Making decent coffee at home

[Jukeboxtardis]

How much do I need to spend to be able to make a really good (strong) oat latte at home? I can't seem to get it right with my current range of stove top espresso thingy, cafetière, dualit milk frother. I buy Monmouth coffee so I don't think it's the coffee that's at fault. It always either tastes too weak or too wet.

I think you'll be fine using a mokka as long as you have properly fine ground coffee

We use a mokka pot and it makes amazing coffee. I don't understand why some feel it doesn't make proper espresso? If it's good enough for Inspector Montelbano it's good enough for me

Please don't rush out and spend ££££ on the fanciest equipment you can buy. I expect it's true that a £300 grinder is a lot better than the one I bought on Amazon for £16.99 three years ago. I'm not knocking the expensive stuff at all. But my cheap grinder gives me coffee that's a heck of a lot better than anything I can make with pre-ground and it's honestly good enough for me.

You can improve your coffee a lot by making some small, inexpensive changes, such as grinding every time, watching a couple of James Hoffman videos (he really knows his stuff), maybe buy an AeroPress. And that might do it for for you. And if it doesn't, then by all means splash out on some of the fancy kit.

Eh? Isn’t that how Italians make it?

Make sure you don't press/compact the Coffee in your Mokka, just lightly pack it. It stops the water getting though properly, and stir the Coffee through before you pour it.

Physics.

A true espresso is made with 15 bar of pressure going through the grinds. Enough to release the oils in the beans and create that classic crema.

Mokas simply don't reach anywhere near that pressure. That's not to say they don't have their uses. Because there are many different ways to prepare and drink coffee.

But if it's a true espresso you want, you need the pressure (hence the name). And it wasn't until about 130 years ago you could have it. So as far as coffee preparation is concerned, it's a bit of a johnny come lately.

I’d watch these 2 James Hoffman videos. One is about the best cheap hand grinders (as a quick and easy upgrade) and another is about the best budget espresso setup <£250. He really knows his stuff and he funds his channel through Patreon so doesn’t push certain brands.

It’s absolutely true that a cheap hand grinder can replace a decent conical burr grinder but I have no desire (nor time) to grind coffee by hand. A friend did happily for many years but has just upgraded to a single dose grinder.

Not "espresso", which means "under pressure".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espresso

I bought a mini espresso machine - just as good as a proper coffee shop one! This is the one I have although it was £80 on amazon when I bought it!
https://www.currys.co.uk/products/beko-cep5152b-manual-espresso-coffee-machine-stainless-steel-10214437.html?istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istFeedId=4d7eb93e-055f-499d-8ee5-1cdcc50d67d1&istItemId=iqprwpimm&istBid=t&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~2043+(Shopping+Ads)+SDA+-+SKA+-+Coffee+Machines+-+Generic+All+-+PMAX~~Exact~71700000114092968~&mctag=gg_goog_7904&kwid=GOOGLE&device=m&ds_kids=&tgtid=2043+(Shopping+Ads)+SDA+-+SKA+-+Coffee+Machines+-+Generic+All+-+PMAX&&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwk6SwBhDPARIsAJ59GwcToHrg__D8PdNR1YaRD_dpv0sFrRgjhooCwXlZQyL1AQBE8fwc5EsaAplVEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Just buy espresso grind and your mocha pot will be fine. Using cafetiere grind was never going to work.

It's essentially because you're trying to make a latte with filter coffee rather than with an espresso shot, and it's a different thing. I'm afraid you can't really replicate it without an espresso machine, and decent ones are a couple of grand (sorry!)

I drink oat flat whites at work but filter at home )I work in coffee but don't have the £££ for a decent machine at home!).

Oh bigger all that I'll stick to nescaff.

Although - having read the full thread - I'll defer to James Hoffman as suggested by a PP!

We use a Mokka pot also - don’t put in as much water as you think and two good scoops of coffee (we love Lazazza ore ground, original red packet and also the gold one.) have the heat on low and let it trickle out. Warm milk frothed in the cafetière and occasionally a squirt of caramel of vanilla syrup. I am a takeout coffee fiend but one of these in my contigo does the trick if I’m out and about.

We have a Delonghi espresso machine with milk spout. It’s great. Was about £125 in 2019.

Love Monmouth coffee, good taste OP. I would buy a good quality coffee machine and grinder second hand. You will have loads of choice living in central London.
I have a rancilio silva which I bought 10 years ago and still works like a dream hence why I think second hand is fine- you can buy extra parts and they are built to last unlike cheaper ones. Eureka mignon grinder is also amazing.
You could go to Bella barista and find some which you like the look of and then keep your eye on Facebook market place and other second hand groups.

I'm afraid you can't really replicate it without an espresso machine, and decent ones are a couple of grand (sorry!)

Horsefeathers. We had beautiful coffee from a small £140 de longhi reduced to £50 for clearance a few years ago. In fact the only reason we changed was because I registered with the de Longhi coffee club, and a year later we had an offer of £300 off a £500 B2C machine, which - 7 years later - is still working daily. (Mainly frothing milk for tea lattes ....)

You need a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder to get an even grind and freshly grind your beans. Then let your water cool to c.95 degrees before pouring so it doesn't burn the beans. That should give you a good coffee relatively cheaply.
Personally I have a delonghi machine which cost about £400 and makes glorious coffee without the faff but it's not strictly speaking necessary.

We have a bean to cup coffee machine .

Bugger all that effort, I've got a Sage Nespresso machine with a steam wand. Makes the best lattes with either oat or soya milk - funnily enough, I'm not great getting cows milk to foam as well with it. Think it was about £400?

I hate to think what I spend on pods but after a week away on holiday without it, I was evil and said it's coming with us next time.

You really don’t need to spend loads to get a good bean to cup machine!

my sage one is £550 and is amazing. Sure, perhaps a professional machine is slightly better and certainly quicker, but for home use you don’t need to spend £2,000…

We have the same one and it’s been making 6 or more cups of coffee a day for the last 5 years. You don’t have to spend thousands. We’ve never tried grinding our own beans but if we did there’s absolutely no way we’d be spending £300 on a grinder 😮

And shock, horror! The Lidl Gold ground coffee is bloody lovely. I’ve tried lots and it’s by far the nicest. I can almost sense the coffee snobs on here squirm🤣

I have a gaggia classic like a poster upthread and a sage grinder. The gaggia takes a bit of practice but makes a really good espresso shot. You can get plenty on Facebook marketplace and the good thing is they are very fixable as all the parts can be replaced.

@BoobyDazzler you are my coffee twin! We buy that Lidl coffee too!! We’ve bought Lavazza and the Lidl is better AND cheaper.❤️

It so is!!