There’s a particular kind of tired that coffee drinkers know all too well. You wake up, make a strong cup, feel vaguely human again for about two hours — and then hit a wall somewhere between your lunch and your next meeting. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Most of us have been propping ourselves up on caffeine cycles for years without really questioning whether there’s a better way to do it.

That’s where matcha comes in. And no, I’m not talking about the sugary latte version you pick up from a major coffee shop chain. I mean actual matcha — properly whisked, made from shade-grown Japanese green tea leaves ground into a fine powder. It looks and tastes completely different from coffee, yes. But the way it moves through your body is different too, and that’s what makes it genuinely worth understanding.

I switched to matcha in the mornings about two years ago, after one too many afternoons where I genuinely couldn’t concentrate on anything after 2pm. The change wasn’t instant, but over a few weeks I noticed I was sustaining focus for longer without the restless energy that coffee used to give me. I was sceptical at first, honestly. But the science behind why it works is actually quite compelling.

The caffeine in matcha behaves differently from the caffeine in your flat white — not because it’s a different molecule, but because of what it’s travelling with. So before we get into the numbers, let’s establish what we’re actually dealing with.

The numbers: what the research actually says

Let’s start with the dry powder, because that’s where people tend to get confused. A 2020 study published in Foods (Jakubczyk et al.) used high-pressure liquid chromatography — essentially a very precise lab method for separating out chemical compounds — to measure caffeine concentrations in matcha samples. Their findings placed caffeine levels at roughly 18.91 mg to 44.42 mg per gram of dry powder, depending on grade and origin. So already there’s a wide range to contend with.

What that translates to in your cup depends on your serving size. A standard 1g ceremonial-grade matcha whisked into 80ml of water gives you somewhere between 19 and 44mg of caffeine — considerably less than a standard drip coffee, which tends to sit between 90 and 160mg per cup. Go up to a 2g serving, which plenty of people do, and you’re looking at 38 to 88mg. Still within a manageable range for most people.

Caffeine comparison by type and serving

A useful thing to keep in mind: because you’re consuming the whole leaf in powdered form rather than an infusion, your body is absorbing all of the compounds in that leaf — not just the ones that steep out into hot water. That’s part of what makes matcha’s caffeine profile so distinct.

Why grade actually matters more than people think

Not all matcha is made the same, and the grade you buy has a direct impact on how much caffeine — and how much of everything else — ends up in your cup.

Ceremonial-grade matcha comes from the first spring harvest, known as Ichibancha. What makes it special isn’t just the timing — it’s the agricultural process that precedes it. For 20 to 30 days before harvest, the tea plants are shaded from direct sunlight, often using traditional bamboo screens or black mesh covers. This forces the plant into a kind of nutrient stress response. With less light available for photosynthesis, it overproduces chlorophyll — which is why ceremonial matcha has that deep, almost luminous green colour — and, importantly, it also produces more caffeine and L-theanine as a result.

Culinary-grade matcha, by contrast, comes from later harvests and older leaves that haven’t been shaded as intensively. It tends to be more bitter in flavour and slightly lower in both caffeine and L-theanine concentrations. It’s fine for baking or blending into smoothies, but if you’re drinking matcha straight and expecting a noticeable effect, ceremonial or at the very least premium culinary is worth the extra spend.

I learned this the hard way after buying a cheap culinary matcha for months, wondering why I wasn’t feeling much. Switching to a decent ceremonial grade was actually a noticeable difference — not dramatically so, but enough that I stopped questioning whether matcha was actually doing anything.

The part everyone glosses over: why matcha’s caffeine feels different

This is the section I wish someone had explained to me properly from the start, because the ‘why’ is genuinely interesting.

When you drink coffee, caffeine is absorbed quickly into your bloodstream and binds to adenosine receptors in the brain — blocking the signal that tells you you’re tired. The effect is fast and noticeable. So is the comedown, because once it wears off, all that adenosine floods back in.

Matcha works differently. There are two main reasons for this. First, matcha is rich in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a catechin — a type of plant-based antioxidant — that appears to slow the rate at which caffeine is absorbed. Think of it as the caffeine arriving to work gradually rather than all at once. That extended release curve is what prevents the spike-and-crash cycle that coffee drinkers dread.

But the second reason is arguably more interesting: L-theanine. This is an amino acid found almost exclusively in green tea plants, and it has a well-documented ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate what researchers call alpha brainwave activity — specifically in the 8 to 12 Hz frequency range. Alpha waves are associated with a relaxed but focused mental state. Not sleepy, not wired. Just… clear.

A 2021 double-blind randomised controlled trial published in Nutrients (Baba et al.) tested this in human subjects over multiple sessions, using a daily dose of 2.07g of matcha. The results showed measurable reductions in stress markers and improvements in attention-related tasks compared to placebo. That’s not a small study done over a weekend — randomised and placebo-controlled is the gold standard for this kind of research.

A 2023 review in Current Research in Food Science (Sokary et al.) went further, examining the broader therapeutic pharmacokinetics of green tea compounds in human subjects — and concluded that the combined action of caffeine and L-theanine produced cognitive benefits that neither compound delivered as effectively in isolation. The two seem to complement each other in a way that’s genuinely synergistic, not just additive.

The practical upshot of all of this is that matcha’s lower caffeine content isn’t necessarily a weakness. You’re getting a more modulated, sustained delivery system rather than a jolt. For some people that’s actually more useful — particularly anyone who finds coffee makes them anxious or jittery.

Matcha vs coffee: the honest comparison

Let’s be straightforward about this. If raw caffeine quantity is your primary goal, coffee wins easily, unless it’s a decaf. A standard 240ml cup of drip coffee delivers 90 to 160mg of caffeine. A double espresso shot brings in 120 to 140mg in a fraction of the volume. Even a strong 1.5g ceremonial matcha — which sits at roughly 51 to 75mg per serving — doesn’t come close on pure numbers.

But the question isn’t really how much caffeine, it’s what the caffeine actually does to you. Because of the L-theanine and EGCG combination, matcha’s lower dose tends to produce a steadier state of alertness without the peripheral effects — the racing heart, the jitteriness, the sharp drop about two hours later. For someone who’s sensitive to caffeine, or who drinks coffee and then immediately feels anxious, matcha can genuinely be a more functional option even though the milligram count is lower.

That said, if you’re someone who has a high caffeine tolerance built up from years of multiple coffees a day, switching to a single matcha isn’t going to replicate the same effect. It’s a different experience, not a substitute. Worth being honest about that.

How to actually make it — two ways worth knowing

How you prepare matcha affects both the flavour and, to some degree, the potency. There are two traditional methods that are worth understanding.

Usucha (thin tea) is the standard approach for a morning cup. Use 1 to 1.5g of matcha (roughly half to one teaspoon) sifted into a warmed bowl, add about 70 to 80ml of water at 70–80°C — not boiling, which can make it bitter — and whisk in a brisk M or W motion until frothy. This is your everyday matcha. Clean, accessible, and at this dose you’re looking at around 30 to 65mg of caffeine depending on grade.

Koicha (thick tea) is the concentrated version, traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremony for a reason: it’s intense. You’re using 3 to 4g of matcha to just 30–40ml of water, and the result is almost paste-like. The caffeine content here is significantly higher — potentially 75 to 180mg in a single small serving — and the L-theanine content scales proportionally too. Some people swear by a Koicha preparation before a focused creative session. I’ve tried it a handful of times and it’s genuinely quite different. A bit much for an everyday thing, but interesting.

Whatever method you go with, sift your matcha first. It makes a bigger difference than you’d expect.

Worth the switch?

Matcha isn’t magic, and anyone selling it to you as a cure-all probably isn’t someone to take seriously. What it is, though, is a genuinely interesting caffeine vehicle — one that delivers a different kind of alertness compared to coffee, backed by a small but growing body of solid research. If you’ve ever found yourself crashing hard in the afternoons or feeling like coffee makes you more anxious than focused, it’s worth experimenting with for a few weeks before writing it off.

Start with a ceremonial grade, keep your serving to around 1 to 1.5g, and give it at least a fortnight before deciding whether it works for you. The results aren’t always immediate — but then, neither was coffee’s grip on most of us.

The post How Much Caffeine Is In Your Matcha? appeared first on Ideal Grind.

In this article we are going to be focussing on the best manual coffee grinders that are available on the market today. The main advantage these little devices have over their electrical counterparts is that they are portable – you can take them away with you. But do they do as good a job?

It’s certainly more difficult, but it isn’t impossible. The first step is to purchase a manual coffee grinder that you can trust, which is why we have compiled this list for you.

Manual Coffee Grinders – What To Look For

Before we get into our list of the best manual coffee grinders, we thought it would be a good idea to discuss what you should be looking for when you are picking your grinder to help you make the best decision. There are so many different options, you need to know what you are looking for. Some things to consider:

Capacity

We’ll start with an obvious one – you are going to want a manual coffee grinder that can fit in all of the coffee that you want to use in your drink. It sounds obvious, largely because it is, but think about how you make coffee – do you have a small espresso machine that makes one dose at a time? Then a small manual coffee grinder will be fine.

However, if you make a big jug of filter coffee every morning, then you are going to need to consider what sort of capacity you’ll need. Perhaps you make more coffee at the weekend? Or do you regularly have guests that you like to treat to delicious coffee? Make sure you have a grinder that is big enough to suit your needs.

Range of grind sizes

Do you make the same drink every day? Then a range of sizes may not be that important to you – just make sure whichever grinder you buy can do that one size very well!

For everyone else, make sure that you get a grinder that has very precise grinder settings so that you can switch between a fine grind for drinks like an espresso, a coarse grind for filter coffees and everything in between. Grind size is absolutely crucial to getting the right kind of extraction for your drink, so make sure you get a grinder that you can rely on.

Size of the unit

Is your manual grinder going to take pride of place in your kitchen? Or are you going to want to take it with you on your travels? They come in all shapes and sizes, and made from all kinds of different materials, so choose one that will suit what you need it for.

While we are talking about their appearance, some of them are stunning little contraptions, which many people love to have out on show in their homes. Some of them have a far more compact appearance, which is much more practical if you are going to be moving it from place to place.

Longevity

It’s a fact of life that some things are built to last, and some things are built to provide us consumers with a ‘cheaper option’. Manual coffee grinders are no different, so it is important to consider how easy they are to maintain, and whether you are able to buy replacement parts, should anything go wrong.

This has hopefully given you a few things to think about as we now embark on our list of the 9 best manual coffee grinders. Here we go:

MLMLANT Manual Coffee Grinder

We’ll kick things off with this stylish offering from MLMLANT – a company that appears to be Chinese in origin, but with a base in New York (their website is difficult to draw any concrete conclusions from!). What we do know, though, is that they produce all kinds of home products, from steam cleaners to dog toys. A manual grinder is just one of hundreds of the products that they offer.

Straight away, I think you can tell why we like this grinder so much – it looks great. A beautifully sleek and stylish stainless steel cylinder – so simple but so effective. It manages to look classy as well as sturdy. It just gives you the impression that this is a grinder that is built to last.

At 17.5cm, it is quite tall without being so tall that travelling with it would never be an option. It won’t take up too much space if you are going to chuck it into the bottom of a bag, and it is built with materials that would be able to withstand a little bit of a crush.

In terms of grinding, there are 18 different ‘click’ settings to alter the size of the grind – working from ‘Pour Over’ to ‘Spice’ grinds. This is a good range, which offers you a lot of control over the taste of your drink.

