Holstein Housewares H-08006 6-Cup Stainless Steel Espresso Maker Mate

This is my third stove-top espresso maker. They get heavy usage from me and I couldn't live without one. Now, keep in mind that it is technically a percolator and doesn't really make espresso, but you can't beat it for great coffee flavor.

This design is sleek and has a small footprint, especially as compared to an espresso machine. This pot is attractive enough to be left out of the cupboard while not in use. It's also much easier to clean than a machine, however, the stainless steel needs to be wiped down after washing or it will show spots as all stainless steel does.

You can adjust the strength of the coffee by adjusting the grounds-to-water ratio to suit your taste. Also play with the fine-ness of the grind of coffee. As I use it to make lattes at home, I use a fairly fine grind and don't fill the water chamber all the way up to produce a stronger brew. You will notice a few grounds toward the bottom of your cup of coffee, but that is customary and not intended for drinking.

My past espresso makers have all tended to "spit" a bit toward the end of the perc, which makes for a messy stove. The particular upward lip design on this pot prevents that from happening. Use care not to get grounds in the threads between the chambers to avoid dripping while pouring.

A couple of other notes: this handle really does stay cool enough to use right after the perc is done. I did receive the spare gasket it was tucked into the upper chamber.

Highly recommend!

I bought this because it was inexpensive and I wanted to try a stovetop expresso maker...also it is not aluminum...I have had it a week, and I'm really pleased...it doesn't make real expresso, but it does make great coffee..even from my cheap storebrand ground coffee (I regrind to get finer)...It's simple, it cleans up well, it's all around a fine coffeemaker.

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The Holstein makes a great cup of strong coffee but it's not espresso.Its very easy to use and clean and it works just as fast as any automatic drip with better results.After a few tries I was thinking of returning it but it would be great for camping or as a back up because all you need is water,coffee, and heat and you can't beat the price. So it looks like I'll be spending to get that 9 bars to get my true espresso but I will keep this one in the stable.

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I have had an Italian aluminum stove top espresso maker for 15 years. It truly makes espresso. I decided to switch to stainless steel because of the possible Alzheimer's link from aluminum. This coffee maker isn't designed well. Some of the water stays in the bottom even if you put it on high. More importantly, it makes mediocre coffee and not espresso. I am sending it back and buying a more reputable and expensive brand.

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This is the cheapest stainless steel one there is and when compared to the Primula aluminum, it performs amirbly.

It doesn't have a pretty spout. It doesn't have a nice rounded top part. This is true, but it is well built. One thing that I like better about it is the screen and gasket is built into the bottom of the top part. With that said, I like that the Primula doesn't have a rubber gasket in with the actual coffee, because it doesn't need it. Actually, I'm not sure this one has to have it. The coffee isn't going to leak back down to the bottom, is it?

Anyways, it makes great espresso. It helps if you use Guatamala coffee if you are going to make Cappucinos though. You need the bite with the milk added.

Also, you don't get as many coffee grounds in this compared to the Primula. Of course, I didn't grind the coffee for that one.

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Jura-Capresso ENA3 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center, All White

... when I looked at the price of these coffee machines, but I am so pleased that I made the leap. It's an expensive luxury, but we've come to feel it's a "must have" if really good coffee is of importance to you. We had had a Capresso coffee machine to make lattes and other treats, so I was familiar with the brand. That gave me the confidence to trust that Jura-Capresso made a machine that might be worth the investment. And boy, are we thrilled!! The coffee is dependably wonderful every time. We don't throw out the last half of a pot nor do we feel compelled to keep drinking just to finish that pot. Each cup is made hot and fresh every time. While it may be pricey, we recommend it. If you need just a little encouragement to switch to such a machine... Go for it!

We bought this machine five years ago to replace a Starbucks basic espresso machine that had lasted for ten years and was still going strong. I got it for my husband's birthday because we make espresso daily and wanted something more "automatic" than our basic machine. Within six months of daily use (4-6 shots/day) it was putting out weak shots despite replacing the filter and descaling regularly. We sent it back to the manufacturer where they replaced the burr grinder and cleaned the internal mechanisms and returned it for no cost. Great customer service. Unfortunately, every six months since then we've had to do the same thing and, since the warranty was only for one year, we've paid to ship it cross-country every time since and had to go without the machine for two weeks at a time each time. I am loathe to replace it because it was so expensive, but I am sick and tired of this song and dance. When I finally do bite the bullet and replace it, I won't be buying another Jura despite the helpful, courteous customer service. I wish I had stuck with my Starbucks machine that only cost about 1/4 the price.

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This has to be the best splurge-buy I've ever made. We've been brewing at least 4 cycles every day for the past 3 years, and it has never failed us. We like setting it for a 4 oz. cup, and brew a "2-cup" double per cycle to make a nice 8 oz. cup of lungo. We were worried at first about using the oily dark roasts that we love so much, but it turns out the trick to a strong cup every time is to gently tap and stir at the beans as it grinds to encourage them to fall down the hopper into the grinder. We love using the steamer wand as well for steaming milk. We always use filtered Brita water in the container, and we changed the water hardness setting for descaling to account for the Brita water. I just can't get over that they provide you with six levels of water hardnesses to set!

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Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemakers

I purchased this coffee maker at the recommendation of a friend and I'm really happy with it so far. It has a selectable brew strength, a defeatable audio alarm that beeps when brewing is complete, a clock, and a delayed brew timer.

The delayed brew timer is nice to have if you want to wake up in the morning with a pot of coffee waiting for you. I've used the feature a few times, and I like having it, although most of the time I grind my own beans, so I don't like to let the grounds sit in the coffee machine overnight because they can get stale. Of course, that's unavoidable unless you spend the extra money on a machine that also grinds beans before brewing.

This coffee machine comes with a permanent, washable coffee filter that is sturdy, well-made, and washes out in the sink in a matter of seconds. It also comes with a charcoal water filter that is placed above the brew basket. The manual states that these should be changed every month (I wouldn't be surprised if they last longer than that, though). The replacement filters are inexpensive, but if you already have filtered water, you can leave it out.

Another feature that I really appreciate is the Fresh Brew timer, which allows you to see exactly how long that pot of coffee has been sitting there. If you're in a hurry, you can also pull the carafe out while the coffee is brewing to pour a cup. Once you put the carafe back in its spot, it continues normally. I've tried it a few times, and not a single drop has ever hit the hot plate. Oh, and the temperature of the hot plate is adjustable -I got mine set at the perfect temperature so it doesn't burn the coffee if it's sitting there for a while.

My only complaints (and believe me, I'm trying pretty hard to come up with them): the display, while attractive, is a little on the bright side -a switch to adjust the brightness would be nice, even if it was just a High/Low 2-way switch. An internal battery to keep the clock accurate in case of a power outage would have been a bonus too. Finally, even though it looks great and feels pretty strong, it's almost entirely plastic, so it doesn't have that solid "I'm going to outlast your children" feel to it that it might have if it had more metal in the construction.

All in all, I feel like I'm cheating it by giving it only four stars, but it's not quite 5 stars either. It would be a 4.5 for me if I could do that. :)

So what we have here is my stubborn insistence that all my kitchen appliances be red and fairly inexpensive. Thus this Mr. Coffee unit got dumped into my shopping cart last year. This coffee maker has numerous problems but with some careful planning, as long as it doesn't quit, you can make it work for you.

First, the carafe leaks at the top under the rim. No problem--just keep a towel handy and once you've poured the water in the unit *very* carefully (keeping it absolutlely level) bring the pot to the sink and rotate/tip it so all the water comes out here and doesn't leak onto your counter. Then use a towel to wipe it dry, place it in its brewing spot on the hotplate and you are good to go.

Next, make sure you put the coffee pot on a cutting board or other similar surface--this will allow you to catch the leaks (from underneath and the top) when the water drips down without staining your countertop. As an added convenience the handle on the cutting board can be used to pull the unit out to fill the water. Very handy!

