Filter Coffee Machine

• High 15 bar pressure, the ideal espresso pressure to extract all the flavour of the coffee
• Better, more sleek design for a qualitative look in the kitchen
• Improved ergonomics for ease of use
• A larger variety of drinks
• New water tank, with built-in transparent handle
• New safer and better quality head
• Larger drip tray
• Magnetic pod holder provides a neat ’stick-in’ feel

Its not really nick-named the duck, but you have to admit there is a bit of a resemblence!  Now, when this first came out I really didn’t like it, but you know what it really has grown on me.  Its quirky, stylish and when the capsule slot is pulled out it really is duck like! Its a little marmite filter coffee machine – you either love it or hate it (although I do really like the look of it now).

Now for the company blurb:  Nescafe say that Dolce Gusto is a “… stylish, multi-coffee capsule system that will change the way you make, drink and think about coffee. With four delicious varieties, whether you prefer a frothy cappuccino, shot of espresso, a multilayered latte macchiato or a rich coffee lungo, NESCAFÉ Dolcé Gusto delivers a quality coffee for every mood and occasion”.

What’s it really like

First off the machine is really well made with the usable parts being made of metal.  Once you have this machine you will not make another cup of instant coffee. It will quite simply, become your very favourite possession. The coffees are gorgeous; Classico in morning, lungo when you come in from work and a latte, cappucino or hot chocolate in the evening. 

There is a huge variety of drinks you can make- Dolce continuousily update their range and have a vast choice. Your family will love it too and it is absolutely brilliant for visitors. It is worth visiting the Dolce Gusto web site and having a look at the wonderful range you can serve

If you have filter coffee machines complicated in the past and have tried but given up after a few weeks when the novelty wore off. There will not be the same problems with the Dolce Gusto.  This is incredibly simple! The pod system is a doddle, there is no cleaning or anything required.

What’s in the box?

There are also some great extras that come in the box.  Along with the machine you get the pod holder (pretty useless without it!), drip tray, a Latte Macchiato glass, a cappuccino cup with saucer, a variety pack of coffee capsules (16 capsules) and a quick start guide containing recipe cards and instructions.

You can get cheaper a filter coffee machine if all your after is a coffee and at just under £80 it may appear a little on the expensive side.  However, you will use this and you will enjoy it.  Once you have one, I’m confident that you’ll absolutely adore it!

Krups Nescafe Dolce Gusto KP210040 Coffee Machine, Black, 15 Bar Pressure Pump

I have become really taken with this stuff – amazing!!

There really is nothing like a great coffee.  I honestly can’t function well in the mornings without a coffee.  Well, to be really honest – I don’t function at all.  I love fresh coffee from a filter coffee machine, the aroma, the taste and to some extent the ritual of making the coffee).  Needless to say, my enjoyment of coffee, led me to be really surprised when I saw a whole range of filter coffee machines on sale at a recent car boot sale.

Now it wasn’t just one or two machines for sale, but there was one stall that was selling nothing but regular 10-12 cup filter machines.  The guy told me that he ran a market stall selling all types of electrical appliances (he also did repairs) and one of the items that had been selling really well was the single serve coffee machine.

People were trading in their filter coffee machine, for a single serve one and if it was broken the guy took it in, repaired it and was making a bit extra on the side at the car boot.

I got thinking about this and couldn’t see now he could be making any money as the single serve machines are pretty realistically priced for an entry level machine (less than £50 for an entry level machine).  I also began wondering if people really knew what their options were with these machines.

Now coffee drinkers do not always come in pairs – my wife is an avid tea drinker and there have been many times when I wanted a coffee but have not wanted to brew an entire pot.  I know I could alter the quantities of coffee and water for fewer cups, but I have found that I can never get it just the way I like it.

This is why single serve coffee machines are great.  You get just the right brew for one cup.  One thing to note though is that single serve machines use a pod delivery system to get your coffee, whilst a one cup coffee maker use a filter system – a slight difference that you need to be aware of.

The pod systems are great as they allow you (almost force you) to be a little more adventurous in the style of coffee you try.  You could buy the same pod with the same coffee in each time, but you can also get a range of selection boxes with a whole range of different coffees in there.  Find the ones you like (you will also taste some that you don’t like!) and then you can just order the ones you like.

Single serve coffee machines brew a coffee in only a couple of minutes and there really is no mess – just throw the pod in the bin – simples!

A filter coffee machine still has it place in many kitchens and I for one really love them, but if you are just after a single cup in double quick time then a single serve coffee machine may be just the thing for you.

Often when choosing the best coffee maker to buy, it means deciding whether you want a filter coffee machine with a separate grinder or a combined grind and brew coffee makers.  At the flick of a switch, the latter will take you from the roasted bean to great coffee in no time at all.

With a grind and brew machine, you need to put the coffee beans in a grinder compartment and then select the coarseness of the grind.  The great benefit of this is that there is no need for a separate grinding appliance.  Also, an all in one machine means you won’t make the mess you can make when trying to transfer the ground coffee from separate machines.

Before buying a grind and brew coffee maker, it is important to realise that the grinder section can be a little trickier than cleaning a stand alone grinder. Also, some of the built in grinders don’t hold enough beans to make a full pot of coffee, so you will need to check this out.

