Bean-to-Cup coffee machine recommendations?

[JonChalk]

So, if I was looking out for a bean to cup machine in the sales after Christmas, does the PH collective have any recommendations?

Thank you.

[DozyGit]

I would highly rate a Fisher and Paykel one which we use daily
https://www.johnlewis.com/fisher-paykel-eb60dsxb2-...

[JonChalk]

DozyGit said:

I would highly rate a Fisher and Paykel one which we use daily
https://www.johnlewis.com/fisher-paykel-eb60dsxb2-...

Thanks - tbf, I probably should have put "sub-£1000" in my OP. Not sure I can stretch to that one, nice though it looks.

[Crumpet]

I think there’s a thread in the food and drink forum. In my own experience bean-to-cup machines always taste like something made by a machine and you might as well just get a Nespresso machine that has the milk frother-thingy. Depends on how good you want your coffee to taste but there’s no replacement for a decent grinder and espresso machine (which will be a lot cheaper).

A Sage Barista Pro for £700 from John Lewis will make better coffees than you get from a lot of ‘speciality’ coffee shops. (I realise this isn’t the question you asked - sorry!)

[okgo]

Crumpet said:

I think there’s a thread in the food and drink forum. In my own experience bean-to-cup machines always taste like something made by a machine and you might as well just get a Nespresso machine that has the milk frother-thingy. Depends on how good you want your coffee to taste but there’s no replacement for a decent grinder and espresso machine (which will be a lot cheaper).

A Sage Barista Pro for £700 from John Lewis will make better coffees than you get from a lot of ‘speciality’ coffee shops. (I realise this isn’t the question you asked - sorry!)

There is a big thread in there yes.

The sage making better coffee than coffee shops is total rubbish though I'm afraid. And that's before you even factor in the person making it, it is somewhat of an acquired skill.

That said, the Sage machines look solid, aren't expensive and with time will do a good coffee.

[Junior Bianno]

These little Melittas are great for the price.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Melitta-E950-103-Machine-...

They don't do the milk though, but just get one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lavazza-Frother-Milk-base...

The most popular inexpensive bean to cup machines are Delonghi, but I've had a few over the years and they've all broken. The Melittas seem to just keep going.

[JonChalk]

Crumpet said:

I think there’s a thread in the food and drink forum. In my own experience bean-to-cup machines always taste like something made by a machine and you might as well just get a Nespresso machine that has the milk frother-thingy. Depends on how good you want your coffee to taste but there’s no replacement for a decent grinder and espresso machine (which will be a lot cheaper).

A Sage Barista Pro for £700 from John Lewis will make better coffees than you get from a lot of ‘speciality’ coffee shops. (I realise this isn’t the question you asked - sorry!)

Thanks - for the tip & thread correction - I missed that thread - will ask mods to move to right place.

[Junior Bianno]

okgo said:

There is a big thread in there yes.

The sage making better coffee than coffee shops is total rubbish though I'm afraid. And that's before you even factor in the person making it, it is somewhat of an acquired skill.

That said, the Sage machines look solid, aren't expensive and with time will do a good coffee.

Disagree. I've got a Sage Barista Express and it's easily up to Coffee shop standard. Maybe not some of the artisan specialists, but your run of the mill chains - easily better.

It's a skill though - takes a lot of practice and really good, fresh roasted beans. It's also a messy and time consuming business and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who just wants a push button machine.

[nordboy]

I got a Delonghi Eletta plus for the wife for Christmas, thanks to Amazon cocking up the packaging, she's had it early.

But it's getting a hell of a lot of use by her and my lad, she loves it. it's really easy to use, which was very important for me as she can be a bit of a numpty if things get even a little complicated.

Bought some very decent coffee and they love it.

[okgo]

Junior Bianno said:

Disagree. I've got a Sage Barista Express and it's easily up to Coffee shop standard. Maybe not some of the artisan specialists, but your run of the mill chains - easily better.

It's a skill though - takes a lot of practice and really good, fresh roasted beans. It's also a messy and time consuming business and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who just wants a push button machine.

Any half decent indi will be using a machine that costs 10x and a grinder that is a different stratosphere. So all that's left is the person doing it, and generally they're much better too. A good coffee can be got for sure, but you aren't going to be outdoing a fancy indi coffee shop. But it will best costa and such by a mile.

