# Ready to be flamed on my first post!



## pilsburypie (Aug 2, 2015)

Hi all

What an amazing forum - I never knew there could be such a science behind the perfect cup of coffee! Anyhow, just after some advice. I like coffee, I simply make it in a cafetiere with ground coffee from the supermarket - tastes pretty good to me. My only other coffee experience is Costa or Starbucks, so as you can see, I'm no connoisseur!

I have a problem. On holiday, my wife used a Phillips Senseo coffee machine which uses tea bag like coffee bags. She loved it and wants to get one. I must admit it was easy to use, but the coffee was crap. Weak and tasteless, kind of how she likes to drink it, but not me. I like strong coffee with a decent taste and pick me up.

I've had a good look on the forum, and it seems the entry level for "proper coffee" is the Gaggia Classic using your freshly ground beans. Whilst kind of liking the idea of getting proper coffee at home and the theatre of making an amazing cup, this simply isn't going to wash with my wife. A cafetiere and pre ground coffee is hardly a chore, but my wife was wowed with the Phillips Senseo.....

Is there any middle ground on this? How can I avoid a Phillips Senseo on my kitchen worktop when I simply will not use it? Is there such a thing as a super convenient machine that makes decent coffee? Reading around here makes me want to go and get a Gaggia and grinder, but I think she would have "strong" words with me. A Senseo it is not!

Advice appreciated even if it is simply that there is no middle ground. If necessary tell me that to even mutter the word Senseo, I have been awarded a life time ban


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Maybe carry on with your cafetiere & buy your wife a Nespresso, or Illy Iperespresso, if she must have a simple, user friendly machine? But it does sound like she knows what she wants.

Perhaps try an Aeropress, quicker clean up than cafetiere, easy to use...even your wife might be tempted to give it a crack?


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

Welcome to the forum.

Many people on here have had similar problems.

I don't think your Wife has tasted the results from a Classic with fresh ground coffee

&If it's at all possible try to find an artisan coffee shop in your area & take her there as a first step.

Anyway keep trying. If your desire is great enough you will find a way through.

Enjoy your coffee journey


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## pilsburypie (Aug 2, 2015)

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. How would I go about finding an "artisan coffee shop" in my area (Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham)? As I already said and probably embarrassed myself, Costa and Starbucks is my limit, but I must say, this is probably the key to convincing the misses a Gaggia is the way to go - Costa on tap!


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Sounds like a bean-to-cup might be a good bet. Very easy to use and will produce better coffee than Nespresso etc, if not as good as that from a semi-automatic.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

pilsburypie said:


> Thanks for the replies and suggestions. How would I go about finding an "artisan coffee shop" in my area (Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham)? As I already said and probably embarrassed myself, Costa and Starbucks is my limit, but I must say, this is probably the key to convincing the misses a Gaggia is the way to go - Costa on tap!


mrsimba lives in that area and is a big fan of a local coffee shop. I'm sure he will be along to name it shortly.


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## pilsburypie (Aug 2, 2015)

Hey, just googled this and "under pressure espresso" seems like a place to go. Their site seems heavily into the coffee and their blog talks about fiddling with temps, input/output, timings etc. Sounds as if they are very into getting a great cup. I'll take the misses there and tell her they use a Gaggia Classic!


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

Try it on your own first would be my suggestion.


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Second what Nickdebug says, look for a second hand bean to cup if you don't want any hassle, I still use my old one at work.


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## Asgross (Jun 14, 2015)

hi

i identified with parts of your post , my wife loves her nesspreso . she loves the convience, cleanliness and taste of their coffee and probably in that order!

ive got no idea what made me dust off the cafetière but I bought some pre ground supermarket coffee and looked on the Internet to find how much to use and that's how I found this site

so I spent £16 on Amazon on hario mini grinder and bought freshly roasted beans and the difference is huge

within the month or so since I've joined this site I followed the typical noobie path:-

bought a second hand gaggia Classic and s/h electric burr grinder

I've spent about about 1- 1 1/2 hour every night after work and about 3/4 kg of beans trying to get my shot ok

eventually I produced one I gave to my wife and she said "wow that's great , when are you going to show me how?"!

my advice if you want coffee from a cafetiere buy a hand grinder and fresh beans - I love trying different beans

I still love the cafetière but maybe when the smell of fresh ground beans fill your home youll both want to try other methods as well


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

Buy a 'cheap' gaggia from Gumtree... and either a Hario Skerton grinder or if funds permit a good burr grinder. Match this with decent tamper... oh, and buy beans freshly roasted... not supermarket beans.

I moved from Nespresso, which I'd been using for years... now when I've tried it again... it's not nice!

Yes it's clean and quick, but that's all. Even my 'bad' espresso's are way better in flavour than my previous Nespresso's!

Gaggia's can be picked up for as little as £50.

PS, buy wifey a cheap nespresso/senseo and compare!


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## Jedi oh (Mar 17, 2015)

Second the suggestion of a bean to cup. Very easy and pretty good results. I still use mine, especially at 0530 in the morning when heading off to work and in a rush.

I use a Gaggia Classic too, and I'm still in the early stages of learning so am a bit hit and miss at the moment.

And give some thought to a syphon maker. They appear a bit of a faff at first but they're not and, for me, makes the best coffee. And all for £30!! It's a bits a theatre as well. You'll need a grinder too.

Good luck and enjoy.


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

pilsburypie said:


> Hey, just googled this and "under pressure espresso" seems like a place to go. Their site seems heavily into the coffee and their blog talks about fiddling with temps, input/output, timings etc. Sounds as if they are very into getting a great cup. I'll take the misses there and tell her they use a Gaggia Classic!


Under pressure make great coffee, nice little place!


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