Black & Decker DLX1050 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker with Glass Carafe

Yes, I used to have to buy those overpriced, German coffee makers--but not any more. When my latest $100 coffee maker started leaking from both the underside and from the little, unreadable, glass tube on the side, I started looking around for a replacement.

I settled on this Black and Decker model because it does everything the high-priced models do, but at a quarter of the price. After three weeks, the clock still keeps excellent time, the machine still comes on when I'm sound asleep so that I wake up to coffee ready to drink. The coffee tastes very good (c'mon, drip coffee is drip coffee--and I am STILL a coffee snob) and is certainly hot enough. The coffee maker is absolutely EASY to program; each button serves but one function. Aside from the fact that it doesn't LEAK, it seems I lose power here with disturbing regularity, so I like to be able to set the clock and the timer easily and quickly and feel assured that I'll have coffee when I wake up.

What I don't miss about the old coffee maker: leaks, erratic, confusing programming and multiple functions for one button, default ON for auto coffee making (and there's no way to turn it OFF), special little (hard to find) charcoal filter gizmo, adjustable temperature settings on the hot plate, and did I mention LEAKS.

What I miss about the old coffee maker: ability to change length of time the hot plate stays hot, "CALC" calcium warning. Both of which are easy to overcome. If I want two more hours of hot plate all I do is hit the "power" button; if I want to decalcify my machine, all I have to do is run a load of vinegar through on the solstices and equinoxes.

I picked out this coffee maker because of a reasonable price and was a recommended best buy in Consumers Report magazine. I have only had a week or so and can't address long term reliability. What it does do is NOT DRIP! It does not drip when pouring from the glass pot to the water reservoir or when pouring coffee into a cup. I do NOT have to be extra careful when pouring. It also stops the coffee flow from the filter as soon as I pull the pot out and does NOT drip on the warmer. Again, do NOT have to be extra careful here. It also does NOT leak condensation out of the water reservoir top when lifting the lid. The condensation on the reservoir lid drips back into the reservoir when the lid is lifted. The time and delay brew functions ARE easy to set and work fine. The coffee brewed fairly quickly and did not overflow the filter to allow grounds into the pot. So far, I am very happy with a product that someone spent some time making user friendly and practical. This is a well engineered inexpensive product.

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This is, far and away, the best coffee maker I've ever bought. My previous was a Mr. Coffee, and the caraffe dribbled everywhere almost every time. This caraffe pours perfectly every time. The controls are so intuitive, I've yet to pull out the instructions. It brews a full 12 cups in 10 to 15 minutes. And the coffee is sooo delicious. Don't waste your time looking at other machines. Buy this one.

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I purchased this model over 10 years ago. It looks a lot like the new one except they have updated the lines. I just purchased the new model because after 10 years the hot pad only keeps the coffee warm and not hot but the first cup is always hot. Every feature still works on this machine except for the stop brew, to pour when brewing. That is because we removed it since we have broke several carafes over the years. I considered purchasing a fancier machine but figured why mess with a good thing. We have never had any problems. We love the timer and the coffee has always been great. I love coffee and feel like our Black & Decker has served us well and I will be sad to through it away. I know the new one will serve us equally well.

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We have had one of these coffee makers for several months. It makes great coffee and is highly rated by Consumer Reports. The only disadvantages are that it is quite noisy while brewing and the window in the water tank is almost impossible to see through. We have to measure the water in the carafe to fill the tank. Coffee makers only seem to last a couple years these days, no matter what you pay for them, so why buy and expensive one when this one makes just as good coffee?

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Zojirushi CD-FAC22 Zutto Micom Electric Dispensing Pot

I've used this pot for some months now on a near daily basis and had absolutely no problems. It is a must for the tea enthusiast. Not only is it more stylish than most dispensing pots, it is in a league of it's own for selecting temperature and sustaining temperature over time. It is quick to boil, and can silently keep your water ready for tea for all-day use.

The cost of this pot is higher than your average boiling pot, but it shows in the extra features and in the build quality. The pump action is a much-loved feature, as is the break-away safety cord (all appliances should have such a cord in my opinion). You can just tell that the people that designed this knew what they were doing and cared.

On the downside, I wish for 3 things: 1) the ability to set the temp to more degrees (such as between 160 and 180 for green tea instead of 140); 2) an on-off switch instead of always just disconnecting the cord; and 3) a slightly deeper indent behind the spout so that more tea pots can easily fit under the spout.

If you are serious about tea, buy this unit.

I like the looks and the feature set -3 temperatures, autolock with "unlock" button -is just right.

Boiling a full fresh 2-L pot takes several minutes. I tend to keep mine topped up whenever it gets down to about half, and that takes much less time to bring up to temperature. It does seem to re-boil the water whenever the top is opened, rather than only bringing it up to the set point. That's probably a very good thing, as far as keeping it from becoming a microbial breeding ground.

I used to unplug it when I left the house because I was worried about fire hazards; I stopped after the first few weeks because the outside barely gets warm to the touch, except at the top near the vent, where it's quite warm. When it's boiling water, it does let off a bit of steam through the top vent. When not running the boil cycle it lets out very little steam I can comfortably cup my hand over the vent for several minutes; the plastic is warmer than the air above the vent so I usually leave it shoved under a cabinet except when I've just added water. The underside of the cabinet is about 4 inches away and I cannot feel any temperature difference between that surface and the other cabinets nearby.

I do wish I'd bought a larger one. When I purchased this, I thought I'd use it for a cup of tea or two a day and 2 liters would be plenty. Now that I have plenty of hot water on demand, and at just the right temperature, I drink a lot more tea and my roommate has joined me. I also use it for all sorts of other hot-water needs (instant soups and cereals, for example) so that it needs refilling daily.

With that note about the heavy use it gets, it functions beautifully with minimal cleaning. Every now and then when it runs empty I wipe out the interior. Beyond that, I've only descaled it once in over 2 years, and that was because the calcium build-up on the heating element was making it take too long to boil my water -there was no clogging or pressure/volume reduction.

I didn't review this when I bought it because as much as I loved it, I expected the calcium in the local water to clog it in a matter of weeks to months. Now I have something more valuable to say: it keeps working, month after month, with minimal attention, for years.

___________________________________

Edited to add: I've now owned this dispenser for just over 4 years, and I still use it daily and love it every bit as much. It might be time to descale it again (the second time since I bought it), and again that's due more to scale insulating the heating element than to any clogging or loss of dispensed volume. I'm considering buying a second one, not because anything is wrong with my first one, but because it still works _so_ well that I've become thoroughly spoiled to piping hot water on demand and now feel put-upon needing to go all the way downstairs for a cup of bedtime tea or a bowl of instant miso soup in the morning. This dispenser kept on my nightstand, filled with filtered water, plus my Aero Press coffee maker, would be the best coffee-in-bed-first-thing solution ever.

Edited again to add: At almost 5 years, I need another. Not that this one has stopped working admirably -it's never malfunctioned in any way -but I need a larger one. I've been cooking more of late, and the just-below-boiling water is the perfect thing to clean cast iron cookware -splash some hot water into the hot pan, swirl a brush around it, empty it, and put it back on the hot burner/oven rack to dry. No sink, no soap, no drainer, no dishwasher, and the cookware is clean before the food is cool enough to eat. It would be perfect if it didn't mean filling the dispenser twice a day when I cook. This is the last-straw added demand for hot water that renders my poor 2-liter dispenser an annoyance. I'm tired of filling it so often. I'm moving it into the bedroom for morning/bedtime coffee/tea, where I can love it again, and buying a 4-liter one for the kitchen. If I could give this little trooper six stars, or ten, I'd do so gladly; the worst thing I can say about it is that it performed so well it created more demand than it's sized to handle. Wow.

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I originally purchased this item in July of 2006 and in November of 2011, it's still working well. I've only had to descale it twice, and I leave it plugged in all the time. It's definitely a well engineered product.

My review from 2006: I've been pretty pleased with this little water heater. It lets you select three different temperatures (though I wish that it provided more options than that), has a handy water gauge on the front, a magnetically attached power cable, and a set of two buttons to hit so that you don't accidentally engage the water dispensor. I'm pretty pleased with it.

