I the whole Nespresso thing very interesting - there is such a split between people who seem to like it and those who wouldn't even consider drinking it:

And if you're getting good shots from your Pavoni, the Nespresso will be quite a disappointment.

I am getting good shots from my Pavoni and quite enjoy them. The girls at Seattle Coffee Gear seemed to think the shots from Nespresso were decent - though that may just be good marketing. The only stale-coffee device I've used is a Keurig at work - completely disgusting, so I'm very curious about the Nesresso.

Any opinions on why there are such discrepancies in consumer reports? I think it's high time I try it for myself - a field trip is in order this evening. I'll report back when I have.

NickH wrote:What about a Nespresso? The idea of capsules irks me on many levels (cost, waste and staleness) but it's in the price range and nothing would be easier for entertaining.

FYI one data point with the Illy capsule system (not Nespresso, but similar idea):

I used the Illy IperEspresso capsules / Francis Francis X8 machine for a year or so. I got an introductory deal at $175.

After I got my HX, I eventually tried Illy red can beans out of curiosity, and I found the coffee tasted surprisingly similar to the IperEspresso. I think the Illy capsule system can brew the coffee more or less correctly (maybe not like a lever though), with a few caveats:

- run the pump a bit before inserting the capsule, to make sure the brew water is up temperature
- short shot size and short pull time. 2 capsules in a row made a smallish double. $1.40 per drink!
- I couldn't outsmart or defeat the auto frother; gave up and just used it as designed. Not really microfoam, not fast, but usable for 4 oz double cappuccinos or smaller.
- Illy coffee didn't seem to keep very long after opening. I didn't think of it at the time, but it might be worthwhile to freeze capsules a few at a time in freezer bags when opened, and thaw out as required.

Although I can get much more complex flavors now by using other beans, I would have kept the IperEspresso longer if the cost per cup hadn't been so frightening. It's convenient, and will make cup after cup pretty quickly and consistently when the need arises, especially when you don't need to steam.

michaelbenis wrote:Wait.

A Mypressi won't speed things up at all. You wouldn't get much of an improvement in terms of churning out shots even from the much superior (in the cup) Bacchi, which is at least a hands-free solution until the whistle starts.

And if you're getting good shots from your Pavoni, the Nespresso will be quite a disappointment.

Not sure I agree here. With multiple baskets and a water kettle, you should be able to get a system down to churn out shots pretty fast. It's not pretty, but it is low cost. I think the target time for the Bacchi is 6 minutes from the start to when you get the espresso, then you have to cool and reload. With the MyPressi, there shouldn't be any issue with overheating, in fact multiple shots should be ideal as you won't need to pre-heat subsequent shots.

I agree that it's an inelegant solution with a lot of fumbling around with baskets, but it seemed to fit the budget and overcome any issues with overheating (since it's an open kettle with no boiler, you have complete control over the water temperature). One of the other tricks you can use it for at parties is to pull adult espresso drinks using water alternatives which can be fun.

You might consider the Crossland CC1 that is supposed to have improvements in temperature stability and be targeted at the lower end of the scale. I don't have any experience with this machine and have only read reviews.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my Twist. I haven't tried making many back-to-back shots with it, but most of the time I spend with the Twist making a shot is in the boiling of the water, grinding, and cleanup, the time for subsequent shots is very minor.

We have a fancy Nespresso Pro setup here at work with the flying saucer shaped foil Pro capsules instead of the normal pods. These capsules hold 6 grams of coffee so the machine always makes pretty weak espresso with no brightness, citrus, or floral notes (only the same monotone chocolate/hazelnut flavors). I'd rather spend the extra time to pull a shot on my Twist with my own fresh espresso then use the Nespresso machine. The pods/capsules are also pretty pricey, I understand. I briefly played around with making my own capsules but it really wasn't worth the effort, even though it was fun to try out. The lack of maintenance guidance on the Nespresso offends my sensibilities and I've brought in a group head brush and a wash bottle and try to keep the machine relatively clean for my co-workers, even if I don't bother with the stuff myself.

Let us know what you do choose.

Very interesting. How much are extra baskets for the twist? If I had three I could get 6 shots out in no time (my kettle gets to just under boiling in 45 secs and maintains from there). Don't think I'd need many more than that combined with the pavoni. Plus there's the travel aspect which wouldn't hurt.

How certain is this combined electric/canister version? Something worth waiting for?

Look at the picture here
Portaspresso, high price mypressi like device

Another pic here
http://coffeegeek.com/opinions/showreports/05-06-2011/17:45

I think it's just a matter of time before the airo is available, so they kind of unveiled it at the show.

Randy

NickH wrote:Very interesting. How much are extra baskets for the twist? If I had three I could get 6 shots out in no time (my kettle gets to just under boiling in 45 secs and maintains from there). Don't think I'd need many more than that combined with the pavoni. Plus there's the travel aspect which wouldn't hurt.

MyPressi sells spare 53 mm baskets on their site for $9.95, but I had some Saeco 53 mm baskets already that I use as spares.

Nick,

I think $200 is really stretching it and $2000 is more than you'll need to spend. You can get something that isn't very expensive and will knock out shot after shot if you get it used but in decent working condition. Something that might work is an Olympia Maximatic, also branded Olympia Coffex or Pasquini Livietta (make sure it's an Olympia Express machine, not one of the newer Liviettas). You can generally find these used on eBay in the $4 - $500 range. You adjust temperature with a cooling flush. Paired with a decent grinder they pull good espresso and have strong steaming power. Refill is by a pourover tank for the espresso itself. The heat exchanger/steaming is refilled through the boiler cap, so you wouldn't want to use this to cater a large party, although if you have it and your Pavoni both running, you can keep some espresso and steaming action happening fairly continuously. You may find similar, workable machines on Craigslist or eBay, used; for instance a Rancilio Silvia with a PID, a Bezzera, etc. I've also seen some used, small commercial machines going for good prices on Craigslist if you keep your eyes peeled, and that also depends on whether you are willing to refurbish or restore a quality unit. Again, $200 seems a bit too constrained to me. I did find an e61 machine on eBay for $270, and $60 servicing was enough to fix it back to new, stock condition, although I invested more to get it PID'd and service the gaskets and seals. For $200, though, you could come up with something like a second Pavoni and get skilled at cooling the group and portafilter to pull more than 3 shots in a row. Reference this site if you see something listed that looks interesting and check out what owners/reviewers have been writing about it.