SPILLING THE BEANS

COUNTRY STYLE NEED-TO-KNOW

WHAT’S THE EASIEST TO USE?

Pod/capsule machines have taken the faff and mess out of making quality espresso and Americano at home (many top restaurants use them). You just pop one in the slot and press a button.

AREN’T PODS WASTEFUL?

Yes and no. They do create more waste, but Nespresso and Lavazza offer recycling schemes, while Dualit has a compostable Nespresso-compatible pod.

CAN I MAKE A GOOD ESPRESSO ON A BUDGET?

Yes, with practice. Preparing the ground coffee and steaming milk is an art form, but a good manual pump machine (from £100) with steam wand will work.

PRACTICE? I DON’T HAVE TIME!

OK, a luxury automatic coffee maker can grind beans, steam milk, produce café-quality coffee at the push of a button, and even clean itself – but you will need to spend £400-£1,200.

WHAT’S THE KEY FEATURE?

You need at least 15 bars of pressure to force the water through the coffee.