It’s a burr grinder, which means the coffee beans are crushed between two plates, rather than chopped with blades. This tends to give you a much better, more even, grind, and we found that it worked really well. There was a great consistency to the coffee grounds.

What’s more, you are provided with a cleaning brush to help you keep the grinder in the best possible condition, and you can take it apart to give it a thorough clean.

Finally, the price – this is a really good price for a manual grinder that looks so good and performs so well – add this to your shortlist and try to find one to beat it.

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Timemore C2

Next up we have something that is a little extra – a magnificent manual coffee grinder from Timemore. This is another Chinese company, but one that exclusively makes coffee related products, and founded by ‘a group of coffee lovers’ in 2012. They are committed to the ‘slow life’, which we have taken to mean the art of taking your time over your coffee to ensure it is perfect. A manual coffee grinder certainly fits into that lifestyle.

Let’s cut to the chase – the major appeal of this grinder is how it looks. It is a stylish looking unit – the tiny indents, the aluminium alloy body and the long, sleek crank handle give this a truly unique look. It would take pride of place on the counter of many kitchens – there would be no need to hide this one away in a cupboard!

The design isn’t just for show, though – there are practical reasons that make using this manual grinder much easier. Take the indents; these provide more grip when you are grinding, so that you can get more purchase on the cylinder. The long crank handle means that you don’t need as much force to turn it. And the aluminium structure means that it is hard wearing – it’s not going to get damaged if you want to take it away with you.

It is a small unit – with a capacity of 20g, which will be enough for two cups of coffee and makes it very handy for travelling with.

What cannot be overstated, though, is the performance of this grinder. It produces fantastic coffee, with easily adjustable grind settings to get the exact sized grain that you require. It’s consistent and quick, and in truth, everything you could ask for from a manual grinder.

The only drawback is the price – it is one of the most expensive coffee grinders on our list today, but if you can afford it, we’re not sure you will find one that is better. We love this grinder.

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Henry Charles

When we review a product here at Ideal Grind, we always try to tell you a little about the manufacturer – we think that can be important or reassuring for you to know. It’s not always possible, though, as sometimes, there is just very little about a company anywhere on the internet – like a product just appears from out of nowhere.

That’s the case for this Henry Charles manual grinder. A quick look at the rest of their Amazon store (Oliver James) doesn’t tell us much other than they make a lot of battery powered handheld massagers and have a penchant for traditional English names. To be honest, this didn’t inspire much confidence in their coffee grinder.

It just goes to show, though, that you never can be truly sure of something until you have tried it, because this grinder really impressed us.

It looks great – a classic, stainless-steel cylinder with an attractive steel handle. We really liked the little window at the bottom of the unit, through which you can see the coffee so that you know when you have reached the desired size.

The major appeal, though, is that this is designed to make the perfect travelling grinder. All of the main parts are removable, and it comes with a handy travel bag so that you can pop all the parts in and off you go!

It does seem to require a little more effort than some of the grinders that we have looked at, but the results are decent – a uniformed grind size which is what you want. It is also one of the cheaper manual grinders on our list, so this is certainly worth your consideration – wherever it comes from!

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Taylor & Smyth

A pleasing little contraption now, from Taylor & Smyth – another company with very little online presence, but as we have just learned, that isn’t necessarily enough to put us off a coffee grinder – the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

The first thing that popped into our head when we saw this grinder was – pepper mill. This wouldn’t look out of place on your dinner table next to your salt, which shouldn’t really surprise us as they are very similar concepts.

It’s one of the smaller grinders that we will look at today, but still has a 70g capacity, so enough to make two or three cups of coffee while still being pretty easy to travel with. The best of both worlds.

It also comes with an airtight glass jar, in which you can store any ground coffee to keep it fresh. This is great if you don’t want to waste too much time measuring out your coffee before you grind it – you can just store any extra coffee in the jar. Our advice would be not to leave it in there for too long though, as even with an airtight lid, you will still lose some freshness over time.

It comes with a two-year warranty as well, which is reassuring, particularly for a grinder at the cheaper end of the scale. You would be forgiven for thinking that this was priced low due to poor quality, but the warranty should give you some reassurance on that front.

This makes a great entry-level manual coffee grinder – it isn’t the best on our list, but it is one of the cheapest. It does a solid job and is versatile enough so that you can use it at home or on your travels. It’s a decent grinder at a great price.

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Hario

Next up we have a manual coffee grinder from Hario, Japanese heatproof glass specialists that have been making exceptional products for over 100 years, with a particular focus on the hot drink market. These guys know what they are doing, so it is reasonable to expect that their coffee grinders are of a good quality.

What you may not expect, given that introduction, is that this is made from plastic, rather than glass. While they have compromised on their preferred material, they have not compromised on quality – this is a very good manual coffee grinder.

With a capacity of 24g, it is big enough for a couple of cups of coffee, and measuring under 18cm tall, it is also compact enough to make taking it away with you viable. The plastic that it is made from is durable, so there is nothing to worry about from that point of view either.

What we really liked was the hexagonal adapter for the lock, which gives the grinder a reassuringly sturdy feel while you are using it. This is a really well-built coffee grinder which you will be able to rely on over and over again.

If we had a criticism, it would be purely aesthetic. While this is incredibly well built and does an excellent job, it doesn’t look particularly special, compared to some of the other stainless-steel options on this list. It’s built for function, rather than to look nice.

This is around the average you can expect to pay for a manual coffee grinder, so there is nothing to put you off there. If you prioritise function over the look, then this could be the grinder for you – it won’t let you down and will help you make some excellent coffee.

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Astor & Kline

Astor & Kline are a peculiar company. Founded in 2020, they seem to only produce a few different coffee related products (including the manual coffee grinder that we have featured on this list) and one other product – a luxury bath pillow. Is that relevant to the grinder? Probably not, but it was odd enough that we felt we needed to mention it here.

Perhaps it is relevant, because they have gone to great lengths to establish this grinder as a luxury product. It is presented in a stylish gift box, and comes with a neat little bag to transport it in. There’s no getting around it – this is a stylish product, one that you would be proud to have out on show (next to your luxury bath pillow).

It’s not just about style here though – this does a great job. There are 18 different grind settings for you to choose from, which is more than enough for you to get the optimum size for your drink. It gives a really decent, consistent grind.

You also get a two-year manufacturer replacement warranty, which certainly does give us confidence. It’s a well-built mechanism, though, so we weren’t surprised that Astor & Kline put their money where their mouth is in this regard.

Here’s the kicker – this is one of the cheaper manual coffee grinders that we are featuring on our list today, and therefore you should give it serious consideration. This doesn’t feel like a cheap product, it is well presented and well-built.

Because of the way it is presented, it makes for an excellent gift. The coffee lover in your life will love opening this and get at least two years of use out of it!

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Staresso D6

One of the more expensive grinders on our list now, with the D6 from Staresso – coffee and tea device specialists that operate all over the world. They make high end products so that you can get the most out of your hot drinks – a philosophy we can fully endorse.

This manual coffee grinder is very much in keeping with their high-end portfolio. It is incredibly well designed in terms of looks and performance.

The coffee bean chamber is made with anodised aluminium, which is incredibly durable, and the indented lines both look great and help with grip when you are using the grinder. Inside the unit is a stainless-steel centre shaft, and a stainless-steel burr grinder with an adjustable coarseness selector.

On top of the unit is the handle with a walnut knob, which is easy and comfortable to use, whilst also looking great. The coffee ground catcher at the base of the unit is easily unscrewed, so that you can get your coffee on the go as soon as the grounds have been ground.

There are 12 different settings, which is a decent amount without being the most that we’ve seen on this list. The performance is truly excellent though – you’ll be impressed with how consistent the grind is – giving you the perfect size every time.

This is a premium manual coffee grinder, and it is priced as such. This is the sort of product that you would only buy if you were really keen on grinding your own coffee manually, but it is a really special unit that is fully worthy of the price tag. If you want a high-quality grinder, put this on your shortlist.

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GrinderGC

For our penultimate manual coffee grinder, we are going to step things up a notch. Or several notches, really, because this is one of the most premium, indulgent coffee grinders of any kind. Made by ROK, a London-based company “with a passion for coffee, sustainability and mechanics”. You’ll quickly see how those three passions shine through in this product.

First of all, just take a look at it – it is a stunning little machine, and unlike any other grinder that we have looked at on this list. It is crafted from aluminium and a glass composite which gives it a beautiful, shiny finish and more than a touch of elegance. This is not just a pleasing-looking coffee grinder, this could be a centrepiece in your kitchen, an item to display proudly for everyone to see.

Now, let’s talk about the performance. Again, this differs from every other grinder on this list as the handle is positioned vertically, rather than horizontally. You load the beans into the open hopper, and then simply wind around the handle. Due to the position, your face is right above the beans as they are ground, so you get this magnificent hit of fresh coffee smell as you work away – it really is a wonderful user experience.

The grind size can be adjusted with a quick click of the adjustment wheel (2 clicks for very fine, 16 clicks for very coarse, to give you an idea of the range). Once you have clicked the desired number of times, you can get cranking, and your coffee grounds will be ready within a couple of minutes.

This isn’t just a manual coffee grinder – this is a kitchen ornament. This is a display of class and quality for people that want something beautiful and indulgent.

So, we come to the price. I think it is safe to say that this grinder will appeal to a minority of our readers, simply because of the price. It is a huge amount for a manual coffee grinder. But that is sort of the point. This is expensive, but that’s why it is so appealing. It is a fantastic grinder, but it is much more than that. It’s a statement.

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Vzaahu

We complete our list of the best manual coffee grinders with this offering from Vzaahu – another company with limited online presence. They stock an extensive range of kitchenware on Amazon, from wine glasses to eco-friendly metal straws. This manual coffee grinder is one of their flagship products.

What we love about this is how easy it is to use, and flick between grind settings. While there are only 6 different settings, the smallest amount on our list today, there is a simple dial on the main cylinder with the numbers one-to-six on. All you need to do it rotate the unit to the number you require, and you are good to go. (As a guide, 1-2 for an espresso machine, 2-4 for a pour over and 5-6 for a French press).

From there, you can just rotate the handle and your coffee will be ground in a matter of minutes. The size of the unit, at under 16cm tall, means that it is also great to take away on trips with you – it is robust enough to survive being packed in a bag. It has a 40g capacity as well, which is double the size of some of the others on our list,

On top of the functionality, we also think it looks very nice. It’s sleek and stylish, with an attractive handle. Simple, but effective.

Finally, the price. It’s about average for the grinders that we have looked at today, which we think is bang on. This performs well, looks nice and is priced accurately. There isn’t a lot here to put you off making this your new coffee grinder.

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Verdict

A coffee grinder will always help you to make better coffee, as we clarified back at the start of this article. A manual coffee grinder may seem slightly antiquated in the modern world, but it can form an integral part of a methodical morning routine. As one of our products highlighted – enjoying the slow life.

We have listed above some of the best manual grinders available today – take a look through them and find the one that best suits your needs.

The post Best Manual Coffee Grinders appeared first on Ideal Grind.

The only problem is that there are so many different options available these days, it can be difficult to know exactly which one is right for you. And that is precisely where we can help. We have put in the man hours to create this list of the best Nespresso machines available today, so that you can decide exactly which one will be right for your needs. Let’s get straight into it.

Nespresso CitiZ

We’ll kick things off with a Nespresso machine that most people will see as the classic Nespresso machine – the CitiZ. They made the first iteration of the Nespresso CitiZ in 2009, before the pod coffee revolution had really taken hold – I’m sure most people in the UK have drunk a coffee made by a CitiZ at some point.

