Are portable coffe makers allowed in the office?

robnet77

Hello,

my company won't let us use our own coffee machine (e.g. Nespresso or even an electric moka express coffee maker), because of "health and safety" reasons.

They won't allow them even if we have it PAT tested, saying they're designed for home use and would pose a potential risk in an office, also because they'd be overused... :eek:

Any advice on this, please? I spoke to our managers, HR and maintenance services, it seems nobody will listen...

wexfordman2

I rememeber our h&s guy removed our toaster!

Its a fecking workplace not a kindergarden! Its only a frigging toaster ffs!

World has gone mad!

Jawgap

I can kind of understand the toaster - we've had a few evacuations because burnt toast has set off the fire alarms!

We're not allowed coffee machines in our offices, but we did club together and buy a Nespresso which is in the small canteen kitchen we have. It's PAT tested.

RGDATA!

How about an aeropress? Makes great filter coffee, no electrics, easy to clean etc. You will need to have your own ground coffee or a grinder for beans. Or a french press?

Graham

robnet77 wrote: »

Hello,

my company won't let us use our own coffee machine (e.g. Nespresso or even an electric moka express coffee maker), because of "health and safety" reasons.

Health and safety is usually trotted out when someone can't be bothered justifying the real reason.

Who provides the tea/coffee/food in your office, outside caterers by any chance?

Mr Magnolia

H&S wouldn't be a legitimate reason for me without further detail. I can move this over to work & jobs if you wish, it's probably better suited there.

robnet77

thanks for the replies, let's see...

- currently an external company provides catering services, including an industrial coffee machine but the espresso it makes is awful... they probably have an interest in not allowing any other machines in the building...

- we would provide our own coffee powder (Lavazza) and would use the machine say twice a day, so within "home usage" limits

- we are not allowed toasters either, there is an industrial one in a small kitchen which can be used with no issues

- aeropress: I read some bad reviews on Amazon, although most are positive, but we're very fussy with our espresso and would not settle for average quality... not sure we would like the idea, but it could be a last resort...

- original idea was to have a Nespresso machine but they would not allow it either, we thought a portable machine would not pose a huge risk (small quantity of water, electric parts completely isolated...)

Gran Hermano

Go with the aeropress. I've used it in several offices over the years and it is ideal. It is easy to use and quick to clean up after.Bad reviews on Amazon sounds surprising!

I'd rather have an aeropress and a choice of a range of fresh coffees over Nespresso.

Bohrio

I use a ROK coffee machine in the office. You will only need hot water to make it work.

Excellent coffee although I am not sure how it will perform with the less quality beans such as lavazza or Illy, I have never tried them on this coffee machine

Jezek

robnet77 wrote: »

thanks for the replies, let's see...

- currently an external company provides catering services, including an industrial coffee machine but the espresso it makes is awful... they probably have an interest in not allowing any other machines in the building...

- we would provide our own coffee powder (Lavazza) and would use the machine say twice a day, so within "home usage" limits

- we are not allowed toasters either, there is an industrial one in a small kitchen which can be used with no issues

- aeropress: I read some bad reviews on Amazon, although most are positive, but we're very fussy with our espresso and would not settle for average quality... not sure we would like the idea, but it could be a last resort...

- original idea was to have a Nespresso machine but they would not allow it either, we thought a portable machine would not pose a huge risk (small quantity of water, electric parts completely isolated...)

An aeropress doesn't make espresso. However it makes excellent coffee. I would recommend using good quality coffee in it though, not lavazza

Gran Hermano

Jezek wrote: »

An aeropress doesn't make espresso. However it makes excellent coffee. I would recommend using good quality coffee in it though, not lavazza

Some, including the INEI, would say Nespresso is not true/real espresso either.

adrian522

So the current machine makes awful espresso but you will not settle for average (which is what you think the aeropress will deliver)?

It seems to me average is a big step up from awful, also if you use it right an aeropress will deliver you great coffee, though as mentioned above its not espresso.

Look at something like this if I was you:

Aeropress €28.95
Hand Grinder €44.95
Quality Coffee beans €7

problem solved, all you need then is a kettle, which I assume you already have.

