as if the 300grams I get pre ground on the day of shipping by a 100000$ machine would ever taste worse within the 2-3 weeks they stand on my shelf sealed... Grinding yourself is for people, who wear beanies inside, so their brains don't fly away every time they take their 200000$ coffee racer to the shops when they run out of snus.
@@foxxyboxxy9348 I have tried multiple times and there is a very noticeable difference, of course only if the coffee you make is good to begin with. Especially noticeable regarding the crema of the espresso.
@@foxxyboxxy9348 You have to adjust grind setting to give you the desired extraction. There is little chance that pre-ground coffee will hit the desired extraction.
@@foxxyboxxy9348just an FYI but a lot of the flavours can be lost within a few hours of being ground so there is a difference between buying beans Vs pre ground even if you seal it up. Scientifically proven too 😊 Of course if you're happy with the flavour and convenience of pre-ground that's 👍.
@@foxxyboxxy9348it actually will lose flavour even sealed up. Coffee loses it's aromatics to oxygen in less than 15 minutes and these add some of the fruitier nuanced flavours, so even having a roaster ship you pre ground will lose some flavour. But if you're happy with the convenience that's cool too.❤
When I bought my robot two years ago, I had no idea that it was going to be my end game when I got it… but every time other machines are tested and tried it just never makes sense to spend another 4000 to not get better espresso… the robot ended up being the most perfect value and simplicity of use
I was considering upgrading my Gaggia Classic Pro a few years ago to something that would be in the $3-4K range when I tried a Robot. After the second shot ever pulled on the Robot I realized I just saved myself a lot of money and the hassle of maintenance. So good.
Robot user here. Agree. The unseen costs of a machine, dual-boiler included, does not make sense anymore. I can’t see myself maintaining those machines.
Used a Moccamaster and/or Aeropress with a Baratza Encore for years and was quite happy but I truly love espresso and got tired of tossing my money to cafes. Eventually decided on a Robot and paired it with a DF40+ grinder. Excellent espresso, as good as any cafe. Haven't looked back.
I really appreciated this video for the simple fact that not everyone makes half a million dollars a year. You should do more videos that are affordable for the working class
I feel like the nespresso buyer wouldn’t really care for this because it’s still infinitely more work than putting a capsule in and pushing a button. There’s messy coffe transfer into the portafilter, there’s manual pressing, there’s heating the water in a kettle and transfering that and then there’s cleanup. All of that takes A LOT of time in comparison. 10s of your time vs a couple of minutes makes all the difference to people. That’s where, in my opinion, the morning machine shines. You still have the convenience of pods but at the same time the taste, if you buy specialty pods, is awesome. Perfect for someone like my dad who loves specialty but doesn’t want to mess with making it.
I bought an Nespresso coffee machine. It is. Easy to use, but the problem is. The coffee comes out. Lukewarm, it's not hot. I will not buy another coffee Maker from nespresso.
That, and with my Nespresso I can make 40ml, 80ml, 150ml, 230ml and 350ml. I bought it because I can get a real cup of coffee that has taste opposed to a Keurig that tastes like brown water.
@@thatShadowKat Taste as in cigarette ash? I don’t want to be disrespectful but coffee has soooo much more to offer than anything you can get from nespresso
Not gonna lie, it's a pretty cool machine and it's probably a pretty good first step for people who want to start doing espresso at home, but it will absolutely not end Nespresso. The advantage of a pod machine is its convenience. Most people want a quick cup of coffee in the morning without any hassle, and Nespresso delivers. If they don't like pod coffee, then they opt for an automatic espresso maker like a DeLonghi. I myself am a pour over guy and I can tell you that almost all my friends said they wouldn't have the patience to grind every morning and do a V60. For me it's a relaxing 10 minute routine, for them it would be hell.
I can see why you and Sarah are such a wonderful couple. I am a married female and I love Sarah too. 😂🎉 I just feel happy seeing her on camera. By the way, Sarah is COMPLETELY right about pre-grounds. I am in love with my Cafelat Robot and I have a good electric grinder. But I keep one jar of pre-ground around that has been grinded for moka pot and a small bag of another pre-ground for filter coffee. The pre-ground makes me feel like I am brewing instant coffee but I get results that is 10 times better than any instant coffee on the market, freeze-dried included. It is crazy how good pre-grounds are these days. Just no crema. But you know… for people who prefers filter coffee over espresso such as myself, the pre-grounds lying around my house works out well.
I don't think the compare against the Nespresso makes sense here (outside of ease of use), but the overall experience shown with the Rok is really positive. Great video!
I’m new to espresso in general and got my first setup. I have the ROK EspressoGC Commercial (has a pressure gauge) and the ROK GrinderGC. Some QC issues with the grinder still getting fixed, but I like the process over all. You need some strength for this system to hit that 7-9 bar. It’s a great wake up workout/exercise, but not for everyone.
in this test, you didn't control the actual coffee blend or source for the Nespresso pod. If you had a "Make at Home" pod with the same coffee, then I'd be impressed. I own a Nespresso and love it because of the simplicity. I also have a ROC and when I use the Make at Home pod with the same coffee, bean and grind, I get the same tasting result.
I'd say it’s a cool analog option, but no, it does not come close to providing what Nespresso does. For me, the most significant benefit of Nespresso is the ability to easily change flavors /coffee types without compromising freshness. The Rok feels more like an off-grid / power outage solution, which again, is pretty cool.
I love the idea of spring lever. Rok should put this in a machine that is intended for non pressurized baskets. I have a flair neo with the non pressurized upgrade. It wouldn't make a lot of sense to downgrade my current setup to this.
Nespresso uses 5.5g of dark to very very dark roasted commodity coffee to brew 40ml of liquid Nespresso in about 10 seconds. (God forbid you make 110ml ‘lungo’ with it). Despite what the general public think, this has hardly anything to do with espresso coffee.
