Bitter Coffee

We have a Delonghi too and yes, flipping expensive but worth every penny and the running costs are minimal compared to capsules etc. We buy cheapest supermarket own brand beans and they are fine - mainly because they are freshly ground each time and it makes perfect coffee.

Plus you can make the grounds into excellent body scrubs!

Also Simon, we’ve bought supermarket own label coffee beans before in Spain and found they contain added sugar. I also always thought Spanish coffee was generally ‘nicer’ but I am guessing it may well be the added sugar!

So your answer may be a smidge of sugar or a dash of soy milk :slight_smile:

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We bought a been to cup Delonghi a couple of years ago. I was then keen to understand how much in coffee it cost to run against our Nespresso machine. We bought one of these:

Shortly after buying it we had a bathroom installed and the two plumbers got through 50 cups in the first week.

I can’t quite remember how many cups the 1kg of coffee beans made but I do remember it cost 2.5p per cup against 30-35p per cup of Nespresso.

The £200 Delonghi was going to take about 650 cups to pay for itself - so with the plumbers going full speed it wouldn’t take long!

There is also lest waste as no capsules to dispose of.

Having been a Nespresso user for about 5 years I am a full convert to the Delonghi Bean to Cup machine - the only thing I thing we should have gone for was one with 2 pumps so no delay between coffee making and frothing.

At one point @james recommended a cheap coffee that you had been buying from your local supermarket - it would be good to know what that was. I did save the photo of the packet at the time but I have since changed phone and that image did not survive the cull.

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We have a Saeco beans-to-cup machine that makes really good coffee. There are several good ones, Lavazza Espresso is one of our favourites. The key for us, when testing other coffees, is that the beans are 100% Arabica. No mix, no Robusta, only 100% Arabica. That way it’s probably soft and smooth, and not bitter. Bitter coffee usually means that it’s Robusta and/or the machine has not been properly cleaned.

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Thanks @james

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My husband has a Tassimo but i am concerned about the pods and the environment so try to get him to mostly use the percolator.

This is the Inter cheapy catering pack with my ancient coffee pots looking particularly unappetising, age has rather withered them and the years condemned, nb the missing bits and old handle shape… you shouldn’t put them in the dishwasher, Bialetti do tell you that but of course I ignored them.

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We have a Nespresso and we take our used pods to a collection point in Cluny when we go to the hairdressers, so no special trip involved.
Perhaps if you look on the Tassimo website they will have such a scheme.
An MP stood up in the House and said that the Nespresso pods were not recyclable, so that just shows how good their research is.

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Jane, you are correct. We recycle our Tassimo pods and the outer packaging. It isn’t on our doorstep but we save up all the pods and drop them off when passing the recycling point when heading out that way.

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I no longer live in France, but whenever I go back I buy several kilos of Segafreddo beans from Intermarché. They are ridiculously cheap at around eight euros a kilo. I have a Pavoni Europiccola which I have owned for probably 20 years. As it is such a simple machine, it will go on for many more, although they do need occasional servicing.

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ITALY… why do so many people on these bulletin boards tend to knee jerk Spain for their purchases and trips.
Italian coffee and Italy is great and the previous writer is right, Lavazza coffee is available in many supermarkets e.g. Carrefour,

eeeeeeeeeeemm…because we live just across the border and it’s loads cheaper than France… :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

(PS : One of the many joys of living in the Schengen zone ! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:)

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I support our local shops as much as I can… but go to the large hypermarkets to save money on many things…

If I lived close enought and could pop into Spain or wherever… I would do so… although I would calculate the money saved against the journey itself and make it a “day-out” not simply a shopping trip. :hugs::hugs:

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Stella Hi - the journey cost is irrelevant v the savings on fuel - currently around 30cents / litre cheaper for diesel.

:rofl::rofl: I’m just so money conscious… I would calculate it anyway… I’m just as bad when justifying a 45min trip to the Hypermarkets… we make a day of it and visit all the local brico/car/clothing… stores as well…

We spent a glorious weekend in the Pays Basque and thoroughly enjoyed whipping across the border into Spain… pals filled their boots with all sorts of produce… me I bought some leather goods which were so cheap… and yes, filled the tank as well… (not diesel)

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We used to come to France on the £10 day-trip… and fill up with so many goodies… many of which we eventually brought back in the Removal Van…:hugs::hugs:

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Simon, out of interest, what are the 2 prices for the diesel/petrol for? Can’t make it out from the pic. Irrelevant to me really, as it’s a bit far away for a shopping trip…

Ahhhh good question Mark - the lower one is if you prepay using a supermarket fuel card - the other is when you’re just a ‘normal’ punter! :wink:

I’ve just worked that out, using Google Translate and a magnifying glass…:rofl::rofl:

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Hope you used Catalan Stella !! :smile: