capsual coffee machines road test

User avatar
RonK
Posts: 11508
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
Location: If you need to know, ask me
Contact:

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby RonK » Sat Jan 05, 2013 8:33 pm

Cruiserman wrote:
RonK wrote: Mmmmmmmm - a micro casa semiautomatica SXC, E61 grouphead and all. Yes, please.
Careful Ron I feel upgraditis in your near future
It's just too bad they discontinued the art deco model. :cry:
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby Mulger bill » Sat Jan 05, 2013 9:04 pm

MarkG wrote: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!
You Sir are too kind :D

Gotta admit the food and coffee is the best part of marrying into an Italian family. I miss Zia Maria
herzog wrote:Indeed it is my machine, and it comes online at 6am daily!
Ohhhh. High art indeed, I started putting money aside for one two seconds ago.
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

User avatar
TimW
Posts: 1361
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 3:37 pm
Location: Near the M7C

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby TimW » Sat Jan 05, 2013 9:08 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-CrML0BzOA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Image

jamesn184
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:54 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby jamesn184 » Sat Jan 05, 2013 9:21 pm

I have a nespresso pod machine, it's ok for what it is.
If given the choice again I'd get a normal machine... Added plus is if never have to buy the beans as i can get them for free
Image

ikm
Posts: 99
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby ikm » Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:17 pm

You can alway buy the reusable pods and put your own fresh ground coffee in them if you like

orbeas
Posts: 462
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:06 pm
Location: Perth. WA

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby orbeas » Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:36 pm

ikm wrote:You can alway buy the reusable pods and put your own fresh ground coffee in them if you like
time consumming and messy?
After reading these very infomative, educational and interesting posts keep em commin, im not conviced to get a pod coffee machine,think ill go make a soy milk only creamy moccona (bold and intense) expresso from the jar i know thats tasty :mrgreen:
Last edited by orbeas on Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Orbea Euskaltel:Ultegra,Durace,RS80
Orbea Erandio Hybrid

User avatar
MarkG
Posts: 2147
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Perth, Australia

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby MarkG » Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:42 pm

This is all you need..

Image
Proudly "a hater of academics with helmet cams"

orbeas
Posts: 462
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:06 pm
Location: Perth. WA

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby orbeas » Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:48 pm

MarkG wrote:This is all you need..

Image
where do you get the coffee from? havnt seen a bag coffee like that before 8)
Orbea Euskaltel:Ultegra,Durace,RS80
Orbea Erandio Hybrid

User avatar
MarkG
Posts: 2147
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Perth, Australia

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby MarkG » Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:52 pm

From Mago. Italian roasters out in the Swan Valley.
Proudly "a hater of academics with helmet cams"

orbeas
Posts: 462
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:06 pm
Location: Perth. WA

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby orbeas » Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:01 am

MarkG wrote:From Mago. Italian roasters out in the Swan Valley.
cheers, iv been out to fori coffee importers next to a winery to do a work related job didnt taste the coffee though :|
Orbea Euskaltel:Ultegra,Durace,RS80
Orbea Erandio Hybrid

orbeas
Posts: 462
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:06 pm
Location: Perth. WA

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby orbeas » Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:02 am

MarkG wrote:From Mago. Italian roasters out in the Swan Valley.
cheers, iv been out to fiori coffee wholesalers next to a winery to do a work related job didnt taste the coffee though :|
Orbea Euskaltel:Ultegra,Durace,RS80
Orbea Erandio Hybrid

User avatar
MarkG
Posts: 2147
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Perth, Australia

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby MarkG » Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:06 am

Usually I go out there half yearly and to mondo nougat too!
Proudly "a hater of academics with helmet cams"

orbeas
Posts: 462
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:06 pm
Location: Perth. WA

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby orbeas » Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:14 am

MarkG wrote:Usually I go out there half yearly and to mondo nougat too!
mmm nougat lookn for the drool icon :mrgreen: use to get a nougat fix from the angry almond at the subi markets
Last edited by orbeas on Sun Jan 06, 2013 2:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Orbea Euskaltel:Ultegra,Durace,RS80
Orbea Erandio Hybrid

