#and yes that is a reference to espresso macchiato | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

carefreeblackho · 5 years ago

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Espresso has Become a Relentless Power all Throughout the Planet.

In excess of 2 billion cups of espresso are tanked each day across the globe – affirms that it's a beverage, however the soul for some individuals, and living without it would be incomprehensible. http://reviewmycoffee.com/

Presently it's an entirely different world with its own fragrance, flavors, and celebrations, which have taken perpetual residency in our lives.

In case you're another individual from its high roads, you may be mistaken for the language of the espresso menu and asking yourself, what the heck is macchiato? Would it be a good idea for me to arrange this beverage with luxurious finished froth? Will the barista believe, I'm a weakling on the off chance that I request a beverage with loads of milk?

Take a full breath; in this guide, I've laid out practically each one of those beverages you find at your neighborhood caffé menu, so in the future you'll realize what to arrange – and anticipate.

Essential Coffee Drinks

Dark Coffee

Dark espresso resembles a delightful dark dress in the drinks world. From easy to refined, it goes including ports transportation to rooms, polytechnic to humble community coffee shops, American cowpokes to French Press models. It's an ageless work of art – so regardless of whether you're attempting to beat the odds, you can in any case have a cup of joe prior to taking off to the drives. Essentially heat up some water and add espresso (beans, grounds, or leaves) to it. Refine cautiously – and you're prepared to grip fingers around your ideal cup of caffeine. No seasoning, it'll knock your socks off! On the off chance that you see it interestingly, you may think it tastes severe or ashy, yes it likely does. Yet, the normal pleasantness and other flavor ascribes are interesting to this beverage.

Besides, you may discover numerous valid justifications to drink dark espresso, however the medical advantage of eliminating dairy and sugar will likely start your longing to find out about the flavor subtleties of dark espresso.

However, in the event that it's consuming your tongue or your taste buds aren't tolerating its taste, you can add the cream or milk and sugar or fake sugar to change the blessing to coordinate with it to your style.

Ultimately, it will not damage your wallet as you'll as a rule discover it as the similarly least expensive alternative in the greater part of the caffé menus. Learn more

Turkish Coffee

With regards to espresso, Turkish espresso aficionados love to cite;

Despite the fact that bistros offering coffees, level whites, and cappuccinos have gotten mainstream in Istanbul, still, Turkish Coffee is a critical piece of their way of life and an ideal expansion to any profound discussion with loved ones.

Turkish espresso culture and custom have the UNESCO World Heritage status due to their exceptional planning and preparing strategy. In this way, regardless of whether you haven't went to Turkey ever, you presumably heard the reference or even attempted it.

However, on the off chance that you don't have a clue, when you'll allude the nose-ringed barista about "Turkish Coffee," more often than not, it implies you're requesting a thick, dark espresso.

In any case, in the event that you need to give it a shot at your home, it will not expect you to have any unique barista abilities to make a serious mug of java.

Here is the breakdown of steps:

Essentially bubble one cup of water alongside two tablespoons of coffee beans in a cezve, a little pot with a long handle, generally made of copper – it's otherwise called ibriks.

Since sugar is never added, you'll need to indicate the amount you need to add. You can get it with no sugar, one sugar 3D shape for semi-pleasantness, or two 3D squares for sweet Turkish espresso.

As the espresso arrives at the bubble, let the froth rise and eliminate it from heat before it's going to spill. This ensures your espresso will have full froth, and without it, it's absolutely unsatisfactory.

You can rehash the third step a few times.

Serve it in a little cup; it never implies it's to be burned-through rapidly; taste a bit, converse with your buddies and rehash.

Cold Brew

It's something other than the cool, it gives you caffeine-taste of frosted espresso. Begun from store coffeehouses, it could have its spot on the Caffe menus of major groups like Starbucks and Peets.

The flavor is one of those small bunch of reasons why Cold Brew detonated throughout the most recent couple of years, and with the primary taste, you may think why individuals didn't cold blending espresso a very long time prior.

It's most likely going to be your best-cherished beverage If you're a devotee of a smooth, offset mug of espresso with low causticity, covered with a rich body.

You will not need to ask your organs to co-work for this beverage, It's essentially distress free in any event, for a fretfully unfilled stomach.

Basically, in case you're delicate to corrosiveness, Cold Brew is your lifeline.

Weaken the concentrate with milk, and you'll have your frosted latte prepared to taste. Or on the other hand, blend the move in with your soul of decision, and you'll have another form of Cold Brew (charged mixed drink) prepared to chug; it's so delectable!

All in all, what I mean? Flavor prospects are perpetual with Cold Brew!

Frosted Coffee

Stand by! Cold Brew isn't the Iced Coffee?

Frosted espresso can be any type of espresso – trickle, pour-over and even coffee. However, chilly brew is a particular style of frosted espresso or a frosted espresso method. One isn't superior to other people; they are made diversely and have unmistakable preferences.

At the point when you ask the barista for a virus brew espresso at a café or bistro, you'll be given out a mug of java delicately blended with frosted shapes.

Its approach is essentially the immediate openness of cold water with espresso beans for around 12-16 hours to guarantee the best and tasty experience of cold mix. When the soaking closes, the concentrated fluid is blended in with water to make you a solid and delish cup of cold brew.

Then again, when you'll arrange a frosted espresso, frequently you'll be presented with a hot espresso poured over ice, yet it tastes excessively weakened so the vast majority of the java consumers currently incline toward espresso fermented at twofold strength (by utilizing the twofold measure of espresso), however it can likewise be the trickle espresso that is administered straight ridiculous precious stones or chilled in the cooler and presto Reviewmycoffee.com !

You'll see a lot of frosted espresso fortes in a large portion of the cafés as it doesn't require some investment to mix one cup, you point your finger at the bill of admission.

Assortment of Espresso Based Drinks

Coffee is the foundation of a variety of mouth-watering juiced drinks.

In case you're new to the espresso world, you most likely noticed the java sweethearts mentioning the talented barista for "single-shot" or "twofold shot." at the end of the day, they were really requesting the little focused punch of each one of those normal cancer prevention agents in a delectable bundle – the coffee.

All in all, for what reason do individuals cherish coffee? You can't deny the spirit contacting fragrance of newly preparing shot, its taste, gigantic jolt of energy, less caffeine per ounce, crema besting, and above all, the punch of many medical advantages in each taste.

The greater part of the delectable strengths create from coffee, and that is the reason they are ruling most of space on the menu. It's the type of substance of each latte, cappuccino, and a lot of different varieties – mocha or level white, we can't get enough.

In any case, before jump into the ocean of coffee drinks, you simply need to know how master baristas create fulfilling coffee shots to make your most appropriate mug of java.

The interaction includes delivering a concentrated fluid by constraining the water at an ideal temperature (190 to 196 degrees Fahrenheit) and pressing factor (normally 9 to 15 bars) for 18 to 20 seconds through entirely fine espresso beans.

An appropriately extricated shot looks delectably smooth, covered with a smooth crema and an extraordinary fragrance. With the main taste, you'll surely fall in ceaseless love with this cup of joe.

How about we discover how baristas all throughout the planet utilize this Italian designed marvel to make those delish claims to fame that sparkle like stars on the cafeteria menu.

Ristretto

"Confined" or "restricted" in Italian methods, it's basically the primary portion of a full coffee shot while utilizing a similar measure of espresso beans. Connoisseur espresso aficionados regularly incline toward ristretto as it gives you a sheer quality alongside the rich and fragrant kind of espresso beans.

Try not to be messed with "close to nothing"; this fun-size shot is loaded with a particularly incredible punch.

A solitary ristretto shot ought to be 15 ml, while 30 ml for a twofold shot.

Doppio

In Italian "doppio" signifies "twofold," it implies you need twofold shots of coffee. It's separated utilizing a twofold espresso channel in the portafilter so you get 60 ml of coffee served in a demitasse cup which is double the measure of a standard coffee shot, 30 ml.

Presently numerous coffeehouses all throughout the planet just offer twofold coffees to beat the quality control issues. Regularly, it's additionally called as "standard twofold," so you don't have to confound if a barista utilizes this term to affirm your coffee drink.

Americano

From the outset, it's idea to call "Caffe Americano," however throughout the long term it has been abbreviated to simply "Americano."

In any event, when you demand the barista in an American manner, you'll in any case be presented with an Italian beverage, arranged by weakening the coffee shot with heated water, that is comparative in strength however extraordinary in flavor to ordinary trickle espresso.

The strength of Americano is subject to the quantity of coffee shots and the measure of water added to coordinate with your taste.

Lungo

Dissimilar to ristretto, it signifies "long" on the grounds that you'll get the coffee drink with considerably more water, which for the most part brings about a long mug of java. This isn't the quality element yet basically the piece of individual inclination.

From my experience, most of the espresso darlings request a "lungo" just to appreciate a less extreme "coffee" in a cup while as yet having the taste and characteristics of coffee.

Caffé Crema

You'll discover Caffé Crema exceptionally unprecedented in the Caffe menus on the off chance that you have a place with the English-talking world, and this is a direct result of the critical contrast of granulate when contrasted with standard coffee. Caffe may rather serve you with Americanos or long blacks.

In Italy, throughout the mid year, the majority of the customary cafés present with this coffee variation, Caffé Crema.

You'll presumably discover less English-language guides on the most proficient method to mix Caffé Crema. Its preparing strategy includes extricating the coarsen grounds (go against to totally fine justification) for a similar time as we accomplish for coffee shot, however it brings about a more prominent volume mug of java.

Barista can give some different varieties of this beverage on demand, by temping less or removing for somewhat more than expected.

Bistro Zorro

Practically like Americano however it actually total opposites. The significant distinction is that Café Zorro contains twofold shot and boiling water in the equivalent proportions that give you a more focused and less weakened twofold coffee.

Notwithstanding, in Americano, heated water is added to make the beverage weakened and taste-like dribble espresso surface.

Bistro Cubano

As the name demonstrates, this beverage is started from Cuba and alluding this kind of espresso, implies, you're requesting for a coffee shot that is improved (customarily with the regular earthy colored sugar which has been whipped first with the drops of the most grounded shot of coffee).

This beverage is a piece of noticeable social and social action in Cuba and especially in Miami, Tempa and Florida Keys (Cuban-American people group).

Generally, it's made utilizing an electric coffee machine or regularly in Moka pot with hazier dishes.

#http://reviewmycoffee.com/#Reviewmycoffee.com #Reviewmycoffee

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armysquared-blog · 6 years ago

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you’re so fine | ksj

⇢ overview: when kim seokjin, a normally happy and upbeat customer, comes in looking broody and exhausted, you decide to write a pick up line on his coffee cup to brighten his day.

⇢ pairing: kim seokjin x reader

⇢ word count: 2,079

⇢ genre: fluff, coffee shop au, college au

⇢ author’s note: pfft...i worked at starbucks for a whole three weeks before quitting so i am definitely qualified to write a coffee shop au, right? :p anyway, hope you enjoy! xx sofia

“Hi, welcome to Busy Bean! What can we get started for you today?”

The man in front of you blinked once, trying to rid the bleariness away from his eyes. He had dark, tousled hair that fell over across his face in an effortless, yet elegant manner and startling brown eyes that pierced your own.

“I’ll have an Espresso Macchiato, please,” he said, pushing his black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Maybe throw in two extra shots for good measure.”

You hummed, uncapping your Sharpie and scribbling his order on the paper cup. “One Espresso Macchiato with two extra shots. Got it. And can I get a name for that order?”

“Jin.”

“Perfect. Will that be all for you today?” you asked, waiting for him to nod in confirmation. “Okay, great. That’ll be $3.75.”

He shuffled in his place, pulling his wallet out of his pocket and handing you a five. “Keep the change.”

You beamed, placing the change in the tip jar next to you. “Thank you! Your order will be ready in a few minutes.”

As Jin wandered to the pick up counter with a mindless stare fixated at the bookshelf on the wall, you quickly took the next customer’s order. It was finals week, which meant every coffee shop on campus was packed everyday during all hours of the week. You just thanked the heavens the coffee shop you worked at wasn’t open for 24 exhausting hours.

“Hi, welcome to Busy Bean! What can we get started for you today?” you greeted once more in the same cheerful yet monotonous voice.

By the time you finished taking two more orders--all the while sneaking glances at Jin, who simply stared at one spot on the wall with slanted eyes--his order was ready.

“I got this one,” you told your coworker, ignoring her confused look as you grabbed a Sharpie and scribbled something on the sleeve of his now completed drink.

Satisfied, you capped your pen and twirled it around your fingers.

“Espresso Macchiato with two extra shots for Jin,” you called before you could rethink your actions and lose your nerve.

Glancing up from the blank wall, he came to collect his drink. From your spot behind the counter, you saw his eyebrows furrow at the sight of the black writing on his cup.

If you were coffee grounds, you’d be espresso because you’re so fine. ;)

With a mixture of surprise and amusement, Jin’s head shot up in the direction of the cash register, making eye contact with you on his way out of the cafe. Flushing slightly, you sent him a cheeky grin, waving goodbye before you turned your attention back to the customer at hand.

You heard a small laugh coming from Jin as he exited the store, and you couldn’t help but think how much you wanted to hear it again.

- - - - -

It was the following day when you woke up to a 5 a.m. alarm for the dreaded opening shift.