Lastly, make sure you put in twice as much water as you think you need but 1/2 the coffee grounds needed for that amount of coffee--because somehow between the pouring of the water and the finished cup of coffee about 35-50% of the water will go MIA. Where it goes remains a mystery and even my want-to-be-a-detective 12 year old can't figure out where it could be going. We'll just consider that the 8th wonder o.k.?

So, after all that (what's a little work after all...for my java) you should be in receipt of a perfectly well brewed cup of coffee. No problem.

Seriously---best look elsewhere. Unless you are addicted to red appliances and are broke--and if that's the case don't forget if you position it by a window it could function as a homing beacon for your spouse in the dark or rain OR as a great nightlight for your child who needs to make that middle of the night potty run--yes folks the lighted clock is really great but I would recommend you cover your eyes and, much like the sun, do not look at it directly. It must be some military patented thing meant for the troops or something.

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I wish I did some research before I purchased this machine. Well.. for the 1st week, everything seemed good. Made great tasting coffee and worked as it should.(I've always used the timer function so I never actually watched while it was brewing). Well, one day, I came down stairs little bit earlier than normal and observed some steam escaping from the top while it was brewing. It didn't bother me too much and I didn't make an issue out of it because I assumed this was normal for all coffee machines.. or is it??

next day, while I was observing, I heard something pop from the machine. What happened was that because the top lid gets hot from the steam, it expands and it popped the lid off and would not close properly.(so even more steam escaping....)

Again, because it was still making great coffee, I let it do it's thing.(and the lid closed fine after it cooled down)

Well, starting 3rd week, I noticed that the machine would not make full use of the water in the reservoir. Lets say if I put in 8 cups of water, it would brew about 5-6 cups and stops (Leaving rest of the water still in the reservoir)

4th week, it just stopped brewing period. No coffee in the decanter. Machine turns on and you can hear the water sucking noise and bit of steam coming off from the top for few mins and nothing. luckily, I still had my receipt and returned it.

I just think this coffeemaker is poorly designed. Or maybe I just had a lemon. But, if you are going with this one, save your receipt/box just in case. (and yes, I cleaned it regularly as it was recommended on the manual)

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I have had the older version of this coffee maker for years, maybe 5 years and have had no problems with it until I dropped the filter holder and it broke. My fault, not the coffee makers fault. For the previous negative reviews: What coffee maker do you not have to place the decanter just right to get the coffee in it? Also, there is a temperature knob that will keep your coffee as hot or cool as you want it, just turn the knob to the highest setting. Also, how long does it take someone to pour a cup of coffee? The pause feature is for 30 seconds. I can pour three cups in that amount of time. Great machine at a great price. Going to buy another one since they don't sell the filter holder separately.

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Don't know why there was so many bad reviews on this coffee maker, i have had no problems at all and has been the best coffee pot i have ever owned. only had it for a couple of months so we will see.

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Rapid Brew Stainless Steel Stovetop Coffee Percolator, 2-6 cup

Positives:

This coffee maker has no plastic parts (which can be poisonous).

It appears to be made of chromium steel. A very strong magnet was able to stick to all of the metal parts except for the percolator tube. I was afraid it might be aluminum, so I partially submerged it into bleach for an hour and I didn't find any corrosion. If you submerge half a piece of aluminum foil into bleach for an hour you'll see it has corroded. The percolator tube might be nickel chromium steel, which isn't magnetic. I wish there was an easy way to determine what type of metal something is made of.

Negatives:

1. Made in China. I'll have to test it for lead.

2. The lid will swing open while you're pouring your coffee. This is a major design flaw. The glass lid is really hot. If you try to use it to hold the lid shut while you're pouring coffee, you'll get burned. You'll either have to hold it shut with a cloth or waste some coffee and not tip the pot over enough for the lid to open.

3. The metal is weak. A slight bump into a bowl left the coffee maker dented.

I'm giving it 3 stars because it appears to be non-toxic. No plastic or aluminum.

Don't personally use this product, I purchased it for my mom who was used to a heavy-gauge aluminum old-school percolator. According to her, this new one makes a decent cup of coffee. As for the item itself, it is well constructed of stainless steel (although thin) with a heavy glass viewing bubble. The basket & stem are adequate but could've been machined better to fit more precisely in the decanter. The handle is made of a "permawood" material which I assume will not split or crack and helps the unit to "look" old-school. Dishwasher safe according to the description.

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I was not liking my morning coffee. Drip machines and K-cups were not doing it for me. This makes me two large mugs on the 4 cup setting. They are hot, smooth, and fantastic. If you set a timer after the perking starts, and lower the heat, it is always delicious!

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If you want a percolater, this is the one. purchased for father-in-law. He adised me that this is the best one he has ever had. high qulity Stainless steel, with Glass cover knob. (Not plastic like other percs)

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A bit pricey, but worth it since it is stainless throughout. I have had the smaller (3 cup) model for several years. I have dropped and kicked it several times. It has a few dents and dings but it is still doing its job making great coffee. I needed more joe-to-go in the morning so I got the 6 cup model. It appears to be the same quality construction as the 3 cup model. The only difference other than size is that the 6 cup has a glass bubble rather a plastic one. If a few grounds in your cup bother you Ooh my pristine gut use a filter with it. Ya Heard!

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Cuisaid Xpress-O Stove-Top 9 Cup Espresso Maker

Gets the job done well!!!! I read the directions and works just as good as the more expensive versions.....highly recommended.

Was excited to get the espresso maker , filled it up per directions , it was steaming out of the sides (not supposed to do that) and the espresso tasted like metal, absolutely terrible !!!!

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i love this thing . use it everyday for my morning coffee. great price, compared to stores and quality is just as good .

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This espresso maker makes amazing espresso. I use it daily now. The aroma fills up the entire house and it makes it quick. Note that when it says 9 cups, it is 9 espresso cups and not 9 cups of coffee. Also, the shipping was SO FAST! Two days! I am impressed.

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ESPRESSO MKR 4CUP SS

Much easier to deal with making coffee , and not have to worry about the handle burning ever! Not to mention that it matches my mortal and pestal!

First model of this type I've bought. The handle and lid are both metal and are too hot to handle. I would return it if I could.

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Kalorik 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker, Black/Stainless Steel

Materials and construction seem very cheap. The spring in the part that allows you to take the pot out while still brewing, fell out while I was unpacking it. I returned it and purchased a Zoji. I am pleased with that coffee maker.

Capresso 640.13 Cleaning Solution

I love my Capresso coffee maker and follow the instructions on maintaining it. This cleaner works just as well as others.

Yep, this got it clean alright. I underestimated how dirty the tank was until running this solution through. Coffee tasted much better after a cleanup.

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We had been using our Capresso water kettle for about 6 months and the hard water had built up an ugly layer of mineral deposits all over the inside of the kettle. So hard we couldn't scrape or scrub it off. Capresso recommended this cleaning solution (citric acid), and after 30 minutes all the deposits were gone. Great product, and we still have two usages left in the box.

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This is a great product and did wonders on my coffeemaker. Our water is so hard and my coffeemaker is forever getting lime scale on it.....was very easy to use and our coffee tastes so much fresher now.

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As planned it worked, Easy,and painless I will use this cleaning solution again. Try it and you will be suprised at the ease of use.

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La Cafetiere TQ080200 Thermique 35 fl oz Coffee Press, Stainless Steel

After weeks of searching for a stainless steel coffee press and reading every review submitted--I really appreciate product reviews: good and bad--I finally found a press that I thought would work...and it does! In fact, it makes an excellent pot of coffee. It is also very beautiful. It looks like a silver coffee pot you might find on the room-service tray at a 4-star hotel: classic art deco design. The generous spout allows you to pour the coffee without dripping and the large handle makes it easy to hold securely. The pot is polished stainless steel, made in China by a British firm with, obviously, very exacting standards; there are no flaws, dents, or unfinished surfaces. It has a smooth and seamless appearing surface throughout: inside and outside and it can sit proudly on any tray or table.