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Unfortunately the Zutton line of products bombed out in Japan so they sent them over here to try. Zojirushi is normally known for its quality products (and you can't beat the longevity on their "Made in Japan" potto dispensing pots) however, the entire Zutto line was tested by me and found to be less than promising (if you go to Japan and visit a department store, you will see the Zutto line in a quiet corner drawing no attention). The problem is that it tries to present itself as trendy and perhaps even metallic in nature. When you get the actual product you discover that it is in fact plastic and flimsy (just lift the lid on the Zutton Dispensing Water Pot and you can feel the quality or lack thereof). None of the Zutto products have any substance. To make matters worse, they must sell in this country for more than they sold in Japan. This reason is unknown other than the fact that they are trying to promote it as a high-end item when in fact it is plastic. Stick with the high-end rice cookers other than Zutton line (Made in Japan only)... For more information in Japanese see www.zojirushi.co.jp

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Although the initial heat-up period is a bit long (I think about 15 minutes...long enough for me to forget to keep track anyway :-), once the water reaches the proper temperature, this is a wonderfully convenient product--so far we use ours primarily for those evening cups of tea, but occasionally we find it useful for other applications needing a quick dose of hot water. The steel with black exterior fits in perfectly with the other stainless appliances in our new kitchen as well so we don't feel a need to hide it--although there is a decent amount of hot steam released during the boil-mode (I just slide it forward so the steam is not captured under the cabinets), the exterior remains a comfortable temperature to touch. Except that we found it to be a bit high in price, we are very pleased with the function and appearance overall and would eagerly recommend it.

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AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker with Bonus 350 Micro Filters

I have had my AeroPress about a year or more now. I bought mine to use at work and bought a second one for home. It is very soundly made, the only thing you need to watch out for is to be sure you use a sturdy, squat cup, not a tall thin cup, or you may tip it when pressing the brew out. It took some experimentation, but I would like to share what I have found.

Temperature, the amount of water, and the brew time all affect the result. Surprisingly, I believe the amount of water is the most critical with temperature being second. I have combined the use of my AeroPress with the idea of the recent popularity of cold brewing by using water that is only warm (about 150 deg F) and not more than about 2 ounces of water per scoop of coffee. (2 oz is about what the AeroPress is marked to allow per cup) I allow it to brew about 40 to 60 seconds, stirring the whole time before pressing out what is left. This may seem like a long time to French press users, but since so little water is used, and the temperature is low, it works perfectly. Some of the brew will drip through the filter during this time, but I have found that if I add more water, it depreciates the flavor significantly. Seems counter-intuitive, but that is what I have seen. You will end up with almost a slurry in the press at the end of this time, and it will have a tan creamy top that must be some kind of oil from the beans. I have tried adding more water just before pressing, but that ruined the flavor. I also tried beginning with more water, but that also ruined the flavor. There seems to be a critical water to grounds ratio that controls the flavor. Using water that is not too hot also prevents some of the acids and other bitterness from coming out. I end up with a very smooth, bold flavored coffee.

Obviously, after brewing the two ounce espresso-like shot, you can top up the cup with hotter water for a hot cup, or even use some ice and cold water for iced coffee. Brewing a cooler, more concentrated cup this way allows ice to not dilute the result so much, and you can have that iced coffee immediately without waiting for the brew to cool.

Apparently, regular drip machines make poor coffee because the distributor runs so much very hot water over the same grounds for some time, over-extracting some chemicals that add to bitterness and acidity. If you read up on the cold brew devices, they also use much less water, and make a concentrate that is later diluted to make a standard cup of coffee. My method is similar, but a little faster since it uses warm water to speed up the process.

Enjoy, hope yours comes out as good as mine.

This product solves all the problems I have with a French Press.

French presses are recommended for full extraction without paper filtration. But I find that once the coffee steeps it's not as hot as I like it. Cleaning a french press leaves grounds all over the sink.

The Aeropress offers full extraction and makes delicious hot coffee. You clean it by shooting the puck of grounds right into the trash. You can also throw it in the suitcase for travel. The paper filter is very thin and doesn't interfere with the flavor.

I find it best for making 1-2 cups. Five stars for coffee taste, convenience, durability, and cleanup.

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This inexpensive coffee maker is great. I first heard about it when it was being touted by a local jazz DJ . For under $, I had to try it. The coffee is easy to make effortless, I'd say. It's easy to clean again, effortless. It makes one or two cups at a time, with consistent taste. Nothing to plug in and nothing to go wrong. I've put my $300.00 espresso maker away and use my AeroPress, even for guests, since it's so fast. The instructions are short and to the point. What more is there to say? If you want clean, smooth coffee, one or two cups at a time, you can't go wrong with this little device.

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When my drip maker died, I went looking for a new coffee maker and came across this device. Every since receiving it, this is the only coffee I drink now. This is a great little coffee maker, and makes a fairly decent espresso as well. I use an electric kettle to heat the water in, and experimented with water amount and time so I know exactly how long to heat the water to get the proper temperture without having to use a thermometer each time. With this device, I can go from start to drinking coffee in well under 3 minutes. I did find that when making my morning "Americano" that the recommended level scoop of finely ground coffee made it too weak for my tastes. I found about a scoop and half works well for me, even though I now go through more coffee than I used to. This device takes an espresso grind, very fine, so either grind your own coffee or have it finely ground. If you try using a normal drip grind, you will probably be dissappointed. Clean up is too easy. Pop the used coffee puck in the trash, a quick rinse, and it is ready for the next cup or storage. I normally don't write reviews on anything, but this device deserves one. Just follow the instruction's (especially the part about stirring before pressing), and experiment a little to find the right combination for your taste. Bottom line, I love this device and won't be going back to drip coffee again.

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It's a terrific morning workout if you're trying to get rid of those bat-wings on the backs of your upper arms! However, my senior citizen mother would not have the strength to brew an entire cup. Suggested for men only, and women who want the workout.

Also, if you're traveling with it, be sure and bring along a sturdy mug, I wouldn't try it on a paper cup.

The coffee is fine, I don't really find it to be much better than from my old electric Krups coffee pot, but it is faster.

I do have one concern, I'd like to be assured that the plastic is BPA-free. If it is, please brag about it in the product description. If it isn't, please make it so, and when the new BPA-free version is for sale, I'll buy another.

I'm disappointed to see Amazon prices climb almost on a daily basis, especially in the current economic climate. I put this in my cart one night, and it was $19.99. The next day I was looking for something else to meet the "free shipping" quota and the price had jumped to $24.99.

A few weeks later it's over $32.

The above is relevant, as I feel the product is well worth $19.99. $24.99 is pushing it, but fine with free shipping.

Over $32 and I might consider buying a nice electric appliance instead.

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Clever Coffee Dripper

As one of many who is always looking for the best coffee maker, I was happy to try the Clever Coffee Dripper when it came out. I discovered It is easy and makes the best cup of coffee yet. If you like French press, you've got it here. The dripper has a stopper in the bottom that opens once you place it on your coffee cup so you get a fresh cup each time. And clean up is simple. All you have to do is dump the filter and rinse the dripper that's it. Here is how I make a cup: I place a filter in the dripper and wet it with hot water and then spoon the coffee into it (I use a digital scale to get the same amount each time). Then I pour really hot water into the dripper, put the lid on top and wait 4 minutes. In the meantime I pour hot water into the mug to get it ready. Then when the 4 minutes are up I empty the mug and place the Clever dripper on top the stopper opens immediately and the brewed coffee empties into the hot mug. It couldn't be simpler.

Is it low-tech? Yep, but is a very cool design, too. Finally, I can have French press-style coffee without the clean-up. And you can use regular grind coffee instead of the coarse grind French press requires. Plus, if you are as picky about the heat of your coffee as I am, this is the only way to go. I heat enough water at just below boiling for the dripper and my empty mug. Hot, full-flavored and easy clean-up a no-brainer.

The Clever Coffee Dripper uses #4 cone filters, but only makes one cup at a time. Recommended time for steeping the coffee is 4 minutes. It takes about another minute to drain all the coffee into your cup.

It makes great coffee! Easier clean-up than a French press or a stove-top espresso maker. Better coffee than an automatic drip coffee maker.

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I'm not what you would call a 'fanatic', but I just have to have a good strong cup of coffee. I've tried most of the other methods with varying degrees of success. I liked the French Press, but couldn't deal with the sludge at the bottom of the cup. I'm told that the proper grinder will eliminate this, but who wants to spend $200 on a grinder? This is the best $20 I ever spent on a coffee gizmo.

Some others have commented that the coffee gets too cold, or doesn't make a good cup. All I can say to them is...you're doing it wrong.

