All Things Coffee ...

[FootyLovin]

If you have your coffee hours apart, is there a reason you wouldn't want a single cup brew machine?

We love our Delonghi, but it is likely overkill for you. But Nespresso and similar machines are great. Press a button and fresh cup in 60 seconds.

 

[mgarbowski]

If you have your coffee hours apart, is there a reason you wouldn't want a single cup brew machine?

We love our Delonghi, but it is likely overkill for you. But Nespresso and similar machines are great. Press a button and fresh cup in 60 seconds.

It's not so much hours apart, and more like fill a mug, drink half, top it off, finish most of it. Top it off again, add more milk, etc. Even if I do finish the mug completely, I like being able to just pour more. I usually drink roughly 3 complete mugs this way in the first 2-3 hours of the morning. That's probably 7 maybe 8 traditional coffee cups (which are less than official measured cups).
I can make other solutions work, but I've been doing it this way for years.
Honestly I could see getting a Delonghi that does both espresso and regular American. I need to research a bit.

 

[joe]

It's not so much hours apart, and more like fill a mug, drink half, top it off, finish most of it. Top it off again, add more milk, etc. Even if I do finish the mug completely, I like being able to just pour more. I usually drink roughly 3 complete mugs this way in the first 2-3 hours of the morning. That's probably 7 maybe 8 traditional coffee cups (which are less than official measured cups).
I can make other solutions work, but I've been doing it this way for years.
Honestly I could see getting a Delonghi that does both espresso and regular American. I need to research a bit.

They do make insulated french presses. Bodum

Oxo machines seem well regarded, but I make all my coffee manually so I'm not going to be the most helpful...

 

[Seth]

I used those and like them, but I wish there were a way to solve keeping the coffee warm for 1-2 hours after brewing.

Yeah, that is a down side, I’m curious if there are some all metal models that you can set on a stove at a low temp to warm them back up or just keep them warm

Espro P7 - P7 French Press Coffee Maker

Double layer metal, comes in colors (new!), makes good coffee. Not for the stove but sort of thermos-like. Not going to keep your coffee hot for three hours but you can certainly pour another cup. No filters as it uses a double filter basket thing on the plunger instead. Which works fine.

But that's why I went back to a regular coffee maker. If you're OK with a gold mesh filter in your standard coffee maker you should be totally OK with the Espro. For me though, I prefer fully filtered coffee using paper filters. Also, I'm only a pretend coffee snob, to be laughed out of the room by true coffee aficionados. Used an AeroPress for years, which makes truly great coffee, but eventually just got tired of being "cool" and bought a normal-ish coffee maker. Make a pot of coffee, just keep pouring for hours rather than enjoying a "coffee making experience" with each cup. So I got a plain old coffee maker that can keep the warming plate on for four hours. Most only go for two hours, and I found I would go for that third cup 20 minutes too late every time.

Evidence of my claims, from just now:

I have this one: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QL9QWKS/

I think that's since been replaced but I think it was $50-ish. Good quality but not horrifyingly expensive if I had to replace it in two years. Hard to find a four-hour model though.

So I am a coffee snob in that I buy fresh beans and grind them myself every morning. And I have good bean canisters for them. But I totally get kicked out of the club for several reasons:

Sacrilege #1 - You're supposed to buy 12 ounce bags of beans so they're at their freshest. I buy two 5-pound bags from Brooklyn Roasting every four months or so and mix them together. I used to get a normal sized can of the two beans I like on my way to work but they closed the stores that were convenient to me (pandemic) and now I work from home anyways (also pandemic). So rather than ship small cans of beans every other week I just get the big bags.

Sacrilege #2 - The half-caf thing. Simply awful.

Sacrilege #3 - The four hour thing. I'm cooking my coffee! Horrors!

Sacrilege #4 - Milk in my coffee. Immediate grounds for ejection from the coffee club. As if any of the first three weren't enough on their own.

Grinder: Baratza Encore - Burr Coffee Grinder
Containers: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W6RKJVF/
Coffee #1: Mexico Oaxaca Coffee from Brooklyn Roasting Company
Coffee #2: https://brooklynroasting.com/shop/peruvian-decaf/?attribute_grind=Whole+Bean
Scale: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0821BRVDR/

Note: that both the Espro and the Baratza are on sale at the moment (25% off and 20% off). Also, Baratza sells refurbs on occasion at a nice discount, which is how I got mine. Not good if you're in a rush though. Also, the scale's discontinued as well but any scale that measures 10ths of a gram will be fine.