Gran Hermano

Hario hand grinder selling at a great price on Amazon lately http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hario-MSS-1B-1-Piece-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

Arthur Beesley

Political correctness gone mad.

vibe666

robnet77 wrote: »

- aeropress: I read some bad reviews on Amazon, although most are positive, but we're very fussy with our espresso and would not settle for average quality... not sure we would like the idea, but it could be a last resort...

Trust me, an aeropress is anything but average, even better after investing a decent reusable mesh filter (as long as you don't accidentally throw it out with your grinds!).

Espresso grind is too fine for an aeropress though, it needs a filter or French press grind.

Slaphead07

robnet77 wrote: »

thanks for the replies, let's see...

- currently an external company provides catering services, including an industrial coffee machine but the espresso it makes is awful... they probably have an interest in not allowing any other machines in the building...

- we would provide our own coffee powder (Lavazza) and would use the machine say twice a day, so within "home usage" limits

- we are not allowed toasters either, there is an industrial one in a small kitchen which can be used with no issues

- aeropress: I read some bad reviews on Amazon, although most are positive, but we're very fussy with our espresso and would not settle for average quality... not sure we would like the idea, but it could be a last resort...

- original idea was to have a Nespresso machine but they would not allow it either, we thought a portable machine would not pose a huge risk (small quantity of water, electric parts completely isolated...)

If you're talking in terms of Lavazza and Nespresso then you're already way below "average" espresso anyway.... get an aeropress - a short learning curve and it produces the best mug of coffee I've ever had.

sarkozy

Aeropress. Learn a recipe. Get good coffee.

And I don't think it's entirely incorrect to say it can't do espresso. It can't technically do that, but it can create a very black, strong tasting long espresso-style coffee, which hides bad quality coffee somewhat and this can always be topped up with hot water.

But what Aeropress excels at is beautiful, clean filter-style coffee that lets the coffee express itself, if it's good coffee.

French press is always a good option, too.

You always need the correct grind for both.

Pour-over is another option, but it's time consuming. Aeropress has the advantage of being really quick to brew.

vibe666

sarkozy wrote: »

And I don't think it's entirely incorrect to say it can't do espresso. It can't technically do that, but it can create a very black, strong tasting long espresso-style coffee,

The issue is with how fine the grind is for espresso, it blocks the filter in the aeropress and you'll never be able to push down the plunger without breaking something (your mug, the aeropress or wind if you push hard enough!)

You can but a reusable steel mesh filter for it that works very well and gives you decent crema and will possibly work with an espresso grind, but they're about €20 so it's an investment and one that I've ended up having to try and dig out of a bin bag (twice!) when someone threw it out with the grinds!

robnet77

I knew that posting such thread in Ireland would pose a great risk of receiving advice against Lavazza, Nespresso, Illy...

Unfortunately we don't particularly like coffee, we do like our espresso and don't want to convince anyone that their coffee is not great.

We already brew our espresso at home, bring it to work in a glass container and warm it up in the microwave oven, it tastes excellent, even better if left till the next day, however we would like to have the flexibility of brewing it at work (e.g. if we don't have enough for the day...).

Having said this, I was mentioning we would not settle for Aeropress or ROK, based on the reviews I read (mostly from coffee enthusiasts who don't like espresso and never tried a Ristretto from Nespresso before, but consider it "awful quality" nonetheless), because they don't seem to produce the type of quality we like, it's a different product and not what we're looking for.

The thread's aim was to find help with respect to law regulations, to know if we're allowed to use such portable machines in our office.
It was worth trying, thanks anyway.

Bohrio

Sorry we though you were looking for a machine that could be used at work.

You are probably on the wrong forum (not the wrong country). You company facilities department will probably be the best one to ask (if you have one).

From my experience I have never been allowed to leave anything plugged in or to use anything that could cause harm to others (like a kettle, etc). It will depend on how your coffee area is set, where the plugs are, etc.

I understand your point regarding coffee, you like what you like, the only thing I would say that this is not an Irish problem, you problem was not to post this on an Irish website but on a barista aficionado forum, you would get a similar response anywhere in the world.

And also, dont confuse quality with taste, 1 day old brewed espresso, lavazza or even Illy coffee is not even close to good quality coffee although you might like the taste this doesnt mean it is good quality.

sarkozy

robnet77 wrote: »

I knew that posting such thread in Ireland would pose a great risk of receiving advice against Lavazza, Nespresso, Illy...

