how to make latte at home

KIPAX

KIPAX

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KIPAX Lancashire UK
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anyone? tried ebay and loads of diff things..as such am lost as to whats gimmiky and whats decent............ just want the ability now and then to have latte at home....
 
We use a Nespresso machine and such things are achievable with ease.

Anthony.
 
I love a latte but have yet to find anything for home use that makes a decent one
 
KIPAX said:
anyone? tried ebay and loads of diff things..as such am lost as to whats gimmiky and whats decent............ just want the ability now and then to have latte at home....
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It's not a latte per se, but if you microwave a mug of full fat milk to just boiling point, then put in a good heaped teaspoon of good instant coffee it will froth nicely and tastes pretty good.
The trick is don't overfill the mug (because it really will froth), and put the coffee in with a thick cold dry spoon.
 
If you want a proper latte, you'll need an espresso machine and a milk steamer. And learn how to use them.

If you want something that resembles a latte, ie a milky coffee, then a milk frother and instant coffee will do it. Or use a microwave as above.

An nespresso does a pretty decent job with a lot less hassle.
 
two for nespresso ... just been looking and they seem to be in a range from 50 quid to 150 quid.....
 
As I said above I have not found anything that works well and I included the likes of the nespresso machines in that, never found one that makes a decent hot latte, all they produce is half a cup of luke warm yuck
 
I have a friend who uses a Aerobie Aeropress espresso maker and then just heats the milk in the microwave, if he wants froth hes uses one of those cheap 99p frothing gadgets to froth the milk
 
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Keith W said:
As I said above I have not found anything that works well and I included the likes of the nespresso machines in that, never found one that makes a decent hot latte, all they produce is half a cup of luke warm yuck
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Just to point out that the microwave cheapo version is as hot as lava :LOL:
 
TCR4x4 said:
If you want a proper latte, you'll need an espresso machine and a milk steamer. And learn how to use them.

If you want something that resembles a latte, ie a milky coffee, then a milk frother and instant coffee will do it. Or use a microwave as above.

An nespresso does a pretty decent job with a lot less hassle.
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This
A Nespresso or similar will make a nice cup of coffee, but the only way to get milk that appears to have been heated with steam - is to heat it with steam.

A cheap espresso machine isn't much more expensive than one of the convenient pod machines, but is a lot more faff.

That said, if you can afford it a Gaggia is what I'd buy if I had the budget.
 
TCR4x4 said:
If you want a proper latte, you'll need an espresso machine and a milk steamer. And learn how to use them.
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That works for us.
 
Phil V said:
This


A cheap espresso machine isn't much more expensive than one of the convenient pod machines, but is a lot more faff.

That said, if you can afford it a Gaggia is what I'd buy if I had the budget.
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'Proper' espresso is great, but it can be a real PITA at times (weighing/timing/grinding,) all of which has to be repeated and redone every time you change beans. Also if you do get an espresso machine you'll need a decent grinder to (the grind is an essential part of the equation) as well

For most people a nespresso or similar does the job fine.

On a related note (shameless plug) I'll be listing a Gaggia Classic espresso machine and an Iberital grinder in the classifieds in the next few days, because despite my username, I barely drink espresso anymore, I prefer pour over brewing these days.
 
EspressoJunkie said:
'Proper' espresso is great, but it can be a real PITA at times (weighing/timing/grinding,) all of which has to be repeated and redone every time you change beans. Also if you do get an espresso machine you'll need a decent grinder to (the grind is an essential part of the equation) as well

For most people a nespresso or similar does the job fine.

On a related note (shameless plug) I'll be listing a Gaggia Classic espresso machine and an Iberital grinder in the classifieds in the next few days, because despite my username, I barely drink espresso anymore, I prefer pour over brewing these days.
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For a connoisseur... :D
But that's like saying Vinyl is only better than MP3 if you use a Linn deck and mount it on a concrete plinth etc...

Whereas £500 will get you a decent Vinyl setup that blows CD quality away easily.
A half decent home made Latte is better than a pod machine, with a bit of mess and faff, but without having to resort to 'drug dealer' scales and Heston Blummineck's levels of precision. :)
 
Posh lot on ere init :woot::woot:
 
the black fox said:
Posh lot on ere init :woot::woot:
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Grumpy old man mode on................Good coffee is one of the few pleasures I have left in life Jeff.............Grumpy old man mode off
 
Phil V said:
For a connoisseur... :D
But that's like saying Vinyl is only better than MP3 if you use a Linn deck and mount it on a concrete plinth etc...

