# Nespresso



## sand133

I've been using my Sister's Nespresso machine for the past week and I must admit the "espresso" drinks from it are very good. I feel the "intenso" capsules offer the better tasting drink than the other capsules.

Convenience is the main factor with these but I cannot help to think the money wasted in these. Each capsule has only 5-6g of coffee and produces small milk based drinks of around 140ml. Anything more than you loose the taste of the coffee with over dilution of milk.


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## Fevmeister

how much are we talking per pack of pods? and how many pods in a packet?

the dose of grinds in each pod is below the usual 7g of coffee for a single shot, so that is probably its downfall when adding 140ml+ of milk!


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## Dylan

They tend to produce a very easy to drink shot, its lacks in the intensity and strength of flavour you get when you do it the "proper" way. But for pod machines I think they make a really nice drink.

The problem is the cost, Nespresso capsules cost 4-5 times the price of buying beans yourself and as the resulting drink is weaker they dont make great long drinks. The 'third party' capsules dont work as well (blonde way earlier than official ones, in my experience) and only cost a small amount less. You pay a premium for the convenience, but it is VERY convenient.


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## MiG

Yep, agreed about the taste, intensity and strenght. One of the few Nespresso pods I like is the Kazaar (incidentally that has the highest "intensity" out of all of their pods







). It tastes nice and out of all of the pods is closest to the espresso that I am used to.

As far as price, gram for gram, Nespresso is indeed more expensive (Nespresso is about 6p/gram, whereas Square Mile Red Brick is about 2p/gram, for example). However, if we look at this from a different perspective, the price is about the same. Nespresso pods have about 5 grams of coffee, which is about 30p/double-shot (compared to about 10p for 5 grams of Red Brick). However, most self-respecting espresso lovers are not going to use just 5 grams of coffee, they'll use at least 14-15 grams for a double-shot







. That means that a double-shot made with fresh coffee beans will also cost about 30p. Obviously, it will taste much, much better


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## sand133

MiG said:


> Yep, agreed about the taste, intensity and strenght. One of the few Nespresso pods I like is the Kazaar (incidentally that has the highest "intensity" out of all of their pods
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). It tastes nice and out of all of the pods is closest to the espresso that I am used to.
> 
> As far as price, gram for gram, Nespresso is indeed more expensive (Nespresso is about 6p/gram, whereas Square Mile Red Brick is about 2p/gram, for example). However, if we look at this from a different perspective, the price is about the same. Nespresso pods have about 5 grams of coffee, which is about 30p/double-shot (compared to about 10p for 5 grams of Red Brick). However, most self-respecting espresso lovers are not going to use just 5 grams of coffee, they'll use at least 14-15 grams for a double-shot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . That means that a double-shot made with fresh coffee beans will also cost about 30p. Obviously, it will taste much, much better


Of course you have to include the wastage when making traditional espresso.


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## Dylan

I think comparing gram for gram is a better comparison.

If you wanted to you could run a double shot through 7g of fresh ground and the resulting drink would probably still be stronger than a Nespresso "double". They aren't doing anything magic, the shots just have more water in them.


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## Vergnano Singapore

Hi guys and gals, From this month, if you travel or live in Singapore, you can finally find the quality of Caffè Vergnano (1882) also there, ready to be used with any Nespresso machine. Just look for it at

Cheers!


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## charris

I am also of the thought that the cost comparison should be based per shot. Most people (not regulars here) do not really care how many grams are in their espresso. I know that our shots are mostly double and you can also split them but again I am taking a more general per shot view.So for me one shot of nespresso is very similarly priced to a shot with speciality fresh beans. The big difference is fresh vs stale chemically preserved coffee and huge difference in taste and aroma.


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## coffeechap

charris said:


> I am also of the thought that the cost comparison should be based per shot. Most people (not regulars here) do not really care how many grams are in their espresso. I know that our shots are mostly double and you can also split them but again I am taking a more general per shot view.So for me one shot of nespresso is very similarly priced to a shot with speciality fresh beans. The big difference is fresh vs stale chemically preserved coffee and huge difference in taste and aroma.


The only naffspresso I have tried I needed two capsules for it to have sufficient punch through milk so a shot vs shot comparison is not accurate at all as this would mean naffspresso is over 60p per shot


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## charris

coffeechap said:


> The only naffspresso I have tried I needed two capsules for it to have sufficient punch through milk so a shot vs shot comparison is not accurate at all as this would mean naffspresso is over 60p per shot


Agreed Dave but this is very difficult to explain to somebody that is not into real coffee.

