a week into lockdown and realising that I need a coffee machine. Don’t want a capsule one….would prefer to be able to make in a la café style. Anyone recommend me one that is decent, can froth milk, not a pain in the ass to clean, not bigger than a small child, and less than £100.
thanks.

Light, strong, cheap ………………….

2nd hand gaggia classic, the older model.

Aeropress.

… and a milk frother.

My Aeropress has taken a back seat to a stove top Jobbie.
Both cheapo and ace.

Stovetop.

Ebay

OK, probably won’t end under £100!

My coffee machine broke yesterday, I’d had it for years and it made a perfect cup every time (until it went rogue). It was an old version of the one below

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8477958

Aeropress, best coffee maker I have used.

I have an aeropress, IME it’s no better than a cafetiere, post up how you guys get such amazing coffee out of it.

I’m happy to be convinced!.

It’s got to be a Gag ,using a baby just now but every wee while I bring out an old leaky classic I have 2. Must get a decent grinder to work alongside

As above stovetop and a frother. Never use the aeropress now I have a stovetop.

That cook works one looks quite similar to mine, probably out the same factory but mine is a different brand. I think they also make the cheap John Lewis one too.

Anyway, it makes nice coffee, I enjoy it.

A colleague at work brought in an Aeropress and can’t say I was blown away by it, seemed a bit flat compared with my Gaggia Classic. It’s my first proper coffee machine, and going by experience of cheaper machines at work (with the dreaded pressurised baskets), and cheap ready ground coffee, a big part of it is the coffee. You want a grinder too. Freshly ground tastes so much better.

Are there any stovetop brewers that work well with induction hobs? Kind of interested to try one when I can’t be assed with the gaggia.

Are there any stovetop brewers that work well with induction hobs? Kind of interested to try one when I can’t be assed with the gaggia.

Yes, I am using a stainless steel Bialetti Venus. Note the smallest size may not work on some hobs, as it is too narrow. So I have the “6 cup” version, works fine.

Aeropress – I usually grind and then leave it sat there overnight, then press in the morning and add hot water in my flask. I find this method gets all the flavour out of the coffee – in all seriousness – so far never had anything better anywhere.

Wait, you mean leave it sitting with water in all night? Then just top off with kettle?

Could save me valuable faffing time in the mornings…

Minipresso
https://www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso
I used to use an aeropress, but was given this. The coffee is much more espresso-like if that’s your thing. Best espresso I’ve had outside some very high-end machines.
It’s cheap-ish, easy to use, and you can easily fit it in when you go bike-packing.
It’s so good I’m always surprised so few people have tried one. I recommend you give it a try.

That Nanopresso looks very interesting 🤔

I have an aeropress, IME it’s no better than a cafetiere, post up how you guys get such amazing coffee out of it.

The joy with aeropress is that it makes a single good cup of coffee with literally two seconds of cleanup (smack puck into bin/compost, rinse for a second), whereas a cafetière typical makes a few cups (so they get progressively stronger) and the filter needs more cleaning.

Of course if you actually want to make a few cups at once, aeropress is a terrible idea. I’m the only coffee drinker at home so it’s perfect.

Don’t believe the hype regarding an aeropress, yeah they can make a better coffee than a £5 cafetière from Wilko’s but absolutely nothing like a decent extraction from an espresso machine – if anyone tells you otherwise then I have some colloidal silver that cures covid-19, you can buy a 2nd hand sage duo temp from £120 on eBay, do that then come back in a week asking bout grinders.

Aye, I’ve yet to see anything to disagree with you Soma. Tidy wee puck is about the only advantage over my one cup cafetiere.

And to compare it to the espresso from my gaggia is apples n oranges.

Right, aeropress does *not* make an espresso, and is never sold as doing so. Anyone who thinks they’re getting an espresso is clearly wrong, but with a bit of water added it’s still a fine brew.

I keep on looking at used Gaggia Classic’s on eBay though…

the nanopress looks interesting. Is it proper espresso that you get?

I was looking at one of these which get god reviews as a basic but reliable machine. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Swan-SK22110BLN-Espresso-Machine-Pressure/dp/B07KGSF6DJ

I’ve posted before about the bialetti brikka. I know it’s not proper espresso, I know it’s not going to be as good as a proper machine. However, along with a 99p milk frother, it makes a pretty good approximation of a flat white for not very much money.

If you’re only making for yourself, it’s worth a look imo.

