So our Delonghi Perfecta is starting to crap out after at least 6 years of solid service. Pretty damn good I'd say. Anyhow as the resident coffee enthusiast, I've been tasked with recommending a replacement. Now as much as I'd love to get us a nice semi auto and grinder, I just don't think that's practical in our office. Maybe something like a Breville Oracle could work but to be honest, I think a super auto is the most practical solution. The ideal machine would basically be a push button, americano device. We don't need frothed milk. Any good suggestions?

Unless your being paid to make everyone coffee all day, your best bet by far if you must have espresso is a super auto. The ones Chris Coffee sells (Quickmill I think) are the best, but they only make a mediocre shot.

If your going for Americanos anyway, why not get a nice auto dripper setup and maybe some airpots to store once it's brewed? Brew coffee will likely be more practical and easier on maintenance than a superauto, I also think you'll get better coffee in the end. Then just get some nice coffees to rotate and have fun with that.

Nespresso, but only if you trust the staff not to steal the pods and take them home.

COMMERCIAL Nespresso ... uses flat foil pods not compatible with home machines, twin "groups".

Alan

If you get the commercial nespresso, there are settings for water hardness levels. This will directly relate to the descale warning based on volume of water passed through. Your machine will refuse to function if you have not operated the descale process. Be ready for unhappy campers if you fail to routinely descale the commercial machines.

Otherwise, the flat foil pods are easy to use and hardly ever jam, unless you fail to flatten out the edges of the pod... Also, with scale buildup, comes the puncturing mechanism. Without proper servicing, the machine sometimes fail to puncture the pod completely, and you will get hot water from the machine, not coffee.

The Nespresso commercial units are more than we want to spend. I've also never been a fan of the nespresso taste. Our current super auto produces a better tasting cup. I've found the Jura Ena Micro 1 which only does espressos and americanos, no milk (less to go wrong). The other option would be the Oracle but I'm worried that might be a little too involved for office dwellers.