Don't get me wrong I really believe that nespresso is shit compared to the stuff we drink BUT again it is very "difficult" to explain to most people that it is more expensive.


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## Clue

I have to admit I love the ritual of making beautiful coffee almost as much as the coffee it self, for some it is just a thing to be consumed with no more thought to it than walking and breathing. Nespresso has it's place for convenience and cost where you can pick up a new machine off ebay for £40 and be ready to go, where for really good espresso its a investment of time and perhaps hundred's of pounds. I just use French press/Aeropress and stove pot these days which produces the best coffee you can ask for at a very reasonable price but takes some time and effort where with Nespresso it's just fire and forget Real good coffee's not for everyone


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## NickdeBug

Everything is relative.

The 12 hour journey that I had through France a couple of weeks ago was a virtual coffee desert.

When I finally got to the hotel and found that they had Nespresso machines in the rooms it was a relief. In terms of flavour - very smooth, no bitterness, but no real complexity.

Basically the coffee equivalent of Boddingtons.

Having said that, I stopped at Chieveley services yesterday and got a flat white from Costa. They charged £3.35 and it tasted rank. Hardly surprising as their workstation was filthy - every bit of equipment encrusted with oils and grounds and the milk jug looked like it was forming it's own civilisation.

I would rather have had a Nespresso!


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## Kyle T

I currently have a Nespresso machine. It cost £70 new and if you look around you can get the pods (1 shot per pod) for roughly 22p. I did have a filter coffee machine but found the Nespresso tasted slightly better and is much more convenient. I would love to experience the beautiful coffee some of the people of this forum can produce but the cost to get the equipment is something I never even realised, I never would of thought about spending more than £100 on a machine to use once or twice a day for a cup of coffee. I do love coffee (at least the coffee I drink) but when I read people on here slating the high street coffee chains (which I also assumed was good coffee) how am I supposed to know where/how I can experience good coffee? Or do I just have to fully commit and spend the money to produce it myself?


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## h1udd

Kyle T said:


> how am I supposed to know where/how I can experience good coffee? Or do I just have to fully commit and spend the money to produce it myself?


There are very good artisan coffee shops all over the place, Where do you live ?


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## hotmetal

Hello again Kyle. No you don't have to spend the money and try to make it yourself initially. You'd need to have a good idea of what your perfect cup would taste like and then work out how to get there. At first, I would look/ask on here for recommendations for good coffee shops in your area. See how you find their coffee, chat to the barista and try different types of coffee from different cafes to find your preferences without having to worry about how to make it. Then once you find you're spending over £10 a day in coffee shops, investing time and money on home espresso gear and training may make more sense. Or you might decide it doesn't - but at least then you'll know what you are missing or aiming for before you jump in at the deep end!


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## Kyle T

h1udd said:


> There are very good artisan coffee shops all over the place, Where do you live ?


Hi, I'm in Nottingham.


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## fluffles

Kyle T said:


> Hi, I'm in Nottingham.


Hi Kyle,

I'm also based in Nottingham so can offer you some recommendations. Nottingham is a bit behind many other major cities in terms of quality coffee places, but there are two or three I would recommend trying and I know of a couple more in the pipeline.

200 Degrees in the city centre is probably the most popular and well-known place. They serve coffee that they roast themselves and I would describe their style as leaning towards the traditional (i.e. medium-dark). Every now and then one of their guest beans surprises me (in a good way).

Wired Cafe Bar also in the city centre. Only a single option for espresso (Allpress Redchurch Blend which for my tastes is a little boring as a straight espresso). They also serve a couple of different filter coffees which are worth a go.

Greenhood Coffee House in Beeston. This place has a more modern and progressive approach. In my opinion it serves the best coffee in the area by quite some distance, but I guess that's because it is more in tune with my personal tastes. They serve two different espressos and they have recently started doing EKspresso. They have a well-stocked brew bar and their filter coffee is generally excellent.

I'd definitely recommend visiting all three of these places as you'll get something different in each one - it should give you an idea of some of the different styles of roast and preparation.


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## insatiableOne

Could not justify paying over $1.00 a shot. Even though the Machines are free here (can be sourced here for free) still the price vs convenience doesn't justify. They just don't taste that great.

Although as Nick had mentioned, would loved to had seen one in my last hotel!