1) Pre-wet your filter & pre-heat your cup or carafe.

2) Heat water to boil.

3) Take water off heat & start grinding your beans.

4) Pour water over coffee, stir, cover, wait four minutes.

5) Steep into cup.

If you grind your beans too soon, or if you let your water get too cold, that WILL affect your cup of coffee. With a little practice and experimentation, you can have a fantastic cup of coffee in about 6 minutes flat, and it didn't cost you $500 in equipment to get.

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I've used one of these for a few years now, and love/hate it.

First, the idea is sound and it does make a great cup of coffee. But it is NOT durable. Don't even think about putting one in a dishwasher, or the plastic will craze and begin leaking. To the manufacturer's credit, they do tell you this if you read the documentation.

And, if you store it upside-down the seal unseats and will dry out. The result is a puddle next time until the seal moistens up and becomes tight again.

The lid if you get one is concave and dishes inward. So if you're trying to max the capacity, you'll coat the inside of the lid with coffee mud.

Even with it's faults, I love the coffee it makes and just keep replacing them. I'm wearing out number five right now.

I'd LOVE to see this thing redesigned in glass or ceramic. And if the lid was redesigned to be convex so the center clears the upper edge of the dripper by at least a quarter-inch you'd have the perfect product IMO.

UPDATE 03/25/12 Number five is worn out. It lasted about 9 months, used between once and twice a day. It's never been in a dishwasher or microwave yet it is thoroughly crazed and leaking.

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I own a café and am used to having really delicious espresso. I've tried a number of different gadgets including French press (too cloudy), pour over (not rich enough flavor) Aeropress and Toddy (both delicious but a hassle). I love this little guy she's so easy to use and wonderful coffee there's something gratifying about putting the gadget on top of the coffee cup and watching all the coffee just flow out. Excellent. Five stars.

Jura-Capresso 13936 Impressa S9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center

A couple of previous reviews complained about blockages that quickly developed in their machines. I had the same problem after less than a month of use, where the brewed coffee would drip out very slowly, threatening to cease altogether. I told my wife she should return the machine, but she called Jura's customer service number, which is printed on the cover of the instruction booklet. The representative gave her a fix which is not mentioned in the troubleshooting section of the manual. It's difficult to describe, but it involves removing the grounds tray, poking a finger up through the chute and finding damp grounds that are stuck by a screen there. They can be wiped away with a paper towel and that should clear up the problem.

Otherwise, I recommend reading fhimas88888888's review for realistic advice, especially about the lifespan of a machine. This is my second super-automatic espresso machine, as a Saeco awaits repairs before becoming an office machine for my wife. They make very good coffee and espresso with relative ease and convenience. They're also great conversation pieces, although by now I find it tedious to demonstrate the machine for awed guests. If you love espresso, lattes, etc., the price of a super-automatic machine is worth it, although you can find one for less than half the cost of this Jura. I give the machine four stars because I wouldn't want to live without it, but I'm withholding a fifth star because I suspect competing machines are virtually as good.

This machine boasts A LOT of features! It has a dual boiler system that allows you to go back and forth from brewing to steaming without a wait time (although you can't do them at the same time). It has a bypass doser which allows you to add preground coffee. It has a rinse cycle that comes on when you turn the machine on. You can also program the machine to certain amounts of water to go through the coffee when you press a certain button. You can also have it turn on at a certain time and turn off at a certain time. There is a stylish blue backlight that looks wonderful on the machine. The machine also has a wonderful milk steamer that with the automatic frother and with the steamer itself allows wonderful steaming with ease.

Now my complaints. The steamer cannot get the milk anywhere as hot as my Expobar Office Control (semi automatic) or my old Rancilio Silvia (semi automatic). Also the froth quality is very bad with the automatic air injectors. This machine can only get the milk up to around 160, and after that the foam quality decreases.

The machine is HUGE! Before you even think about buying the machine (and if you do buy this machine, buy it online without tax) go to a place like William Sonoma and see the machine. Also it is helpful to try the coffee that is produced by the machine. The machine looks much different up close then in the Capresso glorified pictures.

The espresso quality is uncomparable to espresso from a semi automatic. I have an Expobar Office Control that was bout 800 dollars. This machine is very similar to the ones that you see at your cafe, with the programmed buttons but with a portafilter where one must grind and tamp the coffee themselves. This machine I get much superior crema, aroma, and espresso quality. When I went to try the coffee at Williams Sonoma from the S9, it was uncomparable.

Finally, the price. This machine is way overpriced for what you are getting. Although it does have some nice features, all of them can be seen on the S7, which is exactly the same machine, just is black and doesn't come with the automatic frother, which can be purchased for about 80 bucks.

In conclusion.... This is a great machine and can produce a good cup, not a great cup, but a good cup. Spending the big bucks doesn't guarentee better coffee. Any super automatics in the 500 and up price range will produce the same quality coffee, just some will have more features. If you are looking for a good machine, the Gaggia Syncrony Compact can basically do everything that this does minus a few things (and is MUCH smaller) and goes for about 1500 less. Remember, all super automatics can only last about 5-7 years depending on their usage and care, so remember that before buying. This machine will not last anywhere near a lifetime. Don't get me wrong, this is a great machine, but there are many others out there that can give you the same convenience, reliability, and a price tag much smaller, that will still give you the same quality cup of espresso.

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I purchased this machine's predecessor, the Jura S90, about 4 years ago. Since no one's owned an S9 for that long, it's hard to say for certain what the maintenance costs for the S9 will be, but I thought those considering buying it might appreciate knowing that it will likely require a certain amount of annual or biennial maintenance.

The S90 has one part that needs replacing after approximately every 2000 shots, which in my house means about once every 18 months. There are also seals and similar parts that again will need service periodically. This machine appears to be mechanically very similar to the S90, so it will likely have similar maintenance characteristics.

Over the last 4 years, I've had the machine serviced twice by Jura, and once by a local repairman. The cost of repairs was around two hundred dollars including parts each time... My front panel switches are also starting to misbehave, though, so the next repair may be more expensive.

This machine costs enough (and is good enough) to be worth repairing, but if you're expecting a machine to last the ages without any repairs, you'll likely be disappointed.

I can't really fault the machine for needing periodic maintenance, though. You could get a commercial machine with heavy-duty parts for 2-3 times the price, and that would need periodic maintenance, too (though the parts would last longer). Just be aware that by buying a high end machine, you've moved out of the "disposable" machine range and into the "pay to fix it" range. "Never needs fixing" doesn't exist.

As to the quality of the coffee, I've tried this one, and the quality is the best I've tasted from a super-automatic.

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We're among three people we know who own these now, plus our local cooking supply store; their praise for this machine is universal. The quality of coffee it makes far exceeds any other method or machine I've ever used. Why?

Inspecting the grounds that I have to empty about twice a week gave me an extraordinary insight; the grounds have virtually no smell at all! The machine apparently extracts every bit of flavor and aroma from the bean and leaves grounds that might as well be vaguely damp, black sawdust. If it's in the beans, in other words, it ends up in your cup, and you get the complete experience promised by your favorite bean and roast.

Every cup (and we make mostly "standard" cups of coffee) is graced with a crema that makes the first two or three sips a true guilty pleasure. Every cup is perfectly fresh, and since you make each cup one at a time there's never leftover coffee thickening at the bottom of the drip coffeemaker. Every coffee bean that passes through the S9 shows its individual character in ways that drip and percolators could never let you experience. The steam wand uses a venturi effect to draw up cold milk and mix it with raw steam to make good, hot foam and steamed milk it's a strong feature that works very well.

Sure, if you don't use the included water filters the machine will nag you after every 200 cups to run an automatic cleaning cycle. But the machine cleans itself, for crying out loud, taking all of about 15 minutes every month or two. And every 2000 cups, as I recall, it asks for a deeper cleaning to remove any lime or calcium buildup down deep inside also essentially automatic.

The downsides are few but must be noted in fairness. It's very loud and the sounds are somewhat harsh; surprising at first. It's big. It costs a lot of money. Worst of all, once you start drinking this stuff it's impossible to completely enjoy coffee at a restaurant or local coffee bar. The restaurant probably makes drip, and the coffee bar using a big espresso machine rarely uses the high quality of beans that you'd use at home. Buyer beware: you'll get spoiled.

And I'm ready to buy a second one for my office.

