- Buying guideBean-to-cup vs pods vs espresso machine: which suits you?Bean-to-cup, pod machine or espresso machine with a portafilter? How the three differ in effort, space, running costs and upkeep, with figures to check.
- Buying guideEight common mistakes when buying a coffee machineEight mistakes people make when buying a bean-to-cup or espresso machine, from skipping the tape measure to trusting the drinks count, with data to check.
- CostsWhat a cup of coffee really costs at home: the sumsHow to work out the true cost per cup at home: coffee, the machine spread over its working life, filters and descaler. The sums explained, with a calculator.
- The basicsGrind size: how to dial in a bean-to-cup or espresso machineAdjusting grind size on a bean-to-cup or espresso machine: one step at a time, what the Philips, De'Longhi and Sage manuals say, and what settings tell you.
- MaintenanceCleaning a bean-to-cup machine: routine, tablets, brew unitA cleaning schedule for bean-to-cup machines from the Philips and De'Longhi manuals: what to do daily, weekly and monthly, and whether you need tablets.
- MaintenanceHow to descale a bean-to-cup coffee machine, step by stepWhen to descale a bean-to-cup machine, which descaler to use and how long it takes, from the Philips, De'Longhi and Sage manuals. No vinegar, no shortcuts.
- MaintenanceWater hardness and your coffee machine: a UK guideHow to find your water hardness in the UK, convert mg/l to Clark degrees, set your coffee machine correctly and decide whether a filter is worth it.
- GlossaryHome coffee glossary: 35 terms from bar to thermoblockA plain-English glossary of 35 home coffee terms, from bean-to-cup and brew unit to portafilter, PID and Clark degrees, with links to the guides behind them.
8 articles
Guides: understand coffee at home
What spec sheets do not explain: which grind suits which drink, how often to descale, what to set for your water hardness and what a cup ends up costing. With the sums shown.