They have been made by a few different manufacturers, but the one that we are going to be looking at today is made by MagiMix – one of the biggest names in kitchen appliances, best known for their food processors. The company was formed in Burgundy, France, in 1963, and has gradually grown to become one of the most recognisable brands in the world, loved by celebrity chefs.

One of the biggest appeals of the CitiZ has always been how compact the design is. This version measures just 13 x 27.7 x 37.2 cm so doesn’t take up much room on your kitchen counter – particularly important if you are short on space. The design is described as ‘Urban Smart’ which I quite like – it has a sophisticated sleekness to it, the stainless-steel offsetting the matt black finish. It’s a nice-looking machine that will fit snugly into any kitchen.

Crucially, though, it also makes great coffee. You know what you are going to get from a Nespresso machine in terms of coffee – that’s part of the appeal of the machines in general. They are consistent and easy to use. However, this CitiZ has an Aeroccino built into the side of the machine, so that you can easily and simply froth milk to go with your coffee – ideal if you like experimenting with different drinks.

This classic Nespresso machine is the perfect place to start our list as it basically does everything you need a coffee machine to do. It is priced in the middle of what we’ll look at today, so there is nothing to put you off there either. Use this as your base and see if you can beat it.

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Nespresso Creatista Plus

We’ll step things up a notch now with the Nespresso Creatista – the kind of machine that blurs the lines between pod coffee machines and espresso machines.

Sage – the British brand name for the Breville Group – produces this machine. Originally championed by Heston Blumenthal, who collaborated with the company over many of its designs, Sage have become recognised as a high-end producer of kitchenware in this country, while the Breville name is well regarded all over the world.

As we praised the CitiZ for its diminutive size, we should do the same for the Creatista. Measuring 17.1 x 30.8 x 39.3 cm, this is a small machine considering its functionality. It is also a very attractive machine – the shine of the silver on the front of the machine, combined with the black block of the main body give it a look of strength and style. A machine you can trust and be proud to have out in your kitchen.

The look of this machine, while lovely, is not why you buy the Creatista, though – it’s all in the functionality. You get a great tasting coffee, as you would expect from a Nespresso machine, with a fantastic, rich crema. The steam wand is where it really gets interesting though…

It’s all automatic. You can select one of eight drinks (Ristretto, Espresso, Lungo, Cappuccino, Café Latte, Latte Macchiato, Flat White) from the user-friendly display, and the digital display will guide you through each stage. It will automatically calibrate the wand to prepare the milk in the best way for your preferred drink – all you need to do is put the milk into position. It even tells you when it needs cleaning.

As you would probably expect, this is one of the more expensive Nespresso machines on our list today, but it can do everything. It is the ultimate way to drink Nespresso pods, and well worth your consideration.

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Nespresso Vertuo Plus

From one of the most expensive to one of the least expensive now, as we look at the Vertuo Plus. This one is manufactured by Nespresso, so you would imagine they know exactly how to get the most out of their pods, wouldn’t you?

What is a bit different to this machine, compared to most of the others that we will look at on this list, is that this is designed to be used with the Nespresso Vertuo pods, rather than the standard Nespresso pods.

There is a significant difference between the two. The Vertuo pods utilise ‘centrifusion technology’, which basically means that the pods are spun around at high speed (7,000 times a minute), which helps to transfer all of the flavours and aromas from the pod into your cup.

It also helps to produce an incredible crema, which has become something of a signature for the Vertuo pods – so thick and creamy.

As the Vertuo pods are exclusively made by Nespresso, unlike the original pods which can be made by anybody, they have been able to tailor their machines a little more. There is a ‘smart extraction system’ which will read a code on each pod and modify the extraction settings to suit the type of pod. The extraction is perfect every time.

These pods are best for classic coffee drinks – lungo, espressos etc. There is no milk frother with this machine, so if you are after drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, then you are probably better off with a different machine.

If you prefer just a great black coffee, though, this machine is perfect, and comes at a great price.

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Dualit Cafe Plus

A more traditional Nespresso machine now (if you can have a traditional version of something that didn’t exist 20 years ago…) as we look at the Cafe Plus from Dualit. Dualit is a British manufacturer of kitchen equipment, best known for their range of heavy-duty toasters.

They have built their reputation on producing well-built, quality products, and this Nespresso machine is exactly that.

It’s a great-looking machine: simple, yet stylish. We really like the large interface in the front of the machine, it really gives it a unique look. It is very easy to use – press the coffee button once for an espresso-sized drink and twice for a lungo. They certainly aim it at people that just want to make a great tasting drink quickly and easily.

The Cafe Plus machine takes just 40 seconds to warm up from the moment you turn it on, using an ultra-fast thermobloc heating system, so there is no hanging around when you need that coffee!

Perhaps we should have expected this from a traditional British company, but this machine also makes tea. Now, we are a coffee company, and that is always our focus, but we should emphasise the dual usage of this Nespresso machine, as it may appeal to many households. There is a special tea button, which will serve the water at a much higher temperature, to make a perfect cup of tea. You can buy special Nespresso tea pods to use, but they only really work at a high temperature, so this machine is perfect for them.

There is no milk frother with this machine, which is reflected in the price – towards the lower end of the scale for Nespresso machines. It’s a solid machine that makes a great coffee and has the added bonus of making a decent cup of tea as well. That might be enough to convince you that this is the machine for you!

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Nespresso Inissia

Another Nespresso machine made by Magimix now as we look at the Nespresso Inissia. It intrigued us as to how they would make it significantly different to the CitiZ that we looked at above, as they both offer something similar in terms of the drinks that they make.

Straight away, we saw that the focus here was on making a compact, little Nespresso machine that would fit into almost any workspace. Measuring just 12 x 23 x 32 cm, this is a really tiny machine, just 12 centimetres wide. That’s shorter than a pencil!

It also comes fitted with an ergonomic handle. Now, at first, I didn’t really know what this was for – generally you don’t tend to lift a coffee machine too much when you have put it in position. But this isn’t a normal coffee machine – the handle seems to indicate that this is a semi-portable Nespresso machine. It is designed so that you can easily move it, or even take it from room to room.

Why would you want this? Maybe if you are working from home, you can move it between your kitchen and your office? If you buy one for an office, maybe you would want it in a meeting room, or reception area, as well as a break area? All I can say is, if you are in a situation where you might want to move your coffee machine, you will really struggle to find one as capable as the Nespresso Inissia.

Just to clarify, it also makes great coffee. Choose between espresso and lungo (you can modify the precise amount of water added to your coffee), and with just a 25 second warm-up time, your perfectly brewed coffee will be ready before you know it.

This version of the Inissia doesn’t come with an Aeroccino, so if you are more interested in milky coffees, you may want to consider a version that does include one, or buy a separate milk frother, which is another option.

In terms of price, this is in the lower-mid range, which is about right. It is absolutely ideal for people that are struggling for space or have a reason to move it around from place to place.

Check Latest Price Of Nespresso Inissia

Nespresso Vertuo Next

Now we have the Nespresso Vertuo Next, made by Krups. This is a German company that has been making kitchen appliances since 1846, when they started producing kitchen scales. They moved into food processors in the 1950s, before entering the domestic coffee market in 1979 when they produced a coffee grinder. They have worked closely with Nestlé since the 1990s on Nespresso machines, so they have a long history in this area.

As you will have already noted from the total, this is another Vertuo Nespresso machine, so can only be used with the Vertuo pods. You get that same fantastic crema and rich flavour that you should expect from these kinds of pods.

You also get the same innovative brewing technology, so that each pod will be scanned and then brewed to the required settings – you don’t have to worry at all, just input the pod and press a button. It’s as easy as that to make a great coffee.

The Vertuo Next can be connected to your smartphone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth – this is a bit of a gimmick but does have a practical use as well. Basically, you will be able to update your unit, as well as getting notifications when it is time to descale the machine.

What we really like about this unit is the sustainability aspect. There’s no getting away from the environmental impact of using coffee pods (we always recommend recycling where possible), but Krups have really looked for a solution here. Not only are Vertuo pods made from 80% recycled material, but the actual machine itself is made from 54% recycled plastic and is rated A+ for energy consumption. This is a great step towards a more sustainable way to use coffee pods, and one we applaud.

This machine also happens to be one of the cheapest on our list. It is great for people that want a decent, strong black coffee and also are environmentally conscious.

Check Latest Price Of Nespresso Vertuo Next

Nespresso Creatista Uno

Our penultimate Nespresso machine may be ringing a few bells – we have already reviewed the sister product of the Creatista Uno above – the Creatista Plus. This version is also made by Sage, the British arm of the Breville Group, so let’s see how it measures up. (Spoiler – it made it onto our list of the Best Nespresso Machines, so you can safely assume we rate it highly!).

From the outset we should highlight that this is the budget option of the two – not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but the Creatista Plus, as you would imagine from its name, is the premium option of the two. And you would pay three figures more for it, compared to the Creatista Uno – worth bearing in mind as we run through a comparison between the two.

They have many similarities – both employ 19-bar pump pressure (generally seen as the optimum amount of pressure for Nespresso machines), and they both are exactly the same size (17.1 x 30.8 x 39.3 cm). Both have a 1.5L water tank, and both of them offer you 8 different drinks (ristretto, espresso, lungo, cappuccino, latte macchiato, café latte, milk froth and flat white).

The main difference between the two all comes down to how the milk is prepared. As we covered above, the Creatista Plus is fully automatic – you select your drink and the milk is tailor made for your beverage. With the Creatista Uno, you have a bit more responsibility, and control, for your drink. You are provided with a stainless-steel milk jug, which you fill up and hold in place as the milk froths to your required settings. You can create some fantastic latte art with this machine, if you are interested in learning how to do that.

For some people, this would seem like a burden, and they’d rather just press a button and have it ready-made. For others, though, having this little extra control is the gateway to getting their drinks exactly how they want them.

It depends what you want from your Nespresso machine. This would be a great option for many people that want to start getting into steaming their own milk – it’s semi-automated, so you are in safe hands, but you do have more control.

At the price, right in the middle of what we are looking at today, I think this is a really attractive Nespresso machine that is well worth your consideration.

Check Latest Price Of Nespresso Creatista Uno

Nespresso Lattisima Touch

We complete our list of the best Nespresso machines available in the UK with the Latissima Touch – one of the most expensive coffee machines on our list, which immediately raises the level of expectation.

This is made by De’Longhi, one of the most globally recognised names in the coffee industry. The Italian domestic appliance giants have been making quality products for over 100 years, so, again, expectation was pretty high.

Needless to say, we weren’t disappointed. This is a fully automated Nespresso machine, making great coffee at the touch of a button. No faffing with milk, not need to calibrate settings, and having to wait. You press a button; you get your drink.

It’s so simple to use, you don’t even have to scroll through a menu to find the drink that you want – each of the six fully automated drinks have their own button. Ristretto, espresso, lungo, cappuccino, latte macchiato and warm milk froth with which you can create your own drinks if you want to. Of course, all of these are made with fresh milk – no capsule milk here. The milk container is detachable so you can keep it in the fridge when not in use.

There may be times, though, that you want to do a little more with your milk – take a little bit more control and learn how to froth milk like the pros. Well, De’Longhi have you covered there. There is a milk froth knob on the top of the machine that you can use to vary the texture and froth of the milk.

There is an intuitive descaling programme, which is triggered depending on the water hardness settings, and you are given a pluggable descaling pipe to make the process incredibly easy.