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At first, we were very pleased with the machine. It makes very flavorful coffee and is easy to use. After less than one year, it developed a blockage so we had to return it for repair. This first repair was under the warranty period so we weren't terribly disappointed. Now, one year later, it has developed the exact same blockage and the minimum cost to repair it is $150. When trying to reason with the Capresso service rep. saying that it has developed the same blockage, the reply was, "sorry mam, it will be $150."

We originally bought the machine when it was $2400 and expect better performance than this. It appears that the cost is the upfront investment plus $150 per year to keep it working. We will not be buying any Capresso products in the future!

B150 Brewer

I drink coffee pretty much all day and until I got a Keurig, I used a commercial Bunn coffee brewer and ground my own beans.

My kids got me a cinnamon colored Keurig B70 about 9 months ago. Truly, if it hadn't been a gift from my kids, I would have returned it unopened. I had read too many reviews about malfunctioning machine. Reluctantly, I set up the machine and brewed my first cup of coffee. That was it I was hooked! However, I was ready to battle Keurig if my machine began to malfunction, as so many others have.

Fortunately, my B70 worked so well that my grown kids began hinting that they would like one, too. Since the cinnamon color didn't fit especially well with the colors in my kitchen, I began looking for another Keurig so that I could gift the B70 to one of the kids.

I decided to purchase the B150 because of the larger, 90 oz. water reservoir and the fact that it would brew 5 different cup sizes (4 oz., 6 oz., 8 oz., 10 oz. and 12 oz.). I also felt that perhaps since this is a commercial machine, it might be more durable than a home machine. I've had it for about 6 months now and probably use it 15 to 20 times a day between all the family members.

Upon unpacking, I was very pleased with the heft of the machine. It feels very solid. The handle is thick, stainless steel, the water reservoir is much thicker plastic than the B70, and has double layer sides. It's obvious that this machine is meant for heavy use. The black and silver color looks well in my industrial style kitchen. It is a little larger than the B70, but not so large that it looks out of place in a home kitchen.

I really like the color, LCD touch screen. It prompts you to insert a K-cup, then you use it to select your cup size and then push the illuminated Brew button. That's it. As a side note, there are all sorts of lovely, coffee related pictures that run slide-show fashion across the LCD screen while your coffee is brewing.

The LCD screen will alert you to low water levels and when it's time to de-scale. You can also access the menu settings through the LCD screen.

This machine can be direct plumbed with an optional kit so that you never even have to fill the water reservoir. I haven't done this because my city has freakishly hard water so I only use filtered water in my Keurig. In fact, I would recommend using filtered water no matter where you live. I simply keep a Britta filter pitcher next to my machine and keep it filled throughout the day. It works perfectly because I have never seen white calcium deposits anywhere on my machine, in the reservoir, or on the puncture needle. Mineral deposits will kill appliances so filtered water is cheap insurance against that. Also, it makes your coffee taste better.

Another maintenance tip is to run 4 oz. of just water through after every cup, especially after hot cocoa. It keeps the tip from clogging and prevents transfer of flavor from one cup to the next.

If you are new to Keurig machines, one thing to keep in mind is that there is a wide variance in the quality of the K-cups. Some even have instant coffee in them (ugh)! Read reviews and then buy small quantities before you buy a huge box. Some varieties I like are Keurig Wild Mountain Blueberry (seriously good despite the way it sounds), Keurig Kahlua Original, and Folgers Gourmet Caramel Drizzle. Tazo also makes some killer tea K-cups. If you sample a number of different flavors, you are bound to find some favorites.

Also, experiment with the cup size with each brand. Some taste their best with a smaller cup size and others require the full 12 ounces of water.

The Ekobrew Reusable Filter works very well, too, and I use it for a special blend of coffee I particularly like that isn't available in K-cups yet. It's more trouble than regular K-cups but less trouble than making a conventional pot of coffee.

You will find a wild range of reviews for Keurig machines and I believe there is a quality control issue during manufacturing. I think I got lucky that both machines I purchased function perfectly (so far). I was certainly ready to return my machines, repeatedly if necessary, if they malfunctioned as so many others have mentioned and I think any buyer should be aware of the fact that there are a relatively high number of machine failures. But when they work, I think they are wonderful!

We purchased this brewer recently and in less than two months began to have issues with it. It constantly gives a lift water reservoir message, will not pump water from the reservoir to the unitthe pump is audible but not moving any water! We paid over $200 for this unit. It was a replacement for a cheaper version that also developed problemsthought that a "commercial" system would be more durable and last. DON'T WASTE your money on this system! It's a shame because it did make good coffee for a very short time.

If I can prevent one person from wasting hard earned money on one of these pieces of junk, than I can feel like I've done something good!

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Received our Keurig in a timely manner and works awesome for a small office. We had a B70 and it worked well for over a year, but I think it was not big enough for our team of coffee/tea drinkers.

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This is a very nice device. I especially like the display/touchscreen and the graphic interface. The images make it VERY clear what is going on as well as what steps are necessary. I recommend this unit to ANYONE who wants a Keurig, not just the business community.

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There are ridges inside the chamber. This is fine for the thin plastic k-cups because it forms it bends to the ridges. Because the refillable k-cups are thick plastic or metal and can't bend, they will not fit in this machine. This model is meant to be sold to a business. The intent is the business can sell it's employees k-cups instead of allowing them to bringing their own refillable ones because of machine limitations. Think of how much plastic they are waisting on a daily basis. Corporate greed at it's finest.

La Pavoni EPC-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine, Chrome

I bought one of these a couple of months ago and although it is a bit expensive it is one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. It looks great. It is so well made, it feels like it will last forever as it is so simple, no electronics to break down no plastic bits to break off. You get a huge amount of control over the way the coffee tastes, it's all in the speed of lowering the handle and the tightness of grinds. It takes a few attempts to get it right but once you've worked it out you'll never look back.

My parents bought this about five years ago and I followed suit about a year ago. When she first bought it I thought they were crazy, but when it got there I understood why.

This machine is superb for almost any kind of coffee. Sometimes I like a strong espresso and sometimes I like a cold cafe sheccerato which is a cold coffee and is great. (To make it you simply get a shaker (like a martini shaker) and fill it with ice and a few teaspoons of sugar. Brew the coffee and while it is still very hot throw it in the shaker and shake it strongly for about a minute. The result is an ice cold frothy espresso, great for warm days forget Starbucks imitation stuff, this is much better).

As other people have said, it takes a little bit of time to get it right. Typically I've found that very thin grains are not the best to work with, something between your typical Illy coffee grain and the larger cheap grains usually works well. It take a bit to get used to, but once you start to get a hold of the whole concept it works superbly well. Frankly, even when you do a poor job the coffee is still good.

In addition, my parents have had this item for about five years and have not had a single problem. It's extremely easy to clean and if you are in a rush it's also a great machine since it loads so quickly and easily.

Also, if you are running out the door you need not wait for the water to completely heat up. You can run it after just a few minutes (of course your coffee won't be as warm, but it doesn't have to heat up completely in order to use it). For those quick out-the-door mornings, this is great. You won't have the best espresso in the world, but you'll still have one that beats just about anything.

I've been through about three [price range] machines in the last few years and they all broke or just didn't taste right. ... You have to be able to taste the difference between good and bad coffee to enjoy this machine. If you don't you probably won't enjoy this machine as much. In other words, if Folgers Instant coffee tastes good to you, move along.

It's also worth getting good coffee for this. ...

In the end, if you are looking for a high-quality product that makes high quality coffee, this is a great choice.

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Manual machines, without question,produce the best cup of espresso. I have owned them in the past, and recently purchased a brand new La Pavoni. The machine arrived broken. I could not even get one cup of espresso. I called thinking that La Pavoni would have me send back the machine and replace it. WRONG. I was told that this was not allowed, and the only option I had was contact one of there US Service Agents and arrange to have the machine sent to them for repair. Even then they indicated that the repair expense would be my responsibility.

At this point what do you do? So either I keep the machine as a useless decoration, or concede and try to fix it.

I tried the three numbers they provided. About 10 days have gone by, and I have called each number numerous times to no avail. You never reach a real person. Only a tape recording informing you that they would contact you as quickly as possible.

So, yes, a manual machine is the best, but La Pavoni warranty and service is horrible. If you want a manual, try a different vendor.

