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I keep the grinder and the espresso machine separated.
Embedded grinders are often of lower quality than their standalone cousins (as opposite to software  )
Quote: so I tend to grind a week's worth of coffee at a time
That's a sin.
"In testa che avete, Signor di Ceprano?"
-- Rigoletto
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CPallini wrote: That's a sin.
 You could not have better written this.
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I would agree, but ... it's better than buying pre-ground beans.
I would grind my own "as needed" but I've seen how much mess my grinder can perpetrate, and I'm just not ready to clean it up first thing in the morning.
And a dirty kitchen gets my twitching started ...
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Year's ago, someone gave me a "single serving" coffee maker and grinder. Still have it. The grinder is no bigger than a cup. A cap and a body. No mess.
(I had figured you would have a special storage facility for your week's worth of coffee. I'm shocked too.)
It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food
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What sort of mess? Mine creates no mess at all. Push the button, and while it works, fill the water compartment and get the filter ready. Pull out that little box with ground coffee (it is ready before you are!) and pour into the filter. That's it. Every four or five pots, you open the lid to the bean compartment to fill it. No mess, no cleaning necessary.
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Mine sprays a fine dust of coffee over a significant area - sparse, to be sure - but annoying all the same. So when I use it, it sits on brown parcel wrap lifted round it to hold the dust for later disposal.
In addition, there tend to be loose grounds that don't go into the receptacle properly, and which "static disperse" when it's grounded to the storage vessel. Means I have to brush it off after each use or I'll get grounds all over the shelf it lives on!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Given the schnaps quantity in the coffee, coffee taste does not matter anymore, so I go with the cheapest instant coffee.
Sometimes, I even forget the coffee and do not notice.
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Schnaps comes in three strengths:
The weak: You place a coin the the cup, pour coffee until you no longer can see the coin, then add spirit until you again can see the coin.
The medium strength: You place a sugar cube in the cup, pour coffee until you no longer can see the sugar cube, then add spirit until you again can see the sugar cube.
The strong: You place a coin in the cup and pour spirit until you no longer can see the coin.
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Well, probably not what you're looking for, but you're rolling in money (so far as I can tell) and you might as well go for it:
I was at a resort in Cancun and they had such a machine: full of beans. Also, a nice row of buttons for espresso vs some others. A cup at a time.
Pretty big (compared to a toaster). But, aren't you and your needs not only a priority, but worth it?
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Oh yes, I have got one and very much like it.
Its about 2 years old now, a KRUPS EA80. I am not sure if they still manufacture it but they must have something similar.
Extremely practical: top it up now and again with fresh beans, refill the water supply when necessary, remove the ground coffee when necessary and that is it, instant fresh coffee after +/- 30 seconds whenever you want/need it.
Mind you: sometimes it is perhaps a little bit too easy 
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I had to look that unit up. At $1,600+ USD, it had better be both pretty and make a great cup of coffee!
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Need to try my "coffee press" again. (For a change) They made a pretty good cup for what they are.
It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food
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At work, we've had such machines for years. The canteen brews coffee the proper way. So we have chance of comparing more or less directly.
I was never in doubt: Twenty seconds is not enough time to extract the full aroma from the beans. It takes at least a couple minutes, the water slowly seeping through the ground coffee, to develop the true taste of coffee. So after lunch, often I bring a cup of decent coffee to my desk, rather than using the bean-to-cup machine in the office area.
At home, I have an automatic grinder, set for the amount of beans required for one pot (it has a bean container for maybe four or five pots), activated by a single push of a button. It runs while I fill the water container and get a coffee filter in place; I never have to wait for it.
If you want a single cup of coffee, rather than a pot, it may be less suitable. Who drinks a single cup of coffee? Maybe with espresso. You can easily turn the levers for espresso grinding and single cup. I rarely make myself espresso. So my grinder (of Krups make) is perfect for my use.
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trønderen wrote: Who drinks a single cup of coffee?
Me. I'm only allowed one cup per day ...
One Cup Per Day[^]
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I have one of
these[^]
It is, by far, the best machine I've ever used. The perfect blend between automatic and enough manual control that you can really dial it in.
Really good. Really, really good.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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On this side of the pond it's known as the "Sage Barista Touch Semi Automatic Espresso Machine" and runs out at £999 - C$1727.45. It's promoted by Heston Blumenthal - which explains the price, he's not cheap - and is probably very, very, very good.
Breville products here are known as "low end" tat, which explains the name change.
A bit more than I want to pay at the moment!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Yeah, it's not cheap. I actually saved it from our office when we went virtual so I've cheated somewhat.
However, given I've not had a decent coffee since my last trip home in Jan 2020, this thing has saved my sanity.
We also have (as a hand me down from 10 years ago) an aged version of Miele CM 5300 Countertop coffee machine[^]. Our looks a bit stone aged compared to this one, but it's lasted through several thousands coffees and makes a great shot. We have the milk frother thing that's completely useless. So, we simple make a shot, ad warm milk, and we're done. Better coffee than you can buy at a cafe (in Canada at least) and the thing just keeps on going.
I also had a Rancilio Silvia[^] which was good, but very manual. Dial it in and it was great, but you have to get a decent grinder[^] to ensure consistency.
The biggest problem with them all is that they don't have a big boiler, or are pump driven. The milk frothing just isn't great. However, our Breville actually gets the milk right. The first desktop machine I've used that actually does.
But: anything over drip coffee. It's just not my cuppa tea.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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As JA suggested the Jura does a good job but needs regular servicing, not just cleaning but getting the bloody thing serviced. Never again will I get a Jura.
We find the espresso comes out slightly bitter but the cappuccino is delicious.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity -
RAH
I'm old. I know stuff - JSOP
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I swear by mine! I've had espresso machines for over 40 years now, I had to buy the earliest in France since they were more or less impossible to find here in the UK back then. Mine is a Gaggia Brera, it's the second fully automatic machine I've had and is excellent. They do need regular descaling and the occasional clean of the moving parts inside but otherwise very reliable. I buy my coffee from Happy Donkey, Classic Italian beans, 6KG at a time since we get through it at a fair rate. Enjoy!
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I don't consider myself a coffee expert in any way, but we have a De'Longhi Magnifica ESAM 4200.S and it's convenient and makes nice coffee, or at least nice enough for my uncultured palate! Had it about 4 years so expecting something to break any day now 
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Can confirm Jura machines are great. We have just got a new E8 and it makes great espresso.
We did have a Jura Impressa C9 for many years (and several services).
But it got changed for a Miele (because you can remove and clean the brew unit). That lasted 2.5 years before disassembling itself on Christmas Eve.
Luckily the January sales meant we managed to get the Jura for £800, which with the amount of working from home is a bargain .
BTW, I have no connection to Jura, I just like their coffee machines.
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You can still use re-usable aluminum coffee pods for a pod machine if you don't want any waste. Pod machines can also be cheap.
Or better get a press maker for grounded coffee.
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Pod machines are cheap, because the consumables make up for it - it's the same deal as inkjet printers.
Bean / ground coffee will cost you around 10p / espresso, pods are around 4 times that, and are not accepted as recyclable here (probably because the small size makes it unfeasible to sort).
Coffee pods & capsules | Wales Recycles[^]
Coffee grounds are eminently compostable however!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I have 2 Keurig Pod machines. I love them both. For speed, ease of use, convenience, No-mess, they can not be beat. No muss, No fuss. You should reconsider your position. Just saying.
BTW enjoy your posts more than those of others, even mine. 
Still alive and kicking.
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