Mocha at home anytime I want!!

My parent's gifted me with their older model coffee maker years ago, swearing me to keep it always. I love it for so many sentimental reasons because I remember my parent's using it while I was growing up. I know, it's a coffee machine, but to me, it has memories. It died this past week and I horror the thought of getting a replacement. I figured I would just get a basic coffee machine. I mean that is all I do, is make regular coffee. Course, it has to have a timer button to preset my coffee for the morning and it has to have an automatic on/off switch because I am hella-forgetful. I did some consumer report research online and found the one I think I wanted, plus I was gifted with BedBathandBeyond gift card for xmas.

Here is what Consumer Reports rated as the best least expensive coffee machine on the market. Now when I consider price, I factor in that I will use this everyday for years.

So even though this is $80. If I use it everyday for one year, it really cost me 22 cents a day or $1.52 a week. Pretty good deal. Otherwise I can spend $20 and only get a few months out of it.

But I never even made it down the aisle to see the machine I picked out. I got stopped by the espresso makers at the front of the aisle.

I make coffee at work when giving breaks in the cafe, so now I know how to make real Starbucks type coffee. I love that stuff and if I could make it with my own decaf coffee that would be perfect. Because I am sorry, but attention coffee makers, please make more flavors of decaf coffee because that on the market sucks!!

Just think: A HOMEMADE mocha!! Anytime I wanted!!

So here is Saint halfway down the aisle picking out the machine I found online and telling me to get it, meanwhile I am still in the beginning of the aisle dreaming up mochas. I wasn't sure which one to buy as I didn't research the different brands of espresso machines, but when I played with the one I thought I wanted, it felt cheap, so I decided to get the least expensive one and try it out. That way if I didn't like it or it died, I wouldn't feel too bad about spending the money.

Here is what I ended up buying instead -

We were halfway home when I realized I didn't have any kind of chocolate, so we swung by the store and picked up Nutella and Nestle Chocolate Sauce (because I wasn't sure which one). I also had to invest in a small silver milk steamer cup - and I say had- but I just wanted it all to match and be pretty.

When I got home, I immediately started unpacking the machine SO EXCITED!! But then I got cold feet and scared myself into not making it. I cleaned instead. Later, Saint came in to ask about my coffee and I realized I had to at least attempt to make it.

Here's what I do -
Make espresso following the directions in the instructions. Add a scoop of chocolate sauce (or really whatever flavor you want) Steam the milk, the pour together stirring in til the chocolate is mixed and melted. DONE!

It turned out great!! Other than not steaming the milk enough to heat it up completely. I now know that I can put the steamer cup underneath the steamer and not worry about the tip of the steamer touching the bottom of the steamer cup. Not sure why this is a caution on the instructions, but I want to follow it.

The really great thing is, I rarely make coffee for company so making a big pot of coffee isn't something I am worried about and if I want a basic cup of coffee I can make an Americano, which is an espresso with water. How cool is it that I can make a $4 mocha at home???

Now all I am missing is WHIP CREAM to pour on top of my mocha!!

What about you? Do you make coffee at home?