Don

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You'd better know your coffee before you even start looking at this espresso maker. It is a manual pull espresso maker, meaning there is some art and a lot of trial/error incurred when making your coffee. That said, this has produced some of the best espresso I've ever had. It's a smaller maker, and is great for someone who just wants about 4-6 espresso shots before needing to refill. (I work out of home office, so this is perfect...)

PROS:

* Small, means it doesn't take up much counter space.

* Manual Lever If you want fill control over your coffee, this is the way to go.

* More than enough steam pressure/volume to steam 12oz+ of milk.

* Solid construction. It is mostly all metal.

* Comes up to heat FAST. (About 5min with a full tank.) The head also comes up to temp quickly.

* Visible water level

* Easy clean drip tray

* Easy screw-off levers, knobs, etc easily replaceable/customizable.

CONS:

* The base is lightweight, and could be more solid. It feels cheap compared to the solid construction of the boiler/head.

* The steam nozzle does not swivel out, causing you to have to steam your milk VERY close to the boiler. (Ouch!)

* Must wait for it to cool before refilling due to steam pressure.

* The default tamp that comes with this unit SUCKS. Too small for the basket..leads to bad coffee...why, Pavoni, why?

CAVEATS:

* Not a "push button, receive coffee" type of maker. This is a pro for me, but you should be well aware that this requires finesse and patience.

* Ensure you are comfortable with servicing it yourself or OK with mailing it to a service center. This is not a throwaway item after a few years, and can be a lifetime purchase.

MUST ALSO BUY:

* 51mm Tamp. Seriously. Don't even use the one that comes with the unit. It will ruin your pulls. 51mm is the correct size.

* DEEP milk frothing container. Because of the angle and stiffness of the steam arm, you WILL spray yourself in the face if you don't have a good angle on it, and something to catch the overspray. (I use my mug, and have given up on having fancy foam.)

* Nylon brush Coffee regularly gets stuck in the area between the head and steam curtain on this unit. Clean after every use.

* Insulated espresso mugs/shotglases On bigger units, you can sit what you use to catch the coffee in on the unit to warm it up. Not so here. I use glass shotglasses that I heat up with hot water prior. (I'm cheap, ok?)

* Conical burr grinder A consistent grind is very important for this maker, as it is the difference between great coffee and awful coffee. This unit is sensitive to the grind, so once you have the right grind, it is very helpful to have that dialed-in on your grinder for every grind thereafter.

Why I rated 4/5 instead of 5/5??? Because of the craptacular plastic tamp, the inflexible steam nozzle, and the flimsy seeming base. Don't get me wrong, I would have zero issues recommending this unit highly, I think they just could have gone that extra little bit.

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I've enjoyed 3.5 years of incredible coffees with this thing, not to mention that it's beautiful and a conversation piece. Other than a single gasket overhaul and regular cleaning I didn't have maintenance issues But the design flaws have taken their toll. A year ago the base slowly started to rust because the steam wand tends to drip water under the tray (admittedly I could have been more diligent about mopping it up, but I shouldn't have to be).

Then this morning, the portafilter handle broke into pieces. Underneath the plastic handle grip, the metal of the handle had completely rusted through because, unbeknownst to me, moisture was getting in there as well.

Considering that the machine is now 33% more expensive than when I bought it, I say buyer beware. The portafilter is replaceable but hard to find. While I'm at it, I should also warn that the steam wand isn't going to give you enough steam for professional barista-quality froth, and that it gets a bit wonky to make multiple drinks in a row. I might add that I say all this with somewhat of a broken heart.

PS I had tried to change my rating to 3 stars but apparently because I had previously rated it I can't change my rating.

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Mr. Coffee ECMP40 Pod Pump Espresso & Cappuccino Maker

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I gave this one a chance after wasting $100 on the Krups Espremio, and I'm glad that I did. I was initially impressed by the weight of the Mr Coffee in the store; it seemed to be solidly constructed, so I tried it out even though I had learned that Mr Coffee is now a Sunbeam company. I'd had such terrible luck with Sunbeam products that I wouldn't buy anything from them. I guess that's not true anymore.

Others have complained about having to use demitasse cups with it, but I sometimes use regular coffee cups and just remove the drip tray--not an issue. My hands are a little unsteady (too much coffee?), so I use pods to make sure that I don't get grounds on the edge of the holder.

The pods that I get at Starbucks fit just fine, so the poster who had a problem with that might try buying them there.

It's a little noisy, but not a LOT noisy like my old Maxim and that Krups.

All in all, I'm very pleased with it.

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I wrote my original review back on 9/10/04 ("Great coffee machine"). I have had this machine for over 6 months now and wanted to put another 2 cents in after reading the recent reviews. I still stand by everything I wrote back in September. Also, I completely agree with 1/10/05 review ("fantastic value! so far...").

I use this machine frequently: 4-6 days/week since July. I am thrilled with the product. It works as well now as it did when I first purchased it. I have never had a single problem with the machine. For example, it doesn't shake, it hasn't lit on fire, it doesn't release steam in places it shouldn't, the frothing arm works fine and the water tube in the resevoir is as good as new. I don't even make an effort to take great care of it; I am lazy and clean it only once/week.

It took me a little time to pefect my coffee making routine, but I'm a pro now (please refer to my original review). However, out of extreme laziness and rush in the morning, I no longer use the frothing arm or preheat the carafe.

My routine is:

-pour Brita water into resevoir

-fill filter w/grinds & pack grinds

-put (unheated) carafe (still using my dessert bowl) under filter

-when machine's ready, run espresso

-pour espresso and cold milk into a paper cup and put it into the microwave for 60-90 seconds

-empty water resevoir

-remove filter from machine after 5 minutes (if you do it right after you turn off the drip, wet coffee grinds will spill all over your counter)

As a result of simplifying this routine, I make the espresso more frequently and have not purchased coffee in months.

I still have not mastered frothing. My friend bought this machine after my recommendation and she's able to froth well. I am mystified.

Lastly, the directions say to clean the machine with vinegar every 80 uses. I have (out of, again, laziness) not done this yet, but I don't see or taste a difference despite this.

I am very happy with this machine and it's paid for itself already. BTW, I tried many different grinds and I love Cafe Bustelo.

________________________

Original review, written Sept 10, 2004:

I was baffled at all the problems people wrote about in previous reviews. I am a novice coffee machine user and work the machine with no problem. My suggestion to the people who gave this machine 1-star is to READ INSTRUCTIONS!!! (They obviously didn't, as per their reviews.)

General comments & replies to previous reviews:

-The machine is not loud (as per a recent review), but do expect the machine to make noise.. duh.

-Makes GREAT tasting coffee with lots of yummy crema.

-Steams milk well, although I'd like to be able to make more froth, but that maybe my fault b/c I'm a novice cappy maker.

-REALLY EASY clean-up, very very simple & quick.

-It does take time to reheat between making the coffee and steaming the milk, but if you read directions, the manual states you can continue using the machine even though the "ready" light isn't on.

-Someone wrote it doesn't have enough pressure to make good cappy: I don't agree. It has 13 bars of pressure, where old machines had 5 and professional machines have 15-20 bars. This person probaby didn't pack the coffee enough or didn't use enough coffee grinds.

My process of making coffee takes about 10 minutes total, so you can figure out if this is too much work for you:

-Take water from my Brita filter to fill the water reservoir.

-Run hot faucet water into the carafe to preheat b/c it keeps the coffee hotter longer.

-Fill the filter with 2 spoons of my cuban fine grinds & tap the top to pack it.

-Turn on the unit, wait until the ready light is lit (unit heats up water).

-Put carafe under the filter & press the coffee button so the cappy starts puring from filter.

-Wait until fluid gets almost see-through, then turn off cappy, turn on steam so until heats up water to a higher temperature.

-Fill my Stainless Frothing Pitcher with Thermometer from Crate & Barrel ($15) with milk.

-Run hot faucet water into the mug you'll use for the coffee to preheat it.

-Once unit is ready, dip the frothing arm into the milk & turn the steam knob all the way to get the max steam out to the milk. Usually takes about 3 mins to get the milk to 140 F (from 35 F). Having the thermometer is essential to this process. To make froth, lower the pitcher so that the tip of the frothing arm is just above the milk I think that the steam hittng the surface of the milk creates the froth.

-Turn the steaming knob back to 'off', combine cappy & milk & froth into a pre-heated mug (notice I left the carafe under the filter b/c the filter drips about 3-5 drops during the frothing process and those drops end up in the drip tray, that's annoying).

