Bought one a few months ago at the boutique they have in The Bay department store here in Toronto. At first I did think it a gimmick, but I am now a convert. For decades I have ground my own beans selected from various gourmet shops, but I was finding I had to make at least a pot of three or four cups to get the filter machine to work properly. And this meant drinking far too much coffee, or leaving quite a bit. So after an unpressured tasting of the various blends -- I felt I was buying a high end automobile -- I set out to decide on a machine...opting for the very basic model but a colour and design that fit my kitchen. I have not regretted the purchase and am particularly enjoying the current Special Club selection. (In fact, I will head to The Bay to pick up a few more sleeves before it vanishes forever, the one drawback, this weekend. For me, it is just as convenient as any place I had bought coffee beans since my condo is about five blocks from The Bay. So no need to rely on mail order.)

As for cost, I don't think it is all that more than grinding my own since I limit myself to no more than 2 cups a day, and of course Nespresso cups are smaller than the traditional coffee mug. That's C$1.12 a day for the coffee and 30¢ for the machine, amortized over a single year, or about two Starbucks coffees a week. Factoring how much bean I went through, and the waste, it has become cost-effective. And when I have friends around, everyone can get a cup to their liking.

I am always offered a free cup when I drop into the boutique, so schedule my visits at an appropriate time of day. However, I am not sure how large a market they have here in Toronto, let alone Canada. Not sure how long the boutique will last, but I will enjoy it while its there.