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## MWJB

When I go over to my sister & brother-in-law's I'm always pleasantly surprised as to how nice a Rosabaya pod pulled at 45g tastes.


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## Kyle T

fluffles said:


> Hi Kyle,
> 
> I'm also based in Nottingham so can offer you some recommendations. Nottingham is a bit behind many other major cities in terms of quality coffee places, but there are two or three I would recommend trying and I know of a couple more in the pipeline.
> 
> 200 Degrees in the city centre is probably the most popular and well-known place. They serve coffee that they roast themselves and I would describe their style as leaning towards the traditional (i.e. medium-dark). Every now and then one of their guest beans surprises me (in a good way).
> 
> Wired Cafe Bar also in the city centre. Only a single option for espresso (Allpress Redchurch Blend which for my tastes is a little boring as a straight espresso). They also serve a couple of different filter coffees which are worth a go.
> 
> Greenhood Coffee House in Beeston. This place has a more modern and progressive approach. In my opinion it serves the best coffee in the area by quite some distance, but I guess that's because it is more in tune with my personal tastes. They serve two different espressos and they have recently started doing EKspresso. They have a well-stocked brew bar and their filter coffee is generally excellent.
> 
> I'd definitely recommend visiting all three of these places as you'll get something different in each one - it should give you an idea of some of the different styles of roast and preparation.


Hi Fluffles,

Thanks for the info, I have heard of 200 Degrees before as I quite often go to a restaurant called The Circle in Bingham and they serve 200 Degree coffee but I didn't know they had a café. I will definitely try to get to all of the places you mentioned in the near future.


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## hotmetal

I used to work for Nespresso on the training side. Rosabaya was their 'hero' capsule (or Grand Cru as we were instructed to call it! ) Was also my favourite although the purple one (Volluto?) was quite nice too.


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## h1udd

I was always a fan of the purple one .... kind of miss those days ... 2am in the morning, baby wakes up, take her downstairs, put some Christina Aguilera on (candy man) and whilst rocking baby back to bed in 1 hand, make a nespresso in 27 seconds in the other hand.

yeah yeah, proper espresso machines taste better, but I challenge anyone to make an espresso in 27 seconds flat (this includes the heating of the machine), at 2am, one handed with a crying baby, in the dark, listening to Candy Man

27seconds


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## Blackstone

Christina Aguilera? candy man?


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## h1udd

hey, I dont know what a 6month old sees in it, but it used to send her to sleep and now she is 4 and its still her favourite song .... got to give it to her for consistency, and it beats listening to the wheels on the bus


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## Blackstone

whatever helps. i currently stuck with white noise all night


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## insatiableOne

> Christina Aguilera? candy man?


well listening to her has to be better than looking at her_


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## cold war kid

hotmetal said:


> I used to work for Nespresso on the training side. Rosabaya was their 'hero' capsule (or Grand Cru as we were instructed to call it! )


AAAARRRRGGGHHHH.

I don't know what it is but when people say thing's like that it drives me nuts. Grand cru is a way of classifying wine in France ( and is nowhere near as good a predictor of quality as some would have you believe ) and means nothing in any other context. I could get a sack of the worlds shittest beans, roast them and call them Grand Cru du robusta and it won't make them any better. It's just marketing hype .... and as for people in the industry who call espresso, expresso, please! I'm going to go and lie down now, I've just started hyper ventilating


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## hotmetal

cold war kid said:


> AAAARRRRGGGHHHH.
> 
> I don't know what it is but when people say thing's like that it drives me nuts. Grand cru is a way of classifying wine in France ( and is nowhere near as good a predictor of quality as some would have you believe ) and means nothing in any other context.


Exactly! That's why I threw that little nugget in! To paraphrase Steve Wright in the Afternoon (Mr Angry) "it makes my ibrik boil!" Another slice of corporate cheese anyone? I died a little inside when they told me that is how everyone must refer to their range of coffee capsules. And they invented a new class of bean just for themselves - AAA. Invented purely to make people think it's better than AA grade. Grand Cru de Robusta LOL!

Cheesy corporate speak aside though it's probably the best of the pod systems and I think you can get capsules you can fill yourself. If you have a decent grinder. Errr?


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## DoubleShot

I'd agree Nespresso offers the best quality coffee out of the pod-based machines I've tried which includes Tassimo, dolce gusto and Senseo.

Black and purple pods (two with highest strength ratings) were the ones I would usually choose when offered a coffee out of a Nespresso machine. Some of the limited edition pods (released in the build-up to Christmas) weren't bad neither.

