Member Since: 13 Jun 2016
Location: Dalgety Bay
Posts: 817
Coffee machine has bit the dust
Sad day in the house, our Delonghi Magnifica S has bitten the dust after nearly 7yrs of owner ship. I’ve not had a coffee for 48hrs and I’m hanging here Off to Costco today too see what they have gor my fix
23rd Jan 2020 8:10 am
kirkyworld
Member Since: 01 Mar 2016
Location: Northampton
Posts: 566
I have a Nespresso subscription, you can pick a new machine for a quid every year. It's a great way to buy a decent machine without finding £250
23rd Jan 2020 8:17 am
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23832
Aeropress. Makes the best tasting coffee. 👍
2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
23rd Jan 2020 8:34 am
Ali1971
Member Since: 13 Jun 2016
Location: Dalgety Bay
Posts: 817
kirkyworld wrote:
I have a Nespresso subscription, you can pick a new machine for a quid every year. It's a great way to buy a decent machine without finding £250
Not at the rate we drink it Works out quite expensive I think.
23rd Jan 2020 8:46 am
Ali1971
Member Since: 13 Jun 2016
Location: Dalgety Bay
Posts: 817
LT wrote:
Aeropress. Makes the best tasting coffee. 👍
My son has this at college.
23rd Jan 2020 8:46 am
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23832
Wouldn’t be without one. 👍2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
23rd Jan 2020 8:59 am
kirkyworld
Member Since: 01 Mar 2016
Location: Northampton
Posts: 566
Ali1971 wrote:
kirkyworld wrote:
I have a Nespresso subscription, you can pick a new machine for a quid every year. It's a great way to buy a decent machine without finding £250
Not at the rate we drink it Works out quite expensive I think.
We get through a lot of coffee, probably 200-300 a month. It's cheap when you consider the cost of a machine on top at £250 or more which you don't pay for.
23rd Jan 2020 9:38 am
Mikeyb
Member Since: 08 Nov 2016
Location: Maldon, Essex
Posts: 516
Delonghi are easy to strip and overhaul, plenty of new and used parts on Ebay etc and "how to" vids online.Not such a Disco Newbie now!
IID BT
23rd Jan 2020 9:58 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26776
Gaggia Anima bean-to-cup has proven to be a solid buy. Removable brew group for easy cleaning (vital - our previous machine, a Jura, had a "cleaning cycle" that left the inside of the machine a breeding ground for mould), readily available water filters (Philips Saeco filters) and brilliant coffee.
Ken swears by his Sage Barista Pro for similar reasons - very easy cleaning. Both around £500
Do$h house goes through up to 3kg of beans a month - which equates to 600 nespresso pods but then we do like to dial up the strength so each shot of coffee from the machine is probably 2-2.5 pods worth.
Quick bit of man-maths:
Machine that will last 3-5 years circa £500, so call it £125/year
36kg coffee beans £240
Nespresso machine - pretty much disposable, never had one last more than 16 months so call it £80/year
7200 pods year is £2500/year
Yeah, I had to check the maths on that. But 7200 pods with two pods per cup to get something vaguely resembling a nice drink is only 10 cups a day. Not a cheap habit if you use Nespresso pods!I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
23rd Jan 2020 10:14 am
paulmeryan
Member Since: 15 Aug 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 742
Depends what you really want and actually need. Nespresso is convenient but not cheap really, though it is much cheaper than coffee shops.
Recycling aspect also got to me in the end. Yes they're supposed to be recyclable aluminium, but I never lived near enough a Nespresso boutique to take them in and believe the delivery system has issues with collecting the recycling bags due to restrictions around carrying fresh produce in the same vehicle. Not sure about that though, just something I heard.
After years of coffee addiction, the niggling frustrations with Nespresso became pure resentment over machines which never lasted more than a yr or two and lack of choice/control in beans and drinks.
