Nespresso - pretentious? Moi?
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK/Philippines/Italy
Age: 70
Posts: 553
I wouldn't call myself a coffee snob but I do like a good espresso.
I use a 30 year old Bialetti stovetop machine with Illy pre-ground coffee. This after years of experimentation and 10 years living in Italy. Spare seals are easy to find and the coffee is, shall we say, intense.
As an aside, the Italians would describe an 'Americano' as ''aqua sporca' or 'dirty water'.
One recommends this system to those who enjoy good coffee without cluttering kitchen worktops with a load of naff junk.
I use a 30 year old Bialetti stovetop machine with Illy pre-ground coffee. This after years of experimentation and 10 years living in Italy. Spare seals are easy to find and the coffee is, shall we say, intense.
As an aside, the Italians would describe an 'Americano' as ''aqua sporca' or 'dirty water'.
One recommends this system to those who enjoy good coffee without cluttering kitchen worktops with a load of naff junk.
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Balikpapan, INDONESIA
Age: 68
Posts: 665
In the old (previous) Jakarta Terminal 1 was a kiosk promoting and selling "Organic Luwak Coffee"; all under a large illuminated sign to that effect.
I had to agree. You can't get much more organic than passing the beans through a native civet cat.
I had to agree. You can't get much more organic than passing the beans through a native civet cat.
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Asia
Posts: 1,181
These pod machines follow the same principal as razors, sell a cheap handle and make your money supplying them with expensive blades. Useful in a hotel room or VIP lounge for providing better than instant coffee simply and with no mess, but at home I'll stick to my machine which uses which ever beans I like rather than restricting me to pods.
Sure there is a bit more cleaning up afterwards but it isn't that hard.
I can't see the need for a fancy machine costing around a thousand pounds, full of electronics and moving parts which are guaranteed to break at some stage, simply to make a cup of coffee. When my current coffee maker gives up the ghost I'll probably replace it with a really old fashioned one, heavy and enameled with an analogue gauge for steam pressure and a simple ON/OFF switch
Sure there is a bit more cleaning up afterwards but it isn't that hard.
I can't see the need for a fancy machine costing around a thousand pounds, full of electronics and moving parts which are guaranteed to break at some stage, simply to make a cup of coffee. When my current coffee maker gives up the ghost I'll probably replace it with a really old fashioned one, heavy and enameled with an analogue gauge for steam pressure and a simple ON/OFF switch
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Great South East, tired and retired
Posts: 3,278
You can't get much more organic than passing the beans through a native civet cat.
Stitch a koala's bum shut, then force-feed it with coffee beans. Leave for a few days to fester and deepen the flavour, then tie a string around his neck and dunk him in boiling water.

Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 1
Neither consider the water and heating waste and costs.
Our council takes almost anything and we don't have to separate things.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Pays Basque
Posts: 585
We use a Dualit (https://www.nisbets.co.uk/dualit-3-in-1-espressivo-coffee-machine-polished-finish/dl999?vatToggle=incvat&gclid=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwma3ZBRBwEiwA-CsblNcnUlkfy3D17ImmR2b_6rvEYiVsputJJDRJ0n5nTzzjOh2J7zeCBRoC_ UAQAvD_BwE&cm_mmc=PLA-_-807523814-_-50265435508-_-DL999&cm_mmca1=323772a0-b0e6-445a-84b5-33b436c50041) 'Italian style' mini coffee machine.
For making coffee, for the past few years we've been using a Krups Dolce Gusto jobby for day-to-day coffee (quick, adequate and convenient) but never bothered to work out the cost per cup.
Buried somewhere in the kitchen there's one of those piston-like cafétières.. haven't used it for years.
At one time, we had a drip filter machine (long relegated to the cellar) that was OK.
I once had a fancy-looking Italian espresso machine - all shiny metal and valves that looked the part (bought in Italy during Op Deny Wife) but I was never able able to make it perform satisfactorily (it didn't have a manometer) - so I gave it away. The recipient gave me one of those Italian espresso coffee pots with the octagonal sides (a bit 60s) - again, more trouble than it was worth.
I'm sure if I burrowed around in the garage or the cellar I could turn up some others.
Best of all? We have a briki for making Greek coffee (actually Greek Cypriot coffee - Charalambous Moka Gold brand - available online) which is my preferred "Sunday best" drink..This is the king of coffees in my view.. Nothing else comes close - for me. Think espresso flavour x 10..!
I must say that Senior Paper Monitor's Dualit machine looks the biz (oh no - here I go again!

Last edited by sidevalve; 22nd Jun 2018 at 10:43.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 19,204
Granted they recycle but that's hardly an answer is it? The amount of packaging for a cup of coffee is criminal but nobody seems to mind as its fashionable.
Cunning Artificer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
Age: 73
Posts: 3,124
We have a Nespresso Dolce Gusto. Coffee in the morning, hot chocolate before bed time. We like it because its quick, clean and convenient.
No doubt something different will be along some time in the future; for now its the dog's b*llox.
No doubt something different will be along some time in the future; for now its the dog's b*llox.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,120
where is the logic in wrapping your rubbish up in another plastic bag
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 77
Posts: 16,744