I'm looking to feed my caffeine addiction and am considering plunging into the murky world of bean to cup coffee machines.

I've done a bit of googling and had a look at various machines (like the look of Jura but not the price) and thought given the current cafe culture and the sophistication of Sheffielders there must be someone out there with a few pointers or recommendations, things to avoid, nice to have etc

Any comments appreciated

You've really got to try them or at least see one in the metal so to speak, some look great but when you feel them they are really tinny.

You need one with a burr grinder, a reservoir of a litre or more, and a good sized element so that it doesn't take forever to heat up.

We have an account with a company that supplies different makes and I use a La Pavoni one every day. Can get you a price when you know what you need but we don't have any room to stock them. The JURA are expensive but you do tend to get what you pay for. Feel free to PM me if you want any prices or info.

Thanks pete_jim I need to persuade my wife we "need" one and we also need to have the new kitchen fitted (work starts next week) so we can see what footprint would be feasible. Do you have a web address with good info about the different options? I have quickly realised that we are probably talking £300+ so it would have to be a well informed purchase. We have the option to buy one in Germany as friends of ours will be joining us via car for a holiday at the end of May so may be able to get hold of one of the German brands at a reasonable price.

Try www.fairfaxcookshop.com If you see one you like I can try and get a better price for you. Bean to cup machines are expensive. I get my coffee every few days from Bragazzi Deli, ground for the machine and then keep it in the fridge.

Mm..Italian coffee...
I haven't got one, but I thought this might interest you, especially since you said your friends from Germany will visit you. Haven't got a brand in mind, but I know that you can get any coffee makers cheaper in Euro in the Hypermarkets on the Continent anyway. If your friends from Germany don't mind purchasing one for you, then there may be Dixon's equivalent German electrical stores where you can get it from.

I'm not into the art of coffee, but I do know that you need a model that gives you a decent pressure in order to make the best out of the beans. Depending on what you will use it for. A smaller model may just do the job.

Mm..Italian coffee...
there may be Dixon's equivalent German electrical stores where you can get it from.


Correct the two main players in the area they are coming from are MediaMarkt and Red Zac so I'll check out their prices when I go back out there at the end of March but thanks for the info.

Regarding pressure - I'm aware that this is one of the keys to producing a good espresso, I am also interested in the top end of the market because of the quality of the components (stainless tubing instead of plastic etc) which makes cleaning easier and more hygenic.

Still like the Jura F90 but not the price. Does anyone know which other brands are manufactured by the Jura company? I know there are some but I'm not sure which ones.

We had a Zanussi Built-In fitted in our new kitchen. Absolutely great.
This is the link:

http://www.zanussibuiltin.co.uk/node35.asp?ProdID=15027