The general view is that a grinder with a burr rather than a blade, although the blade option is cheaper and blades are more common than burrs.  If you opt for a burr grinder, try to choose a conical burr grinder as this will give you more of a consistent powder.  Burr grinders also benefit from being much quieter than the blade options.

Prices for grind and brew machines do vary, but it is important that you are aware some machines market themselves as grind and brew coffee makers, when in fact they are 2 separate machines bolted together.

If you decide to invest in a better machine, you should expect to get a built in burr grinder, water filler, programmable settings, and even a thermal carafe.  You should also expect great design, to just add a little extra to the great coffee brew.

Which comes first the quality of the bean or the quality of the grinder?  I believe that if you start with a poor quality bean you will end up with a poor powder no matter how good the grinder.  But if you have a poor grinder you are almost certain not to get the best out of your beans regardless of their quality.

The biggest advantage of a grind and brew coffee machine is that you don’t need to purchase a separate maker and a stand along grinder. The other advantage is that you don’t need to worry about transferring the ground beans into your coffee maker from the stand alone grinder (the mess I have made sometimes is amazing!). 

Getting the powder right: blades or burr?

The goal with coffee beans is to get a fine consistent powder.  Grind and brew coffee makers will either have a blade or burr mechanism for grinding the beans.  The general view is that a burr mechanism will provide a better and more consistent grind.  A blade mechanism will tend to cut the beans and not ‘grind’ them.

Experts say that the best grinder is a conical burr grinder. That applies to buying a separate, stand alone grinder or a grinder built into your automatic maker.

Why might you buy a machine with a blade grinder? A very good question – there are 2 reasons. First, the cost is going to be less, and secondly there are very few burr grinders built into makers.

Most built-in grinders are the lower cost but noisier and less effective blade grinder type.

What about the brewing?

Grind and brew coffee makers will have a water reservoir, a filter and a pot for collecting the coffee.  The brewer will also have a thermostat to heat the water to the perfect temperature.

What about the water?

Something that many people forget about is the affect water can have on the end quality of the coffee.  Depending on your area, tap water can contain various minerals and chemicals which can affect the end taste.

Filter the water yourself is one answer, although there are units which do provide the convenience which provide filters such as charcoal to eliminate the odours and minerals from the water. 

What about cleaning?

Before buying a grind and brew coffee maker, it is important to be aware that cleaning the built in grinder can be a little trickier than cleaning a stand alone grinder, but once you get the hang of it it is no problem at all. 

The end result

Many grind and brew coffee makers have timers, so that much needed coffee is ready just before you are ready to enjoy it – absolutely great first thing in the morning and a truly great way to start the day.

I found this the other day – totally bowled me over.  Putting a shamrock on a pint of guiness looks pretty straight forward!

In many European countries tea was traditionally the drink of choice.  However, the popularity of coffee has seen the drink increasingly become a way of life and replace some of the more traditional drinks.

Now I love a good cup of tea, but there is nothing that quite hits the mark like a fine, rich roasted coffee (black) from a filter coffee machine.

Attempts were often made to copy cosmopolitan European countries such as France and Italy, especially when coffee percolators were all the rage.  These never really matched the quality of their continental counterparts and these soon faded.

It appeared however, that percolators did ‘wet the taste buds’ of the nation and there was a major shift to the use of instant coffee.  Although invented in 1901 by Satori Kato, a Japanese scientist working in Chicago, the popularity of instant coffee didn’t really take off until after the 1970’s.

Percolator users wanted all of the flavour of good coffee but without all of the hassle of setting up the coffee percolator every time they wanted a fresh tasting cup of coffee

The popularity of the instant coffee saw a massive expansion in the brands available and a massive advertising war broke out.  By the early 1970’s, the quality of regular coffee had deteriorated to the point that instant coffee, with its new “freeze dried” production process, could compete on taste.

In the absence of quality, convenience became the main driver of consumer choice. Surprisingly, it wasn’t price, as instant coffee is more expensive at retail.

Most coffee producing countries do not allow extremely low quality coffee to be exported, but these types of regulations do not apply to coffee that has been processed into instant, or “soluble” coffee. The result is that some of the world’s lowest quality coffee, and thus cheapest, becomes some of the most expensive and profitable coffee per cup on the grocery store shelf.

The attraction of a filter coffee machine was clear to see: place freshly ground coffee into a cone of filter paper at the top of the machine through which boiling water was slowly filtered, leaving the used grinds in the filter paper and the water / coffee to pour down into a collection jug that was kept warm  on a hot plate.

Today a filter coffee machine comes in many different cup volumes and are very easy to use. Water simply drips slowly through a basket of ground coffee to infuse in a pot or carafe. There’s no need to boil the water first. European models of filter machines have deeper cones, letting the water go right through the coffee. More compact models will have flatter cones, which may mean not all the coffee is filtered through.Models have either permanent or paper holders. Permanent filters save you money but they can be messy to clean and can taint. Paper holders are more hygienic and can be simply thrown away after use. Some filter coffee makers use a ‘pod’ system. Essentially like a tea bag, these produce a cup of filter coffee without any mess.

Recently there has been a significant resurgence in the popularity of coffee, but this is in the massive growth of coffee shops.  The completion generated by these specialist retailers has seen many fast food outlets extolling the virtues of their coffee.  This renewed popularity has been coupled with a new wave of home filter coffee machines in shops that do produce really splendid coffee to suit all tastes.

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