Following my accident with my glass Bodum press (it exploded and I received 1st and 2nd degree burns), I was a little leery about pressing down on the plunger when I made my first pot. No need to worry; it slid down like a dream: smoothly and easily. So easily that I thought it might not have captured all the coffee grounds. (The one drawback in using a metal pot is not being able to see the grounds being pressed.) No need to worry, as I discovered when I cleaned the pot, all the grounds had been captured by the stainless, mesh filter and there was little if any water with the grounds in the bottom of the pot. By the way, this press must be hand washed and dried: it cannot be put into a dishwasher.

The only feature that did not seem to "work" for me was the keep-warm feature. I did not make a full pot (which probably contributed to the cooling down of the brew); but, I did make enough for two mugs of coffee--about 20 oz.--and I drank the second cup within ten minutes. The second cup was not as hot as the first one. I did rinse the pot with very hot tap water before putting the ground coffee into the pot and I placed it on a hot pad so my tiled counter would not cool the pot. However, this pot is double-walled and the air pocket is what "keeps the coffee warm"; it is not a thermos pot. The pot is hefty; but, not as heavy as it would be if it was a thermos or glass-insulated pot. Not having the glass insulation might be a good thing: nothing to break should I drop it; therefore, it should last a very long time. I think the warming aspect would be better triggered if one was making a full pot and using--as the instruction booklet suggests--water "just off the boil." That is, the water for this coffee press should be boiled; it will cool down when it hits the pot and the heat is absorbed by the air pocket.

Oh, yes, the coffee from this elegant press--it was the best! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this great press to anyone. Yes, it is a little more expensive than the glass presses; but, I don't have to worry about it exploding or breaking.

July Update: I have made many full pots of coffee since my initial review and I can safely say that my coffee did stay very warm; that is, very drinkable--for up to 2 hours--and the pot stayed cool to the touch. I did use water just off the boil; I think that certainly helped. I really do like this coffee press!

After trying out (and reviewing) several other stainless steel coffee presses, I guess I'm keeping this one. It's all metal, (unlike the awful new Bodums that use a plastic frame for the screen) solid enough, and does the job for less than half the price of some of the other presses. It's pleasing to the eye, from a distance at least.

Is it well made? No, not really. The brazing that connects the handle with the pot is sloppy, the join is cut at an uneven angle and bent, and the metal of the pot is rippled and distorted at the handle join. The polish job is very rough. It's obvious that this thing was put together in a Chinese sweatshop without a lot of pride in craftsmanship. I find it absurd to compare this cheap, tinny pot to a real handcrafted silver serving vessel. It's like people have lost all understanding of quality... Don't kid yourself; this is a low-quality item that will do the job, period. And considering that the Frieling press, while more substantial, also suffered from low quality metalworking, I'll stick with this one and save a couple bucks. The strainer on this pot is a cheap imitation of the Bodum piece with a looser, thinner screen, but thankfully shares the same thread size, so a real (old-school) Bodum 3-piece stainless screen can be screwed on in place of the stock one.

On the positive side, the spout works very well and does not drip, unlike some others. You can rotate the lid and it will cover the opening, presumably keeping your beverage hotter even longer. The handle sits nicely in the hand, and the pot balances and pours well. Although not a vacuum thermos, the double wall design does keep your coffee hotter longer than a single-wall.

So, although not of the quality I'd like, (which apparently does not exist anywhere, at any price) I will be keeping this one, although I am sure every time I see that wonky handle join, I'll cringe a little. Those less fastidious about metalworking will probably like this pot just fine, and I will give it my qualified recommendation as being the best option on Amazon at the moment, for the price, IMO. Good luck!

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While this product does hold up to its claims of keeping coffee hot, it has poor seams several places throughout the stainless where there are pin holes allowing liquid to get trapped between the stainless thermal layers. For sanitary reasons, I am not using and have ordered a competitor's stainless french press as a replacement. Very unhappy with my purchase.

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All metal filter...no plastic or rubber. I preheated the thing with hot tap water, then made my coffee using fresh ground coffee from a burr mill. Kept the level 1 inch below the spout as instructed. Let it sit for 4 minutes with the lid on and filter up, then pressed it. Poured coffee. Taste was acceptable, similar to Bodum glass carafe.

Twisted the lid closed again to hold in heat. Angled the filter a little to keep the lid sealed better...it isn't a very tight fit, but the angle sealed in the steam acceptably well.

One timed hour later, spun the lid to the pour position and filled another mug. Perfectly hot, even after adding cream. Room temperature was 73 degrees F. Coffee bitterness after grounds stomped to the bottom did not noticeably increase after the one hour.

You'll get at least one hot hour from this maker. That's plenty.

The lid has a hole in the top and bottom for the filter rod to pass through. In theory, you could get gunk in this space, and find it hard to get out. I say poo on that. Flush with hot tap water, hold it upside down, and work the filter rod...the water comes out fine, as would any grinds that get up there if you get carried away with your filter plunging.

Stays hot, makes good coffee, all metal. Go get one and be happy you aren't breaking glass carafes when your guests come over. If you're a glass carafe aficionado, then keep this one in the cupboard for a backup.

If you like my review, send me one million dollars and I'll send you a thank-you card.

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I spent a good while seeking a replacement solution for the last french press when the press itself had broken. I was determined to find another press that was klutz-proof (so not glass), was not plastic, operated with easy pressure, poured cleanly and easily, and made enough coffee for at least two large cups in the morning (cuz some mornings are just rough like that or I'm fortunate enough to have good company to share with). Sounds impossible, right? Until you look at the product I'm reviewing and notice it satisfies all of those parameters!

What makes me even more giddy about investing in this particular press is that the construction is S-O-L-I-D. The metal has heft to it it is at least 18/8 stainless, but unmarked and the handle and the spout are very artfully, cleanly welded onto the body, and chased back to smooth, as you would expect of a piece of jewelry. And the double walled feature of this product doesn't stop at the pitcher; even the lid is an enclosed air pocket, making not only for better warmth retention, but also a more pleasant cleanup experience. Can you imagine having permanent dampness caught in the thickness of the lid? Doubtless infuriating.

Total bonus that it's damn pretty and I want to leave it out in view. The only disparaging things I have to say about it are that it's not dishwasher-safe (which is understandable), and not USA designed & manufactured (...which is sadly expected: UK-designed, Chinese-manufactured).

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Primula Replacement Silicone Gaskets for 3 Cup Size Aluminum Espresso Pots, Set of 3

I've had these for several weeks and so far I am very impressed with them. I have a 3 cup Moka pot that I bought in Italy years ago and in the past, I've always used Bialetti rubber gaskets. These are so much better!

After one or two uses, the rubber gaskets begin to show signs of wear the silicone gasket that I've had in place for almost a month still looks brand new. Also, the rubber gaskets attract espresso grounds that stick to them and sometimes have to be removed with a fingernail or scrubbing no problem with the silicone, just rinse and they're clean. Another benefit is that they are much easier to replace and remove. The rubber ones are quite stubborn, especially once they begin to harden these just slide in and pop out.

I hope they last as long as it seems they will. So far I'm very happy!

Checking in after six months of use and I'm still VERY impressed with these gaskets. I'm still on the first one and while it has developed a darker color, it is still soft and pliable and working perfectly. These make cleanup after brewing a breeze. Don't know when I've been so impressed with a simple product.

I bought these as a replacement for the rubber gasket that came with my Bialetti 6799 Moka Express 3-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker. Unlike the rubber ones that become brittle and sticky, these silicon gaskets are smooth and water repellent. They are also far easier to remove and reinsert for cleaning. They fit the Bialetti espresso maker well and there is no leakage.

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The gaskets were a bit smaller which made them difficult to fit around the filter. We are able to get them to fit but it takes some work. Otherwise it is exactly what it says it is.

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Simply put, this gasket does not meet the needs of the Bialetti 6799 Moka Express 3-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker.

Although the inner ring diameter appears to be correct, the width of the gasket (from inner edge to outer edge) is incorrect. The width of the ring should be 8mm rather than 7mm. As a result, the filter does not hold snug to the upper chamber of the moka pot. And, more importantly, when brewing, the brewed coffee will seep out from the seam between the upper and lower chambers.

From reading the other reviews, it seems like a hit-or-miss proposition of whether this product works or not. Don't bother wasting your money on a gamble.