-Fill a cup with water & clean the steaming nozzle right away by steaming water (instead of milk) to prevent the milk from clogging the nozzle (this is all in the directions, if you just take the time to read them!).

-Leave the rest of the cleaning for later, enjoy the cappy now.

Shortcomings of the unit:

-Didn't come with a carafe, I've been using a small dessert bowl b/c I can't find a carafe I like.

-The frothing arm swivels about 90% and doesn't bend up/down. This was annoying, but I found a way to tilt the frothing pitcher to the side and got used to it & now it's fine.

-The coffee pods that come with the unit are horrible, don't even bother using them.

-If you're feeling lazy (or running late), you'll still end up going to Starbucks or ABP to pick up your morning coffee on the way to work.

Best parts about the unit:

-Easy to clean: dump excess water from reservoir, rinse off drip tray, dump out used grinds from filter & rinse, scrub dried milk off the frothing nozzle (most tedious tasttakes about 15 seconds).

-Small, doesn't take up a lot of space: on top of the unit there is an area where you can store all little accessories for the unit so clever!

-Produces hot, delicious, dark, flavorful coffee: yum!

-Cheap: $90 w/tax, frothing pitcher/thermometer, and carafe

-13 bars of pressure!

-Right at home no trips to & from Starbucks to get a cappy.

-Even though I'm a coffee-grinds-kind-of-person, having the pods will cut about 15 seconds from packing the grinds & about 5 seconds from the cleaning. I think the only drawback from the pods is that they make single servings where with grinds you can make 2 servings (or 1 really big one).

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The good news is . . . We bought the first machine for Christmas and were more than pleased with it's operation and the espresso was fantastic!

The bad news is . . . .Since then we have had three of these machines. The first lasted 4 months before the steam valve would no longer shut off. It almost scalded my wife and now it is in the shop for repair, the other two which were bought within the last 2 days, both failed out of the box.

The last two, one returned for the next, both had the same problems in that right out of the box, during the initial internal rinse cycle, neither unit's ready light came on, both units started getting extremely hot to the touch, over 130 degrees and climbing, and steam started spewing from inside the unit. In all cases each unit failed to an unsafe condition that could have caused severe burns if we hadn't been paying close attention.

The out of box failure rate for the units we bought is 2 out of 3!

The only reason we tried buying the second two units was that we couldn't wait for our first unit because we loved the espresso they make so much!

I would highly recommend that Mr. Coffee, Amazon, and Target, or any other store selling these units, take these units off the market until Mr. Coffee can fix these problem or they may soon be looking at a law suit for personal injury from some not as cautious as we are!

DON'T BUY ONE, until they have been corrected!!!!

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I was given this coffee maker as a gift, and it worked great for about nine months. Then progressively-larger amounts of water started leaking around the top of the basket that holds the coffee. I tried everything: more and less fine grounds, tighter and looser packing of grounds, tighter and looser locking of the basket, completely cleaning the area, etc. Nothing worked.

Finally I decided to do a search online. I found many other people with this problem. The only solution seems to be replacing the unit.

So I called Sunbeam (the owners of Mr. Coffee). They claimed they'd never heard of the problem and told me I shouldn't believe everything I read online. They told me my only option was to drive an hour from my home to a service center. I asked if the service center would charge me. They said, if the unit was purchased more than a year ago, even if I received it as a gift less than a year ago, the service center would see that in their records and charge me just to look at it. And they might not be able to fix it. Throughout this I stayed polite and the person I spoke with was quite defensive.

Chalk me up as very unhappy with the dismissive and unhelpful people at Mr. Coffee / Sunbeam.

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First off many of the complaints voiced here are inherent in cheaper expresso machines. Additionally many can be attibuted to not knowing how to the use the machine(this is not a coffee pot and it doesn't work like on either. I've owned 3 different brands over the years and unless your willing to pay in excess of 200.00 then this is what your dealing with. Breakdown as follows:1)not enough clearance beneath beneath brewer(a 2 oz shot glass or expresso cup fits nicely though and ultimately that is the proper way to brew expresso anyhow--not in a coffee cup/jumbo mug) 2)It does leak when brewer is turned off(from brewing head drips)--not really a problem as much as an annoyance(if you remove the brewing head once the expresso is done--no leakage-or leave a cup there for a few minutes to catch the excess). 3)Frother is much more powerful than simililarly priced machines that I've used and works well(note: generally when a frother quits working it's because the milk has hardened in the frothing tip and the steam cannot escape--it must be cleaned regularly!). A big plus is being able to brew 2 expressos at once, a feature that no other machine in this price range offers(most are single brews into one large glass cup which equlas no crema). It boils down to this--for it's price it's a decent value and if you learn how to use the machine it should work as intended and it outclasses any other machine in it's price range. And by the way the face plate is made of metal so I'm not quite sure how the other guys melted off twice from the steam.

Update(1 year later)---Pot still kicking strong after a year of heavy use(1-2 times a day)...Still brews excellent expresso with a nice crema on top(2.5 oz in about 25 secs). As for the frother-a bit on the weak side but good enough--keep it clean though, a dirty/clogged frothing tip will not work--get rid of the black plastic adapter though--it doesn't work. Overall--a real bang for your buck--no reason to blow 300-500 as long as this economy unit is out there....also--use the right grind(about the size of granulated sugar--do not use fine grind ala turkish it will not work properly)and learn how to tamp the coffee, very important to the end result.

Delonghi ESAM5500M Perfecta Super Automatic Espresso Maker

Buyer Beware. This machine puts up a good front, however, after about six months it stops working. Cheaply made. Sent off for repairs and after two months it was sent back to me only to work for another two weeks before breaking again. Delonghi seems to be content with having the machine in transit and repair longer than in my kitchen. Very poor product. Very high price. Stick with your local gourmet coffee shop.

Main problems: Milk frother will not work. Leaks water from the bottom of the machine.

Nuova Simonelli Oscar Pour Over Espresso Coffee Machine

I have this machine Sinne 2 years. It is absolutely Great. I did so my homework before investing into such an extensive machineand i Never regretted my Decission.

The machine has 2 water cicles. Therefor no anoying waiting until the water is hot enough after the first brewing/ steaming for the 2nd step.

Further is this a semi professional machine which means the porta filter has the same measurements than a professional machine.

I also like to point out, that the pressure of this machine is great! Sure, a machine in a café.is more effective, but those are not available for 1000 bucks! This one is absolutely sufficient for all kinds of milk. If you are not sure how to texturise milk I suggest you look it up on you tube to avoid disappointment caused by the operator.

While cleaning the machine I guess I let the pressure build up a little much, or maybe after two years the Teflon tubes are getting weaker, however one needed to be replaced and now I am back to barristering. ;-)

If you want a machine that makes reliably great coffee like you get at you local barrister this is the one!

Get a decent coffee grinder while you are at it.

And be sure to get decent coffee beans!

The only downer : large glasses and most coffee mugs do not fit under the porter filter.

Kalorik Coordinates 8-Cup Coffee Maker, White/Red

The carafe cracked on the third usage. As if that wasn't enough to discard product integrity. I return and ordered a second brewer and that carafe cracked on the fourth usage. So there you have! I would be a bit leery in considering this product. Now I have been brewing coffee for a solid 55 years and have never had this happen on any other brewer.

I received my Karolik 8 cup coffee maker and used it for 3 weeks when the carafe broke on the bottom while the coffee was brewing. I contacted Abe's of Maine. The customer service rep was immediately defensive, spewed a bunch of reasons it was not their responsibility and ultimately said they were not responsible because carafes break all the time. A clean dry carafe should not break while the coffee is brewing, especially after a few weeks. I read a review after I purchased that others have had the same issue with this product. In the end he said they do not carry the item anymore and could not help me. So wasted my money buying from this company; they would not support the products they represent.

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This is an inexpensive, good looking product that works as well as any of the more expensive brands.

When I discovered that, in this industry, a cup is only four ounces I went looking for something that would fill two sixteen ounce mugs like real people use. This was perfect. I may buy more for gifts.

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This is a great coffee maker and coffee is very hot the way it should be. Who needs a programmable timer when you can set it up at night and in the morning it only takes 9 minutes for nice fresh, tasty really hot coffee!

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Baratza Vario Ceramic Burr Coffee Grinder

I spent way too much time looking for a good burr grinder and decided on the Breville Smart Grinder (Breville BCG800XL Smart Grinder). As detailed in my review of the Breville, one of the contenders was the Vario, which I borrowed from a friend to try out. I loved it, but the price was a bit too steep.

