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Re:The Complexity of Coffee (2002) [pdf] by zaroth on Wednesday September 14, 2016 @12:10PM (#12498385)
> The nespresso capsule machines do an OK job

You sound like an expert, but I was very surprised to read this. I bought a Nespresso on Amazon and ended up returning it because the liquid it put out tasted, to me anyway, to be anything but espresso. I tried all the capsules in the sampler pack and disliked all of them quite strongly. I think the biggest turn-off was the fake crema which the machine whipped into existence somehow, but wasn't actually anything like real crema, and ruined the shot in my opinion. There was a front-page post yesterday about the science behind crema, possibly what prompted this post.

I encountered my favorite machine in a house I rented for a couple years which had a built-in/plumbed-in Miele CVA6401, and it consistently produced the best single-touch espresso I've had, with no maintenance except descaling. It didn't compare to a very good coffee shop, but for at home espresso, I'm saving up to get one in my kitchen.

Re:The Complexity of Coffee (2002) [pdf] by emanuelev on Wednesday September 14, 2016 @12:38PM (#12498735)
I've got both a Nespresso and a simple manual Gaggia at home. The Nespresso is just accumulating dust. No matter what capsules you buy it doesn't get any closer to the taste of just average coffee (that would be Lavazza Oro) on the Gaggia machine.
Re:The Complexity of Coffee (2002) [pdf] by crispyambulance on Wednesday September 14, 2016 @12:55PM (#12498919)
I think the capsule machines produce a passable (OK) espresso that is consistent, you might have gotten a dud or perhaps you're more sensitive to the differences.

The biggest problem with those things (if you even like their coffee/crema) is that capsule costs add up quickly. 2 people x 2 shots per day... by the end of the year you might as well have bought a real machine and that only gets more compelling the longer you use it. 2 years of that and you might as well have bought a top-of-line-prosumer-does-everything-even-grind-and-steam machine.

The other issue is the beans. Once roasted, beans really need to be ground and used within 4-6 weeks max (even if they're in a sealed bag). The capsules are sealed (probably in nitrogen), but I don't trust that capsules will ever be at the same starting point as freshly roasted beans ground immediately before extraction.

Capsules are a good solution for offices where a real espresso machine would be nightmare of maintenance.