Coffee making machines?

[soarer]

Just a humble bialette for me makes whatever you prefer

 

Perfect every time I know it's not a machine

 

But for little layout perfect coffee

[StuartO]

I used to think coffee was coffee and rarely drank anything other than instant. But the OH got keen on lattes and such like and when the modern machines, working on plastic capsules, came out she got really hooked. We have cupboards full of different flavours of capsule and almost every tiem we go into a supermarket, especially abroad, she checks to see if there are any new ones. I think it's a bit like train spotting.

 

I now drink machine coffee as well as instant, probably about 50/50, and not entirely because the OH drives the machine and serves it up.. I stick to one flavour of capsule. I've also learned to drive the machine; fortunately that's not difficult to do. I can even make one of her lattes, which requires two capsules and a glass instead of a cup or a mug.

 

The appearance of "Azera" special instant coffee, which tastes like the real thing (or at least like the real thing out of a machine, has complicated things because the machine, for me at least, is rendered redundant. Not to the OH of course.

 

We even have a small machine which travels with us in the MH. It can only be used when on an EHU, when it does a good job, pleasing the OH. It's a Bosch and it uses Tassimo capsules. Fortunately she only takes a small selection of capsules with us in the MH but I am looking into upsizing, to cope with the payload. *-)

[candapack]

Bulletguy - 2014-10-14 4:58 PM

 

Bodum jugs make coffee in an entirely different way. This is simply filter style coffee and not what you will get if you buy from a Coffee bar. It's a cheap way to make Coffee just as the stove top percolator like Bialetti is

 

When I said the stove top thing I use in the van was called a Vesuvius, I meant Bialetti. (No idea where Vesuvius came from)

But I have to disagree with Bulletguy, it makes a good espresso, nothing like what you get from a Bodum.

At least, I think so.

[Retread24800]

Depends how I feel but I carry both a Bodum Plunger type and a Bialetti Espresso jug both of which are used with a plunger type frother for a touch of barista style. Oh and not a single ampére used!

[Bulletguy]

candapack - 2014-10-14 8:31 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2014-10-14 4:58 PM

 

Bodum jugs make coffee in an entirely different way. This is simply filter style coffee and not what you will get if you buy from a Coffee bar. It's a cheap way to make Coffee just as the stove top percolator like Bialetti is

 

When I said the stove top thing I use in the van was called a Vesuvius, I meant Bialetti. (No idea where Vesuvius came from)

But I have to disagree with Bulletguy, it makes a good espresso, nothing like what you get from a Bodum.

At least, I think so.

 

It's an entirely different method of coffee making and not Espresso.

 

The Bialetti works on the percolator method which sends boiling water from the base part up through the coffee granules eventually reaching the upper section. There is no pressure involved hence the coffee made from percolators will be thin black water with no 'crema' head.

 

Coffee Machines such as the Gaggia i mentioned is a domestic version of an industrial machine......except a small 3 group industrial will set you back between £4 - 6k. The Gaggia works on pressure forcing a jet of hot water (it never boils) through the ground coffee giving a thicker coffee and once perfected.....a good 'crema' head (similar to how you see a head form on a pint of draught).

 

This is true Espresso.

 

A link here explains in relatively simple terms as to the art of making a proper Espresso.

 

http://www.illy.com/wps/wcm/connect/en/coffee/how-prepare-espresso

 

You can use the identical Coffee in a Percolator (such as a Bialetti), then use the same in a Coffee machine, and the taste and consistency will be entirely different.....simply because of the way the machine works.

 

Making Espresso comes with practice. Doesn't happen 'right' straight away. But it's fun learning to 'get it right'.

[Tracker]

All in all a very interesting thread and my thanks to everyone for their differing views so well posted.

 

And I thought that coffee was coffee - silly me!

 

We are not into machines unless there is a distinct advantage of convenience so maybe we will try the Azera first and see how we get on.

 

Not ever using EHU in the van and being pushed for storage space probably means carrying on with the Bodum and/or instant, plus Baileys, but emptying and getting rid of the waste from the Bodum can be a challenge in a van!

