I'm with you about absolute quality, Tim, but I think you may be missing the point. I know you would welcome me with a great cup of coffee if I called by, but unless I'm mistaken you aren't at Waterloo station or Membury services or on many high streets!

The thing is, I like to stop when I feel like a coffee and enjoy something reasonably good.  That's much easier to do than it was even just 10 years ago, let alone 20.  I often do it alone so rather than stare into space I read the news or even, goodness me, TAS, on my phone.  I therefore require wi-fi with my decent tasting coffee in a nice environment.  QED!

Was surprised how good Costa was

Never been in Starbucks

Not a big coffee punter

I often use coffee shops as an event in itself. I do often prefer home brewed coffee, but my wife and I often go into town for a coffee as a social entity. Then sometimes stroll around the shops. I do get frustrated though if the coffee is too weak of thin tasting.
I voted Costa but out of the chains Nerro is my preference or Pret a Manger even better.

I buy coffee beans in 1kg bags, significantly cheaper compared to the normal c200g bags you get in the supermarket. I use a normal electric spice grinder and a stove top percolator. And a genuine Thermos is worth the £30 to prevent drips and to keep it really hot all day.... All that works out at a few pence per cup compared to the £2 or so in a coffee shop.

Although I can only drink decaffeinated coffee these days, I still prefer Costa by miles over Starbucks. Like Martin, I also find their premises generally a bit tacky and also there coffee IMHO is down right nasty… It is bitter without any flavour and their decaf is a nightmare, think I'd prefer to drink tar!

Costa on the other hand do one of the best decaf Coffee's about and I like a good Latte.

Prior to becoming unwell I used to love their Flat White coffee, but that doesn't work in the decaf variety unfortunately, and again the Starbucks equivalent, well isn't equivalent it is bitter nasty and tasteless.

Haha, yup that sounds a much better idea, I'm a right fuss arse when it comes to coffee

I'd probably opt for Costa over Starbucks if I could only choose between the two, but there's plenty of nice independent places around here that I'd rather go to, since they tend to have a much better selection of teas and cakes, and atmosphere. The pastry at Costa is consistently awful, though I am partial to their chocolate tiffin. I was in Japan not long ago and used Starbucks a fair bit since they were ubiquitous and convenient, and discovered that they do a very serviceable chocolate chip scone - not seen these over here though.

Captain Crema enters the telephone booth and casually reaches into one of the pouches on his recently buffed coffee utility belt and removes a 27 function Swiss Army coffee preparation knife which has only just received the second of its twice daily honing sessions, returning it to perfect razor sharpness.  He selects the kindling blade and swiftly shaves an impressive pile of fire starting material from the always ready, perfectly prepared Farxinus excelsior twigs.

Arrogantly flicking the exquisitely mounted flint of ignition against its stainless steel striker, he deftly lobs a stream of sparks into the eagerly awaiting fuel and, before the last pinprick of combustibility nestles into the already promisingly perky flame, he has the main fuel preparation blade of the knife opened and begins chopping precisely the correct quantity of fuel necessary to bring the water to the exact temperature required for the espresso of all his fantasies.  This is placed with nonchalant precision onto the now cheeky but efficient blaze.  The freshly harvested spring water, now lapping the sides of the Kettle of Perfection, is soon beginning to display those perfect fish-eye bubbles, seeming teasingly reluctant to transform into that much sought after boiling state.  Taste buds afire with anticipation, Crema begins the vital grind.  Holding aloft the newly micronised, yet irresistibly aromatic beans, he utters the Coffee Yodel, bringing terror to the hearts of all upstart barristas within a geographical radius of literally one single, perfectly measured metric metre.  

The grind is transferred to the Aeropress with a feverish smile and a tremble of the lips.   Almost at the height of ecstasy now, Captain Crema hides his masked face behind his cape, lest he succumb to the temptation during that final endless minute of the brew.

Finally, the time comes to commit to the big plunge and, lacing his perfectly manicured hands together he places them atop the device and applies the precise amount of pressure required to ease the brew of destiny into the chalice of enlightenment.   


.....or something like that, eh Tim?
          

For good coffee at work (where the replacement coffee machine is better than its predecessor but still dispenses overspill tarmac from the M3 roadworks), and where I only have a kettle in my office (before Tim starts recommending £800 worth of professional kit), I have found one better than Kenco Millicano. It's Nescafe Azera and it's bloody nice for an instant: