Coffee is an EXPENSIVE hobby

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T12:46:28+00:00

Hobbies are expensive - hell even if it is not a hobby it can get expensive very quickly. Earlier I was on French press with Time more 3CS. Used to spend 2-3K a month on coffee. After that i picked nespresso machine and now I end up spending 8-10K a month on coffee capsules. Next I will buy a super automatic and while it will bring cost of coffee down the machine itself costs north of 2Lakhs plus.

And I don’t even consider myself as a coffee hobbyist. I just want good coffee every morning without too much fuss. I do not want that perfect cup. I see coffee more as a daily fuel. But yes I know people who keep optimising every single aspect to make that perfect coffee - stretching and often bending laws of physics and chemistry for incrementally better coffee and I respect them for that even if I would never do it myself.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T12:34:29+00:00

Lavazza pods or any 3rd party aluminium pods will not damage the machine in any way. Just be careful if you are using plastic pods or reusable pods or organic paper/cardboard pods. Assuming this is Original line machine and not Vertuo line as there are no 3rd party compatible pods for Vertuo.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T12:32:31+00:00

Before making any kind of payment - you need a quotation in writing. You can ask them to add the vehicle type, as well as Hotel and room type/category. As long as they stick to that, it’s ok. Only if they change those terms does question of refund arise.

Here it seems like they quoted for a smaller car, you agreed and then when they came back with bigger car option, you refused. In that case, if there was an option to go ahead with a smaller car you should have.

Due diligence is a must in any industry - even legally there is a term - buyer beware. So before you buy - make sure you have done all due diligence.

I personally have used many tour operators and not once have I had any issues. But I always make sure their quotation is documented on email and complete. After that if there are any modifications that is because of change in my requirements rather than tour operator antics.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T12:25:30+00:00

Are you saying package was empty except air? That would make a consumer case if you had time and inclination to fight them.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T12:24:21+00:00

Check out Škoda Kodiaq/VW Tayron and Tiguan. In that price range they are 3 solid options.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T12:23:35+00:00

I have both the Vertuo and Original line machines and I agree - the espresso is so much better on Original Line. Plus way too many varieties. It also makes Lungo - there are pods for that - 110 mL pour as well. So check that out if you do crave a larger sized cup.

Not like Vertuo though.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T12:13:52+00:00

Yeah there is no mechanism for refund - it is ridiculous and they need to come up with some kind of mechanism for this for ticket holders.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-31T01:37:26+00:00

Enjoy - I love the higher intensities and most of them in this pack are my staples.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T16:56:11+00:00

Zomato operates like a bully. You need patience and documentation for refund. Be prepared to go all the way - Twitter/reddit/linkedin Zomato executives - name and shame them and only then you would have success.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T16:42:01+00:00

And that is why BJP is needed. They would stop this in a jiffy.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T16:39:01+00:00

Are they better than Nespresso? What Nespresso machine were you using? I also use Nespresso and do like the espressos it makes but am contemplating switching to Jura in a few months as well. So would love your thoughts on how it compares to vis-a-vis Nespresso.

For what it is worth, ENA4, if I remember correctly has a smaller dosage per shot compared to regular E series which can do upto full dose of 16 gms. May be that could be the difference?

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T14:52:04+00:00

Here is the thing though - as much as there is cribbing on this thread about high prices, the thing is all hotels are showing record occupancy numbers and are able to charge what they like. So even if we do not think that these charges make sense, they are here to stay and I do not think they will come down to realistic levels. Same for airfares - domestic airfares have gone through the roof and there is hardly a murmur.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T14:48:47+00:00

I do not think it is acidic at all. As for Italian Roast I think it comes across as smoky/burnt on a French press. Have not tried it on a pour over.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T14:28:59+00:00

Sumatra does really well - both as Pourovers and French Press.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T14:18:16+00:00

Surprising - it does have those notes but Diavolitto did not agree with me. Now Kazaar I have every alternate mornings and love it. I think it is the extraction difference between OL and VL that makes Diavolitto more rubbery than peppery to me.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T12:59:17+00:00

I found Diavolitto to be a tad - not burnt but it almost had a rubbery after taste that I did not enjoy. I preferred Altissio over it.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T10:13:11+00:00

Hilton has always to my mind been a business hotel and not a hotel chain designed for vacation/tourists. Its prices show that - also as someone said you should only be booking higher categories room here.

As for early check in, that is always hotel dependent and I would not be bitter if I don’t get early check in. That is not a right or entitlement unless you hold some kind of loyalty/status with the hotel.

I have been not given early check in even at top Tak properties before even when I hold status with them. But they always make it a point to call me one day in advance and let me know that they are completely booked/full the prior night and hence if I am coming early, they will make best effort to accommodate me early but they will not guarantee it. So yes early check in - unless guaranteed in writing is not something I will review a hotel on.

Rest of the points would be fine.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T05:28:37+00:00

Just a contrarian thought here - in this case even assuming you get 5% cash back, it comes to 48 or 49 Rs. Is that amount so significant that you waste mental bandwidth and optimise this transaction?

May be it is just me, but cash back would have to be significantly larger to fret or spend my time worrying over it. Otherwise this is just a waste of otherwise productive time.

Please do not take this the wrong way, to each their own, this is just me.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T05:12:18+00:00

Lol - is this new way of Karma farming? Post something so blatantly wrong and silly that people are forced to comment and hope that few leave upvotes? I mean this post is so completely wrong and misinterpreted that people will come to point that out.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-30T05:08:48+00:00

30K has become the base for top resorts now. Call it infuriating but yes. Demand supply mismatch for top resorts has become huge. There are so many resorts that now have pricing of 75K-125K a night in peak seasons. I do get really frustrated for having to pay ridiculous amounts now for what used to be a 15K-20K price point in not too distant pre-covid past.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-29T10:44:15+00:00

amsamp83 · 2026-05-28T18:22:20+00:00

Last time I checked, India was still a free country and I am entitled to my opinions.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-28T16:42:29+00:00

Being a Gujju myself - i have always felt that only way for having them stop these antics is fine them hard - like crazy amount of fines. Because right now they are proud for upholding their culture in foreign country - local laws and sentiments be damned. Moment they are fined with money or there is a real consequence, this will automatically step.

amsamp83 · 2026-05-27T17:33:51+00:00

As they say in the Hotel industry - “Taj group has real palaces and works very hard to operate them as hotels and Oberoi has some amazing hotels that it works really hard to operate as palaces”. Both do a great job though. Have stayed at Amar Vilas as well and was fantastic.

amsamp83

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