Budget coffee machine

[Count Steer]

For the man cave

https://makitauk.com/product/dcm501z

LOL. I thought it was a spoof. They could combine it with the Makita site radio (the ones that seem to automatically tune to the worst local, commercial radio station that have adverts every 39s and are stuck on a distorting volume level ).

Update on the Beko: Really pleased with it having sorted out a few things. Seems to make a better espresso with home ground beans using the coarse setting on a Krupps burr grinder. Double shot basket*, 30s extract gives a 60cl/2fl oz drink (it's 25s really as little happens for the first 5s). The steam wand makes a decent job of capuccino style milk - I use 100ml - but struggling to make textured milk á la 'latte art' so popular on flat whites. The steam wand has a frothing sleeve rather than a vented head so you don't get as much of a vortex effect as with a high pressure vented head type wand. Doesn't really matter unless you desperately want flat whites with pretty leaf patterns on. I'll keep experimenting.

It will have paid for itself in 2 months. If it goes kaput I'll probably upgrade but otherwise it's here for as long as it lasts.

* Some people change the basket for a different size 'mesh' one to change the texture/reduce the volume of the crema on their espresso apparently but that's getting a bit

[Felix]

For the man cave

https://makitauk.com/product/dcm501z

LOL. I thought it was a spoof. They could combine it with the Makita site radio (the ones that seem to automatically tune to the worst local, commercial radio station that have adverts every 39s and are stuck on a distorting volume level ).

Noo, one came up for sale local what was 2nd hand but never used. I thought about it for the camperbus but i dont drink Coffee that much so it would end up just being another gadget for the loft.

[Count Steer]

(You can get a similar result with the machine by just keeping the water flowing through the coffee basket until the mug's full).

That way lies the path of bitter dry over-extracted coffee!
Add hot water to espresso for an Americano.

I've been doing some research.

Ristretto and lungo are simply stopping the flow at about 15 seconds (15-20ml) ie 'restricted', or letting it run to anywhere between 50-90ml. The lungo is described as milder, thinner body and higher astringency. Americano is with hot water added (sometimes removing the crema with a spoon....may as well drink Nescafé!). The French allongé is supposed to be the same as a lungo...dunno what you get if you ask for an Americano (probably a pained expression ).

Thinking of doing a 1/2 or 1 day course in Winchester. They do 'home' courses where you can take your machine with you or 'barista' courses. I suspect they mean 'barista basics' but the prices are

[Rockburner]

The French allongé is supposed to be the same as a lungo...dunno what you get if you ask for an Americano (probably a pained expression ).

In my experience, that's exactly what you get.

[Count Steer]

The French allongé is supposed to be the same as a lungo...dunno what you get if you ask for an Americano (probably a pained expression ).

In my experience, that's exactly what you get.

Mine too.

Edit: I did once ask for a café au lait after a meal in Paris. The long suffering waiter just replied (in French naturellement) that they only had 2 cows, one died and the other was on holiday.

[DefTrap]

I always ask for an espresso. I don't really want an espresso most of the time, but this is France. I'd probably go for what is recognisable in the UK as a small americano, something more allongé than an allongé anyway. But this is France, I can't be arsed with the hassle.

My missus doesn't want an espresso, or an allongé, she wants something specifically different, so she explains it to the caff owner in excruciating detail (basically we're talking an allongé with some hot milk, separate). In decent French naturellement, I wouldn't want you to think we were clumsy DelBoys. 50% success rate. Oh and she always wants a decaff, that takes it down to about a 30% success rate.

I enjoy the whole drama of it. French arguing is different to British arguing.

[Rockburner]

I always ask for an espresso. I don't really want an espresso most of the time, but this is France. I'd probably go for what is recognisable in the UK as a small americano, something more allongé than an allongé anyway. But this is France, I can't be arsed with the hassle.

My missus doesn't want an espresso, or an allongé, she wants something specifically different, so she explains it to the caff owner in excruciating detail (basically we're talking an allongé with some hot milk, separate). In decent French naturellement, I wouldn't want you to think we were clumsy DelBoys. 50% success rate. Oh and she always wants a decaff, that takes it down to about a 30% success rate.

I enjoy the whole drama of it. French arguing is different to British arguing.

Why not just ask for an allongé?

Or are you a true Franglais and just shout 'Une Cafe, Madame!" at the owner?

[DefTrap]

Why not just ask for an allongé?

I dunno, always seems like a slightly ruined espresso iyswim?

Or are you a true Franglais and just shout 'Une Cafe, Madame!" at the owner?

Me personally I still have a reasonably terrible accent after all these years. It probably makes me seem really sexy and exotic or something. Doesn't really help with ordering coffee.

[Count Steer]

Why not just ask for an allongé?

I dunno, always seems like a slightly ruined espresso iyswim?

Or are you a true Franglais and just shout 'Une Cafe, Madame!" at the owner?

