Nespresso Machine

Cableguy

Hi all,

Just wondering what your thoughts are on the Nespresso machines are. My Mam and a friend are both thinking of getting one.

My friend asked me about this particular one.

I really like the idea of not having to grind your own beans and not clean up the mess after. I sampled coffee from one before and have to say I was amazed at how good it was. I did not sample or see the milk frother in action though!

If anyone has one an would like to share your thoughts would really appreciate the info.

Cheers

B

Cableguy

I since found some interesting reviews on the Delonghi Lattissima Nespresso Machine for anyone interested in buying this particular model.

Curry Addict

i got the magimix m190 citiz with frother. id highly recommend it, the frother is excellent. only downside is the cost of the pods 36c - 42c each.

Cableguy

Curry Addict wrote: »

i got the magimix m190 citiz with frother. id highly recommend it, the frother is excellent. only downside is the cost of the pods 36c - 42c each.

Where did you purchase this?

Curry Addict

at the nespresso counter in brown thomas. its the same price everywhere i found.

Cableguy

Curry Addict wrote: »

at the nespresso counter in brown thomas. its the same price everywhere i found.

I should have specified the machine

easychair

I have friends who paid +-€1000 for a built in nespresso machine. Every pod costs +-€0.35 and sometimes they have to use two pods to make one mug of coffee.

I have a (much) less expensive expresso machine, the type where you pour a mug of water into a pressurised tank, then use the same mug to make a cup of coffee. I can buy any ground coffee for my machine.

The coffee from both tastes good, but the amount of time it takes to get coffee from the nespresso machine seems to take an age and is vastly more expensive both in capital cost, in the cost of the coffee, and in terms of space needed. I suspect it also uses more electricity too.

I don't drink milk myself, but bought my Mum one of those nespresso frothing pots (€70) in BT's, and she loves it.

Morgans

Have our nespresso machine for a good few years now. Love it and the convenience. To answer some of the criticisms. You dont have to spend €1000 plus on an integrated nespresso. Think I got ours for €150 in debenhams - half price sale. I have never needed to use two nespresso pods for a cup of coffee.

I suppose if you wanted a mug of espresso, you are free to do so, but for americanos, cappacinos or lattes, no one has ever complained (maybe they were just being polite) about using one pod.

Time has never been a factor for me. Timing the kettle and the nespresso machine for my americano is pretty straightforward. I have tried other coffee machines where the output is lukewarm, cafetieres, hob top (stainless steel and aluminium) and no one for me matches the consistency of the nespresso.

Each to their own. But my advise, if you are getting nespresso, only buy the integrated machine for €1000+ if you are sure what you are getting in for. Im sure you could find better value. Keep checking the sales in places like Debenhams, (IRE and NI) check the Kildare outlet shop and you should be able to pick up one that does everything you want for >€200.

Curry Addict

i gota agree with morgas.
nespresso = very fast, very convenient, good cup of espresso or coffee, needs very little cleaning, decent coffee selection.

olaola

I'm a huge fan, it works out cheaper for me per cup than loose coffee. I got my Dad the entry level Magimix and he's getting €50 worth of coffee back on rebate. That's a year's worth, so it's pretty decent deal.

Curry Addict

this looks like a good buy.......... http://www.adverts.ie/kitchen-appliances/nespresso-machine/589390

Cableguy

Cheers for the heads up Curry dude

Curry Addict

np, they are 249e new, ill bet u get it if u offer a little higher than your 1st bid and its still a steal

Kazbah

I love my magimix Nespresso and frother. Can't believe what I'm reading that people pay €1000 for one though. Mine cost €190 for both in BTs. I think there was €50 off at the time instead of getting €50 worth of pods. Same thing really though. I love how quick and clean it is!

Cableguy

Curry Addict wrote: »

np, they are 249e new, ill bet u get it if u offer a little higher than your 1st bid and its still a steal

Nice one CA, I purchased this the other day and I have to say I am blown away by the coffee this makes so much so I am even thinking of getting rid of the Gaggia Classic I have....to buy one for myself ......seriously it really is that good and my Mams delighted.

kc66

Did you get the voucher for €50 cash back? See here

Cableguy

kc66 wrote: »

Did you get the voucher for €50 cash back? See here

Cheers dude

Curry Addict

Cableguy wrote: »

Nice one CA, I purchased this the other day and I have to say I am blown away by the coffee this makes so much so I am even thinking of getting rid of the Gaggia Classic I have....to buy one for myself ......seriously it really is that good and my Mams delighted.

glad you got it and a nice price too

i switched from gaggia classic too, its so much less hassle tbh.
u should consider the down side tho, the nespresso is expensive to run but hopefully this will change with other coffee brands and capsules coming onto the market.

a tip for the frother.... if u do a cold froth straight after a hot froth u get best result...