Shaking the water off your bright yellow umbrella, you open the door to the cafe to be greeted by a shift lead. Today was Wednesday, one of your least favorite days of the week since you were scheduled for mornings at the Busy Bean. It was particularly hectic during finals when you were barely getting enough sleep as is.

“Good morning, Namjoon,” you greeted your lead, trying to sound more awake and enthusiastic than you really were.

“Morning, Y/N,” he said, stifling a tired yawn as he refilled the espresso beans. “I’m almost finished setting up so I just need you to glaze the chocolate croissants and we’ll be ready to open.”

“Will do.”

Humming, you headed toward the kitchen in the back and pulled out the warmed croissants from the oven. By the time you finished adding glaze and chocolate drizzle to the pastries, there was still a little less than an hour before opening.

You headed to the front counter of the store, gratefully accepting the cup of hot chocolate he offered when you saw a frantic figure through the glass window fogged up by the rain.

“Oh, damn it,” you heard through the door as the man tried to enter only to find out the store was not yet open.

Peering closer, you let out a quiet ‘oh’ is shock. “Jin?”

Though you knew he couldn’t hear your silent whisper, Jin eventually looked up, making eye contact with you as he flicked his wet hair out of his face to reveal his sheepish expression.

“Is that someone outside the door?” Namjoon questioned from behind you, taking a sip of his third coffee of the morning. When he drew closer, he realized there was a man standing outside in the pouring rain and frowned. “He does realize we’re not open yet, right?”

“Namjoon!” you said in a chastising tone, holding your hand out for the keys. “We can’t just leave a customer outside with the weather like this.”

“But I just mopped the floors,” he mumbled before grudgingly handing you the ring of keys from his wrist. When you took it from him, he sighed and walked back to the staff room, calling out, “Just make sure you clean up any mess before we open.”

“Yes, sir.”

In a hurry, you fumbled with the keys in your one hand and the cup of cocoa in the other before finally unlocking the door. As Jin stepped inside, you saw small droplets of water drip from his hair onto his already damp clothes.

You bit the inside of your cheek to suppress a giggle at his dazed blinks. “Well, someone didn’t check the weather forecast this morning.”

“I’m afraid not,” he chuckled, the corner of his mouth tilting upward before rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry for getting the floor wet.”

“It’s not a problem. I’ll just dry it before we open,” you said, shrugging him off as you lead him to a booth. You sat opposite him as he took his puffy jacket off and placed it on the seat. “So, what brings you here so early?”

“A certain barista left the best pick up line on my coffee cup and I had to come back as soon as possible for the chance to see the love of my life again.”

“Funny.” Your cheeks heated and you were suddenly thankful for the dimly lit boothing area. “And the real reason?”

Jin clutched his chest in mock offense. “You don’t believe my confession of love?”

You gave him your best unamused look as you took a sip from your hot chocolate, trying to ignore the butterflies you were feeling inside.

“Fine, fine.” He held his hands up in defeat. “I have a physics final at eight and I just wanted to get to campus early. But I’ll admit seeing you is quite the nice surprise.”

“It’s nice seeing you, too. Even though you came in before opening and got the floors all wet,” you teased with a dimpled grin. “But an eight a.m. final sounds horrible. Is that why you looked so tired yesterday?”

He nodded. “I had two finals that day. Cramming the night before is never a good idea yet I can’t seem to do otherwise.”

“The lifecycle of a student.”

“Amen.”

Taking a slow sip from your drink, you felt warmth course through you as you noticed the slightly damp state Jin was still in. Your eyes widened and you placed the cup down in an instant.

“How rude of me!” you chided yourself, wiping the remnants of the drink off your face with the back of your hand as you got ready to stand up. “You’re probably starving.”

“I’m not, don’t worry about--”

“Nonsense.” You waved him off, clearing your throat and raising your voice so Namjoon would surely hear you. “I’m certain my lovely shift manager wants me to make something nice and warm for a loyal customer who was standing out in the rain.”

You waited for his response. One beat passed. Two…

Namjoon sighed in defeat. “As long as you clean up before opening-- I didn’t see a thing.”

You grinned. “Perfect!”

Before Jin even had to chance to open his mouth in reply, you shot up from your chair and sauntered behind the counter, making him an Espresso Macchiato with an extra shot and quickly grabbing a chocolate croissant from the hot oven. In record time, you paced back over to Jin with the drink and food in hand.

Glancing at you in surprise, he checked the digital clock on his phone.

“That took you less than five minutes,” he said, thoroughly impressed. “Those were some serious barista skills at work.”

You gave him a half-curtsey before you placed the cup and croissant in front of him. “Thank you, thank you. I try.”

Wrapping a hand around the base of his mug, Jin expressed his gratitude and pulled a wallet out of his pocket. “How much do I owe?”

You shook your head. “Don’t worry about it-- It’s on the house.” Before he could argue with you, you continued, “Besides, you can always pay me back in other ways.”

He blinked, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.

You stared at each other in a confused silence before you realized the implications of your statement.

“Not like that,” you rushed, almost stumbling over your own words as you quickly averted your gaze. “I meant ‘pay me back’ with your company, or something. Not...sexually or anything of that sort.”

“Of course. I never would’ve thought of it as sexual,” said Jin, straight-faced. “But if you were referring to it as such, I couldn’t say I would mind.”

Your cheeks heated up and you mumbled, “Just eat your croissant.”

He laughed, holding a hand up in surrender as he took a sip of his coffee. “Sorry-- Am I coming on too strong? I guess I just thought since you wrote a pick up line on my coffee cup yesterday, you would be interested in someone who’s a little more forward.”

“Oh.” Your flush grew even deeper. “Well… I guess I--”

Before you could finish your reply, you heard a groan of frustration from the nearby staff room.

“For fuck’s sake-- Can one of you just ask the other out already?” Both of your heads whipped over to Namjoon, who was sitting on the couch with a coffee in hand, listening in on the conversation. With a shake of his head he muttered, “Kids these days with their tip-toeing and pining.”

“We’re the same age, Namjoon,” you hissed, hiding your embarrassment behind your sleeve. You suddenly regretting voting Kim Namjoon for employee of the month. “And Jin and I were not about to ask each other out!”

“We weren’t?” said Jin.

If it were possible for your face to burst into flames, it would’ve. “No?”

“That’s too bad,” he continued. “Because I was sure I felt something brewing between us.”

You blinked. Did he just--?

“It’d be a shame to miss my once in a lifetime chance with a hot-tea.”

You quirked your head to the side.

“I’ll be thinking about you a latte--”

“This is getting embarrassing,” muttered Namjoon, visibly facepalming at Jin’s unapologetic pick up lines. “Y/N, please. Maybe he’ll stop if you say you’ll go out with him.”

Burying your face in your hands, you stifled a groan before you heard the same twinkling laughter you couldn’t get enough of. You chanced a peek up and you saw Jin looking at you with a wide smile, his nose scrunching up as he beamed.

He really was cute, you thought. And you couldn’t help but enjoy his terrible pick up lines. They were almost as bad as yours.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, you jotted your number down on a pastry bag and slid it in towards him. “You should head to your final now. But when it’s over, you maybe we can give this dating thing a chai.”

Jin burst out into another fit of giggles and Namjoon exhaled in disappointment.

“I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” said Jin, tracing the pen marks of your number on the pastry bag with a grin. “I’m looking forward to it, Y/N.”

“Me too, Jin.”

And as you gave him a brief hug goodbye, you smiled to yourself. Who knew that one terrible pick up line would lead to all this?

#bangtan #bts #bts x reader #kim seokjin x reader #seokjin x reader #jin x reader #ksj x reader #bts fluff #bts fanfiction #bts imagines #bangtan fanfiction #x reader #reader insert #fanfiction #kim namjoon #kim seokjin #bts jin #seokjin

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robronsecretsanta · 8 years ago

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Sweet Like Chocolate

The Barista AU where Aaron & Robert grow close over the course of a few festive drinks.

For @evak-malec love from your Secret Santa, have a great day!!

Black Forest

Robert feels the cold breeze smother his face as the bell signalling the opening door pierces his ears. He looks up from the milk he’s frothing to greet his newest customer, a winning smile on his face. His eyes land on the figure as he enters the door, removing the fluffy hat he has on in the process. Robert gives his body a quick glance, as he finds himself biting back a smile. The male in front of him is wearing tight running gear that clings to his body in a flattering manner, he is masculine and dark haired with the most piercing blue eyes Robert has ever seen, icy blue which mirrors today’s weather. He’s slightly shorter than Robert, which has him feeling smug, but his shoulders are broader and his chest more toned. Robert shivers as the breeze from outside caresses his body, he finds himself wondering how the other man isn’t trembling with the cold.

“Good morning.” Robert beams as the dark haired man steps up to the counter.

It’s a relatively quiet morning, too early for the morning rush as Robert mans the cafe by himself.

“Alright.” The man replies and his voice is softer than Robert expects, makes his breath catch slightly in his throat. Robert notices he’s even more stunning up close, his impressive mound of facial hair neatly trimmed and his cheeks tinged red from the wind, he smiles politely back at Robert but it doesn’t quite meet his eyes.

“What can I get for you this morning?” Robert asks robotically but his smile is genuine, something about the other man making it impossible to stop.

“Er, Just a coffee please.” The shorter man shrug, a shyness to his voice.

Robert sighs inwardly as he clears his throat, preparing his best customer service voice and plastering the winning smile he’s perfect on his rose tinted lips.

“We have a selection of festive hot chocolates this month, if you’d like to try one of them.”

It’s cheerful and pleasant even though Robert is holding back an eye roll. He’s lost count of how many times he’s repeated the exact sentence in the last week, slightly embarrassed at how ridiculous he must sound in front of the attractive bloke. His boss is pushing for the sale of the new hot chocolates and Robert is quite fond of his job, so he grins and bears it, smiles through the rude scoffs and blunt ‘No’s’.

“Er, yeah alright then.” The man before him replies as he blows into his hands to try form some heat between them.

“Really?” Robert accidentally asks, shock plastered over his face.

He’s so used to business types coming in and ordering a double shot macchiato with 1 sugar and looking horrified when Robert suggest anything else, that he wasn’t expecting a yes. Had gotten accustomed to it being a rhetorical question that people looked at him oddly for.

The bearded bloke chuckles slightly at Robert’s reaction, bites back a smile in a similar way Robert did earlier, and it finally shines through his eyes. Robert relishes in it for a few moments.

“Yeah, go on then.” He says, brining Robert out of his gaze.

“What would you like? We have pump-”

“Whatever’s best.” The runner shrugs, cutting Robert off from naming the countless amounts of flavours from the list

Robert smiles a friendly grin as he gets to work on the drink, watches as the other man starts to awkwardly look around the cafe, absentmindedly playing with his fingers.

“So, you run a lot?” Robert questions, a eyebrow raised and a smile still proudly on his lips as he makes his famous small talk.

The dark haired man eyes him sideways, gives him a look that so obviously says really? But he replies anyway out of politeness, even though it’s obvious he’s not one for small talk.

“Yeah, most mornings.” He shrugs, as he watches Robert’s large hands work the coffee machine.

“Haven’t seen you in here before.” It’s a different route to Robert’s usual customer chatter, but he’s intrigued to know more about the stranger and he just can’t seem to contain himself.

“Change of route.” He smiles in return, looking slightly restless as his legs starts to jog slowly on the spot.

Robert nods in reply, the drink almost complete so he doesn’t see the need to carry on the conversation, despite how much he’d love to ask more questions.

“Marshmallow?” Robert assk as he puts the finishing sprinkle of chocolate on the drink, a toothy grin towards the stranger.

“You what?” The other man spits, his jaw is clenched all of a sudden and Robert recoils in shock, wonders what he’s done to offend the other man all of a sudden. The smile drops as his eyes bugle slightly.

“I - er, do you want a marshmallow.” Robert stutters back, still in slight shock at the abruptness in the other man’s voice.

“Oh, erm, no thanks I’m good.” He replies, looking rather awkward now that he realises his reaction was quite intimidating. Robert smiles nervously back, not sure how to react to the other man’s outburst. He drops the marshmallow and hands over the steaming drink.

Their fingers brush lightly as the strangers cold hands take the drink from Robert’s. There’s an electricity stirring through his veins that Robert’s never experienced before and he almost recoils, uncertainty runs through him.

“Thanks.” The runner smiles softly as he turns to leave the premises, pulling his woolly hat back on.

“You’re welcome.” Robert replies almost inaudible, lost in a daze from the runners captivating smile.

Pumpkin Spiced

It’s been three days since the runner had strolled into Robert’s coffee shop early that Monday morning, and he’d be lying to himself if he believes he’s thought of anything other than that captivating smile, finds himself lost in images of it racing through his mind. It was new and unusual to him, yes he’d found men attractive before but this was unlike anything he’d ever felt and he’s cursing himself for not even knowing his name.

It’s just after 6am and it’s another quiet morning, Robert’s busying himself with cleaning the coffee machine when the bell rings in his ear signalling the opening door. He excitedly looks up from the station, finds himself feeling disappointed to not find a particular face.

He plasters on his best smile, serves the man in a suit with his espresso when the door goes again, his eyes look towards it and he can feel his lip twitch as the smile spreads across his face.

“Back again?” He calls towards the door, a little bit too enthusiastic for so early in the morning but it’s met with a smile.

The stranger is in his running gear again, slightly more sweaty than last time, the damp curls sticking to his forehead. He heads towards the counter, throwing another one of his heavenly smiles towards Robert.