That was a great test. My family likes the espresso I make when I make it for them at my place, but the unapproachability for people who don't want to be "coffee people" but just want some coffee makes it hard to try and level up their coffee game
I nailed down a really awesome expresso with the Breville Bambino plus and the Breville pro grinder set at 10. I use a scale, measure 18.5 grams of coffee beans, then extract between 25-30 seconds to get 36 grams liquid…I use kicking horse expresso and 49th parallel old school. Foamer I set to min on the heat and froth. Comes out as good or better than 95% of the high end coffee shops I visit.
I've just come across your channel and noticed you making espresso with the Rock machine. The issue I have is not with the machine but with the coffee grinder. Unlike a burr grinder, which grinds coffee beans evenly, the blade grinder you're using is more suited for chopping herbs. Also, when you and your partner do taste tests, both of you should take a sip of water to clear your palates. This way, there's no contamination from the previous coffee you tasted, and you'll get the true experience of each coffee from either machine. I know this from experience because I am Italian and live in Italy. When you go to a bar here, they always give you a glass of water to clear your palate before drinking coffee and to reduce dehydration after drinking it.
Thanks for this, totally agree. If you watch the whole video you’ll notice I recommend burr grinders several times ☺️ The blade grinder was more to test Roks claims that you don’t need ANY fancy equipment.
I bought the original Presso in 2009 (I don’t recall the Rok name existing at the time) I just found the receipt in my emails and it was only £59. Like you I was pretty early in my espresso journey. I was after a coffee machine that didn’t make much of a coffee smell (my wife didn’t like the smell of coffee). I used a Hario slim grinder with it. My memory is that I got really good coffee from it.
Thank you so much for this! I’m having to live in temporary accommodation for a few months and all of my gear is boxed away apart from a simple hand grinder and aeropress. I was going to buy a flair neo but was fearing that setting off another upgrade train as the grinder on hand is pretty basic. This solves the problem perfectly. Unfussy, good enough with what I’ve got for the situation that I’m in, and it’ll pay for itself vs a cafe even in a few months. Great review!
Great review; kudos to the whole team! We mainly use an Aeropress and the old version Nespresso. We tried the newer version with the larger pods, but the crema just seemed artificial with no richness. I looked at the Rok a long time ago and may consider getting one after watching your video.
It falls into a niche where the target audience is someone who cares about taste enough to not like nespresso but also don’t care about taste that much so they’d go for a flair or even a mocha pot. It’s an extreme niche area in coffee that I’m not 100% sure exists.
When I woke up yesterday, I did not expect to buy a new coffee product😂 but this is very cool! For a quick espresso like shot, no fuss, and good coffee. Plus the option of putting other liquids in as ROK shows, or trying those brown sugar shots. I never want to do that with my 58+ so this is perfect. Great for fun coffees, something quick, or something simple when the fiancé wants a coffee but wants it simple and I’m gone.
This might be perfect for my parents, who use a moka pot most of the time. They already hand grind and have to clean up the mess afterwards, but this is faster and less variable than the stove heating step. I might save it for next Christmas as a present idea.
I saw the grinding for five seconds, and the look on your face, 🤣 I immediately knew when she said it was easy, it was because the coffee particles were the size of rice and then when you showed the porter filter, 0 surprises, funny how it tasted better, and not super sour and under extracted.
IMO nowadays lots of things over-complicate making espresso at home. scales, gadgets for distribution, puck filters, burr psychosis, etc etc. the learning curve for espresso regardless of equipment is far from steep nor is it rocket science. the real beauty of manual lever machines is being able to control extraction pressure though you'd need a pressure gauge to precisely know where are. you still need to grind and tamp correctly which is akin to what needs to be done on any pump driven machine. fun to play on a cremina and a museum ready faemina though the faemina is a spring lever. though nespresso isnt perfect is makes reasonable shots with decent crema. i used to travel with the smallest model though i refilled the cartridges myself with preferred coffee.
you could pre grind for her the day before in a vacuum sealed container to bypass the preground from store. I had one you push down to pull out the air at container store.
What about the „Morning“ Nespresso Cup Machine? You can buy Loads of Top Notch Special Roaster Nespresso-fitting Pods and vary Temperature and more Parameters! Ok Costs 500 Bucks but i love it.
This is great. Love your wife, you should have her on more often. I will say, I think the 'fakie' crema of the Nespresso, is sorta not really fake unless you think of it as true crema. It's whipped and that, even if not crema, is actually a nice version of finish.
Keep wondering how the coffee quality is with espresso grind + tamp + naked portafilter. Does the portafilter shown in the video (rok pro) fit the smart?
A couple other comments on here about this. I included some thoughts in the vid but I feel like I may not have been clear enough 😆 Rok doesn’t recommend this, but I did try it. In my opinion if you go that fine it will bottom out the springs requiring you to put direct force on the arms. It kinda feels “wrong” with the normal use of the smart shot and I even had water spraying out of the gasket once or twice. IMO its sweet spot really is with somewhat coarser grinds and a pressurized basket.
@@DaddyGotCoffee Thanks for the clarification. The way I understood it was that espresso grind did not work in the pressurised basket. I thought that a “normal” basket has way less resistance and with that an espresso grind could work.
Curious if that machine would be your favorite unit you’d recommend for single home use? Also, I’m kinda against the plastic but it’s hard to find an all metal or a stainless steel option.
This feels like a gateway from my current pour over with pre-ground coffee. (Don’t come for me, at least I ditched the Nespresso.) Probably something I would do on weekends when I have a little more time. It’s nice that it takes up very little counter space and I can use the kettle I already have.
This is exciting for the reason they mention on their TH-cam. Experimenting, sparkling water, cold, coke. Maybe they all suck but I would try them with anything else.
There is a hack for the steamed mil if you like milk drinks like cappuccino and lattes and prefer simplicity over technique. Instead of heating milk and using a hand frother or high end machine stream wand, the Hotel Chocolate has a ve either that provides a real slick milk consistency with (one button).
I would have liked to see a discussion on preheating the ROC and not tamping the grind in the portafilter. I have an original ROC and a La Pavoni, love them both, can get an excellent shot out of each one, but the extra time and hot water to heat the head and portafilter on the ROC got old in the early hours of the morning. So the La Pavoni is my go to machine. Love the aesthetics of the original ROC to bad they made this new version with a plastic base.