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I have a 3c Bialetti espresso maker for which I bought these gaskets. They DO NOT fit. I ended up throwing them out. Total waste of money.

Amerihome CFU30 Coffee Urn, 30-Cup

THIS PRODUCT IS ABSOLUTLY BAD. BRAND NEW COFFEE POT IS LEAKING CONSTANTLY. I DO NOT RECOMEND THIS PRODUCT TO ANYBODY.

I chose this item over a well known brand, because it has the stainless steel canister. The dispensing lever broke off in the first 10 minutes of using the product. Their customer service was not much help. Instead of replacing the product, due to their own faulty part, they are sending the part assembly that broke, and I am expected to try and fix the unit myself. I am NOT happy with this solution. I would not purchase from this company again.

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Mind Reader "Anchor" Coffee Pack Drawer for Keurig Vue Packs, Keurig K-Cups, Nespresso Capsules, CB

I wanted something that was more convenient for my Nespresso pods' storage having the boxes stacked up was a non-option. I like Nespresso's wooden box, but it just isn't practical and the place I have my machine set up is already pretty loaded up with kitchen gadgets, so I didn't want an organizer that would require a space of it's own. Viola enter this product! It sits about 2" on each side farther out than the Nespresso machine itself (I have the Pixie model) and looks outstanding. Very sturdy build and the drawer opens smoothly. Also, this is plastic (just in case anyone is wondering) but it really does look sharp I'm very pleased with the appearance! It can also hold more than the 50 capsules it advertises if you alternate the pods with every other one being upside down this somewhat increases your storage capacity without at all impacting it's ability to open and close smoothly.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a nice looking unit to hold your pods without being the center of attention. This is a great find and I'm sure you'll be delighted with it, too!

Holds 36 K cups, and looks stylish doing it. Perfect for storing a variety or your entire inventory. Looks nice also.

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Works great under the Nespresso machine, sleek and compact. I don't have a lot of counter space so this is perfect in a compact space.

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Finally a great looking drawer to put under my Keurig coffee machine. I

just got this and I love it already. I way recommend this bad boy!

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This drawer is the perfect solution to store the Kcups. My husband and I like different roast so I gave him the middle drawer and I use the other two. One for my light roast and flavored coffees and the third one for cocoa, teas and varieties for guests. The look is "built-in" space saver. The drawers glide easily. The only improvement I would make would be to have the drawers deep enough to store double. which would work for me since I have enough counter space without overhead cabinets. Very pleased with this purchase.

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Keurig V500 Vue Brewer

There is no shortage of Keurig reviews online so I will use this one to address a lack of information on the V500.

First, the Vue V500 is functionally the same as the top of the line Vue V700. I recently went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to purchase a Keurig coffee maker as a surprise for my wife while she was out of town. She had expressed an interest in getting one and was dropping hints more and more frequently.

After a little research and armed with a 20% off coupon, I hit the store with the intention of purchasing the Vue V700. When I got to the end cap where the Vue was set up, I saw a Vue I wasn't familiar with and that was the V500. It isn't even listed on the Keurig website yet. We aren't huge coffee people so I thought maybe this would be a better fit at a cheaper price than the V700. Cell phone reception was weak and it was taking forever to look up information so I resorted to asking a BBB employee what the difference was and he was actually very knowledgeable.

Functionally they work exactly the same. The differences are: The size of the water reservoir, the V700 holds 74 ounces while the V500 holds 60 ounces. The touch screen on the V700 is color while the V500's is black and white. The V500 offers all the same cup sizes as the V700 except one, it doesn't do the 18 ounce travel mug size. The V700 has storage for the power cord, the V500 does not. Aesthetically, the V700 has more silver accents on it while the V500 is mainly black. Last, the V700 comes with a free 10 Vue cup variety pack and the V500 comes with an 8 pack.

My wife doesn't care about any of those things so I decided to save $30 and get the V500. She absolutely loves it so far. As I said, we are not coffee people but so far so good. This thing makes a fantastic cup of coffee. If you don't need anything listed in the differences, save yourself some money and a little space on your counter top and get the V500.

Have a Keurig K-cup machine in the office and wanted one for my home. Could not decide on k-cup or v-cup machine. Love strong coffee and even though always buy the dark blends the coffee never seemed as strong as I would like it. After a lot of research I saw that Keurig was releasiing a new smaller Vue machine the V500. Bought it March 17 (at BB&B with 20% off coupon). Have used the machine for three days and simply love the machine. Coffee was stronger (used the strong setting) and hotter (197 degree setting). First cup takes a little time but subsequent cups ready almost immediately. Noise? No more so than any other brewer. Will keep updating as I use it.

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I first found out about the Vue on houseparty.com and applied hoping I would get selected to receive a free one but unfortunately I didn't:( but since I have wanted a new Keurig for a while I decided to buy the Vue v500 anyways. I'm glad I got the machine. It is slightly different from the V700 but the major difference is the black and white screen instead of the color screen and having a max brew size of 16oz instead of 18oz. Not having a color screen isn't that big of a deal to me and the black and white touch screen works fast and is still easy to read. I've used a original K-cup before and I noticed that this one does take slightly longer to brew but it also brews a better cup of coffee! I like having the option to customize what drink I'm making (ex. coffee, iced drinks, and cafe drinks); select which temperature(I prefer to make it colder when I'm going to drink it right away and hotter if I'm taking my drink on the go); whether or not I want my coffee stronger; as well as being able to use the normal sized pods or travel size. These features set it apart from the original k-cup brewer. One downside is that the pods are slightly more expensive, currently there is less variety, and its not as widely available for purchase. There is a reusable vcup on the market made by solofill but as of yet keurig has not put their own out. I've tried out the "Solofill Cup V1" and I like it. I've read some reviews on the Solofill where people say it leaves grounds in the cup and this is not true. The solofill reusable cup does leave some sediment that will rest on the very bottom of your cup similar to if your coffee had been made in a french press and to me it tastes almost exactly like french press coffee (if ground right and using the right amount of coffee). I also noticed other reviews where people said the brewer is noisy, this is true but it's not so noisy it will wake everyone up in the morning, rather it's just that you can hear the pump as opposed to complete silence. The only major complaint I have is that the machine is NOT high enough for taller sized To Go mugs or even most averaged sized travel mugs. I think keurig should have included an additional base to put under the machine to prop it up higher or at least make an optional base for purchase to raise the machine up more otherwise you'll have to find something to put under it if you want to use taller travel mugs.

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I've used Regular Coffee, Decaf Coffee & My Refillable Decaf Coffee several times and I have been disappointed with every brewed cup of coffee!

The Solofill Gold Filter leaves excessive coffee mud in the bottom of the cup.

There is a limited variety of Regular & Decaf coffee Vue cups available.

I like my coffee to taste like coffee or if flavored to taste like the flavor.

Too bad a costly adventure!

Sorry!!

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I have read just about every review out there and really was not sure about actually buying it because of some of them. But I am so glad I did. I love it! I bought the smaller size.

Here are the complaints I saw pretty regularly.

Too loud. No it really is not and I can not figure out where that idea came from. It sounds just like your average coffee pot as it just gets done with its brewing. It is a little louder I did notice when I used the frother. I wonder if that is because it is working a little harder to froth the milk mixture? Either way that is not even that loud.

Heat. Personally I used to be a gas station coffee and Scooter's coffee junkie. The Vue brews just as hot as they do. I did not expect it to be that hot and burned the hell out of my mouth on my first cup. It is set at 195 degrees and I know you can change that if you so choose.

Strength of the coffee. This one humors me because I have to wonder if these people actually tried the strong coffee blends before saying that. Personally I like coffee average strength and the Vue borderlines on a little too strong for me. But its okay I can handle that.

Height. Yes this is an issue that was npoorly designed. I found an old cookbook I do not use much and sat the vue on top of that and just remove the drip tray when I use it. My 16oz coffee cup fits perfectly now. I have to wonder if their idea behind that was most people do not typically order 16oz plus cafe drinks so they decided to make it shorter? Just my thought on that.