User avatar
g-boaf
Posts: 21315
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:11 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby g-boaf » Sun Jan 06, 2013 1:02 am

Mulger bill wrote:Got the real thing at home. Can't texture milk for love nor money but the GLW is a gun 8)
Got an Aldi unit at work, does the job quite nicely. It'll never produce as good a shot as those made by my barista daughter but I only have to walk into the back room instead of a couple of kms each way to get it.
I have a Nuova Simonelli Musica and a Gino Rossi CC45a grinder. I can sort of use both of them to get a good cappuccino and decent double-espressos with some consistency. ;) They are both great - and the coffee machine has way more capacity than I'll ever need. I doubt I'll be doing 70 cups of coffee per day. :lol: But they say it'll do it, and I'd believe it. It has a large boiler in it and the pressure remains absolutely rock-solid all the time. :)

Image

The milk texturing is really easy - you just have a jug with the thermometer on it, have the steam wand at a nice angle pointed towards you. Firstly, purge the steam wand of any water, then let the pressure on the machine recover if needed.

Start the wand off in the centre of the jug, just below the surface of the milk. As the temperature goes above 25ºC, move the wand to the outer edge of the jug, against the spout. Do this smoothly and keep the wand there, you'll see the milk start to get waves/vortices happening. When it gets to about 55ºC, stop. The temperature will creep up to 58ºC, which is just nice for a coffee that isn't scalding hot. Now put the jug to one side, clean off the steam wand and then bang the jug against the counter once or twice, then swirl the jug so that the milk inside gets a nice velvet smooth surface - then pour smoothly into the cup of coffee. The surface of the finished beverage should be very smooth, but not watery. 8)

Back on the topic of road-testing the machines, I'm afraid I can't really do that - it's rather too large to fit on my bicycle. :P
RonK wrote:Rancilio Silvia and Rocky? These are home machines constructed from commercial grade components and make first class espresso. Excellent choice.
These are better machines, but there are better ones around for slightly more money. But, even so some of the 'pod' type machines like Nespresso can be good when you want a coffee quickly without mess. And the Illy Iperespresso ones are also not too bad, but I'd rank Nespresso higher on taste.

One thing I have discovered with my Nuova Simonelli is that the majority of the parts are not just 'commercial grade', they are often the same components as used in say "Aurelia" or some of the other big commercial machines - and the parts are absolutely dirt cheap too. I only really replace the seals in the group head every so often, and those cost next to nothing. I compare that with a colleague at work whose automatic machine failed and he was faced with an enormous repair bill. :shock:

I'm quite aware that the machine is very much a small commercial coffee machine. The grinder I purchased was a real surprise, it was actually cheaper than a supposedly 'home model' enthusiast type grinder (Mini Mazzer-E). I remember the lady in Cafe Bianchi in Leichardt congratulating me on the purchase and saying it'll perform very well in my cafe - only then I mentioned to her that it was going in my home! :D

Cruiserman
Posts: 500
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:14 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby Cruiserman » Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:47 am

Like the look of that simonelli a modern twist on the usual e61 prosumer machines like the rocket and the other diadema junior range. You can certainly pick up some good second hand cafe grinders at excellent prices with at the most a clean and a new set of burrs required for a lifetime of home grinding. I paid slightly less for the barely used super jolly than I did for my original rocky.
2008 Specialized SWorks Roubaix SL - Zipps - Campag - Nuff Said
1986 Spokesman Model 11 Racing - Campag Nuvo Record - Stronglight - Shimano 600
Image

jaffaman
Posts: 180
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:30 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby jaffaman » Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:08 pm

Pods are great for making a decent coffee easily. I have a nespresso commercial unit at work and two domestic units at home - we always take one with us when we go away. Yes, we have a grinder and manual machine as well, but never use it - too much trouble. Every time someone comes over they comment on how good our coffee is, and most admit they have a manual machine at home they don't use.

If you are in a capital city go to a nespresso shop and they will make you ones you can taste. Decide if you like it or not. If you want to roast your own beans or have a good supplier and can see yourself grinding before each cup then the manual machines will be great.

