Satisfied with your coffee machine?

Well, it's like this, I'm a designer and have to design a new coffee machine, so I'm doing a bit of research on the whole subject.

SO, here's your chance then, I'd like to know what you do and don't like about making filter coffee, or making coffee in your Nespresso or any of the other new "One Touch" coffee machines.

I'd also like to know why you prefer your "One Touch" machine to the classic filter coffee machine, or the otherway around.

What does coffee remind you of?

Drinking coffee also has a social aspect, what's missing when you drink coffee at home, other than a large crowd of course?

Would it be good if your coffee machine could portion the coffee? If you could decide you wanted to brew four cups instead of one?

If you could, would take your machine with you to work everyday?

I'm all yours friends, let it all hang out, and tell me your coffee wants and needs.

GF

I like my espresso machine. Filter is shite. I think the fully automatic ones are more convienient, and a fair deal for the extra price, but my cheaper not-so-automatic one makes just as good coffee.

Actually one gripe I have about my espresso machine is something it just doesnt push the water through the coffee, and it doesnt seem to have anything to do with how tightly I pack the coffee or anything, its just 9 out of 10 cups are perfectly made, but the 10th just dribbles the coffee out slowly, testing my patience and making a crap coffee.

Oh and I think the ones with those pre-packaged coffee podules or whatever are shite too, I like the flexibility of being able to choose what coffee i want (or grind my own etc) to use not be limited to one brands range.


Coffee reminds me of mornings and watching tv and surfing the net and getting my brain in gear for the day.

Sitting on our old student flat patio in the summer with the flatmates drinking coffee and smoking joints and reading the newspaper looking at our vege garden, and not going to uni. Thats my best coffee drinking experience, that I cant enjoy now while living alone. Not that into the whole go to cafes and drink coffee in the evenings as a social thing, its usually too late in the day for coffee and it will affect my sleep.


Not so important, most seem to be able to make 2 singles or one double at once, thats enough for me.

Well one office has a fully automatic espresso machine but the coffee tastes exactly the same at home so no. But the other office has a shit filter machine so in this case yep, although I wouldnt really be able to justify carrying it to work and back on those grounds alone.


I know, you know how coffee machines have a cup warmer on the top, how about turn the heat up and turn it into a hotplate thing for spotting, and it can come with knives and a funnel that matches the coffee cups you get with it. What goes better with coffee than spots?

Our coffee machine can't pour the coffee and spooge the milk at the same time. That makes me angry because then everyone waiting in line is breathing down my neck about how long it's taking me to make foam.

My buddy!

French press coffee thingy with freshly ground beans and 1 drop of vanilla. Saves counter-top room as well. Would never go back to a machine I think.

Coffee reminds me of work now - used to be coffee and cigarettes though (anyone see that film? I think it would make me sad since I don't smoke anymore)

And I still cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone drinks american coffee or at american coffee places that offer a zillion types of over-priced decaffeinated - fat creme varieties (I've only heard this). Segafredo is good once in a while as a break on a shopping trip though - gotta get that cafein in with flavor.

Make it idiot proof! Seriously, make it so it will never overflow. I think I know just the person you need to be talking too.

Well I have a Siemens Porsche filter system, it is beautiful and matches my kettle. Unfortunately having an Illy freak as a gent means that now I also own a manual espresso pot and a hand grinder for the Illy beans. Not even the Lavazza ground was good enough, it has to be Illy and freshly done.

So yes, I drink more tea these days if I'm in on my own. Or I get him to make it.

Thanks for your feedback, I need more , MOOOORRREEE ...

SO, for those of you who drink filter coffee, is the ritual of preparing
the coffee important to you?

For those who have the new "one Touch" machines, what was the criteria for making your decision?

Were you filtercoffee/espresso drinkes before changing sides?

hey?

GF

No, the ritual is annoying and time consuming. I don't drink much coffee so haven't invested in a fancy coffee maker. When I do it's in the morning when I'm running late and rushing around. Anything that makes the process faster and more convenient is a good thing.

Bit of a heretic probably but I'm quite happy with powdered coffee. As ER mentions, anything else seems a right hassle and I'm not that picky when it comes to how coffee tastes

Aha! Just what I wanted hear!
Eliminating the ritual, or hassle, is part of the deal.
Not jumping on the pad/capsule bandwagon is the other part.

Personnaly I like a freshly made espresso in a little Bialotti espresso maker that I put on the stove.

Tried the pad things, but not convinced.
There's abit of culture involved in drinking coffee, I think they've eliminated the culture, as opposed to the hassle. Nespresso are trying to maintain the culture in that they have created an air of exclusivity about themselves.
It's not the same classic, drinking coffee culture though.

Went there this morning, you can't buy coffee there if you don't have a "Kunden Nummer", which you get if you buy a machine probably. Had to lie and say I was given one for christmas.

Can't think of any more questions at the moment, but keep the comments coming...

Not sure what the Bialotti is exactly, but if its one of the standard stove top Moka pots, that force steam through the coffee, they shouldnt really be considered espresso makers, but rather percolators. Espresso has a certain temperature and pressure of water, while the stove top pots use hotter water (steam in fact, which purists believe burns the coffee) and less pressure.

Not to say they dont make good coffee though.

Heres a link that explains it.

I love the ritual but it shouldn´t be too complicated. In fact that´s what I love about my espresso maker. It´s one of the basic stovetop models. Unscrew the top, pour water in, put in funnel, fill with coffee grounds, pack it and screw top back on. It´s a simple process that if you think about it has a lot of physics in action - phase transfers, solubility, extraction, pressure variables etc..I had an Aluminium one but upgraded to stainless steel (finished). I love the solidity and smoothness and visual design as well. Also, just as important for me is the smell of freshly brewing coffee. I guess in a nutshell : simple and elegant!

