Coffee maker

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Jemima Copping
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Coffee maker

Post by Jemima Copping »

I know this is a subject which has come up before, but rather than search through hundreds of posts I'm throwing it at the Hatters to see what you come up with. I want to buy a good reliable cofee machine, not too big, 2 cups, for my guests. We have a roastery in the nearby town who sell superlative coffee, and I thought it might make my place stand out a bit if I could provide both the coffee machine and great coffee in the welcome pack. We already have a glass cafetiere in the property, but I don't like to use them myself, I prefer our italian thingie which goes on the hob. But the hob in the chalet is ceramic, and these coffee makers tend to splutter a bit making the hob difficult to clean. Some kind of percolator would be ideal. Any ideas?
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Kirigiwi
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Post by Kirigiwi »

I don't have a specific suggestion I'm afraid, but how you prepare coffee is a very personal preference, and is going to be different according to nationality, age group etc.

We host many nationalities and thought we had covered all bases with french presses in 2 sizes, Italian stovetop machines, also in 2 sizes, espresso machine and even a jug type thing for Turkish style! Then along came some Swedes and suggested a drip percolator, which we have duly bought.

So I would provide a range. The espresso machine is nice because you can froth milk with it too. If you decide to get one don't spend too much as I've had a few over the years and noticed they are all basically identical unless you want to spend loads.
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

Just a classic filter coffee machine would be ideal I would have thought, but I don't really see the resulting coffee tasting any different to that produced via a cafetiere. Plenty of options from cheap and cheerful to uber-pricey. If it's a percolator you want as opposed to a filter coffee machine then there are electric versions including some which have been styled to look like the Italian stove top ones.
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Post by Sam V »

I have a nice jug style stainless steel insulated (double skinned) cafetière or at least it was until I noticed it no longer sits flat, it now wobbles like a Weeble because some numpty must have put it direct on the gas hob causing the air between the 'skin' expand and pop it out.
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

I just supply a simple no frills cafetiere from Ikea. It does the job quickly and efficiently and goes in the dishwasher.

I don't think it's practical to try to cater for all methods of coffee making and I think most people in the UK now know how to use a cafetiere. I like a bean to cup machine myself but I'm not risking one in the HL.
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Moliere
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Post by Moliere »

Sam V wrote:I have a nice jug style stainless steel insulated (double skinned) cafetière or at least it was until I noticed it no longer sits flat, it now wobbles like a Weeble because some numpty must have put it direct on the gas hob causing the air between the 'skin' expand and pop it out.
Ooh Sam, how awful. I think I've got the same pot - did you get it from the kitchen-porn shop in Cobham? I'd kill anyone who damaged mine.

Overall I agree with Cymraes, a cafetière and a filter machine will cover most bases, and you shouldn't really have to go overboard on this. I may be missing something, but I rather though percolators were ancient history these days, can you even still buy one?

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Jemima Copping
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Post by Jemima Copping »

Thanks to all for your input, I think I might go for the Italian Electric stove top lookalike as mentioned by Casscat.
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Zur Alten Weinkelter
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Post by Zur Alten Weinkelter »

I have a good quality filter machine in 3 of my apartments as i find guests like to either bring their own pre ground blend i opted for this type to the Nespresso or pod like machines where you are limited to purchasing their coffee however in my 4th apartment( the larger ) i have just purchased a cusineart filter machine that also grinds the beans its called grind and brew it also has a thermal jug and it has the option to select the cups needed even 1 or 2 and you can switch between the bean grind and pre ground and also has a permanent gold filter so no filter papers
sofar so good and i have also purchased a small electric milk frother from aldi so if the guest wants to make a cappuccino again it froths enough milk for 2-3 cups and also heats milk for hot chocolate the whole budget for both items came to 150 pounds a lot cheaper than a good expresso machine and saved me buying a thermal jug if guests wanted to take the coffee on to the terrace
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Jemima Copping
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Post by Jemima Copping »

Wow! It sounds amazing!we always grind our beans at home, but I'm not sure how many people will do it on holiday here. Most of our guests are Brits. The frother sounds like a good idea too.
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Zur Alten Weinkelter
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Post by Zur Alten Weinkelter »

Jemima Copping
the bean grinder part holds one bag of beans and the compartment is airtight so the beans keep in the machine for a while
and the frother is really easy to clean just fill it afterwards with water and put in on again it is only the size of a small cafetière and all stainless steel
i tried out both machines myself before putting them in the holiday apartment , so i will replace my existing machine soon and have the set up myself
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Post by Essar »

I provide both Kenwood coffee machines; the kMIX CM021 & the kMIX ES021; you can use the same coffee in both machines and the two provides for those who like to keep a coffee pot "going" and those that like to "bugger" about a bit more.

kMIX CM021

kMIX ES021

Mine are in Orange, but you can get them in all sorts of bright colours. Robert Dyas is the cheapest place to get them, even cheaper than Amazon.
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AndrewH
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Re: Coffee maker

Post by AndrewH »

Jemima Copping wrote:Some kind of percolator would be ideal. Any ideas?
In my earlier days a coffee percolator was the "in" wedding present for when you couldn't think of anything else. We received a ceramic one which you could actually quite safely put on the gas hob. It was made from the same material as was used for the nose cone of a space rocket, or so the makers claimed.

Then it went pear shaped for percolators when bon viveurs (viveux?) - pardon my French - realised that the coffee it produced kept boiling and re-boiling. It had to boil to make it shoot up the tube to the top and then percolate down again for more boiling. I don't suppose boiling coffee is good for the flavour, so I am surprised that these machine are still sold.
Ele
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Post by Ele »

We have a drip drip percolator thingy and one of those Italian espresso pots that goes on the hob. (As you maybe can tell, I'm a tea drinker!)

Having asked some of our regular guests for feedback on what improvements we could make this year (they were Dutch, French, German and American guests FYI), we have just added a Nespresso machine and Aeroccino milk frother for a total investment of 170 Euros. Had been thinking about it for a while but was always concerned about the ease of buying the Nespresso capsules in Spain - but they are now readily available in shops near to us, so that's what we've done.
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kevsboredagain
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Post by kevsboredagain »

I provided a Nepresso machine but someone threw the capsule tray out and I couldn't obtain a replacement part. It didn't work without that part either and the cleaner didn't spot it so I've no idea who was responsible.
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

I love my Nespresso Pixi (mine, all mine) and provide a 'pod' thing at the finca which takes (from memory) Dolce Gusto pods, but I am being made to feel like a planet destroyer by all the negative publicity about the amount of extra garbage being generated via the vogue for coffee pod devices of all complexions. Nespresso offer a recycling service for their pods, but how many people actually take them up on it? A cafetiere or filter coffee maker is much more eco - and the grounds can go on the compost heap! :D
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