scot47

Coffee machine ? You do not even need that. A pot to boil the coffee, water and some ground coffee. A source of heat - and you are in business.

Souvy

I'd agree. We went through two Keurigs. Not very good machines (water not hot enough) and the pods were hideously expensive. It is possible to get reusable pods and fill them with whatever you want. I once did a comparison shop on pods with Van Houtte coffee and tins of Van Houtte coffee. The difference in unit cost was enormous.

I'm quite happy with our Black & Decker drip thingy. The press is better but it's a bit of a faff and it doesn't keep the coffee hot.

Oakvillian

I had a little tea-cosy-like thing for my press that my mum gave me years ago as a joke, but worked remarkably well to keep the coffee warm enough to refill a cup. I use the past tense because, a week or so ago, I managed to switch on the wrong element on the stove when trying to boil the kettle: the one the cosy was resting on, rather than the one under the kettle. The insulating batting inside the cosy made a very nasty smell when it caught fire. Out the back door into a snowbank it went, thence to the garbage.

I have a Breville countertop espresso machine, which brews a perfectly decent espresso (though the steam wand annoys me as its range of movement isn't enough to get the jug of hot milk out without spilling some). A cheapo drip machine (mine may also be a Black & Decker, it's made of white plastic and cost less than $20, I think) does larger quantities of breakfast coffee when required. And the aforementioned cafetiere is good for a quick cup and takes barely more time than boiling the kettle for tea.

Siouxie

They are available online

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...rds=press+cozy

Partially discharged

Don't get me started there. That could be a good thread...Favourite and least favourite #1's of 'our era'. My era would be about 1971-1985. So many awful ones from that era but 'Start' and 'Town called Malice' by the Jam, the New Order England World Cup Squad song and the Roxy Music cover of Jealous Guy would be amongst the favourites

Novocastrian

Barista Champions of Canada? What a ridiculous concept. Quality coffee is the stuff I make at home, BTW.

I think you are a bit confused on the Carling thing, I've been back here for over two years and have never encountered it.

Nor would I want to.

BristolUK

You might want to try that comparison again.

We're still on the same machine from what must be about 5 years ago.

Back then I didn't want anything to do with it as the pods worked out to about 85c. If you shopped around.

At least two of the branded 12-packs are on offer every week at Superstore for $6.99 with a near permanent bonus $1 per box off the next shop from using a PC/points card. That's 50c a pod. A lot more acceptable than 85c 5 years ago. I buy a few packs when they're $6 for the 12 cups and use them when my drip machine is empty and I don't want to make a new pot yet. It's vastly preferable to a stop gap cup of instant.

Until now my favourites have only come in that size, but a few weeks ago Giant Tiger had a dark roast (brand unknown) that was very good, 42 pods $14.99. That's 36c a pod.

I used to use the small measure on the Keurig but all the dark roasts make a strong middle measure.

bats

I gave up on Keurigs too. Then I dabbled with a drip coffee thing but after a while it starts to taste odd. Must be the water. Anyway now I have a Bodum insulated cafetière which looks pretty swanky and I use van Houtte coffee. Sometimes I make instant but don't tell.

BristolUK

Do you do the noises?

caretaker

My bodums aren't insulated but it doesn't matter. When the coffee's done I just pour it into an insulated carafe. The electric drip machine hasn't been used in over a year, maybe closer to 2 years.

beckiwoo

Because Costa does such a great job of it in the UK lol

That aside. I have mixed views on Tim Hortons, it’s cheap and if I’m desperate I’ll go but it’s not the best.

Their apple fritters though...that’s a whole different story

BristolUK

Fruit explosion muffins.

Partially discharged

Baristas and latte art is a thing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latte_art

but I think you need a man bun and a lumberjack shirt to cut it in that genre. Not my thing.

Hey the internet doesn't lie about Carling.

Just like studies show Coors Light and Blue and Bud Light are in the top 5 or so in Canada but I never drink them but it doesn't mean the vast majority of people drink them.

I imagine that Carling sells well in bulk at supermarkets for home consumption.

caretaker

The first whole bottle of beer I ever drank (at age 6) was a Carling Black Label. I can remember trying to act sober when I got home.

Teaandtoday5

Our short-lived (well it's still under the stairs, but who can be bothered) drip machine needed such frequent vinegar rinses to taste normal, despite the water softener, that I quickly gave up on it.