'Grind's Nespresso machine transformed my coffee routine – and made me give up my Pret subscription'
Head of shopping Zoe traded in her monthly £30 Pret a Manger subscription for Grind's Nespresso Compatible Pod Machine
I'll start by saying I'm no coffee snob, but I am a girl who appreciates a decent cup of coffee (or three) every day. I say I'm not a snob because I'll happily nip into Pret a Manger for an oat latte, Starbucks for an iced coffee or Blank Street when I'm feeling fancy. My favourite coffee shop though, by a long shot (pun intended) is London Grind.
If you're not local to London, you may not have heard of this coffee shop chain. It's nailed both flavour and branding, and going into one of the shops is just a joyful and joyously pink experience. So when I found out Grind was selling a home Nespresso Compatible Pod Machine, £295, to give its signature blend at home and at just a flick of a switch, I knew I had to get my hands on it.
As someone who has religiously spent £30 a month on my Pret subscription (which gives me five 'free' coffees each day), the idea of giving it up seemed unlikely, but after a week of using the machine, that's exactly what I've done. The machine has quickly replaced my daily coffee shop visits. Here's why....
The Grind One Nespresso machine
The machine, boasting 19 bars of pressure, guarantees to extract the best from Grind's Nespresso-compatible coffee pods, delivering a fuller-bodied coffee with a perfect crema. Its polished stainless steel body, complete with aeroplane-style toggle switches, gives it a minimalist and sophisticated look that fits seamlessly into my kitchen. Having previously had a very bulky coffee machine on my countertop, I loved the look of the sleek and slimline design.
It also doesn't have dozens of little buttons and switches. Instead, there's an 'on/off' flick switch and a button that signals either a long shot of espresso or a short one. You'll also find a water tank at the back of the machine that can be filled up easily and without needing to move the machine out when it runs low.
With every machine purchase, you receive 30 free home-compostable pods in Grind's House, Light, and Dark blends. This not only ensures you have a variety of delicious coffees to try right out of the box but also gives you peace of mind knowing you're making an environmentally friendly choice.
Grind also offers to repair the machine itself in London if it ever breaks, with repairs in the first year being completely free of charge.
Zoe says
I had cleared my Thursday evening to set up my new coffee machine, but it turned out I didn't need to. My previous coffee machine was a nightmare to set up, taking hours to rinse, assemble and figure out. I even had to call my brother in despair when the 100-page instruction book left me baffled. However, setting up The Grind's machine was a breeze, so much so that I didn't even need to look at the instruction manual.
It's now sitting untouched in my kitchen drawer, just in case I need it later. Honestly, the trickiest part was getting it out of its fully recyclable packaging. Once that was done, all I had to do was fill up the water tank, connect the plug to the bottom of the machine and the socket, insert the cup tray and then step back to admire my work.
To make a coffee, I simply pop a pod (the Vanilla ones are my favourite) into the machine, close the pod door with the lever, press the single or double shot button and then wait a few seconds for it to do its thing.
Despite its simplicity, it's clear that Grind has put a lot of thought into every detail of the machine. I found myself impressed by the smallest things, from the easy-to-remove instruction stickers that didn't leave any sticky residue behind, to the surprising amount of water that such a compact machine can hold. I've honestly never been so wowed by a gadget before.
The coffee itself? Grind has truly infused its signature coffee flavour into the pods, and if I close my eyes and imagine myself sipping from a takeaway cup, it's a very professional-tasting cup of joe. Do you need one? I assure you, you do.
You can grab one for £295 here – you won't regret it.
For other summer-perfect gadget recommendations, check out our reviews of Ninja's Woodfire Electric Grill here and Dyson's Hot + Cool Air Purifier here.