I saw someone review the Vanilla Latte horribly saying it was disgusting. I love it and it turns out so much better than coffee shop lattes in my opinion. However it does seem to have a slightly caramel after taste to me. I would love to know if they will come out with a special cup that lets us use our own milk though, that would be perfect!

I love the fact you can choose how many ounces you want to brew. That is an awesome feature. The only sad part is you can only brew an 8 oz latte, thats kind of a bummer but again I think its because your average person does not usually order more than that at a coffee shop.

The touch screen is a bit small and sometimes kind of hard to touch the right buttons at times but its managable. Someone was talking on their review about smiling every time it is done brewing and says "enjoy!", I had to laugh when I caught myself doing it too.

One major draw back is the only place I can seem to find the vue cups is target abd here. But I think it took awhile for the K cups to become so widespread so maybe it will just take some time.

It took me nearly a month to decide to buy this thing and now I am wondering what took me so long to do it! Do not keep considering just go get one :)

Replacement Filters for Aeropress (350 pk)

The disclaimer: I do not work for Aerobie. I have no commercial connection with Aerobie. I do confess, however, to owning two (2) Aerobie Aeropresses.

Okay, now for the part you've been waiting for, the review:

I'll make this really simple: throw away all your other coffee makers and use the Aeropress. Well, you can keep your $350 espresso maker and your electric drip coffee maker, your French press, and your ibrik. You won't USE them anymore, but you can sure keep 'em if you want to.

How serious am I about a good cup of coffee? I roast my own beans. In 1968 when America was brewing coffee in percolators, I saw Michael Caine grind coffee beans in the opening scene of "The Ipcress File" and went right out and searched for coffee beans and a grinder. People thought I was very strange because, after all, "I don't see the difference between vacuum packed and coffee beans." But I could tell the difference. I used a plastic cone and paper filters back then, a system which has basic flaws overcome by the Aeropress. Whatever kind of coffee you've been drinking, it'll be better if you make it with the Aeropress.

A word about the filters. I can taste the paper in coffee made in those drip makers of various kinds. I cannot taste the paper in coffee made in the Aeropress.

If you grind your own coffee, you don't have to get an expensive grinder because the Aeropress is not very particular about the fineness or coarseness of the grind. Fine is better. Coarse will work. You could probably pound the beans with a meat tenderizer and come up with a grind that would work okay in the Aeropress. Whatever grind you use, none of the grit will wind up on your teeth because the economical paper filters keep them out of your cup. There are people who do like the tactile sensation of coffee grounds on their teeth such as coffee brewed in a French press or made in an ibrik. I'm not all that fond of it myself.

The coffee that comes out of the south end of the Aeropress is, certainly from a tactile and visual point of view, free from grounds. So? Well, for one thing, there are no grounds still brewing in the coffee you've got waiting for you in your stylish thermal carafe or in the cup you're savoring right at the moment, and that means that the coffee doesn't get bitter. Think about that for a moment. You get distracted, the coffee in your cup cools off. You nuke it for a few seconds. It's now hot enough to drink, but it just doesn't taste right. Or after a few hours in the carafe, the coffee, while it may still be hot enough, has become bitter. This just does not happen with coffee brewed in an Aeropress. Nuke that neglected cold cup of coffee sitting in front of you, and it's all but indistinguishable from a freshly brewed cup. Pour a hot cup from the carafe a couple of hours after you brewed it, and it's just like a freshly brewed cup. And when you drain the last drop of coffee from your cup, there are no grounds forming a reverse alluvial fan left behind. This can be a disadvantage to people who tell fortunes by reading coffee grounds. Anybody do that? Even more remarkable is that coffee stored for a day or more in the refrigerator can be reheated without an objectionable loss in quality. It's perhaps enough to notice, but if that coffee was made in an Aeropress, don't bet a large amount of money on a taste test, unless you're a professional taster, that you could tell reheated refrigerated coffee a few days old from a brand-new cup.

The measure that comes with the Aeropress holds three tablespoons which the Aeropress website recommends for a five-ounce cup of coffee. Say what?! Okay, the coffee does not, as in a French press, brew for four minutes; it brews for less than a minute, counting stirring and plunging time. That short time makes for a cup of coffee that's low in caffeine but with a robust coffee flavor. You can even make coffee with half the amount of water into an espresso cup, and, trust me on this, it is delicious. All the intensity of espresso's fullness of flavor, but without the bitterness. Now, I have a very good espresso machine, and one day, after having used the Aeropress for several months, I wanted to experience another cup of espresso.

I'm tempted to heave a huge sigh right along in here. Espresso is finicky. My machine (did I mention it's a good one?) is a semiautomatic. That means that it makes coffee with the same amount of pressure and at the correct temperature every time, but I have to put in the right amount of grounds and those grounds better be ground exactly right. Too fine, and the pump can't force the water through in 23 seconds, and the coffee will be extremely strong and without crema, that thick foam that's the hallmark of a correctly brewed espresso. Too coarse, and the pump forces the water through too fast, and you get a weak cup of coffee. And you don't get crema that time either. So I had to experiment with the grind and the amount to the tune of three tossed shots of espresso before I got one right. Did I mention espresso is finicky? It was quite good, but I discovered that not only is espresso finicky, so am I. I had grown to prefer the simplicity of the forgiving Aeropress. Once you get past getting water to the right temperature, I can't think of a way you can make a bad cup of coffee with the Aeropress.

And, by the way, I discovered that the correct amount of coffee grounds to use for a cup of espresso in my machine turned out to be the same as one Aeropress coffee measuring scoop.

Making a pot of coffee? Since brewing coffee in the Aeropress takes less than a minute, once you've got your water at the right temperature, you can brew up a whole lot of coffee really fast. A note on making coffee with really fresh coffee grounds such as those from beans you've just roasted: It foams up like a freshly poured beer. So you'll not be able to fill the receptacle up to the "4" mark. The solution? Do I have to think of everything?! Fill it to the "3" mark. Do this twice and you've made a quart of coffee in perhaps three minutes.

One really endearing feature of the Aeropress is that it's a snap to clean. You remove the little black filter basket at the bottom of the press, push the grounds into the kitchen wastebasket, rinse off the rubber plunger (look at the photos to see what I mean by "plunger"), rinse the basket. You're done. Sometimes I swipe the remaining grounds off the plunger with the stirring paddle before I rinse it. The whole operation takes maybe 15 seconds. I have another Aeropress in my office where I work (as a highly paid professional, of course), and my little windowless cubicle -I mean my spacious corner office with panoramic view has no running water. I found that I'm able to clean it almost as well using a damp paper towel. I save the rinse for later.

Now, the word "plastic" has the connotation of "cheap" or "flimsy" for some people. Bear in mind that telephones and bowling balls are plastic, and nobody thinks of those two items as flimsy. The Aeropress is made of what appears to me to be very high quality plastic. There are no rough edges. It's thick and strong. And it's made in the United States, something that's apparently a value for the company. So for all of you who want to buy American, here's your chance: invented in America by an American and made in America.

The Aeropress requires that the user have the ability and the patience to bring water to the right temperature, 175 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, you'll have to buy one. I have the kind you can stick into a slab of meat or dunk into an Aeropress. It works just fine, and it's not very expensive. Under five dollars as I recall at my local hardware store.

How bothersome is it to bring water to the correct temperature? It's not. I experimented for a few minutes and discovered that in my microwave, water poured to the "3" level on the plunger thingy was brought to the right temperature in one minute on high. How hard is that? Or if you're not up to measuring the water, just stick your thermometer into the whistle on your teakettle and soon after you hear the water making that noise like it's about to boil (somewhere around 165 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit), it'll be at 180 degrees. I like this temperature because when you pour it into the Aeropress plunger, it cools off to just the right temperature of 175. Your mileage may vary.

There might be easier ways to make coffee, but I know of none better.

A note about Amazon. Buy it here. Free shipping? Arrives right at your doorstep? Under $? Best coffee you ever made in your life? What are you waiting for?