Finally bought a used 2 group commercial machine on ebay from a cafe. Plumbed it in, got a decent grinder and haven't looked back. The machine's 13 yrs old, has a 5 litre tank, can make three coffees while steaming simultaneously then make a cup of tea. Parts will always be available so with occasional servicing it'll just run and run.
It felt like quite a big leap at the time but has been worth while. You can get a Rancillo for entry level money and espresso making, but it will be limited and compromised though fine for one or two coffee addicts if not used constantly. You could also spend a lot on a Sage or other fancy beans to cup machine but these are also compromised and the process of making coffee with them is too remote and they're unnecessarily complicated and will go wrong out of warranty. Eventually you can spend a fortune on real, purist espresso machine's from brands like Rocket and La Marzocco. These machines are things of real beauty, but they do the same thing as the less fancy brands smaller independent cafes use. These come up for sale all the time at a fraction of their original cost and are still as valuable as they were on day one. Mine is a La Pavoni Pub 2 built 2007. Same machine can still be bought for about £2k, but I paid about £300 and it is brilliant. You won't get a Sage or even Rancillo for that by the time you've bought all the gubbins.VR6 > 330D Touring > D3 HSE > !?XC90?!
23rd Jan 2020 10:17 am
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23832
I’ve never had a really good tasting coffee from a pod. They make a nice enough drink, although never really strong enough for me, but it’s a pale imitation of how good coffee can be.
I visit here as often as possible and always have a chat with the knowledgeable owners and their staff:
2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
23rd Jan 2020 10:24 am
MikeO
Member Since: 15 Jan 2014
Location: The Cotswolds
Posts: 1391
I have a Rancilio Silvia which is still going strong after many years. It's an excellent machine but as said above, it's not really designed for "multi-use". And it'll set you back the best part of £500. I really fancy a 2nd hand commercial machine when the Silvia goes phut but not sure I have the space.
The Silvia makes an *excellent* espresso though. As does the La Pavoni level machine I had before but it's a real palaver for more than one cup and expect to get burned at least once per cup.2016 Skoda Octavia VRS Estate
<gone>2009 FF Vogue TDV8 Buckingham Blue</gone>
<gone>2015 BMW 520D SE (not my favourite car)</gone>
<gone>2009 D3 HSE Galway Green</gone
23rd Jan 2020 11:21 am
paulmeryan
Member Since: 15 Aug 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 742
Quote:
We get through a lot of coffee, probably 200-300 a month. It's cheap when you consider the cost of a machine on top at £250 or more which you don't pay for.
Price per pod isn't cheap whichever way you look at it and you are paying for the machine. It's a subsidised cost built into your subscription like the latest advanced shaving system or mobile phone contract. Which makes the value of the coffee itself quite low when you factor that in plus George Clooney's fee and all the other costs of building a premium boutiquey brand.
Even using a premium coffee at full retail price such as Illy or Monmouth St Coffee Co, the amount of coffee in a chain coffee shop latte or espresso is about 12g so less about 31p worth. Milk maybe a few more pence. So about 90% of the £3 you pay is overheads. In reality they're purchasing in bulk at wholesale costs, ripping off growers and the real value of the actual coffee you're getting I estimate is more like 7p per cup. Nespresso is no different.
Ultimately it was dissatisfaction with the coffee that prompted me to make some effort rather than sanctimoniuosness. Once you've tried coffee made with a decent machine the difference is clear and Nespresso will be revealed as the tepid imitation it is. That's not to say I never used or wouldn't ever use one. Whatever meets one's needs is fine. Space is a big consideration, but generally as with cars, buy the best you can.VR6 > 330D Touring > D3 HSE > !?XC90?!
23rd Jan 2020 11:49 am
Ali1971
Member Since: 13 Jun 2016
Location: Dalgety Bay
Posts: 817
Mikeyb wrote:
Delonghi are easy to strip and overhaul, plenty of new and used parts on Ebay etc and "how to" vids online.
Yep I’ve stripped it as much as I can. It’s quite cheap and plastic however was hoping to find a split pipe but no ..
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Off to Costco today too see what they have gor my fix 
