Coffee Machines - Pods Vrs Ground Coffee

[Rawns]

After a good few years of utilising my filter coffee machine, I feel it's time to upgrade to a slicker piece of kit. I'm undecided between a ground coffee machine with milk "frother" or one of these coffee pod machines that seem to be all the rage. Any pros/cons between the two? Any recommendations for coffee machines?

[jinnantonnixx]

I'm very happy with my Philips Senseo pod machine. It's quick and easy, with very little fuss.

 

Lidl stock some nice pods at about half the price of the official pods.

 

I bought a Coffee Duck which allows you to use your own choice of coffee (but you must only use finely ground espresso). The Duck is easy to clean, just tap the grounds into your composter, give it a rinse and you're done.

 

I like Lavazza's Crema e Gusto espresso ground coffee in the Duck which makes a splendid cup.

 

Be careful with strong coffee though, it might keep you awake all morning.

Edited October 8, 2012 by jinnantonnixx

[X-13]

just tap the grounds into your composter

 

I misread that as computer.

[LiamH]

We got this one that looks like some sort of bug to me here

 

It was on special offer at the time. its quick and easy with the pods which is nice in the morning, they work out to be pretty expensive though per pod so i think that's where they make their money

[InterwebsGuy]

I've been looking at the Illy pod machines. They look like awesome kit (these).

 

Pods technically should be better, as the pods will be pressurized/sealed allowing the coffee to remain at it's freshest.

Edited October 9, 2012 by InterwebsGuy

[DavidIrwin]

As a coffee purist I would say that fresh ground is always the best coffee - I have not yet tasted a pod based coffee maker which tastes as good as coffee made from fresh milk (if you like milky coffee) and freshly ground beans. That said I regularly use Lavazza's Crema e Gusto espresso ground coffee as a good substitute to griding beans although I would recommend tupperware and a fridge for storage to keep it at its best

 

The above being said, I am not going to say that pod based coffee makers are bad. Nespresso are probably 80-90% as good as fresh coffee (I have not tasted Senseo for a while) and in an office environment having a grinder, espresso machine, milk steamer, etc may be a little impractical!

 

Dave

[DavidIrwin]

Pods technically should be better, as the pods will be pressurized/sealed allowing the coffee to remain at it's freshest.

 

I would mention that the quality of the coffee in the pods also has an effect, as well as the preassure of the steam injected through the coffee to infuse the flavours (this is why drip coffee will taste different from an espresso made using the same ground coffee).

 

Dave

[X-13]

in an office environment having a grinder, espresso machine, milk steamer, etc may be a little impractical!

 

 

As a technician, you should always have instant access to caffeine. If your workplace doesn't allow this, then they are fully responsible for any nerdrage aimed at end-users.

[plexer]

I too have a senseo at home with a coffee duck for it allthough the bill on mine just broke due to being careless with it in a drawer.

 

I grind my own for that.

 

Ben

[localzuk]

Wow, you lot are fancy. We have a complex device called a 'kettle'. However, everyone here drinks tea, not coffee...

[X-13]

Wow, you lot are fancy. We have a complex device called a 'kettle'. However, everyone here drinks tea, not coffee...

 

Same.

 

I also drink instant coffee. [Once my office is sorted, I may try to get a proper coffee machine.]

[jinnantonnixx]

Wow, you lot are fancy. We have a complex device called a 'kettle'. However, everyone here drinks tea, not coffee...

 

Tea has its place.

 

 

 

 

Thrown into a drain several miles away.

[InterwebsGuy]

As a coffee purist I would say that fresh ground is always the best coffee - I have not yet tasted a pod based coffee maker which tastes as good as coffee made from fresh milk (if you like milky coffee) and freshly ground beans. That said I regularly use Lavazza's Crema e Gusto espresso ground coffee as a good substitute to griding beans although I would recommend tupperware and a fridge for storage to keep it at its best

I certainly agree about freshly ground coffee. Using a decent grinder to grind a good quality bean will result in a great coffee. Of course - even at home, one doesn't always have time to do this, and thus why I tend to use a few cans of the Illy ground coffee per month these days.

 

I don't mind Lavazza, however prefer Illy. Both the beans and ground version are a great quality coffee, if not a little expensive.

[DavidIrwin]

I don't mind Lavazza, however prefer Illy. Both the beans and ground version are a great quality coffee, if not a little expensive.

 

Thank you.

 

Sounds like I need to go back and try Illy again

 

Dave

[InterwebsGuy]

I would love to bring my trusty old percolator in from my time in Italy, however there would be no where to heat it up here.

[plexer]

@InterwebsGuy http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Camping-Cooker-Cartridges-Refills/dp/B000RHV3MU sorted

 

Ben

[Iain.Faulkner]

I've got one of the Nespresso coffee machines, and I love it :-)

 

The only thing I don't like, is having to go into one of their shops to buy more coffee (plus it works out at around 30p a cup).....pretentious doesn't even come close to that experience!

[InterwebsGuy]

@InterwebsGuy http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Camping-Cooker-Cartridges-Refills/dp/B000RHV3MU sorted

 

Ben

 

That could open up a whole load of new possibilities for lunch, too.

[adhutton]

I have a Tassimo machine and its great. Easy to manage and fill up. The pods are available from all good supermarkets.

 

TASSIMO - TASSIMO Machines and T DISCs. The secret’s in the barcode

 

Much better than instant muck!

 

Andrew

[Rawns]

As a technician, you should always have instant access to caffeine. If your workplace doesn't allow this, then they are fully responsible for any nerdrage aimed at end-users.

 

Free coffee too. If its free, I drink more therefore making me more productive. If I have to buy my own, I drink less making me less alert and motivated. Technically, providing free coffee to the workers could save thousands of pounds.

[X-13]

Technically, providing free coffee to the workers could save thousands of pounds.

 

Until they have a caffeine overdose.

[Rawns]

Until they have a caffeine overdose.

 

Which - if Futurama has taught me anything (and it has) - will cause time to slow right down allowing you to perform tasks at super-human speeds.

 

I still see no issue...

[X-13]

Which - if Futurama has taught me anything (and it has) - will cause time to slow right down allowing you to perform tasks at super-human speeds.

 

I still see no issue...

 

 

Hmm, you make a good point.

 

 

Well, apart from one thing. Time doesn't slow down, you just process it faster giving the impression that it's slowed.

[BatchFile]

the last place I worked in had a fancy coffee machine, because the kettle was removed as it failed to meet their acceptable risk assessment criteria:rolleyes:

 

won't say where it was, but they write and support a well known MIS...

Edited October 9, 2012 by BatchFile

[sidewinder]

Bloody pods. Hate them. I understand the reasoning that it keeps it fresher and sealed, but I dunno, I just like doing it manually. Plus I can buy annnnnnny coffee I want, not just what Nescafe or whoever provide. It's just another proprietary system to get locked into

 

Personally I just use a french press, although I would like a (small) coffee machine I guess.

 

What I will be buying soon is a Vietnamese drip filter and some Vietnamese coffee. That, iced with condensed milk, is heaven

 

Edited October 9, 2012 by sidewinder