[Bulletguy]

Tracker - 2014-10-15 8:40 AM

 

Not ever using EHU in the van and being pushed for storage space probably means carrying on with the Bodum and/or instant, plus Baileys, but emptying and getting rid of the waste from the Bodum can be a challenge in a van!

 

 

Ah......that puts things into a different perspective then. I got the impression from your first post you were looking not for use in your van, but in the home.

 

I don't use a machine in the van.....it's simply not practical and far too big anyway! Plus i tend to frequent countries where you can get a good Espresso at a sensible price (40p as opposed to £1.90!). :-D

[Tracker]

Bulletguy - 2014-10-16 1:00 PM

 

Tracker - 2014-10-15 8:40 AM

 

Not ever using EHU in the van and being pushed for storage space probably means carrying on with the Bodum and/or instant, plus Baileys, but emptying and getting rid of the waste from the Bodum can be a challenge in a van!

 

 

Ah......that puts things into a different perspective then. I got the impression from your first post you were looking not for use in your van, but in the home.

 

I don't use a machine in the van.....it's simply not practical and far too big anyway! Plus i tend to frequent countries where you can get a good Espresso at a sensible price (40p as opposed to £1.90!). :-D

 

Sorry BG - yes it is only for home use as we don't carry an EHU lead and don't use sites!

 

I guess what we want is the speed, convenience and low cost of Gold Blend or similar but with the taste of proper coffee!

 

Has instant coffee changed or have I? When Gold Blend etc first arrived on the scene I seemed to recall it being tastier than it is now?

 

 

[Retread24800]

Retread24800 - 2014-10-14 9:44 PMDepends how I feel but I carry both a Bodum Plunger type and a Bialetti Espresso jug both of which are used with a plunger type frother for a touch of barista style. Oh and not a single ampére used!

I should have made it clear that at home I use a proper Espresso machine, no pods capsules or coffee bags, just ground coffee. The Krups Espresso fulfills all the requirements for great espresso without the eye watering price of some others.( with capsules costing 50p per cup the "cheap" option isn't such a bargain)

[Guest Joe90]

Our taste buds....................

 

"It all starts to go downhill around 40. That’s when our taste buds begin to stop growing back. Individually, each taste bud goes through a constant cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that lasts about two weeks. A healthy tongue sloughs off and regrows these taste buds constantly. Once we hit middle age, the buds continue to die and be shed, but a smaller number regenerate as the years go on.

 

And with fewer taste buds in our mouths, flavors begin to taste … blander"

 

Apparently it's the same with our sense of smell, so a double whammy, guess that's why I find myself putting two spoons of instant per cup these days.

[Bulletguy]

Tracker - 2014-10-16 2:09 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2014-10-16 1:00 PM

 

Tracker - 2014-10-15 8:40 AM

 

Not ever using EHU in the van and being pushed for storage space probably means carrying on with the Bodum and/or instant, plus Baileys, but emptying and getting rid of the waste from the Bodum can be a challenge in a van!

 

 

Ah......that puts things into a different perspective then. I got the impression from your first post you were looking not for use in your van, but in the home.

 

I don't use a machine in the van.....it's simply not practical and far too big anyway! Plus i tend to frequent countries where you can get a good Espresso at a sensible price (40p as opposed to £1.90!). :-D

 

Sorry BG - yes it is only for home use as we don't carry an EHU lead and don't use sites!

 

I guess what we want is the speed, convenience and low cost of Gold Blend or similar but with the taste of proper coffee!

 

Has instant coffee changed or have I? When Gold Blend etc first arrived on the scene I seemed to recall it being tastier than it is now?

 

 

You probably tasted a quality Coffee (not instant) and thought 'mhnn....this tastes good'!

 

We've long had various brands of Instant Coffee in the UK for years with Nescafe possibly being the main brand. Strangely it took much longer for real Espresso coffee to hit the High Street despite the many Italians we had living here along with budget airlines bringing affordable holidays in Europe to the masses.

 

I first began drinking ground Coffee as a 10 year old kid fascinated by this funny little 'pot' an Uncle of mine used. He spent much of his life living and working in Kenya and used to bring sacks of Coffee beans back with him. He gave me one of these funny little 'pots' as a present and taught me how to use it. It was a percolator. That sparked the interest and from then on i experimented with a variety of different Coffee makers and machines.

