The problem is not the Nespresso machine
The problem is the vile tasting undrinkable coffee in original Nespresso capsules
It may surprise Ren D when she compared her newly acquired Nespresso machine with her trusty old French press, it will surprise many people, it certainly surprised me, a Nespresso machine is perfectly capable of making excellent coffee.
The problem is not the machine, as I learnt a couple of years ago when shock horror I found a Nespresso machine almost tucked away out of sight on the bar at The Underdog.
After I recovered from my shock and calmed down, I was served a coffee.
My reaction was wow, I could not believe how good, and this was from a 60 euro Nespresso machine.
The problem is not the machine, the problem is the cheap crap vile undrinkable coffee from Nespresso.
The coffee I was served at The Underdog, Panama Geisha in Nespresso pods, 30 euros for 18 capsules.
It is the old software adage, garbage in, garbage out.
When a young Swiss engineer backed by Nestle developed what was to become Nespresso, there was strong opposition within Nestle. It was feared it would steal market share from Nescafe.
George Eastman once remarked Kodak was not in the business of selling cameras, Kodak was in the business of selling film.
Nestle is not in the business of selling machines, Nestle is in the businesses of selling cheap low-quality coffee, packaged in gaudy aluminium pods with massive markup.
Assume 5g of coffee in a capsule. Calculate for 1kg. Then for a 250g bag of coffee. Would be able to buy very high-quality coffee at that price.
When the patents expired a few years ago, it was seen as the opportunity to undercut Nestle, supply cheap low-quality coffee, and still make a reasonable return.
Specialty coffee roasteries saw it differently. Here was the opportunity for high quality coffee, packaged in an oxygen-free environment, optimum dose, optimum grind, optimum freshness, for a known machine, offering consistency for every brew.
Nespresso is not luxury coffee. It is low quality coffee sold at a high price.
Anyone who thinks otherwise, either has no sense of taste or has never experienced quality coffee.
Do not buy off the shelf cheap coffee from a supermarket, always buy coffee from a reputable coffee roastery.
Try
- Kiss the Hippo -- compostable
- Colonna -- aluminium and compostable
Internally all Nespresso machines the same. The only difference external appearance and the attachment of various gadgets and gizmos.
Opal One, a superior Nespresso machine, roughly double the price of the cheapest Nespresso machine.
Hot tip: Do not use tap water. Use bottled spring water or use a Peak water filter.
Hot tip: Flush through with hot water before brewing a coffee. Flush through again when finished to clean the machine.