As has been said above, in this market the best cuppa is usually the one you make at home...what that says about most so called cafe's has already been said many times before and doesn't need repeating here. What that also says about individual taste also does not bear noting as some people are perfectly happy to drink instant coffee... and for them, that's good! However, it is a well known phenomenon among sellers of good quality espresso machines and coffee, that many happy machine customers return to buy coffee and always say the same thing..."we never go out for coffee any more and come home to make our own". This ofcourse does not take account of the social factor of going out for coffee with friends, but it does account for people that go out for a meal and dont follow it up with coffee at the venue they have dined at. With regard to the subject of "what domestic machine do you prefer". I'll stick me neck out and say all methods of brewing offer something and are good, as long as they are used properly. So plungers, espresso machines, percolators, vaculators, filter machines etc are all great given the time and place and occasion. However given the enquirer was probably referring to what domestic ESPRESSO machine do you prefer, here are a couple of ideas for you to ponder. Anyone pondering the purchase of a domestic espresso machine should seek advice from a domestic espresso machine specialist. That way the machine is "fitted" to the expectations, budget and requirements of the purchasor. The purchasor should be given, or should ask for, a demonstration of the model to be purchased. No demo, no buy. This will sort out what does and does not operate as it should, in a market full of different makes and models, many of which have different methods of operation one from the other (new fangled gismos that do and dont work properly) marketed by all and sundry marketing companies all making their own claims (as opposed to manufacturiing companies). The purchasor should also sort out the easy availability of service. Too many domestic machines in the market, too many do not work properly, too many are too complicated to operate by inexperienced operators, too many have instructions that tell you how to operate the machine, AS OPPOSED TO instructions on how to brew nice coffee with the machine, and too many people who expect they will be able to entertain with their "micro" espresso machine, only to find it is a nightmare when operated by the inexperienced operator trying to make coffee for a dinnerparty attended by any more than 2 people, too many espresso machine "testers" doing comparisons that are meaningless in real terms. And as been said (by me) so many times before, beware "big" brand names. Consult your local specialist in this regard and get a demo and a lesson with your purchase. Fresh Coffee.