I agree that the fully auto ones just don't seem to make decent coffee - poor crema and usually weak - I think the grounds just don't get pushed in hard enough.

In the end there is a compromise - effort to taste to cost. How much effort do you want to put in for what quality of coffee and at what price?

ozstriker
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby ozstriker » Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:50 pm

I loves me coffee, there's a lot of miss guided information going on here/snobbery.

A really good coffee machine and grinder does not equal good coffee, quite the opposite, in the hands of somebody that does not know how to use one it equals really rubbish coffee, there are way too many variables to get right, that's why just because a coffee shop has a good machine doesn't mean they will make good coffee.

I had a delhongi bellisimo I think it was called, my god it made crap coffee.

A lot of those pod machines have crap coffee, I have found a few exceptions though, there are actually 2 or 3 pods that are actually pretty good in the nespresso range, ristretto Roma indriya for example, a lot of the others aren't much chop. I tried the generic woolies pods for nespresso and they were pure garbage.

For pure convenience and a half decent coffee I love my nespresso machine.

Cruiserman
Posts: 500
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:14 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby Cruiserman » Sun Jan 06, 2013 1:36 pm

ozstriker wrote:I loves me coffee, there's a lot of miss guided information going on here/snobbery.

A really good coffee machine and grinder does not equal good coffee, quite the opposite, in the hands of somebody that does not know how to use one it equals really rubbish coffee, there are way too many variables to get right, that's why just because a coffee shop has a good machine doesn't mean they will make good coffee.

I had a delhongi bellisimo I think it was called, my god it made crap coffee.

A lot of those pod machines have crap coffee, I have found a few exceptions though, there are actually 2 or 3 pods that are actually pretty good in the nespresso range, ristretto Roma indriya for example, a lot of the others aren't much chop. I tried the generic woolies pods for nespresso and they were pure garbage.

For pure convenience and a half decent coffee I love my nespresso machine.
You seem to have missed the part where it was mentioned that it is generally regarded in coffee circles to be 25% beans 25% machine and 50% operator. I have found as a pretty good general rule the lower cut the top and the shorter the skirt of the pbtm then the further and faster one should move from the establishment unless of course you go there for other reasons than a good cup of coffee.

Any machine that mentions cream enhancing should be given a very wide birth unless you are able to remove the section of the basket that has the secondary flow reduction plate. This includes 90% of super automatic machines. If all you want is a fair cup of coffee and don't really want to enter into the mysterious world of learning how to use a machine properly and how to overcome any short comings of the machine probably best to stick to a pod or S.A. As the results should be consistent (ly pretty poor). Much the same reason that some on here ride high quality exotic bikes and others are equally happy on aldi bso's.
if you decide to embark on a journey to the nirvana of god shots realise that any savings on coffee costs are likely to be consumed in the world of upgraditis, roasting setups, new grinders etc but the journey and the rewards make it all worthwhile.
2008 Specialized SWorks Roubaix SL - Zipps - Campag - Nuff Said
1986 Spokesman Model 11 Racing - Campag Nuvo Record - Stronglight - Shimano 600
Image

User avatar
RonK
Posts: 11508
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
Location: If you need to know, ask me
Contact:

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby RonK » Sun Jan 06, 2013 1:48 pm

Cruiserman wrote:If all you want is a fair cup of coffee and don't really want to enter into the mysterious world of learning how to use a machine properly and how to overcome any short comings of the machine probably best to stick to a pod or S.A. As the results should be consistent (ly pretty poor).
Couldn't have put it better.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

User avatar
queequeg
Posts: 6479
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:09 am

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby queequeg » Sun Jan 06, 2013 1:52 pm

herzog wrote:
queequeg wrote:I have been on holidays and have been burning through the beans at home:-
Looks more like a computer than a Coffee Machine. :D

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

Image
It is a trade off. We had the full manual one but with two kids causing chaos at breakfast, my wife wanted to idiot proof automatic one. I only use the machine on weekends and holidays because I leave for work at 5:30am and have coffee when I arrive.
The manual one is too much mucking about to make a single cup. 6 minutes to make the first cup, and 6 minutes to clean it afterwards. The one we have now is ready in 1 min and self cleans when you turn it off.
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