Unfortunately we don't particularly like coffee, we do like our espresso and don't want to convince anyone that their coffee is not great.

We already brew our espresso at home, bring it to work in a glass container and warm it up in the microwave oven, it tastes excellent, even better if left till the next day, however we would like to have the flexibility of brewing it at work (e.g. if we don't have enough for the day...).

Having said this, I was mentioning we would not settle for Aeropress or ROK, based on the reviews I read (mostly from coffee enthusiasts who don't like espresso and never tried a Ristretto from Nespresso before, but consider it "awful quality" nonetheless), because they don't seem to produce the type of quality we like, it's a different product and not what we're looking for.

The thread's aim was to find help with respect to law regulations, to know if we're allowed to use such portable machines in our office.
It was worth trying, thanks anyway.

Well, exqueeze us for offering alternative routes ... the ball's in your court then (plus, the amount of people on this forum recommending Aeropress highly sould strongly contradict the reviews you've read [I mean, have you even had an Aeropress coffee from a place like 3FE or Coffee Angel?].

It seems you've already got your mind made up without exploring options.

_Kaiser_

I'd imagine it depends on the individual office

Ours is pretty relaxed (despite the size of the place) and there's even a few of those mini fridge/wine coolers around that people store cans/lunches in.

Myself I brought in a Dolce Gusto machine and use it without any problems - but then I have my own office that's locked up every night with instructions that no-one is to go in to it (IT equipment/sensitive data etc)

No issues so far.

PPC

I'm pretty sure they have the right to refuse the use of them, especially as they're legally liable if anything was to happen.
While the chances of something going wrong are minimal to none, it would still be their responsibility if it did.

robnet77

thanks, also for the additional replies, didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, we just happen to like espresso and, at the moment, are not exploring other options.

I'm not sure I would want to drink a full mug of coffee right after lunch, anyway I'll definitely try coffee from an Aeropress (thanks Sarzoky) and maybe it'll even change my mind, but as it's not just me to take this decision, for the office issue we'll try to resolve it in a different way (500W car power inverter comes to mind...)

robnet77

oh, forgot to mention we could actually settle for a handpresso (wild version), which would replicate the 16 bar pressure of a standard coffee machine, although it's a bit expensive to just try out...

Gran Hermano

16 bar? 9 or 11 for me.

sarkozy

robnet77 wrote: »

thanks, also for the additional replies, didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, we just happen to like espresso and, at the moment, are not exploring other options.

I'm not sure I would want to drink a full mug of coffee right after lunch, anyway I'll definitely try coffee from an Aeropress (thanks Sarzoky) and maybe it'll even change my mind, but as it's not just me to take this decision, for the office issue we'll try to resolve it in a different way (500W car power inverter comes to mind...)

Aeropress is great, but it's totally not the thing to use in an office, i can see that, it's more for personal/small office use. But do try it.

Jezek

robnet77 wrote: »

We already brew our espresso at home, bring it to work in a glass container and warm it up in the microwave oven, it tastes excellent, even better if left till the next day,

sorry what

vibe666

Jezek wrote: »

sorry what

what he's saying is that he takes very average coffee, ruins it by letting it go cold and reheating it in a microwave hours later, then likes to ruin it even more by leaving it until the next day, whilst simultaneously (having never used one, based entirely on a tiny minority of bad reviews) berating the aeropress for making bad coffee! :eek:

robnet77

vibe666 wrote: »

what he's saying is that he takes very average coffee, ruins it by letting it go cold and reheating it in a microwave hours later, then likes to ruin it even more by leaving it until the next day, whilst simultaneously (having never used one, based entirely on a tiny minority of bad reviews) berating the aeropress for making bad coffee! :eek:

most foods taste better the next day, regardless of "acidity develops and ruins the taste of coffee" arguments...

for reasons unknown, the five / six of us drinking that awful beverage do like it, and apparently you wouldn't like a fresh Nespresso, Lavazza or Illy anyway, so what are we talking about?

sarkozy

Jezek wrote: »

sorry what

OMG, I didn't even notice this the first time around. Mad!

maxwell smart

This thread is turning into the essence of coffee snobbery. My coffee is better than your coffee, regardless if you like your coffee or not!

