Advice on first home coffee latte machine

[cgtmiles]

That’s a proper bit of kit!

I have a Nespresso vertuo machine as I thought the Nespresso was great but normally prefer longer coffees. It certainly does the job and I like the coffee but it’s not as good as the original Nespresso and if I wasn’t lazy I would probably go back to my manual old paper filter, long and strong. Nice

 

[OllieGBR]

I’ve got a Nespresso one with a separate milk foamer. You can make virtually any coffee with it. My particular favourite is a flat white and it does that beautifully. Here’s a link to the one I’ve got.

Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine with Aeroccino by Magimix at John Lewis & Partners

I’ve also made cappuccino, latte, straight espresso etc and they’ve all been excellent.

Thanks @ChrisR After looking at all the different options the guys have suggested, and given this is my first journey into coffee, (I only started drinking it a few weeks before lockdown), the Nespresso is the way I think I'll go for now. This one looks perfect.

 

[cgtmiles]

I’ve just ordered a evergreen reusable capsule for my Nespresso. Should reduce waste and hopefully cost (vertuo are £0.50 a cup)

 

[Samalang]

Talk of the devil, this is just the video for you and anyone else missing their coffee shop fix

 

[The Van Cave]

Thanks @ChrisR After looking at all the different options the guys have suggested, and given this is my first journey into coffee, (I only started drinking it a few weeks before lockdown), the Nespresso is the way I think I'll go for now. This one looks perfect.

It’s a great choice for a first machine. It’s hard to go wrong with it. Mine came with a sample pack of 20 pods. Different strength espressos, long coffees and some decaf options too. Plenty to try and help find something you really like.

 

[Ayjay]

I’m with you, I’ve really tried to like whiskey but probably need a few more years

I've already had those 'few more years' and still think it's foul.

 

[cgtmiles]

Just bought an aeroexpress for the van

Thanks to those who recommended. Previously tried Taylor’s coffee bags for the van and my advice on those is STAY WELL CLEAR, I don’t know what I was thinking. They are awful, instant is better and a fraction of the price

Again, back to the topic in discussion, if you are going for the Nespresso, go for the original not the vertuo

 

[cgtmiles]

Talk of the devil, this is just the video for you and anyone else missing their coffee shop fix

This was interesting viewing but like many things I’m far too lazy and impatient for this level of effort for a coffee and I really like coffee. I only have black coffee so only watched the first half of the video and there are some good tips on there though on what effects the flavour of the coffee

 

[Samalang]

One of the biggest things is freshness of coffee. If you can find something with a roasted on date rather than best before you are off to a good start. Union coffee is available in Waitrose and Sainsbury's and is really good. Definitely better than Taylor's, lavazza, Starbucks etc.
If you can get some from a roaster direct you will never go back. Yellow bourbon here in Northampton I can highly recommend

 

[OllieGBR]

Just bought an aeroexpress for the van

Thanks to those who recommended. Previously tried Taylor’s coffee bags for the van and my advice on those is STAY WELL CLEAR, I don’t know what I was thinking. They are awful, instant is better and a fraction of the price

Again, back to the topic in discussion, if you are going for the Nespresso, go for the original not the vertuo

I went for original [I think]
New coffee machine here we come

 

[VanDamMan]

You can't go wrong with a Gaggia classic ideally a pre 2015 model as these have an adjustable OPV valve so you have a bit more control. You can easily take them apart for maintenance and also modify them as you increase your knowledge you can pick them up for around£100 second hand and they hold their value so you won't loose out.

Unfortunately the machine is the easy but, grinder makes the biggest difference with proper espresso. A descent flat burr or conical grinder will give you a much more consistent grind size than blades which are fine for mokka pots etc but at 9bar you don't want any weak spots for the water to find the path of least resistance. I currently have a baratza encore and it's acceptable.

If you want to learn the science behind it check out James Hoffman on you tube, he has every way to brew coffee imaginable and the coffeeforums.co.uk site has lots of info to.

If there is any more advice you want just ask

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Cheers for that.......Now the wife wants one!...As you say it’s all in how you grind your beans....I already fork out far to much on the van.....now she wants to join in

 

[Andyf]

Cheers for that.......Now the wife wants one!...As you say it’s all in how grind your beans....I already fork out far to much on the van.....now she wants to join in

Better on side than not

 

[Paynewright]

Because of this now on my second cup of Tesco French blend

Not into grinding yet!Current fav’s are the French style and Aldi Ethiopian blend.

We just need a breadmaker and a watch thread and we have all the main lifestyle choices covered!

 

[Farnorthsurfer]

I went for original [I think]
New coffee machine here we come

Good choice for ease of use, its almost impossible to make a bad cup of coffee with that and they are well suited to milk varieties as the machine just makes basic espresso coffee.
Don't be tempted to put too much water through the capsule it will taste bad. You may find that you get to like it black.
You can order free recycling bags for the capsules which you send back for free through Collect+. Its a good way of getting the capsules recycled. There are loads of issues with the environmental impacts of capsules but maybe we should look at what we drive before we pick on Nespresso.
If you want to mess about with coffee like @Samalang (would love to try a cup at his place) then the AeroPress is great fun and great coffee, there is even a world brewing contest for it.

 

[cgtmiles]

I went for original [I think]
New coffee machine here we come

Great choice, this is what I should have gone for, I’m jealous now, you may see a vertuo machine on the for sale page shortly

As farnorthsurfer says shorter the better, that’s why I got the vertuo as I thought they had come up with a solution to get a long coffee tasting as good as the short ones, they haven’t

 

[Samalang]

Have you considered a nanopress?

I have one for the van, takes either ground or Nespresso capsule's. Very easy to use and clean with good tasting results if you like an espresso shot. Also got an Aeropress for longer drinks.

I think I have a coffee problem...

 

[sparkywig]

I use a clever dripper, aeropress or an espresso pot. But the best thing you can do whatever your method is use fresh coffee, I get regular deliveries of beans and ground coffee from Pact Coffee.

 

[CAB]

I think I have a coffee problem...

You only have a problem when you can't get your coffee

 

[Farnorthsurfer]

I use a clever dripper, aeropress or an espresso pot. But the best thing you can do whatever your method is use fresh coffee, I get regular deliveries of beans and ground coffee from Pact Coffee.

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10/10 for a top quality mug to put the coffee in

 

[Trouts]

also swear by the Bialetti Moka pot - too much plastic waste in those Nespresso pods...