The shape of the Senseo from Philips is distinctive, in fact I would go so far as to say unique. A little like a jug kettle, a little like those thermos type jugs that keep coffee warm inordinately but in truth nothing like either.

The Senseo 'coffee pad system' to give it it's full name can produce either one or two cups of delicious coffee from 'ready' in 20 seconds. It has two spouts that deliver a stream of hot fresh coffee to either one or two cups depending on placement. The drip tray underneath has three buttons on the surround. The centre one turns on the unit, a  red light around the button tells you water is heated, you then press the left button for one cup or the right button for two. Each cup is a ¼ pint. So if you like your ½ pint mug of coffee put it under the spout and press the right button. Twenty seconds later a piping hot cup of coffee with an almost foam like 'crema layer' on top, making it seem like what you get from a coffee shop. Add milk etc to taste that's it.

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The secret is the coffee bags - called coffee pads - but they look exactly like circular tea bags. These are placed in the small metal 'tea strainer' device within the top of the machine. One for a single cup or two - in the slightly larger two cup strainer provided - for two cups, it may sound messy but it isn't.

There is a choice of four types of coffee Mild Roast, Medium Roast, Dark Roast or Decaffeinated. I was sent Medium Roast and found that for my taste one pad was enough to make me a ½ pint mug of excellent tasting coffee.

Water is placed in a clear plastic semi circular receptacle that moulds itself to the back of the unit. It can take enough water for six cups (or three ½ pint mugs), from cold (off) it takes around 80 seconds for the water to come to temperature once switched on. The red light round the on/off switch lights solidly and you select your one or two cup option after having placed your coffee pad in the machine, twenty seconds later you have a cup or mug of coffee.

The total instructions amount to 11 lines on an A4 sheet. It really is simple to use. The only hot liquid is when coffee is dispensed into the cup, the unit itself never gets hot and there is a safety cut out if you forget to fill the water container. The water itself is heated inside the unit so no danger there. The used bags soon lose their heat and can be removed after a short time.

The coffee pods come in a resealable bag (18 pods) with 125 gram weight. Packs of coffee pods cost around £2.19  The www.senseo.com site lists various outlets and if you type in your postcode your nearest stores will be shown on a map. If you prefer to buy online I give a link below that has an offer for two free coffee cups and coffee capsules (pods) via redemption. The Amazon price is £44.99, available in various colours :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-HD7810-Senseo-Coffee-Machine/dp/B0000BY5H0