Whereas £500 will get you a decent Vinyl setup that blows CD quality away easily.
A half decent home made Latte is better than a pod machine, with a bit of mess and faff, but without having to resort to 'drug dealer' scales and Heston Blummineck's levels of precision. :)
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Lol that's very true, but I was just glad to find another a use for my scales..... ;-)
 
Keith W said:
I have a friend who uses a Aerobie Aeropress espresso maker and then just heats the milk in the microwave, if he wants froth hes uses one of those cheap 99p frothing gadgets to froth the milk
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Don't want to be pedantic, but the aeropress doesn't make espresso, even though it says on the box it does.

They make very nice strong coffee though.

My wife bought me a nespresso for my birthday year before last, and I can honestly say I haven't used my gaggia machine since. I don't often drink latte, preferring americano, or I actually really only drink filter coffee now, as my wife also bought me a Behmor Brazen this year. If someone comes over and asked for a latte, they get a nespresso, cos I can't be bothered faffing around changing the grind on my grinder back to espresso and weighing it out etc etc.
No one has ever complained about the nespresso drinks and they taste fine to me.
 
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I like my Nespresso machine, gives me a good cup on coffee with little fuss and even less cleaning :)

I have a small cafetiere that I use to heat the milk with and use the plunger to create froth. To be honest its as good and thick as any steam created froth.

View: https://youtu.be/aOmeJ9q4xX0


Of course I realise that to the connoisseur, nespresso machines are frowned upon but some people aren't happy unless their coffee bean comes out of a monkey ar@e :LOL:
 
viv1969 said:
It's not a latte per se, but if you microwave a mug of full fat milk to just boiling point, then put in a good heaped teaspoon of good instant coffee it will froth nicely and tastes pretty good.
The trick is don't overfill the mug (because it really will froth), and put the coffee in with a thick cold dry spoon.
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Theres something rather comforting about instant coffee made with hot milk :coffee:
 
I'll stick with our Gaggia Classic.
It's still doing well after 20 plus years.
At the time it was cheaper to order it direct from Italy.
 
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I find all this messing with milk in coffee quite weird. I have gone back to very early times, and Simply pour boiled water over coffee in a cafetiere, but any container would do just as well as I do not use the plunger at all, but instead thoroughly stir and stand till done. I pour from the cafetiere through a very fine mesh sieve. This would quickly block with grounds, if not tapped lightly with the side of the cafetiere, which immediately and magically frees the flow.
If I want a long hot milky coffee I add warm milk. I do not abide froth of any Kind. Alternatively a curl of fresh double cream works just fine.

Perhaps my Favorite coffee is all forms of Turkish coffee, though it seems to be native to vast regions of north Africa the middle East and eastern Europe. Each of which claim it as their own.

My least favorite is coffee that comes from various steam machines.
 
perhaps its me ,i prefer normal coffee ,but i also like hot bovril ,and traditional horlicks made with milk .you can't beat hot milk (gold top was best) boiled in a pan ,then liquid coffee poured in can't think of the name it was sold in bottles years ago with about 3 or four spoonfuls of demerrera sugar added YUMMY
 
the black fox said:
liquid coffee poured in can't think of the name it was sold in bottles years ago with about 3 or four spoonfuls of demerrera sugar added YUMMY
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Maybe?

f6d2.jpg
 
the black fox said:
perhaps its me ,i prefer normal coffee ,but i also like hot bovril ,and traditional horlicks made with milk .you can't beat hot milk (gold top was best) boiled in a pan ,then liquid coffee poured in can't think of the name it was sold in bottles years ago with about 3 or four spoonfuls of demerrera sugar added YUMMY
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Camp Coffee in the bottle?
Edit...beaten to it.
Still available btw.
 
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I've got a midrange espresso machine with a milk steamer. Espresso, plus an additional espresso size hot water and then steamed milk (until hot) works very well. Better than some cafés.
 
