We Brits drink 95 million cups of coffee a day, it was revealed this week – but could the home coffee pod machine ever take the place of the artisan barista?
I am a coffee snob. I freely admit it. As a campaigner, I practically run on the stuff. I can’t remember when I last drank instant and I’ll navigate my way around cities using my favourite coffee shops. If we were catching up and you suggested going to Starbucks, I would judge you.
For years, I dreamed of owning my own coffee machine – the proper kind you get with the steam wand. I even looked down on the ones that used pods. That is until I went on holiday and the Airbnb I was staying in had one.
Now, I’m a convert. I’d easily say the best thing I’ve ever bought is my Nespresso machine (other coffee machines are, of course, available) and the accompanying ‘Aeroccino’ – or, fancy pants milk frother, to you and me.
My friend, who is also a coffee snob, accused me of being seduced by George Clooney – what can I say: the man knows good coffee!
Latte for work
I worked out that until I bought my machine, I was spending anything up to £1,000 per year on takeaway coffees during the week.
So, in 2017, I set myself a challenge: for the first three months of the year, every weekday morning I would make my own coffee rather than buy one. After all, I was paying off my Christmas present to myself. I excluded weekends, as going for coffee and reading the paper is my time to unwind.
On telling people about my challenge, I was often asked why I didn’t just switch to a cafetiere, given it’s even cheaper. While that’s true, a cafetiere doesn’t recreate the experience of having a proper barista-made coffee. And with my own coffee capsule machine, I even get to choose my own coffee.
Daily grind
The official Nespresso pods normally cost around 30-40p each, and I soon found it became easier to pick them up during my weekly shop. I’ve since tried rival coffee capsules such as L’or, Café Pod, Dualit, many of the supermarket-own brands and a mistaken purchase of some vile caramel-flavoured capdules that shouldn’t be legal.
But the pods I always come back to are those made by Taylor’s. I normally end up the with the Colombian, with the Lava Java on standby, for those mornings I need a kick. Sadly, Taylor’s pods didn’t make it into this year’s taste test but that just means I have a whole new bunch of brands to try.
Ultimately, I’ve slipped back into my old ways and now buy my daily coffee as much as I make it. But my machine has still cut down on the amount I spend and allows me to indulge in fancy coffee at home.
Are you a lover or a hater of coffee capsule machines? If you own one, has it saved you money and do you have a favourite brand of coffee pod?
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