It’s great to wander along to your local coffeehouse, sit down and enjoy your favourite brew – that’s if you’ve got the time. But you don’t always have the time. So what do you do? Go without your coffee? Or invest in a decent coffee machine that makes the type of coffee you like best…
The benefits of owning your own coffee machine are numerous, not the least of which is convenience.
Convenience
Coffee machines allow you to make your favourite brew when you want to, whether it’s first thing in the morning or in the middle of a sleepless night. When the coffeehouses are shut, you can still enjoy. All you need to do is make sure you haven’t run out of coffee, or beans if you grind your own, and that you have enough milk if your tipple is a milky one such as latte. And what if friends come over and you don’t want to go out. A coffee machine means you can keep everyone happy in the caffeine department.
Entertaining
There is nothing better than ending a dinner party with a good cup of coffee. Today, though, diners’ palates are more sophisticated. They’re used to the coffeehouse experience and chucking a bit of instant into a pot just won’t do. And you may need variety. Not everyone will want a strong espresso. Some may prefer a cappuccino or a latte. With a coffee maker you can cater to all tastes.
Skill
Owning a coffee maker will encourage the latent barista in you. It takes no little skill to make a great espresso and in time you’ll learn how to get it right. There is more pleasure to be had in sipping a perfect espresso that you’ve prepared yourself. Learning to make different drinks, such as macchiato or mocha is a skill you’ll enjoy perfecting as the end result is so satisfying.
Quality
A real espresso aficionado probably won’t rate the high street chain varieties very highly. The only way to get the best quality espresso is to make it yourself on your own machine. You’ll need to grind your own coffee though, so a good burr grinder is essential. And home baristas will match their grinder to their coffee maker.
Ethics
If you make your own coffee you can decide which coffee beans to use. This gives you the chance to use either fairly traded coffee or Fairtrade coffee. It doesn’t matter which as long as it is ethically come by. If the grower is getting a fair deal you can enjoy your coffee with a clear conscience.