Cableguy

Curry Addict wrote: »

glad you got it and a nice price too

i switched from gaggia classic too, its so much less hassle tbh.
u should consider the down side tho, the nespresso is expensive to run but hopefully this will change with other coffee brands and capsules coming onto the market.

I am already thinking of ways to to keep my grinder and re-fill the capsules! I'm sure theres a way!! I am going to attempt to reuse the old capsules and seal with tin foil or something

Curry Addict

Cableguy wrote: »

I am already thinking of ways to to keep my grinder and re-fill the capsules! I'm sure theres a way!! I am going to attempt to reuse the old capsules and seal with tin foil or something

ive done this and it does work grand but its a pain in the ass. keeping the coffee fresh is then an issue if u make lots.

nc6000

Picked up a Nespresso machine in BT today and had the €50 voucher processed there and then.

I've had a few coffees since I got home and am pretty impressed with it so far.

easychair

Cableguy wrote: »

I am already thinking of ways to to keep my grinder and re-fill the capsules! I'm sure theres a way!! I am going to attempt to reuse the old capsules and seal with tin foil or something

thats my chief reason for not buying a nespresso machine ( and the same reason I don't buy apple computers) because they lock you in and you have to use their products, guaranteeing them an income stream from me, and denying me choice.

I have a wonderful coffee machine, it makes great coffee and I can choose to use coffee from Lidl to Fauchon. Its quicker than a nespresso, and the choice of coffees available is vastly wider and less expensive than being forced to buy nespresso pods.

nc6000

Easychair, what type of machine have you?

SuperGrover

I had a few nespresso coffees the other day. They're very good in general but can't come near a fresh espresso from a gaggia for taste. I found them a little powdery and bitter on the tongue. Not that I'm any expert or anything.
Impressive technology, tbf, but I don't find grinding beans and making espresso to be a 'hassle'. I quite like the process.

Not for me but I can see the attraction.

easychair

nc6000 wrote: »

Easychair, what type of machine have you?

I have a Caffe Nebucco. Ten years old and has saved a small fortune had I been using nespresso pods over 10 years.

Also, have you ever tried serving coffee to a number of people with a nespresso? Say, after dinner? It takes a long time to serve 8 people coffee with a nespresso, whereas with my Caffe Nebucco, I can also make a pot of coffee at the touch of a button, and serve everyon in a quarter of the time.

Someone gave me a coffee from a nespresso the other day, and it was tepid. Coffee from the Caffe Nebucco comes out piping hot! Evidently, I didn't know that they recommend you first boil a kettle, and then heat the cups, before making the coffee. If that's true, the extra expense and time, every time I want a coffee, makes nespresso even worse value for money.

Solair

Nespresso can work out very expensive. It's great if you just want to have the odd cappuccino / latte or espresso but, if you're using it regularly you'd nearly be better off going out and having someone make you a coffee in a café.

That being said, it is ideal for people who just want to make coffee for guests or themselves on a very occasional basis.

If you're a true coffee aficionado, then you would be better off buying a real espresso machine. They're a little more work, but you save a fortune as you can pick any beans you like.

We have a fairly straight-forward De'Longhi machine which didn't cost all that much. It was just shy of €150 and it produces great coffee.

It's a little more work, but not much and it gives you a much better degree of flexibility.

You can get good espresso coffee in most supermarkets, including even Aldi and Lidl and Tesco has a great range for very good prices and the range of beans available in specialist stores which you will certainly find in bigger cities like Dublin and Cork but elsewhere too, is amazing.

Also, from an environmental point of view, a straight-forward espresso machine is better for the environment. You aren't throwing away aluminum pods all the time and you have much more control over where you coffee comes from and can buy ethically if you want to.

For our office, we actually invested in a small Miele coffee machine that also grinds the beans and froths the milk. It was a bit of an investment, but it's paid off as we can use much better value coffee and we're not tied into a single supplier and it has never given an ounce of trouble in 3 years.

easychair

Solair wrote: »

If you're a true coffee aficionado, then you would be better off buying a real espresso machine. They're a little more work, but you save a fortune as you can pick any beans you like.

From my experience, nespresso are more work to make one or two coups of coffee than my caffe nebucco machine. But thats not my real objective, which is being locked into buying expensive pods into the future, and getting no better quality coffee as a result.