A loud sigh comes from the guy in the suit, a man in desperate need of his coffe, Robert rolls his eyes before plastering on that winning smile, passing the guy his espresso and turning his attention back to the runner.

“So what can I get you today?” He beams, finding it impossible to pull his eyes away from the attractive man.

“I’ll have one of those Christmas-y hot chocolate things, a different one.” The stranger shrugs, rooting through his wallet for some change.

Robert smiles politely, gets to work on the drink as he keep his eyes on the man in front of him.

“Can’t get enough of the hot chocolate then?” Robert asks, a flirtatious smirk on his face that he hasn’t even realised is there.

“Something like that.” The man bites at his bottom lip to hide a smile and it makes something erupt inside Robert he’s never felt before, has to clear his throat slightly before he speaks.

“Pumpkin spiced hot chocolate.“ Robert beams as he hands over the red festive cup. "Pumpkin spiced? Isn’t that for like.. teenage girls.” The other man eyes the cup suspiciously, A frown on his face that makes a small giggle escape Robert’s lips.

“What, pumpkin not masculine enough for you?” Robert jokes, a smirk on his face that reaches to the crinkles of his eyes.

The runner shrugs as he takes the cup from Robert, their fingers brushing again. He bites back another grin and Robert doesn’t know how much more he can take of this.

He opens his mouth, prepares himself to speak, he’s not even sure what he’s about to say but he knows he doesn’t want the other man to leave just yet.

“Morning!” A cheerful voice calls from the door and Robert diverts his eyes from the runner, finding Leyla, his co worker entering the building.

He returns his eyes back to the man in front of him, whatever he wanted to say has gone along with the brief moment they were experiencing and Robert can’t help but frown slightly.

“I should go.” The stranger announces and Robert’s sure he looks half as disappointed as he feels. He receives a small wave and a awkward smile as the guy starts to jog out the door, leaving Robert wondering when he’ll see him next.

“He’s cute.” Leyla pipes up next to him, also admiring the view of the strangers backside, a sleek raised eyebrow in Robert’s direction.

Robert shrugs, but he’s biting the inside of his cheek to stop his smile radiating.

“What’s his name?” Leyla asks as she pulls on her apron, tying her hair up into a long ponytail.

And Robert finds himself cursing for not asking his name once again.

Salted Caramel

Robert loved his job, that was no secret. The strong smell of roasting beans filling his senses, the friendly chatter of regular customers who leave with a smile on their face, the unlimited free coffee to help him through the early mornings; but he hated Fridays.

Fridays, the devil’s day, as Robert likes to refer to it. It’s the busiest day of the week, from the moment the shop opens he is bombarded with rude customers, their difficult orders and lack of manners, it takes everything in him to bite back his tongue and smile.

Today is no different, he’s already been shouted at twice by men in suits who ordered the wrong coffee and blamed it on him, and he’s scalded himself with burning milk at least four times, and it’s not even 9am yet.

His head is sulked into the coffe machine as he busies himself with orders. He’d be lying if he said his foul mood wasn’t anything to do with the fact he was hoping to see the attractive stranger at least once again before this week was over, but there was no sign of him early this morning, and Robert could do with a smiling face just once today.

“Hot Chocolate for Aaron.” Robert calls in his most cheerful but forced voice as he waits for the customer to claim their drink and start with the next one.

“Had to choose my own this morning.”

Robert recognises voice instantly and his eye’s shoot up from where they’d wandered down to the next drink, he’s already biting at his bottom lip before they connect with the soft blue ones.

Aaron

The name feels like sugar on his tongue.

“Hey you.” Robert exhales and it’s all he can manages as his eyes fall on the now familiar face, but something’s different. He’s swapped his running gear for a tight, short sleeves black t-shirt and there’s a pair of navy overalls tied low around his waist, Robert’s breathe catches in his throat and he almost chokes as Aaron begins to speak again.

“Busy in here today.” Aaron acknowledges, his eyes scanning the room then falling back onto Robert who’s now wearing a genuine smile compared to the forced one he’s been sporting all morning.

“No run today?” Robert nods in the direction of Aaron’s clothes, not that he’s complaining with the choice of outfit today.

“Didn’t have time, need this before I start work though.” He smiles softly but he doesn’t refer to the hot chocolate when he says it, nods towards Robert instead and Robert wonders if he’s imagining things.

“Sugden, get back to work!” A loud roar comes from behind them an Robert’s head whips round to find his manager glaring from the back of the room. His cheeks turn a slight pink as he turns back to Aaron, an awkward smile on his face.

“I better…” Robert points towards the coffee machine and it’s then he notices the que of people lining out the door. Aaron seems to notice it too and gives a grimace towards Robert, but there’s a smile behind it and Robert’s glad he wasn’t the only one in his own little world for a few moments.

“See you soon, Sugden.” Aaron smirks and his eyes are glowing, it makes Robert melt inside.

“Bye Aaron.” Robert hastily calls just as Aaron reaches the door.

Aaron turns round to catch Robert’s eye, throwing a quick wink in his direction before disappearing.

“Disappointing.”

A loud sigh comes from besides Robert and he knows it so well, because Leyla’s nothing if she’s not dramatic.

“What?” Robert quizzes, a eyebrow raised in his co workers direction.

“I’m guessing you’re more his type.” Leyla confirms and Robert’s brow furrows instantly because he has no idea what the hell she is talking about.

Leyla takes the hint and continues, crossing her arms over her chest as she sulks.

“Cute hot chocolate guy, I asked him out but I’m not his type.” She confirms, shrugging her shoulders to show she’s already over it and busying herself with more orders.

Robert’s not sure what it is but something erupts inside him that’s he never felt before and his mind is clouded with lust and want and he’s not sure how he’s going to go about it, but he’s certain he needs to know more about this Aaron.

Red Velvet

Roberts decided he’s had enough. It’s been almost two weeks of back and forth flirting, an array of hot chocolates and countless finger brushes that send an electricity through him and he’s just had enough.

Today’s the day he’s gonna ask Aaron out.

There’s nerves flowing through his body and there’s a voice in his brain saying he shouldn’t be doing this, but the way his heart races in his chest when Aaron steps through the door tells him otherwise.

“What flavour is it today?” Aaron beams as he approaches the counter, a bounce in his step.

Robert’s mouth feels dry as he goes to speak, has to clear his throat quietly before he continues.

“Today’s special is Red Velvet.” Robert replies with a over exaggerated eyebrow wiggle that has Aaron sniggering in front of him.

“Sounds perfect.” He replies, leaning his body against the counter as Robert prepares his drink.

“Cold outside?” Robert questions, eyes glued to the cup in his hand. He’s trying to find the courage to get the words out, prolonging it for as long as he can.

“You’re asking me about the weather? Seriously?”

Robert looks up to find Aaron with a raised eyebrow, a small smirk on his face. It’s the reaction he should of expected, in the short space of time they’ve got to know each other, their small talk has never included the weather, and Robert’s not sure why he’s decided now is the time too.

He laughs back at Aaron, shrugs his shoulders like it was an innocent question and finishes up with his drink.

He hands it to Aaron, his fingers are glove clad this morning and Robert finds himself slightly disappointed he doesnt get to experience the brush of his rough lingering fingertips.

There’s a moment of silence, its suffocating Robert a little as he scratches at the back of his neck. Aaron hasn’t made an effort to leave and Robert doesn’t want him too, knows it’s now or never.

“Listen, I was thinking-” Robert blurts out as Aaron goes to open his own mouth, probably deciding to say his goodbye.

Aaron doesn’t speak, waits for Robert to continue, watches on as he coughs awkwardly and tries to look into Aaron’s eyes but fails.

Aaron waits with a perked eyebrow.

“Do you wanna do something tomorrow, outside of here.” Robert laughs, hopes it will make the situation comes across as less serious, maybe even a joke that he can excuse it as if Aaron denies his offer.

“Me and you?” Aaron asks and he’s biting back a smile, winding Robert up.

“Well…yeah.” Robert hesitates, anticipating the reply.

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Aaron says, finally putting Robert out of his misery, watching as a beaming smile full of porcelain teeth spreads across his face.

“Great.” He replies, “I finish up here about 5.” He confirms, nerves disappearing into the air with the steam around him.

“Great, I’ll meet you here then?” Aaron questions, he’s grateful Robert has made the move, was building up to do the same thing.

“Yeah, I know just the place”.

Gingerbread

Robert’s sweeping the floor hastily, wants to finish as quick as possible. It’s Friday, and he couldn’t be happier. He’s been left to close up shop for the weekend, but that’s not why he’s happy. He’d agreed to meet Aaron here once he’d finished, he doesn’t dare call it a date, but the nervous turning of his stomach and the anxious shake of his hand on the broom says otherwise.

He’d gotten up extra early today, spent a little more time on styling his hair, picked out his change of clothes more carefully, sprayed that extra dash of aftershave in hopes he doesn’t completely reek of coffee.

He’s putting up the last stool when he hears the bell jingle in his ears, head whipping round to find Aaron strolling in.

His heart pounds against his chest as his eyes fall on him, the sight unable to be put into words. He’s wearing dark black jeans and a grey t-shirt, topped with a black jacket. The anxious smile he wears mirrors Robert’s, which instantly makes him feel calmer and more relaxed.

“Hey, almost finished?” He asks casually, hands stuffed in his jeans pockets.

“Yep, all done.” Robert smiles brightly, regaining some of his confidence as he passes Aaron a paper cup filled with hot liquid.

“Cheers.” He replies, taking a sip from of the drink and smiling as it warms his throat.

“Gingerbread.” Robert confirms as he picks up his own black coffee and shrugs on his long coat.

“S’good” Aaron mumbles as they both head for the door. ”Give all your dates freebies?” He smirks, raising a suggestive eyebrow towards Robert.

“So this is a date is it?” Robert challenges, expression mirroring Aarons.

Aaron laughs it off with a shake of the head, a smile staying firmly on his face. “So what’s the plan?” Aaron questions, eyebrow raised towards Robert as he locks the door with the mound of keys in hand.

“You’ll see.” Robert smirks, his arrogance finding its way back to the forefront of his personality as he leads the way for Aaron.

They don’t walk long, a short journey into the middle of the city. The walk in silence mostly, shoulders brushing slightly against each other making their skin tingle as the harsh cold makes their cheeks tint pink.

Robert can’t help but stare. The way Aaron’s curls brush back away from his face with the wind, his baby blues bright and sparkling from the twinkling Christmas lights gathered around the city. He’s beautiful, Robert thinks, can’t help but trace his eyes across every part of his face as they walk with their hands in their pockets.

“Careful you don’t walk into something.” Aaron smiles, without turning his eyes towards Robert.

Robert clears his throat, clearly embarrassed he’s been caught, looks away instantly.

He’s glad their destination is in sight, a valid reason to change the subject.

“Here we are.” Robert beams, taking his hands out of the pockets of his jacket and rubbing them together to friction some heat.

“Where?” Aaron questions, confusion on his face as he eyes his surroundings.

“Here.” Robert points towards the large rink in front of them, filled with people gliding across the thick ice.

“Ice skating??” Aaron raises an eyebrow, his eyes have a glint of fear in them.

“Yeah, what else?” Robert shrugs. A permanent smile on his face.

“You’re kidding right.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I don’t skate.” Aaron defends, hands out in front of him as his worry of falling and making a fool of himself creeps higher.

“Neither do I, that’s the fun of it.”

It takes a lot of persuading, but Robert eventually talks Aaron round. He watches on, as he ties the laces on his boots, carefully walking towards the ice. He looks ridiculous, hands glued to the railing as his feet slide each and every way, a look of dread on his face every time his foot slips. Robert can’t help but bite back a laugh, the sight warming his heart

“Come ‘ere.” Robert demands as he skates around Aaron, almost making him dizzy. A smug look on his face.

“No chance.” Aaron protests as he keeps his hand on the bar, a scowl in Robert’s direction. “This is the worst date ever.” He spits, but there’s no malice behind it.

“Trust me.” Robert smiles as he extends his hand towards Aaron.

It takes a few minutes, but Aaron eventually lets go of the railing, a weary look on his face as he quickly grabs Robert’s extended hand.

“Now let go of the other one.” Robert encourages, as he holds Aaron’s hand in his own, the other still tightly against the railing.

He does as he’s told, arms swinging out in front of him as he quickly grabs onto the arm of Robert’s jacket, their body’s the closest they’ve ever been. Robert has to swallow hard, as he feels Aaron’s breath by his lips and it sends a spark through his body, an unexplainable feeling he’d never experience.

“Right, you ready to move.” Robert eventually speaks up, after clearing his throat and straightening his back.

Aaron nods in reply, the fear of falling too much to make him form words.

“Okay, follow my lead.” Robert smiles encouragingly as he starts to skate backwards, Aaron’s feet mirroring his own as they move over the ice hand in hand

Robert watches, as Aaron’s face instantly calms, his body relaxing with Robert’s touch as they move around the rink. Couples hand in hand, all bobble hats and scarfs wizz past them as they stay in their own little world, content in each other’s company in the mid December air.

Robert’s staring again, he knows it. It’s like they’re floating on a cloud and all he can see is Aaron, the determination in his face but somehow still having soft glistening blue eyes. There’s a dopey smile on Robert’s face, his head tilted to the side slightly as he just admires, marvels the man in front of him.

