quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:

quote:

Originally posted by mona lisa vito:
True, but I can have a great cappuccino and be out the door in 2 minutes, so I'm thinking the trade off is worth it!

But what about cleaning the milk frother? It's a pain in the neck, so we rarely make cappuccino, just espresso.

+1

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Originally posted by inky:

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Originally posted by futronic:
Doesn't take me much longer than that!

When I drink espresso, it is for the espresso itself, NOT a picture effect done in the milk foam.

The espresso I make will still be better than what comes from a Nespresso.

And when I drink espresso, I drink espresso. When I drink a cappuccino, I drink a cappuccino.

Futronic,

I made several cappucinos this past weekend on my sister's Rancilio Silva and it was very tasty although you get varying results with beans (even the same kind but different bag can cause espresso to be bitter, etc). Anyways, you have to get used to knowing when to stop the water pump (basically deciding when you have exhausted the extraction of the beans). I ran out of beans and water during one attempt and because of that it gave the appearance that it is a lot of work. My wife commented that she didn't want to have to do all that work for a cup of coffee.
I also realized that I'm not that good of a frother as I thought and overheated the milk a couple times without getting the froth I wanted. Oh well, I may try it again at Thanksgiving when we go back for another visit but I am going to consider some of the other's suggestions here.

Practice, practice, practice!

In reality, MLV usually does not have to clean the frother or even make espresso as I usually do it.

With that said, it is all about choices and what works for the individual. Knowing Futronic, I have no doubt that the espresso he makes on his machine is better than what we make in our Nespresso. But, given the amount of time and energy (not sure about cost) we are willing to spend on it, it totally works for us - the qualitative difference is simply not great enough to override the ease of use for us cleaning

About 15 years ago, I bought a Estro Vapore from Starbucks (about $300), and after a little practice, I could make excellent cappuccino and espresso! Just remember, it's more about the quality of the beans you grind than the ability of the machine!

Finally, I decided making espresso and cappuccino at home was just too much trouble! So, I stored the Vapore, preferring to drive to Starbucks for the rest and relaxation, letting the barista make and clean!

Barista? That's another marketing ploy I put up there with pre-owned.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Barista? That's another marketing ploy I put up there with pre-owned.

+100...i mean come on though, doesnt that green apron they wear account for something ? Who else could turn those burnt beans into a double shot super duper low calorie skinny minnie double soy extra frothy cup of crap in mere seconds...

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Barista? That's another marketing ploy I put up there with pre-owned.

Good Grief Board-O, I love the word Barista, which means I don't make it, and I don't clean it-----and it's no difference than a Bartender; except that one serves coffee, and the other serves joy & escape !

Hey, someone who sells sodas is a soda jerk. How about "coffee jerk?" I'll pass on "barista."

Board-O, remind me, what do you call the person who is the wine expert at a restaurant?

Board-O

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Barista? That's another marketing ploy I put up there with pre-owned.

Not to mention "previously loved"...something I've seen a few car manufacturers use..

I also use a stovetop model which I think works pretty well if you use great, fresh beans and a well-controlled grind. I will invest in a machine one day, but for now I can make pretty damn good drinks with this and it cost me about $5, and has lasted about 4 years.

I would not ever recommend anything with pods. The idea of coffee that has been roasted and ground for that long is not good.

We weren't really looking for a chance to be a barrista so we wanted something quite automatic. We love the ease of use and cleaning of our Nespresso Lattissima. The drinks are delicious as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Sleepyhaus:
I would not ever recommend anything with pods. The idea of coffee that has been roasted and ground for that long is not good.

Absolutely.
I would never, ever, consider a pod machine as an option.