I included my thoughts on this in the vid in brief. In short, grinding at finer grinds with expensive burr grinders cause the springs to bottom out meaning you put direct lever force (like the OG Rok) on the mod part of the stroke. It’s not as easy to press and harder to stay consistent. For this reason I wouldn’t consider it an “expandable” platform that you would want to use crazy espresso grinders, non pressurized precision baskets etc with. It’s super easy and forgiving without all the precision and that’s sort of its sweet spot.
As a long time nespresso user (as well as other machines like Rancilio Silvia) this would never replace my nespresso because 1) I don’t want to have to boil water elsewhere 2) I need a milk steamer 3) I doubt buying pre ground coffee will taste much better and most nespresso owners won’t want to buy a grinder although I still have mine from my pre nespresso days. I also can’t imagine serving coffee to a group of ppl at a dinner party with this clumsy process. Neat looking device, but half way to nowhere for me. This would be more appealing to handpresso, French press or Moka pot users.
medium roast that light should be illegal or at least include a little window so buyers can see the color. When I was roasting, we would carefully tune the roast per coffee origin (updating our profile if the crop was even slightly different)... and we did it by taste rather than color. Espresso or french roasts can really be burnt if just judged by color for some coffees.
Come on over pull up a chair, welcome to the show, I like good coffee, I just need it to be simple, can you qualify that for me, a button….. you two are pure gold, a mini pod cast, cozy, comfortable, conversation on coffee and equipment, so fun to watch and superbly done.
Didn't really eliminate all the fuss of espresso machines as you still have to properly grind your beans then dose and tamp a portafilter. When some Chinese company can clone a Jura superautomatic and sell it for the same price as a Nespresso Inissia, you'll have seen the end of Nespresso and Keurig.
Really interesting machine. Would u say that using it with pre-ground coffee from a specialty coffee maker would work as well as grinding the same coffee at home with an inexpensive hand grinder?
I always err on the side of grinding fresh. Once ground, the beans oxidize so quickly. That being said, the grinders typically used to grind at industrial scale often do an unreal job.
@@DaddyGotCoffee great! I'll look into that as an option. What kind of grind size would u recommend for this espresso machine? One specialty roaster near me sells fine, medium and coarse espresso grind size, pour-over grind size, French press grind size, moka pot grind size and Aeropress grind size. I was thinking either medium or coarse espresso grind size would be optimal, but I could be wrong
This is more designed for quasi-espresso with a pressurized basket. The OG Rok is designed for real espresso with a non-pressurized (pro) basket. It can also use a pressurized basket
I really feel that the best way to make grinding the beans easy is by having a grind by weight ginder, 1 button and you have ground coffee from the hopper, no need to do anything, as you can set up the grams in advance.
I own Robot from Cafelat and I feel like the single thing that I don't like about it is the handles, they are just not great to push down. This new iteration of Rok kinda seem easier to push down, I'd just be worried about the non-metal parts? At least the black parts seem plastic. (Edit: yep, they are plastic, watched the video further)
I love love love my Robot. I HATE the handles. What’s crazy is the Robot is based on a machine from the 50s that had round handles. They figured it out 70 years ago, and Robot took a step back with rectangular handles that dig into your hands at 9 bars.
@@Alley00Cat Also a robot owner. I've found that with the right puck prep, I can get amazing shots at much lower pressures and save my hands the pain. Here's what I do: -DF64 grinder (good but not incredible) -Large 25-28 gram dose (larger puck is more forgiving/tastier) -Frozen beans (helps reduce fines) -Slow fed into the grinder (further reduces fines) -Shaken before tamping (even further reduces fines) -10 second pre-infusion at lowest pressure I can (less channeling/puck resistance) Sounds like a lot but they are all pretty passive habits. These things combined allow me to grind very fine but still pull around 5-6 bar with great body and flavour. Your mileage may vary but I think it's worth the try.
@ Oh I can imagine, I considered getting them, it's just that the stand alone price for them is a little silly, just like the price for optional Cafelat leveled tamper (which I got). And If their product is pain to use without this little addition, why not make it part of their main product package from the get go? It's just a bit baffling to me.
@@RPPification the most baffling is the pressure gauge on the handle. I pay a few bucks to attach it on top which means you can stand over as your press, which is infinitely more comfortable. There are many improvements to be made to The Robot which would cost Cafelat close to nothing, it’s quite puzzling
I love the Cafelat Robot. In comparison with the ROK and -only judging from videos- the flair, I like the workflow way more. They also sell pressurized baskets (~30$), so you could easiely switch between pro and Amateure and pro. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that one.
15:08 I got a scale from Ali for €2.67 (shipping included as part of a bundle). and it measures up to 0.01g and it’s pretty accurate and consistent. It’s not at all waterproof or even water resistant so it’s dedicated for weighing grounds, not liquids.
Still do not get how this competes with the Nespresso? It still needs a grinder anyway? So not much different from the Breville and Delonghi' alike. The title makes no sense other than furthering Rok' claim which does not substantiate it in anyway. A more comparable option to the Keurig and Nespressos with wanting to get something with the 'Touch of a button' would be the Semi and Full Autos doing a Bean to Cup. TLDR; Clickbait title; No nespresso' were ended
Seeing your wife grinding with a stab-grinder and dosing by eye directly in the portafilter, without even thinking to do some WDT got me nightmares all week. We’re really complicating the process but it is necessary for our enjoyment.
The fact that you are pretty much required to use the pressurized basket makes this way overpriced imo. It doesn't have the convenience (especially wrt clean-up) of a pod machine, but also not the utility of an entry level semi-automatic like the DeLonghi Dedica. That one allows you to not only steam milk out of the box, but if you have a decent burr grinder you can get a standard basket and portafilter and brew very good espresso. On top of that, you can get it for cheaper than the Rok.
I use, and love both the results and the workflow, a Cafelat Robot. However my wife uses a bean to cup machine for her first cup of the day, so seriously thinking of replacing that machine with the Smartshot (I would leave out a pre ground dose in a sealed container though so she doesn’t have to grind the beans first thing 👍). I found the video really useful - thanks.
