Systems for preparing comestibles, particularly beverages, from substances contained in sealed cartridges have a water injector, a support for a cartridge holder and a cartridge holder which includes a flow grille and relief surface element so that upon introducing water under pressure into the cartridge to prepare a beverage, a face of the cartridge adjacent the relief surface element and flow grille is deformed and then torn to enable a fluid comestible to be removed from the cartridge and pass through the relief surface element and grille.