[Lotobear]

Junior Bianno said:

Disagree. I've got a Sage Barista Express and it's easily up to Coffee shop standard. Maybe not some of the artisan specialists, but your run of the mill chains - easily better.

It's a skill though - takes a lot of practice and really good, fresh roasted beans. It's also a messy and time consuming business and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who just wants a push button machine.

I agree 100%, I've been using a Barista Express for 4 years now and it makes superb coffee, easily as good as any coffee chain but, full disclosure, I'm not a PH Epicurean or Heston wannabe, I just know what tastes good, so may be wrong.

And, shock horror, the best beans I've found are Lavazza (non 'Artisan' variety) at £14 a Kilo off 'tinternet

[theboss]

Same, I’m on my second now after about 6 years - I didn’t descale the first one often enough and threw it at about 4 years old. I buy Red Brick from Square Mile and always go back to it after buying anything else - it’s consistently superb. A “proper” coffee shop of course will better it but I make a damn better coffee than any chain I’ve ever been in. Of course they aren’t connoisseurs but every visitor without fail seems genuinely staggered by the quality of the coffee I drink. I think that’s what the likes of Costa do in terms of setting expectations.

[S6PNJ]

Junior Bianno said:

The most popular inexpensive bean to cup machines are Delonghi, but I've had a few over the years and they've all broken.

My Delonghi ESAM 5400 B2C is over 10 years old and still working fine. It's pretty much made 2 coffees every day of it's life, often more if visitors / friends etc come round. If I remember, when I switch it on tomorrow, I'll see how many coffees it's made in its life. Though after reading this thread - https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... I'm now thinking about 'upgrading' to a new second hand machine and grinder......

Edited by S6PNJ on Friday 18th December 17:27

[sociopath]

I jave a delonghi magnifica, not the most expensive and Im sure you can get " better coffee" but it makes good coffee, its easy to use and its lasted over 11 years so far, and survived 3 house moves.

[bad company]

We use a DeLonghi ECAM. Not the most sophisticated but we only drink black ‘Americano’s’. The milk frothier thingy has never been used.

Works perfectly well for us.

[Crumpet]

okgo said:

Junior Bianno said:

Disagree. I've got a Sage Barista Express and it's easily up to Coffee shop standard. Maybe not some of the artisan specialists, but your run of the mill chains - easily better.

It's a skill though - takes a lot of practice and really good, fresh roasted beans. It's also a messy and time consuming business and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who just wants a push button machine.

Any half decent indi will be using a machine that costs 10x and a grinder that is a different stratosphere. So all that's left is the person doing it, and generally they're much better too. A good coffee can be got for sure, but you aren't going to be outdoing a fancy indi coffee shop. But it will best costa and such by a mile.

Yep. Completely disagree. I’m fortunate to spend a lot of time travelling the world with work and actively seek out the best coffee shops and roasteries.

I look forward to coming home and using my own Barista Pro (with beans bought in those shops) as I find generally I knock up a better flat white with it than many of them do with their £10k machines. But then I can weigh out my beans to the nearest 0.1g and take my time over the whole process - they can’t; and some of them don’t care.

Obviously a top barista with the top equipment is going to turn out better coffee, but on the whole I’d say I can make a better coffee than a lot of the staff working in those shops!

Anyway, my original point was that the bean-to-cup machines certainly won’t get anywhere near to even a bad cup from one of those speciality shops.

[anonymous-user]

Another vote for the Sage Barista Express with the caveat that beans make a big difference.

My benchmark is an espresso, and what I can make repeatably at home is better than the chains’ efforts and better than all but a very small selection of independents that I’ve tried.

But, and it is a significant but, whether I could claim that if I bought supermarket beans or supermarket pre ground espresso is perhaps doubtful. I but from a nice little toaster in Cambs and spent a chunk of time getting the grind setting and the dispensed amount spot on.

[JonChalk]

The Sage Barista seems to be getting a lot of votes - thanks - will have to see what happens in a weeks or so's time, but it looks like the one to get.

[stuart1441]

I’ve recently purchased a Jura E8 B2C Machine and have been very impressed in all areas.
Feels really well made, easy to clean and the coffee is a huge step up from my previous nespresso machine.

[Turn7]

stuart1441 said:

I’ve recently purchased a Jura E8 B2C Machine and have been very impressed in all areas.
Feels really well made, easy to clean and the coffee is a huge step up from my previous nespresso machine.

TBF, I bet the Jura was about 4 times the price of a Nespresso machine ?