He’s had feelings towards men before, always knew that there was attraction towards them, it was undeniable, but he’d only ever acted on it once. As a teenager, when he finally worked up the courage to act on his feelings, it all came crashing down on him, in the form of his father’s back hand, and it was never spoken of again.

But with Aaron, it feels different. Natural and normal, like nothing he’d ever felt with a man or a woman, and he barely knew him. It terrified Robert.

So caught up in his own thoughts and Aaron’s baby blues, Robert manages to lose his footing. One of his skates hooking around the other one til he’s a fumbling mess, stumbling backwards with a loud crash onto the ice, a shooting pain in his ass. Within seconds, Aaron has lost his balance too, Robert pulling at his hands as he falls down, Aaron coming crashing on top of him with a shout of Robert’s name as they collided.

They looked utterly ridiculous. Sprawled out on top of each other in the middle of the large ice rink, passed by hurrying over to help them up.

For a moment Robert thinks he’s blew it, as his cheeks turn a hot pink and he watches Aaron intensely, waiting for the other man’s reaction. It is the biggest relief when his frown turns into a small smile, before he let of a roaring laugh, his eyes crinkling at the sides as the two of them struggle to stand. Robert heart flutters at the sound, skips a beat at the sight of Aaron in front of him, and he knows right there and then, he is in trouble.

The disaster that was ice skating had ended quite abruptly after the fall, both men deciding it was best for their health, neither wanted a trip to the hospital on their first date.

It’s how they found themselves, walking side by side, sharing some sort of crepe from one of the Christmas market stalls and talking about their families.

Aaron was a lot softer than Robert had first imagined, he watches closely as Aaron talks about his younger sister, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye as he scrunches up his nose, explains how much she annoys the hell out of him. They exchange stories, Robert relating from his own experiences with an annoying younger sister, but it’s obvious Aaron dotes on his sibling, just as Robert does, and it’s nice, to see they have more in common than movie taste and good coffee.

They talk about everything and nothing, as they sit in front of the oversized Christmas tree dazzling them with multicoloured lights. Robert’s never felt so content, finds it so easy to talk about himself to someone who would of been classed as a complete stranger just a little over two weeks ago. It’s how the night gets away from them, to caught up in their own world to notice the city emptying out, the shop lights switching off, doors being locked.

“Shit, I best be off.” Aaron announces as he stands, a quick glance at his watch. “I’ve got work in the morning.”

“What? On a Saturday?” Robert asks, hopes the disappointment doesn’t show too much in his voice, shows how much he doesn’t want the night to end.

“Yeah, we can’t all work 9-5 you know.” Aaron teases, a twitch of his lip and a sparkle in his eye as the soft Christmas lights bounce off them.

“6-5, actually.” Robert corrects, sure of himself as he stands with Aaron, his height advantage having him tower over the other man.

There’s a soft laugh that escapes Aaron’s mouth as the two sway in time with each other and Robert can’t help but smile, feels an eruption of flutters in his stomach as he stares at the other man, all soft blue eyes surrounded by dark features. “I had a good time tonight.” Aaron confirms as he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, then tension in the air becoming too much. “Yeah, me too. Besides the whole ice skating disaster.” Robert lets out a soft laugh which has Aaron doing the same and Roberts positive he sees Aaron’s eyes dart towards his lips. “Erm, I’m this way.” Robert quickly announces, the awkward tension back around them as he points to the direction behind him “Oh, uh- I’m that way.” Aaron replies as he nods his head in the opposite direction, stepping from foot to foot as he shoves his hands in his pockets. There’s a split second where Aaron takes a step forward, the gap between them almost non existent and Robert’s heart begins to pulse. He doesn’t know if he should hug, kiss or shake the other man’s hand.

“Bye then.” Robert blurts out, a limp hand coming up between them to throw a quick wave as an anxious smile finds his lips. “Oh, right - bye.” Aaron replies almost a little too disappointingly as he turns on his heels, walks away from Robert Roberts eyes are squeezed shut, a thumb and finger coming up to the bridge of his nose as he curses himself. “Bye then?” Robert questions himself out loud as he heads back in the directs of his car, the thought of ruining things with Aaron far too evident in his mind. He chances a quick glance back in the direction, but Aaron’s disappeared, nowhere to be seen and he feels like an idiot for getting too caught up in his head, words of his father swimming around inside. He exhales deeply as he arrives to his car, hovers over Aaron’s number in his phone. Smiles at the memory of them exchanging phones earlier in the night, the wink emoji proudly next to his name. And Robert can’t help but felt determined, hopeful even. Because against all his better judgement, against everything he’s been told to believe is right and wrong his whole life. He wants Aaron.

Peanut Butter The weekend passes slowly for Robert. Filled with over analysing and lost in his own thoughts. He texts Aaron, a simple message of how much of a good time he had. He’s relieved when the reply comes through, signed off with a smiley face and a kiss that almost makes a squeal release from Roberts lips as he bites back a smile. He doesn’t suggest a second date just yet, doesn’t want to come across as too keen. So he waits, spends the weekend re reading the simple text, smiling to himself as he daydreams of the future. He’s got it bad for the the man with the scruffy beard and the softest eyes.

When Monday comes around Robert practically skips into work. His hair brushed back off his face, styled a little more, a smart button up shirt in place of his usual washed out tshirt, a smile firmly on his lips.

The morning passes slowly, without any sign of Aaron, he finds himself restless and agitated, tapping his foot constantly on the floor.

He’s already messed up 3 orders and his manager is on his back, but he cares less by the minute. Can only think about how much he’s messed things up with Aaron.

The lunchtime rush is over, and Robert is propped up against the counter chatting aimlessly to one of his regulars. Mr. Burke, a guy in his mid 60’s who orders a long black everyday for as long as Robert can remember. It’s the first person to put a smile on his face all morning, as he waffles on about the changes to the bus routes on his street.

“I have every right to go down to that council and give them a piece of my mind.” He explains, as he sits on the table closest to the counter and sips on his hot drink.

“You sure do.” Robert encourages as he wipes absentmindedly at the countertop.

He doesn’t jump with excitement when the door jangles open signalling another customer, the novelty of it wearing off throughout the day. So he is more than surprised when the familiar voice comes from behind him.

“Working hard I see.”

Robert spins round at record speed to find Aaron, stood in his blue overalls and a large back puffy coat as he smirks knowingly at Robert.

Robert can’t help but smile instantly, eyes feeling soft and lids heavy and he’s sure he looks like a love sick puppy.

“Boring day.” Robert smiles knowingly before clearing his throat and standing a little taller.

“What can I get you?.”

Robert can feel Aaron’s eyes on him, giving him a once over, exploring every aspect of his lean body. He feels himself doing the same and there’s a long moment of silence that would be uncomfortable to anyone but each other.

“Uh - nothing actually I’m in a rush, I just uh -” Aaron stutters over his words, a nervous ear scratch before he clears his throat. “Are you busy tonight?” Aaron’s eyes finally lock with Robert’s as he looks up and they’re so blue and welcoming that Robert almost gasps.

“Uh - no, completely free.” Robert smiles but inside he’s cursing himself for not playing it a little cooler. He’s never been this bad at flirting, Aaron has a different effect on him. With him, it’s a whole different ball game.

“Great.” Aaron beams, a little more confident now, his shoulders relaxing. “I’ll pick you up here when you finish then?”

“Yeah, great.” Robert replies instantly, all hands and nervous swaying.

“Great. I best get back to work.” Aaron smiles before half jogging out the cafe, leaving Robert to stare aimlessly as he leaves, a idiotic smile on his face.

“You’ve got it bad.” He hears Mr. Burke call from besides him but he’s too entranced by Aaron to even reply.

***

It’s just after 5 when Robert sees Aaron’s car pull up outside the cafe. He’s driving a small black Golf, and Robert can see there’s red leather on the seats from here, Aaron’s own personal touch.

He’s shivering when he steps out of the cold and into the heat of the car. Two paper cups shaking in hand as he passes the Peanut Butter hot chocolate over to Aaron with a smile.

“You know, you’ve only got one more flavour on the menu after that.” Robert smiles, his chattering teeth now calming in the warmth of Aaron’s car.

“Looks like I’ll have to find a new Coffee Shop.” Aaron smirks sarcastically and Robert can’t help but let out a small chuckle, feels so at ease.

It’s almost like they’ve known each other for years, not weeks. As they sit in a comfortable silence, Aaron’s eyes on the road as Robert watches the movement of his jaw as he concentrates.

“Where you taking me then?” Robert queries, eventually breaking the silences, too excited to keep his question to himself.

He watches as Aaron’s lip curls at the side with the question, an almost devious smile but it’s gone in seconds.

“There’s a drive in cinema showing Christmas films all week, thought that would be your type of thing.” He replies, eyes still firmly on the road but he chances a glance at Robert to gauge his reaction.

“Seriously? That sounds amazing.” Robert beams, dopey smile and bright eyes. Aaron can’t help but smile at how adolescence he looks in his black beanie pulled over his blonde locks and checked scarf around his neck. Like a kid at Christmas, Aaron thinks to himself.

“Good.” Aaron replies simply but there’s a hint of something behind his voice that Robert can’t quit out his finger on.

They park on a large field, sliding in next to two other cars with a perfect view of the oversized cinema screen right in front of them. Robert’s buzzing as Aaron connects the radio to a certain station which streams the movie through his car and rummages in the back seat for the snacks he’s brought.

It’s a new experience for Robert which makes it all the more exciting as he settles in his chair, Aaron handing him some store bought toffee popcorn.

“So what film are we seeing?” Robert asks as he tosses a kernel in his mouth, adjusting himself in his seat.

“You’ll see.” Aaron smirks, and Robert’s certain he’s up to something now.

Right on cue the credits start and Robert’s stopped from asking any more questions as he relaxes into the car seat, hoping to catch a glimpse of Will Ferrell dressed as a elf of Tom Allen in a santa suit.

His brow is furrowed when the airplane comes on the screen, he racks his brain for what film they could be watching, maybe he hasn’t seen this one.

He concentrates a little more before he recognizes an actor. Bruce Willis is on the screen, he’s on a airplane with a oversized teddy bear and the jingle of bells is starting as the light bulb goes off in his head.

Aaron’s chuckling as he notices Robert’s confusion, he’s watching for his reaction, waiting for it.

“You said a Christmas film?” Robert asks in confusion. Eyes darting from the screen and back to an amused Aaron.

“This is a Christmas film.” He confirms, a bemused look on his face as he bites back more of a laugh.

“It’s Die Hard.” Robert confirms as his confusion only heightens, waiting for Aaron to explain.

“Yeah I know.” Is all Aaron gives him, and it only expands Robert’s befuddlement.

“There’s two type of people in the world, Robert.” Aaron starts as he watches Robert’s brow knit.

“Those who think Die Hard is a Christmas film….and those who are wrong.” He finishes, sure of himself as he tries and fails to hire his snigger.

Robert snorts, finds himself in shrills of laughter as Aaron joins in, the small car filled with their giggles as the film kicks into swing.

“Can’t argue with that.” Robert manages to get out as the laughter dies down, the two of them enjoying the movie in hand.

It’s not even a hour in, Bruce Willis has killed his first bad guy but Robert’s lost interest somewhere in between and he’s found himself looking over towards Aaron, a huge grin on his face.

He can’t help but stare, looks at Aaron as if he put the stars in the sky and his lips have curled up and his eyes are doe-y and filled with admiration.

Despite the minus temperature outside, Robert begins to feel hot, palms clammy as he adjusts the collar of his shirt, pulse racing. It’s all beginning to feel a bit surreal, how he’s feeling, how he cant control it. He’s so caught up in his own thoughts that he misses Aaron eye him sideways, a smirk on his lips.

“Watch the film.” He whispers, as he keeps his eyes looking forward.

Robert feels embarrassed, caught staring like a love sick puppy at Aaron, but Aaron doesn’t seem to mind. He turns his gaze away, stares back at Robert with the same lust filled eyes as he shuffles in his seat, edging closer to Robert.

There’s no words as the tension builds, the two of them locked on each other, can’t seem to break the gaze. Aaron leans his hand over, rests it on the seat next to Roberts thigh and edges his body that little bit more forward.

He takes the opportunity, eyes flicker down to Robert’s plump pink lips and Aaron self consciously licks at his own dry ones.

The actions doesn’t go a miss and Robert knows what’s about to come as he feels his nerves go into overdrive. Aaron edging that little bit closer.

Robert watches as Aaron’s eyes flutter shut but his own are wide and his mouth is ajar and as Aaron inches closer, his nose brushing against Robert’s cheek, he panics, recoils quickly.

His heart is racing manically and he’s fumbling with the handle of the door. All too real for him now, feeling all too much.

Aaron’s eyes shoot open as his brow furrows, a look of confusion mixed with disappointment on his face.

“Rob, are you - what’s up?”

“I’ve gotta go.” Roberts saying as he’s unlocking the door, almost falling out the car.

“Wait, what - did I do something wrong? Robert?!” Aaron’s calling, fumbling quickly to get out the car, but when he does he’s met with Robert’s back, jogging out of the field.

Honey & Almond

Robert ran. He ran until he was breathless and tired. He ran until his feet ached and a pain struck him in his chest. He ran from all his fears, all his insecurities. He ran from Aaron.

The reality of it terrified Robert. How much he already felt for this man, how much more he wanted to feel. It was like nothing he’d ever experienced, and when he looked into his eyes that night, he knew if he’d let their lips touched, there wouldn’t be any way back.