Low and behold, I got a Vario as a gift! Absolutely love it, but now that I've been using it side-by-side with the Breville for a few weeks, there are a few trade-offs:

Build quality: Both are good, but the Vario feels more substantial. Less plastic, more metal. I uploaded a picture of them side by side.

Burr quality: although the Breville has a decent set of conical burrs, the ceramic flat burrs in the Vario are far more meaty and substantive.

Ease of changing grind: draw. Both are simple to use.

Degree of control over the grind: the Vario wins hands down. It's about a close as you can get to a stepless grinder while still retaining the ease of use of a stepped design.

Mess when not using the cup: the Breville is much, much less prone to over spray when grinding directly into a portafilter or filter basket. The Vario is not horrible, but you need to clean up after it.

Mess when using the cup: Again, the Breville has zero over spray. The Vario is pretty close, however. Both have nicely anti-static cups. The Breville has a nicer design with an air-tight cap.

Controls: The Breville's display is very clear and easy to read. The Vario is easy to use, but the timer display is totally unreadable unless it's right at eye level. It desperately needs a back lit display.

Changing beans: Breville wins hands down. The hopper has a gate lock so you can take it off when full and only have to dump out what's in the grinding chamber. I keep a second hopper filled with different beans for quick change-over. The Vario has no hopper lock, so you have to dump the whole hopper when you want to change to a different type of bean. The hopper lid on the Breville is also much nicer, with a rubber gasket and a handy handle loop.

Consistency of grind: this is the big one, and the reason we spend money on grinders and put up with all the fuss and muss. This is also where the Vario pulls ahead strongly. No matter what the setting, the grind is spot on uniform. Just perfect. Now, the Breville is pretty good as well, but there are size variations in the grind that you just don't see with the Vario.

So, if I had to do it again, would I buy the Breville? My pocketbook says that's the one, but my coffee cup wants the Vario. It clearly produces a better grind.

I pulled a series of espresso shots using the Breville and the Vario. Same beans, same espresso machine. Both were dialed in to produce the best they could. In a taste test after a dinner party, the shots from the Vario won each and every time. Same with a pour over test, although that was a lot closer with a few people unable to tell a difference.

So, if you are absolutely limited to $200, must have a fancy-looking display, and can't tolerate even a small amount of stray grinds, the Breville is the way to go. If, however, the main goal is to produce a cup of coffee or espresso that is the best you can produce, spring for the Vario. You will taste the difference, and the taste will ease the pain in the wallet and the mess on the counter top.

If the Baratza people read these reviews: please, please, PLEASE improve the display! Keep everything else the same (although a gate lock on the hopper for easy change-over of beans would be nice). It's no use to have a fancy display that times the grind length to a tenth of a second when you can't read the numbers!

Update: Sept 2012 I had a problem with the grinder not responding to grind level changes. The Baratza website explained how to calibrate the grinder, but unfortunately that didn't solve the problem. I'm pleased to report that their customer service is outstanding. I got a same-day reply to every email I sent, and Baratza replaced my machine without any fuss or bother. Plus, they paid 100% of the shipping costs both ways! The rep I worked with was helpful, polite and responsive it's so nice to get an actual reply to a question rather than a boilerplate email. I remain very pleased with their grinder, and am especially pleased with their customer service.

I agonized for a long time before spending over $400 on a grinder. I started off thinking that I would spend no more than a quarter of that amount but after reading numerous reviews, I came to the conclusion that the cheap grinders just don't work very well. The Vario is so new that I didn't find any meaningful reviews but I took a chance based on its specifications. I'm very satisfied with it. It looks good, it grinds extremely fast (at least compared to anything I have used before, 20 sec. for enough coffee for a 32 oz French press), there are lots of different grind settings (macro and micro giving lots of combinations), and there are no static problems to throw grounds over the kitchen worktop. The grind appears to be uniform as far as I can tell.

I use it for grinding coffee for a French press. I find setting it a little finer than filter gives the right results for my tastes -I don't know whether that means its pre-settings are too coarse or whether I just prefer a rich, dirty cup of coffee (I think probably the latter as I'm a Greek/Turkish coffee fan as well as a fan of French press). I have tried it for Greek/Turkish coffee on its finest setting but it did not get it fine enough for that purpose -that does not matter to me as I already have an Athena brass hand-mill. I use the Vario twice a day to make coffee for my French press and it works just great albeit I set it finer than the manufacturer's setting for French press.

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Seems to grind pretty much flawlessly, without jamming. I think beans have stuck in it twice in the year I've been using it, and I like a nice oily roast. Other grinders jam constantly.

I like the preprogrammed time settings. I just use this thing for daily drip grinding. I like the electronic timer much more than spring-wound timers.

I have found the grind to be consistent and uniform. I am hoping the ceramic burrs last as long as they are supposed to.

Dislikes:

I had to file down the housing a little to get the hopper to slide in and out smoothly. I am disappointed but not too surprised as high end coffee grinders have got to be on small production runs, with inconsistent quality.

I find the blue LED indicator lights to be piercing. I would prefer a more low-key color, like amber.

By far my biggest gripe: The time display is an LCD panel. It's cheap, and its main characteristic is that unless you are facing it directly, you cannot read it. Therefore, to read the display, I have to crouch down to countertop level, or tilt the grinder back. A $450 grinder should certainly have been made with an LED, not LCD, display that is visible from any angle. This is a full-on design flaw, in my book.

All in all I am happy with it. I feel like I have a workhorse of a grinder that will last.

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I rarely post reviews but I have to agree with the other one star reviewers here. I have a lot of experience with espresso machines and grinders. In fact I use a commercial Rancilio S27 for my home machine, plumbed in to the water and drain line. I wanted a smaller grinder with adjustability and the ability to grind directly into the portafilter. The Baratza got good reviews and because it can also grind into a container and is programmable, I thought I could replace my two larger burr grinders with this one unit.

Well, like the other reviewer here, I was able to grind beans at espresso fine for about 20-30 seconds. I pulled a couple of shots, then went back to grind and the grinder jammed up. I tried everything. After taking it apart and putting it back together I was able to grind again for another 20-30 seconds, then had the same problem. Basically, in the end, what was happening is that the belt on the belt drive was slipping. I actually had no idea this was a belt driven grinder or I would not have purchased it. Commercial grinders are direct drive. There may be some good reasons for a belt drive design here related to all the adjustability, but at the end of the day the adjustability and features don't do you any good if you can't actually grind espresso.

After fiddling with the thing I was able to get it to grind consistently at a coarser setting for say french press or drip. But every time I took it back down to espresso (with the grinder running as instructed) I ended up with the belt slipping and the grinder stopping. So back in the box it went. Very disappointing. I love the look and design concept, but for this price I can get a commercial grinder that will run all day long and grind out Turkish if I want... so what's the point of trying to get this thing to work?

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This grinder is a little pricey compared to so many that you can get for less, but fully worth it. It is solidly made, easy to use, will last for many, many years, and comes from a great company. I have had mine 2 years, and use it almost daily. The grind is extremely consistent, and the adjustments allow going from espresso grind to french press and back very easily. Recently, mine suddenly stopped working, and it is a full year out of warranty. I called Baratza, and within 10 minutes they confirmed was was wrong, and sent me a replacement powerboard with two days shipping for no charge. Their customer service is amazing. I purchased a Virtuoso grinder for my parents, and they have loved it for years, and have had similarily excellent customer service from Baratza.

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Mr. Coffee ECM160 4-Cup Steam Espresso Machine, Black

I've had this machine for over a year. I have tried other machines, even a pump. It makes good cappuccinos/lattes when the milk is steamed properly at the right temperature. If your only into espresso shots, I would go with a different pump driven machine.

PROS

-Inexpensive, Small

-Frother is strong, plastic tip is removable

-Quiet (then a pump machine)

-Latte art hearts (SEE picture)

CONS

-Supplied tamper is just a slightly flattened end of the coffee scooper.

-No frothing pitcher.

-Multiple shots requires de-pressuring the machine.

NOTES

There seems to be a lot of reviews stating it works fine in the beginning then after a while is poor or just stops. Ive noticed that during regular use, water starts to build up in the tank. This is because you never really use all the water in the tank per brew. This excess water I believe causes a problem. Either dump it out after, or what I do is, brew it out "before" I make a cappuccino as to warm up the machine on a cold start.

