Coffee!

[Tw1nkle]

Hi - I'm not a coffee drinker, but my husband is.
We went away for a weekend over the summer and stayed in a B&B - they had one of those things that you put the coffee in, then plunge down, then pour it out - I have no idea what they're called!
So I'm thinking about buying hubby one for Christmas - then I got to thinking - should I buy him a coffee machine instead?
I really have no clue about coffee, so any advice would be appreciated! Budget would be about £30-£40.
I think the coffee will be more expensive than the 'instant' that he has now, so that needs to be a factor too.....

Get him a tassimo or dolce gusto there always on offer for about 40.00 we use ours every day .

I would go for one of these
www.amazon.co.uk/Hario-Decanter-Pourover-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B00755F9Z4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1416001201&sr=8-4&keywords=hario+v60+coffee+dripper
Or this doors the same thing but cheaper
www.amazon.co.uk/Hario-VD-01T-1-Piece-Plastic-Dripper/dp/B001HC9GIC/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1416001336&sr=8-7&keywords=hario+v60+coffee+dripper
Don't forget to get the right size filter paper and some good quality filter coffee.
Filter coffee is a very different taste to instant though so he may not like it.

I think if you don't drink coffee a tassimo machine or similar would be your best bet. Very good for different types of coffee and less chance of coffee going stale if he doesn't drink that much.

Hubby drinks coffee every day - 4-5 cups.
I'm just concious that the machines use their own 'sachets' which will make them quite pricey.
The two items that padthai has suggested look more favourable I think....

I got an aeropress. (Well I was going to ask for one for Christmas, but scored brand new one in charity shop) it's fantastic, I make a jug of concentrated espresso and just put some in a cup and top up. Hotter and richer than cafetière or filter. I was a 4 or 5 cup woman, I can now only manage 2 cups or I'm bouncing off walls.

I think you're describing an aeropress. Coffee-drinking dp has one and loves it, they aren't expense and can get them on Amazon (but remember the filter papers).

Is it just me who's thinking OPmis talking about a caffatiere? Surely if ongoing expense is an issue that's the best option anyway..

Yeah sounds like a cafetiere.

Cheap as chips and make great coffee when you work out how much coffee to put in for your tastes.

Don't get sucked into an expensive machine if he just likes drinking lots of coffee.

Yes, sounds like a cafetiere. Bodum is a classic brand.

Was given a coffee machine once and gave it away after a few years, practically untouched. Too much faffing - cafetiere all the way in this house.

Cafetiere and a bag of ground coffee beans is what you are after. This will be a relatively easy & inexpensive gift as most supermarkets stock the cafetieres & ground coffee.

How strong does he like his coffee? If you are unsure, then buy him a bag of grade 3 medium strength. Instant coffee is very different & I cant drink it anymore since I switched to filter.

You could makeup a hamper of

coffee related items so cafetiere, nice mug, coffee, Lotus caremalised biscuits or similar & those caramel or chocolate spoon sirrer things.

I also don't drink coffee but DH does. He has had various machines and cafitiers over the years, but I gave him an aeropress a couple of years ago and that's all he has used since. Quick, simple and everyone who has had coffee from it says it's the best they have ever had.

Another vote for a cafetiere. Simple and easy to use and makes great coffee.

Get him one of these:
www.worldmarket.com/product/white-euro-coffee-dripper.do
(sorry, am in US, but I bought mine in the UK - from tesco direct I think! you should find one pretty easily)

Then a pack of filter papers - from a specialist coffee shop, or Whittards (though theirs are expensive), or online.

You set the cone on top of the mug, put a filter paper in, add coffee, then pour boiling water in, and it drips fresh coffee into your cup.

They're brilliant because they make one cup at a time (with a cafetiere, you end up with loads of cold coffee) and you just pick the paper up out of it and shove it in the (compost) bin. Rinse the cone thingy. No mess.

Use ordinary ground coffee in it.

TK Maxx usually have a good selection of cafetieres in various sizes, p!us nice espresso cups? I'd say definitely get a non pod thing as much more choice of coffee and probably cheaper plus less waste as you won't need to get rid of pods. If you've got a local deli or organic food shop they probably stock some nice locally roasted coffee.

I have a one cup sized cafetiere and there is no waste at all.

The aeropress is fab. I drink copious amounts of coffee. Have had every type of machine under the sun and always went back to the cafetiere........ until I found the aeropress. I think if he's the only one in the house drinking coffee then it would be ideal and it really does make superb coffee.

Thanks everyone!
I had no idea that there was so much choice!
After reading many reviews, I've decided on the aeropress!
Id never even heard of these, but they look great......fingers crossed hubby likes it.
Thanks again everyone. X

Have a look for pact coffee, they had a deal on recently where you get a bag of coffee and a hario dripper for 6.95 I think.