This makes a great cup of coffee. One of my favorite discoveries was when I read the instructions and they mentioned rinsing off these filters and reusing them. I had never thought of that, but considering how coffee filters DON'T decompose well in the compost, I love this idea and the amount that comes with the Aeropress will last a long time this way without ordering the extra pack. Just rinse and re-use.

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It's good to have extras.... How else can I review coffee filters?

The color, angelic white.

The thickness, a few million atoms.

The shape, surprisingly circular.

The price, recession-friendly.

The outcome: not bad at all.

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I use these with my Hamilton single cup coffee brewer. They make the coffee less bitter word word word word

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These filters are a part of a system for making coffee/espresso that I love. But when I bought the contraption that makes the coffee, I didn't realize it came with so many filters.

Save your money and just use those that come with the thing. They will probably last me a year or more--and I drink a lot of coffee--plus, they say you can rinse the filters and use them more than once if you want to be more green and conservative in your filter use.

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Primula Double Wall Classic Coffee Press, Glass/Chrome

I purchased this because I was so impressed with the design. It has an air gap between the inner lining and outer glass wall. This means that it is extremely well insulated, and will keep the coffee hot for a long time. This is much better design than the solid glass french presses, which allow the coffee to cool down quickly.

This is the problem with this unit though, which makes it useless. The little pour spout is not designed properly. When I go to pour coffee from the press, the coffee simply runs down the side of the press as if there were no pour spout there at all. This is a fatal flaw. If I try to pour fast or slow it does not matter. There is not a pour speed at which the coffee will pour out of the press. It ends up running down the outer wall, and then dumping on the table.

I am just curious . . . did they never actually try and use this product? How could they ship something that so clearly does NOT WORK?

While looking for the right French press for mostly making tea, I really wanted a glass dome, for the visual aspect, as well as double walled. This double wall does keep liquid hot longer and adds to durability. I love that it has no metal rings or handle as well. The internal metal pieces unscrew in seconds making it very easy to clean.

After reading about the pouring problems I asked at the store if I could try pouring. I have NO PROBLEMS POURING. This is really a great press and I am happy with this choice after some extensive searching.

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Love the design; but like the other reviewer, I'm often surprised by the lack of "form follows function" in many products. However I do enjoy the challenge of making them work... in this case, IF the wide collar of the lid (which I think inhibits pouring) is thin enough, I'd suggest cutting-out an upside-down 'U' shape (diameter of a dime or nickle) & lining this up w/the pour spout.

I regularly use Bodum + other double-walled glassware & love the technology... I may buy this French Press just to see if my idea works.

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Philips Saeco Via Venezia Espresso Machine

We have been making cappuccino at home for more than 30 years. With a machine in each of two homes, we have run through a fair number of them, as they generally last 5 to 7 years and usually repairs, if available, aren't worth the cost. This Saeco is very similar to the Starbucks Barrista machine, as Saeco made that machine for Starbucks when they sold it. The Starbucks machine was recommended to us years ago by a very good repair person who was unable to repair our Baby Gaggia for the second time, at a cost that made sense. She pointed out that the Barrista had a stainless steel boiler tank, an important dividing line in her estimation between machines that were more durable and those that were not. Starbucks no longer sells this model, although they do sell the Saeco Aroma under their house name. We initially bought a Saeco Aroma from Amazon, but returned it without using it because the plastic water reservoir was chipped in shipping. When we saw the machine we also concluded, however, that it was not like the Saeco Gran Crema machine we have in our other house and which we like but which Saeco has stopped making. The Aroma has a frothing wand that cannot be moved around and it is awkwardly placed. And it is pretty light, leaving me with the impression, unconfirmed, that it does not have a stainless steel boiler.

We then tried a Cuisinart, which we bought locally, and you can see my review of that machine here on Amazon. Cheaper than this Saeco but despite appearances of solidity it has serious quality control problems. Ours was among those that did not work properly and we returned it. Then we got this.

As I say, this is similar to the old Starbucks Barrista, but it has been updated a bit. It is a very sold, heavy machine and feels like it will last forever. Like the Barrista, it has the frothing wand on the left, which is unusual but not a problem. More importantly, the frothing wand is on a ball swivel joint allowing one to position it conveniently both for use and then for dripping dry over the drip tray when you are done. And even more importantly, both the frothing wand and the coffee brewing work very very well. It's a powerful frother that lets you make the textured milk for a cappuccino reasonably fast, and its design lets even a novice produce a good texture. The coffee, of course the most important, is reliable and good, nice crema, good flavor. The water reservoir can be filled by pouring water into a hatch at the top of the machine, or by removing the reservoir altogether (after removing the drip tray) and bringing it to the water source. (Because we have this machine in our Phoenix home, where the tap water does not have a good flavor, and leaves a lot of minerals behind in any container it's been in (water heaters have short lives here), we never put tap water in our coffee makers.) The length of the power cord is adjustable--it unwinds from inside the machine, and you can push it back in to shorten it--a nice if minor convenience.

This machine does not have any automatic features but we have never had that. But having used it now for about two or three weeks, we know it works well, produces very nice coffee, and gives every indication of being very solidly built. We are very pleased with it.

I would avoid "super-automatic" machines that grind the beans. Grinders can be fussy, and it's better to have the grinder separate so that you don't have to replace your entire machine if the grinder goes. The grinders in super-automatics also generally inhospitable to beans with more oil--see, e.g., the website for Seattle Coffee Gear, which provides detailed information on most espresso machines; you are warned to avoid the heartier, more roasted beans with virtually all their super-automatics. And many of those machines make it difficult to change the bean you are using to make coffee, which is s problem if, for example, you want to make decaf at night and regular in the morning.

I am the proud owner of this machine for two years now. I was a barista at Starbucks at the time of purchase, so I really have a high standard not only of espresso quality, but also how efficiently I can make myself a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato in the morning.

A few things Saeco got right on this machine:

Simplicity of design: There are not so many parts that the user will be overwhelmed, which is especially encouraging when it comes to cleaning and maintaining. Most units that have too many parts either stump the barista on which attachments to use, or how to clean the machine and its parts without ruining it. There is a plastic 2 tbsp scooper, that doubles as a packer (although a little flimsy), as well as two types of adapters that your coffee grinds sit in, one for regular coffee grounds and one for individual espresso pods (if you don't have a customizable grinder at home, you can buy pre-ground espresso in packets).

The other main benefit of using this machine, is that you can customize how much espresso you want to pour. If you are the type of person that gets a triple-shot latte in the morning to get your day started, you can pour three shots (or almost 3 shots) before the espresso is what I would call saturated, at which point it doesn't produce the same strength of espresso after a little more than 2 full one-ounce shots have poured. Of course, this might be a little flexible depending on the grind and quantity of grounds in the hopper. This is the advantage of having this be a 'manual machine' vs an automatic, where serving size is pre-determined.

A couple things I've been disappointed with in this machine are its inability to pour shots while steaming milk simultaneously. Furthermore, steaming milk is really going to be most frustrating for those who want frothy milk or foam (ie cappuccino, macchiato, latte) because of the lack of power behind the steam wand. If you're expecting to take drink orders from family/friends, don't expect to crank out 4 to 6 drinks in several minutes. The manual nature of this machine, along with the inability to steam milk while pouring shots slows down production significantly, once you move beyond your individual drink.

Bottom line: I got this machine for a great deal, combining a Starbucks holiday sale (look for it now on sale for $149, with my employee discount, I ended up paying close to $90. For that price, it has been more than satisfying. I have not cleaned it as much as a responsible owner should, but the parts are very well-made so I have suffered little consequence. If you want quality espresso with a little customizability thrown in, this is a great machine, but don't expect to crank out drink orders like they do in stores.

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It would probably be prudent to offer some background information on my 'espresso credentials' prior to getting to the bulk of my review. Knowing nothing about espresso preparation, I received a steam-driven espresso machine (Mr. Coffee ECM160) as a gift about a year ago. It was a great gift that introduced me to home espresso, although even upon first use I knew that it wasn't making 'true' espresso, I just didn't yet understand the underlying mechanics behind proper espresso extraction. A little research revealed the obvious difference between steam and pump driven machines. My desire to occasionally enjoy a straight shot of crema-topped espresso, in addition to various espresso-based drinks, pushed me to begin researching pump driven machines.