There also seems to be a lot of reviews saying it's not real espresso or there is no crema. This is true. It's a steam driven machine they've been making this type of machine for years. It can not match the pressure or the amount of crema produced by a pump driven machine. BUT it can produce a decent 'steam' espresso w/ crema ready to be made to a latte/cappuccino. The problem with the reviewers is that there are so many factors involved in why are not producing crema or a good cup. It could be the bean, the grind, the tamp, perhaps it's a cold start, not enough water, or too much water, etc etc the list goes on. It's something you'll have to figure out yourself.

Another thing to note is that the bean grind/freshness is directly proportional to the effectiveness of the steamer wand. If the beans are old and/or too course the water will brew through the coffee so fast that no pressure built up for the steamer wand to be effective. Likewise if the beans are too fine or the tamp too hard, the water will have a hard time passing thru the coffee and too much pressure will build up which isnt good either for this machine.

Do the descaling with vinegar per instructions.

Also want to note I added a picture of a latte heart I made, just to prove minimal latte art is somewhat possible with this machine.

Love this product. I read all the other reviews before buying, so I knew it didn't come with a steaming pitcher and ordered one to go with it. However, I didn't realize that it didn't come with an espresso tamper either. I would have ordered one had I known, now I have to wait for the one I ordered to come in and hope it fits this machine. Would have given it 5 stars, but as a former barista, I know that to make a good latte I need a steaming pitcher and a tamper. So for an espresso machine not to come with these items is like getting a pair of sneakers with no laces. I have had no problem with leaking, and as long as the user READS THE INSTRUCTIONS, they shouldn't have any problems either. For $40, I've already gotten my money's worth in the last week. And anyone interested in buying, I would say "GO FOR IT!!!" but order a steaming pitcher and espresso tamper along with it.

Note: P.S. Get a 49mm espresso tamper to go with it. Doesn't fit "perfectly" but its as close as I could find that wouldn't be too big.

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I bought this at Targét for $29, and it is freaking awesome. To the two reviewers above... if you actually read the manual you would know that the cord underneath the base can be unraveled to the desired length. This is to eliminate excess cord on your countertop.

Anyway, I discovered I was spending almost $200 at Starbucks... a near crack habit. My previous espresso machine broke over the summer--a $300 Gaggia. Prior to the gaggia I had a krups.

So I plunked down a few bucks for this one knowing I was taking a wee gamble. Usually you get what you pay for.

Let me tell ya, this little machine is great. First, it is super super quiet. My previous machines were deafening especially when frothing. Secondly, it takes up little space. Third, it's fairly nice looking and matches our coffee maker. And of course last, it makes great lattés.

So, don't waste your money on some huge hulking espresso machine that will only last a few years. This one does the job and won't cause ear trauma.

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I bought this machine after somewhat careful research, but still was feeling a bit cheap, and since this one had such great reviews, decided to get one ($30 including shipping from Ebay).

The frothing part was flawless, and the cappuccinos were almost perfect. However, as at least one other reviewer noted, if you really like espresso, opt for a pump-driven machine, as the steam-driven ones will not produce the coveted "crema", the froth on top of the espresso.

The espresso I got from this machine was not bad, but really not THAT different from a coffee produced by my beloved french press.

So I decided to give this machine to a friend, who likes it's milk-frothing ability (to make delicious hot-chocolate beverages) and bought for myself the pump-driven Mr.Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker.

I have had that one over a week, and so far am completely delighted with it. The espresso is fabulous, very comparable to (and often better than) some of the ready-made espresso drinks in the stores, and frother works perfectly as well.

Overall if you are on a tight budget and do not really drink espresso much, only cappuccinos, definitely go for this machine, it is a hard-to-beat deal. It takes minimum amount of time to get ready and is very easy to operate and clean.

If you like the crema (coffee froth) on top of your espresso, then skip this and look for a pump-driven machine (the model I mentioned earlier is very affordable and nearly perfect).

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Please read THOROUGHLY!!! With respect to the others who have left less than 4 stars, BOO HOO! ITS 39.00! THIS THING ROCKS FOR 39.00 bucks. I must tell you, I thought, Mr. Coffee, it must be a piece of s_hit, but I bought it anyway cause it seemed simple and I liked the weight and feel of the potential piece of crap. A great man once said "Contempt prior to investigation is a bar against all information."

Buy this even if you don't need it daily. I spend over 200.00 a MONTH at Starbucks, I used their Expresso Dark Roast in this thing and it was AWESOME! I hate Mr. Coffee, but the sub in China that makes this for them hit the f'n nail on the head. You watch, they will double the price after reading this review.

By the by, I NEVER write reviews, let alone a positive one for a over-hyped marketing company like Mr. Coffee. I am writing this for you, that is going to stand in Target, Penny's, Macys, or alike that is going to buy the complicated, more expensive 100.00 to 300.00 machine when we dont possibly have that many friends interested in the size of our unit or the frequency of its use. A little poetic licence here, but buy one and tell me I was wrong, I doubt you will...

Best,

Dave

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Saeco Coffee Maker Odea Giro Plus Auto Espresso

OK, so I get one of these for my birthday after years of cappuccino making with a manual stainless steel Breville espresso machine. I feel pretty useless now because this gadget does all the work for me, including grinding the beans. All I have to do is fill the water tank and pour the coffee pucks into the sink. And then simply enjoy some excellent coffee.

This particular machine is housed largely in plastic, and for that reason I would judge it to be a home kitchen, consumer grade espresso maker. After a month of use, I do have a couple of minor gripes. First, I wish the machine remembered the desired setting of the coffee strength controls on the front panel. Unfortunately, the user must remember to reset every time the machine is turned on...unless he or she prefers the weakest setting. Second, despite the adjustable cup tray height, it sometimes slides slowly downward if particularly heavy cups or mugs are placed on it, and I see no way to adjust the tension.

This machine is fully automatic and makes quick, delicious coffee. Keep in mind that such machines do require maintenance to keep them working optimally and preserve your warranty. These operations, such as descaling, cleaning and lubrication are not difficult and full instructions are included.

The warning or 'heads up' indicators on the front panel can be disconcerting at first...but I've found them to be very necessary on a fully automatic machine. They let you know when the machine needs priming, for example, or doesn't have enough water or the puck drawer needs emptying. It was hard for this southern boy, but you do have to actually read through the instructions to know what those lights mean.

The steam wand on this machine does an excellent job of frothing milk. We use almond milk no casein so very easy to clean, low calorie and for some reason doesn't taste like almonds. Properly frothing milk is something of a learned skill, but the frothing wand on this machine seems to inject the right about of air and does the whole thing for you. All you do is stick the wand straight down into the milk, then stand back and watch the microfoam rise in your pitcher like magic. That, to me, is the most amazing thing about this gadget. A touch of a button converts the frothing wand into a hot water dispenser for those Americanos.

One reservation I have about fully automatic machines is that if the grinder fails, the entire machine is rendered inoperative. So that nags me a little about this device, but if you've going to enjoy the benefits of automatic, it is simply a risk you have to take.

In summary, when you spend half a grand on a coffee maker, you do expect excellent performance and delicious coffee. So far, that's what we are getting with this machine. It's not finicky either to use or maintain. I do recommend it as a very reasonable purchase.

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[Best Holiday Gift] PHY 4-Cup/0.6L Switch Espresso Coffee Maker / Coffeemaker with Glass Carafe & P

I was looking for a 4 cup coffee maker, with a cone filter, with a glass carafe, and if it was in red it would match the other red items in my kitchen. So I ordered this coffee maker. Not only did it meet all the criteria, it makes good coffee, takes up very little space, and is a bargain price. The only thing I wish for is an automatic shut off timer. Other than that, perfect!

The title claims "switch espresso coffee maker." It's basically just your regular coffee maker. There's only one switch on the machine (on and off).

Pros:

-Small and compact (fits right under the cupboard)

-Comes with the permanent filter

-Really fast

-Easy to clean

Cons:

-No automatic shut off

*Would definitely recommend to any solo coffee drinker like myself.

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It's small enough to meet my coffee needs, but the impact in color greatly enhances the decor of my kitchen!

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Excellent coffee I woul recommend this coffee maker to all.

maker--the very best at this price.

It works very good, I like it.

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I needed something really small for my bedroom, after a foot surgery, this worked perfectly for a small space where it was needed.

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