capsual coffee machines road test

[grantw]

The capsule machines are designed to be a replacement for instant, not a substitute for espresso. I'm with cruiserman though and have a Silvia at home and roast my own beans, and am a pita at cafes

[MarkG]

Next time I go back to Italy ill bring you guys with me. Coffee there is an espresso standing at a bar, with a cigarette, for 5 mins, then you're off!

Americans invented this sit down for 2 hours with your soy mocha latte rubbish!

[seddo]

being a lazy person I started off with an Aldi machine but found it lacking so I have sitting with me at the mo a Phillips Saeco Syntia which I will set up tomorrow - fully auto just perfect for a slug like myself

[rkelsen]

Sorry but pod machines = crap coffee

Agreed. If you're buying a machine, buy one that makes proper coffee: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Saeco-Odea-Go-II-Automatic-Coffee-Machine-by-Philips-/170906922737

One thing to consider is that the pods for those machines aren't cheap. A machine which can grind its own beans (like the one I linked to above) will save you a lot of money in the long term.

[Cruiserman]

Next time I go back to Italy ill bring you guys with me. Coffee there is an espresso standing at a bar, with a cigarette, for 5 mins, then you're off!

Americans invented this sit down for 2 hours with your soy mocha latte rubbish!

Which has led to the proliferation of buckets to put the drink (won't call a 20 or 24 oz container of brown liquid coffee) in and heating it up so hot that it burns if you try to consume it in the first 20 minutes of ownership.

[Cruiserman]

Sorry but pod machines = crap coffee

Agreed. If you're buying a machine, buy one that makes proper coffee: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Saeco-Odea-Go-II-Automatic-Coffee-Machine-by-Philips-/170906922737

One thing to consider is that the pods for those machines aren't cheap. A machine which can grind its own beans (like the one I linked to above) will save you a lot of money in the long term.

super automatics like that make a very mediocre cup of coffee but it is very very repeatable. You will never get to the level of output from even a silvia from any of those machines but they take out the human variable in the process, after all it is 25% beans 25% machine 50% operator.

[biker jk]

I tried a Nespresso capsule coffee in a hotel a few year's ago and it was terrible. Thinking it was probably just a problem with that machine I tried another at the next hotel I stayed at on a business trip. That capsule coffee was just as bad. I now have a cheap espresso machine at home and have gotten pretty good at making a decent coffee. You don't need need to spend a fortune.

[queequeg]

I have been on holidays and have been burning through the beans at home:-



I get premium coffee beans at staff prices, delivered to my house at no charge, and I can't stand instant coffee. I used to have a fully manual Gaggia machine but it was a pain for making just a single cup (6 minutes from power on to first cup), so we donated it to my parents for the holiday house where 6 minutes does not matter.
The current machine does grinding, tamping, cleaning plus hot milk (in various degrees of froth). You can program it for various cup sizes or favourite quantity/strength so it is very nice.
We looked at pod machines but did not want to be locked in to that system. we prefer fresh ground beans.

[rkelsen]

super automatics like that make a very mediocre cup of coffee but it is very very repeatable.

... But it's way better than the product of any pod machine. Saeco machines are what Italians use at home. It's also way better than what you get out of a moka pot, which is what Italians were using at home in the 70s and 80s.

It's also a lot cheaper than any of the machines in your [rather impressive] collection.

[Cruiserman]

super automatics like that make a very mediocre cup of coffee but it is very very repeatable.

... But it's way better than the product of any pod machine. Saeco machines are what Italians use at home.

I will agree that it is better than pod machine coffee but not that much. As for saeco machines how many italian homes have you been in to observe that? As it is a rather outlandish statement.

[MarkG]

Apart from me, none of my family use saeco and we're all greasy Italians

[rkelsen]

As for saeco machines how many italian homes have you been in to observe that? As it is a rather outlandish statement.

Suffice to say that you don't know me, what I do, where I come from, where I've been or anything else about my background... and that I'm not going to enter a public peeing contest with you.

[rkelsen]

Apart from me, none of my family use saeco and we're all greasy Italians

Bialetti!

And I was talking about Italians in Italy...

[MarkG]

Yes.. bialetti make the best cafeterias!

[RonK]

Sorry but pod machines = crap coffee, why? simple stale coffee. If you want decent coffee get a decent machine start with a least a Sunbeam EM6910 or better a Rancillio Silvia and a Rancillio Rocky grinder - from there the sky is the limit. Get quality coffee and grind it yourself.

Too right - pod coffee is only marginally better than instant.
Rancilio Silvia and Rocky? These are home machines constructed from commercial grade components and make first class espresso. Excellent choice.

[TimW]

I have the deloghi lattissima and love it. The coffee is not stale i normally 2 shot in a big cup and have a variety of strength blends.,now i have it, i would not be without it, and i love the fact there is no mess to clean up.Tim

as a matter of fact i might have one now

[herzog]

I have been on holidays and have been burning through the beans at home:-

Looks more like a computer than a Coffee Machine.

I'm old school and don't fancy LCD screens on coffee machines!

[Cruiserman]

I have been on holidays and have been burning through the beans at home:-

Looks more like a computer than a Coffee Machine.

I'm old school and don't fancy LCD screens on coffee machines!

Got a better picture of that work of art. Is it yours? I can feel + 1 coming on.

[MarkG]

Still love my francis Francis! X1 on Ferrari red no less

[Cruiserman]

Freeze dried and pulverised Yarra River mud

[TraceyG]

Mmmmmm coffee!

I feel an urgent need to ride towards smell of coffee.......

[herzog]

Got a better picture of that work of art. Is it yours? I can feel + 1 coming on.

Indeed it is my machine, and it comes online at 6am daily!

[Cruiserman]

Got a better picture of that work of art. Is it yours? I can feel + 1 coming on.

Indeed it is my machine, and it comes online at 6am daily!

Truly a beautiful machine, one of the things I like about my splendor is the way it looks. It is 7 years old but it has the classic lines and no electronics visable so it could easily be 70 years old. A nice manual machine is like a beautiful bike it makes you want to improve your performance.

[RonK]

Got a better picture of that work of art. Is it yours? I can feel + 1 coming on.

Indeed it is my machine, and it comes online at 6am daily!

Mmmmmmmm - a micro casa semiautomatica SXC, E61 grouphead and all. Yes, please.

[Cruiserman]

Mmmmmmmm - a micro casa semiautomatica SXC, E61 grouphead and all. Yes, please.

Careful Ron I feel upgraditis in your near future