As you can imagine I get asked this question a few times in a week and in fairness for the person just getting into their coffee it is a fair question. Also as you can imagine there is not a direct answer as we all like our coffee differently. I prefer a Cortado or Cappuccino with a double shot, some prefer a Latte, some an espresso and others a long black.
If you like to make coffee on the go an AeroPress or V60 could be your preferred method whereby you take a small hand grinder and coffee beans or you grind coffee beans prior to going out and take them with you along with your Yeti of hot water or a Jet Fire system. I deal for Long Blacks, an Americano or an Americano with a splash of milk.
In the home or office many people use a Clever Dripper or Drip system to make black coffee that they either drink black, add a splash of milk or add some heated & frothed milk from a frother to their drink. The Drip machines have an advantage of either making the coffee into a thermal carafe or by keeping the carafe warm on a hot plate so that there is always hot coffee on standby. A fully automatic espresso system makes a variety of coffees at the touch of a button, just add water, beans and if necessary milk, press the right button and out comes your drink with a minimum of setting up.
I prefer the art of the espresso and making coffees based on this drink using a manual espresso machine and separate espresso quality coffee bean grinder. Why? I believe it is the most versatile coffee system once mastered, there is always a trade off. Most coffees made from grinding fresh beans taste better, more bodies and sweeter than coffee made from pre-ground beans. Dialling in grinds for a pour over system is fairly straight forward and although the wrong grind can be detrimental to the taste it has to be a fair way out to do this. Grinding for espresso can be tricky and requires an espresso grade grinder but when done right it is a rich, silky smooth delicious cup of coffee that can be made into a number of equally tasty beverages such as Cortado, Cappuccino, Latte, Long Black or an Americano.
So which system is right for you? Do you want to spend time prepping a coffee puck and fine tuning your coffee into the finest drink you have ever had? Buy an Espresso Machine. Are you looking for quality coffee on the go? AeroPress. Do you just want a nice coffee without the faff? Look at a Pour Over system or Drip Machine or do you want a system that does it all for you? Buy an Automatic Coffee System.
There is no right or wrong answer, many coffee lovers have more than one coffee system to suit the current situation. A Hario V60 costs just £5.95 so is an easy system to have for a quick Americano. The Drip System is fairly automated and just gets on with making your coffee whilst you get on with your day. Still unsure, pop in and see us or give us a ring on 01626 834233 and have a chat and we can point you in the right direction on which coffee system is best suited to you and your needs.