I use permanent metallic pods for my Nespresso Vertuo and it's decent if using fresh roasted beans (an absolute must gotta use) I grind in a cheap burr grinder. Espresso from a professional espresso machine is still superior but expensive when purchasing at an espresso café. I purchased the entry level Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Evo Pro, Small, Brushed Stainless Steel in 2023 with all the periphery required including 1st Gen Turin DF64 burr grinder but haven't used any of it yet. I'm afraid to go through the learning curve then modifying this/that etc. Spent a small fortune on everything 🤯
just your title indicates you don't understand what Nespresso is and who it is for (actually you probably do but you can't resist your Clickbait titles). it's $150 machine that doesn't require $1000 grinder or $200 scale or any of the other fancy nerdy equipment that you guys get up in the morning for. It is a fast on the go coffee machine that's better than Keurig. And they don't have to put five or six pods in to get the flavor just right. not to mention the multitude of ounces it distributes based on the barcode. Sure it's nowhere near the quality of an espresso machine but that wasn't the point.
Like your video. However I do think its comparing apples to oranges and marketed to differenct sets of people. Puck prep is like 75% percent of the work. Then you gotta heat water up in a kettle. A bambino in my mind would be a closer comparison.
I got into the office very early on a job, ages ago. Since no one else was in, I made a pot of coffee. Fifteen minutes later a conservative young midwestern woman comes in and is shocked when a man tells her HE made the coffee. To which I replied, with my best poker face "Well of course. I'd never trust a woman to make my coffee." RUN! (G) The look on her face was priceless though.
It’s not for me, but I whole heartedly welcome inexpensive coffee gear to get people tasting better and better coffee. I would buy it for my 20 year old college daughter that loves iced americanos and is used to grinding her own beans!
Hey, if you want a simple, great way to make espresso drinks at home, there is really only one way to go: Get a super-automatic espresso maker from Gaggia (or another quality company) and let it do all the work for you. Yes, you spend $800-900 but you get everything you need and it's all done for you, including grinding and milk frothing. We've been using our Gaggia for 6 years and won't go back. It's been great. Yes, it's a lot to spend BUT you'll have it for years...amortize the cost over 6-10 years and it's not that much! Do your homework!
I got a Ninja Lux system a couple of months ago, motivated to switch away from Nespresso and pods in general; probably a 10 year customer of Nespresso too. I like easy too, but the smell of fresh ground daily is one of the basic pleasures of life. Knocking out a puck is way simpler than cleanup we witnessed here. Overall I think you missed an opportunity by not having your wife take a sniff of the beans and the ground coffee.
Absolutely. But it’s liable to either be more expensive, not last as long, or both. One of the nice things about these machines is they are very simple mechanically. A machine like that could also steam milk though as well as heat the water. I think it depends on what you are looking for
Honestly, I’ve tried the ROC and think the Cafelat Robot is much better. It’s very forgiving and can rival the espresso from a $10000 machine. Also, because the water never enters the machine, maintenance is a breeze. Your wife would appreciate that! Please use a good burr grinder and just give her the grinds she needs for each cup.
How is this easier than getting a dedica or a ecp 3420? There you don’t have to mess with heating the water, pressing a shot out, and you also get a milk steamer with less money… you can also get a depresurized porta with basket for 20 bucks. The device is nice but not convenient. I have a ninja cafe luxe but when I’m in a hurry I still pop a capsule in the nespresso and have a nice fast coffee.
Both of these machines are more expensive where I am, and also much more complicated mechanically and liable to not last as long as a Rok for sure. Those machines can def be a good consideration for the right person though.
While I love my own Ninja Lux, if I had seen your video, I probably would have seriously considered this device. I did see a review for something similar, but it was also crazy expensive.
I love how every time she said “just get pre-ground beans” he died a little inside. 😂😂 She is definitely not your target market
as if the 300grams I get pre ground on the day of shipping by a 100000$ machine would ever taste worse within the 2-3 weeks they stand on my shelf sealed...
Grinding yourself is for people, who wear beanies inside, so their brains don't fly away every time they take their 200000$ coffee racer to the shops when they run out of snus.
@@foxxyboxxy9348 I have tried multiple times and there is a very noticeable difference, of course only if the coffee you make is good to begin with. Especially noticeable regarding the crema of the espresso.
@@foxxyboxxy9348 You have to adjust grind setting to give you the desired extraction. There is little chance that pre-ground coffee will hit the desired extraction.
@@foxxyboxxy9348just an FYI but a lot of the flavours can be lost within a few hours of being ground so there is a difference between buying beans Vs pre ground even if you seal it up. Scientifically proven too 😊
Of course if you're happy with the flavour and convenience of pre-ground that's 👍.
@@foxxyboxxy9348it actually will lose flavour even sealed up.
Coffee loses it's aromatics to oxygen in less than 15 minutes and these add some of the fruitier nuanced flavours, so even having a roaster ship you pre ground will lose some flavour.
But if you're happy with the convenience that's cool too.❤
Your face when Sarah said "but look how much crema there is!" - Priceless.
When I bought my robot two years ago, I had no idea that it was going to be my end game when I got it… but every time other machines are tested and tried it just never makes sense to spend another 4000 to not get better espresso… the robot ended up being the most perfect value and simplicity of use
I was considering upgrading my Gaggia Classic Pro a few years ago to something that would be in the $3-4K range when I tried a Robot. After the second shot ever pulled on the Robot I realized I just saved myself a lot of money and the hassle of maintenance. So good.
Robot user here. Agree. The unseen costs of a machine, dual-boiler included, does not make sense anymore. I can’t see myself maintaining those machines.
@@PositivelyNice that’s me too. I can’t be bothered dealing with technical issues and descaling and all of those things.
Used a Moccamaster and/or Aeropress with a Baratza Encore for years and was quite happy but I truly love espresso and got tired of tossing my money to cafes. Eventually decided on a Robot and paired it with a DF40+ grinder. Excellent espresso, as good as any cafe. Haven't looked back.
Been using Robot since 2021 and I wholly agree. Robot is meant to be my pause game before I get into more serious machines, but now it's my endgame.