And lastly, my secret formula: 48g of ground beans for 900g water for three mugs of coffee. Although again if I was a true coffee snob I'd tell you I actually use 4.84g and 901g. But at that point we're talking about a couple of beans or two-water-drop differences, to be fair.

 

[adam]

Used to grind and do all that lovely stuff with the aeropress we discussed on this thread years ago. I’m strictly a nesspresso guy now. It’s easy, it’s strong, there’s tons of options and I like the crema created even on the regular cups of joe from the verturo line. Also, newer versions can make 3 sizes, espresso, reg cup, and large pour over carafe size (Won’t keep it hot for you, but you can make in in an insulated container). Yeah I know I’m paying $1 a cup/espresso. But it’s quick easy and delicious. I paid a lot more in my 20s when I’d order lattes in a store. Guess I’m also kicked out of the coffee snob club now too, but I’ll just keep sipping my nessrepesso and minding my own business while the snobs complain.

 

[mgarbowski]

I bought a Technivorm Moccamaster about 5 years ago, it's still going strong with no change in performance. I wanted a machine for simplicity but for quality, I wanted to make sure I got one that would consistently get the water temperature right. The Moccamaster is simple and consistent so it meets my needs well. It's also low maintenance, about once a month I run some of the coffee machine cleaner linked below through it and that's about it.

https://www.amazon.com/Urnex-Espresso-Machine-Cleaner-Cleancaf/dp/B000FDDU8G/ref=pd_day0fbt_img_sccl_2/146-7454752-3965407?pd_rd_w=30Off&content-id=amzn1.sym.225af909-a644-4665-9f15-c780ebd0c7cb&pf_rd_p=225af909-a644-4665-9f15-c780ebd0c7cb&pf_rd_r=XEXARH4BF9RQ713WM52S&pd_rd_wg=spWYc&pd_rd_r=9d1075b6-9cd1-46d9-8b96-cf9e8019673d&pd_rd_i=B000FDDU8G&th=1

That's very intriguing. In fact the only real negative for me is the size.

 

[FootyLovin]

If anyone wants to add more go ahead,

I had the Delonghi Magnifica. Freaking awesome. Switched to the Delonghi Dinamica when our Magnifica died after about 8 years. We drink 6-10 shots per day and estimate that we save over $500 per year on coffee vs pod systems like Keurig and Nespresso. The Dinamica does short shots, tall shots (our preferred selection) and american. I highly recommend.

Also, strongly recommend Seattle Coffee Gear. We bought our first machine from them (and second with AmEx points) and thought they were terrific. Willing to answer any and all of our many, many questions.

Last plug for the Delonghi. After 18 days in Italy I thought I would come home and be ruined for my usual coffee. Nope. Fired up my Delonghi and loved the cup it brewed.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[moogoo]

I had the Delonghi Magnifica. Freaking awesome. Switched to the Delonghi Dinamica when our Magnifica died after about 8 years. We drink 6-10 shots per day and estimate that we save over $500 per year on coffee vs pod systems like Keurig and Nespresso. The Dinamica does short shots, tall shots (our preferred selection) and american. I highly recommend.

Also, strongly recommend Seattle Coffee Gear. We bought our first machine from them (and second with AmEx points) and thought they were terrific. Willing to answer any and all of our many, many questions.

Last plug for the Delonghi. After 18 days in Italy I thought I would come home and be ruined for my usual coffee. Nope. Fired up my Delonghi and loved the cup it brewed.

Good luck and enjoy!

I don't have the delonghi, but also have a superauto (saeco incanto plus). mine isn't as nice as the dinamica but after using mine for a year, I regret not spending more to get a higher end, feature rich model. First step into the superauto world and I wasn't sure I would enjoy it.

I also purchased through seattle coffee gear during their holiday sale and got a great deal. they often have great sales and highly recommend them.

super autos are great. a lot of the nicer models also have a drip coffee feature and can brew whole pots into insulated pots (no hot plate for keeping it warm). Some also have ice coffee settings. convenience is the biggest thing though. i used to be a manual grind and pull espresso shot kinda guy. then i went to aeropress for more convenience. superauto convenience blows it all away with a simple 2 minute, daily dump and rinse of the grounds bin and a weekly rinse of the brew unit.

no the espresso isn't as good as a dedicated machine, but if a normal drip/pour over coffee machine is what you enjoy then a superauto espresso is probably plenty good.

yea they are pricey, but they pay for themselves in convenience, imo.