 

I still drink Instant sometimes.....cheap, quick and no dregs to get rid of. Generally the cheaper it is the more bitter the taste. Some are just downright awful. Douwe Egberts would be a good brand to go with but unfortunately at around £5 for 200g of Instant it's not cheap. They do a filter Coffee suitable for Cafetieres at around £5.50 for 500g.

 

UK Coffee prices are exorbitant so whatever you settle on, it makes sense to stock up when across the pond!

[Bulletguy]

Retread24800 - 2014-10-17 12:10 PM

Retread24800 - 2014-10-14 9:44 PMDepends how I feel but I carry both a Bodum Plunger type and a Bialetti Espresso jug both of which are used with a plunger type frother for a touch of barista style. Oh and not a single ampére used!

I should have made it clear that at home I use a proper Espresso machine, no pods capsules or coffee bags, just ground coffee. The Krups Espresso fulfills all the requirements for great espresso without the eye watering price of some others.( with capsules costing 50p per cup the "cheap" option isn't such a bargain)

Not a bad little machine. Stainless steel body construction, 15 bar pressure, simple controls and a decent price. You didn't say how long you've had it but if like me you live in a hard water area......that will be your only problem. If you don't use a water filter the internal piping in the machine will clog up with scale and the first you know is the machine simply stops working! That's what happened to me when i first moved here. Never gave the water content a minutes thought. Then one day.....BANG.....my machine packed up!Cost me £60 to have the pipes replaced and the boiler descaled. From then on i've always used a water filter jug plus as an extra caution i run descalant through the machine every so often.

[Colin Leake]

We use a machine that makes coffee from beans at home. Took some time to find the beans we liked and get the ideal settings on the machine. Having said that it's a very large and heavy totally out of the question for the motorhome so we used to make due with instant on holiday. Then one of our sons bought us a nespresso machine to take in the motorhome. Came with s selection of sample pods so that we could find the ones we liked. Must say I've been very impressed with the results. One advantage is that wife and I like different coffees so with pods we don't have to comprise and can each have the coffee we like best. At 30p a cup for excellent coffee it's not that expensive. If you do go for one order the genuine pods not the compatable ones sold in supermarkets they are rubbish.

 

Just for the record our bread maker is a Panasonic and whilst at home we've made all our bread in it for the last three years. Waitrose best Canadian extra strong whole meal flour, water, honey, hemp oil, chopped walnuts, sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and linseeds. Never found any shop bought bread that comes even near for texture and taste. Most is tasteless damp soft pap. Shame it's no practical to take in the motorhome with us.

[Retread24800]

Bulletguy - 2014-10-17 5:28 PM

Retread24800 - 2014-10-17 12:10 PM

Retread24800 - 2014-10-14 9:44 PMDepends how I feel but I carry both a Bodum Plunger type and a Bialetti Espresso jug both of which are used with a plunger type frother for a touch of barista style. Oh and not a single ampére used!

I should have made it clear that at home I use a proper Espresso machine, no pods capsules or coffee bags, just ground coffee. The Krups Espresso fulfills all the requirements for great espresso without the eye watering price of some others.( with capsules costing 50p per cup the "cheap" option isn't such a bargain)

Not a bad little machine. Stainless steel body construction, 15 bar pressure, simple controls and a decent price. You didn't say how long you've had it but if like me you live in a hard water area......that will be your only problem. If you don't use a water filter the internal piping in the machine will clog up with scale and the first you know is the machine simply stops working! That's what happened to me when i first moved here. Never gave the water content a minutes thought. Then one day.....BANG.....my machine packed up!Cost me £60 to have the pipes replaced and the boiler descaled. From then on i've always used a water filter jug plus as an extra caution i run descalant through the machine every so often.

The Krups is now over 10 years old and I can tell a similar story, to be fair to Krups they did say that regular detartrage was necessary but, I am a man and only read the instructions after a problem arises, save a fortune on the de calc products by using white vinegar, same stuff different price.............

