I love coffee but to be honest my espresso machine – whilst ok is a bit of a pain and those espresso capsule things look right easy.

Any good and are they expensive to run?

They are ok but not great. I had a Tassimo one which made a nice coffee but if you drink a lot of it the cost of the capsules soon add up. I went back to a Cafetiere after I ran out of the last lot of capsules.

Love mine easy to use no fuss no mess. Capsules vary from about 24-28 pence, hardly breaking the bank even if you drink 3-4 a day.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260705277062&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_500wt_1156

Ends in an hour, professional-spec machine with a steam wand. £149 is way below list for these, even direct from Lavazza.

I could have it with you in 2 working days, mainland UK 😆

Postage is £10 not my previous guestimate of £50.

The missus and I had a demo of a nespresso machine. Tried a whole variety of the different pods they sell. Universally unimpressed. Yes, it’s very easy to use, but the end results were massively overextracted, bitter, thin, and frankly only fit for the sink. I think there’s not enough coffee in the pod to produce a good extraction, and its not packed or tamped well enough.

I’ll stick with messing round with my Gaggia classic and Mazzer grinder. Much slower. Much faffier, Much messier, but SO much better tasting.

We’ve had Nespresso machines in rented holiday apartments. Not impressed compared to proper espresso.

Better than instant but not as good as coffee.

Think I’ll stick with my Delonghi then after some nicely honest comments

Cheers all.

I’m on my second machine, and would recommend it. True, if you are a coffee snob I’m sure you can produce better yourself. The thing is, can you be bothered with the hassle and mess? A quick cup in the morning before work, no mess no grief.

I think the coffee is pretty good, and my Italian work colleagues in Milan use Nespresso, so it can’t be that bad.

I love mine to bits, get the model with the milk frother, “Magimix 190 Milk”, £170ish.
It only works out expensive cause I’ve never drank so much coffee in my live before as it’s so good with no fuss or mess, buy it you will not regret it. If it broke I’d run out & get another without question.

i thought the coffee wasn’t too bad. i have a gaggia classic and use beans from monmouth and square mile, the nespresso coffee isn’t in the same class but is often better than an espresso from your average restaurant/high st chain and better than a badly made shot using stale old illy in a stovetop

Jura

They make good coffee. Not quite as good as ‘proper’ machines but that’s the payoff for the massive reduction in hassle. Not one for snobs but a good option for normal people 😉

(I don’t have one as I already have a ‘proper’ machine but have had many a nespresso coffee at other people’s houses.)

Not quite as good as ‘proper’ machines but that’s the payoff for the massive reduction in hassle. Not one for snobs but a good option for normal people

Can someone explain to me the “massive hassle” in making proper coffee?

For day-to-day use I use ground (Lavazza) coffee.

I have to:
~ switch machine on (same as Nespresso)
~ wait for machine to warm machine up (same as Nespresso)
~ remove coffee basket (Nespresso users open the machine)
~ put two measured spoons of coffee in and tamp down, takes ~5 seconds (Nespresso users just pop a capsule in)
~ replace coffee basket (Nespresso users close the machine)
~ switch pump on (same as Nespresso)
~ switch pump off (automatic for Nespresso?)
~ remove coffee basket and knock contents into bin (Nespresso users only have to empty used capsules periodically)

So, the massive difference amounts to spooning coffee in, switching the pump off and binning the old grounds after every cup?

As good as any machine for expresso size coffees but if you prefer English size cups you are better with something else.

Can someone explain to me the “massive hassle” in making proper coffee?

there isn’t one, you may have to substitute the months old lavazza coffee with something from a local roaster to make it ‘proper’ though :-)[coffee snob mode]

Nespresso is okay and does the job. For good, no fuss espresso I use ese pods – you can get them from http://www.espressocrazy.com and look at http://www.garraways.co.uk too – waitrose also do them – all at around 20p per espresso. Illy ones cost 32p so too much IMHO. Really good espresso without the grounds or hassle – if that’s all you drink then highly recommended in my view. Machines are easily available too. The illy iperespresso is superb but again expensive – look at the francisfrancis X7 for that.

You know you want a new toy for Xmas really 🙂

I enjoy the ‘hassle’ of making proper coffee – I find it therapeutic. 🙂

No mess, no grinding with a nespresso. That’s where the hassle is for me with my proper machine and the reason why I drink more coffee when at my parents who have a nespresso. Ymmv.

I prefer to grind my own beans rather than having had them pre ground and sat on a shelf for however long. We have a Dolce Gusto at work and when compared to freshly ground it just isn’t anywhere near as good.

WorldClassAccident – Member
They are ok but not great. I had a Tassimo one which made a nice coffee but if you drink a lot of it the cost of the capsules soon add up. I went back to a Cafetiere after I ran out of the last lot of capsules.

POSTED 1 DAY AGO #

i love stw…not reading the post again…the OP asked about Nespresso machines not Tassimo..

We use a Senseo machine every day at home, and order pods from http://www.directcoffeepods.co.uk about 3 times per year as they’re considerably cheaper than UK supermarket prices. I quite like the senseo flavours and the coffee it produces, I know others on here have differing opinions to that. This is the second such senseo pod type machine that I’ve owned.

I’ve used Nespresso machines on holiday and didn’t like the flavour – bitter & watery.

Senseo pod type machine also seem a degree cheaper than a Nespresso pod type machine, direct coffee pods have the senseo machines for around £70.

my parents use a tassimo

all the pods ive tried no matter what brand taste burnt and watery ….

I’ve got one of the more expensive Nespresso machines – I like the coffee (I have espresso) and my wife loves the milky ones. The fact that you can put the milk container in the fridge between uses makes life a lot easier.

I know it may not be much of a recommendation but it’s certainly better coffee than the high street chains produce and if you get the higher strength capsules it’s got a good ‘kick’.

here’s one I made earlier;