Coffee Machines

[d000hg]

I work at home so a supply of decent coffee is crucial. For years I had a standard filter maker, glass jug & heated plate. Problem is after a couple of hours the coffee goes really stale - actually grey when milk is added. I imagine it's due to being stewed on the hot plate.
Recently I got an insulated caffetiere from Ikea, keeps coffee hot for a good hour or two but still it begins to go off by that time... coffee starts leaving a layer of scum on the cup and generally tastes less than great.

I don't know if it's possible to keep coffee fresh for several hours by any means, so I'm wondering if something that makes a single cup ata time is best. Those 'pod' machines look nice but I have to assume they are very expensive to run. What I am considering is getting an espresso machine, and then adding hot water to make fresh coffee more like in a coffee shop.

Does anyone have any advice or recommendations? Is a £200 machine actually any better tha a £50 one for simply making coffee?

[Board Game Geek]

This topic comes up once every few months, so a search would provide more information.

However, in summary, an espresso machine is the way to go if you want to make decent, barista-style coffee.

The Gaggia Baby Dose is an excellent place to start.

The chemical properties and dynamics of coffee do not lend themselves to being kept "on stew" for several hours. It loses all flavour and turns to tar.

Knowing how to treat coffee is one of the most important skills : eg, for a cafetiere, you use nearly boiling water, and it needs to infuse for 4 minutes before plunging and drinking straight away.

Learning how to use an espresso machine, likethe Gagggia, is not difficult and takes a few goes to learn how to do it. When you do, you will be very pleased with the results, I promise.

Pod machines, like the Senseo and Nepresso, produce "palatable coffee", and they do all the brewing for you.

However, you need to decide whether you want "palatable coffee" or "fantastic coffee", for a little extra effort.

Using a Gaggia is as follows.

1. Turn on machine and wait 5-7 minutes for it to heat up.
2. During the waiting, prepare the cups, and fill the ground coffee holder. Lightly press it down with the tamper.
3. Feel side of machine. If warm, proceed to step 4.
4. Press the 1 cup dose or 2 cup dose.
5. Coffee will flow through.
6. Add another dose if you like it stronger. This is the bit you will try out whilst learning the machine a few times. I use 3 doses for 2 cups.
7. Open the steam valve and disperse any water in to a spare cup. Close the valve.
8. Press the steam button.
9. When the steam button is green, open the valve again to get rid of any more water in to a cup. Close the valve.
10. Insert a stainless steel milk jug under the steam valve, open it up slowly, and start frothing and heating the milk. This takes a few goes as well to get right.
11. If you have a thermometer (Gaggia sell one), you want to aim to get the coffee to about 65 deg C. Any more and the milk will burn.
12. Turn off steam valve, wipe frosther with a damp cloth. Turn off machine and open valve to let out excess steam in to a cup.
13. Using a tablespoon to catch the froth, pour milk in to cup of coffee, and add a bit of froth at the end (if making cappucino).

Sounds difficult, but once you get the hang of it, you will execute the process automatically and smoothly.

And the coffee will be amazing (once you get past a few beginner's mistakes).

Then visitors will start demanding a taste of the machine. Be warned, your friends may insist on an espresso from now on.

Good Luck !

[OwlHoot]

The best thing to get is a £40 kettle (or less if you're a cheapskate), and a large tin of Arabica or Gold Blend instant coffee.

[dinker]

The best thing to get is a £40 kettle (or less if you're a cheapskate), and a large tin of Arabica or Gold Blend instant coffee.

Or just stick a saucepan of water on your hot-plate.

[TheVoice]

I have 2 Tassimo machines, never found them overly costly...

[Archangel]

I have the Gaggia Baby Dose, and although I'm on my third in a year (reliability does seem an issue) the coffee is really superb. Use the 5 minutes it takes to make a great cup of espresso as a break from work which will also do you good.

[voodooflux]

I'm planning on treating myself to a Rancilio Silvia at some point soon - supposedly legendary in the world of coffee making but a bit pricey at £375.

[d000hg]

I have the Gaggia Baby Dose, and although I'm on my third in a year (reliability does seem an issue) the coffee is really superb. Use the 5 minutes it takes to make a great cup of espresso as a break from work which will also do you good.

Did they replace the broken ones under warranty without problems?

[expat]

We recently bought a Krups dual machine, and find it excellent. My own old Gaggia is in the garage, may be kept or not.

The Krups has 2 sections, entirely independent, in the same body: an espresso machine and a drip maker. We got the latter because partner likes the smell of filter coffee in the kitchen on a Sunday morning.

The espresso part has 3 cups, double, single, and pods. All 3 give excellent results with astounding crema. Easy push-buttons for dispensing. Pods are not too expensive.

I couldn't believe it for 179.00 (John Lewis). I had resigned myself to giving up my beloved Gaggia to keep my partner happy; but instead we got something that makes better coffee (OK, old machine needed a service, but still...)

[d000hg]

If you make a cup of 'regular' coffee using espresso and hot water, would you just make an espresso and stick the kettle on?