Camp: The most disgusting stuff I have ever come across, last cup went in a plant pot at a clients house. Would rather try Kopi luwak
 
neil_g said:
Since when does a nespresso make proper coffee..._:puke:

As someone said a milk steamer will do it, otherwise warm milk and a whisk works not quite as well.
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I'd be willing to bet you, if I made you a latte with my espresso machine, and one with the nespresso, you couldn't tell the difference.
A friend of mine who owns a £5000 commercial espresso machine and a £2000 grinder and professes to be quite an expert in coffee got caught out with this, so I've no doubt you would too.

It's a bit different with straight espresso, but once you dump a lot of milk in it, there is no difference at all.
 
viv1969 said:
It's not a latte per se, but if you microwave a mug of full fat milk to just boiling point
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I've been doing doing that for many years, well before designer coffee's hit these shores ;)
Its calledcoffee made with milk :D

As an aside I had a little chuckle at a "silly news item" on the radio recently,
Basically the up shot was, a woman went into Costa or something and asked for a Latte,
when it arrived she took a sip, and then took it back exclaiming there was too much milk in her coffee,
the server apparently said, I thought madam ordered a Latte?
Well yes I did she said, but you put too much milk in it.
 
Cobra said:
I've been doing doing that for many years, well before designer coffee's hit these shores ;)
Its calledcoffee made with milk :D
.
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Exactly.

From the Italian caffè latte = coffee milk.

Our simple boiled milk version is possibly more legit than these steamed foamed espresso mochachoccadoodah efforts :LOL:
 
TCR4x4 said:
I'd be willing to bet you, if I made you a latte with my espresso machine, and one with the nespresso, you couldn't tell the difference.
A friend of mine who owns a £5000 commercial espresso machine and a £2000 grinder and professes to be quite an expert in coffee got caught out with this, so I've no doubt you would too.

It's a bit different with straight espresso, but once you dump a lot of milk in it, there is no difference at all.
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Maybe.. But it doesn't fulfil my coffee snobbery :D
 
Well, everyday's a school day (y) I'd never thought of using a cafetiere to froth the milk. Absolutely cracking idea. I'll be giving that a go one day.

We have a Tassimo at home and the Costa Lattes are lovely imho, but will definitely be giving the cafeteria idea a punt one day, seeing as I've bought refillable pods (and started to keep & refill my own with whatever ready ground / fresh ground takes my fancy), but you can't refill the milk pods lol.
 
we have a nescafe dolce gusto machine.. cost about £40 in sales on amazon and they take single shot things.. expresso, cappuccino, latte, , chocolate, as well as cold drinks and tea.. takes about 30 secs to make a cup from start to finish.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/NESCAFÉ-EDG...F8&qid=1441463590&sr=1-4&keywords=dolce+gusto


pods cost around £2.50-3.00 for a box.. 8 if they have milkers, 16 in box if they are the black coffee.. cheaper to buy online though they sell them in sainsburys, tescos, morrisons etc too. sort of expensive compared to instant coffee at about 50 pence a cup but cant fault it for an instant coffee hit and got a free £20 voucher with ours to buy direct from the duce gusto website
 
the black fox said:
perhaps its me ,i prefer normal coffee ,but i also like hot bovril ,and traditional horlicks made with milk .you can't beat hot milk (gold top was best) boiled in a pan ,then liquid coffee poured in can't think of the name it was sold in bottles years ago with about 3 or four spoonfuls of demerrera sugar added YUMMY
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Camp coffee was the standby of WI coffee cake mixes. As a drink,it has horrible taste of chicory, But OK in baking.
I have containers of Horlicks, ovaltine and Coco (bournville) in my fridge. Though I prefer a mix of Horlicks and ovaltine than either on their own.
I remember scout camps mixing, camp coffee and sweetened condensed milk in to a thick hot very sweet concoction, nothing at all like coffee but drinkable.
 
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Used to use a "proper" espresso machine with milk frother but that's been in the loft since we got a Tassimo machine. Reliable and consistent in what it gives as well as providing all sorts of other hot beverages as the mood takes us. Also use a Briki and very finely ground coffee to make ourselves Greek coffee from time to time but the Tassimo is much easier to use (just can't do Greek!)
 
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