Insulated, Double-walled, Glass Cups Are Best

What is the best cup for a flat white or any other espresso-based drink, like a latte or a cappuccino? 

 

For me, the answer is easy: an insulated, double-walled, glass cup. Beautiful to the eye with a good feel in the hand.

 

Serve your espresso-based milk drinks in a heavy ceramic mug and your drinks immediately begin to cool.

 

For this reason, I use an insulated, double-walled, glass cup that prevents rapid cooling. Another plus, these cups stay cool to the touch even when preheated. I like to fill my cup with water and heat it in the microwave while I grind and tamp the beans.

A latte I made for Judy.

 

The only downside to these cups is durability. Light glass cups are fragile. I know. I have already broken one. I tipped it over and the inside glass liner shattered. I have heard others complain about the cost but I find stores like Homesense, Marshalls and Winners offer a good selection at excellent prices.

 

Insulated glass cups are practical and nice looking. The coffee appears to almost float in a clear cup. The espresso and the thin layers of crema and foamed milk are clearly visible. Unlike some plastic mugs, glass cups do not impart off flavours.

 

For me, preheated, double-walled glass cups are the best. Love 'em.  

Making good latte on the cheap.

It just occurred to me: I have never met a latte I didn't like. Strong coffee smoothed out with lots of heated milk, what could go wrong. Café connoisseurs would say "lots". Me -- a simple espresso drinker -- I would say "very little".

My ignorance encourages a broad tolerance range. For instance, if the coffee is too bitter, I am quick to add a little sugar. I expect to make adjustments. Hey, that's why there is half and half on the table. I see flexibility as a strength.

The connoisseur has more refined expectations. Connoisseurs are more attuned to noticing subtle defects -- subtle to me but not to them. Vary the bean quality, extraction and milk texturing and risk offending the delicate palate of the connoisseur.

When I bought my wife an espresso machine for Christmas, I over bought. I knew nothing about espresso, latte, flat whites or cappuccinos. I turned to the experts. This was a big mistake. The Breville Barista Touch espresso machine was frequently suggested, accompanied by the claim that the approximate price of $1500 was a bargain.

I decided to consult ChatGPT. Wow! The AI program made complete sense and if I had followed its advice I could have saved more than a thousand dollars! Let me quote ChatGPT.

The simplest beginner setup for making excellent espresso drinks is:

• Bialetti Moka Pot ($50 at Canadian Tire)
• Baratza Encore Black Coffee Grinder ($200) or OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder ($150) - Both available at Crate and Barrel
• Handheld Milk Frother (approximately $25 - $35)
• Good Whole Beans ($20)

Total cost: roughly $250 - $300 with espresso quality rivaling many cafés.

 

For brewing simply great coffee, substitute the AeroPress, $53 at Canadian Tire, for the Bialetti Moka Pot.

 

As a senior couple with more time on our hands than money, going the moka pot route is truly appealing.

Breville Barista Touch: more machine than I need?

I got my wife a Breville Barista Touch espresso machine for Christmas. She never uses it. I do. For an "easy" machine, it is somewhat complicated. Along with the espresso machine, I gave my wife a barista -- me!

I made a very common mistake when buying the home espresso machine. I bought a machine that did not match my wife nor my lifestyle. I bought a beautiful, café-styled machine. The danger is that we will enjoy it for a few weeks and, when the novelty wears off, the coffee-making ritual will feel like work. 

I have come to believe the Touch is more machine than I need. First, there is the price. It was a lot of money, even on sale ($1280 Cdn), just to enjoy a latte now and then. A simpler, less expensive machine might have done the job just fine. I turned to ChatGPT.

I learned of the Airmsen 7.9'' Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine With Grinder was on sale at Walmart for $249.99. The reviews were mixed and, although most buyers seemed happy, those who were not happy had some excellent reasons for giving the Airmsen only one star. I found all the low priced units had similarly mixed reviews. I moved on and up. I asked ChatGPT to loosen the purse strings a little. Go upscale a bit.

In the end I decided buying a separate coffee grinder might be the best option. I found myself staying with the Breville brand. I teamed a Breville Smart Grinder Pro at $240 with a Breville Bambino Plus at $500.

All these Breville products are available at Best Buy. There is also a non-plus Bambino at $360 but I decided I would spend the extra $140 for the automatic milk frothing and a better steam wand offered by the Plus. The wand has a four-hole tip rather than a single-hole and it auto-purges and self-cleans.

Also, the Plus has a three-way solenoid that releases the pressure after drawing a shot, making for a drier puck and less dripping after extraction.

When comparing the two Bambino models, the actual espresso brewing systems are the same. Therefore, the shot quality is essentially the same. 

Still, latte and other milk drinks from the Plus might be a notch up in quality compared to its less expensive soulmate. The Plus offers multiple milk temperature options and different foam levels.

Rather than spending $1280 for the all-in-one Breville Barista Touch, I decided it would have been wiser to buy a grinder separate from the brewing machine. Buying both units from Breville made for a nicer aesthetic as they match.

At this point, I would like to say that I found a good review comparing the Breville Barista Touch, my machine, to the Breville Bambino Plus, the unit I have come to believe would have been a better purchase for a novice like myself. Here is the link: Breville Barista Touch vs Breville Bambino Plus reviewed by Eli for Coffee Drinker Net. 

I found one error in the review. The Bambino Plus milk frothing wand has a four hole tip and not a single hole tip.

If you do not value matching looks, there are other options. Here are two: MiiCoffee DF54 and Baratza Encore ESP. Use ChatGPT to compare the grinders. Each has its own pluses and minuses. For casual home use, the Breville Bambino Plus holds its own.