Bean to cup coffee machine for a novice

[DinoHat]

I’ve had several pod machines but never a bean to cup machine. I spend an absolute fortune on Nespresso pods and so looking for a new machine.

Budget ideally £500-800

i really like the look of this one - Sage the Barista Touch Machine, Bean to Cup Coffee Machine with Milk Frother, SES880BTR - Black Truffle https://amzn.eu/d/4cyHpdu
but some reviews say the aftercare service isn’t that good - it’s quite a large spend so I don’t want to be replacing it for several years!

The touch screen really appeals to me
for ease.

I’ve looked at delongi machines before as they seem to have good reviews.

I want to make americanos, lattes and cappuccinos. Needs to be easy to use.

Any recommendations please?

Buy a thermos at the same time?. This week DD is on earlies (7.00am) so her first cup of the day is probably on the bus, and her second when she gets to work.

The price difference between reconditioned and new, made an extravagant present affordable. Good coffee was a lockdown treat (a shout out for the Ethiopian Coffee Company) but an expensive taste for someone who is only just emerging from a student lifestyle. Beans are now from Lidl, but apparently the coffee is still good. I am not sure whether she will still use the thermos when she does not need to be frugal. Take outs are a treat.

@Needmoresleep i use my thermos now. I am just a bit extravagant 🫢

We have the Jura ENA8 (baby brother of the E8) - foolproof. Put beans in, press button and go! You can set the grind from coarse to extra fine (we use slightly finer than medium as that makes the best cappuccino for us), the coffee strength, amount of water, temperature of the water etc (or just leave it on the factory settings). Easy to clean (special programme), easy to descale (special programme), tells you when you need to do them and when to change the filter. For a novice it's easy.

I am a complete coffee snob, and had a coffee machine in the 1990s (which I bought from a specialist Italian place in central London) ie ages ago :-). I used to buy my beans from a specialist supplier etc etc.

in my dotage, I have come to the conclusion, sorry op, that a coffee plunger is by far the best way of getting coffee exactly like you want it.

i also went through some fancy plungers (eg david mellor etc) but now I have a simple bodum plunger, about £20-30.

That said, I am an extremist and I like my coffee black these days, not as a wimpy cappuccino etc. but if I want frothy coffee then I do have a little hand held whisk thing (probably £20 off Amazon).

Basically, I no longer see the (functional) point of these funky machines, other than the (emotional) joy a funky machine brings.

to conclude: my coffee is PERFECT in my French press. Save the £780 for other nice things.

Oh yes, and for beans I have a little electric grinder so I get the amount I want.

Funny as I listened to a podcast with a coffee https://open.spotify.com/episode/4CGaUvdIAJHI9xtyh96TBo?si=9Ri0m6OISZepbEbHFUIQnA and that was basically his sentiment. I want the
convenience of the machine. I love coffee and I would go to the effort but my DH wouldn’t so this is a good compromise. I do think there’s only so much the machine can offer though and they’re essentially the same thing marketed differently.

Another vote for the Jura E8. Of everything in my kitchen I'd replace it same day if it broke (though their after sales has been brilliant) the right beans are key too.

Hi, I searched mumsnet to see if anyone had discussed this machine and your comment came up! Hopefully you will see this. Does the Specialista do coffee at the press of a button or do you have to tamp it etc? We had a Magnifica which I need to replace and not sure if the Specialista would be a good upgrade…thanks for any pointers!