Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:20 amCouldn't agree more Baz, and as you say, 120 quid for a grinder to be used with a FP puts a lot of people off. As I mentioned, I'm sure lots of us have used them as part of our journey and they are a fairly cheap way of getting in to fresh coffee. I still prefer to recommend that people keep their eyes open for the starbucks barista, or dualit/solis equivalent, as I've seen these on sale for less than 40 quid.
The real problem is maybe the emphasis that is placed on espresso drinks (fashion or not) and the standard of equipment that this requires. Espresso has been given an image where only the biggest, best and most shiny/expensive will do, as if espresso were the king of all brewing techniques. That said, judging by the amount of milk, syrups and whipped creams that end up in some people's cups, I'm not sure the quality or freshness of the coffee really matters
The real problem is maybe the emphasis that is placed on espresso drinks (fashion or not) and the standard of equipment that this requires. Espresso has been given an image where only the biggest, best and most shiny/expensive will do, as if espresso were the king of all brewing techniques. That said, judging by the amount of milk, syrups and whipped creams that end up in some people's cups, I'm not sure the quality or freshness of the coffee really matters