And that’s the key to all of this – ease. Nothing is complicated with the Lattisima Touch, it is all completely intuitive and simple. And the drinks are fantastic.

As we said, this is one of the most expensive machines on our list, but it does everything you could wish a Nespresso machine could do. It’s wonderful, and if it fits in your budget, I can’t think of a reason to put you off buying it.

Check Latest Price Of Nespresso Lattisima Touch

Verdict

There are so many benefits to having a Nespresso machine in your life. The main one is ease and convenience – you can make some truly great coffees from those tiny pods, all at the press of a button. As you will have seen from the list above, that is only the start of it, though – a little, well-brewed espresso can lead to so many wonderful drinks.

What we hope we have provided you with is a broad selection of some of the best Nespresso machines so that you can check off what you are after and narrow down your search to find your perfect machine. There is plenty there for you to mull over – happy hunting!

The post Best Nespresso Machines appeared first on Ideal Grind.

Well did you know that your espresso cup choice actually affects how it tastes? When you choose the right cup, you’ll notice the difference in how your coffee tastes – especially the crema. Don’t believe us? Try out some of the cups we introduce in our best espresso cups guide below and see if you can taste the difference!

Top 7 Espresso Cups For The Ultimate Taste

Let’s take a look at some of the best espresso cups around:

Glastal Double Walled Espresso Cups

These Glastal cups are made from the most durable borosilicate glass. This high-quality material won’t shatter or crack even when it’s at a high temperature. This means you can pour hot coffee straight into the cup without risking it shattering. What’s more, they can be placed in a freezer (should you want to use them for making desserts) and are safe to use in a microwave too.

These Glastal cups are also double walled so you can enjoy your drink when it’s piping hot without burning your fingers. The insulating double wall also means that your coffee won’t cool down too quickly either.

If you choose to use this glass for a cold drink, you’ll be pleased to know that this double wall helps to keep things cool too – and you won’t get that annoying condensation thanks to the insulating double wall.

In terms of capacity, these glasses hold 120ml of liquid at full capacity, though it’s recommended only to fill them to 100 ml. This makes them ideal for espressos as well as tea and desserts. They measure 6.8cm in diameter and weigh 240g and each pack comes with two glasses.

Quality-wise, these are a high-quality product made by experienced glassblowers. Each glass is hand-blown and is smooth, light and clear.

Finally, the cups are guaranteed and come with an 18-month warranty. Glastal has a friendly customer care team for all queries too.

Check Latest Price Of Glastal Espresso Cups

Ravenhead Entertain Espresso Cups

Ravenhead has been making glass products since 1842 so this is certainly a brand you can trust when it comes to buying espresso cups. Unlike the Glastal cups, these aren’t double walled and so won’t have that insulating property. However, they’re also not as big and so it’s likely you won’t need to worry about your drink cooling down too quickly. These also have a handle to protect your fingers too.

As well as the glass cups, you get saucers too. These are more of an oval shape and are ideal for holding your spoon, sugar or maybe a biscuit or two.

The cups are made from a durable, strong, high-quality glass and can be washed in the dishwasher without shattering or losing their shine.

As well as being stylish in their own right, they come packaged in a modern gift box and so would make an ideal gift for a coffee lover. If you don’t just want two, you can buy a four-piece set or an eight-piece set.

These transparent espresso cups each hold 80ml and weigh 450g. They measure 10.1 centimetres in diameter.

For anyone creating a collection of different coffee cups and mugs, Ravenhead have a huge variety you can stock up on.

Check Latest Price Of Ravenhead Cups

ionEgg Porcelain Espresso Cups

If glass isn’t your thing, how about these cute ionEgg porcelain espresso cups? They come in four different colours (yellow, orange, green and cyan) – they can brighten up your morning while the caffeine kicks in. The cups come with a matching-coloured saucer, which are perfect for your spoon and biscuit. The interior of the cups is a sparkling white.

The porcelain is professional grade and lead-free. The cups are extremely durable and can be used safely in a microwave, dishwasher, freezer and oven. They’re also resistant to chips and have more thermal insulation than a glass cup. Being easy to clean and look after, these cups will retain their newness for a long time.

Each cup holds 80ml and so these are perfect for your morning espresso. They also make an ideal gift for coffee lovers as a house-warming gift, birthday or wedding present. These are the sorts of espresso cups that you’ll want to have on display in your kitchen. If you have a bean-to-cup espresso machine with storage space, these will certainly be a colourful addition.

As a brand, ionEgg can certainly be trusted. They have lots of different kitchen and home products for sale and generate excellent reviews. If you like your espresso cups, there are lots of other branded products you can purchase too.

Check Latest Price Of ionEgg Espresso Cups

Miamio Stoneware Espresso Cups

If you like a splash of colour but find the ionEgg espresso cups too bright, then meet these Miamio stoneware espresso cups. These have an eye-catching yet sophisticated design. The cups come as a set of six and stack in a metal cup holder that comes with them. They all have a matte black exterior and black saucer, yet their interiors are all different colours.

These Miamio cups are part of the brand’s Le Papillon Collection (Le Papillon means ‘the butterfly’ in French). The interiors are the colours of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. As well as these espresso cups, you can get the same style in large mugs and bowls too.

The matte-black gives these cups a high-quality, modern look that contrasts with their glossy, coloured interiors. It’s thanks to their excellent manufacturing that these stoneware cups are highly resistant to wear and tear and are made to last.

These are among the smallest cups in our Best Espresso Cups Guide as they have a capacity of 75ml. This makes them perfect for espressos.

Their uniqueness also makes these cups an ideal gift for a housewarming, wedding, birthday or Christmas.

Miamio (despite sounding Italian!) is a German company that produces high-quality products and provides excellent customer service. Their range is built around attention to detail and romantic products – you’ll find lots of their products in their Amazon store.

Finally, these mugs are robust and can be used in a dishwasher, refrigerator or microwave. The packaging has also been drop tested so you know they’ll be safe on arrival.

Check Latest Price Of Miamio Espresso Cups

Sara Miller Espresso Cups and Saucers

If you want some espresso cups for a special occasion or just fancy drinking out of a luxurious set, the Sara Miller espresso cup and saucer set is a wonder to behold. These ceramic, fine China cups are a real indulgence and would make an ideal gift. The cups are designed with birds and come as a set of four. They are superbly presented in a beautiful gift box.

The Sara Miller is an award-winning British designer based in London. The brand was launched in 2016 and is known for its exquisite colour use, vibrant patterns and playful prints. The cups feature embellished gold details in 22-carrat gold along with rich colours and textures.

These cups come from the London Chelsea Collection and are in a set of four. In the set, you have four different colour cups and matching saucers. There is a hot pink, teal, black and brown cup. The colour and pattern are on the exterior of the cup, but the interior and handle are both white. The saucers are also white with a coloured edge to match each cup. The rim of each cup and saucer is finished with 22-carrat gold.

Each cup weighs 113 grams and is conical in shape. They hold 110ml of fluids, which makes these suitable for espresso, double espresso and tea.

Due to their delicate nature, these fine China espresso cups are not suitable for dishwasher use and must be hand-washed. They also can’t be used in the microwave, oven or freezer.

If you love the look of these cups as much as we do, you might be inclined to go for other items in the same collection too. There are cake plates, a teapot, and a 12-piece dinner set as well as larger mugs and a cake stand.

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Sweejar White Stackable Espresso Cups

There’s a reason most coffee shops use white cups – coffee tastes better! So why not get that perfect coffee taste at home. These Sweejar cups come in a stackable set of six. The cups are perfect for standing alongside your coffee machine for neat and handy storage that saves cupboard space.

Each cup holds 70ml, making them ideal for an espresso at home. The cups are made from break-resistant, high-quality porcelain that is resistant to heat. This means that you can use them in your dishwasher, microwave oven and freezer. The handles are insulated to protect your fingers from the hot liquid.

As a set of six, these cups stack neatly for easy storage around your home. They also make an ideal gift for a coffee aficionado too. The cups each have a saucer that’s the perfect size for sugar, a spoon and a small biscuit – why not make your friends feel like they’re in a real coffee shop when they visit? Unlike some of the sets in this guide, you’ll never run out of cups with the Sweejar set – unless you invite lots of friends over for coffee that is!

Material-wise, these are made from high-quality ceramic, which is thick enough to preserve the heat of the drink inside. Sweejar uses professional ceramic techniques, which means that there is no surface debris. They’re also lead-free and non-toxic.

As a brand, Sweejar are known for their high-quality ceramic products for around the home. They make all sorts of tea and coffee ware, baking ware, oil bottles and even pet bowls.

Check Latest Price Of Sweejay Espresso Cups

Nespresso View

If you have a Nespresso machine (and even if you don’t), these Nespresso glass cups make the perfect addition to your coffee-making equipment. These glass cups hold 80ml and are conical in shape, which makes them ideal for your morning espresso or afternoon pick-me-up. They measure 60mm in diameter while the saucers measure 118mm in diameter.

The set comes with two cups and saucers. What makes these particularly special is that besides the tempered glass cups, each one is paired with a stainless-steel saucer. The saucer is shiny with a brushed finish.

The cups have a useful handle as they are not double-walled glass and so you can protect your fingers from the heat of the coffee. This is why the saucers are also useful too!

The glass itself is dense meaning that these feel robust in your hands. They can be used in a microwave, freezer, dishwasher and oven.

The black saucers are dishwasher-safe, durable and scratch-resistant. Though you can’t put these in the oven or microwave, they can be washed in a dishwasher. When washed by hand, you should avoid using anything abrasive so that they keep their scratch-free, shiny look. It’s also a good idea to dry the saucers by hand until they’re completely dry. This way you avoid any unsightly water stains on the metal.

The type of stainless steel used in their manufacture is 18/10. This is a special stainless steel that is made with 18% chrome and 10% nickel – hence the name 18/10. This combination of metals means that 18/10 has specific beneficial properties for uses in the kitchen and with food and drink. It is durable, resistant to friction and temperature changes, and won’t release substances into food and drink.

Check Latest Price Of Nespresso View

Verdict

Just like choosing coffee, there are also a lot of options when it comes to choosing how it’s served. When it comes to espresso, the cup you choose can make all of the difference in how it tastes. Whether you prefer a white, porcelain cup, a glass cup and saucer, or a colourful feast for the eyes, we’ve covered it all in this Best Espresso Cups review and guide. It doesn’t matter if you’re buying for your home or choosing a gift for a loved one, all of these cups will make your coffee a real espresso experience. Which ones are your favourite?

Want to learn more about espressp cups? Read on before you make your decision on the best espresso cup for you…

What Makes An Espresso Cup?

Choosing the right cup comes down to science. There have been studies on how a person’s choice of cup affects how they perceive the taste. In the experiments, it was found that the colour of the cup greatly influenced the taste perception of the participants. For example, when the coffee was served in a white cup, it was deemed to not be as sweet as the coffee served in a blue or transparent cup. Our guide will take you through a selection of what we believe to be the best espresso cups in terms of look, functionality and, of course, taste.

Materials & Style

Espresso cups are commonly produced in a variety of materials. This includes glass, ceramic, porcelain and stainless steel. The choice of material is entirely personal.

If you want something durable, stainless steel is the best choice – especially for people who like travelling and still like their morning caffeine hit. If you choose to go for stainless steel, make sure you choose a style that is double walled. This is because the metal is a good conductor of heat so your coffee will cool down a lot quicker and you also risk getting your fingers burned! Avoid cheap stainless steel espresso cups too as these can sometimes give your coffee a metallic taste, which isn’t pleasant.