It had been a week. A week of no contact, a week of Aaron avoiding the coffee shop, a week of miserable days of grey skies and rain which mirrored Robert’s emotional states. And not a second has gone by without Aaron filling Robert’s thoughts.

He ached for him, yearned for him. Running away without an explanation was a dick move, ignoring the phone calls that followed shortly after wasn’t the best idea either.

He’s been over it in his head countless times. Questioned everything he knew and believed and asked himself, is this how he wanted to love the rest of his life? Running away from his feelings, burying them because his father once told him it was wrong.

He watches the minutes pass on the clock, his foot tapping anxiously as the rain patters on the glass. It’s almost as if he’s sleep walking, lifeless and robotic, the intense sorrow inside him the only thing proving he’s awake.

He serves customers, without a smile or chatter, finds himself making drinks without thought and that’s how he’s found himself here, a hot paper cup getting pushed back over the counter towards him.

“I said almond latte.” The man seethes, all too passionate about his coffee.

It’s just coffee Robert thinks

“That’s what I made.” Robert shrugs back.

“That’s a hot chocolate.”

Robert peels off the lid, the milky brown liquid staring back up at him.

Honey and Almond.

It’s the last on the menu of their festive drinks, the one Aaron had yet to try. The only one left, the one he never came back for.

It elates something inside of Robert. A confirmation of some sort, a sign. The customer’s words are mumbled as they demand a new drink, Robert’s eyes still glued to the paper cup.

He doesn’t give it another thought, is too scared that he may talk himself out of it if he doesn’t move now, start taking the chances he’s missed his whole life.

The cup is firm in his hand and he’s around the counter and almost out the door as he hears the calls from his manager, the rain hitting his face, cold and sharp.

He can’t stop his feet from moving, not even sure where he’s heading he just knows there’s a garage a few blocks away and something in his heart tells him that’s where he needs to go.

He spots him, under shelter of the garage, navy overalls pulled up over a jumper, cheeks tinged pink in the harsh cold.

His pulse races, like a beating drum as his heart pounds against his chest and he’s nervous, hesitates for a second before his feet are taking him closer, gravel crunching under his soles.

The sound alerts Aaron, eyes travelling up over the car to land on Roberts approaching body, quickly tensing.

He turns his back almost instantly, a shake of his head as he walks away, putting distance between the two men. He looks hurt, angry and theirs guilt building in Robert that he’s never felt before

“Aaron-”

“What are you doing here Robert?” He’s cut off abruptly, Aaron still not facing him and Robert wants to reach out and touch him, but he stops his wanting hand.

“I’ve come to apologise.”

“Save it.” Aaron’s words are harsh and bitter. He’s good at this, standing his ground. Stubborn and angry.

“Please, I can explain.” Robert’s voice is soft and sad and laced with everything he never got the chance to say.

This peaks Aaron’s interest, turns and raises a eyebrow in Robert’s direction. He takes this chance to take in Robert’s appearance. His hair wet and stuck to his forehead as he stands out in the rain, only a thin black jumper to keep him warm. His eyes are sad and light and it makes Aaron take his bottom lip and bite in debate.

He gives up his defences, decides to hear Robert out, because as hurt as he is, there’s still some underlying feeling their that Aaron just can’t shake, powerful and unlike anything he’s ever felt before after such a short time. He gives a nod of his head, as in giving Robert the green light and it encourages a sigh of relief from Robert’s lips as he hands over the now luke warm drink. Aaron’s eyes it suspiciously at first but takes it anyway, a bite on the inside of his cheek to stop the smile he has no control over.

They sit in silence for a moment. Robert debating his words, where to start, what to say, if it even matters. He watches as Aaron takes a sip of the drink, before discarding it at the side and eyeing Robert patiently. Robert knows it’s now or never.

“I’m sorry for running away. I just panicked, it was all just getting-” he trails off, still unsure about his words, his eyes anywhere but Aaron’s.

“I just don’t understand, you asked me out first remember, I thought - I dunno I guess I thought there was something there.” Aaron’s words are low and sad and full of self doubt which has Roberts head quickly shooting up and his hand automatically on Aaron’s knee.

“It was nothing you did, it was me, I’m sorry i’m just a bit of a mess.”

Aaron rolls his eyes at the cliche of the words and let’s out a sigh of frustration, feels like they’re getting nowhere.

“So tell me.” Aaron encourages, head dipping to try and catch Roberts wondering eyes again.

When he stays silent, eyes refusing to meet Aaron’s, he feels him stand next to him, a shake of his head as his feet march away, defenses going back up.

Robert stands quickly, following Aaron out of the garage and into the dull rain that neither of them seem to care about.

“My dad- he uh - when I was younger, he found me in my room with another lad, a guy that worked on the farm with us. Nothing happened, we never got the chance before my dad was kicking him out and belting me for it.” It comes out all in one breath as Robert speaks to the back of Aaron’s head, he he watches as he stops and stands still, listening. “He hated the thought that I - he never said it, but I could see it all over his face, the disgust, the anger. I buried it for years, pretended like I wasn’t having these feelings and thoughts, but then I met you and I couldn’t deny it anymore Aaron, you’re undeniable.”

Aaron’s body turns slowly, his lip pushed out in a sad frown as he comes close to Robert, lets him carry on speaking.

“I’ve never - with a guy, that’s why when you tried to kiss me the other day, I panicked. All I could hear was my dads words in my head and his face and I had to get out of there, I thought it was the best thing for both of us if I just left you alone.”

Aaron nods, takes in Roberts words and digests them before he asks the question.

“What so you’re in the closet?” He asks, but his words are careful and considerate.

“Not exactly, I’m bi-sexual.” The words roll off his tongue easy and he shocks himself at how natural it sounds after being so terrified of those words for years. “I don’t go shouting it to the world, but it’s knowledge I’d share if anybody wanted to know.”

Aaron’s nods, accepts the answer he’s been given before he gives Robert another once over, his body visibly relaxing now that he’s got it all off his chest

“So what now?” Aaron’s asking, a slight anxious tone to his voice.

“Id uh- like to give us a proper go, if you’d still want me .” Robert stutters out, eyes shifting awkwardly before connecting back with Aaron’s bright excited ones.

“Of course I want this.” Aaron says automatically, and embarrassingly quick as he gestures between the two of them.

Robert’s heart’s in overdrive now as the smile itches at his lips, his feet taking him that small step further to close the gap between the two of them, rain heavily hitting at their bodies as the droplets fall down off Aaron’s curls and hits his lip.

Robert eyes follow it, lingers his gaze a little too long on Aaron’s lips before his hand is impulsively coming up to cup at his rough cheeks, the scratch of stubble unusual but comforting to Robert.

Aaron leans into the touch, almost nuzzles into Robert’s hand and it’s a sight Robert could happily die after seeing. He hesitates for a moment, nerves pulsing through him as he moves his mouth closer, breathe thick and heavy.

It’s a split second, he dips his head and takes Aaron’s lips, the harsh stubble scratching his chin and making him feel alive as Aaron pushes his lips back, hand coming up to the nape of Robert’s neck.

It’s longing and passionate and unlike anything Robert had ever experience in a kiss, Aaron’s tongue licking at his bottom lip and asking for access as their bodies press closer, chest to chest.

It’s like that for a few moments, Robert’s hand moving to cup at Aaron’s jaw, fingers tracing the patch of skin under his ear as his other hand pulls him in by the waist.

They part their lips, coming up for air as they inhale each other’s breath but their foreheads stay together like a magnetic force and their noses are grazing next to each other and occasionally onto their cheeks.

It’s a few moments of silence, smiles on both their faces as their eyes lock, neither wanting to be the first to pull away, to lose the contact they’ve waited so long for.

Aaron pushes his lips forwards again, a simple peck on Robert’s lips that last less than a second before letting his smile fully expand and crinkle his eyes.

“Worth the wait?” He smirks as he holds onto Roberts soaked jumper by his arms.

“Definitely.” Robert replies breathlessly, heart still thumping hard in his chest and he’s sure Aaron can feel it too.

He doesn’t think about his dad, doesn’t think about the trouble he’ll be in with his boss, doesn’t think about the the mistake he’s made in the past.

All he can think about is Aaron, in their own little world of each other, and the future he can now see them having.

#robron fanfiction #robron

117 notes · View notes

michaelfallcon · 6 years ago

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Top Ten Best Bean to Cup Coffee Machines 2019

In this post I’m exploring the top ten, best bean to cup coffee machines of 2019, including comparisons of features and common comments from user reviews.

This isn’t an official top ten list of bean to cup coffee machines, it’s simply what I have gauged to be the top ten best bean to cup coffee machines based on sales stats & reviews, in the hope of helping readers to discover which may be the best bean to cup coffee machine for them, based on their budget and their needs.

It’s important to state that I’ve not used all of these machines, I spent a week with the DeLonghi ESAM 4200, and I also spent a week with the Sage Oracle for my Sage Oracle Review, but the info on all the other machines on the list is purely from the research I’ve done. Having said that, I do put quite a bit of time into doing this research, so they should be helpful and save you some time in doing all of the research yourself.

Best Bean to Cup Espresso machines.

Just to point out, this is the top ten best bean to cup espresso machines, and doesn’t include bean to cup filter coffee machines, for bean to cup filter machines see: Best Bean to Cup Filter Coffee Machines.

Why Buy a Bean to Cup Machine?

If you want true espresso at home, or in the office, or both if you work from home ;-), you only really have two options, a semi automatic traditional espresso machine with a grinder, or a bean to cup espresso machine.

Going the traditional route with a semi auto or fully manual espresso machine (I have both, a Gaggia Classic & a La Pavoni Europiccola) plus a grinder, doesn’t just mean buying a coffee machine, it means the beginning of a hobby.

If you’re not yet an experienced home barista, you’ll experience a learning curve when you first start using an espresso machine, and depending on which bean to cup machine you go for, the learning curve can be reduced. There will still be a bit of a learning curve, you still need to dial in to get the right grind, but generally speaking bean to cup machines are easier, depending on the level of automation, some do a bit for you – some do it all for you & involve you simply pressing a button.

Yes you could go for a capsule machine such as Nespresso (see best Nespresso machines) but they’re not true espresso, not a million miles away, and they’re mega fast and convenient, but if you want true espresso, you need an espresso machine.

Anyway, I’m getting side tracked – so without further waffling:

Top Ten Best Bean to Cup Espresso machines 2019

De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM4200

Features:

Dimensions 36 x 38 x 28 cm Dual (thermoblock) boiler, no waiting for steam after pulling the shot 1 touch bean to cup Simple to use coffee strength / volume controls Turbo steam wand. Capable of Ristretto and Espresso No1 selling bean to cup espresso machine on Amazon Burr grinder Water tank: 1.2 litres 1450 watts Available in black or silver 2 year warranty

This is the best selling bean to cup machine on Amazon, and it has an average review score of 4.5 from a whopping 1,485 reviews – plus there are over 250 answered questions, so this machine has a lot going for it in terms of the user being able to find out all of it’s quirks & pros and cons before deciding whether it’s the right bean to cup machine for them. By the way by far the best answered question is this one:

Question: Does this device enable me to travel through space and time? Answer: Hi, only if you possess a CONTINUUM TRANSFUNCTIONER, Cheers G

Love it ;-), the best bean to cup coffee machine which is easily converted into a time machine, with a simple continuum transfunctioner, which I believe you can get from Maplin.

Blurb:

Grinds Fresh Coffee Beans

Your choice of fresh coffee beans finely ground with the integrated burr grinder. Creating coffee shop quality coffee, to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

Personalise Your Coffee

Easy to use control panel for you to simply adapt the coffee strength and length to your preference.

Double Delivery

Prepare two drinks with a single touch of a button, or prepare hot water for tea infusions.

Traditional Milk Frother

Produces a smooth and silky milk foam to create your favourite beverages such as Cappuccino, Caffe Latte, or Latte Macchiato.

Note about the blurb:

It’s not what I would class as a traditional frother, it’s a Pannarello / turbo steam wand as many of these machines have, meaning that it has a sheath around it and the air holes are in the side, rather than having a hole or holes in the tip. This makes it much more straight forward to stick it in the milk and create froth, but my experience with turbo wands is that they make it almost impossible to control the milk texture, so what most people tend to do if they want to work on improving the milk texture, is to just remove the plastic sheath, or in some cases you can replace the turbo wand with a traditional steam wand.

Amazon reviews: 4.5 / 5 from 1,485 reviews

Best review:

Bought this having had a tassimo machine before. The change is stellar and, to be honest, it’s no extra hassle. Now all my waste goes on the compost rather than having to be disposed of down the local recycling centre.

I now get to try all sorts of coffees that I find in random shops. It makes beautiful coffee (especially once you’ve got the grinding size right) quickly and easily. And the variable strength setting is a complete winner if you think you may have overdone the caffeine that day but still have to have another one (as I frequently do!).

Complaints? It is a bit noisy on warm up, and the spouts don’t quite come down far enough when you’re using expresso cups, which leads to splashes. But I’m quibbling!

If you like shots of coffee (rather than filter) get this if you can afford it. It puts all the pod machines I’ve ever tried in the shade. I love it!!!