This chap wants to know if he can put a coffee machine in his office (if I can remember back to the OP )

I suggest the reason is that all machinery put into his office probably has to receive a PAT test for insurance reasons and is not because the coffee Nazi's have taken up residence.
Best to contact your facilities manager or the building services manager (just don't ask them for their opinion on coffee....!!)

Get a Moka pot!

Bohrio

I already gave you my opinion of what I think you should do regarding getting a coffee machine in your office so I wont go into there again, but regarding this

robnet77 wrote: »

most foods taste better the next day, regardless of "acidity develops and ruins the taste of coffee" arguments...

Well I dont think you are correct, specially when you say most, I would agree to some food not most food as that depends on what you are eating.

With the exception of stews or dishes of similar nature to say that most food taste better the next day is, in my opinion, not correct. A baguette, a steak, fresh pasta, fresh buns, etc will likely test best right after they are made.

Chicken, rice or some fish will taste ok the next day but I wouldn't go as far to say they will taste better.

However, this is my opinion, fr example, my father prefers next day (or even a week old bread) than freshly baked bread.

Regarding nespresso, lavazza or Illy being excellent coffee, well, to be honest, it isn't, but doesnt mean you can't like it. Most people here are really into coffee, so they are probably on a different league. If you have your hobbies it is easy to understand.

For example, me, I remember when I use to love Spanish torrefacto coffee, and lavazza, and Illy, I still remember how much I enjoyed the smell I'd get when I'd open an Illy can for the first time, I though it was the best smell in the world.

But I started to get more and more into coffee and learnt to appreciate it. It was a slow "learning" curve. I started with an old cafetiera , and using Spanish torrefacto, then slowly moved up to lavazza/Illy, bought a espresso machine, then realized that grounded coffee was not good enough for the machine so bought a grinder, which improved taste but after a while it wasnt enough, so I tried different brands like palombini, kimbo, segafredo, cafe vergnano, etc, desperately looking for something new, got a better coffee machine, then a better grinder, and then you get to a point where you just keep going, getting better and better coffee and equipment until you arrive to the point I am now. I havent had the need to change my equipment or coffee for years now, but I am sure I have a lot more to learn.

Recently someone I know had an unopened can of illy coffee, I remember opening the can expecting that lovely coffee smell I remembered only to smell this horrible stale coffee smell and thinking, what the... coffee was undrinkable as well... to the point that I rather not drink coffee unless it meets certain standard.

but I am a weirdo..

donnacha

Bohrio wrote: »

but I am a weirdo..

robnet77

Bohrio wrote: »

I already gave you my opinion of what I think you should do regarding getting a coffee machine in your office so I wont go into there again, but regarding this



Well I dont think you are correct, specially when you say most, I would agree to some food not most food as that depends on what you are eating.

With the exception of stews or dishes of similar nature to say that most food taste better the next day is, in my opinion, not correct. A baguette, a steak, fresh pasta, fresh buns, etc will likely test best right after they are made.

Chicken, rice or some fish will taste ok the next day but I wouldn't go as far to say they will taste better.

However, this is my opinion, fr example, my father prefers next day (or even a week old bread) than freshly baked bread.

Regarding nespresso, lavazza or Illy being excellent coffee, well, to be honest, it isn't, but doesnt mean you can't like it. Most people here are really into coffee, so they are probably on a different league. If you have your hobbies it is easy to understand.

For example, me, I remember when I use to love Spanish torrefacto coffee, and lavazza, and Illy, I still remember how much I enjoyed the smell I'd get when I'd open an Illy can for the first time, I though it was the best smell in the world.

But I started to get more and more into coffee and learnt to appreciate it. It was a slow "learning" curve. I started with an old cafetiera , and using Spanish torrefacto, then slowly moved up to lavazza/Illy, bought a espresso machine, then realized that grounded coffee was not good enough for the machine so bought a grinder, which improved taste but after a while it wasnt enough, so I tried different brands like palombini, kimbo, segafredo, cafe vergnano, etc, desperately looking for something new, got a better coffee machine, then a better grinder, and then you get to a point where you just keep going, getting better and better coffee and equipment until you arrive to the point I am now. I havent had the need to change my equipment or coffee for years now, but I am sure I have a lot more to learn.