For a classic cup, go for porcelain or ceramic. These are a barista’s favourite for good reason. Porcelain and ceramic won’t leach flavours into your drink, nor will they absorb flavours either.

Ceramic cups are typically less expensive too. This is because fired clay is automatically more insulating than stainless steel, so they don’t require a double wall. Being ceramic means they will break if dropped, so they’re best for using at home.

If you like to see what you’re drinking, glass espresso cups are a good choice. You really get to see that crema in its full glory. Like steel, glass doesn’t insulate well, and so double-walled cups are recommended.

The most durable type of glass is borosilicate and it’s worth looking out for this if you’re worrying about breakages. Like porcelain and ceramic, glass won’t disturb the flavour of your drink.

The post Best Espresso Cups appeared first on Ideal Grind.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all too aware of the impulse. You’ve spent a fair amount of money on a coffee pod machine, and then you realise that you need to be buying more coffee pods on an almost weekly basis – it’s quite natural to want to look for the cheapest offers that are out there.

You need to be careful though – there is a fine line between ‘a bargain’ and ‘cheap and nasty’. It’s all very well finding the cheapest coffee pods around, but if you are drinking substandard coffee, then you are not getting the most out of your machine – and that is a much bigger waste of money!

The trick is to find someone you can trust to evaluate the quality of these cheaper coffee pods to find out whether they actually offer better value, or whether they are just very poor quality.

Well, I have some good news for you – you already have! In this article we are going to run through five of the cheapest coffee pods for each of the two major pod machines (Nespresso and Dolce Gusto) that actually represents good value, rather than just being the cheapest.

Why are Tassimo machines different to Nespresso & Dolce Gusto?

There is one main difference between Tassimo coffee pod machines and the other two, and it all comes down to a series of long and boring court cases. The upshot of which is that Nestle (who own both Nespresso and Dolce Gusto) failed to gain exclusive rights to producing pods that are compatible with their machines, whereas Tassimo did.

This means anybody can make pods for Nespresso and Dolce Gusto machines, whereas Tassimo pods have to be officially licensed by Tassimo. They do use other coffee brands, such as L’Or and Kenco, but Tassimo have to licence them, and therefore have a lot of say over the cost.

So what does this mean for the customer? With the market for Nespresso and Dolce Gusto Pods much bigger, there is more competition and prices get driven down. There are so many different options available, so we get more choices and lower prices. For Tassimo customers, the price is pretty rigid, but the theory is that the quality is pretty much assured, as Tassimo have to okay the product and it is in their interest for their machines to make great coffee.

So for this article, we are going to focus on the cheapest Nespresso and Dolce Gusto pods. Let’s get into it.

Cheapest Nespresso Coffee Pods

Solimo Lungo

We’ll kick things off with a product from Solimo. You will be forgiven for having not heard of Solimo before, but they are one of the many Amazon brands that you see popping up everywhere. They always tend to be at the lower end of the price range, no matter what the product, so it is no surprise to see Amazon represented on this list.

We have selected their Lungo because these pods make a genuinely lovely cup of coffee. It is a dark roast, made from 100% Arabica beans. It has a medium intensity (rated 3 out of 5) and the taste is sweet and mild. You should aim to serve it as a 110ml coffee, with a little bit of milk if you would like, but I think it works best as a straight black coffee – you can pick up more of the flavour that way.

The result is a nicely balanced cup of coffee. It’s un-intrusive, and very easy to drink – the perfect coffee to serve guests if you don’t know too much about their preferences. While it won’t win many awards at craft coffee festivals, where new and exciting flavours are sought after, it makes a decent cup of coffee.

Here’s the kicker though – you get two packs of 50 in this bundle, 100 capsules in total. At this price it is one of the cheapest products that we are going to feature on this list of cheap coffee pods. It is the perfect product to have in your cupboard for when you have people over, or when you just want a basic cup of coffee.

Check Latest Price Of Solimo Lungo

Rosso Caffè Variety Pack

Next up we have this variety pack of Nespresso-compatible pods from Rosso Caffè. This is a fascinating company, which was started by two coffee-loving friends at college together and is now one of the biggest sellers of Nespresso-compatible pods on Amazon.

Their website promises “A top shelf brew for the right price” and this variety pack does exactly that.

Within this pack you will find:

Delicato: A light roast with a gentle intensity that will give you fruity and delicate flavours. Best served as a Lungo (110ml), the beans that make up this coffee come from Columbia and Hawaii.

Ricco: This versatile medium roast can be served as a Lungo, but also makes a great cappuccino. It is rich and smooth, and the beans hail from Costa Rica.

Purismo: This gentle light roast has a medium intensity with a soft and balanced finish, made with beans from Central America and India – serve as a Lungo.

Gentleman: A full bodied dark roast, this has a strong intensity that is best served as an espresso to liven up your day. Beans from Ethiopia and Vietnam.

Maestro: Another strong and intense dark roast, this has a fruity taste to it. Best served as an espresso or Risteretto – made with beans from Tanzania or Costa Rica.

Intelligente: A medium roast that is on the more intense side, this is a versatile coffee that can be enjoyed as a Lungo or espresso. It’s woody and complex, from Ethiopia.

It has something for everyone, and the quality is very good, some of the nicest coffees on this list, and at an excellent price. This is perfect for large households with a variety of tastes, or people that like to mix things up a bit. Put this on your short list.

Check Latest Price Of Rosso Caffè

Happy Belly Espresso

Another Amazon brand now – this time we are looking at Happy Belly, who offer a range of coffee pods. We have selected their espresso pods for this list.

As you would expect for an espresso pod, this is a strong coffee. It has a rich, deep flavour with a balanced body and a long-lasting after taste. I got hints of nut and caramel in the flavour, and it has a decent intensity to it (rated 4 out of 5). It’s a classic espresso really, but also works well as a coffee base if you are making a cappuccino or other milky drinks.

The pods themselves are sealed with an aluminium foil, which you don’t always get with the cheaper pods. The foil works to lock in the freshness of the coffee, trapping in those rich flavours, so that you get a full hit of that distinctive coffee aroma when it is brewing, and then all the flavour when you are drinking it. Foil tends to be the best way to seal in coffee pods.

Another feature that has proven quite popular with existing customers, which may be otherwise overlooked, is the aesthetics of the pods. Now, for many people this won’t be important at all, but some people have attractive pod holders on which they store their pods – having a nice looking pod to put in it is important to them. The foil top contrasting with the deep red base works really well. The gold Lungo pods from Happy Belly look great next to these pods too!

These are great pods to use as a base for milky coffees, as well as making a decent espresso on their own. The price is great for aluminium sealed pods.

Check Latest Price Of Happy Belly Espresso

Café Royal Ristretto

We’re going to head over to Switzerland now to look at our first Risteretto pods on this list. The company that makes them is called Café Royal, but judging from their website, they are no longer up and running, or as they put it “are on a break” – but they do still sell their coffee on Amazon.

Whatever state the company is in now, they have (had?) been making coffee for over 65 years – priding themselves on being innovative and unconventional. It was a very natural step for them to move into making coffee pods.

These Risteretto pods are designed to be served as 25ml drinks, and they really pack a punch. With an intensity rating of 9 out of 10, you’ll find that these little pods make a big impact at the very first sip. You’ll get hints of wild berries and dark chocolate, with a rich and smooth after taste. I found myself going back for another later in the morning, it really is a delicious drink.

I was surprised by the price of these pods. The flavour is much more complex than you might expect for coffee pods at the lower end of the price range. There is very little bitterness, it is a really smooth drink.

If you like Risteretto coffees, then I think you will struggle to find a better one than this in this price range. It’s a great drink that you will find you go back to again and again.

Check Latest Price Of Café Royal Ristretto

Must Espresso Italiano

We complete our list of the cheapest Nespresso coffee pods with this fantastic variety pack from Must – a brand from Ultramar. This is an Italian coffee company, steeped in the tradition of coffee making. They pride themselves on their commitment to quality coffee, and providing people with the freshest coffee to drink in their own homes with a strict packing method.

As you would expect, these are aluminium sealed capsules that have locked in all the flavours and aromas. There are 6 different kinds of pods:

Risteretto: an intense hit of dark chocolate and almonds gives way to a sweet aftertaste, creating a complex, yet very drinkable, little drink.

Puro Arabica: Expect hazelnut and almonds with hints of honey and chocolate with these exotic pods. Serve as an espresso.

Napoli: Another pod best served as an espresso, you get some really strong flavours in this classic Neapolitan coffee.

Lungo: Intense and aromatic, you’ll find spicy notes of hazelnut and cocoa in this delightful longer coffee.

Deca: A decaffeinated espresso, this has all the flavour of quality coffee, but without the caffeine.

Cremoso: A medium intensity, this espresso is the perfect base for milky coffees. The flavour will find its way through to compliment the milk.

As you can see, there are plenty of options with this variety pack. You’ll certainly be able to find one you love out of this lot. It might be worth considering whether you would use the decaf pods though, as if not, another option may be better for you.

Check Latest Price Of Must Espresso Italiano

Cheapest Dolce Gusto Pods

Nescafe Café Americano

We’ll kick off our selection of the best cheap Dolce Gusto pods with a product from a company that you may have not been expecting to see on this list – Nescafe. One of the biggest names in coffee, and certainly the biggest name in the coffee pod industry, Nescafe products are sold all over the world.

So how come these pods are on our list of the cheapest pods? Well, because they are cheap! Compared to the ‘official’ Nespresso pods, these are very competitively priced, as they are against some of the other manufacturers of Dolce Gusto compatible pods. Moreover, these are often on offer, so the price can get even better if you time your purchase well – and you can get an additional discount if you subscribe to a regular order. You save money, and you never run out of coffee.

On top of this, the quality is as you would expect – superb. If anyone is going to know how to get the best coffee out of these machines, it’s Nescafe, and they do not disappoint here. A light roast with a deep flavour, this makes a great long coffee that you can go back to again and again, with or without milk.

It’s a great place to start our list of the cheapest Dolce Gusto pods because if you can beat this for value, you’re doing very well.

Check Latest Price Of Nescafe Café Americano

Happy Belly Café Au Lait

Back to Happy Belly now – the Amazon brand that specialises in producing great, affordable coffee. We have opted for their Café au Lait pods here, but they also make cappuccino, latte macchiato, chococino and decaf pods, amongst others. All are competitively priced.

These pods produce a brilliantly creamy coffee. I have found that some milky pods, particularly those at the cheaper end of the scale, can fail to get an authentic tasting milk, but these pods really nail it. The flavour of the coffee goes really deep, while the milk is frothier – it has the feel of a shop-bought coffee which is difficult to pull off with a one-pod milky coffee.

It is a sweet and creamy drink, mild in intensity, but retaining a strong flavour of coffee that you can taste against the backdrop of the milk. The colour of the drink is a reassuringly dark brown – it retains its colour where many drinks like this go a disconcerting light brown colour. This drink both looks and tastes strong.

This is best served as a ‘5 bar’ drink, using the indicator on the front of your machine. It’s a classic white coffee, and as such these are great pods to have in for people that come over. People that don’t know that they want a great coffee will be amazed when you serve them one of these!

Of course, as it features on this list, the price is also a huge plus point. These are great value coffee pods, and well worth your consideration.

Check Latest Price Of Happy Belly Café Au Lait

Caffè Tiziano Bonini Espresso Forte

Next up we’re going to be taking a look at some espresso pods from Italian company Caffè Tiziano Bonini. Starting out as a small, family-run company, they now sell products that make over 10 million cups of coffee every month, all over Europe.