Me personally I still have a reasonably terrible accent after all these years. It probably makes me seem really sexy and exotic or something. Doesn't really help with ordering coffee.

When I was at school our 'ooh la la' French Assistante who took us for conversation (who had an affair d'amour with another of the staff* and left under a bit of a nuage) said I had an authentic accent.

(Well, she said I talked like a peasant Flat Midlands vowels I guess. I suppose the equivalent would be a French person learning to speak English from a Cornishman or a Brummie etc).

* Edit. It wasn't a staff member that was the problem. It was a pupil in the Upper 6th. Jammy git.

[demographic]

Err, I have a Rowenta percolator thing that cost three quid from a charity shop.
Seems to do the job nicely as long as I never leave the coffee in the jug on the heat.
The one I had before it made a pretty bitter brew using the same coffee and this one doesnt.

It'll all be to do with pressure and temperature yada yada but honestly I couldn't care less as long as the one I have now works fine, its as much faff as I can put up with for an acceptable cup and if I wanted to be a barista I'd do a two day course and get a black T Shirt with it written on the shoiulder.
Oh and I have a small stainless steel cafetiere (sp?) That lives in one of my van cupholders so I can have an OK cup of coffee at work.

Aye, proper fussy me.

[Horse]

Edit: I did once ask for a café au lait after a meal in Paris. The long suffering waiter just replied (in French naturellement) that they only had 2 cows, one died and the other was on holiday.

In a place with friends, somewhere near the Pyrenees.

Mate asked for butter for his roll. "Non"

[Horse]

* Edit. It wasn't a staff member that was the problem. It was a pupil in the Upper 6th. Jammy git.

The pupil's member?

[Count Steer]

Edit: I did once ask for a café au lait after a meal in Paris. The long suffering waiter just replied (in French naturellement) that they only had 2 cows, one died and the other was on holiday.

In a place with friends, somewhere near the Pyrenees.

Mate asked for butter for his roll. "Non"

The Greeks would do that very specific Greek thing which is a sort of eyebrow raise/roll eyes which always seems really rude to non-Greeks. A Turk would say 'yok'. (Which I was told literally translates as 'such a thing does not exist here'....which is some heavy lifting for 3 letters ).

[Rockburner]

Edit: I did once ask for a café au lait after a meal in Paris. The long suffering waiter just replied (in French naturellement) that they only had 2 cows, one died and the other was on holiday.

In a place with friends, somewhere near the Pyrenees.

Mate asked for butter for his roll. "Non"

Reminded me of the time Beancounter once asked for a chicken tikka massala in a curry house and the waiter flatly refused to accept the order! That was a funny night.

[Mussels]

If you're going to spend less than £500, you're better off with an Aeropress £30.

....and a Dualit milk frother.

(£228! )

TBH I probably can't tell the difference between a £500 machine coffee and a £76 one. The Beko stuff tastes as good as the coffee from my local place and their machine cost £'000s. I like a coffee but am not an aficionado..........yet!

Might get an Aeropress for travelling with though.

We've got one of those at work, the accountants got as far as assembling it but everyone who has looked at the operating instructions has just chucked them back and used milk straight from the fridge.

[Count Steer]

If you're going to spend less than £500, you're better off with an Aeropress £30.

....and a Dualit milk frother.

(£228! )

TBH I probably can't tell the difference between a £500 machine coffee and a £76 one. The Beko stuff tastes as good as the coffee from my local place and their machine cost £'000s. I like a coffee but am not an aficionado..........yet!

Might get an Aeropress for travelling with though.

We've got one of those at work, the accountants got as far as assembling it but everyone who has looked at the operating instructions has just chucked them back and used milk straight from the fridge.

Sounds about right. Accountants baffled and defeated by an appliance that boils water.

[Taipan]

I recently replaced the wife's knackered old De'Longhi with the one below. I drink tea so cant really comment,but there are lots of oohs and ahhs when people get a cappuccino from it. You can adjust how frothy it is etc.

[Count Steer]

I recently replaced the wife's knackered old De'Longhi with the one below. I drink tea so cant really comment,but there are lots of oohs and ahhs when people get a cappuccino from it. You can adjust how frothy it is etc.

Looks interesting, there's not the usual coffee basket with a handle on. What happens to the coffee grounds? The Amazon blurb says the bean grinder is silent...is it really that quiet?
I'll probably give De Longhi a good look when my cheap as chips one gives up. (Still going strong - doing one cup per day ).

[Ant]

Looks like a bean to cup machine then with no basket in view?

[Count Steer]

Looks like a bean to cup machine then with no basket in view?

Yes it's bean to cup (haven't used one so I wondered what happens to the grounds) - and how does it compress/tamp the coffee...or don't they? I suppose they're mini versions of the Costa machine in the local Coop and there's a grounds bin?

Also what are they like to clean - do they have to be done after each cup?

I suppose I should DMOR.