I really appreciated this video for the simple fact that not everyone makes half a million dollars a year. You should do more videos that are affordable for the working class
I feel like the nespresso buyer wouldn’t really care for this because it’s still infinitely more work than putting a capsule in and pushing a button. There’s messy coffe transfer into the portafilter, there’s manual pressing, there’s heating the water in a kettle and transfering that and then there’s cleanup. All of that takes A LOT of time in comparison. 10s of your time vs a couple of minutes makes all the difference to people. That’s where, in my opinion, the morning machine shines. You still have the convenience of pods but at the same time the taste, if you buy specialty pods, is awesome. Perfect for someone like my dad who loves specialty but doesn’t want to mess with making it.
Yeah I think this is more like I want to step up from nespresso but not committ
A superautomatic is where a lot of people will end up, I feel. Fresh, good enough, at the push of a button.
I bought an Nespresso coffee machine. It is.
Easy to use, but the problem is. The coffee comes out. Lukewarm, it's not hot. I will not buy another coffee Maker from nespresso.
That, and with my Nespresso I can make 40ml, 80ml, 150ml, 230ml and 350ml. I bought it because I can get a real cup of coffee that has taste opposed to a Keurig that tastes like brown water.
@@thatShadowKat Taste as in cigarette ash? I don’t want to be disrespectful but coffee has soooo much more to offer than anything you can get from nespresso
Not gonna lie, it's a pretty cool machine and it's probably a pretty good first step for people who want to start doing espresso at home, but it will absolutely not end Nespresso. The advantage of a pod machine is its convenience. Most people want a quick cup of coffee in the morning without any hassle, and Nespresso delivers. If they don't like pod coffee, then they opt for an automatic espresso maker like a DeLonghi. I myself am a pour over guy and I can tell you that almost all my friends said they wouldn't have the patience to grind every morning and do a V60. For me it's a relaxing 10 minute routine, for them it would be hell.
I can see why you and Sarah are such a wonderful couple. I am a married female and I love Sarah too. 😂🎉 I just feel happy seeing her on camera.
By the way, Sarah is COMPLETELY right about pre-grounds.
I am in love with my Cafelat Robot and I have a good electric grinder. But I keep one jar of pre-ground around that has been grinded for moka pot and a small bag of another pre-ground for filter coffee. The pre-ground makes me feel like I am brewing instant coffee but I get results that is 10 times better than any instant coffee on the market, freeze-dried included.
It is crazy how good pre-grounds are these days. Just no crema. But you know… for people who prefers filter coffee over espresso such as myself, the pre-grounds lying around my house works out well.
I don't think the compare against the Nespresso makes sense here (outside of ease of use), but the overall experience shown with the Rok is really positive. Great video!
I’m new to espresso in general and got my first setup. I have the ROK EspressoGC Commercial (has a pressure gauge) and the ROK GrinderGC. Some QC issues with the grinder still getting fixed, but I like the process over all. You need some strength for this system to hit that 7-9 bar. It’s a great wake up workout/exercise, but not for everyone.
Would be really lovely to get an up-to-date in-depth review of the ROK GC, with a decent grinder, an aftermarket portafilter & tamp, etc
in this test, you didn't control the actual coffee blend or source for the Nespresso pod. If you had a "Make at Home" pod with the same coffee, then I'd be impressed. I own a Nespresso and love it because of the simplicity. I also have a ROC and when I use the Make at Home pod with the same coffee, bean and grind, I get the same tasting result.
If there’s no snow falling outside the kitchen window is it really a Daddy Got Coffee video?
Ha! First one in a while!
I'd say it’s a cool analog option, but no, it does not come close to providing what Nespresso does. For me, the most significant benefit of Nespresso is the ability to easily change flavors /coffee types without compromising freshness. The Rok feels more like an off-grid / power outage solution, which again, is pretty cool.
I love the idea of spring lever. Rok should put this in a machine that is intended for non pressurized baskets. I have a flair neo with the non pressurized upgrade. It wouldn't make a lot of sense to downgrade my current setup to this.
Nespresso uses 5.5g of dark to very very dark roasted commodity coffee to brew 40ml of liquid Nespresso in about 10 seconds. (God forbid you make 110ml ‘lungo’ with it).
Despite what the general public think, this has hardly anything to do with espresso coffee.
No plastic! Ugh, so close yet so far. Cafelat Robot still reigns supreme.
May I suggest a halfway point. You use your expense gear to pre-grind the coffee for her every few days and store in fridge.
Though incredibly eye-opening and simply informative, the REAL buzz and reason to watch this is the wondrous interaction between these two lovebirds
That was a great test. My family likes the espresso I make when I make it for them at my place, but the unapproachability for people who don't want to be "coffee people" but just want some coffee makes it hard to try and level up their coffee game
I nailed down a really awesome expresso with the Breville Bambino plus and the Breville pro grinder set at 10. I use a scale, measure 18.5 grams of coffee beans, then extract between 25-30 seconds to get 36 grams liquid…I use kicking horse expresso and 49th parallel old school. Foamer I set to min on the heat and froth. Comes out as good or better than 95% of the high end coffee shops I visit.
Im with you. I think a bambino would be a closer comparison. ANd you get automatic milk steaming
I've just come across your channel and noticed you making espresso with the Rock machine. The issue I have is not with the machine but with the coffee grinder. Unlike a burr grinder, which grinds coffee beans evenly, the blade grinder you're using is more suited for chopping herbs.
Also, when you and your partner do taste tests, both of you should take a sip of water to clear your palates. This way, there's no contamination from the previous coffee you tasted, and you'll get the true experience of each coffee from either machine. I know this from experience because I am Italian and live in Italy. When you go to a bar here, they always give you a glass of water to clear your palate before drinking coffee and to reduce dehydration after drinking it.
Thanks for this, totally agree. If you watch the whole video you’ll notice I recommend burr grinders several times ☺️ The blade grinder was more to test Roks claims that you don’t need ANY fancy equipment.
I bought the original Presso in 2009 (I don’t recall the Rok name existing at the time) I just found the receipt in my emails and it was only £59. Like you I was pretty early in my espresso journey. I was after a coffee machine that didn’t make much of a coffee smell (my wife didn’t like the smell of coffee). I used a Hario slim grinder with it. My memory is that I got really good coffee from it.