Espresso pods are often overlooked on the Dolce Gusto machines. I guess it is because the main selling point of these machines is that you can make so many different drinks at the touch of a button, that the most basic is often overlooked – but it shouldn’t be. These pods make an amazing espresso.

What I like most about them is that they don’t hold back, or pander to a more mainstream audience. These little pods are packed full of flavour – a consistent and vigorous blend, with a strong aroma and a powerful taste. They are marketed for ‘true connoisseurs’, and I can see why. There is a depth to the flavour here that you don’t get with many other Dolce Gusto espressos.

Of course, this might not be what a lot of people that buy Dolce Gusto machines want – they may want a more mild taste, or just to stick with milky drinks. But for those that like a bit more punch with their espressos, this is a great option, and at the price, it is definitely worth a purchase.

Check Latest Price Of Caffè Tiziano Bonini

Starbucks Mixed Cup Variety Pack

Our penultimate selection is another variety pack – this time from the Seattle-based coffee company, Starbucks.

This may be another surprising name to find on this list. Starbucks haven’t really been known for their low prices over the years, but this variety pack represents very good value in our opinion.

In this selection you will get:

Cappuccino: Just as you remember it from their shops, this delightfully balanced milky coffee is creamy, frothy and indulgent

Caramel Macchiato: A Starbucks classic. The creamy deliciousness of the milk, complimented by the super-indulgent caramel, all on top of the classic coffee taste

Latte Macchiato: A delightfully smooth latte, this is a wonderful drink to sip and relax with when you have a few minutes of peace

Caffe Latte: Strong, rich coffee blended with creamy milk – one of the most popular drinks on the planet

Espresso Roast: Their signature espresso, get the authentic taste of Starbucks in your own home

House Blend Grande: A longer drink, this is a delightful way to enjoy Starbucks coffee

You get pretty much everything you could want from this variety pack, and the price per capsule is very good. As these pods keep very well, you can buy the pack and slowly work your way through them – although they may not end up lasting very long!

Check Latest Price Of Starbucks Variety Pack

Italian Coffee Capsules

We finish this list of the cheapest coffee pods with another variety pack – this time from a less well-known name. ‘Italian Coffee’ have put together this budget offering, and it surprised with its quality.

You’ll see from the packaging that they have cut back on as much as possible to keep costs down – sold in a bag, rather than a box (something to consider when purchasing as it may impact where you store them), this is a basic offering. But the coffee is excellent:

Vigoroso: An espresso with an extra little kick – strong and intense

Ristretto: Dark and intense, this is packed full of flavour, not for the faint-hearted!

Cremoso: A more delicate espresso – creamy, but with an intense body

Arabica: A classic espresso – strong, with a fantastic aroma

 This selection of short coffees is excellent, and well worth it if you tend to drink espressos, or froth your own milk to create milky drinks. The flavours are much bolder than you might expect from a product in this price range.

Where it may fall down, though, is the fact that they don’t offer any complete milky drinks. As I mentioned above, that is the real selling point of the Dolce Gusto machines, so it may be that this doesn’t appeal to many people that have those machines.

If you like espressos, though, this is a wonderful option for you, and at such a low price, I think you will be delighted with what you receive.

Check Latest Price Of Italian Coffee Capsules

The post Cheapest Coffee Pods appeared first on Ideal Grind.

Thankfully, there are quite a few different options when it comes to low acidity coffee, so there’s still something for all tastes. In this article, we’ll look at low acid coffee in more detail before introducing you to the best low acid coffees available in the UK.

What is Low Acid Coffee?

One of the main characteristics of coffee is its acidity. Coffee beans come from inside the fruit of the Coffee plant. In fact, they’re the seeds of the cherry-like fruit that grows on the plant. These seeds are sour and acidic. Among other things, their acidity is assessed as a part of the tasting process as this forms an important part of the coffee’s richness.

There are two types of low acid coffee. The first type is treated coffee beans. This means the beans are processed to reduce their acidity. For example, coffee beans that are naturally more acidic might be roasted in a different way. Their roasting might be interrupted or slow, for instance.

The second type of low acid coffee is coffee that is naturally less acidic. Coffee plants that grow at lower altitudes are usually less acidic. As such, choosing coffee grown in areas like Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala, and Sumatra will be naturally less acidic.

Why would you want to drink low acid coffee?

Health professionals have been pushing the problematic acidity of coffee for a while. For some people, normal coffee can cause or worsen gastro issues. Those with Crohn’s disease and Coeliac disease will benefit from a low acidity coffee, for example. The availability of low acid coffee means more people are able to enjoy a great cup of coffee without the negative side effects of an acidic drink.

Also, coffee with high acidity is known to damage enamel and teeth and so many people opt for a low acid coffee to reduce the impact their favourite drink has on their smile.

Can you make normal coffee low in acid?

If you’ve got a favourite brew that you don’t want to stop drinking but you like the idea of low acid coffee, there are things you can do to reduce its acidity. Firstly, you should avoid a light roast. This is because coffee roasting kills the acids. With a light roast, more acids are present.

Another option is to choose a light roast coffee but prepare it as a cold brew. Cold brewing reduces the acidity.

Finally, adding milk to your coffee will reduce its acidity naturally too.

However, if you’re looking for a coffee that’s naturally low in acid, here is a selection of the best around.

Exhale Organic House Roast

Exhale sells its coffee as a “healthy, clean, organic coffee.” In fact, they say it’s “ridiculously healthy.”

The company lab tested and tasted 45 different coffees from all around the world to find their unique cup. With their beans chosen, they then tried various methods of roasting to enable the healthy compounds to remain. This specific brew is grown in the Chiapas region of Mexico and is produced by Ek Balam, Jaltenango. It has tasting notes of hazelnut, caramel and apricot. In terms of grade, it’s been denoted “speciality grade” and is 84/100 on the SCA scale.

What’s also great about Exhale is that it’s a single-origin, fair trade certified coffee that’s fully traceable. It comes in compostable, plastic-free packaging and is available as a one-time purchase or a subscription service.

One bag of Exhale is 225g, which is around 14 cups of coffee and one cup provides the equivalent level of antioxidants of 55 oranges and 12 blueberry punnets. It’s also recognised as organic coffee by the Soil Association and is pesticide and mycotoxin free.

Coffee is actually the 3rd most sprayed crop, which means a lot of coffee on your shelves is full of pesticides (as is the ecosystem as a result). Exhale only buys from certified organic farms. They also donate 2% of their revenue to environmental charities that work to restore the natural environment.

The coffee has also been optimised for polyphenols, which are naturally occurring chemicals found in plants. There are over 500 different polyphenols and they are known to combat cell damage and even influence gut bacteria. Research even suggests these chemicals are able to lower a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes as they boost your insulin sensitivity and slow down how quickly your body absorbs and digests sugar.

Check Latest Price Of Exhale Organic House Roast

Pact Fazenda Reis

Next on our list is Pact Coffee’s Fazenda Reis. This coffee is grown by José Carlos dos Reis in Brazil. It is a medium-dark roast and comes in a 250g back, which makes around 15 cups.

Like Exhale, this is a speciality-grade, single-origin coffee. While we’re talking about this coffee because it is low in acid, we love that this brand pays around 60% above the Fairtrade Base Price. It’s also really fresh too as the beans are only roasted days before being sent to you.

This coffee has a sweetness of refined sugar with taste notes of peanut butter cups. It’s a creamy coffee and mildly acidic.

Pact is all about sustainability. They even give you information about the farmer and farm where the beans have been grown. In this instance, the coffee has been grown on five hectares of land at 950 metres above sea level.

The farmer, José Carlos dos Reis runs sustainability projects and even builds houses for employees. What’s more, 40% of his 116 employees are female – and he hopes, one day, to pass things on to his daughter. This is definitely somewhere we’d like to buy coffee from!

Check Latest Price Of Pact Fazenda Reis

Exhale Decaf

If you like the idea of Exhale as mentioned above, but want a decaf low acid option, this one’s for you. Like the organic house roast, this organic decaf roast is healthy, mycotoxin-free and chemical-free. Every shipment is tested to ensure it is free from mould, yeast, heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins. Unlike supermarket coffees that are ground and roasted months before being put on the shelves, Exhale only roasts and grinds just before the coffee is sold.

Exhale have decaffeinated this coffee with an all-natural process using CO₂. There are no artificial ingredients or chemicals involved in the process, yet 99.9% of the caffeine is removed. The use of CO₂ in a close-loop system means the coffee is both better for you and for the planet.

The packaging is, once again, compostable and plastic-free and it comes in a 225g bag, equivalent to 14 cups of coffee.

The Exhale Decaf is a single-origin, speciality-grade coffee that’s 84/100 on the SCA scale. The beans originate in Cajamarca, Peru and are produced by Ivan, La Libertad & Maria, Trapiche.

In terms of tasting notes, this brew has notes of milk chocolate, raisin and stewed plums – delicious!

It’s optimised for polyphenols and antioxidants and is naturally high in vitamin B3 (niacin), which is important for good health and cholesterol levels.

Check Latest Price Of Exhale Organic Decaf

Lean Caffeine Nicaragua Coffee

Next on our list of low acid coffees is Lean Caffeine Nicaragua Ground Coffee. This is described as a super clean, mycotoxin-free bulletproof coffee. It is lab-verified to be free from mycotoxins, heavy metals and pesticides and is, therefore, an extremely clean cup of coffee.

This coffee is ideal for those who love a darker roast. It has a full depth of flavour while being silky smooth. It’s ideal for anyone on a low carb, gluten-free, paleo or keto diet seeking a natural energy boost, and it can be made into an espresso, americano or even AeroPress coffee.

In terms of certification, this product has the Rainforest Alliance seal, which means it’s a sustainable coffee that is helping to improve the livelihoods of farmers while also mitigating climate change. Though the farmer does follow organic practices, he is not organic certified, which is why the product doesn’t have the organic label.

Though grown in the San Jose region of Nicaragua, the coffee maintains its freshness by being dark roasted in the UK. Lean Caffeine actually buys the whole crop off the farmer and then processes it themselves.

Check Latest Price Of Nicaragua Coffee

Lucifer’s Roast

This Italian Robusta coffee by KIQO comes in a 1kg pack. It’s described as “extremely strong coffee beans” that are low in acid.

The company describe its low acidity being down to its use of 100% Robusta beans, which also provide its extreme strength. If you like your espresso like the Italians, you’ll love this brew.

It is an ideal coffee for both American and espresso and is full-bodied with a fine crema. The beans are picked by hand and assured to have no cracks. They’re also roasted by hand so that each bean receives the perfect even roasting. There is a maximum of 5kg of beans roasted at once, which means this is the opposite of mass-produced coffee.

The company adds no flavour enhancers or additives and the production process is biologically sustainable as well as vegan.

The beans are sourced from coffee farmers directly so there are no intermediaries. They’re grown in Vietnam, Indonesia, Nicaragua (altura), and Guatemala (altura).

The clue’s in the name. Lucifer’s Roast is a devilish coffee that is apparently, one of the strongest coffees available in Europe and its caffeine content is 2.86% (5.71 mg per cup).

Check Latest Price Of Lucifer's Roast

MyPaleo Coffee

This coffee by MyPaleo is designed for followers of a Paleo diet. It is a strong and dark roast that is naturally high in caffeine, low in acid, and free from mycotoxins. It’s also organic and pesticide free.

MyPaleo uses a blend of Arabic and Premium Robusta beans that are roasted and packed in the UK. The coffee can be used as a pour-over, French press, AeroPress, cold brew or espresso.