Sure, some might say it's no better than $tarbucks or Co$ta quality. But certainly preferable to instant coffee, anyday!


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## cold war kid

Yep. To be fair you're both right. I'm always glad when I see them in hotel rooms because A, I get a half decent coffee when I want one and B, I'm not the one paying the inflated price, well, not directly anyway.


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## jlarkin

DoubleShot said:


> Black and purple pods (two with highest strength ratings) were the ones I would usually choose when offered a coffee out of a Nespresso machine. Some of the limited edition pods (released in the build-up to Christmas) weren't bad neither.
> 
> Sure, some might say it's no better than $tarbucks or Co$ta quality. But certainly preferable to instant coffee, anyday!


They used to be highest rating of 9 and 10. Then they turned up the heat and released 11 & 12 rated ones! I didn't like them as much tho, purple and black were also my faves.


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## dsc

Don't forget to include the cost of a decent machine and a decent grinder in the final £/gram calculations.

Btw are we talking compressed flat round like pods here or capsules which look like condensed milk / artificial cream? Like the latter ones (found it in a hotel in Italy), not a fan of the flat compressed ones.

T.


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## jlarkin

dsc said:


> Don't forget to include the cost of a decent machine and a decent grinder in the final £/gram calculations.
> 
> Btw are we talking compressed flat round like pods here or capsules which look like condensed milk / artificial cream? Like the latter ones (found it in a hotel in Italy), not a fan of the flat compressed ones.
> 
> T.


The latter.


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## dsc

If I'm not mistaken these were the ones tested by James Hoffmann with which he was able to get consistant 20-21% extractions.

Going back to cost comparisons there's things like delivery costs for beans, having to order beans in advance and remember to do so, cost of sink shots and overall time/cost when things simply go wrong and you can't really nail those extractions. With Nespresso / similar systems you simply pay extra for the convenience.

T.


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## jlarkin

Yes that's the ones, almost always above 20% regardless of lenth of "shot" pulled.


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## hotmetal

Nespresso have put an awful lot of R&D into it. It's a canny business model that works on all but the 1%ers like us on here who take things a bit far. The 'flowerpot' shaped N capsules are for "consumer', and the flat 'UFO' capsules are intended for business machines (receptions, meeting rooms etc). Not sure why they have 2 different designs of capsule though, and there aren't as many varieties in the B2B range.


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## MWJB

jlarkin said:


> Yes that's the ones, almost always above 20% regardless of lenth of "shot" pulled.


And still tasting good in the mid 20's.


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## dsc

Someone should do LPA on those pods and tell us something we don't know.

T.


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## hotmetal

Ha! for the price of the top N machine you could get the cheapest and a VST refractometer!

I strongly suspect each pod contains no more than 5g of coffee, ground to the size of the Higgs Boson.


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## dsc

The top of the range ones are £700??

T.


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## DoubleShot

Believe you're correct, there is around 5g of coffee in each capsule. Quite remarkable how such little coffee can produce enough espresso for a medium sized latte.


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## froggystyle

I got 7g out of a capsule, but could only get 5g back in...


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## DoubleShot

Nespresso Magimix Gran Maestria which I almost purchased a few years back, is £479.99 and I thought that was one of, if not, the top model.


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## hotmetal

I think the top end home machine is £480. Ok not quite vst but still.


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## h1udd

froggystyle said:


> I got 7g out of a capsule, but could only get 5g back in...


you need a 30mm tamper


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## jlarkin

the Hoff found that 

"Different Nespresso capsules actually have a range of dry coffee weight in them (I think from about 5.5g up to about 6.3g - but I haven't tested them all). These particular capsules had 5.7g of ground coffee in them."


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## MWJB

DoubleShot said:


> Believe you're correct, there is around 5g of coffee in each capsule. Quite remarkable how such little coffee can produce enough espresso for a medium sized latte.


Livanto 5.7g

Vivalto 6.4g

Kazaar 6.2g

Cosi 5.1g

Rosabaya 6.3g

Linitzio 6.4g.

...plus capsule, weighs ~1.1g

Just use more pods at the shortest, 25ml, setting.

James Hoffman found around 80% of a lungo capsule was coarser than 500um, that's pretty coarse, but then the lungo's are on par with brewed coffee ratios.


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## DoubleShot

Is it slightly worrying just how knowledgeable some members are about Nespresso?!


