Coffee craft crash courses

Professional coffee at home

Tired of your morning wake-up routine consisting of instant coffee, hot water, tepid milk and a teaspoon? Take a look at this top 5 list of professional coffee makers, arranged by price and selected based on reviews from Amazon.co.uk.

5. Delonghi EC152 Pump Espresso Coffee Machine

Current price at Amazon: £55.95
The cheapest coffee maker on the list is the Delonghi EC152. It can make both coffee-based drinks like espressos and cappuccinos as well as milky drinks like lattes, and is also capable of creating customized hot drinks. One reviewer writes that they thought they would have to spend a larger sum of money for a decent machine, but after trying this machine writes, “Thank you, thank you DeLonghi for making this budget coffee machine that works like a dream.”

4. Bosch TAS6515GB Tassimo Beverage Maker

Current price at Amazon: £79.00
The Bosch coffee maker includes an intelligent drink identification system, and can make a range of different drinks including coffees, teas and hot chocolates, the powders for which are available to purchase separately. One reviewer raves about the, “Fabulous selection of Tassimo drinks you can get,” with another declaring it a true professional drinks machine.

3. Nespresso Lattissima by De’Longhi EN670

Current price at Amazon: £193.00
Moving up the price range, the Nespresso Lattissima boasts “One key feature you can’t live without,” De’Longhi’s own patented Instant Froth Dispenser system (IFD), which allows the user to create both milky and coffee drinks by pressing a single button. One reviewer calls this product, “Almost perfect,” writing, “I think this machine is a dream and has fantastic functionality and great looks. I can’t imagine life without it!”

2. De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM4200 15-Bar Bean To Cup Espresso/Cappuccino Maker

Current price at Amazon: £269.70
For a bit more money, you can get the higher priced De’Longhi product, which claims to embody, “Everything truly Italian about coffee.” The machine creates coffee straight from the beans and can do both coffee-based and milk-based drinks of a wide variety. One reviewer claims that their product still performs perfectly after more than three years of use, while another writes that it, “Makes great coffee time and again.”

1. Gaggia Brera Fully Automatic Bean to Cup Espresso Coffee Machine

Current price at Amazon: £422.00
At the top of the range, this coffee maker is energy efficient, has a customizable coffee bean grinding function and is easy to clean. It tops this list because of its supposed fantastic froth functions that can produce not only superb coffee but also hot chocolate and latte drinks. One reviewer raves, “It’s certainly not cheap, but if you LOVE your coffee then for a device that will take your favourite beans and turn them into a fantastically fresh cup of coffee in under 2 minutes at the push of a single button – it could well be worth it.”

The Waterloo Gardens Teahouse is hosting intensive coffee making courses

Learn barista and coffee cupping techniques that will improve your coffee making skills

The Waterloo Gardens Teahouse in Cardiff is offering an intensive barista course on November 26, led by professional coffee hunter Will Corby.

Will ‘The Caffeine Kid’ Corby is returning to his hometown to lead courses at the Waterloo Gardens Teahouse that will provide attendees with valuable barista and coffee cupping skills.

An employee at the Teahouse explains that Corby has been instrumental in helping set up the establishment. “We consider ourselves one of the best coffee places in Cardiff,” the employee admits, “But we want to educate the industry rather than be ahead.”

The courses are for anyone who has an interest in improving their coffee making skills. This is the third time this year the Teahouse has hosted these courses, and the event has been booked out every time.

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