[Colin Leake]

My dad acquired a taste for camp coffee during the war. It's got should we say a distinctive tast but one that is far from unpleasant and there are still s surprising number of people drinking it even today.

[nowtelse2do]

I'm pushing the memory cells a bit here Colin. In the good old days ;-) just after the WW11 when rationing was on, Camp was the only one you could get around where I live and it was an expensive treat, like at Christmas with a another expensive treat a chicken. I still like it and get some now & then.

 

Dave

[soarer]

God camp coffee my nan used to drink it.

 

Wasn't it in like a sauce bottle ?

 

Mind you she always put a tot of rum in it wow

 

I'd forgot all about that :-)

[snowie]

soarer - 2014-10-18 6:38 PM

 

God camp coffee my nan used to drink it.

Mind you she always put a tot of rum in it wow

 

I'd forgot all about that :-)

 

My Granny used to drink it, and introduced me to coffe; better than a cheap powder instant, I think.

 

These days I prefer it with a bit of chocolate sauce over "Cornish" vanilla icecream.

Takes all sorts

regards

alan b

[nowtelse2do]

Yep!!...bloody lovely as long as you didn't get it mixed up with HP sauce :-D

 

Dave

[snowie]

nowtelse2do - 2014-10-18 10:06 PM

 

Yep!!...bloody lovely as long as you didn't get it mixed up with HP sauce :-D

 

Dave

 

Now that would be a bit of a "Specsavers" moment............YUCHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

 

regards

alan b

[Archiesgrandad]

If my memory serves me correctly, Camp was described as " coffee and chicory essence", we still use it to make a pleasant drink with ice cubes, milk, and Camp coffee, we call it " iced coffee". Camp is also good as coffee flavouring in cooking.

AGD

[Bulletguy]

Colin Leake - 2014-10-18 5:06 PM

 

My dad acquired a taste for camp coffee during the war. It's got should we say a distinctive tast but one that is far from unpleasant and there are still s surprising number of people drinking it even today.

 

 

It certainly was a "wartime thing" as my Mum had to buy some in just for my Dad as he was the only one in the family who drank the weird stuff! Mum would use it in cakes which was ok but i hated the stuff as a drink. It's actually a very 'poor' coffee having just 4% of caffeine free essence and 26% chicory, the chicory is what gives it the bitter taste. It's been in production for almost 140 years.

[Archiesgrandad]

I imagine that we were a typical working class family during the war, and the standard hot drink was tea, with a bedtime cup of cocoa for the kids, coffee wasn't really a feature of our lives in those days, but I do recall the bottle of Camp, with the picture of the Highland soldier wearing a kilt on the label, so perhaps they drank it after we went to bed at 7.0 o clock, Dick Barton and then up those stairs before the theme tune finished. The tea was made in a large pot, which was kept warm on the side of the kitchen range, and occasionally refreshed with a little more hot water from the kettle which was also kept boiling on the range, or another spoonful of tea leaves. Not surprisingly, I never drink tea now, but as an upwardly mobile young man in the 50s and 60s I acquired my coffee habit in those oh so trendy coffee bars.

I do recall that although money was tight, my father would always make sure that for Christmas, their wedding anniversary was Christmas Eve, my mother would receive a bunch of chrysanths, the flowes she had for her wedding, a pair of nylons, which would last her for months, and a small tin of Nescafe, which she shared with no-one.

AGD

[Geeco]

I agree with Paul the Gaggia Classic is a great manual machine, I used one for several years until it had a heart attack. Replaced it with another manual machine from Italy called Bezzera. This one is a riper and makes great coffee every time. I also buy coffee in 1kg bags and have a separate grinder to grind as needed. The hole process of two cups for morning coffee takes just a few minutes and the taste is always excellent. I have purchased a Nespresso pod machine c/w milk frother for the Motorhome when we have power. For free camping when only have gas we will use ground coffee and a Bodum type plunger, with the right coffee this is a good substitute for a real coffee. I find all other types seem to burn the coffee, but again it is personnel taste. Instant coffee is banned in our house along with Aussie teabags. When I visit my friends in Somerset I always come home with a bag full of Sainsbury tea bags, so much better than the local brands.