I hadn't come across this machine in my research, but instead I was introduced to Saeco's Via Venezia while visiting a friend's house. Seeing an appliance like this in action, and tasting the resultant espresso, is about as good a test drive as you'll get.

The made-in-Italy Via Venezia is a single stainless-steel boiler machine, driven by a 15-bar pump and features a pressurized portafilter which ostensibly provides extraction that is less dependent upon grind size/consistency and tamping force. From my experience, the forgiving pressurized portafiliter lives up to its billing. Some home baristas dislike that it takes the user's control out of shot characteristics but I appreciate its ability to provide great espresso without requiring every detail to be perfect I get rich crema on every pull. With a single boiler, brewing and frothing must be carried out independently. I'm still able to prepare drinks at a decent clip as the machine reaches optimal temperature quickly.

The machine is simple to use with indicator lights on the brew and steam selector buttons that specify when the machine is ready for each mode. The steam wand (panarello) swivels with a good range of motion to accommodate various frothing pitcher sizes so far I've been happy with the milk frothing results and the panarello is easy to clean. I've been able to use my 20 oz frothing pitcher without any awkward clearance issues with other parts of the machine. The design is well thought out for ease of use.

Beyond the impressive espresso results, I was also immediately impressed with the Via Venezia's build quality. The entire outer case is metal, with minor plastic used for the drip tray and accessory tray. This provides a sturdy, substantial feel befitting the price tag. The generous water reservoir (68 oz) can be filled either by removing the reservoir container (by sliding out the drip tray assembly) or by flipping open an access hatch on top of the machine. Saeco also provides a ESE pod-adapter for the portafilter, which accepts espresso pods. I have yet to use this feature as I prefer to grind my beans prior to brewing, but it is nice to have the additional capability.

There are myriad choices in the semi-auto home espresso machine market. While the Via Venezia may not be the most cost competitive, its impressively sturdy build quality elevates it above plasticky machines of questionable durability. The Via Venezia is highly recommended for the budding espresso enthusiast.

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Saeco manufactured this model for Starbucks for several years (or a close variation -I think the Starbucks version may have had the temperature control adjusted to brew their custom blend at an optimal temperature). In any case, it's a basic, good machine from Saeco, with one odd customization of the frothing wand being on the left side rather than the right. It also rotates on a ball joint, which is convenient.

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I originally purchased this machine for my mother, liked it so much I purchased one for myself when it went on sale. Eight months into owning the thing my mother's breaks down. Okay we are a coffee drinking family, and this little guy did get a three cup per day workout. We sent it Saeco to get repaired. Ten weeks later we get it back working but now sounding like a freight train. Morning coffee takes on a whole new meaning when the noise of the machine wakes up everyone in the house. Sent it back ($80 shipping cost each time), and again worked for a bit and the noise came back. We gave up sending it back.

My Saeco worked a bit a longer. The first time mine went in for repair it was 1.5 years old. Now while I have a daily coffee, it didn't work as hard as my mom's unit. Came back from repair, this time a different repair facility and was working great.

Cut to: A half year later, and the thing just dies midway through pulling a shot.

My lovely repair shop is no longer open. Call Saeco customer service, and they tell me to take it to one of the recommend repair places. The first guy tells me to try fixing myself first. The second guy tells me to bring it over, and then isn't there. I leave 4 messages over the course of the next couple of weeks he never calls back. I go to the third place after a call with Saeco only to find out after driving 45 miles away from home, that they don't fix this particular machine.

Call Saeco back, and preface the conversation with "I'm sorry if I'm snappy but at this point I'm pissed" The lady was amazing sent me shipping labels and said they would pay for the repairs of both machines because of inconvenience.

Six weeks later, I finally get a call from Saeco telling me the machines are too rusted to fix. WHAT? HOW THE HECK DOES A MACHINE THAT IS BUILT TO HANDLE WATER AND STEAM BECOME TOO RUSTY TO FIX? The thing has only been broken for a couple of months. My mom lives in Las Vegas. I live in Southern California... inland... it's not like we live in New Orleans where it's humid. The customer service lady was awesome, but unfortunately she could only do so much. I would have even been happy had they offered to let me purchase a new one at wholesale pricing or give me a discount, not that I would have actually bought another of their pieces of $%^&, but they don't care they already got my money, so all I can do is warn others.

Summary:

Purchase Price: $400 (mom's) $300 (mine)

Repair: $160 (mom's) $80 (mine)

Shipping for repairs: $200

Lesson learned about purchasing a Saeco machine: Definitely not priceless more like $1140

Save your money and your sanity.

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Philips Saeco HD8930/47 Royal One Touch Cappuccino Automatic Espresso Machine

this machine is what we have been after. It is very easy to use and makes great coffee. It so much fun all our friends are envious.

i am so glad I do not have to buy pods anymore for my keurig

I have a Saeco S Class Incanto Sirus Espresso at home and have used it everyday for 5 years had one problem with touch screen

replaced it. The new Royal One Touch I bought for our office staff. They love the Cappuccinos and Lattes, no more accross the street for Starbucks. We have only had the machine for a month, we will see.

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We originally bought a Krups Espresseria, which broke down twice on us. We decided to try this one out and 1 month later it's still going strong.

It's a fully automatic, which means at a touch of a button it does all the work. I would estimate that this machine is pouring anywhere from 10-15 cups of coffee a day. If you attach the Cappuccinatore (a tube that attaches to the espresso spout and place into a container or milk) it also provides you with cappuccinos and lattes. The "Clean" button easily helps to prevent milk clogs from the Cappuccinatore/tube/espresso spout.

The machine will prompt a message as to when to empty the drip tray, discard the grounds drawer, or fill up the water tank/bean hopper and will let you know when you have to decalcify it. And unlike the Krups Espresseria, where the espresso was very watered down and bitter even though the setting was placed on the finest grind, the quality of the espresso is strong (at medium grind!) and you always see that nice layer of crema at the top.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a convenient espresso machine for your office that is user-friendly, easy to maintain, and tastes good, I would highly recommend this machine.

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Nespresso D90 Essenza Single-Serve Manual Espresso Machine

I have been using this machine for about a month now. The espressos are strong, aromatic and comparable to those produced by more expensive machines. The machine is also very easy to clean (barely requiring a rinse every now and then). As far as quality goes I'm very happy with it. A few caveats however:

Temperature: as other reviewers mentioned, they are barely warm. If you're used to sipping yours for more than a couple of minutes you'll be drinking cold coffee. In fact the low temperature my Nespresso produces is enough of an issue for me to regret my purchase. And warming the cup does about as much as you'd expect.

Variety: I think there are enough capsules in the Nespresso line to find an espresso that suits your taste but the lungos are not to be confused with full-cups. You will not be able to get even half of an average American coffee cup out of a lungo capsule without it starting to taste watered down. Therefore Nespresso isn't as versatile as it could be and if you or your guests prefer regular coffee to espresso you'll have to keep your other coffee maker.

Customer service: You will have to buy the capsules directly through the "Nespresso Club" which advertises itself as an exclusive and very attentive client service. In my experience they have been responsive but unusually impersonal and not helpful if you are dissatisfied with your machine or your casules orders. One almost gets the impression they're doing you a favor by dealing with you. Guess that's what they mean by that exclusive feeling...

Because of the above issues I would recommend comparing a few other brands and seeing whether this is really your best choice. Personally, I wouldn't buy mine again.

This review is based on my experience with the Nespresso Essenza C90, but the Nespresso Essenza D90 is quite similar, and I believe that the espresso making mechanism is exactly the same.

We all have our little passions. Over the years, I have devoted too much time, money, and study to perfecting the art of making the perfect coffee and espresso. I searched the world (and the internet) for the best beans, grinders, equipment, and even tried roasting my own beans and became able to produce better potions that one can ever find in the coffee boutiques. Still, as it turns out, my efforts were in vain. The Nespresso Essenza (and probably the other Nespresso machines similar in design) produces the perfect cup and the ease of doing so, sadly, puts my efforts to shame.