If you prefer a mug of coffee, then get an aeropress. 👍

in true STW fashion everyone posts what they have as the best recommendation!! Rather than what the OP is asking about!

Whilst the Aeropress does not make a real espresso, give this method a go and see what you think! I prefer it to my real espresso machine for complexity of flavour, tbh.
Plus, you can make them at 3am without waking anyone.

the nanopress looks interesting. Is it proper espresso that you get?

Yes.

I’m sure there are espresso-aficionados out there who would claim it isn’t for some esoteric reason that I don’t understand; but I like espresso, I’ve drunk it for many years, and it tastes like espresso to me.
As with all coffee makers you have to find a bean and a grind that suits both you and the machine, but I get good results now I know the sort of thing I’m looking for. It gives you a lot of control over how you press it as well, which means you can alter the coffee to your taste.
I’ve had mine for nearly two years, and if it broke I’d replace it instantly.

Aye, very good, build a **** trebuchet? I’ll stick to my wee 10 year old gaggia 🤣

Or you could just, you know, push it with your hand or something ..
Not sure why he uses that, there really is no need. But like I said, it produces an incredibly nice brew when it is to late to get the gaggia out, or if I am away from home.

I have a gaggia classic. Well, one working, 3 non-working in the garage waiting for times like this to have pumps and solenoids replaced.
Love it, and the coffee it makes, but on holiday we take either a steel cafetiere or stove top (we scour the photos on Airbnb or Expedia to see if there’s a cooker).
Last month in Costa Rica we were shown how to make beautiful coffee in a jug with a seive.
Moral: if you can afford a good grinder and a good espresso machine, (grinder the first priority) go for it. If not, buy good beans and use one of the other methods. Oh, and practice. Skill is more important than equipment.

I have an aeropress, IME it’s no better than a cafetiere, post up how you guys get such amazing coffee out of it.

This.

I’m still waiting thegeneralist…

I reckon I’ve had it for over 5 years, still have half the original batch of filter papers!

Happy to be schooled and get good coffee at work, as the classic doesn’t fit in my work satchel. 🤷‍♂️

Does anyone have a Staresso ?

I’ll weigh in on the aeropress debate… 😉

At home I use a bean-to-cup (Gaggia Brera), which I’m sure will upset some purists, for my morning coffee, however in the evenings I use a V60 with decaf for a more relaxed, longer brew.

At work I use an Aeropress (or the office barista for an oat flat white), but I also have access to cafetieres of various sizes, as well as a couple of other random coffee making apparatus.

The V60 is more faff than the Aeropress, but makes, IMO, as nice a coffee – long, mellow, good flavour.

Maybe it’s technique (I’ve had a lot of practice, with both, though), but cafetiere coffee is much more hit and miss for me, giving out a higher proportion of crap coffee than the aeropress does, which is consistent in it’s niceness. I’ve had great coffee from both, but never a bad brew from the aeropress.

Aeropress wise, I use the inverted method – plenty of decent guides on youtube;

If it weren’t locked in the office right now, I’d be using the aeropress at home in the evenings.

robw1
Member

the nanopress looks interesting. Is it proper espresso that you get?

I was looking at one of these which get god reviews as a basic but reliable machine. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Swan-SK22110BLN-Espresso-Machine-Pressure/dp/B07KGSF6DJ

15 bar sounds decent for the price, however the reviews as usual on Amazon are either “it’s amazing!!!1!one” or “it’s useless”, so I’m none the wiser as to whether it can actually make an reasonable approximation of an espresso. My Delonghi which cost a lot more than this Swan one could not, despite endless fiddling, trying different grinds etc.

That last video with the aeropress the kettle looked expensive definitely not a Swan, can’t say the coffee looked great but I go for a velvety flat white. Everyone to their own some folk will love it

Maybe it’s technique (I’ve had a lot of practice, with both, though), but cafetiere coffee is much more hit and miss for me, giving out a higher proportion of crap coffee than the aeropress does, which is consistent in it’s niceness. I’ve had great coffee from both, but never a bad brew from the aeropress.

Ok, so what we’re saying is that an aeropress is better that a cafetière? Totally agree (apart from for multiple people, as said above).

But that’s hardly the epitome of excellence is it now. That’s like saying a car is amazing because it’s better that a Fiat Tipo.

decided to take a punt on the swan. bought a grinder too….. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002OHDBQC

hoping that it will make decent coffee for the budget.