€10,000 for the single head machine. But you are correct, a sex object and grounds for divorce.
Nothing beats a nice cup of tea.
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Except for a nice cup of coffee 
I wasn’t aware that “a nice cup of tea” was even a thing. 
The riff-raff you have to deal with these days …
Off to make a coffee in memory of the days when music was live.
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Must be…Long Black - no sugar, with a touch of cold milk in the morning. I can’t drink a milky coffee.
I’ve not got a favourite coffee really, I still keep trying & much to do with where I’m shopping. Although, I certainly know what I don’t like! That coffee is the ‘best’ of the supermarket varieties I’ve found.
Long been a coffee drinker - Australians have typically grown up with it, largely due to the strong Italian (& Greek) culture, where there was a strong migration post WWII.
So much so that Starbucks - failed on its initial attempt to ‘infiltrate’ our coffee culture. Alas, it wasn’t close to an Italian coffee.
My machine does a pretty good job I’d say. This is my first ‘proper’ machine & whilst I often occasionally upgrading (I love the look of coffee machines); it’s not overly high on my agenda.
Our car was written off earlier this year in the crazy hail storm that hit Canberra, we got a payout from the insurance company and as there is no point in buying a new car just yet, my wife gave me the go ahead to purchase a Breville Dual Boiler and Smart Grinder combo.
I am going to replace the grinder with a Baratza Sette 270wi as soon as possible, the Smart Grinder is OK but not consistent enough for my fussy espresso taste buds.
Currently drinking:
And this is fantastic for a milk based coffee:
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I adore coffee. We have had several machines. Now just two, a DeLonghi bean to cup and a Nespresso which takes pods. I have a double shot flat white with just enough milk to froth. I like to taste coffee not coffee flavoured milk. Sometimes I’ll have it the Belgian way which is with evaporated milk (they call it Coffee Milk) which is one longer shot with 25ml of this milk. Always use strength 10-12 beans/pods. Illy, Lavazza, Himalayan, Columbian is too tasteless.
Altho arabica is supposed to be best I am quite partial to Robusta tho they are hard to find except in a blend.
I will drink it black when the mood takes me but as a longer drink. Not into Espresso whereas hubby is but he adulterates his coffee with sugar. Ick.
Other than sitting and drinking, after he serves it to me, and listening to music, my hi-fi has nothing to with coffee making.
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I also have the Breville Dual Boiler and it’s an amazing bargain. Definitely recommend stepping up the Sette, I know from experience it blows away the Smart Grinder.
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Japanese have an odd take on coffee…went to a couple Paul Bassett shops in Tokyo many years ago (all closed now I think) and it was rather more normal…kid pulled me 3 restretto attempts before he was happy to serve me it. some other small cafes I tried but that was like 8-10 years ago now maybe better now. We have a lot of cafes and seemingly many roasting here in Singapore for such a small island. But its nice to try different beans all the time.
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Try BLACK RIFLE COFFEE. You’ll like it better. Medium Roast.
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Morning coffee and Roon just before team meeting. I do pour over, Kalita style. Coffee from Drop Coffee, three times Swedish Coffee Roasting Champion and placed 2nd in the world.
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This is a brilliant threat, I can see I am a coffee amateur! I grind my own beans in a cheapo grinder from Amazon and then use a caffetiere. Perhaps the equivalent of a first set of seperates!
Right, I need to sort my self out and get serious!!!
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I can honestly say that I’ve never had a decent cup of coffee from Starbucks (in the UK) in my life. I’m pretty sure I don’t like their very dark roast, but its always too bitter, like they don’t have any kind of process for setting up their machines consistently and training their staff. Whilst not perfect, I’ve found that Costa in the UK is both more to my taste and consistent.
Ah yes. Rebranded as “Sage” here in Blighty and promoted by celeb chef Heston Blumental; I almost bought one, but went for something with generic parts that would last for many decades. And with an Italian flag on the front 
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I went from the whole espresso shabang to keeping it mininal. To much maintenance and preparation with the machine for a few daily cups.
Great beans, grinder, proper scale (measuring time and weighing beans and water), goose neck kettle (92-96 degrees Celsius) and a Hario/Kalita kit. That’s all you need 
Minimal and serious 
I can see I need to investigate this!
It’s a good point about Espresso. I don’t drink much but occasionally just have to have one. Nice after a meal too. Although a drop of sugar is usually involved (I gave it up in tea and other coffee ages ago). Even better with a whisky chase
What’s that word to describe something that’s useless at the one task it’s designed to do? Like the teapot that spills tea over everything when you pour it.
Whatever, it applies to Starbucks. A coffee shop that can’t make coffee to save its life. And as for the service…
Besides, discovering a new proper coffee (or tea) shop is one of life’s genuine pleasures.
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