To ask for coffee machine recommendations

[Onynx]

I love my coffee but our Nespresso Creatista has died so I'm looking to replace it. I would like to move away from pods completely but I haven't a clue what makes a coffee machine 'good' or what I should be looking for or avoiding in a new machine?

We have had a Delonghi MagnificaS bean to cup for 6 years. You can program the strength of the coffee plus the volume so it fits your cups. It has 4 settings 1 short (espresso), 2 short, 1 long, 2 long but Dh uses the 2 long coffees in one large Next cup.

It also has a milk carafe that cleans itself after it decants the milk, we use it for cappuccinos and you can set the froth to different amounts.

The machine has been very easy to maintain over the years, very easy to clean which was a huge part of the research process. I believe it Dh has around 7-10 coffees a day, Dh drinks decaff though and we just order through Amazon when there is an offer on, previous to that Dh had a contact through work who could get supplies at a discount through a local coffee roaster. Covid and non-office has put a stop to that for a while.

The machine is still around the £350 mark but like I say we use it all the time.

Like @Polkadotties we have the smell espresso machine and milk frother. DH uses it more than me, but I will have one espresso each morning, DD uses it for iced coffee, also for espresso martinis. DS’s use the milk frother for hot chocolate. We don’t have the space for anything bigger, and it is lovely to look at so we are more than happy with it.

*smeg

I have had loads of different machines/percolators/espresso/capsule and I find most of them a right faff. A few years ago, I got a cheap filter drip machine in Tescos sale for £10. I get good coffee, no faff, I don't particularly like milky coffee, quite strong with a little milk. And chuck the biodegradable filter paper away, a quick rinse and it is ready for the next pot. Wouldn't use anything else now.

I too recommend the Delonghi Authentica bean to cup coffee machine. Can adjust strength of coffee and amount of coffee dispensed for size of cup. It’s slimline but does mean filling water tank more often which I don’t mind as I prefer fresh water. Also you use less descaling solution with the tank being smaller. Also self cleans before and after each coffee is made.

We’ve got the Delonghi magnifica S bean to cup and it’s brilliant. Everything is adjustable from strength to volume. It’s also got an easy option for decaf. Highly recommend.

I like my Lavazza

I recommend the Technivorm Moccamaster. I was a coffee snob and wanted the ideal machine for great coffee, but did not want the ritual to eat up my time. After months of research I bought mine almost twenty years ago based on reviews by professionals. It is reliable, highly regarded, easy to operate and to clean. The only thing I have had to replace was the glass carafe (with stainless steel) and a reusable gold foil filter instead of disposable paper. If you are satisfied with your ground coffee or have other means to grind beans, don't combine that function into your coffee maker.

Mine is a DeLonghi bean to cup and I love it. It's similar to this one www.argos.co.uk/product/7557800?clickPR=plp:9:86 but as I've had it a while I paid less than that.

Nesspresso creatista I love it!

Didn't actually read the first post!

Basic filter machine here too. I have it on a smart plug, so set it up at night, and switch it on from my bed in the morning. I go down to a full jug of coffee. Bliss.

The Sage Bambino Plus is a great espresso machine. It has a really small footprint, and is one of the best in its price class. It has an automatic milk frother too, so pretty good for beginners. It doesn't have an integrated grinder.

As for what to looks for, it depends in what you really want from a coffee machine. If you really love coffee, you'd want to avoid anything with pressurised baskets and in general (unless your budget is in the thousands) then you can get better coffee with a separate grinder. If you want something that makes decent coffee easily then a bean to cup espresso machine is probably the best bet - and others on this thread are probably in a better place to advise.

Another vote for Delonghi :)

I bought a second hand Jura after using at a holiday house. V expensive new but brilliant. Had our 2nd hand one for 7 Yrs now and no problems, brilliant and easy to use, makes great coffees.

We couldn't afford a bean to cup machine, so we use a one-touch bean grinder, a stovetop Bialetti and a milk frother/heater. These combined make genuinely the best coffee I've had in my life.

Just got this one - how gorgeous!

Delonghi magnifica S here too. Magnifica indeed.
So simple to use, simple to keep clean and looks good on the bench.

The Neff bean to cup is really good, it is so pricey though.

A friend has the delonghi bean to cup and it's much cheaper and is really good too.

We used to have a Krups machine that made espresso and had a steamer nozzle for frothing milk. It was a basic machine and not expensive but it did make great coffee.

I have to admit at work I have a drip machine that cost about 30 pounds from currys and I use it daily as despite having the ability to make various different coffees in the Neff one, my preferred coffee is definitely a filter one. It's a darned sight easier to clean than the bean to cup type too.

@SoupDragon

I have a Delonghi Dedica which takes ground coffee. No faff, easy to clean, makes good coffee and has a small footprint on the worktop.

We’ve recently bought one of those after our Nespresso started to fail. I’m really impressed with it.

lurkingdh. I thought Gaggia had been bought out. Looking at the reviews the new Clasdics aren’t as good. Where do you get them repaired. We have an old built like a tank broken classic gathering dust. I miss it.

I can recommend the DeLonghi Magnifica bean to cup. The coffee is delicious and it is relatively fuss-free because I am quite short on patience

We've just moved away from pods to a Delonghi Dedica, which actually takes ground coffee or those round flat pods. 100% satisfied with the machine, however can't vouch for the milk steamer bit as we only drink espresso. Use Lavazza Oro in it. Live in Italy, so homemade coffee has a lot to live up to!

We have a delonghi with steamer (that takes ground), a grinder and an aeropress. My husband adores the aeropress for his fancy coffee subscription but we still use the machine regularly when we fancy a frothy coffee or when we have people over and just want to grab a load of ground coffee from the freezer rather than grinding the beans. I can't deny the aeropress espressos are marvellous, however I'm happy with Lidl ground in a cafetiere so am clearly a heathen

@Scr1bblyGum

lurkingdh. I thought Gaggia had been bought out. Looking at the reviews the new Clasdics aren’t as good. Where do you get them repaired. We have an old built like a tank broken classic gathering dust. I miss it.

I thought I’d heard the same, but largely dismissed it as people’s usual falling for the “they don’t make them like they used to” hokum. Haven’t needed to buy one recently though - ours is about 10 years old.

As for repair, it’s the link in my earlier post. They’re very good and really know their stuff.

One caveat though - I hadn’t realised how expensive they are now! I was sure we paid somewhere around £250-300 for ours.