which coffee for coffee maker

dbnavan

Hi guys,

being a IT head I love my coffee, especially when i work late on a project or something, as for the morning cant start the day without one. My loving wife bought me a fab coffee/cappachino maker for my birthday recently but as someone who only ever made instant(eek! never going back) can anyone suggest the best coffee to use in it, I bought tesco brand on way home last night just to test it, was very nice. but what do people suggest?

D

Stark

I love Roberts coffee

Chong

Get a pack of Douwe Egberts coffee, preferably the strong one in the black pack.

Civilian_Target

Lavazza espresso is a touch expensive, but very very good in those machines.

That aside, any strong filter coffee will work well in Espresso machines, be careful though, if it's an argos one, it'll probably also remove the paint from the ceiling above wherever its located, so check the tank regularly to make sure you don't end up with paint in your coffee...

[EDIT]You can pick up Lavazza in most good Dunnes's, it comes in a silver bag or tin[/EDIT]

landser

Civilian_Target wrote:

Lavazza espresso is a touch expensive, but very very good in those machines.

That aside, any strong filter coffee will work well in Espresso machines, be careful though, if it's an argos one, it'll probably also remove the paint from the ceiling above wherever its located, so check the tank regularly to make sure you don't end up with paint in your coffee...

[EDIT]You can pick up Lavazza in most good Dunnes's, it comes in a silver bag or tin[/EDIT]

Lavazza red. Buy the twin pack. it's about €6.50. don't scrimp on it. put loads in.

dudara

I regularly use the Tesco Espresso coffee in the brown packet in my machine. Quite tasty, and at E3 a bag, it's also very affordable.

Lavazza is quite good also, but I've never been a Douwe Egberts fan. Too bitter or something. What you can do is vist a coffee shop and get them to grind beans for you. That way you can try lots of different flavours until you hit one you really like.

Beruthiel

I always buy Fairtrade coffee

that way I know people are getting a fair wage for a days work and the money goes back into their community instead of some corporate bank a/c

Fairtrade coffee people!!

landser

Beruthiel wrote:

I always buy Fairtrade coffee

that way I know people are getting a fair wage for a days work and the money goes back into their community instead of some corporate bank a/c

Fairtrade coffee people!!

...and i always like to say a little prayer and drink to world peace everytime i take a sip, but i think the OP was more interested in the taste than the politics

billyblanks

I'm sure some people will disagree but bewleys coffee is very good. It is all roasted here in Ireland so it is very fresh. go one step further and buy a grinder, it really does make a difference grinding your own coffee.

Mike_Hunt

If you are heading to the states soon or know someone going over then get yourself some Hazelnut coffee (maxwell house and another company called Choc full o'nuts do it) in a big tin and drink it down its gorgeous.

bonkey

Dunno if you can get it easily in Ireland, but if you're gonna be making espresso and can spare the sheckels to treat yourself, I'd heartily recommend checking out Illy.

Having said that....I use fairtrade coffee, and make my cuppa in a machinetta, and that does me grand

Beruthiel

landser wrote:

but i think the OP was more interested in the taste than the politics

sparing a thought for other peoples lives is not exactly what I'd call politics and bewleys happen to do a fine fairtrade coffee

mycroft

Beruthiel wrote:

sparing a thought for other peoples lives is not exactly what I'd call politics and bewleys happen to do a fine fairtrade coffee

Ah but the tradecraft macchu pichu, (medium roast) fufills both rolls, a superior cup of coffee, and it's fairtrade.

RE*AC*TOR

Lavazza is good - illé is better - a lot depends on the quality of the equipment as well. Espresso machines depend heavily on high pressure - a lot of lower end ones really aren't up to the job. I say unless you have ~€200 , you be better off going with a Bodum Cafetiére (plunger) or a Bialetti Mocha Express (stove top).

I'd love that café type espresso with the crema, but the above do me nicely until I can afford it.

Another option (back to the coffee itself) is to grind your own beans - grinders are relatively cheap - nice beans can be got from Gloria Jeans.

billyblanks

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

nice beans can be got from Gloria Jeans.

As far as I know Gloria Jeans dont roast their beans in Ireland, they did import their coffee from Australia at one stage, so by the time it arrives into the shop it is on its way to being stale. there is a company called roast and post (no I dont work for them) they roast the coffee and send it direct to you, some of the freshest coffee you will get. Or go to temple bar market, there is a guy there selling fantastic coffee roasted that morning! he will also advise you on what coffee/grind you should use.

blorg

The Tesco stuff is actually quite good, and it's 100% arabica, but it isn't really espresso, it tastes quite different to any other espresso I've ever had - more like a cross between plunger and espresso coffee. Note that the bag actually says "Espresso style", don't know if that means anything. At €2.99 it is certainly a good deal.

My favourite by far is Lavazza Gold (Qualita Oro), although the black Lavazza is nice too. Both are much better than Lavazza Red. Lavazza Gold costs around €6.50 in the supermarkets, but if you can get to it there is a great little shop on Dunville Avenue Ranelagh called "The Best of Italy" - they sell Lavazza Gold there for €4.29, along with around 15 other types of espresso, including Saquella Gold for only €2.99 which is an incredible bargain.

EDIT: It's worth pointing out that the Italian/French/Spanish coffee is all sold in 250g packs,while the Irish/British/US branded coffee tend to be sold in 227g (e.g. 1/2 lb) packs. So you are getting more with the European coffee.

Gloria Jeans is certainly nice (again, different I think) but overpriced IMHO.

Make sure that any coffee you put into your espresso machine is finely ground, it just doesn't work properly with plunger-ground coffee.

patrickmooney

Why not try starbucks? If you like their house expresso, they will sell/and grind it over the counter for you. Failing that they've numerous other blends. My fav is the decaf Sumatran.

blorg

patrickmooney wrote:

Why not try starbucks?

Because they are evil. E-V-I-L! :eek:

landser

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

) or a Bialetti Mocha Express (stove top).

.

your only man when it comes to making good espresso

Flashling

If you want good flavoured coffee (other than coffee flavour, like hazelnut, or cinnamon), boaters is great, and sold in Avoca. If you're just looking for normal coffee though, I use Lavazza Gold (Yes, I have a coffee machine, yes, it's weird at 15, but I just can't wake up without my morning espresso...)

mycroft

patrickmooney wrote:

Why not try starbucks? If you like their house expresso, they will sell/and grind it over the counter for you. Failing that they've numerous other blends. My fav is the decaf Sumatran.

Jesus wept, decaf starbucks, it's like the beverage they serve in the canteen in HELL

Seattlites, intelligent ones, distained starbucks, long before they were throwing garbage cans through branch windows, to while away a long WTO summit, Starbucks, overroast their beans, giving them a overly bitter, gritty texture.

dudara

I never gotten good coffee from Gloria Jeans, as in ground beans. It does taste very dead, and they often grind it to the wrong size as well.

We have a Morphy Richards Espresso maker, and I really think it's quite good. It gets the crema on the top and has a frother as well at the side, but I never really use that. My Bialetti has been sitting on the shelf since I got it, but having said that, I love the charm of the Bialetti

deecom

If you want the best coffee you can get, then buy some green coffee, (can be got on the web) and roast it yourself! Not that hard to do, you can buy coffee roasters, or do it in the oven. Either way you'll have set off your smoke alarm! It is the best and cheapest way to get good coffee. A good grinder is a must. Dualit make good ones.