Worst review:

First machine made one cup of coffee, which tasted great, and then the mechanism stopped moving. Followed all the instructions, reset the machine it made another great cup of coffee and stuck again. Resetting did nothing this time. Amazon were great and replaced the machine. The new machine worked perfectly for a couple of weeks. I had made sure to only use the machine as stated in the manual. Watched youtube videos on how to use it, how to keep it clean, everything I could find as I wanted this one to last as long as possible. Then it jammed. Wouldn’t reset. Didn’t react to soft or hard resetting. Returned it and Amazon refunded. Now I manually make coffee.

Notes about the reviews:

While there are some 1 star reviews, it’s just over 5% of the reviews, 3% are 2 star, about the same for 3 star, 14% are 4 star, and 74% of the reviews are 5 star. This is very good considering that this is one of the cheapest bean to cup espresso machines on the market. As far as I can see nearly all of the negative reviews are with reference to faults, and given that it has a 2 year manufacturers warranty, although having a fault is a pain in the backside, the potential of having a faulty machine wouldn’t put me off. I can’t see any recurring themes from the reviews when it comes to any kind of a design fault, and the recurring theme from the positive reviews are that it makes great coffee and it’s simple to use.

Price:

RRP is ��449.99 but it’s nearly always available now here on amazon from under £300, it’s currently on offer at £259.99

I’ve since reviewed the ESAM 4200 – see: DeLonghi ESAM 4200 Review

Gaggia Brera Bean to Cup Coffee Machine

Features.

Dimensions: L25.5 x H33 x D42.5 cm Thermoblock boiler Steam wand doubles as hot water tap Panarello steam wand slides off to reveal standard steam wand. Auto Cleaning Ceramic Burrs Removable Brew Group Digital display Removable Water tank: 1.2 litres Coffee Bean Capacity: 250 grams Dump Box Capacity: 8 servings Adjustable Cup Height Panarello Steam/Hot Water Arm Adjustable Coffee Dose 1500W

Blurb:

The Gaggia Brera is a compact bean-to-cup espresso machine in a stylish, modern design. The Brera is simple to use, and allows easy access to the water tank and coffee ground waste via the front of the machine. The Brera allows for customisation of your preferred drink. The easy to use controls provide control over the grind of the coffee, the amount of coffee used in each espresso shot, and controlling the length of each shot.

Amazon reviews: 3.6 / 5 from 78 reviews

Best review:

This machine is amazing, makes a great latte, and with a hot water function too is really good..makes just the perfect coffee of choice, easy to use and clean..

Worst review:

I had a Gaggia Syncrony … had it about 25 years. It finally gave up and I bought this machine. Irritating is an understatement. The coffee is not as good or as strong as my old machine, there is no crème. I have it on the highest “aroma” ie highest strength and its still insipid. My only option is to perhaps do two espressos. Water keeps coming out and filling the drip tray so that has to be emptied every few cups. The Syncrony drip tray … I emptied once a week! The new machine constantly needs filling with water … probably because it uses so much to do a “clean” between cups. The Syncrony had a dial for the amount of coffee you wanted so you could change it so much more easily than setting on the new machine. To get a cup of coffee takes so much longer, especially if its gone into standby mode. I could go on … and probably will… but I only set the new machine up yesterday. Its SO complicated! Bring back the Syncrony!

Notes about the reviews:

68% of the reviews are 5 star, and 12% 4 star, so 80% of the reviews are 4 or 5 star, so I’d usually expect a higher overall star rating. The reason for the lower than expected overall rating is a fairly high number of 1 star reviews (10%), and when this is the case there’s usually slightly unusual going on.

What I mean by this, is if this machine only deserved a 3.6 star overall rating, I would expect a much higher % of 2, 3 and 4 star ratings, but the total of 2, 3 and 4 star ratings is only 22%. Usually when the ratings look like this, there’s been a fault affecting the reviews, and it looks like this may be the case here.

It also seems that some Amazon buyers have bought from suppliers (some of whom are shipping directly from Italy) who have not been helpful when it comes to support. As I said in the Gaggia classic 2019 review, I’d recommend that if you’re buying a Gaggia, you buy from Caffe Shop Ltd (Gaggia UK) or one of their appointed distributors.

Price:

RRP is £569, I usually recommend Amazon as it’s usually the cheapest, but in this case they’re on offer at Gaggia UK for £369, and this means you’re buying from the UK distributor, who I can tell you from experience offer great support.

Krups EA8108 Espresseria Automatic Bean to Cup Espresso Machine

Features:

Dimensions: 24.5 x 36.5 x 33 cm Water tank: 1.8 L The most compact Krups fully automatic machine Adjustable settings for coffee size, strength and temperature Simple interface makes it easy to achieve barista style coffee Provides optimal temperature coffee for every cup Professional quality grinder for precise and uniform grinding 1450 watts

Blurb:

For coffee lovers that are big on taste and short on space.

The KRUPS EA8108 is a fully automated espresso machine packed with features for easy barista result. Designed for use with coffee beans this machine boats all the key features of KRUPS’ renowned Bean To Cup line in a smaller footprint for easy cafe quality coffee at home.

Ultra-compact system with 1.8L capacity. Stylish casing finished in Piano black. The ergonomic rotary knob and height adjustable coffee dispenser provide intuitive operation. Compact Thermoblock System fast-heats water to the perfect temperature. Cup warming tray keep your coffee at the optimum temperature. Stainless steel conical burr grinder ensures a precise and uniform grind to make the perfect espresso with a rich crema. Adjustable settings for coffee size, strength and type. Simple and easy to use interface to achieve the best coffee possible.

Thermoblock Heating System

Patented Thermoblock system ensures a hot and aromatic coffee.

Rotary Knob

Easily adjust your coffee preferences with the ergonomic rotary knob.

Milk Frother

Easily make the perfect cappuccino using the multi-directional steam nozzle and directly froths the milk into a cup.

Easy Maintenance

Easy to clean and maintain thanks to the stainless steel burr grinder and automatic rinsing, cleaning and de-scaling programmes.

Stainless Steel Grinder

The Active Speed grinder launched by KRUPS is 20% faster than the grinders used in previous models, it will guarantee you an express espresso!

The new KRUPS Active Speed grinder was designed to offer high resistance during use, and to ensure that it can complete up to 280,000 cycles without fault.

Amazon reviews: 4.4 / 5 from 16 reviews

Best review:

Absolutely love this machine; it looks amazing, produces deliciously smooth coffee and it’s so easy to use. Has a tank at the bank that lifts up and out easily, the top flips aside so you can fill it with water and then being clear, you can easily see how much water is left. A dial allows you to choose the fineness of the grind and a second dial allows you to choose the volume of drink you want so you can make a full cup of coffee or an espresso or anything in between. The coffee comes out of two nozzles so you can do two cups together if you press the button twice- it does an initial grind and goes through one complete cycle producing half a cup in each cup and then automatically repeats the cycle to complete the two cups. There is also a milk frothing nozzle that you can used to make lattes or just to froth up milk for a hot chocolate. It’s dead easy to wipe clean and indicators come on to tell you when the grounds need emptying or the drop tray needs emptying. I’m a total convert to this little beauty now and never bother with instant coffee anymore. Switching this on in the morning and drinking that first cup of coffee 2 minutes later is now one of my absolute pleasures…. oh, and by the way, it makes the coffee at the perfect temperature for drinking so unlike pouring hot water from the kettle into instant coffee and then waiting for it to cool, with this, your coffee really is ready to drink in 2 minutes !!!

Worst review:

Save your money.. choose another product. I throw away more unused beans than I drink & it goes into a clean cycle (when used more then a few times), says empty the bean tray constantly (when not even quarter full). Frustrating!!

Notes about the reviews:

Only one 1 star, two 3 star, one 4 star and twelve 5 star reviews. The machine doesn’t appear to suffer much from faults, and there are no recurring complaints.

Price:

RRP is £429.99, available on Amazon from just over £300.

De’Longhi ESAM2800.SB Bean to Cup Coffee Machine

Features:

Dimensions: 28.5 x 36 x 37.5 cm Water tank: 1.8L 15 bar pressure Removable 1.8 L water tank Electronic steam and coffee thermostat for accurate steam control Suitable for fresh coffee beans Removable brewing unit for easy cleaning Steam wand Integrated professional burr grinder with 7 adjustable coarseness settings Energy saving function Power supply switch for zero consumption 2 year guarantee

Blurb

The ESAM2800 is the perfect bean to cup coffee solution to give you the kick start to your day.

Designed to look elegant but functional so that the perfect coffee is just a touch of a button away.

Fresh beans mean that this machine will offer a full aroma coffee as if you were buying it from a coffee shop. Espresso’s, long black, cappuccinos and lattes using the steam wand to create textured milk. The ESAM2800, a perfect coffee solution for those who recognise style and enjoy a bit of luxury.

Espresso

The advanced boiler system (thermoblock) allows for the perfect espresso – one or two cups it will always be the same perfect temperature

Long Black

Create the perfect long black coffee.

Cappuccino

Using the steam wand you can create textured milk for a coffee shop quality cappuccino.

Latte

Using the automatic milk function you can create textured milk for a coffee shop quality latte.

Easy to Clean

The brewing unit is completely removable, so cleaning the inside of the machine is easy, even in areas normally difficult to reach.

It has rinse and decalcification auto-programmes to reflect local water hardness.

Easy to Use

Self-priming system means the machine is always ready for use.

This machine has an automatic shut-off after a pre-set time has elapsed, making it even easier to use.

The instant reheat function heats the core of the machine, ensuring that the machine is always at the ideal temperature for espresso.

Level of Convenience

This machine can be used with either fresh coffee beans or ground coffee. The simple functionality means that the perfect coffee is just a touch of a button away.

Amazon reviews: 4.6 / 5 from 87 reviews

Best review:

I got this to replace the older version, Old one was good, this is even better. Makes brilliant coffee. You of course have to try various settings to suit your taste. More important try different coffee beans. I settled on Guatemalan coffee, none others quite match it for me. This is a very personal taste.

With this model you can control the temperature of coffee and water. The door has a latch to open and shut. The coffee has more aroma when ground fine.

Downside…. Once you perfect your coffee, you will not enjoy high street coffee so much…..

Worst review:

Broke after 11 months- bean grinder stopped working.

Notes about the reviews:

Three 1 star reviews, three 2 stars, two 3 stars, twelve 4 stars & the rest 5 star. There seem to have been some faults, mainly with the grinder. A few people moaning about the machine being too loud, and quite a few people complaining about the milk temperature. There are suggestions within the positive ratings that some of the negative reviews are from people who didn’t read the instructions properly and who haven’t got the machine set up correctly, which is an interesting point.

Price:

RRP is £349.99on offer now here on Amazon for £299.

Melitta E953-102 Caffeo Solo and Milk Fully Automatic Coffee Maker with Milk Steamer

Features

Dimensions: 20 cm wide x 45.5 deep x 32.57 cm tall Water tank: 1.2 litres 1400 watts Three brew temperatures & three coffee strengths, in any volume. Intelligent integrated three setting steel grinder Height adjustable spout, two cup option, cup warmer, removable water tank, easy to move, only 20 cm wide Hygienic – push-button cleaning, easy-clean components and surfaces. Energy-efficient LED lights, shut down and stand-by modes Pre-brew function for optimal flavour Steam wand Height adjustable spout Water filter Cup warmer Removable brewing unit Energy saving mode Slim–only 20 cm

Blurb

Four Generations of Coffee Expertise

The Melitta group of companies, with headquarters in Minden, has long been a successful manufacturer and innovative developer of coffee machines. Founded by Melitta Bentz in 1908, the company invented the coffee filter, and it’s Melitta’s passion for coffee that fuels the company. The employees’ loyalty to Melitta products is something of which the group is particularly proud and this loyalty has contributed to Melitta’s expansion and development. Melitta’s global family ‘makes coffee a pleasure’.

For true connoisseurs

Intelligent automatic grinder, flow control dial, a choice of coffee strengths, easily programmable brew temperatures and an easy to use integrated milk steam nozzle that creates creamy milk froth all add up to a consistent, simple and enjoyable coffee experience.

Optimal Coffee

Real ground coffee at the touch of a button from a low-maintenance machine. Pre-brew function injects water into the coffee as it grinds, maximising the flavour. Passive cup warmer means you can gently heat your cup before making your coffee.

Sophisticated Functions but Simple Care

The removable water tank has a safety sensor so the machine won’t work without water. The convenient height-adjustable spout (up to 13.5 cm) lets you make two cups at the same time. Automatic cleaning and de-scaling is quick, no fuss, push-button easy. Rinse the removable brewing unit under the tap, and just wipe down the easy-clean surfaces.

Sustainable Production and Sophisticated Technology

Featuring environmentally conscious, energy efficient LED lights. Programmable automatic stand-by or complete ‘off’ switch for 0-watt consumption; adjustable energy saving mode.

Amazon reviews: 4.3 / 5 from 37 reviews

Best review:

I love coffee and over the years have had many varied machines for making including cafetiere, Tassimo, Nespresso, Espresso, filter jug, etc. All of these have their strengths and weaknesses -Nespresso and Tassimo it is the cost of the posd which is a major drawback, and the others it is the mess and cleaning. I have wanted a good quality bean to cup machine for some time, but have not been able to justify the cost, so when the Melitta was featured as deal of the day I took the plunge and bought it, and how glad I am!

Firstly, it produces fantastic coffee. The strength can be adjusted from 1 – mild, to 3 -strong, and the volume can be varied from a small espresso up to a large cup. As a bean to cup machine, there is no faffing about tamping, measuring, etc.. You just press a button and off you go. Cleaning is just a matter oe emptying the ďrip tray each day which is a very quick and easy job, and giving the brewing unit a periodic clean which again is not a difficult process. Unless anything goes wrong, this is the last coffee machine I will buy – I love it.

