Coffee Expresso Machine - hints and tips please

Mutton_Geoff

DeLonghi has to be heated up for 30 mins

I read that as well before I bought the £50 Cafe Treviso. I think it's either an error in the book or it assumes you want to use conduction from the element to heat the coffee holder.

I find it's ready in less than 5 and I run some boiling water from the kettle through the filter/holder before adding the coffee just to make sure it's very hot.

Oh, another tip, use cold milk, it froths better (even the low fat stuff). I've owned a few machines in the past and I reckon the £50 DeLonghi is stonking great value for money. I bought one ready to try it then blow £ hundreds on a Gaggia when, as I assumed, it would be carp for £50 but I was proved wrong. A year later, it's still going strong. Very pleased with it.

JoeyG

I love good coffee!... but i've learnt over the years that making your own is both expensive and messy
A good espresso machine will probably set you back over £100 brand new, needs to be pump action, I'd go for Krups or Gaggia every time... then you need a decent burr grinder if you are buy whole beans.

I settle for a French Press these days... they seem to break every couple of months, but cheap to replace

totalsolutions

OP, dont bother might look great but OH keeps buying them and (she likes strong coffee) get left alone and then I remove it for the space.

Stevie1

Without reading all the answers-

If you want good coffee you need to invest in a good machine. Non of those high street brands will do a good job. Try Gaggia or Saeco for good machines with an included coffee bean grinder.

fragola

I use one of these:

http://www.bialetti.it/uk/catalogue/scheda.asp?id_cat=24