 

[Schwallacus]

Used to grind and do all that lovely stuff with the aeropress we discussed on this thread years ago. I’m strictly a nesspresso guy now. It’s easy, it’s strong, there’s tons of options and I like the crema created even on the regular cups of joe from the verturo line. Also, newer versions can make 3 sizes, espresso, reg cup, and large pour over carafe size (Won’t keep it hot for you, but you can make in in an insulated container). Yeah I know I’m paying $1 a cup/espresso. But it’s quick easy and delicious. I paid a lot more in my 20s when I’d order lattes in a store. Guess I’m also kicked out of the coffee snob club now too, but I’ll just keep sipping my nessrepesso and minding my own business while the snobs complain.

Been using an AeroPress a bunch now, probably the best and smoothest cup of coffee I've had. Love using it, but will take a look into the Nespresso. I think my wife may have one but I'd need to check.

How do you compare the Nespresso with AeroPress? Obviously the AeroPress is a bit more work/labor, but I'm curious if you ever go back for it here and there or are purely Nespresso-only now.

Cheers!

 

[adam]

Been using an AeroPress a bunch now, probably the best and smoothest cup of coffee I've had. Love using it, but will take a look into the Nespresso. I think my wife may have one but I'd need to check.

How do you compare the Nespresso with AeroPress? Obviously the AeroPress is a bit more work/labor, but I'm curious if you ever go back for it here and there or are purely Nespresso-only now.

Cheers!

I loved the aeropress, but sadly that and my grinder have been gathering dust in my cabinet since I got the Nesspresso. It’s a combo of pure laziness and that it means I have to go out an buy beans. Maybe you’ll motivate me to get a small bag of beans and make a special breakfast sunday with some French toast or something, But who am I kidding.

How they compare? The intenso is a great cup of coffee, and as mentioned I love the crema since I take it black. It lacks the varied flavors I would get with different beans or mixing my own combos, but it’s consistent and easy. There’s so many flavors for nesspresso, but they aren’t as strong as I prefer. I also go Diablolito for their espresso. They provide a scale for how strong their coffees are and I lean towards the strongest. Those two hit the spot for me. I’ll mix in a flavor from time to time, but those are my recs. So I’m sacrificing nuanced flavors for a crema topping and pure laziness. I’m not proud of it, but I enjoy it just as much. And as mentioned to Mark, guests LOVE it.

 

[FootyLovin]

I loved the aeropress, but sadly that and my grinder have been gathering dust in my cabinet since I got the Nesspresso. It’s a combo of pure laziness and that it means I have to go out an buy beans. Maybe you’ll motivate me to get a small bag of beans and make a special breakfast sunday with some French toast or something, But who am I kidding.

How they compare? The intenso is a great cup of coffee, and as mentioned I love the crema since I take it black. It lacks the varied flavors I would get with different beans or mixing my own combos, but it’s consistent and easy. There’s so many flavors for nesspresso, but they aren’t as strong as I prefer. I also go Diablolito for their espresso. They provide a scale for how strong their coffees are and I lean towards the strongest. Those two hit the spot for me. I’ll mix in a flavor from time to time, but those are my recs. So I’m sacrificing nuanced flavors for a crema topping and pure laziness. I’m not proud of it, but I enjoy it just as much. And as mentioned to Mark, guests LOVE it.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but anyone looking at Nespresso (or Keurig) I strongly encourage to consider a super-automatic. It is a much bigger initial cost for the machine. But then you are paying a fraction for the beans vs pods going forward. And you have full control over what beans you use. (We drink a lot of coffee in my house - 5-10 cups/day - and save an estimated $500+/year on beans vs. pods.)

And the coffee, crema, speed, convenience are all incredible.

 

[mgarbowski]

I ended up buying a superautomatic for myself over Christmas week. I went sort of mid end with a Phillips 4300 ($899), because I simply did not see the benefits of paying $1,200 or significantly upwards for what those brands and models seem to offer.
I have had it about a week now and I'm very happy. Maybe eventually I'll wish I spent more but not yet.