Recently someone I know had an unopened can of illy coffee, I remember opening the can expecting that lovely coffee smell I remembered only to smell this horrible stale coffee smell and thinking, what the... coffee was undrinkable as well... to the point that I rather not drink coffee unless it meets certain standard.

but I am a weirdo..

yeah, too bad Segafredo and Kimbo are quite poor brands, slightly better the other two you mentioned, at least according to a few million Italians, but maybe they too are all weirdos...

Bohrio

robnet77 wrote: »

yeah, too bad Segafredo and Kimbo are quite poor brands, slightly better the other two you mentioned, at least according to a few million Italians, but maybe they too are all weirdos...

Actually the most bought coffee in Italy is Lavazza Cream e Gusto and you can't blame them for less than 2 euro per 250 gr packet.

And as usual you read what you wanted to read, I said I was the weirdo, not people drinking lavazza, Illy, etc.

But the fact that people in Italy drink more Lavazza than the non branded fresh coffee that we, for example, drink, doesnt mean lavazza is better, they just dont know any better (and also the price helps).

For instance, the most drank beer in the world is Snow, but I bet you very few here has ever drunk it, does this means that we are, here in Ireland, all doing it wrong?

Another example, wine, one of the best selling wines in Ireland last year was Moulin de Gassac 2012, so, as this wine was on top of the charts, does this mean that this better than a Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva 2004 or even a Vega Sicilia?

What do you think it will happen if you go to a wine purist forum and say that you love drinking a glass of Torres Red 5.99 euro a bottle and that you dont understand why you would want to spend 50 euro on a bottle of wine when you can enjoy a lovely glass of Torres for much less?

There's none so blind as those who will not see

robnet77

Bohrio wrote: »

Actually the most bought coffee in Italy is Lavazza Cream e Gusto and you can't blame them for less than 2 euro per 250 gr packet.

And as usual you read what you wanted to read, I said I was the weirdo, not people drinking lavazza, Illy, etc.

But the fact that people in Italy drink more Lavazza than the non branded fresh coffee that we, for example, drink, doesnt mean lavazza is better, they just dont know any better (and also the price helps).



There's none so blind as those who will not see

I don't think you can get away just with "I'm a weirdo" after that post, I know sarcasm better than Sheldon Cooper

As for coffee, just a couple more things:
- Lavazza is not the best brand in my opinion, I never said it was
- most exotic brands charge a ridicolous amount of money for poor to great products, most (not all) are way worse than Lavazza and will cost ten times more (they have a niche market, they can't compete on costs, and there are actually people who believe price tag drives quality), some are actually better but not by far
- if you go to Italian forums on coffee (mainly you have coffee sections in non-related forums, because the audience is larger), they all talk about Lavazza Blue and Nespresso capsules, not because they don't know any better, we're rather fussy on coffee and it's like a religion for many of us
- seriously: Kimbo and Segafredo?
- the Italian consumer association has made several independent tests with coffee connoisseurs and you might be surprised of the results

adrian522

Bohrio wrote: »

What do you think it will happen if you go to a wine purist forum and say that you love drinking a glass of Torres Red 5.99 euro a bottle and that you dont understand why you would want to spend 50 euro on a bottle of wine when you can enjoy a lovely glass of Torres for much less?

Not only that but you open the bottle leave a day or 2 and claim this actually makes it better.

vibe666

robnet77 wrote: »

if you go to Italian forums on coffee (mainly you have coffee sections in non-related forums, because the audience is larger), they all talk about Lavazza Blue and Nespresso capsules, not because they don't know any better, we're rather fussy on coffee and it's like a religion for many of us

that seems to be part of the problem here.

if you went into the atheism form you wouldn't get very far trying to convince everyone there that god was real, but conversely they're not going to change the mind of someone who's gone in there with their mind made up and their blindfold on.

Bohrio

robnet77 wrote: »

I don't think you can get away just with "I'm a weirdo" after that post, I know sarcasm better than Sheldon Cooper

No no, I am a weirdo, why can I not be a weirdo? If you knew me you would agree with me

As for coffee, just a couple more things:
- Lavazza is not the best brand in my opinion, I never said it was

I never said you said it was I said that it was the most sold coffee in Italy.