User avatar
grantw
Posts: 1792
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:22 am
Location: Wollongong

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby grantw » Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:21 pm

I grabbed a woolies one today, they were 20% off and figured that if I didn't like it there would be plenty in the office who might. Anyway I popped a couple of shots this afternoon and they were a big improvement on the nescafe.
Image

User avatar
velocopedant
Posts: 229
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:46 pm
Location: Ocean Reef, WA

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby velocopedant » Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:27 pm

grantw wrote:I grabbed a woolies one today, they were 20% off and figured that if I didn't like it there would be plenty in the office who might. Anyway I popped a couple of shots this afternoon and they were a big improvement on the nescafe.
I did exactly the same thing yesterday. Went to see what they had as I'm not getting drawn into the 'membership' BS at the Nespresso shop. When I saw that the machine was $69 I bit the bullet and got one. The guys in our office all think It's OK for what it is. Next step is to try it with some of the MAP capsules.

User avatar
g-boaf
Posts: 21315
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:11 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby g-boaf » Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:34 pm

Cruiserman wrote:Like the look of that simonelli a modern twist on the usual e61 prosumer machines like the rocket and the other diadema junior range. You can certainly pick up some good second hand cafe grinders at excellent prices with at the most a clean and a new set of burrs required for a lifetime of home grinding. I paid slightly less for the barely used super jolly than I did for my original rocky.
I don't know if it's really like the Diadema or Rocket, it appears to be quite a bit larger than those and not really very similar (they look to be very traditional). It's most like the other commercial machines in the Nuova Simonelli line-up, only it's a single-group head, rather than 2, 3 or 4. It's pretty much huge over-kill - but it works well. :) It's very heavy to lift though, you don't move it about much. Mine is the version with the tank, as opposed to the model that is plumbed in to the main water supply. The non-tank version requires a water filter on the line, along with a technician to install it and test the water quality (the technician then fills out a form and sends it back to Nuova Simonelli in Italy).

I did also try a Nespresso machine, this one seemed to be a "2 group" machine. It was quite slow to operate and couldn't do many cups of coffee in a row (bad news if you desperately want a coffee), but the espresso it did make was not too bad. Don't ask me what type of Nespresso pod I used - I honestly can't remember. It might have been dark blue in colour. :?:
Cruiserman wrote:I have found as a pretty good general rule the lower cut the top and the shorter the skirt of the pbtm then the further and faster one should move from the establishment unless of course you go there for other reasons than a good cup of coffee.
Just about spat my coffee out! :lol: Although there are one or two very nice exceptions to that rule near where I work! :D 8) The barista not only makes good coffee, but she dresses in an artfully provocative way (though not so risque as to be inappropriate)! Remembers all the customers and their usual coffee orders too, without exception! :o

User avatar
RonK
Posts: 11508
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
Location: If you need to know, ask me
Contact:

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby RonK » Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:04 pm

g-boaf wrote:Remembers all the customers and their usual coffee orders too, without exception! :o
This kind of personal service is a real winner - too bad other retailers, particularly bike shops, don't get the message.

My local coffee shop, Alens in George Steet (Brisbane) has thrived while the Gloria Jeans right next door has closed. At Alens, regular customers are greeted by name and all are treated like personal friends, not just customers. No wonder people line up to crowd into his tiny shop.

PS. I hear that Alens will be expanding into the space formerly occupied by Gloria Jeans. Can only go from strength to strength.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

User avatar
g-boaf
Posts: 21315
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:11 pm

Re: capsual coffee machines road test

Postby g-boaf » Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:25 pm

Yeah, that makes all the difference. I'm one of those difficult customers who changes the regular order sometimes, one day it'll be a double-espresso no-sugar, another day a double-shot cappuccino, among other more potent brews for those emergency situations. :lol:

It's nice to see the local shops thriving instead of the big chain companies running the little people out of business. Coffee and breakfast/lunch places are always the one retail channel where the big multi-national operations do not have the advantage. Friendly service and attention to detail is the great equalising factor. A few local bike shops understand.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: brumby33