Any baristas (coffee enthusiasts) among us? :-)

Yup, for a briki over a flame. Rather too many places now cheat and use a steam wand instead - we always ask how they do it before we order and go elsewhere if they're steamers! Even had one place that boiled up coarse grounds with a steamer - we refused to pay.
 
StuartH said:
Have posted another thread but may as well ask here as seems couple of you have this machine..Any good?Big improvement over tassimo?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeLonghi-M...qid=1478096352&sr=1-4&keywords=coffee+machine
Click to expand...
That's the DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM4200 bean-to-cup machine. We bought one of these as a Christmas present to ourselves about 4 years ago. Very, very happy with it.

I can't really say whether it's "better" than Tassimo because I've never had a Tassimo machine. But given that I can choose my own blend of beans, choose how finely to grind them, and choose how much coffee to use per shot, I'm struggling to see how a Tassimo could be better in any way whatsoever, other than convenience.
 
My thoughts exactly Stewart! The Tassimo is great for a decent quick coffee but just feels lacking. Had a delonghi espresso machine before it and loved the whole process of making the coffee but it packed up so got a tassimo when on offer. Like the idea of bean to cup and hoping it will give a much nicer coffee and at that price seems worth a punt. Any recommendations on beans?
 
StewartR said:
Starbucks. Well, not Starbucks shops but supermarkets etc which sell Starbucks coffee. Unfortunately it seems to be a US-only product. It's available from Amazon US but not Amazon UK. But still, I imagine it might be easier to find someone who can bring you back some from a trip to the US than to find someone who can bring you back some from a trip to East Timor.

Amazon
Walmart
Target also ship to the UK

There might be importers on eBay and such like.
Click to expand...

Check in Starbucks stores though.
If they carry the beans, they'll grind and sell to you.
 
Guess it's like art photography etc everything is subjective
 
Close to ordering but looking into it it's a fairly old machine! Not fussed if it's as good as reviews say but if it means spending £100 more and getting something much better I would rather that
 
Anyone got a coffee machine that will also just do boiling water?
 
My problem is if I get a coffee maker it will go where the kettle currently is, and believe me the missus without a cup of Yorkshire Tea is only for the very brave. Me I'm a coward.
 
INGREDIENTS
  • A teabag or loose leaf tea
  • Hot water
TOOLS
From black to green, oolong to herbal, there is a huge variety of teas (around 1,500 in fact), but all tea is made from the processed leaves and buds of the evergreen ‘Camellia sinensis’ bush. Differences in flavor come from the size of the leaves, the conditions in which the tea is grown, the soil and climate, the way the leaves are harvested and the manner in which they’re processed after picking.

Tea is grown in India, Sri Lanka, East Africa and China, with the teas produced by each country having unique properties.

Whether you use teabags or loose tea, it is one of the simplest drinks to make as you just add hot water, brew to taste and add milk and sugar if required. The process can be made even simpler by using one of De’Longhi’s bean-to-cup coffee makers, which provide instant hot water to prepare tea or herbal drinks.

METHOD
  • If using a teabag, place it in a cup and add boiling water. Stir and remove the teabag after a few seconds. Add milk and sugar to taste.
  • For loose tea, add the tea to a teapot, pour on boiling water, stir, place on the lid and leave for a minute or two to infuse. Pour through a strainer into a cup unless your teapot has a strainer built in. Add milk and sugar to taste.
  • Check first whether you need milk as only some teas are suited for it, such as English Breakfast Tea, Indian Chai Tea and North American Tea Lattes.
Some teas - such as a chai latte - should be brewed with milk and not water. If you aren't a coffee fan, but love a creamy milk tea, try using one of our milk steaming machines, which heat milk to the perfect drinking temperature.
 
StewartR said:
@viv1969 - I think I'd like to eat some food tomorrow. What would you recommend, that you think I would like?
Click to expand...

I can recommend some things that I
like, but whether you choose to try them, and like them, is your decision.
Like recommending a film, or book.
That's how it works.
Do try to keep up. :)
 
my "it's a kettle" comment wasn't entirely flippant BTW...

different drinks work best with water at different temperatures, and a temperature controlled kettle is a useful addition to a good coffee machine (as well as for making tea / boiling water for say pasta/other food preparation...)

for example,

white and green teas are best steeped at between 170-185°F as they're delicate leaves

Oolong teas are better at slightly higher temperatures 180-190°F

and black teas (and herbal infusions) generally need a "full boil" - 208-212°F


Plus, if you're an "Americano" fan, you'll need some way to pre-fill the mug with the initial boiling water without "spoiling" the temperature of the water in the boiler (ideally you need to pre-fill the water into the (pre-heated) mug at around 175-185°F before pulling the espresso shot into it... For most domestic machines (Gaggia Classic, Rancilio Silvia etc, they're a single boiler - if you use the water/steamer to get your water, it'll either take the boiler up to steaming temperature when pulling the water - which is way too hot to pull the espresso, so you're ending up having to purge and re-heat the boiler and allow it to stabilise - OR - you're into pulling the water from the brew-head, which takes ages, is hellish noisy because the pumps running flat out... and you'll still have problems with getting the temperature back up to "pull" level without a bit of a wait - where the water is already getting cold...) In short, get a kettle if you like Americano's...