It can be bought in 1kg bags of either beans or ground coffee, or 227g and 500g bags of ground coffee.

MyPaleo claims that their coffee won’t give you that caffeine crash a few hours after consumption. This is due to it being free from mould toxins, heavy metals and pesticides. They design a roasting profile for each of their coffee lots in order to minimise the risks to health and maximise the health benefits.

As well as this dark & strong version, they also have a light roast.

Check Latest Price Of MyPaleo Coffee

HealthWise Low Acid Coffee

Though HealthWise Low Acid coffee looks a little more old-fashioned than some of the other coffees in this article, don’t let that put you off. This is a Columbian decaffeinated low-acid coffee that comes in a large, 340g tub.

This really is a coffee for people who need a low acid alternative. If you’re really suffering from problems due to the acidity of coffee, this is an option but it is very expensive for what it is – especially when you consider the lack of caffeine too.

HealthWise make their coffee using a trademarked process called TechnoRoasting which reduces the natural acidity and bitterness of coffee to produce a rich, smooth cup that is kind on the stomach. It’s ideal for anyone with acid reflux, for example. HealthWise coffee has a pH of 6.18, which means it is over ten times less acidic than your average coffee.

Though the acidity is removed, the process won’t remove the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals from the coffee. There are no additives used either.

The beans are sourced from Colombia’s Paisa region, a rural area in the Coffee Triangle to the west of Bogotá.

Check Latest Price Of Healthwise Coffee

Verdict On Low Acid Coffee

Compared to a few years ago, the UK is awash with a variety of low acid coffees. As ever, quality (and taste) varies depending on what you go for and how much you’re willing to pay.

If you’re looking for a good all-rounder that is low in acid but still has great flavour, Exhale Organic House Roast is a fine choice.

This is naturally low in acid and has many other benefits like being single origin, sustainable, and organic. Let us know if you’ve found a great low acid coffee we’ve not mentioned.

The post Low Acidity Coffee appeared first on Ideal Grind.

In this Lavazza Vs. Illy guide, we’ll put them both to the test to see which one comes out on top. It’s worth nothing though, that you can’t really go wrong by choosing either of these – a lot of it will come down to personal taste.

Illy – An Overview

This family-owned company was founded by Francesco Illy in 1933. Illy still remains in the hands of the family and remains headquartered in Trieste, Italy.

Illy sells its coffee lines all over the world in its highly recognisable red and silver cans. It offers ground coffee or whole beans in decaffeinated, medium and dark roast variations. There are also single-origin coffees from India, Tanzania, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Brazil, which are all made from Arabica beans.

Besides coffee, the company also makes espresso machines, coffee makers and coffee accessories. Illy also offers a coffee subscription service.

Lavazza – An Overview

Lavazza is also a family business like Illy. In this case, it was Luigi Lavazza who founded the company in Turin in 1895. The company first began trading from a small grocery store. To this day it remains in the hands of the Lavazza family.

Lavazza sources its coffee from all over the world, including Central and South America, the United States, Africa and Indonesia.

With a number of Robusta/Arabica blends available, Lavazza offers slightly more when compared to Illy.

Lavazza is also a leader in the coffee industry in terms of its approach to sustainable coffee production.

Illy Vs Lavazza Comparison

Taste & Flavour

Verdict: Lavazza

Taste and flavour are hard ones to judge and it all comes down to personal preference. What some people prefer for their coffee will be different to others. That said, Lavazza and Illy do have some subtle taste differences that might sway your preference one way or the other.

Knowing your preferred style of coffee will be helpful in deciding which one to go for. Here at Ideal Grind, we love a strong coffee and so Lavazza has the edge for us. This is because Lavazza has several different blends that incorporate Robusta coffee beans, which means a bolder cup is guaranteed.

In addition, Lavazza also has a better selection of different roast levels to suit wider palates. It’s worth knowing, though, that Lavazza’s roasting scale is somewhat atypical and most people say their light roast is a little stronger than other brands.

Don’t get us wrong, Illy’s coffee is simply delicious too but their lack of Robusta beans and light roast means that Lavazza does have the edge as a brand.

Let’s look at some of the more individual characteristics of the taste and flavour compared:

Smoothness – Illy’s bean quality really comes through in the coffee’s smoothness. Illy’s coffee is slightly smoother than Lavazza’s. Lavazza coffee has a full structure, though.

Bitterness – Lots of the Lavazza coffee blends are sweeter but they are more bitter compared to Illy. Illy’s coffees are a rich yet mild flavour.

Acidity – Both Illy and Lavazza are mild tasting. Lavazza’s range all tends to be mild while Illy does have some options that have a higher acidity.

Coffee Beans

Verdict: Illy

When it comes to the type of beans used to make coffee, it really is something that is down to individual taste.

Around 75% of the world’s coffee is Arabica, and Robusta makes up the remaining 25%. Generally, coffee drinkers tend to prefer the flavour of Arabica coffee because of its distinct flavour profiles and its higher sugars. That said, Robusta coffee beans have more antioxidants and caffeine and so this is often preferred by those who enjoy a stronger brew.

Lavazza only uses Arabica beans while Illy offers some blends as well as 100% Arabica products. With this variety in mind, we think Illy comes out on top.

Price and Quality

Verdict: Illy

When it comes to price and value for money, it’s Illy that has the edge. This is because Illy’s range is generally lower in price than Lavazza’s but there isn’t an awful lot of difference. The quality overall means that Illy works out at slightly better value for money.

As we’ve mentioned above, Lavazza’s coffee is excellent but this high quality means it’s a little more expensive. For those looking for a decent coffee on a budget, Illy’s is most recommended. For anyone who doesn’t mind paying a premium, you’d probably go for Lavazza.

Lavazza Vs. Illy on Coffee Accessories and Coffee Makers

Verdict: Illy

Illy really stands out when it comes to accessories and coffee makers. On the Illy website, there are around fifty different machines on offer, including espresso machines, French presses, drip brewers, milk frothers, pod machines, and ground coffee machines.

With so many types of coffee brewing machines available, it will come as no surprise that Illy offers a huge range of coffee to suit their machines. It really doesn’t matter what type of coffee brewing method you prefer; Illy can offer it.

To compare, Lavazza only has a few machines on its website. It has partnered with SMEG for a couple of them, though, which is a positive. However, there is nowhere near the range that Illy offers.

Lavazza Vs. Illy on Coffee Subscription Services

Verdict: Illy

Lavazza is quite new to subscriptions but has now started offering this service. There are two different types of subscription on offer: a coffee-only subscription or a machine and coffee subscription.

What’s great about the machine and coffee subscription is that it allows you to buy your new coffee machine from them for as little as £1 as a part of the package. When choosing this option, you’ll need to subscribe to a minimum of ten boxes of capsules (or 2kg coffee beans). However, it means that you can spread the cost of purchasing a new coffee machine, which is great.

There are three types of coffee-only subscriptions: capsules, coffee beans and ground coffee. The capsule subscription offers 25% off while the ground coffee and coffee beans subscriptions offer a saving of up to 15%.

With Illy, you can also choose a machine and coffee subscription or a coffee-only subscription. Illy is slightly more open about their pricing on this from the first page.

The machine and coffee option starts from £27.88/month at the time of writing while the coffee-only option starts at £12.38/month. Illy’s subscription plan also means you collect Loyalty Hearts, which if you’re a member of Illy Lovers, you’re able to use for discounts and other offers.

Overall, Illy has the edge when it comes to subscriptions. There is more choice of products and their loyalty scheme is good too.

Final Verdict

Most people that like Italian coffee will love both Lavazza and Illy. As we all have different tastes, the verdict as to which one is best is very individual and these two brands are almost neck-and-neck. However, if you’re someone who is all about taste and flavour and you love a strong cup, Lavazza will probably be the one to go for. If you’re looking for which brand is best overall though, we’d probably argue that it was Illy. Though Lavazza has the edge in terms of the quality and variety of coffee roasts available, Illy’s impressive offering of machines and coffee types will come out on top. While Lavazza’s taste and variety are impressive, Illy is a one-stop-shop when it comes to everything coffee lovers want and need.

But don’t just take our word for it, try them and let us know what you think!

The post Lavazza Vs Illy – Which Is Best? appeared first on Ideal Grind.

So we thought it would be a good idea to cover the answers to a lot of these questions in one place – this article. We hope you find the answer that you’re looking for.

How much water should go into an espresso?

The standard answer to this is that an espresso should be 30ml, or one fluid ounce – with a double shot therefore being 60ml, or two fluid ounces. If you put more water through than this you will find your coffee is a bit weak, and if you don’t have enough, the coffee will be too bitter.

As with most things to do with making great coffee, though, there is a bit more to it than that…

Every coffee will have a slightly different reaction to the water, so you may find that some will give you a stronger coffee with the same amount of water than others. The key is in the colour. While you are extracting the coffee, watch for the colour of the coffee coming out. You want a brown hazelnut colour – when it starts to go lighter, you have extracted as much flavour out of the coffee as you are going to get and it’s time to stop.

This is part of what makes a great barista – the ability to read a coffee and know the exact point that the extraction should be stopped.

How much coffee should go into an espresso?

Let’s start with the standard answer again – the standard amount of coffee in a single espresso should be around 18-21 grams, which you should double to 36-42 grams for a double shot.

Again, of course, it really does depend on what coffee you are using. You will find that some, more bitter, coffees are better at the lower end of the scale, while others will need that little bit more to give your drink a deep enough flavour.

The beauty of making your own coffee is that you can experiment. You won’t be able to nail it the first time with a new coffee, it will take a little bit of time – look for that colour change and you won’t go far wrong.

What is the best ratio of water and coffee for an espresso?

The best ratio of coffee to liquid (as in how much coffee you put in compared to the amount of liquid you get out) is around 1:1.5.

To put this in practical terms, if you are making an espresso using 18 grams of coffee grounds, you should stop the extraction process when you have 27 grams of liquid (this equates to 30ml or 1 fluid ounce).

Obviously it is difficult to know when you have 27 grams of liquid, so it is best to convert this into millilitres or fluid ounces before you start the process.

What grind size should I have for an espresso?

When you are making an espresso, or any coffee for that matter, it is always best you grind your beans just before you start the brewing process. This is the only way to ensure that the coffee is as fresh as possible, and how fresh your coffee is will have a huge impact on the taste of your drink. Fresh is best.

So once you have that sorted, you’ll need to know how fine to grind your coffee. Different methods of making coffee require different sizes of coffee grounds to work with. When you are using a filter coffee machine, for example, the water tends to flood the coffee and then slowly drip through – this works best with a coarse grind size as if it is too fine, the coffee is over extracted and you will get a really bitter tasting coffee.

For an espresso, though, the water is pushed through the coffee with high pressure – it is forced through quickly. As such, you want a fine sized coffee grain so that the water has more surface area to work with. You don’t want any blockages as the water passes through, it needs to just rush on by.

The perfect size for a grain is around 0.8mm, if you have a grinder with that amount of accuracy – or simply ‘Fine’ if not.

What type of coffee is best for an espresso?

We could write a 5,000 word article on this subject, but just to show our versatility, we will attempt to give you a snappy answer here.

As a general rule, a darker roast is better for espressos. These coffees tend to give you sharper, more bold flavours which tends to work better with the method of making espressos. As the water passes through the coffee very quickly, if you have a more subtle tasting coffee, you can find that your espresso ends up tasting too mild.

Of course, there are plenty of coffees out there that go against this general rule – there are some incredible blonde espressos out there that are packed full of flavour.

