Coffee Machine

[Austin7]

For years now I have been using my trusty old Gaggia espresso coffee machine with ground coffee. Still like the coffee it produces but wondered if it is worth my while moving up to the 21st century. I know nothing about the pods, Nespresso, Tassimo etc. so would appreciate any recommendations people might have as to which make (model) of machine is favoured by members and any unfavourable comments also appreciated. Thanks.

[Yogi]

I had a Tassimo in the UK and loved the coffee and the many choices. I have one in Cyprus but the coffee is made by Jacobs and not really to my taste, presumably and understandably aimed at the Cypriot taste. Also the choices available are more limited. Hope this helps

[Dominic]

I'm happy with my filter coffee maker and the coffee I get from Lidl and other supermarkets. Occasionally I will even make myself some proper Cypriot coffee!

[Royal]

We use a Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine and pods and can highly recommend them. The pods are freely available in Paps, Alpha Mega and other supermarkets here.

We usually keep a supply of Expresso, Cortado, Mocha, Latte and Cappucino pods.

In addition, we still like filter coffee now and again using a cafetière. In this case, we get our coffee beans (100% arabica) from Lidl and grind them ourselves.

[Happy in Cyprus]

While Jacobs freeze-dried Eklektos does me during the day, my special coffee moment after the evening meal is a double Ristretto made with a Nespresso machine. The pods made by Lidl for Nespresso machines don't come close.

[cyprusgrump]

We use a Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine and pods and can highly recommend them. The pods are freely available in Paps, Alpha Mega and other supermarkets here.

We usually keep a supply of Expresso, Cortado, Mocha, Latte and Cappucino pods.

In addition, we still like filter coffee now and again using a cafetière. In this case, we get our coffee beans (100% arabica) from Lidl and grind them ourselves.

+1 for Dolce Gusto...

[LouiseCastricum]

For me nothing can beat the Nespresso machine and the different coffees. Must say I buy the coffee cups in Holland. Also their decaffeinated coffee cups are very very good.

[Austin7]

Can someone please explain the difference between Nespresso and Tassimo (if there is a difference)?

[Dominic]

Diferent pod shape. Both make great coffee though. I just felt that they were expensive, and didn't deliver a cup as hot as I liked. Plus there is a lot of waste.

[WHL]

My wife buys them because she likes George Clooney..

[JimX]

For me, it has to be self-ground coffee from beans, filtered of course through a paper filter coffee machine, I have tried just about all including freeze dried type and pods, but freshly ground is my idea of good coffee.

A bit of a faff grinding your own coffee beans but the effort is worth the end results.

A trick I have found is to keep ground coffee in the freezer, not the fridge in a sealed container.

[PhotoLady]

We have the Tassimo machine too, we treated ourselves to one we moved back to UK. They're selling in a number of places here at the moment for just under £40 and the packs of pods are anything from £3.50 to about £5 max. All depending on where you shop and what offers are on...

Very happy with it and very easy to use. The hot chocolate pods sometimes cause a problem (it's happened with us twice so far) in that the powder must clog up and it overflows the pod..... Since then, I make sure I give the pod a quick tap on the kitchen worktop and a good shake before inserting it into the machine and it's worked perfectly every time since then.

[Jimgym]

Dolce Gusto, love it!

[Happy in Cyprus]

Yes Louise, I remember you once kindly brought some Nespresso back from Holland for me, where they are cheaper. For convenience I now buy from the Nespresso store in Limassol. They won't discount, but I always manage to wangle a few freebies from them to compensate.

Last July we went into the Nespresso store in Maastricht. It was a massive store and hugely popular. Over the years I've tried most Nespresso crues, but always come back to Ristretto, which I believe is their most popular crue.

Wife doesn't drink coffee, so grinding beans and filtering coffee for just one person is out of the question. And I love Nespresso anyway.

[JimX]

Not really Lloyd as actually, I am the only person in our home that drinks coffee, to be honest, I do not find grinding beans any problem rather therapeutic and the effort if it is that is no problem for me as I have all day now.

Remember that tin of freeze dried coffee I brought around to your office? I did use that make for some time, but in the end, back to that grinder, I did not like Pods and I tried most makes that fitted my machine.

I always think what do coffee cafes use, beans, of course, every time, and I know convenience is not the name of the game but coffee at it's best is I feel.

A matter of course of choice as always.

[Dominic]

Yes Louise, I remember you once kindly brought some Nespresso back from Holland for me, where they are cheaper. For convenience I now buy from the Nespresso store in Limassol. They won't discount, but I always manage to wangle a few freebies from them to compensate.

Last July we went into the Nespresso store in Maastricht. It was a massive store and hugely popular. Over the years I've tried most Nespresso crues, but always come back to Ristretto, which I believe is their most popular crue.

Wife doesn't drink coffee, so grinding beans and filtering coffee for just one person is out of the question. And I love Nespresso anyway.

I chill the leftover coffee in a filter jug. It doesn't get wasted then.

[aphrodite]

I'm on my second upgraded Tassimo machine, I buy most of the pods from Amazon.

I also grind my own beans fresh each time and use a cafetière.

[Happy in Cyprus]

Remember that tin of freeze dried coffee I brought around to your office? I did use that make for some time, but in the end, back to that grinder, I did not like Pods and I tried most makes that fitted my machine.

After your kind gesture of the Millicano Jim, I used it for many years afterwards; but after Stan and Tracy closed down had to buy it from the UK, which was a real pain and so expensive.

I discovered Jacobs coffee in Zorbas...and found I really liked it. Great taste and just so convenient. So for the forseeable future will stick with it. No inclination at all to start grinding and filtering. As you say, horses for courses

[JimX]

Ney!! but what is the best method Lloyd?, I think like your good self I stay with my self-grind way, cheaper too.

[Austin7]

After all the discussion I think I'll stay in the 20th century and stick with my trusted 20 year old Gaggia which still makes perfect coffee using Lavazza Il Perfetto Espresso.