Personally, I don't have a temperature regulated kettle, If I decide I fancy a longer coffee, I'll boil the kettle, and knock it off just before it boils, fill my mug near the brim, and prepare the machine for a double espresso shot. By the time I've finished faffing around, it's a simple matter to pour off some of the water, which in warming the mug has come "off the boil" to near enough the right temperature - then simply stick the mug under the portafilter, and pull the double espresso shot directly into the mug - I can pretty much judge the initial water fill level by eye now, so I get a nice full mug, still with a certain degree of crema on the top... I don't take sugar in the drink, but if you do, I'd suggest putting the sugar into the water, and basically making a thin "syrup" that you can pull the espresso into - it doesn't need stirring that way, so you keep the slightly more fragile crema :)
 
TheBigYin said:
my "it's a kettle" comment wasn't entirely flippant BTW...

different drinks work best with water at different temperatures, and a temperature controlled kettle is a useful addition to a good coffee machine (as well as for making tea / boiling water for say pasta/other food preparation...)

for example,

white and green teas are best steeped at between 170-185°F as they're delicate leaves

Oolong teas are better at slightly higher temperatures 180-190°F

and black teas (and herbal infusions) generally need a "full boil" - 208-212°F


Plus, if you're an "Americano" fan, you'll need some way to pre-fill the mug with the initial boiling water without "spoiling" the temperature of the water in the boiler (ideally you need to pre-fill the water into the (pre-heated) mug at around 175-185°F before pulling the espresso shot into it... For most domestic machines (Gaggia Classic, Rancilio Silvia etc, they're a single boiler - if you use the water/steamer to get your water, it'll either take the boiler up to steaming temperature when pulling the water - which is way too hot to pull the espresso, so you're ending up having to purge and re-heat the boiler and allow it to stabilise - OR - you're into pulling the water from the brew-head, which takes ages, is hellish noisy because the pumps running flat out... and you'll still have problems with getting the temperature back up to "pull" level without a bit of a wait - where the water is already getting cold...) In short, get a kettle if you like Americano's...


Personally, I don't have a temperature regulated kettle, If I decide I fancy a longer coffee, I'll boil the kettle, and knock it off just before it boils, fill my mug near the brim, and prepare the machine for a double espresso shot. By the time I've finished faffing around, it's a simple matter to pour off some of the water, which in warming the mug has come "off the boil" to near enough the right temperature - then simply stick the mug under the portafilter, and pull the double espresso shot directly into the mug - I can pretty much judge the initial water fill level by eye now, so I get a nice full mug, still with a certain degree of crema on the top... I don't take sugar in the drink, but if you do, I'd suggest putting the sugar into the water, and basically making a thin "syrup" that you can pull the espresso into - it doesn't need stirring that way, so you keep the slightly more fragile crema :)
Click to expand...

The de'longhi 4200 is dual boiler. which I was quite surprised about tbh. But if you switch it to steam mode, it won't let you make a coffee until the system has cooled down a bit. Only takes a few seconds if you leave the steam valve open slightly though.
 
I've no experience with using the bean-to-cup machines to be honest (just with drinking the end-product from a friends occasionally) so I couldn't comment on that.

I just like my Espressos, and for that generally a good quality dedicated espresso machine and a separate grinder provides more "tweakability" to the whole experience - and in the end will dispense a coffee more to my personal taste...
 
I have tried many different ways of making a good coffee espresso pot ,Drip, espresso machine, cafeteria and have had good results on them all at the moment I'm using my espresso machine not really expensive but it warms and froths milk and that's all I need I grind my own beans only when I brew I find that it cuts down hugely on the acidity of the coffee I order beans online and a few are listed below the syrups are not used so often but a nice change of flavour when I do
Bella carmona (candied orange)
Planalto (malt milk chocolate shake)
Filadelfia (dark chocolate and orange)

Monin syrups caramel chocolate cookie vanilla sugar free
Regards Craig
 
StewartR said:
I think I'd like to eat some food tomorrow. What would you recommend, that you think I would like?
Click to expand...
MacDonald's breakfasts aren't bad, if you go with Simba's (the lion King) philosophy, Slimy but satisfying :D
 
Yeah it looks a good buy not many reviews on it though and some do claim it starts leaking fairly early on lol!! I just prefer the look of it over the delonghi and its also slightly smaller too.
 
I think you should let me test it for a couple of years after you buy, just to be sure like.
 
Lol just like the look of the Krups and digital display over the delonghi which is nice but it's quite old and looks a little plasticky! Just wondered if the extra £70 is worth it
 
Delonghi stuff that I see in the stores tends to look plasticy.
 
too late just ordered from Debenhams lol good price though eh?
 
StuartH said:
Lol just like the look of the Krups and digital display over the delonghi which is nice but it's quite old and looks a little plasticky!
Click to expand...
I think that's a fair point. The DeLonghi does look and feel a bit plasticky. The control buttons on the front feel a bit flimsy, and the two main control knobs which control the volume of output are positively embarrassing.

Having said that, ours has worked flawlessly for over 5 years. I know that's a sample of one, but still I can't complain about it. We deliberately didn't want a machine with a digital display because that's just one more thing to potentially go wrong. Hope yours doesn't!
 
Cheers Stewart..I was very tempted with the delonghi due to its great reviews but saw this krups one by chance yesterday and really liked the look of it.Will let you know how I get on with it.
 
Just enjoying my first cup of the day using Rave ( Birds nest beans ) Slerp :naughty:
 
Just collected my krups from Debenhams. Mmm quite a big box to go down 3 escalators with then walk up a high st to shopping centre then que for lift to top floor of car park and walk to furthest point from the lifts to reach my car!! It better make good coffee lol :D
 
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