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Absolutely. Pressurised baskets are great when all you want is acceptable coffee with minimal effort. A lot of popular home "espresso" machines come with one fo

Absolutely. Pressurised baskets are great when all you want is acceptable coffee with minimal effort. A lot of popular home "espresso" machines come with one for this reason. Many or most Breville (Sage) machines come with one, even the "pro" machines. I seriously recommend anyone thinking about a pod machine consider a cheap manual machine instead. I then recommend buying fresh ground beans from a local cafe. Not only are you reducing landfill but also supporting local business.

soylentcola 6y ago
I guess my thing is that I can never find/settle on a good manual machine plus grinder that I would describe as "cheap". I worked as a barista for a few years back in the day and while not a terribly "snobby" coffee drinker, I do miss being able to pull a decent shot and also make microfoam for latte/flat white type drinks. The problem is that at a minimum I'd be looking at $1000-1500 for a decent grinder and machine and (at least currently) that's up in the realm of luxury items I might buy someday but can't justify right now. Even the passable all-in-one consumer machines like some of the Brevilles are up in the $800+ range and I hesitate to buy anything that expensive that is not repairable. So instead I just buy beans roasted within the past couple of weeks, grind when needed with a cheap blade grinder, and make drip coffee with a basic machine. Once in a while I do a moka pot and whip up hot milk in a french press for a fake latte but that's usually not worth the effort. When I want an espresso or a latte I go to the cafe and buy one maybe once or twice a month. I have never considered buying any sort of pod machine. Way too wasteful and expensive for what you get out of it.
- scott_s 6y ago
  I got a cheap manual burr grinder (JavaPresse) to replace my cheap blade grinder, and it has made an enormous difference in the quality of my daily coffee. Granted, I use a French press, so grind size matters more than with drip. But it was a simple change that improved my daily enjoyment.

soylentcola 6y ago

I guess my thing is that I can never find/settle on a good manual machine plus grinder that I would describe as "cheap". I worked as a barista for a few years back in the day and while not a terribly "snobby" coffee drinker, I do miss being able to pull a decent shot and also make microfoam for latte/flat white type drinks. The problem is that at a minimum I'd be looking at $1000-1500 for a decent grinder and machine and (at least currently) that's up in the realm of luxury items I might buy someday but can't justify right now. Even the passable all-in-one consumer machines like some of the Brevilles are up in the $800+ range and I hesitate to buy anything that expensive that is not repairable. So instead I just buy beans roasted within the past couple of weeks, grind when needed with a cheap blade grinder, and make drip coffee with a basic machine. Once in a while I do a moka pot and whip up hot milk in a french press for a fake latte but that's usually not worth the effort. When I want an espresso or a latte I go to the cafe and buy one maybe once or twice a month. I have never considered buying any sort of pod machine. Way too wasteful and expensive for what you get out of it.

scott_s 6y ago
I got a cheap manual burr grinder (JavaPresse) to replace my cheap blade grinder, and it has made an enormous difference in the quality of my daily coffee. Granted, I use a French press, so grind size matters more than with drip. But it was a simple change that improved my daily enjoyment.