Thank you so much for this! I’m having to live in temporary accommodation for a few months and all of my gear is boxed away apart from a simple hand grinder and aeropress. I was going to buy a flair neo but was fearing that setting off another upgrade train as the grinder on hand is pretty basic. This solves the problem perfectly. Unfussy, good enough with what I’ve got for the situation that I’m in, and it’ll pay for itself vs a cafe even in a few months. Great review!
Bought one. Thanks for sharing.Been wanting to get back into making coffee for awhile. This was just the nudge I needed lol.
Great review; kudos to the whole team! We mainly use an Aeropress and the old version Nespresso. We tried the newer version with the larger pods, but the crema just seemed artificial with no richness. I looked at the Rok a long time ago and may consider getting one after watching your video.
It falls into a niche where the target audience is someone who cares about taste enough to not like nespresso but also don’t care about taste that much so they’d go for a flair or even a mocha pot. It’s an extreme niche area in coffee that I’m not 100% sure exists.
Great observation
When I woke up yesterday, I did not expect to buy a new coffee product😂 but this is very cool! For a quick espresso like shot, no fuss, and good coffee. Plus the option of putting other liquids in as ROK shows, or trying those brown sugar shots. I never want to do that with my 58+ so this is perfect. Great for fun coffees, something quick, or something simple when the fiancé wants a coffee but wants it simple and I’m gone.
This might be perfect for my parents, who use a moka pot most of the time. They already hand grind and have to clean up the mess afterwards, but this is faster and less variable than the stove heating step. I might save it for next Christmas as a present idea.
Expensive and a lot of effort, messy too. It won't replace my Nespresso.
I saw the grinding for five seconds, and the look on your face, 🤣 I immediately knew when she said it was easy, it was because the coffee particles were the size of rice and then when you showed the porter filter, 0 surprises, funny how it tasted better, and not super sour and under extracted.
Hahahaha! And yes, I was surprised by this one.
IMO nowadays lots of things over-complicate making espresso at home. scales, gadgets for distribution, puck filters, burr psychosis, etc etc. the learning curve for espresso regardless of equipment is far from steep nor is it rocket science. the real beauty of manual lever machines is being able to control extraction pressure though you'd need a pressure gauge to precisely know where are. you still need to grind and tamp correctly which is akin to what needs to be done on any pump driven machine. fun to play on a cremina and a museum ready faemina though the faemina is a spring lever. though nespresso isnt perfect is makes reasonable shots with decent crema. i used to travel with the smallest model though i refilled the cartridges myself with preferred coffee.
I have a ROK. I got it when it was originally called Presso. Getting the grind just right has been a challenge over the years. I’d love to try this.
you could pre grind for her the day before in a vacuum sealed container to bypass the preground from store.
I had one you push down to pull out the air at container store.
What about the „Morning“ Nespresso Cup Machine?
You can buy Loads of Top Notch Special Roaster Nespresso-fitting Pods and vary Temperature and more Parameters!
Ok Costs 500 Bucks but i love it.
You guys have a very similar vibe! I love it! ☺️
Sounds like your wife might be a beans to cup machine person.
This is great. Love your wife, you should have her on more often.
I will say, I think the 'fakie' crema of the Nespresso, is sorta not really fake unless you think of it as true crema.
It's whipped and that, even if not crema, is actually a nice version of finish.
Keep wondering how the coffee quality is with espresso grind + tamp + naked portafilter.
Does the portafilter shown in the video (rok pro) fit the smart?
It should, at least looks the same
A couple other comments on here about this. I included some thoughts in the vid but I feel like I may not have been clear enough 😆 Rok doesn’t recommend this, but I did try it. In my opinion if you go that fine it will bottom out the springs requiring you to put direct force on the arms. It kinda feels “wrong” with the normal use of the smart shot and I even had water spraying out of the gasket once or twice.
IMO its sweet spot really is with somewhat coarser grinds and a pressurized basket.
some cafe in indonesia already doing that, still had good result. if you aiming certain ratio. just pull the lever up again to stop the extraction...
@@DaddyGotCoffee Thanks for the clarification. The way I understood it was that espresso grind did not work in the pressurised basket. I thought that a “normal” basket has way less resistance and with that an espresso grind could work.
How did this compare to an awesome which is the best way to make pre ground coffee
Do you use hot water?
Great vid. Also love those kruve espresso cups!
They’re my fave glass cups by far!
Your best youtube video so far 👏🏻
Curious if that machine would be your favorite unit you’d recommend for single home use? Also, I’m kinda against the plastic but it’s hard to find an all metal or a stainless steel option.
You also have to make kettle of hot water.
This feels like a gateway from my current pour over with pre-ground coffee. (Don’t come for me, at least I ditched the Nespresso.) Probably something I would do on weekends when I have a little more time. It’s nice that it takes up very little counter space and I can use the kettle I already have.
You are a very patient and loving man ❤
This is exciting for the reason they mention on their TH-cam. Experimenting, sparkling water, cold, coke. Maybe they all suck but I would try them with anything else.
There is a hack for the steamed mil if you like milk drinks like cappuccino and lattes and prefer simplicity over technique. Instead of heating milk and using a hand frother or high end machine stream wand, the Hotel Chocolate has a ve either that provides a real slick milk consistency with (one button).
I would have liked to see a discussion on preheating the ROC and not tamping the grind in the portafilter.
I have an original ROC and a La Pavoni, love them both, can get an excellent shot out of each one, but the extra time and hot water to heat the head and portafilter on the ROC got old in the early hours of the morning. So the La Pavoni is my go to machine.
Love the aesthetics of the original ROC to bad they made this new version with a plastic base.
So what can a Rok Smartshot pull with upgraded equipment? After all, if the money saved can be spent on a grinder....
I included my thoughts on this in the vid in brief. In short, grinding at finer grinds with expensive burr grinders cause the springs to bottom out meaning you put direct lever force (like the OG Rok) on the mod part of the stroke. It’s not as easy to press and harder to stay consistent. For this reason I wouldn’t consider it an “expandable” platform that you would want to use crazy espresso grinders, non pressurized precision baskets etc with. It’s super easy and forgiving without all the precision and that’s sort of its sweet spot.
