What type of coffee maker should I buy?
Using filtered water can improve the taste of your coffee if you’re not a huge fan of the taste of tap water. It’s worth trying if you have a filter jug to see what difference it makes. More importantly, a water filter should be installed and used, if possible, in the water reservoir of your coffee maker, especially if you live in an area with challenging water.
A water filter removes impurities from the water, which can lead to better tasting coffee. It also helps reduce scale build-up, which will reduce the problems of your coffee machine clogging up and having to descale. You will still need to descale your machine regularly (check your manual for full instructions on how to do this), as a machine with a lot of scale will struggle to dispense water at the right rate and ruin your coffee.
Coffee stays fresher for longer if it’s not ground. If you regularly exploit a manual or drip coffee maker, a grinder is a good addition. For manual coffee makers in particular, using a coffee grinder allows you to adjust the grind to suit your coffee maker and your coffee, allowing you to fine-tune your results even more. The downside is that while you can exploit a cheaper grinder for a drip coffee maker, you’ll have to spend a bit more to get the right grinder for a manual coffee maker: this is especially true for a more exorbitant coffee maker.
If you have a coffee machine, the method for making frothed milk opens up the potential for a wide range of drinks, from cappuccinos to lattes. A frother is the established way to make frothed milk. You hold a jug under the nozzle while steam adds air to the milk, swirling it around. A frother gives you more control over the process, but the downside is that it can take a lot of practice to get the results right.
An automatic milk frother is a good alternative, producing frothed milk. These are usually available in bean-to-cup and capsule machines. The simplest option is a system that froths the milk and pours it, which is great for convenience, although the end results are not as good as pouring milk from a jug. Some machines can froth the milk in a jug or exploit an external device, such as the Nespresso Aeroccino. You won’t get the same results doing this yourself, but you can freely pour your final drink to get the balance of espresso and milk you want.
If you buy a manual espresso machine, you can choose between a single or dual boiler. A dual boiler espresso machine can produce espresso and froth milk at the same time. This reduces preparation time and allows you to prepare milk drinks at the optimal time. They are significantly more exorbitant than single boiler machines, where you first froth the milk and then lower the temperature of the system to make a shot of espresso.
Nespresso capsules are definitely the best. Nespresso now comes in two types. The original capsules are designed to replicate the type of coffee you get in a coffee shop. Nespresso offers a wide range of capsules, although you can also choose from a growing range of third-party “compatible” capsules. But there’s a good reason to stick with Nespresso: the company will recycle all its capsules for free, either through collections or by dropping off your elderly capsules at a Nespresso store.
There is also a newer Nespresso Vertuo system that uses huge capsules. This system delivers larger cups of coffee and has a similar range of official capsules to the original system. There are currently no third-party options for Vertuo. All capsules are recyclable at Nespresso.
Nescafe Dolce Gusto machines are relatively inexpensive, and there is a wide range of capsules available in supermarkets. This system is a step up from instant coffee, but the reliance on powdered milk is a bit disappointing.
Tassimo machines and capsules are similar to Dolce Gusto, with a similar range of capsule options available online or in good supermarkets. For some drinks they exploit UHT milk capsules.
All coffee machines require regular maintenance to keep them in top working order. The most essential thing you will do is descaling, removing the scale from the inside to ensure that the water flows smoothly through the machine. If you don’t descale your machine when you’re asked to, you may find that it jams and the water won’t flow at the speed required to make a decent cup of coffee. Most coffee machines will warn you when it’s time to descale, based on the water hardness level you’ve set: the harder the water, the more often you need to descale it.
Coffee machines should also be cleaned with a cleaning tablet when prompted, which removes the oily residue from the beans. This helps keep the machine in top working order and ensures the best flavor.
If you have a steam wand, it should be cleaned after each exploit. You can usually remove the wand and wash it in sizzling water to remove any milk residue. Make sure you immaculate our drip trays (again, exploit soapy water). For bean-to-cup machines, if they have a removable brewing head, this should also be removed and rinsed regularly.