Worst review:

Stopped working after 5 weeks. Makes ok black coffee if you can get it to take the beans through … Steamer heats the milk but regardless of setting won’t froth the milk for a decent cappuccino. Previous DeLonghi machine much better.

Notes about the reviews:

There are only three 1 star reviews, and they seem to be faulty machines. Amazon have a returns window (usually 30 days) in which the item can be returned for a replacement or refund. I see quite a few Amazon reviews for coffee makers which give me the impression that people are getting the return window and the warranty mixed up. The warranty is with the manufacturer, and is usually a 2 year warranty, the Amazon return window gives buyers the opportunity to simply have the product swapped out if it develops a fault within the return window. Once that window closes you can still get the machine fixed, it just means contacting the supplier or the manufacturer directly, and they will probably ask to see your receipt.

A common comment in the reviews is that they’re being sent out in the UK with a 2 pin UK plug, which is a pain as you then have to dig out an adapter or go out and buy one before you can use your new bean to cup espresso machine.

Another common theme is that excessive amounts of water end up in the internal drip tray, but the general consensus is that this is a quirk which isn’t much of an issue once you’re used to it.

There are a few negative comments about the frother not being up to much.

Generally the comments about the coffee the machine produces are good, and a recurring theme is that it’s simple to use and quick.

Price:

RRP is £449.99 but it’s available here on amazon from £399.99

Sage by Heston Blumenthal the Barista Express

This isn’t quite bean to cup, but it’s high on the best seller list in the bean to cup category of Amazon, second only to the Magnifica ESAM4200. It’s a bean to cup / traditional hybrid, which gives the user some bean to cup features while also providing the enjoyment, ritual and theatre of making Espresso – along with the initial frustration, so just be prepared, if you do just want to press a button and have great coffee from unpacking your machine, then go for a full bean to cup machine.,

I used the Sage the Oracle for a week about 18 months ago, that is closer to bean to cup as it has more automated features, and it’s dual boiler too, and it’s much higher price tag so the oracle will feature in this post a bit later on.

Features

Dimensions: 35 x 37 x 38cm Water tank: 2L Inbuilt grinder takes you from whole beans to espresso in under a minute Automatic hands free dosing, delivers a consistent volume of consistently ground coffee into your filter with one-touch Low pressure pre-infusion gently soaks the coffee allowing it to expand prior to its high pressure extraction for a balanced taste High pressure steam output for barista quality milk texturing Separate hot water wand for pre-heating cups or making a long black or an Americano 1700W

Blurb:

Heston says that almost every ingredient tastes better when fresh, and coffee is no exception. The natural oils that give espressos and cappuccinos their rich flavour quickly degrade once the coffee bean is ground, so the Barista Express grinds fresh coffee straight into the filter for you, in exactly the right amount, then extracts the full, fresh flavour. With an expert array of features, carefully engineered for the most aromatic coffee you can make at home, it’s no wonder Wendy said it was the best coffee she’d ever had! Fully automated with super easy controls, it’s nearly impossible to make a bad cup of coffee with this intelligent, 15 bar pressure machine.

Grinds, doses and extracts – from whole bean to flavourful espresso in under a minute. 250g bean hopper holds enough for 25 shots of espresso and has an integrated stainless steel conical burr grinder. Pre-ground beans can also be used. 18 grind settings from coarse to fine. 2 litre top-fill water tank with integrated water filtration. Adjustable dose so you can tailor to your taste. 15 bar pressure builds gradually at first for an even extraction. Thermacoil heating system with adjustable temperature control. High power milk frothing arm. Instant hot water for long black coffees. Single and double filter baskets, 480ml stainless steel frothing jug and cleaning kit incl.

My comments:

I really like Sage products. I have the smart grinder pro, which is a brilliant grinder. I spent a week using the Oracle for my Sage the Oracle review post, and I found that to be an amazing machine, and I’m currently using the Sage smart kettle for a review post.

The thing about Sage (Which is Breville in other countries, but they can’t use the Breville name here as there was already another firm called Breville) is that whatever they’re designing, they pull out all the stops, to ensure that they’re creating the best possible version of that machine at that price range.

You can see that by looking at the specs of this machine, 2L water tank, separate water spout, 1700W, stainless steel, proper steam wand. They could have used cheaper materials, they could have gone for the standard 1.2 or 1.4L water tank, they could have left out the hot water tap and let people use the steam wand for water for Americano, or the kettle. But this isn’t the kind of thing they do. While most manufacturers simply look at what the market needs, what price point it needs to be at, and then churn out machines that fit the bill, Sage are a different kettle of fish (pun intended ), they create products for the prosumer end of the market, for connoisseurs, which in many cases as with the smart grinder pro and the Barista express, are priced within the standard consumer range.

It’s important to remember though that this isn’t a full bean to cup machine, and you should expect a learning curve while you develop some Barista skills, which will probably include some offensive language, feet stamping and wasted coffee ;-).

A quick comment about the ‘Sage by Heston Blumenthal” name, and Breville. There are some comments in the questions and answers which seem to suggest that there’s some kind of conspiracy, one person describes how shocked they are that Heston Blumenthal doesn’t actually design these machines, and that it’s Breville machines re-badged – another person suggests that Heston Blumenthal himself imports these machines from Breville.

The Breville group is behind these products, but it’s not re-badging, it’s simply that their operation in the UK couldn’t be called Breville due to the existence of another brand with the same name. The Heston Blumenthal connection is a celebrity endorsement, Heston isn’t creating or importing these machines and packing them up in the back of the fat duck ;-). George Foreman didn’t create the Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine either, that’s one of the most successful endorsement deals of all time.

Amazon reviews: 4.5 / 5 from 223 reviews

Best review:

This machine is originally manufactured by BREVILLE. So the Sage Barista Express sold in UK is the same as BREVILLE BES870XL in north America. I bought it for my home in Paris, so i’m using a UK to French plug adaptor.

Delivery very quick from UK to Paris (2 days), Good packing condition. The instructions are very easy to understand, I don’t see very tricky use for this machine. There is a filter inside the water tank, that I recommend to change every 2 month (the 6 units package, 1 year of filters, is sold 12£ by Sage website). But to increase the lifetime of the filter (so I don’t change it too much and save money) i’m using water from Britta water filter so i change the filter every 3 month instead of 2.

I grind the coffee beans with level 4 (French café Carte noire, 100% Arabica, 1Kg for 9£), quantity setup knob at 3’oclock so the pressure indicator goes to the prefect range of extraction. I love it I love it ! It provides also immédiat hot water (for tea), and water steam to froth milk. Very good conception, nice design, very heavy and stable, 1 cup and 2 cups filters are supplied, cleaning tools as well. All you need for the first 2 month of use. Then, don’t forget to buy replacement filters for the water tank and Decalcifying Tablets.

Worst review:

I recently bought the Barista Express after searching for a coffee machine to replace my broken Jura ENA 1. After reading a lot of positive reviews I decided to purchase the Barista Express, what a mistake! The machine looks the part and is extremely well built, but that is where the positives stop. I made my first coffee with my freshly roasted beans and it was terrible, I expected this. So I proceeded to adjust the grind, and dosage amount to get the right amount. I gave a firm tamp. Still terrible coffee. I spent the best part of an hour producing coffee after coffee, the machine is so temperamental. In order to get a decent shot I had to time the extraction, tamp directly on some kitchen scales to measure my tamp force. This is not practical for a serious coffee lover in order to get a consistent shot. I mainly drink espressos so each variation in tamping and grind size drastically effects the quality of the shot. If you are making a latte or cappuccino the coffee taste would be masked, but if you try just the espresso shot it is terrible. This is not a god coffee machine for the price. I have since bought a replacement Jura Impressa A5 which is so much better!

Sage reply:

Sorry you have had an issue with your Barista express. Although the machine is Bean to cup it is a manual machine which means it is perfect for people who would like to train themselves as Baristas (one train task is to manage the amount of pressure used for tamp, which will require a scale).

It is a shame that you have returned the coffee machine however, anyone reading this review please jump in touch with us on 0203 7641722 and we can talk you through getting the perfect shot from your Barista express.

Notes about the reviews:

While there are a few reviews which do seem like faults (and I’ve spoken to Sage appliances tech people in the past, and I wouldn’t have any concerns about how they might handle a fault) the majority of them seem to stem from the fact that this isn’t a full bean to cup machine, which means it won’t just make great coffee straight out of the box if the user hasn’t used an espresso machine before, there will be a learning curve.

It’s number 2 on the best sellers list in Amazon within the bean to cup category, so people who are looking for bean to cup are being attracted by the features of the Barista Express. Some of these people, it would seem from the reviews, don’t quite realise that there is going to be a learning curve when it comes to making espresso that doesn’t taste horrible. Dialling the bean in perfectly, getting the tamp pressure right and so on, it’s challenge, and you will waste quite a bit of coffee while you’re on this learning curve. If this isn’t for you, then there are plenty of full bean to cup machines which do away with the need for any development of Barista skills.

Price:

RRP is £599.99 but it’s often on offer here on amazon, it’s on for £529.99 at the moment (10/01/19)

De’Longhi ECAM44.660.B Eletta Bean to Cup Coffee Machine

Features:

Dimensions: 26 x 36 x 46 cm Water tank: 2L Memory function – makes your favourite drink by choosing the amount of milk and coffee Easy to clean and practical – automatic rinse and descaling programmes Automatic cappuccino and caffe latte function to build a creamy milk texture One touch cappuccino, caff latte, lattemaccchiato, espresso macchiato and flat white drink choices Long life grinder with 13 adjustable settings 145o W

Blurb:

Make all your coffee shop favourite drinks with the Eletta ECAM 44.660.B bean to cup coffee machine. Nothing else can beat freshly ground beans to create your favourite coffee. Whether you like a strong espresso or long frothy cappuccino, this machine can deliver it at a touch of a button.

Makes all coffee shop favourites

Grinds beans for a perfect taste

Personalise strength, length and temperature of coffee

Automatically froths fresh milk with integrated milk carafe

Latte Crema technology for luxuriously smooth milk

Automatic clean, rinse and descale functions

Grinds Fresh Coffee Beans

Your choice of fresh coffee beans finely ground with the integrated burr grinder. Creating coffee shop quality coffee, to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

Personalise Your Coffee

Navigate with the two line digital display to personalise the coffee strength and length to your preference.

Latte Crema Technology

De’Longhi patented Latte Crema Technology automatically creates perfect luxuriously smooth milk every time.

Removable Milk Carafe

Fresh milky coffee has never been easier with the removable milk carafe. Simply store in your fridge until you need to make your coffee.

Amazon reviews: 4.8 / 5 from 41 reviews

Best review:

I had a De’longhi Essam 5500 bean to cup for 5 years and recently it developed a fault in the boiler. Im going to have it repaired as I really loved the Machine. The machine was excellent and gave me great service over that 5 years.

I took the plunge and decided to buy a new machine It arrived quickly was well packaged and all parts were there. After unboxing and setting it up My initial thoughts it looks way better and more modern than my old machine. I fiddled about with it got the water hardness set up the water temperature set. Now the recommendation is to make 4 or 5 cups of coffee to get it run in. i used this to set the grinder to my liking and also MY coffee set up. I drink black coffee and the Machine is excellent it has plenty of customisable features for strength and volume. The coffee has a nice rich crema on top and looks fabulous. and to cap it off it will switch itself on in the morning if you set it to do so

I have read that people find the milk coffees too cold I had the same problem with my old machine. This can be made better buy a few steps put some boiling water in the cup to heat it then discard the water before making your milk coffee. The carafe for milk has a clean setting on it turn it to clean a cycle it a couple of times this puts hot water through it and heats the system. I found that by doing that there wasn’t an issue with anything being cold. You can use a combination of both steps or just use whichever one you prefer

If you just want to add milk to your coffee and take it straight from the fridge it will cool the coffee too much. You can add hot milk to the coffee by using the Milk menu function which will dispense hot milk and wont cool the coffee.

Over all I’m delighted with it.

Worst review:

Really good coffee machine, it just isn’t very hot!

Notes about the reviews:

This is the first machine review I’ve come across without any 1 star or 2 star reviews! The lowest star reviews are 3 stars, it only has two of them, and four 4 star reviews, the majority of the reviews (35 out of 41) are five star reviews.

The recurring theme throughout the reviews is that people aren’t over the moon with the temperature of milk drinks, but they love the other features of the machine enough to still rate it highly. There are comments about helping with the temperature with a pre-warmed cup, and an answered question from a user says that there is a trick to setting the milk temp higher, which is to set the temp to the coolest setting, make one coffee, then re-set to the highest milk heat setting, apparently this makes the machine produce very hot milk drinks.

Price:

RRP is £829.99 but it’s usually available for quite a bit less than that here on Amazon, it’s on offer at £599 at the time of writing.

