Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
Couple of options for you to get going.
Aeropress, covers filter type coffee, and can brew pretty strong coffee. Plenty of guides out there on using them as well.
Moka Pot. Makes a expresso ish coffee, also cheapish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdCic2f7PI
You could then add a hand grinder, something like a Porlex.
Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
I definitely notice the hotplate ruining the coffee, I have to turn mine off and rely on the residual heat to keep the coffee warm.
Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
just get a good ground coffee and a cafetiere i like hi caffeine any supermarket will have a good choice of ground coffee and the strength will be marked on the packaging on a scale of 1 - 5 spend the money you saved on a coffee machine on Computer Hardware
Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mickyjim
just get a good ground coffee and a cafetiere i like hi caffeine any supermarket will have a good choice of ground coffee and the strength will be marked on the packaging on a scale of 1 - 5 spend the money you saved on a coffee machine on Computer Hardware
I've never seen the strength marked on the packaging, just darkness of roast. Is that the same thing?
Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Biscuit
Cheers but i have the hardware is want and I would really like a machine... I find it hard to believe it's a case of spending £150 or don't bother :-\
Any standard filter machine (Russell Hobbs one I think I have) will do fine. I only use my filter machine for making large quantities of coffee. Caffetiere/French Press works because it's so simple and natural. Filter coffee filters out some of the oils that can add that extra richness. There are also pourover devices in from companies like Hario too which a lot of people like.
I used to make some in the morning then put the rest in a good thermos straight away and it keeps hot for ages whilst not ruining it like a hot plate which is basically cooking.
I leave espresso to the pros in soho, there are some fantastic (mostly antipodean run) places in central London.
Re Americano, a good americano is supposed to taste like watered down espresso, but if you have good espresso this can work very well indeed, also the chains will usually add way too much water to it. Much easier to make a good filtered coffee though and the range on offer just from the supermarkets is excellent. Some Starbucks blends are good too, special edition blends are almost always a good shout and the sumatra is really top notch (some are completely naff though IMO).
I am tempted to get an aeropress, never got round to it. The best description I've read is that it's most similar to moka pot coffee. It's close to espresso strength but without the unique espresso flavour. I imagine it's a great way of making home made lattes.
Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
Found this site everything a coffee lover needs also has a free 0800 number,
http://democoffeesite.com/forum/
Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
I'll get slammed for this but never mind...
For a budget of £100 and for someone 'getting into' coffee are the espresso pod machines so bad? Really? Don't just blurt out an answer, actually think!
I picked up a cheap Nespresso machine and it makes better espresso than any coffee shop I've been into (granted mostly big chains) It's easy and convenient.
That was my starting point while I wasn't sure if I'd stick with the whole espresso thing, after spending time drinking it I'd now look at perhaps getting a decent machine (well, whatever is decent for a couple of hundred) and keep working up the line until the price/performance levels out.
If you do consider one then pop into a large departments store that has a Nespresso booth and they'll make you up some to try out, don't know them till you've tried them! Afterall, like I said, it's more of an introduction than a solution you'll stick with forever.
Re: New to coffee - find me a machine!
I've not tried Nespresso type things in the last few years - previously the ones I tried were more like syrupy filter coffee than anything like an espresso. Perhaps that's changed now, but if so I'd like to understand how they are doing it. What is it about the pod system that would enable them to produce espressos more cheaply than an espresso machine?