Coffee machine or grinder and cafetière?

[Ejecteject]

in AIBU for traffic.

are we better off getting a coffee machine (if so, what’s a good freestanding one?) or getting an electric grinder and cafetiere?

we have a nespresso with milk thingy but haven’t used it for years so will probably flog on (if it still works) but thinkingfresh beans is way to go?

Cafetières are too watery for my liking and just annoying to clean etc

Thanks all, some really good tips/suggestions for me to research

We have a Jura - it wasn't cheap but it makes fantastic hot coffee ( @CeriB82 - you can set the temperature and the hot is very hot but doesn't scald the coffee). The Philips is also good as are those made by Melitta - we had a very bad experience with a De'longhi but it was probably just a duff machine!

The thing I like about the bean to cup machines is that you can make cappuccino, latte or the various espresso/ Americans coffees and you don't get any grinds in your cup (always happens with a cafetiere in my experience). If, like me, you want to drink cappuccino you need to get one with an automatic milk frother - not a wand - so that it froths the milk for you.

This is what we do, lovely coffee with no machine taking up room on the worksurface

For Dh's 40th 9 years ago I bought him Delonghi Magnigica S with its own milk carafe thing so it makes cappuccino mainly for me; Dh is an espresso in the morning type and then black or flat white coffee in the day. We used to have a stove top coffee maker with a bean grinder but cleaning up each time started to get on our nerves.

The Delonghi is bean to cup and grinds for the coffee you are making, the milk carafe thing cleans itself, the machine also cleans itself. This is what we wanted. Apart from replacing some O rings this machine is still going strong.

Stove top moka pot. The reason they've been around for decades is because they work, and they don't go wrong. They consist of just 5 parts and you can buy replacement parts if they ever wear out. Couldn't be simpler to clean. If you buy the vacuum packed ground coffee, it's the same as grinding beans, but grind your own if you like - I do both.

The capsules typify everything that's wrong with modern consumer fads.

Grinder and cafatiere
I also use a stove top coffee maker for a richly brewed coffee in the mornings.

We’ve had a few different grinders over the years but the best we’ve found is by Krups

We buy our beans in bulk in 1kg bags. Lots of companies online that we’ve used but our favourite is Horn coffee roasters.

If you have small children and need coffee to wake you up: A Delonghi filter machine from Argos and coffee ground in the fancy shop. I got told years ago the grinders in a fancy shop are so much better than the ones at home (slicing not breaking the beans or something) that it's better coffee anyway.

We have this https://www.johnlewis.com/sage-the-smart-grinder-pro-coffee-grinder/p1591194 Sage Smart Grinder plus an insulated cafetiere. We like strong coffee and have never found an espresso machine (pod thing) that we enjoy.

We drink a lot of coffee this way. Doesn't take up much room on countertop either.

I'd get a moka pot, I find cafetieres not as strong or hot.

Italian coffee pot on the stove. They have been around for years. Over time I have been through all sorts of electronic coffee pots with filters and they all fail eventually.

We have a Luca Trazzi machine and use it with a Dualit grinder. They make very good coffee

I’ve toyed with getting a bean-to-cup machine which might be more efficient but the Luca Trazzi looks so good and takes up very little space really. Still in the market for something handsome though!

Stove top. Cheap, minimal mess, compact and brilliant coffee. That’s always hot.

We have an aeropress. Plus coffee grinder.
Plus recently also bought a reusable metal filter. You can otherwise buy paper filters.

So now we just buy the beans, and no waste going into landfill.
I think it is cheaper than instant now, as the price was getting silly for decent instant. But the taster is good.

I have a grinder and reusable coffee pods that I fill up myself, with a Tassimo coffee machine

If you have the money a Sage machine. We bought reconditioned too - saved quite a bit.

Otherwise a stove top Bialetti! Much better than a cafetière.

Aeropress here. We get good fresh ground coffee on subscription or the vacuum packed ground espresso.

We don't have room for a machine so the Aeropress won out over cafetiere (messy) or cone (filters expensive and hard to find).

I got a delinghi eletta bean to cup for Christmas. Love it. It also froths the milk to your choice.

We had a tassimo pod machine and I worried the bean to cup was extravagant but the coffee is so nice freshly ground, don't have to buy expensive pods and waste.

It was 1/2 price from amazon as I think that they have a new one that also tap dances for you or something.

Yeah it's so handy that they clean themselves.

DH had a significant birthday in summer 2020 and his present was a Delonghi Cappuchino bean to cup machine (I got a private number plate for my same significant birthday). We normally just use it to make black coffee but on the (rare) event that we have guests, we can offer cappucino.
These are our goto beans
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lavazza-Crema-Aroma-Coffee-Beans/dp/B000FWHWGS/ref=asc_df_B000FWHWGS/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310620140344&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14012869357165523180&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007375&hvtargid=pla-422106727805&mcid=15f207bd0dc4396190e6105d6a575f7e&th=1

but if we are treating ourselves we buy from here
https://www.glesgaroasters.com/our-coffee

Be hardcore. Arm powered espresso maker.

https://www.maxicoffee.com/en-gb/rok-espressogc-classic-smartshot-lever-espresso-p-162864.html?gad_source=1

My preference is a grinder and cafeteria, that’s what I have. That said, I bought the pod machines for DDs for Uni. One has now bought a cafeteria, and keeps asking me to bring coffee when we visit 🤦‍♀️

I have no practical advice as I just drink espresso because it cools down quicker.