making Starbucks type coffee at home

pennymakespounds

Wanting to be able to have the real starbucks / costa type coffee at home ... interested to hear about the "bean to cup" type machines which do it the easy way.

First glance shows huge range of prices .. but need to understand why the differences .

less worried about the price .. just striving to make coffee like that !.

thanks

tickle

I work in a coffee shop neither of the ones you mentioned though.

I would say gaggia coffee makers are fantastic,they make a lovely coffee.The best coffee to use it matthew algie it is available on the internet.

i do not rate the machines which use coffee pods as you can not control the amount of coffee you make.

Have fun making cappucino i remember the first time i ended up covered in milk froth.

pennymakespounds

thanks tickle .

Do you think the "beans to cup" machines are as "idiot proof" as they sound ?

ellie14

my friend is a barista ie coffee expert ,she has a gaggia machine ,at home as well as one in her coffee shop,she says they are work intensive but make lovely coffee ,its all to do with the temperature of the water !

fuzyfelt

What type of coffee do you want to make? Espresso? Filter? Cappucino? That'll depend on what type of machine you want... It's a bit more work making from scratch, but you'll end up with a much better coffee. 1st important thing is starting with decent fresh beans (different bean types for different coffee), and using a good grinder (burr type).

Best for cheapest price is just to use a caffetiere (the plunger type of thing) if you want a long filter type coffee.

I've had a 'briel duo' espresso maker for a couple of year - works good once I get the right grind for the coffee and it's set up right.

A regular filter pot will do ok, but i never really got on with these.

For best coffee use a vacuum pot (like 'bodum santos') - takes time to make, and a pain to clean, but makes the best coffee (filtered type).

Andy

R2k6

Ah, I remember being where you are now, and a lot of money has flowed under the bridge since then!

I've had the cheaper machines, bean-to-cup etc - they all have their merits, but in short it really is not difficult or that expensive to have coffee at home WAY better than Starbucks etc.

https://www.toomuchcoffee.com is an excellent UK based forum for finding good views.

I have learned that the standard advise is very true:
1. Good freshly roasted beans are vital. Matthew Algie mentioned above has a good reputation, and currently my favourite beans come from Hasbean.

2. A good grinder is way more important than an expensive coffee maker. The grind is everything, and this is one of the shortcomings of cup-to-bean machines (which for sheer convenience are not really so bad) Decent grinders start at around £100, and that will help you make good coffee in almost anything.

If you get the coffee making bug, you will save much in the future by spending wisely now!

Good luck!

snow

R2k6, and may I ask you what is your choice for a coffee maker now?