As previously advised the Sainsbury's filter coffee machine was expected to be moved along fairly quickly as the KF4 Swissgold filter does not quite fit.  The swing door also annoyed me.  So tonight I have ordered from Amazon, for just a few pennies more, the Russell Hobbs 15215 black coffee maker at GBP19.99 plus postage.  I forked out GBP8 on postage as I would like to receive it quickly.  Fingers crossed that the KF4 Swissgold filter fits this machine.  It is a bit reckless I know, but I haven't the time to go down to the shops with a KF4 Swissgold filter furtively in my hand and start opening boxes and internal packaging to see if it fits.  For this reason I have chosen one of the major players in this type of coffee maker.  If the KF4 Swissgold filter doesn't fit this machine it will be time to give the manufacturer a call in Switzerland and ask them to make a few design modifications.  I really don't think it will come to that.  Watch this space.

We haven't abandoned espresso coffee this week, I just think it is important to emphasise that there are different paths to improving the taste of the coffee you are drinking at home.  It might take a number of steps to get to the pinnacle, but even if we can get you off instant coffee and onto buying pre-ground coffee at the supermarket and pairing that with a KF4 Swissgold filter and a basic machine like the Russell Hobbs I have just purchased, I will view this as a win against mass market crud that is passed off as coffee.  It is this approach that has led to people adding so many high calorie extras to their coffee, just to make it palatable.

We're here to bring you back to the pleasures of real coffee.  We're not here to get you drinking 10 cups a day.  If we get you drinking just 1 cup a day of fine, fresh coffee, made correctly, we'll be happy.

If you've got questions about how to make the move to real coffee, please ask.

I'll admit that I was astounded by the array of coffee 'devices' on offer at the consumer level.  If you need a hand to guide you through the dross we're happy to help.  Just bear in mind that pretty colours and styles and electronic timers an all the rest don't make the coffee taste any better.  All you need to achieve is the mixing of water at the correct temperature (around 92C) with the right amount of coffee, ground to the right size, and conducted over materials that will not taint the coffee.  I was pleasantly surprised, but I must admit the water temperature in the very basic Sainsbury's machine was very good.  It appears that machines for home use that allow you to adjust the brew temperature are not readily available.  If someone knows otherwise I would be very pleased to hear from you as a machine that allowed you to accurately adjust the brew temp would be a lot of fun for the coffee enthusiast.  The simple addition of the KF4 Swissgold filter to the Sainsbury's machine completely transformed the taste of the coffee.  The awful taste of nylon was completely eliminated in a moment.