How do I make the best espresso?

If you follow the rough advice on this page, you will make a good start to making the best espresso for your taste, but our ultimate one-word piece of advice is this:

Experiment!

The beauty of the coffee industry today is that there are so many companies, big and small, doing incredible things with coffee. So many different coffees, using beans from all over the world, being roasted in new and imaginative ways, to create wonderful new flavours.

Focus on the basics to begin with, but as soon as you feel confident enough, get out there and start taking advantage of the most exciting coffee market the world has ever seen. You’re ultimate espresso is out there, it’s up to you to find it.

The post How Much Is A Shot Of Espresso? appeared first on Ideal Grind.

So how do you decide which ones are best for you? You come to us!

We have compiled this list of the best Dolce Gusto pods to help you make the best buying decision for your pod coffee machine. We are sure that you are going to find your next favourite pod on this list. Let’s get straight into it.

Starbucks Variety Pack

First up we have a bit of everything from arguably the most famous coffee brand in the world, Starbucks. The name carries with it a certain amount of expectation – fortunately, these pods more than live up to it.

While the pack is described as ‘Variety’, it is probably more accurate to describe it as an ‘Espresso Variety’ as each of these three types of pod make espresso pods. The three are:

Blonde Roast: A bold, yet mellow, Latin American coffee with vibrant, sweet notes.

Single-Origin Columbian: A medium roast Columbian coffee with a round body and juicy taste, finished off with hints of nut.

Espresso Roast: A delightful blend of Latin American and Asian coffees with rich, caramel sweetness.

If you tend to make espressos at home, this is a great option – giving you some great choices. You know what you’re going to get with Starbucks coffee, and as well as drinking them alone these espressos make a great base for americanos and milky coffees. Try the Blonde Roast in a Vanilla Latte – delicious!

These are priced at the higher end of the scale, but for that you get consistent and reliable quality from a huge name in the industry.

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Nescafé Dolce Gusto Americano

Next up we have an offering from the creators of the Dolce Gusto and another one of the biggest names in the coffee industry Nescafé. It stands to reason that these guys know how to make a decent pod for a Dolce Gusto machine, right?

Right. Full disclosure – I am a big fan of Americanos generally, so I was perhaps predisposed to favour these pods, but from the very first sip I was won over.

It’s the intensity of this drink that you will really notice. With a 7/11 intensity rating, it is the darkest roast in the Nescafé range; “Not for the feeble hearted” as they put it. Well, that’s exactly how I like my coffee.

There is a caramel taste to it as well, just to give it that pleasing balance, but the main thing is the strength. This is a coffee that you drink and then feel like you can take on the world! Perfect for those bleary-eyed mornings where you just don’t want to get going. These pods will sort you out.

If you like to really feel your coffee when you drink it, then I would wholeheartedly recommend these Nescafé Dolce Gusto Americano pods.

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Nescafé Dolce Gusto Chococino

The same but very different now, as we look at another pack of pods from Nescafé – but a drink from the opposite end of the spectrum.

If the Americano pods that we featured above are perfect for the coffee purist, then these Chococino pods are for the coffee drinker that wants an alternative hot drink to coffee. Something sweet.

There is a certain intensity to these pods, similar to the Americano ones, but in a much more indulgent way. They are intensely smooth, sweet and indulgent. On top of the rich, chocolatey taste you’ll find little hints of vanilla, all finished off with a beautiful chocolate froth which lightly rests at the top of the drink. Light, sweet and delicious.

These are great pods for you to have in, whether you drink hot chocolate or not. You’re bound to have a guest round that fancies one at some point, and they will be blown away by how delightful these are. A real wow factor.

They are also one of the cheapest pods on our list, so there is nothing to stop you stocking up on them, just in case.

Check Latest Price Of Nescafé Chococino

Italian Coffee Tasting Bundle

Another product at the lower end of the price spectrum now, with this selection from ‘Italian Coffee’. I’ll level with you, I had never heard of this brand before, which often gives me cause for concern. The name in itself is pretty vague, so I didn’t hold up hope for it.

I was pleasantly surprised, however. This bundle provides you with four different types of pod, all offering something a bit different:

Vigoroso: A really strong, intense espresso with an intensity rating of 9. These were great first thing in the morning when I needed an extra boost.

Ristretto: Another really strong coffee, made from 100% robusta beans. This is dark and strong with an intensity rating of 10.

Cremoso: As the name suggests, this is a much creamier pod. Still intense (rating of 8), but with a much lighter texture to it. A nice one to sip when on a sunny morning,

Arabica: A blend of Arabica beans creates a very pleasing aroma. The lightest of the lot (intensity rating of 7) – a very smooth coffee.

If you are looking for a budget option that offers you variety, then this bundle should definitely be on your shortlist – ignore those doubts in your mind about the brand and take the plunge!

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Costa Coffee Americano

Another major player in the coffee industry now – Costa. Present on seemingly every high street in the country, Costa coffee shops remain incredibly popular in the UK, so it stands to reason that their pods will receive similar standing.

These Americano pods do not disappoint. Using their signature Mocha Italia blend, topped with hot water from your machine, the result is a fantastically smooth coffee. There are subtle notes of nuts and caramel but the overwhelming sense you’ll get here is just how smooth it is.

It is the perfect drink to have on a busy morning when you get a few moments to yourself – take a seat, have a sip and let the tension melt away.

It is one of the more expensive pods on our list today, but that is often the case with the well-known brands – you pay a premium to buying from a big brand. That shouldn’t put you off though, as these are well worth the money if you are fond of an Americano.

Check Latest Price Of Costa Coffee Americano

Nescafé Dolce Gusto Café Au Lait

The first milky coffee to make our list now as we take a look at another box of pods from Nescafé. One of the main selling points of the Dolce Gusto machines is that you can make a huge range of milky drinks at the touch of a button, without having to worry about frothing or steaming milk, so you would hope the creators of those machines would be able to produce a drink that utilises that function.

And you wouldn’t be disappointed with these pods. The balance between the coffee and the milk is spot on, and the result is that you get a deliciously creamy, smooth and delicate drink. It’s the perfect kind of drink to take your time over, perhaps in the afternoon when you have got on top of everything and can afford a few minutes to yourself. As these are decaf, you won’t need to worry about drinking one too late and not being able to sleep!

These are priced in the middle of what you should expect from a Dolce Gust pods, so there is nothing to put you off on that front. If you are partial to a Café Au Lait, then you will do well to find a better one than this.

Check Latest Price Of Nescafé Café Au Lait

CaffeLuxe Café Au Lait

It is our job, however, to try to find you a better one, and that is exactly what we are attempting to do here with the CaffeLuxe Café Au Lait pods. We want to provide you with as many options as possible.

So here we have a truly indulgent milky coffee – velvety smooth and luxuriously creamy. There is a silky foam crowning your drink which sets the tone. From there you taste the perfect balance of the Columbian coffee and the milk – enough coffee to awaken your taste buds mixed with enough milk to help it glide through your mouth.

It’s a great coffee to serve after dinner – a beautifully smooth finish to a dinner party that will surely impress your guests. It is one of the more expensive options that we have covered today, but we think it is genuinely worth the price. If these pods fit within you budget, give them a go – you won’t be sorry.

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We hope you have enjoyed this list of our favourite Dolce Gusto pods, and that it has helped you to discover your next favourite coffee. Thank you for reading.

The post Best Dolce Gusto Pods appeared first on Ideal Grind.

A couple of decades later and my kitchen is awash with different types of coffee and coffee makers and I’m always inviting friends over for coffee (I do have to keep a jar of granules in for my dad, though, as he always requests ‘normal’ coffee…).

If you’re a coffee lover like me, you’ve probably got a favourite way of making coffee and with all the different ways to make your brew, it can be hard to decide what contraption or machine to invest in next. In this article, we’ll talk about the different types of coffee makers to inspire you for your next coffee-related purchase.

Different types of coffee makers

Filter coffee machines

These machines have been around a long time. They’re generally inexpensive and easy to use. Despite their low cost, they can make great coffee. If you love consistent coffee and aren’t fussed about the advanced features that other types of coffee machines offer, this is all you need.

Filter coffee machines work by slowly dripping water through a funnel containing ground coffee. Typically, this drips into a jug that is kept warm by a heated plate underneath. You can pick one of these up for as little as £20 to £30 (there are high-end filter coffee machines too) and so they’re a great choice for people who love real coffee but don’t have a large budget.

One great thing about these machines is that they can make a lot of coffee all at once. Some models will make around 12 cups per brew, which makes them ideal for people who like to host guests.

Coffee pod or capsule machines

I remember when these first came out and advertising was everywhere. I wouldn’t say the novelty has worn off as such, but real coffee lovers who like experimenting with ground coffee quickly cast these aside. However, they are great for having a quick, consistent coffee with minimal input and cleaning.

To use a capsule or coffee pod machine, you need to insert a pod into the machine and press a button. Each pod is sealed and contains ground coffee. You need to buy coffee pods that are designed for your specific machine and can’t use ground coffee or fresh beans.

This does mean that you pay quite a lot for each cup and so these machines aren’t as cost-effective as others. You also have the added environmental impact of leftover plastic waste with each cup made.

Espresso machines

If you’re predominantly an espresso drinker, it would make sense to have a traditional espresso machine. These are great for using pre-ground coffee to make espressos and are less costly than a bean-to-cup machine.

Since they don’t grind coffee, they also have a smaller footprint on your kitchen counter. Unlike capsule machines, you’re able to use any type of ground coffee with these too.

A traditional small espresso machine gives you that real barista-style coffee without a huge, cumbersome machine.

Bean-to-cup machines

For true coffee enthusiasts, a bean-to-cup machine is the go-to. A bean-to-cup machine does exactly as its name implies: it grinds coffee beans fresh for every brew. Lots of these machines also have very advanced features and include milk frothing wands to produce lattes or cappuccinos, for example.

As well as having the freshest coffee possible, these are also easy to use. Though lots can be customised in terms of the coarseness of the grind, the time, and the coffee strength, a lot of these machines also take pre-ground coffee too.

As you might expect, bean-to-cup machines are often the most expensive type of coffee machine with the most advanced models costing around £1500. However, there are some top models available for just a few hundred pounds.

AeroPress

If you’re looking for manual brewing devices rather than electric, the next few coffee makers will cover just that. Firstly, meet the AeroPress.

The AeroPress is a relatively new coffee brewer consisting of a cylinder and plunger, a bit like a syringe. Ground coffee is placed inside the chamber then the plunger forces hot water through the coffee to produce a strong coffee that’s similar to an espresso.

French press

The French press is actually one of my favourites! It’s great for beginners and you can brew lots of coffee at one time. It’s also recommended to use a coarser grind with a French press so if you’re grinding your own coffee, this saves time too.

A French press is relatively inexpensive and can also be used for a cold brew too.

Coffee percolator

Coffee percolators have been around since the late 19th century and so offer that vintage appeal too. Percolators are very practical and once you’ve got the hang of using one, you can enjoy a variety of coffee types and flavours.

Final thoughts on types of coffee makers

For anyone just starting out buying their own coffee-making gadgets, the choice can feel overwhelming. Understanding the differences between different types of coffee makers can help you choose which would best suit your lifestyle and tastes. Don’t forget, there will always be great versions of each type of machine to suit a range of budgets, so don’t automatically presume the cost will be prohibitive.  Equally, also don’t presume that paying more for something means you’re getting a better cup of coffee. Make sure you read customer reviews before making a purchase.

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