Brew your own cup of cheer!

IN STORE

With winter just around the corner, it will soon be the best time to curl up with a hot cup of coffee. There is nothing better than brewing your own espresso or cappuccino at home. And what’s more, now you don’t have to be a connoisseur to get your perfect coffee. A range of dedicated and really feature-packed espresso or cappuccino machines, even ones that combine both, are available at your nearest home appliance store. Preparing the brew using them is only a few simple steps straight out of the user manual.

The Italian way

Straight from the baristas of Milan come the range of machines by De Longhi, the largest home appliance maker in the European Union. Some of the models on offer are really something to admire on your kitchen table. First up is the Esclusivo Cafe Nero Combo Coffee and Espresso which can brew coffee and espresso simultaneously. It comes with adjustable brew strength and a programmable digital timer for “wake-up” coffee, can brew four espressos or ten coffees at a go and comes with a swivel jet for the froth. It can also be adapted for hot chocolate. But if you want something simpler, there is the steam-driven “4-Cup Espresso and Cappuccino Maker”. It is compact and can brew two cups at a time and comes with the jet frother again. Prices range from Rs 4,500 to Rs 12,000.

For those who want to go that extra mile and grind their coffee themselves, De Longhi offers a grinder that can do 2.36 ounces, enough coffee beans for twelve

5-ounce cups. The grinder also has a dial that calibrates the amount of beans according to the number of cups desired: four, six, eight, 10 or 12. Price — Rs 4,000.

Splendid Spain

The Spanish brand Cantee recently made its debut in India. Again, the machines by this manufacturer have enough buttons and knobs to keep you occupied. The king is the Magic Brew, which has a whopping 1.5 litre capacity to brew 12 cups on the go. It features permanent nylon filters and a pump that the maker says provides the ideal pressure for rich coffee. This model includes a warming cup tray. There are also smaller options like the four-cup Impressa and a compact Crema machine. Prices start at Rs 4,490.

On a shoe-string

Murphy Richards is for those who’re looking for something more reasonably priced. The Cafe Rico Espresso, a coffee-maker with frother, makes espresso, cappuccino and latte and features an easy-to-clean heated milk frother. There is also a hotplate to heat milk for frothing. It can do six cups at a time and is priced at Rs 4,395. The Europa Espresso/Cappuccino Coffee Maker has the same capacity but is priced lower at

Rs 3,995. The company also offers a dedicated filter coffee maker for those who want their traditional south Indian brew in a jiffy — eight minutes flat. Price: Rs 2,795.