[Closed] Coffee pod machines

I was a long term fan of Bialetti stove top machines but now am a 100% convert to Nespresso. A Pixie machine is about £100, they work well. Caps are about 30p each.

The inlaws gave me a Philips Senseo machine a few years back. This was ok with the pods but I have discovered the coffee duck pod system. This enables you to use the machine without the pods and use coffee of your choosing. At the moment, I'm enjoying some nice Illy coffee. This provides more flexibilty. Very pleased with this.

I considered these a while back. After using stove top and French press for many years, I inherited my nans Toshiba Filter Mill. A bean to cup filter coffee machine from the 80's which we loved but also died within 6 months.
All I saw with the pod machines was built in obsolescence that adds to land fill and doesn't taste as good as other coffee makers.

I went for one of these.

http://www.cuisinart.co.uk/grind-and-brew-auto.html

It makes a lot of very good coffee.

Thanks for the suggestions. One of the essentials for my Wife is the ability to do Cappuccinos, do the pods allow this?

I was given an Aeropress and grinder for xmas.
Much quicker than press or stovetop and consistently good brews

Housemate got a nespresso at same time, it's ok but i much prefer the fresh grind

Edit: you can buy milk pods for some machines like the nespresso, however i find them a bit of a weird texture. Feels like someones fired steam through one of these
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@Gunz a cappuccino is about the frothy milk (sorry hope this is not patronising). It has an expresso in it which can come from anywhere. The more expensive machines will include a milk foamer of some kind. Yun can achieve the same with a milk pan and a little electric whisk.

For example - £90 for basic machine or an extra £100 to make the milk hot and frothy, as I said there are cheaper ways but perhaps not as neat/self contained

[url= http://www.johnlewis.com/nespresso/browse/pixie/c6000310050 ]John Lewis link[/url]

I've got a nespresso one and like it. probably not as good as proper coffee for the snobs but way better than instant and actually quicker. I think i read somewhere that you can get refillable pods to use your own coffee in, anyone used these? I'm using cafepod capsules at the minute and I think they're actually a bit nicer than the official nescafe ones.

I got given a tassimo for my birthday.

I love my stove top coffee pot and at first I was like Mrs Doyle when she was given a tea maker!

It is very quick and convenient though and ASDA often have offers on the refills (3 boxes for £10). However, you do have to clean out the nozzle or else they spunk coffee grinds all over your worktop (usually when you are in a rush or you're on the last coffee pod!)

The Latte pods are crap because they come with UHT milk which tastes crap - use proper milk and a frother and it tastes much better.

I like our Nespresso. Mrs likes coffee with milk done through the Aeroccino which is quick, plus easy to use and clean.

You can get both bundled together for just over £100, eg. http://www.johnlewis.com/nespresso-inissia-coffee-machine-with-aeroccino-by-magimix/p1239130?sku=233123183&kpid=233123183&s_kenid=6fc6e7d1-c404-b168-824b-00004c2b2253&s_kwcid=402x29535&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=233123183

Some have it integrated which saves needing a second plug, eg. http://www.johnlewis.com/nespresso-citiz-and-milk-coffee-machine-by-krups/p1219176?navAction=jump

Have never liked the idea of the Tassimo type ones where the milk is powdered or UHT in the pod. Grim.

Had a Senseo machine. In stock mode they dish out dishwater, and the only way to get anything acceptable was to get the double height holder and refillable thingy, and choose one specific combination of cup size settings. Since the whole idea of pad/pod machines is convenience, that made it less convenient than a conventional machine.

Had a Nespresso in a hotel room once. It was alright. But only alright. Nothing special other than convenience. The Apple lock-in of coffee, with the tracking of Facebook (although I think there are a few non-Nespresso capsules that will fit?).

Sticking with my Bialetti.

We've just changed our very quick and reliable coffee machine to a big Nespresso machine, which for a commercial environment is a disaster! Slow, gets clogged, milk spout needs constant cleaning etc etc.

Coffee's nice though! 8)

jambalaya - Member
@Gunz a cappuccino is about the frothy milk (sorry hope this is not patronising). It has an expresso in it which can come from anywhere. The more expensive machines will include a milk foamer of some kind. Yun can achieve the same with a milk pan and a little electric whisk.

All understood Jambalaya, I was hoping, vainly, that there was a method by which I could froth the milk without all the hassle but if the alternative is some sort of podded milk substitute I think I'll save up for the combined one Simon suggests.

I got a nescafe dolce gusto for christmas, I had low expectations but was really impressed, it's a million miles away from a Monmouth flat white but it's also streaks ahead of instant, might have a frothy cap now.

We've got a Dolce Gusto - friends got us it as a wedding gift.

It's good at normal coffees and espresso's, but not so good at milky ones. They aren't bad, but because it uses milk in a pod, it doesn't really work as well. Depends on the drink though, as my Wife went through a phase of having one (Cortado, perhaps?) that was pretty good.

I normally stick to the normal coffees and espressos.

Mate has got a Nespresso with the milk frother and that does seem to do better drinks like latte's and capuccino's but I think that the one with the milk frother included is quite a bit more expensive.

I only really drink espresso, so a Nespresso does a good faff free job.

Lidl ristretto caps are £1.79 for 10 and fine by me. They had an offer on before Christmas, 79p for 10 - I bought a trolley full.

Have an Aeropress too, which is good for holidays and camping, but haven't been arsed with it since I got the Nespresso.

We had a Dolce Gusto and didn't really use it as the coffee was a bit meh.
Changed it for a Nespresso two years ago and haven't looked back - nice coffee, plenty of choice, coffee doesn't go off, quick and easy. Had one Aeroccino go wrong which was quickly replaced by Nespresso.
We have a stove top pot as well but it doesn't get a look in now.

I had a Nespresso for the past 8 years and if this one ever does die i'd replace it in an instant.

We got a Nespresso and love it. Ours is a CitiZ Magimix. It as the milk warmer/frothier. I would say its a must with one of them.

There around £100 without the milk warmer or £130-£160 with one. You can buy a warmer at a later date.

Had almost a year and now never make any other kind of coffee.

The pods are around 30p each. But can only be brought in packs of 10.

If you like different kinds of coffee (they make almost 30 different kinds) or drink a lot it can get expensive
We spend around £30-£40 A month on the stuff

i bought the nespresso latissima plus last year and never looked back.

the milk goes into a container which you keep in the fridge and just pop it in the machine when needed and makes lattes, cappuccinos espresso's or americana's at a press of a button. self cleaning and never misses beat.

prioir to that i had gaggia bean to cups and a jura machine that cost a whole lot more and were nothing but hassle. completely sold on the nespresso machines now

@Gunz, its not a podded milk substitute. You put normal milk in the special cup and it heats it and froths it up as per @luffy's post. Go the shop and have a demo. Alternatively just do the milk part as you do now.

I love my tassimo. Wouldn't be without it, makes a decent cappuccino.