Depending on the coffee shop I go to I often find I like the coffee more than the coffee I make at home or that I have at other peoples homes. Of course cafes and shops have bigger and more fancy looking machines and often their own blends, but what is it that the machines do that home coffee machines can't match?
At home I have a Delonghi Dedica machine which has good reviews for quality coffee and I have used all sort of different coffee blends including ones from coffee shops themselves.
Three things contribute to a good cup of coffee.
The coffee itself.
The tools used to prepare the coffee.
The skills of the person making the coffee.
Unless you're talking about espresso or espresso based drinks (cappuccino) the skill involved is easily developed.
Do you use a burr grinder or a blade to grind your coffee? Or do you use pre-ground coffee? This, believe it or not, makes a huge difference. Coffee shops use a burr grinder to get a consistent grind.
Without knowing the coffee shops you're referring to (as well as your own brewing habits) it's hard to give a reasoned answer. It may simply be the coffee used and the amount of coffee used.