De’Longhi Magnifica Fully Automatic Bean to Cup Coffee Machine ECAM22.110.SB

Features:

Dimensions: 43 x 23.8 x 35.1 cm Water tank: 1.8L Cappuccino system: combines steam, air and milk producing a rich creamy froth for a great cappuccino The machine can be used with either fresh coffee beans or with ground coffee Sophistacated icon control panel to prepare your specific coffee drink New silent integrated grinder with 13 adjustable settings You can prepare two cups of coffee from one brewing unit 1450 watts

Blurb:

The ECAM22.110.SB will create you the perfect espresso at the touch of a button as well as providing you the opportunity to make cafe style milk based drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes. Beautifully crafted, this fantastic piece of engineering will allow you to start the day with the perfect coffee drink to suit you and will look stunning on your kitchen surface. The machine has a silent integrated grinder with 13 settings so that you can tailor your coffee to your exact taste buds.

Espresso

The simple rotation of the dial lets you increase or decrease the coffee intensity. By pressing the corresponding buttons you can choose among short or long coffees.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino System device is ideal to produce a rich, creamy froth for great cappuccinos

Latte

Cappuccino System device is ideal to produce a rich, creamy froth for great lattes

Amazon reviews: 4.6 / 5 from 104 reviews

Best review:

This machine does all it says on the box. I have made all the different coffees ie cappuccino,lattes,espresso,Macchiato. All yielded great results. Beautifully frothed milk every time. Hot coffee everytime. Minimal cleaning required. Love that I can make many cups without having to refill the tank constantly. Love that I can adjust at the touch of a dial the strength I want to brew. Great capacity in the waste drawer again saving time emptying the grounds at every turn.Aesthetically pleasing to the eye.Many wonderful comments from friends and family. Time to stop thinking about it & treat yourself. I’m certainly greatful I did . I’m not in anyway affiliated with De’Longhi I purchased this machine .

Worst review:

Against better advice to avoid a bean to cup, the excellent reviews this machine receives persuaded me to try it out. I put about 4kg of high quality beans through this machine over a 6 week period and finally came to the conclusion that whilst it is a well designed machine, it is not capable of producing espresso anything better than mediocre. With a little modification this machine can produce high quality microfoam which was very impressive but ultimately a coffee machine must be judged on the quality of coffee it can produce. I would say a lack of grind control and weak pressure are the culprits, although this would be prevalent in bean to cups in general. In conclusion, I can make a far superior coffee using a decent grinder and a ten pound french press or Aeropress.

Notes about the reviews:

What you have to be careful of when you’re reading the reviews, is that you’re reading reviews for the same “style name”. The reviews cover various “styles” which for some products may mean that it’s the exact same product just with a different option, but when it comes to machines, syle names can mean completely different machines with different features. I’ve noticed that quite a lot of the reviews (many of the worst ones, in fact) are not for this specific machine. You can see the style name under the name of the reviewer.

Price:

RRP is £469.98, but you can usually find it at the lowest price on Amazon, it’s available at the time of writing for under £400.

JURA 15079 E6 Coffee Machine

Features:

Dimensions: 49.8 x 40.4 x 29.8 cm Water tank: 1.9L Fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine elegantly combines convenience, reliability and style Introducing a world first – P.E.P. for outstanding barista quality espresso and ristretto Integrated Aroma G3 burr grinder, 15 bar pump and thermo-block heating technology for consistent quality coffee 7 Individually programmable speciality coffees 1450 watts

Blurb:

The compact JURA E6 coffee machine is revolutionising the coffee drinking experience. The espresso brewing process has been perfected with a world first: P.E.P. (Pulse Extraction Process) technology optimises the extraction when making espresso or ristretto to guarantee professional, barista style coffee every time. Maximum flavour is teased from the coffee to produce a drink with beautiful crema and aroma. The JURA E6 truly is a compact fully automatic coffee machine with big features. The E6 has been designed with simplicity in mind. Conveniently select your speciality coffee and enjoy the show, it’s that easy. With simple operating controls on the front of machine, using the modern TFT display allows you to easily create your personal coffee experience at the touch of a button. An intelligent preheating feature ensures that the coffee is always piping hot while saving energy when not in use. The E6 also has an integrated fine foam milk frother which crowns milky specialities with feather light milk foam.

The E6 from JURA revolutionises the enjoyment of coffee in every aspect. The espresso brewing process has been perfected with the Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.), the only process of this kind in the world. Developed by JURA, it optimises the extraction time and guarantees the very best aroma even for short speciality coffees. The JURA E6 truly evokes a pure passion for coffee, and with its stylish design it compliments any modern kitchen.

Outstanding coffees at the touch of a button

With 7 specialities to choose from it is easier than ever to enjoy the ideal cappuccino, latte macchiato or espresso with just the touch of a button. The E6 expertly prepares your drink without having to assist or move the cup. The thermoblock heating system efficiently prepares water and steam creating the ideal brewing conditions for your coffee and milk specialities. Use the hot water outlet to turn a coffee into an americano or make a glorious cup of tea.

The cappuccino spout effortlessly adjusts to suit glasses or cups up to 113 mm tall. An aroma protection lid keeps up to 280 g of coffee beans fresh to preserve all the delicious flavours and aroma. A removable 1.9 L water tank features on the JURA E6, within which the new CLARIS Smart water filter can be installed. The CLARIS cartridge filters the water before each preparation, removing impurities and improving the quality of the water for a perfect cup of coffee. 98% of coffee is water, the better the quality of the water, the purer and less adulterated the aroma. Once the filter has been used to its maximum, the coffee machine will cleverly prompt you to replace it to keep your coffees perfectly pure and fresh.

Wireless technology has continued to grow within JURA, now the E6 can communicate wirelessly with the JURA Cool Control Wireless (sold separately), which continuously monitors the milk level and displays a prompt on the colour display when insufficient milk is available for the next drink. The JURA Cool Control accessory keeps fresh milk refrigerated at 4°C, ready for preparation at any time.

Easy to use – one touch operation

Compatible with JURA Smart Connect

Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.)

7 individually programmable specialities

3″ Colour Display

To be used with coffee beans

Grinder now twice as fast and even quieter

Ingenious height-adjustable dual spout

Integrated state-of-the art milk foam technology

Intelligent energy efficiency

Compatible with JURA Smart Connect

Removable water tank for easy refilling

Amazon reviews: 3.8 / 5 from 6 reviews

Best review:

Simple yet efficient. Great for anyone who enjoys a good cup of coffee. Doesn’t have too many complicated features but prepares a hot and tasty cup of coffee.

Worst review:

Espresso tastes weak.. even after playing with settings.. my old delonghi beats it! Hands down

Notes about the reviews:

3.8 from only 6 reviews isn’t great. There is one 1 star review, one 3 star, one 4 star, three 5 star. Milk not being hot enough is a common comment, and I’ve seen that in reviews on other websites too, although this is a common theme with most bean to cup machines.

Price:

RRP is £795, it’s on offer here for £695 at the moment.

Sage by Heston Blumenthal the Oracle

As with the Barista Express, this isn’t quite a full bean to cup machine, but it’s very close. It auto doses and auto tamps, all you have to do is put the portafilter into the doser / tamper, then remove it and put it into the group head and press the button. This machine does auto milk texturing too, but you do the pouring, meaning you can try your hand at Latte art.

As I mentioned earlier, I used this machine for a week while I reviewed it for my Sage the Oracle review, and I was hugely impressed. It wasn’t for me as the price tag was out of my range and also I wanted to develop some home Barista skills, and this machine does most of the tricky stuff for you, so it’s a bit too close to a full bean to cup for me, but for anyone who wants bean to cup along with the feel of using a traditional espresso machine, this might be your perfect machine.

Features:

Dimensions: 37.3 x 40.9 x 45.3 Centimetres Water tank: 2.5L Dual boiler Automatic grinding and tamping Scheduled Auto on feature, so The Oracle is warmed up and ready when you’re awake and in need of coffee Programmable low pressure pre-infusion for a balanced extraction Automatic milk texturing Over pressure valve – this commercial feature limits the maximum pressure throughout the extraction, helping to prevent bitter flavours in the shot 2 Lattes in only 90 Seconds 2,400 watts

Blurb:

The Best of Both Worlds – The convenience of an automatic, with the quality of a manual.

The Oracle creates café quality coffee that tastes like you’d get in your favourite café. The Oracle has automatic grinding, dosing, tamping and milk texturing, automating the two most difficult parts of manual espresso. You can extract espresso and texture milk simultaneously, enabling you to go from beans to latte in under a minute.

Dose

The integrated conical burr grinder automatically grinds, doses and tamps22 grams for a double shot, similar to the commercial machine in your favourite café.

Temperature

Dual stainless steel boilers and heated group head, both regulated by our digital temperature control (PID) automatically delivers the water at precisely the right temperature, extracting maximum flavour potential.

Pressure

The Oracle also features an Over Pressure Valve (OPV). This commercial feature limits the maximum pressure throughout the extraction, helping prevent bitter flavours in the shot. It also has true low pressure pre-infusion, which gradually increases the pressure to gently expand the grinds for an even extraction.

Micro Foam

The automatic steam wand textures milk to your preferred taste and temperature, from silky smooth latte (less texture) to creamy cappuccino (more texture). Powered by a dedicated boiler, the auto steam wand delivers barista quality micro-foam that enhances the flavour of the coffee and is essential for creating latte art.

Grind Beans

Automatic Grind, Dose and Tamp.

Extract Coffee

Low Pressure Pre Infusion, followed by 9 Bars of Pressure for the perfect Espresso.

Texture Milk

Dual Boiler allows Espresso Extraction and Automatic Milk Texturing at the same time.

Create silky smooth Milk filled with Micro Foam, to create beautiful Latte Art.

Two Dedicated Boilers

One for Espresso extraction at 93°C.

One for Automatic Milk Texturing, always ready for when you need it.

White Glove Service

When you get your Oracle home, call our customer service team and we will send one of our experts round to your house to set up your machine and make a few Coffees with you.

Low Pressure Pre Infusion

Avoiding “channelling” is incredibly important when extracting Espresso.

Channelling, is when too much pressure is forced onto the Coffee puck causing the water to burst through and then the Coffee will become over extracted and bitter.

Amazon reviews: 3.9 / 5 from 45 reviews

Best review:

My coffee experience started in my late 30’s. I started with instant which quickly became mundane, moved quickly on to a pod machine, and again didn’t really satisfy me. The pod coffee mostly tasted watery and the powdered milk bland and artificially sweet. After many months of looking I decided on a bean-to-cup machine and De’longhi seemed to have the most choice of machines. De’longhi Magnifica Esam 4200 (Amazon best seller) was the machine I settled on and to be honest I wasn’t disappointed. I thoroughly used the machine every day for over 2 years and 9 times out of 10 It produced a decent cup of coffee. In fact my only criticism was the coffee was never hot enough and 10s In the microwave was the only solution. All in all a decent bean to cup machine with few drawbacks!

My enthusiasm for a more Costa/Starbucks coffee and the need to tailor the coffee to my taste continued. As I said the De’longhi made a good cup, but never a great cup. Back to the drawing board I went.

After a couple of months searching for the holy grail of machines I stumbled upon The Oracle. It seemed to have the wow factor with plenty of on-line videos and reviews to support this fact. It arrived on Wednesday and 3 days later I am extremely happy and confident I made the right choice. This machine produces the most delicious hot coffee. It has the wow factor, not only In the coffee It produces, but also In the way It looks. I am enjoying every aspect of this machine and creating some tasty drinks. It’s encouraging me to try all types of coffees, as this machine can produce them with ease. I have the white glove service booked as there may be additional features that can be shown to me, and why not? Its part of the experience!

If this machine is within your budget and you want quality coffee shop drinks, do not hesitate, It’s fantastic!

I will update this review in a couple of weeks following the white glove visit.

Update!

Following the white gloves visit, I can truly say the coffee machine is still absolutely fantastic.

The man arrived and after a brief chat he set-up the machine to its optimal settings. He adjusted the grinder, explained how to get the best from the machine and went into detail regarding descaling and general maintenance. He even gave me a free bag of coffee!

The machine gets used every day and I believe its the best purchase I’ve made this year. Truly excellent coffee and probably the best home coffee maker on the market.

Worst review:

This may be the best reason for Brexit -and that’s coming from an Irish man!

The EU have forced 2016+ models of Oracle (and other relevant Consumer equipment) to have a 20-minute auto-off feature. It’s an absolute joke and Sage are not remotely interested in providing any workaround.

The machine is at its best when convection and conduction have been allowed to take their time and heat all components thoroughly. Yes, it will do the job within a few minutes of being turned on but excellence, which is why any of us would buy this machine, comes after 40 minutes. Certainly the convection-based cup warmer won’t have heated your cups inside of the Euro 20!

So, if, like me, you want your machine ready for ad-hoc perfection throughout the day for business guests etc… you’ll get very frustrated.

It’s all the worse when our fellow enthusiasts in the ‘States & Australia can set their auto-off to as long as 8 HOURS!!! ????????????

Forcing a feature that fundamentally undermines device performance is ridiculous and Users should be allowed to choose when it switches-off.

I am calling on Sage to make a Configuration update available so that the advanced menu allows User’s to change the machine to a different region… so I can use my machine the way I want when I take it on holidays to Australia! ????

Notes about the reviews:

Having used this machine for a week and been blown away by it, I’m amazed to see the negatives. A recurring theme with the negatives are the auto off due to the EU rules, but it doesn’t sound like there’s much that Sage / Breville can do about that currently. There are some comments in the reviews about the inability to reduce the dosing from 22g per double shot.

Price:

RRP is £1699, but it’s quite often on offer on amazon, click here to see the current offer price.

And there you go, the top ten best bean to cup espresso machines in 2019, as far as I can tell. If you have any of these machines and you have any comments, please feel free.

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