I'd be interested in seeing how well it works with a non-pressurized basket...
As a long time nespresso user (as well as other machines like Rancilio Silvia) this would never replace my nespresso because 1) I don’t want to have to boil water elsewhere 2) I need a milk steamer 3) I doubt buying pre ground coffee will taste much better and most nespresso owners won’t want to buy a grinder although I still have mine from my pre nespresso days. I also can’t imagine serving coffee to a group of ppl at a dinner party with this clumsy process.
Neat looking device, but half way to nowhere for me. This would be more appealing to handpresso, French press or Moka pot users.
medium roast that light should be illegal or at least include a little window so buyers can see the color. When I was roasting, we would carefully tune the roast per coffee origin (updating our profile if the crop was even slightly different)... and we did it by taste rather than color. Espresso or french roasts can really be burnt if just judged by color for some coffees.
I’m very surprised you didn’t tamp the grinds on the ROC Presso shot. I feel it’s definitely necessary especially if you are doing a comparison/ demo
Your wife is sooo nice! Love your chemistry,
☺️☕️
Come on over pull up a chair, welcome to the show, I like good coffee, I just need it to be simple, can you qualify that for me, a button….. you two are pure gold, a mini pod cast, cozy, comfortable, conversation on coffee and equipment, so fun to watch and superbly done.
Ah thank you! We love it! ☕️🥰
Didn't really eliminate all the fuss of espresso machines as you still have to properly grind your beans then dose and tamp a portafilter. When some Chinese company can clone a Jura superautomatic and sell it for the same price as a Nespresso Inissia, you'll have seen the end of Nespresso and Keurig.
Really interesting machine. Would u say that using it with pre-ground coffee from a specialty coffee maker would work as well as grinding the same coffee at home with an inexpensive hand grinder?
I always err on the side of grinding fresh. Once ground, the beans oxidize so quickly. That being said, the grinders typically used to grind at industrial scale often do an unreal job.
@@DaddyGotCoffee Aaah right. Do u think it would make the issue of oxidization less of a problem if u store it in an air tight container?
@ that helps!
@@DaddyGotCoffee great! I'll look into that as an option. What kind of grind size would u recommend for this espresso machine? One specialty roaster near me sells fine, medium and coarse espresso grind size, pour-over grind size, French press grind size, moka pot grind size and Aeropress grind size. I was thinking either medium or coarse espresso grind size would be optimal, but I could be wrong
What would you say the difference is compared to the original Presso? Worth it to actually upgrade?
This is more designed for quasi-espresso with a pressurized basket. The OG Rok is designed for real espresso with a non-pressurized (pro) basket. It can also use a pressurized basket
@@DaddyGotCoffee thanks for the info!
I really feel that the best way to make grinding the beans easy is by having a grind by weight ginder, 1 button and you have ground coffee from the hopper, no need to do anything, as you can set up the grams in advance.
clean up easier if using "Espresso Puck Screen Paper Filters" on the bottom and/or top of the portafilter basket time 17:17
Thank you for this!
I own Robot from Cafelat and I feel like the single thing that I don't like about it is the handles, they are just not great to push down. This new iteration of Rok kinda seem easier to push down, I'd just be worried about the non-metal parts? At least the black parts seem plastic. (Edit: yep, they are plastic, watched the video further)
I love love love my Robot. I HATE the handles. What’s crazy is the Robot is based on a machine from the 50s that had round handles. They figured it out 70 years ago, and Robot took a step back with rectangular handles that dig into your hands at 9 bars.
@@Alley00Cat Also a robot owner. I've found that with the right puck prep, I can get amazing shots at much lower pressures and save my hands the pain. Here's what I do:
-DF64 grinder (good but not incredible)
-Large 25-28 gram dose (larger puck is more forgiving/tastier)
-Frozen beans (helps reduce fines)
-Slow fed into the grinder (further reduces fines)
-Shaken before tamping (even further reduces fines)
-10 second pre-infusion at lowest pressure I can (less channeling/puck resistance)
Sounds like a lot but they are all pretty passive habits. These things combined allow me to grind very fine but still pull around 5-6 bar with great body and flavour. Your mileage may vary but I think it's worth the try.
The robot “hands/mittens” are a nice add for this!
@ Oh I can imagine, I considered getting them, it's just that the stand alone price for them is a little silly, just like the price for optional Cafelat leveled tamper (which I got).
And If their product is pain to use without this little addition, why not make it part of their main product package from the get go? It's just a bit baffling to me.
@@RPPification the most baffling is the pressure gauge on the handle. I pay a few bucks to attach it on top which means you can stand over as your press, which is infinitely more comfortable. There are many improvements to be made to The Robot which would cost Cafelat close to nothing, it’s quite puzzling
Do you add water to every espresso you make? I might be drinking my Americano wrong as I don’t put that much water in it.
When I make them for her 😉
@@DaddyGotCoffeeok got it. I just looked up what I do and realized my style is an Italian Americano.
I love the Cafelat Robot. In comparison with the ROK and -only judging from videos- the flair, I like the workflow way more. They also sell pressurized baskets (~30$), so you could easiely switch between pro and Amateure and pro. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that one.
15:08 I got a scale from Ali for €2.67 (shipping included as part of a bundle). and it measures up to 0.01g and it’s pretty accurate and consistent. It’s not at all waterproof or even water resistant so it’s dedicated for weighing grounds, not liquids.
Still do not get how this competes with the Nespresso? It still needs a grinder anyway? So not much different from the Breville and Delonghi' alike. The title makes no sense other than furthering Rok' claim which does not substantiate it in anyway. A more comparable option to the Keurig and Nespressos with wanting to get something with the 'Touch of a button' would be the Semi and Full Autos doing a Bean to Cup.
TLDR; Clickbait title; No nespresso' were ended
Seeing your wife grinding with a stab-grinder and dosing by eye directly in the portafilter, without even thinking to do some WDT got me nightmares all week. We’re really complicating the process but it is necessary for our enjoyment.