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## dsc

Sounds like they have people which know quite a lot about coffee if they can push so much out of less than 6g of coffee.


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## MWJB

DoubleShot said:


> Is it slightly worrying just how knowledgeable some members are about Nespresso?!


Nespresso works like any other coffee, you pass a given amount of water through it & you end up on a given trajectory (balance of strength vs extraction). The difference is that it does 'work' rather more often than not, whoever presses the button & it's not by accident. It's just a different ethos (convenience over hobby) & perception of quality.

If I could press a button, or ask *anyone* else to, & get a well extracted high quality, specialty coffee, then I would.


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## MWJB

dsc said:


> Sounds like they have people which know quite a lot about coffee if they can push so much out of less than 6g of coffee.


A lungo pulled to 110ml will still be overextracted in my experience, pull it shorter & you'll probably be OK, so 6.4g/80g = 80g/l in the cup, if it was a pourover then that equates to 69g/l. Not so much output from a given dose in real terms.


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## DoubleShot

Totally agree with you. What puts me off about Nespresso is that there are so few (around 4!) retail stores in the UK that stock the capsules. Yes, I know you can order them online and pay relatively high delivery costs and there's sometimes minimum order amounts too such as when they release special edition capsules in the run up to Christmas.

As for refillable capsules, not sure anyone has managed to do so and produce a better cup than the original capsules? If so, I haven't read about it!

If it weren't for that, I'd have probably have one so instant coffee doesn't need to be drank ever again by any friends/family here.


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## dsc

Would you get the same results with the same amount of coffee on a standard vibe machine?

T.


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## h1udd

I dont think you could dose that low could you ? ... even a 7g basket you would be pushing it sticking 5g in it. water would break through that puck in seconds


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## dsc

Of course the basket design would have to different, the flowerpot like capsules act like baskets although water enters through the top via needles (?) and exits via a single hole in the bottom?

T.


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## "coffee 4/1"

tried the refillable capsules with home coffee total fail, don't know what water pressure in nespresso but the capsules explodes, so i would think you need a hot heat sealing machine to seal the caps.


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## hotmetal

From memory (over a year ago at least) they're set to something wild like 19 bar! I suppose it's no surprise they blow the home capsules apart. Especially if you fill them with Italian Job. "You're only supposed to blow the b#### doors off! "


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## DoubleShot

Good memory there lad, 'max' bar pressure of 19.


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## hotmetal

Yeah I haven't worked there for some time now but certain things stick in your head for the sheer bizarreness. Like most consumer facing techno babble, they always market bigger numbers as being better: 'some machines only have 9 bar but our super duper whizz bang has 19! They work in the basis that people don't understand jack and will just buy the thing with the highest number. Ever read the 'how to choose a digital camera' explanatory notes in the Argos catalogue? "More megapixels means higher quality pictures". Er, no, wrong on so many levels. ...

(I may have also worked on that catalogue but believe me I didn't write the copy! )


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## DoubleShot

There was a deal the other week for a basic Nespresso machine from Curry's (forget which clearance store?) for £25 that qualified for £45 credit on capsules ordered from Nespresso online store. Bargain!


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## hotmetal

Wow so they're taking a hit of £20 to get you to sign up for a lifetime (or not) of the capsules? Well that's how it sounds in simplistic terms and would be a bargain for the consumer, though I'm sure the actual economics of that deal are very different.


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## DoubleShot

Normally at full retail cost, the machine would obviously cost more than the free £45 credit but it still qualified for the credit which is why it was a no brainer bargain if you were close enough to the store in question.


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## Zola

Bumpedy Bump. Many of you have a Nespresso machine?

I am relatively new here.....my fiance bought me a Nespresso Citiz & Milk fairly recently, so I have to use it for a good while at least









I do like the Cafetiere/French Press & Gaggia machine style of making coffee, but the Nespresso machine is very handy and tasty for quick everyday coffee.

Lidl do capsules for 17p, and they are actually not bad at all. There's a wide range of competitors now.

Someday I will get a Gaggia type machine, but until I get sick of the pods, thats probably what I will be drinking for the next while.


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## anabella

For those of you who want a quick coffee presentation, a capsule machine is a viable

option, without the need for a barista expertise. To me, the Nespresso Coffee Maker is

enough to give a caffeine jolt at an emergency with speeds of just a few seconds in the

morning.


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## ronsil

Is this some advertising coming on?.

If you want to advertise please contact @Glenn to discuss terms.

Please introduce yourself in the appropriate forum.


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