Curry Addict

easychair wrote: »

From my experience, nespresso are more work to make one or two coups of coffee than my caffe nebucco machine. But thats not my real objective, which is being locked into buying expensive pods into the future, and getting no better quality coffee as a result.

having owned both a gaggia and an nespresso, tbh all of what you have said about the nespresso is actually wide of the mark apart from the expense.
considering the expense its still just approx 2e for 6 cups it is worth the convenience for some!

easychair

Curry Addict wrote: »

having owned both a gaggia and an nespresso, tbh all of what you have said about the nespresso is actually wide of the mark apart from the expense.
considering the expense its still just approx 2e for 6 cups it is worth the convenience for some!

I, of course, do not talk on behalf of some and only on my own behalf. It's not "wide of the mark", for example, to say I have had tepid coffee from nespresso machines, and how you can claim for example, that I have not had tepid coffee from nespresso machines is uncertain.

Curry Addict

its wide of the mark because of certain facts ...

u can dispense boiling water from a nespresso with the touch of a button.
u are not locked into buying only nespresso pods there are other manufacturers making them.
nespresso machines are fast, takes approx 1 min for first cup and approx. 30secs percup after, this isnt slow by any standards.

easychair

My experience of nespresso machines differs from yours. If you like it, thats great, and I am sure they are wonderful machines, and hope you remain blissfully happy with yours.

Solair

It's a case of different horses for different courses.

If you make a lot of coffee, or if you are a connoisseur, then you will appreciate a normal coffee machine as it can use any type of coffee from any source.

If you just want the odd cappuccino and don't really care about the price per shot or really hate making coffee in an espresso machine, then a Nespresso machine might be perfect for you.

The big downside I found with a Krups Nespresso we had was:

1) Expense - the pods work out very pricy compared to just buying coffee beans or grounds.

2) Temperature of coffee - I found that particular model of machine, the Citiz produced rather luke warm coffee. The heater just isn't as big as my current espresso machine.

3) The lack of a milk steamer. While the frothing cup with the little electromagnetic stirrer in the bottom does a great job, the froth is not entirely comparable to a properly steamed jug of milk.

4) Environmental impact - I prefer to buy beans in bulk and grind them myself. They keep just as long and you have total control over what you're buying.

Also, you can buy ESE pods, which will work in any espresso machine. They're like a round tea bag. You put them into the filter basket on the espresso machine and it works perfectly if you don't like messy grounds.

For example:

It's an "open source" design, so any coffee producer can use it!

Kazbah

I came across these refillable Nespresso pods but I haven't used them myself. http://www.coffeeduck.com/uk_espressomovie.html

easychair

While making a coffee this morning, I felt a little cold and thought I'd like to make it a little stronger than usual. It occurred to me this is something which I can do with my machine ( I just put as much or as little coffee into the pot as my mood dictates), but this is not possible with a nespresso as the pods are filled by someone else!

The more I think about nespresso, the more I think they are expensive and not the best option for a variety or reasons. If I buy, for example, a BMW it's expensive and its build quality and engineering design probable makes it heads above most of its competitors. If I buy a nespresso, it's also more expensive to purchase, more expensive to use, and less flexible than other machines which make equally excellent coffee. As far as I can see, nespresso is more a lifestyle statement than the best option for making good coffee.

Kazbah

It's convenience for me over a lifestyle choice.
There are a variety of blends and strengths available so you can vary your coffee according to your preference at the time.

Solair

easychair wrote: »

While making a coffee this morning, I felt a little cold and thought I'd like to make it a little stronger than usual. It occurred to me this is something which I can do with my machine ( I just put as much or as little coffee into the pot as my mood dictates), but this is not possible with a nespresso as the pods are filled by someone else!

The more I think about nespresso, the more I think they are expensive and not the best option for a variety or reasons. If I buy, for example, a BMW it's expensive and its build quality and engineering design probable makes it heads above most of its competitors. If I buy a nespresso, it's also more expensive to purchase, more expensive to use, and less flexible than other machines which make equally excellent coffee. As far as I can see, nespresso is more a lifestyle statement than the best option for making good coffee.

Not really, to me Nespresso is one step up over Nescafe !

easychair

Kazbah wrote: »

It's convenience for me over a lifestyle choice.
There are a variety of blends and strengths available so you can vary your coffee according to your preference at the time.

There are, of course, an infinite number of strengths available with other machines.

maxer68

Even though its made by nestle, nepresso is superb. Each person can choose the strength of flavour, quality is consistent and its just so handy that the 36c cost is very well worth it.

