Smeg Bean to Cup Coffee machine

[northernladuk]

Does anyone have, or know someone that has the bean to cup Smeg coffee machine with milk frother? I'm busting to get one but just struggling with the price of it so it's got to be perfect. We've had pod makers and they got some use but have fallen by the wayside like so many kitchen gadgets. I think I'll use a proper bean to cup machine though as long as it's nice and easy and makes a decent coffee.

Has to be the Smeg one as it's got a smaller footprint and we already have the kettle, toaster and weighing scales.

Anyone any experience?

[sadkingbilly]

ask Rimmer??

[ladymuck]

No idea. I have had a Delonghi Magnifica S for the past 15+ years

[Lockhouse]

No idea. I have had a Delonghi Magnifica S for the past 15+ years

So have we! It just goes on and on. We use Lavazza Rosso beans - makes superb coffee. Have you noticed how much the price of decent coffee beans has gone up though? Sheesh.

[ladymuck]

So have we! It just goes on and on. We use Lavazza Rosso beans - makes superb coffee. Have you noticed how much the price of decent coffee beans has gone up though? Sheesh.

I buy my coffee from Alfiecoffee.co.uk, the 1965 blend, which is like a traditional Italian dark roast.

[Snooky]

No idea. I have had a Delonghi Magnifica S for the past 15+ years

DeLonghi here too. Only 7 years old but makes 4-8 cups a day and still going strong!

I can understand why you wouldn't want one if space is at a premium though, the Smeg ones have quite a compact footprint

[vwdan]

I love coffee, though don't have espresso at home, but I've never had great coffee from anybodys bean to cup machine.

IMHO, if you're spending big money, the only way forward is a separate grinder and separate coffee machine. I just don't believe a machine can make coffee worthy of the price.

That said, you may genuinely be best off going another route - I just have a nice grinder (~£200), then I use a combination of french press, aeropress or V60 all of which are like £10-£20 'machines'.

Depends what you like though, if you really want espresso, latte's etc then fair enough. If you like americanos, filter coffee, etc then you won't beat coffee from a V60 or Aeropress. Genuinely, you'll be at "artisan coffee house" standard

[northernladuk]

I love coffee, though don't have espresso at home, but I've never had great coffee from anybodys bean to cup machine.

IMHO, if you're spending big money, the only way forward is a separate grinder and separate coffee machine. I just don't believe a machine can make coffee worthy of the price.

That said, you may genuinely be best off going another route - I just have a nice grinder (~£200), then I use a combination of french press, aeropress or V60 all of which are like £10-£20 'machines'.

Depends what you like though, if you really want espresso, latte's etc then fair enough. If you like americanos, filter coffee, etc then you won't beat coffee from a V60 or Aeropress. Genuinely, you'll be at "artisan coffee house" standard

Thanks for that. I'll have a look at that. Friend of ours has a DeLonghi (I forget which model) and was impressed with the coffee. Much better than normal instant which has given me the bug. Would be quite happy if that's the level the standard bean to cups are at. Theirs had a massive footprint though so not for me.

[WTFH]

I used to have a Gaggia machine, which was great, particularly when I was working away from home, so it was only being used at weekends. If I was at home during the week, I'd use a moka pot to make a large mug which was great.
Working from home, it was too much faff to grind and make an espresso in the Gaggia, particularly if it was on a break between meetings. In the end I went for a KitchenAid Nespresso, which lasted 10 years until it started to leak, and has now been replaced with a Sage.
Yes, it's not as good as fresh ground, I accept that. But it means I can have my one proper coffee a day (silly doctors and their "medical advice"), and then a couple of decafs after it, and my wife can have her chocolate coffee things and decafs when she wants without having lots of cleaning, swapping, storing etc, and the beans/ground coffee doesn't go off.

...this thread is a good reminder, I need to organise a recycling pickup of the used pods.

[mgrover]

I don't want to bash Smeg but I've had nothing but issues with their induction hobs.

As a bit of a coffee nerd I'd say get the Delonghi.

This maybe worth a watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZEM1cC86t8

edit:
**** smeg.

double edit:
pulling espresso shots manually is defo the best and i dont mean a manual lever machine, but dialling in, inconsistency, shots that were decent yesturday at the same grind arent as good today cause the machine isnt consistent can be a headache.