- most exotic brands charge a ridicolous amount of money for poor to great products, most (not all) are way worse than Lavazza and will cost ten times more (they have a niche market, they can't compete on costs, and there are actually people who believe price tag drives quality), some are actually better but not by far

At this point, Illy comes to mind, 8 euro for 250 gr of "fresh coffee" roasted several months ago... nuff said

Although I agree, there are shops out there that charge ridiculous amount of money for coffee that is not even as good as the average supermarket coffee, but we are not talking about that type coffee here.

For example me, I buy green beans, I roast coffee at home with a coffee roaster, green beans last for around 18 months before going stale, I tend to drink my coffee within 4-12 days after roasting it and brew it within a few seconds of grinding it. I pay around 14 euro per kg. That's around 3.50 per 225 gr. And that is for good quality freshly roasted coffee!!! And I can choose from many different types of coffees and zones (Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Brasil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Indonesia, etc etc). Compare those 3.5 euro to the 8 euro that a 6 months old Illy will cost you. So we are not snobby, we are actually saving money. At least I am, and you should have a taste of my morning coffee,

- if you go to Italian forums on coffee (mainly you have coffee sections in non-related forums, because the audience is larger), they all talk about Lavazza Blue and Nespresso capsules, not because they don't know any better, we're rather fussy on coffee and it's like a religion for many of us

I bet you most of this people never had home roasted coffee? Or even coffee roasted within 4-5 days? If they haven't then, yes, they dont know any better

Also, if you look at this same forum you will find a lot of talk about nespresso coffee, lavazza, etc and a lot of people replying with their opinions. Myself for instance, when I go home to my parents they only have a nespresso machine, and I drink it, and I like it and it does the trick but after a few days I can't wait to get back home to have a nice strong cup of fresh coffee.

- seriously: Kimbo and Segafredo?

I know, but they are at the same level as Lavazza or Palombini, etc. Specially Kimbo. And it all depends of what you like, some people prefer Kimbo, others will prefer Illy. One of my favorites was passalacqua.

- the Italian consumer association has made several independent tests with coffee connoisseurs and you might be surprised of the results

I would love to see that thanks

But put it this way, if supermarket coffee was so good and there is really no need for anyone to buy fresh coffee, why are there so many coffee associations out there who do it, why are coffee roasters so successful?

And when you say in Ireland believe me, the coffee culture in Ireland is nowhere as "picky" as countries such as USA, Italy, Germany, UK, etc. So if you think Irish are picky go to coffeegeek or sweetmaria and have a look there!

For example, I am not a tea fan, and probably my favorite tea is the typical breakfast tea that you get in a hotel or a B&B, but you wont hear me arguing with people tea fanatics weirdos :P that the tea I had at the airport lounge was better than those fancy teas they buy with those fancy names and using those posh preparations methods...

And you are probably going to laugh but where I use to work coffee was horrible (vending machine coffee) so I also brought my own brewed coffee to work in a jar (another reason why people at work called me weirdo lol) so we are not that different after all

All I am saying is that this coffee taste thing doesnt happen all of the sudden, it slowly grows until you get to a point where you are happy with the taste of your coffee and then you stop!

Another thing, the reason why I started all this coffee nonsense was because I hated the taste of coffee in Irish coffee shops (I am not originally from Ireland) and I missed the taste of "proper" Italian coffee. Then one thing led to the other and here I am today... a coffee lover and a weirdo!

PPC

Bohrio wrote: »

For example, I am not a tea fan, and probably my favorite tea is the typical breakfast tea that you get in a hotel or a B&B, but you wont hear me arguing with people tea fanatics weirdos :P that the tea I had at the airport lounge was better than those fancy teas they buy with those fancy names and using those posh preparations methods...

Ban request, please.

robnet77

adrian522 wrote: »

Not only that but you open the bottle leave a day or 2 and claim this actually makes it better.

let's do the math... less than 24 hours in a closed, small glass box nearly full probably equals to a couple of hours left open, pretty much like a bottle of good red wine which requires oxygen to develop all its flavors.

