# Which Bean-to-Cup?



## Onticoms (Oct 10, 2017)

First off apologies: I bet this question gets asked a lot. I've used the search function (and, like loads of forum searches, three-letter-words like "cup" aren't allowed, so it's ahard to find previous similar threads.

I checked the stickies and they are silent on all-in-one machines (which led me to wonder if these machines are taboo!) but then I saw loads of threads in the "show off your setup" section featuring the Heston Blumenthal Barista Express (which I think might answer the question I asked in the thread title).

We currently have a pod-based machine we got free (a Lavazza Modo Mio) which I don't mind, but I'dlike a shorter espresso than it can produce, and I'd like to experiement with some different beans. I'm after a fairly simple set-up that's not overly involved and which will get used for a couple of cups of coffee a day.

So... does the Heston Blumenthal Barista Express have any competition in the price bracket up to £500?

In an effort to try and contribute some content of interest, and not just leech info and help I thought it might be of interest to note that Which? magazine doesn't seem to rate the Sage BE that much. They don't include it in their top 5 which I though people might be interested to see are:-

*Best affordable bean-to-cup machine - DeLonghi ESAM2800 Caffe Corso - 80%*

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"A brilliant bean-to-cup machine 80%

Excellent espresso, great milk frothing

Noisy, a bit slow"

*Bean-to-cup machine with multiple drink settings - DeLonghi ECAM Eletta Plus 44.620.S - 78%*

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"Effective and user-friendly 78%

Good espresso and cappuccino, easy to use

Slow to heat up, uneven dispensing"

*Bean-to-cup machine with milk frothing - Krups Espresseria EA9010 - 70%*



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"Easy to make great coffee 70%

Tasty cappuccinos and espressos, easy to use, very quiet when dispensing, cup warmer, self-cleaning milk wand

Very noisy when grinding, slow to dispense espresso, espressos are too large"

*Fully automatic bean-to-cup machine - DeLonghi Magnifica S ECAM 22.110B - 72%*



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"A bean-to-cup model worth considering 72%

Excellent espresso, froths milk well

Noisy, drips"

*Bean-to-cup machine with personalised setting options - Gaggia Brera - 71%*



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"Best using ground coffee 71%

Easy to use once mastered, fully automated

Stainless steel finish is hard to keep clean, lengthy warm-up process for first use"

*Which? score the BE at 63%*



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"Fussy to use 63%

Makes a decent espresso, comes with lots of extras

Tricky to keep clean, the initial set up takes a while"

Thanks a lot for any help anyone has to offer.


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## Onticoms (Oct 10, 2017)

Ahh, just used Google to get some better search results...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=site:coffeeforums.co.uk+%22bean+to+cup%22&newwindow=1&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:y&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwigzo6w-OXWAhVFKMAKHULXBScQpwUIIA&biw=1680&bih=957


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Let me help you...Best affordable BTC machine by a long way. Melitta Varianza. You can usually get a deal at £500 or below....much better than most £1000 machines!

My review is below:

https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/melitta-caffeo-varianza-csp/

Now I'm not sure whether BB still stock them, but if they don't, it's not because the machine was no good...it's a good BTC.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Which reviews.... lol....


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

It is worth contacting B.B. to see when they will be back in stock. I have read nothing but positive things about it on the forum.

Although Which magazine are generally well thought of, they really don't know their coffee machines (in my view).


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## JonR (Aug 21, 2017)

Interesting stuff. On the Sage Barista Express, it's not really a bean to cup I think. It's a manual espresso machine that has a built-in grinder. You have to dose, tamp etc to pull the drink then froth your milk with the steam arm.


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## Onticoms (Oct 10, 2017)

Thanks for the replies.

@DavecUK, I like your review a lot - it speaks to me on appropriate terms - I very much fit into the "casual coffee drinker" category. I'll have a look at that machine - it wasn't on my radar at all.

@MildredM, The Which? reviews do seem a little weak. I agree.

I've done a bit more reading around here, and decided to take advantage of the Pact offer Deejaysuave posted in the deals section - for a half price Aeropress when you buy a bag of Pact beans. I've also ordered a Rhino hand grinder, So I'll give that set-up a trial before I decide where to go next...

If nothing else, it seems like that'll be a handy travel kit to own.


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