Nespresso

Yes, I like shopping...but really only for gadgets or good deals. You know this from my blog description.

Well I've finally found my coffee solution. Since becoming a coffee addict (going on 2 and half years now) I've been searching for a better deal, and coffee, than shelling out $5 to Starbucks everyday. I've tried the french press (doesn't that sound dirty), I've bought a number of bialettis (electric as well as conventional) and I think I am on my second milk frother. The annoyance of them all is that there is a ton of clean up, the coffee is ok but not great, they don't make real espresso and I frequently have to clean up spills.

A few weeks ago I had a major coffee incident at home. I was making my morning latte using a bialetti where you are supposed to heat the milk in the top portion and it builds steam and you are supposed to get a real espresso latte out of it. What really happens is that the seal sucks, some coffee leaks into the milk early on, the coffee is heated in the milk and the whole thing tastes like crap. It was $69.99. I had given up on adding the milk in there but must have poured past the fill line for the water. Coffee explosion. Large lake of it. Major hassle to clean up as I was running out the door to work.

This same day I was heading for dinner with a friend. I didn't even get to my coffee drama when she told me about how she only drinks coffee at home since she bought an espresso maker. I lamented that I wanted one but they are like a grand and I just can't afford that and I'm tired of all the clean up with the cheaper stuff. Then she told me about Nespresso. Now this friend knows about the finer things in life and strikes that balance between over the top expensive luxury and good value. So I knew this was a good deal.

And is it ever. The whole system cost me $340 (incl. tax) and I also got a $50 credit for buying coffee. There are 16 different types of coffee/espresso that come in individual pods that equal one shot of espresso. They cost 58 cents each. Definitely cheaper than a Starbucks latte. I was thinking the pods thing was kind of a rule breaker for good espresso but apparently in Europe (where they know coffee) this is the way to go. And the adds for it in Italy have George Clooney. That totally sold me.

Clean up is almost nil and the coffee is so good. You can order it on-line or buy at the store. I figure I am breaking even on this machine, in comparison to buying a latte everyday, after 3 months. Trying to get a group of people at work to go in one for there. We will need it starting in the fall.

Come by my place if you want to taste Nespresso good. You can also go to their store and they'll make you a coffee. They're in the Bay (although not affiliated with the Bay) on the market level.