Ritual ?
Sure - my ritual lately involves grinding the beans, putting them in the press thingy, putting water in the kettle and going to bed. When I wake up the coffee fairies have made the coffee and put it in the thermos for me.
Wouldn't mind a percolator thingy - that's what my parents had when I was little - but I think percolated coffee is bad for you or something.
Instant coffee is sitting in the office for those rare days I am there. Mix the powder with a bit of milk, add water - instantly accessable coffein.

This link about percolators

Not so much bad for you, just bad for the coffee

must have coffee, mornings, midmornings, lunch, afternoon, and evenings before bed!

really i drink a lot of coffee and have a automatic Jura machine and love it. as there are so many thing that can make a good cup of java:

beans, water, temp, cup, machine being clean, milk etc

i would say that it is more important to stress all of the quality of these things and less the price of the machine. you can have the best machine and shite beans and you will end up with a crap cup of joe...

it must be a total package!

the only complant that i have is that when i use the prof. cappo attachment it sometmies sputters and splashes/squirts the steamed milk around which makes a bit of a mess.

Katina, you (or your gent) should read this interview with Mr. Illy (CEO) regarding new things from Illy (like machines)
http://www.wams.de/data/2005/12/04/812656.html


what?


OK, seems like you have already made-up your mind on what you want. If so, why are you bothering with this very un-scientific survey?

BUT if you are needing input to your design / brainstroming session, then wouldn't it be better to simply invite a bunch of us coffee lovers to a "coffee-talk"?

These are my "babies":

[img]http://www.qualitykitchen.com/Wursthof-Trident/gaggia_baby_black.jpg[/img]
Gaggia Baby

+

[img]https://www.internetto.de/internetto-de/Artikel/0108101.jpg[/img]
Demoka M-203

No fan of these all-in-one machines... lovem... if only the grinder wouldn't make such a mess all the time

For me, it's got to be quick and easy.
I'd personally be prepared to sacrifice flavour in favour of speed and ease.

Oh, and it's got to be easy to clean, as well. No excessive faffing about.

The only thing missing from whatever form of coffee you make, other than the old percolators, is the actual aroma that spreads throughout the house. It is the same with popcorn. We went to the Cinema on Sunday and there was loads of popcorn, but the smell was absent. It realy takes away from the experience. Smell is a vital part of all things and the new fangled coffee makers just don't smell anymore. The aroma has been prepackaged out of the experience.

Who said anything about science? this is pure emotion, want to find out what makes your coffee-cells tick..

Would love to have a coffee-get-together , but time is not on my side, hence the forum topic.

Thanks for the links, b.t.w., what machine do you have and what was your motivation to purchase ?

Just reviving this topic to point out that there is only one correct way of making coffee.



Fact.

i don't own a "one touch", or rather maybe I don't know the definition of one. i have to fill in the water and put the espresso powder in the little container, then turn it on. the water gets hot and then suddenly black stuff comes seeping out into the glass container. i like watching that & hearing the steam fizz out.

vacation.
i had my first café latte in grad school. it not only kept me awake when i needed it, but it was great to know i could go to the corner "beanery" and meet a friend or collegue and relax for a few moments. unfortunately it was a luxury cause at grad school i had no money and a nice latte cost me $2.50.
now, i rarely drink at home alone unless i have lots of time or am with my bf. we love to do this on the wknd's & then eat a few cookies and just chill on the couch together.

with the old machine i have, i could add enough water and fill in enough powder for max 4 cups. here is my machine:


for christmas, some friends and i chipped in to buy my bf the same model, but from 2005, not 1995 and you have to turn it off manually. there is a larger water tank in the back so you save yourself a step of filling in water. with my old one, it just stopped when the water ran out. with this new one, often the espresso powder is still wet, although we fill it to the rim.

no. here they have good enough coffee & espresso. but i would like a nice travel thermo mug so I can make my own at home & take it with me, but in d-land, I know they stare more than usual!

i never liked "normal" coffee. it had no flavor & i always got upset stomachs. with espresso (or coffee's with lotsa' milk), i feel just fine

@ spud: do you put coffee in there or espresso?

@elfenstar espresso is a type of coffee, ground fairly finely and with water pushed through it for a certain time at a certain temperature and pressure.

The machine malcolm spudbury posted a pic of is often called a stovetop espresso but isnt really espresso

that's why i was asking cause i had heard various theories about the stove-top thing & was not sure what it really was for. i know lots of people who have one and say that's their espresso machine!

i also know that those who have a sensitive stomach can deal with espresso better than coffee which is why i prefer espresso. i read the reasons why, noted them, and promptly forgot the thorough explanation.

I use standard espresso ground coffee - usually Lavazza.

The problem is that people make espresso strength coffee and drink as much of it as they would a regular, weaker, non-Italian brew. Pure folly.

the problem, Jules, as you should also know, is the american beverage measurement ideal.
know what i mean, yet?

take a quick mental trip to Taco King or McChicken and choose your beverage from the convenient 25- or 55-gallon drum-size.

SuperSize me, bean. Quality is quantity.

or maybe not?

it's the acidity.
there's an espresso joint on Romanplatz (nymphenburg, trams 12,16,17)
which roast their own in I. They have a virtually acid-free blend as well.
only whole beans, unfortuntately. but conveniently, all those tschibos have DIY grinding machines

I also have a Krups machine similar to the one posted by Elfenstar. It's good for making cappucino, but I don't rate the espresso that comes out of it.