Now, I'm not saying there is a study or anything that relates wine to coffee, and maybe every brand behaves differently (i.e. depending on the flavors, acidity levels etc.), just saying we like it better that way, at least Lavazza Rossa coffee made with a moka.

robnet77

vibe666 wrote: »

that seems to be part of the problem here.

if you went into the atheism form you wouldn't get very far trying to convince everyone there that god was real, but conversely they're not going to change the mind of someone who's gone in there with their mind made up and their blindfold on.

all I've been asking all along is a way to get an electric moka approved in our office: paper disproves Spock.

robnet77

Bohrio wrote: »

No no, I am a weirdo, why can I not be a weirdo? If you knew me you would agree with me




I never said you said it was I said that it was the most sold coffee in Italy.



At this point, Illy comes to mind, 8 euro for 250 gr of "fresh coffee" roasted several months ago... nuff said

Although I agree, there are shops out there that charge ridiculous amount of money for coffee that is not even as good as the average supermarket coffee, but we are not talking about that type coffee here.

For example me, I buy green beans, I roast coffee at home with a coffee roaster, green beans last for around 18 months before going stale, I tend to drink my coffee within 4-12 days after roasting it and brew it within a few seconds of grinding it. I pay around 14 euro per kg. That's around 3.50 per 225 gr. And that is for good quality freshly roasted coffee!!! And I can choose from many different types of coffees and zones (Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Brasil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Indonesia, etc etc). Compare those 3.5 euro to the 8 euro that a 6 months old Illy will cost you. So we are not snobby, we are actually saving money. At least I am, and you should have a taste of my morning coffee,



I bet you most of this people never had home roasted coffee? Or even coffee roasted within 4-5 days? If they haven't then, yes, they dont know any better

Also, if you look at this same forum you will find a lot of talk about nespresso coffee, lavazza, etc and a lot of people replying with their opinions. Myself for instance, when I go home to my parents they only have a nespresso machine, and I drink it, and I like it and it does the trick but after a few days I can't wait to get back home to have a nice strong cup of fresh coffee.



I know, but they are at the same level as Lavazza or Palombini, etc. Specially Kimbo. And it all depends of what you like, some people prefer Kimbo, others will prefer Illy. One of my favorites was passalacqua.



I would love to see that thanks

But put it this way, if supermarket coffee was so good and there is really no need for anyone to buy fresh coffee, why are there so many coffee associations out there who do it, why are coffee roasters so successful?

And when you say in Ireland believe me, the coffee culture in Ireland is nowhere as "picky" as countries such as USA, Italy, Germany, UK, etc. So if you think Irish are picky go to coffeegeek or sweetmaria and have a look there!

For example, I am not a tea fan, and probably my favorite tea is the typical breakfast tea that you get in a hotel or a B&B, but you wont hear me arguing with people tea fanatics weirdos :P that the tea I had at the airport lounge was better than those fancy teas they buy with those fancy names and using those posh preparations methods...

And you are probably going to laugh but where I use to work coffee was horrible (vending machine coffee) so I also brought my own brewed coffee to work in a jar (another reason why people at work called me weirdo lol) so we are not that different after all

All I am saying is that this coffee taste thing doesnt happen all of the sudden, it slowly grows until you get to a point where you are happy with the taste of your coffee and then you stop!

Another thing, the reason why I started all this coffee nonsense was because I hated the taste of coffee in Irish coffee shops (I am not originally from Ireland) and I missed the taste of "proper" Italian coffee. Then one thing led to the other and here I am today... a coffee lover and a weirdo!

there's a lot of truth in your post, so not going to comment much, except that packages of "old" coffee are kept under vacuum since the production,
definitely not comparable to a product left open that long.

Ah, and people replying to those forums actually agree on the quality of Nespresso or Lavazza blue, not sure where you read such replies.

Can we go back to the main topic now please? again, I'm not trying to convince our coffee is better than yours, but it's the only type which we'll all agree on.

adrian522

robnet77 wrote: »

let's do the math... less than 24 hours in a closed, small glass box nearly full probably equals to a couple of hours left open, pretty much like a bottle of good red wine which requires oxygen to develop all its flavors.

Now, I'm not saying there is a study or anything that relates wine to coffee, and maybe every brand behaves differently (i.e. depending on the flavors, acidity levels etc.), just saying we like it better that way, at least Lavazza Rossa coffee made with a moka.

You do the math, I'll drink fresh coffee.

Gran Hermano

I am locking this one up as OP is looking for work place advice and not coffee advice.
It also appears that one can not comment on the subtle nuances of freshly roasted/brewed coffee until they have 5 billion posts in the Italian forum