvia v3 review" and have a read.

[Socrates]

Try Aldi. We bought their coffee maker a couple of months ago for £39.99 (reduced, I think) and it's excellent. It doesn't need pods so you can use your own coffee, it blasts out a couple of stonking espressos and the steamer produces genuine foamed milk, a la Costa or Starbucks. For less than £40 it was a steal!

[DeusIrae]

[I]'m looking for a coffee maker for the house, i hate instant and all that stuff and like coffee to be as strong as possible, so what's the best type of machine to get, nothing to expensive though.

I use a Krups XP 4020 that I got for a song at Carrefour in Doha. Nowhere near the best, but cheap and consistently generates compliments from all that drink its produce.

[MB2]

My advice would be to either get a capsule machine (not a fan as they seem to be a device for selling capsules & I remember the ESE capsules going out of business some years back although they seem to be making a lot more traction this time around or go for a bean to cup machine.

The expresso machines always seem too much work/mess for the odd cup of coffee but bean to cup is so easy although will end up drinking more coffee.

Re the Jura I have an Ena 3 now (used to have a Gaggia Synchrony Digital) they are very good machines but you do need to invest in the cappuciono kit, the main problem I have with it is only 1 programmed cup size so not convenient if someone drinks expresso & someone else capuccino (the Gaggia had 3 cup size buttons) but the coffee & controls etc. are excellent.

[maninasuitcase]

what laser8 said

[MB2]

A moka pot is used by most Italians to make coffee at home, the espresso machines make the coffee you buy in a bar when you are out so they aren't really comparable

[emgee]

A moka pot is used by most Italians to make coffee at home, the espresso machines make the coffee you buy in a bar when you are out so they aren't really comparable

+1 , for home this is the best method for making top notch coffee + illy espresso blend :D