The secret seems to be in the strong pumping mechanism (19 bars of pressure, same as their more expensive machines) and their superb coffee capsules. After being such a stickler for the freshest roasted estate grown beans, I balked at the use of capsules and considered it the coffee for dummies approach. I also thought that they might be kind of similar in quality to the coffee "pods" used in the new single serve coffee machines, which range from bad (for the manufacturer and supermarket brands) to only fairly good (for the best of the gourmet, limited-edition pods at over $1 each).

Against all odds, the Nespresso pods are pure magic. I ordered new pods right away, but even the sampler pods that came with the machine were incredible, despite being past their "best before" expiration date. I'm equally mystified as to how they can have about twelve varieties and almost all be exquisite, despite noticeable differences not only in strength but in flavor. The "lungo"capsules are also fantastic (these produce 4 ounces of coffee-espresso instead of the classic 1 to 2 ounce espresso). Being partial to espresso and very dark coffee, I wasn't so impressed with the two or three pods weakest in strength, but those who like traditional American coffee might prefer them.

The Nespresso capsules completely dispelled my concern that they would be limiting compared to the use of coffee beans. It turns out that the opposite is true. Sure, there may be hundreds of different beans available, with infinite possibilities of blends and roasts, but they rarely reach the superior flavor these capsules achieve. Moreover, ordering coffee beans limits you to only one or two roasts for awhile, unless you buy a variety of green coffee beans (which last much longer than roasted beans) and roast them yourself in small quantities. With the capsules, a nice variety of espresso variations are available instantly.

Having been in the habit of ordering expensive coffee beans, I find the cost of the Nespresso capsules at $.50 each and the two-day shipping charge of only $5.95 (for any quantity) very reasonable. When buying roasted coffee beans, the shipping cost for one or two day air was much higher, and I had to reorder them every few weeks to keep fresh ones on hand. Since the Nespresso capsules stay fresh much longer, I can order a several month supply at one time.

The only criticism of the machine is that the espresso might not be quite hot enough for some aficionados. However, it is just hot enough for me, and the temperature can be raised slightly by heating the cup first.

It is amazing that I can now enjoy the best espresso almost instantly. This is truly the perfect way to enjoy espresso, even if I can no longer take credit for concocting it.

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I have bought several exact same model in France when I was living there earlier this year, and the build quality (i.e. fit and finish) are much better. The ones in Europe are made in Switzerland, and the one I recently bought on Amazon is made in China. Not sure why, but the fit and finish just didn't measure up. Otherwise the machine works great. I also would recommend getting the manual vs the automatic version. The manual model lets you control how much water you let pass thru the capsule.

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We go out to eat frequently and my husband likes to order an after dinner demitasse. This gets kind of expensive in NYC. We were skeptical about the longevity of espresso machines but figured if we got a year out of this gadget, it would be worth it. We opted for this model because it was the least expensive but were told that its pressure capacity was the same as the fancier automatic models. That was over 4 years ago and the D90 is still going strong. It makes a consistantly good cup.

The price of the capsules aren't as reasonable as they used to be: In 2005, they were 48 cents. There were two subsequent 2 cent jumps. Now I see they just went up another 3 cents to 55 cents which is a 15% increase over 4 years. The cost of shipping, IMHO, is ridiculously high. Fortunately, I was able to go Nespresso's office in Manhattan to pick up the orders. Recently,they have opened a cafe/retail store on Madison Ave, which is even more convenient. Perhaps Nespresso will open other retail stores nationwide. I hope they don't get it into their heads that they are free to raise the capsule price at will because they have a captive clientelle.

When we first got the D90, I had a few questions that were satisfactorily answered by their "Club's" tech support. But, as another reviewer indicated, their operators/salespeople do have a bit of a snooty "Euopean-ish" affect that is not really necessary.

Some tips:

1)Do warm your cup first.

2)Regular descaling is important and the kit is rather expensive, but you can get around the process by using only DISTILLED water...the coffee tastes better, too.

3) Flush the unit out (as per instructions)after every few cups.

4) Don't forget to turn the unit's power off between uses!

5) Ristretto and Arpegio are the strongest...no need to bother with the others if you like your drink strong. We like to stir a tiny bit of heavy cream in as the cup is filling...it makes a reapectable, creamy froth on top.

Since we no longer order restaurant coffee, this machine has indeed paid for itself several times over. Even when you include the nominal cost of electricty for the brewing and in our case, water distillation, it is less than 1/2 the price that they charge even in moderately priced restaurants or Starbucks.

On the other hand, if you're not a big expresso drinker, but like to entertain, have a little extra counter space and money to spend, it is a nice indulgence.

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I've had the machine for a year now, so this is not a hasty review. Nor need it be long. Having this machine is a constant source of pleasure every single morning. Plain and simple, it supplies excellent-tasting espresso for less effort than making regular coffee from a coffee machine. No grinding, not messy grounds, no waste, and essentially no cleanup. If you're like me and don't have the time, energy, or patience to be screwing around in the kitchen in the morning, a Nespresso machine is as good as it gets. Regarding cost: let's say you average one espresso drink a day like I do, it works out to about $18/mo i cannot imagine spending significantly less than that with ANY alternative coffee-making method short of Folgers. Commenting on other eomplaints: environmental waste and "Fair Trade" coffee. If discarding the equivalent of 1/13th of a soda can's worth of aluminum bothers your conscience, then after each use scrape out the coffee and recycle the pod. If you're worried about whether or not Nespresso coffee is harvested sustainably, their processes do aim at ensuring this through their own AAA Sustainable Quality

Program. Unless you're into conspiracies, then you can be confident they are at least showing some concern for sustainability. If none of it is good enough for you, then what are you doing on a computer looking at Amazon.com?? You should be living in a tent snuggling prairie dogs in your handmade hemp blanket. Hope you're having fun!

Jura 65381 Stainless-Steel 20-Ounce Milk Container with Lid

We've owned this particular product for just about 1 year and use it EVERY DAY... We have not had ANY issues. We keep it clean, and if you do so properly, you will not have spoiled milk, ever. It holds more than enough for my wife's large cappuccino that she has at least 2 times daily. My kids also use this for making their hot chocolate. I'm not exactly sure what the reviewer was talking about in terms of "mold" issues. If there's mold in it, then that is purely the users fault. We typically clean it every 2-4 days and the milk stays fine. We just use soap and warm water. My wife recently purchased those little wire cleaners that are used for cleaning baby bottles to get into the metal tube and other small areas, although we just started using that method and haven't needed it to date, is a personal preference. We leave it out for about 4-8 hour stints and have not had an issue though our typical leave out time would be 4 hours. It's a thermos, not a refrigerated cooler, so I wouldn't recommend leaving it out for more than 8 hours, frankly. What prompted me to write this review was the fact that we were just cleaning it and had thought we lost the little black piece that fits over the milk tube and frantically began looking for it. Fortunately, we found it but it prompted me to look for a replacement tube set in the event we actually do lose it and all hell breaks loose! :)

You're probably better off using the tubing and throwing it in a milk bottle. This container doesn't really hold a lot of milk and there is a long metal straw that goes down the middle of the cap which is difficult to clean. You can't remove it from the lid, so you really can't clean between the lid, the straw, and the place where the hose connects. Also, it doesn't seem like it keeps the milk (or whatever you put in it) that cold. The foam always comes out best within the first few minutes of hooking it up off a fresh fill-i guess it was designed to only last that long? Also, the cover is really difficult to unscrew. Seriously, use the tubes and whatever container your liquids come in.

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Looks good. Works well. But nothing special unless you really make milk based drinks regularly. It is over priced for what is essentially a thermos..

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Well engineered accessory to the Jura Coffee Machine. It works perfectly for storing and serving the milk used for cappucinos and lattes. It is easy to clean.

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Very nice, much improved from the milk container from the original product. Th 22oz is plenty big for what we use and normally we store afer 4 hours. Very easy to clean and taked up less room in the fridge, recommend buying.

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