SeaSide

maxer68 wrote: »

Even though its made by nestle, nepresso is superb. Each person can choose the strength of flavour, quality is consistent and its just so handy that the 36c cost is very well worth it.

Personally prefer a subtlety of flavour and quality can be poor and still consistent

BengaLover

I found that it didnt make a really hot cuppa.

Cork Lass

I've been using my Magimix Citiz nespresso machine for about a year now and I love it. I always keep a selection of pods which means that I can have whatever type of coffee I fancy. It's fast, clean and as my hubbie rarely drinks coffee I find it perfect for making just 1 cup. I have also used it for a group without any problems and everyone was able to choose the flavour they wanted. I do run it empty (without a pod) before making the first coffee to make sure I get a really hot coffee. This takes a few seconds and is no bother.

I have used many coffee machines and definitely think this is the best one I've had. I'd say go for it and buy one. BT will let you sample some to give you an idea of what flavours are available.:)

Benbecul97

Has anyone used an espresso pod in a lungo, or a lungo pod in an espresso, or is that just sacrilege? :eek:

Kazbah

I don't take any notice of lungo/espressso. I use all pods to make a large mug of coffee. I never drink espressos. I also use any pod to make a latte.

Morgans

I thought this Nespresso being one step above Nescafe was dead as an argument four or five years ago.

I cannot see how its as expensive for a regular user as getting an americano/latte/cappachino in a cafe.

If the nespresso criticisms stopped at the reasonable downsides, the opinions of those criticising it would be far more valued.

dvpower

BengaLover wrote: »

I found that it didnt make a really hot cuppa.

Solair wrote: »

2) Temperature of coffee - I found that particular model of machine, the Citiz produced rather luke warm coffee. The heater just isn't as big as my current espresso machine.

I've found this too. Simple solution is to first warm the cup by making an 'espresso' with no pod in the chamber, so you just get hot water. After that I find the temperature fine.

Have to say I'm very happy with mine. I wouldn't recommend it if you need to feed a family with coffee; it would start to get very expensive.

I did have a different machine previously, but it was too big to leave out on the counter and too much hassle to clean and just that extra bit of hassle to make coffee with.

As you say, horses for courses.

dvpower

Morgans wrote: »

I thought this Nespresso being one step above Nescafe was dead as an argument four or five years ago.

I cannot see how its as expensive for a regular user as getting an americano/latte/cappachino in a cafe.

If the nespresso criticisms stopped at the reasonable downsides, the opinions of those criticising it would be far more valued.

I agree. I find the coffee it makes to compare well with anything I buy in a cafe and, from what I read, this is a fairly general consensus.

D1976

We bought a Nespresso machine but got rid of it, the capsules are far too expensive.
I think you had to buy at least a minimum of €60 worth of coffee at a time :eek::eek::eek: what a rip off


So we picked this up from amazon at a great price.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Delonghi-EC152-Espresso-Coffee-Machine/dp/B003U2SLI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307619521&sr=8-1

Kazbah

D1976 wrote: »

I think you had to buy at least a minimum of €60 worth of coffee at a time :eek::eek::eek: what a rip off

In BT Cork & Dublin you can buy a single sleeve of 10 capsules for less than €4.
With the online ordering I presume you can buy however much you like buy it probably makes sense to bulkbuy because of postage charges. I don't think there is any onus to spend a minimum of €60.

maxer68

Nespresso is not for everyone. If you like instant coffee, you won't like it. If you don't drink coffeee daily, it probably is not worth the expense. If you're not a fan of coffee and happy with whatever is served up, then its not for you. If you already have a decent coffee maker, nespresso will only be of benefit because of flavour choice and easiness of brew.

Considering some Michelin star restaurants use it and advertise that they use it, I think that say mountains about the quality.

dvpower

D1976 wrote: »

We bought a Nespresso machine but got rid of it, the capsules are far too expensive.
I think you had to buy at least a minimum of €60 worth of coffee at a time :eek::eek::eek: what a rip off

I think you can buy refillable capsules. I'm not sure how well they work 'though or if they can potentially damage the machine. Anyone?

maxer68 wrote: »

Considering some Michelin star restaurants use it and advertise that they use it, I think that say mountains about the quality.

Interesting. Link?

Morgans

Ive tried the capsule duck with the nespresso. I was disappointed, more in the consistency of it than anything. Got some of the coffee I like most from my favourite cafe, and while every now and again it produced exactly what I was hoping for, there were too many below standard cups to satisfy fully. It may have been the way I was using it. Maybe its why tampers are essential.

I think you'd need to be using it very wrongly for it to damage the machine.