Two side notes: In my research I came across a number of people who claimed that Seattle Coffee Gear has gone downhill since being sold about 2 years ago (I think). The claims are that helpfulness pre-purchase in terms of advice and guidance is now much more hit or miss and service re returns or handling problems is decidedly worse. I can't confirm or deny. I bought thru Sur La Table based on availability, price and rebate.

Second, I stumbled across a discussion at reddit yesterday about the need to avoid dark roasts in SAs because they are more oily. I never saw this mentioned anywhere else. The issue is the oil keeps building up in the grinding gears hardens and and eventually causes problems that are both hard and expensive to fix. Some of the folks there were adamant about it and advised not to use even a single bag of dark roast and you're better off throwing it away if you can't return it, gift it, or find an alt use for it. Others, including one who claimed to work on SA repairs for Delonghi/Philips, says the problem is way overblown and it takes many years to create a problem. He only saw 2 machines because of oil buildup in 2 years of doing that work and both had been using oily beans exclusively for years.
I never saw this issue anywhere else. The documentation for my machine says nothing about avoiding dark or oily roasts. So I'm passing this on as a PSA. OTOH I get the sense if you haven't had a problem yet not too late to switch

 

[FootyLovin]

Second, I stumbled across a discussion at reddit yesterday about the need to avoid dark roasts in SAs because they are more oily.

Our first machine needed repair at one point from using oily beans. At least that was our understanding. Here is what I learned since.

1. Turns out when people say they like dark roasts, what they are really saying is that they like the flavor of the roast itself, not the individual coffee bean. The lighter the roast the more you get to experience the nuanced flavors and tasting notes of that bean. When I was younger I thought darker meant better because it meant you were into a stronger coffee flavor, not that weak light roast bullshit. Turns out, I just had no notion of subtlety. I have found that I really like light roasts.

2. I also like variety. And a lot of the beans I want to try on any given day are medium or dark. While I rarely get anything dark, I do venture regularly into medium and every now and then a dark. This is in stark contrast to directly post our first machine breakdown when we would examine beans in minute detail to ensure there was no trace whatsoever of any oil.

3. How did I transition back from only the lightest of light roasts to being more adventurous? I discovered (this is a bit embarrassing) that there is a cleaning procedure for the superautomatic that I never knew about that is recommended to be done every month or so. In over 10 years of owning these machines I'd never done that. It basically entails brushing out loose grinds and removing one of the core components to soak in warm water for a couple of minutes. I assume this stops the gunk build up.

4. If this cleaning procedure actually doesn't stop the gunk build up, I'm okay with that. If I have to replace this coffee maker every 5+ years (first one went 7 years), I'm happy to do that.

ETA: Congrats on the purchase! Wishing you many delicious and convenient cups of coffee ahead.

 

[moogoo]

I ended up buying a superautomatic for myself over Christmas week. I went sort of mid end with a Phillips 4300 ($899), because I simply did not see the benefits of paying $1,200 or significantly upwards for what those brands and models seem to offer.
I have had it about a week now and I'm very happy. Maybe eventually I'll wish I spent more but not yet.

Two side notes: In my research I came across a number of people who claimed that Seattle Coffee Gear has gone downhill since being sold about 2 years ago (I think). The claims are that helpfulness pre-purchase in terms of advice and guidance is now much more hit or miss and service re returns or handling problems is decidedly worse. I can't confirm or deny. I bought thru Sur La Table based on availability, price and rebate.

Second, I stumbled across a discussion at reddit yesterday about the need to avoid dark roasts in SAs because they are more oily. I never saw this mentioned anywhere else. The issue is the oil keeps building up in the grinding gears hardens and and eventually causes problems that are both hard and expensive to fix. Some of the folks there were adamant about it and advised not to use even a single bag of dark roast and you're better off throwing it away if you can't return it, gift it, or find an alt use for it. Others, including one who claimed to work on SA repairs for Delonghi/Philips, says the problem is way overblown and it takes many years to create a problem. He only saw 2 machines because of oil buildup in 2 years of doing that work and both had been using oily beans exclusively for years.
I never saw this issue anywhere else. The documentation for my machine says nothing about avoiding dark or oily roasts. So I'm passing this on as a PSA. OTOH I get the sense if you haven't had a problem yet not too late to switch

We finally know! I've been dying... Congratulations. My machine is similar but older model.