The fact that you are pretty much required to use the pressurized basket makes this way overpriced imo. It doesn't have the convenience (especially wrt clean-up) of a pod machine, but also not the utility of an entry level semi-automatic like the DeLonghi Dedica. That one allows you to not only steam milk out of the box, but if you have a decent burr grinder you can get a standard basket and portafilter and brew very good espresso. On top of that, you can get it for cheaper than the Rok.
I use, and love both the results and the workflow, a Cafelat Robot. However my wife uses a bean to cup machine for her first cup of the day, so seriously thinking of replacing that machine with the Smartshot (I would leave out a pre ground dose in a sealed container though so she doesn’t have to grind the beans first thing 👍).
I found the video really useful - thanks.
I’m so glad! Thank you!
Myy wife wants a pod machine but I think I could convince her to go with this instead, once we have the counterspace and budget for it.
Great review
This
I use permanent metallic pods for my Nespresso Vertuo and it's decent if using fresh roasted beans (an absolute must gotta use) I grind in a cheap burr grinder. Espresso from a professional espresso machine is still superior but expensive when purchasing at an espresso café. I purchased the entry level Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Evo Pro, Small, Brushed Stainless Steel in 2023 with all the periphery required including 1st Gen Turin DF64 burr grinder but haven't used any of it yet. I'm afraid to go through the learning curve then modifying this/that etc. Spent a small fortune on everything 🤯
Still rocking the original rok gc.(turin legato v2 on delivery lol)
just your title indicates you don't understand what Nespresso is and who it is for (actually you probably do but you can't resist your Clickbait titles). it's $150 machine that doesn't require $1000 grinder or $200 scale or any of the other fancy nerdy equipment that you guys get up in the morning for. It is a fast on the go coffee machine that's better than Keurig. And they don't have to put five or six pods in to get the flavor just right. not to mention the multitude of ounces it distributes based on the barcode. Sure it's nowhere near the quality of an espresso machine but that wasn't the point.
She is so real. Love it
"Don’t let yesterday’s failures hold back today’s progre
Like your video. However I do think its comparing apples to oranges and marketed to differenct sets of people. Puck prep is like 75% percent of the work. Then you gotta heat water up in a kettle. A bambino in my mind would be a closer comparison.
Nice glassframe.. clear frame with tortoise earpieces. Can you tell me the brand and model name? Thanks.
It’s warby Parker! Can’t remember the model
@@DaddyGotCoffee thanks!
I like this one very much, your wife adds nice touch to content.
Thank you! 🥰
I got into the office very early on a job, ages ago. Since no one else was in, I made a pot of coffee. Fifteen minutes later a conservative young midwestern woman comes in and is shocked when a man tells her HE made the coffee. To which I replied, with my best poker face "Well of course. I'd never trust a woman to make my coffee."
RUN! (G)
The look on her face was priceless though.
Does this basically make super-automatic shots? Not true espresso, but close?
That’s a good way of putting it
Great video. Aeropress sir, my first thought. Might not be as easy, but I think better.
It’s not for me, but I whole heartedly welcome inexpensive coffee gear to get people tasting better and better coffee. I would buy it for my 20 year old college daughter that loves iced americanos and is used to grinding her own beans!
Also have the original Presso and not doubt it makes very nice espresso with any darker roast coffees because they do not require a higher temp.
Absolutely
So how is this better than a standard $100 pressurized basket espresso machine from the drugstore?
Why didn t you tamp the coffee?
Hey, if you want a simple, great way to make espresso drinks at home, there is really only one way to go: Get a super-automatic espresso maker from Gaggia (or another quality company) and let it do all the work for you. Yes, you spend $800-900 but you get everything you need and it's all done for you, including grinding and milk frothing. We've been using our Gaggia for 6 years and won't go back. It's been great. Yes, it's a lot to spend BUT you'll have it for years...amortize the cost over 6-10 years and it's not that much! Do your homework!
I got a Ninja Lux system a couple of months ago, motivated to switch away from Nespresso and pods in general; probably a 10 year customer of Nespresso too. I like easy too, but the smell of fresh ground daily is one of the basic pleasures of life. Knocking out a puck is way simpler than cleanup we witnessed here. Overall I think you missed an opportunity by not having your wife take a sniff of the beans and the ground coffee.
The thing with espresso at a coffee shop is 90% of them don’t shoot good shots. Might as well try it yourself
Can't we just get a cheap but real espresso machine and use the dbl wall basket? Then we would also be able to do real espresso as well
Absolutely. But it’s liable to either be more expensive, not last as long, or both. One of the nice things about these machines is they are very simple mechanically. A machine like that could also steam milk though as well as heat the water. I think it depends on what you are looking for
@@DaddyGotCoffee cool machine though, thanks for the review!
This was a nice chill video.
Pilot heritage is good i always pick that one when i go to pilot
You could always grind beans into a jar for your wife to use 😁
Your wife is so cute! This was such a great episode!!!
Your wife is adorable. Keep her happy.
Maybe we can pave the forest with used Keurig cups so they won’t burn? Better than raking them?
Honestly, I’ve tried the ROC and think the Cafelat Robot is much better. It’s very forgiving and can rival the espresso from a $10000 machine. Also, because the water never enters the machine, maintenance is a breeze. Your wife would appreciate that! Please use a good burr grinder and just give her the grinds she needs for each cup.
What's the largest shot this can pull?
~55ml
Most stores have a coffee grinder available - just use that!
How is this easier than getting a dedica or a ecp 3420? There you don’t have to mess with heating the water, pressing a shot out, and you also get a milk steamer with less money… you can also get a depresurized porta with basket for 20 bucks.
The device is nice but not convenient. I have a ninja cafe luxe but when I’m in a hurry I still pop a capsule in the nespresso and have a nice fast coffee.
Both of these machines are more expensive where I am, and also much more complicated mechanically and liable to not last as long as a Rok for sure. Those machines can def be a good consideration for the right person though.
While I love my own Ninja Lux, if I had seen your video, I probably would have seriously considered this device. I did see a review for something similar, but it was also crazy expensive.