I love espresso and have searched for a machine that could produce a rich espresso, with bountiful crema. You know, like the kind that can be found everywhere in Europe and nowhere in the U.S.I have purchased three Briel machines. Two Chamonix models and one higher end Due (costing approx. $300).
My experience with all has been similar. The machines produce a beautiful product. But only for a matter of months. Then, for one reason or another, they break down. The quality of manufacture is mixed or poor.
Nevertheless, I have shelled out $160 $175 for one Chamonix machine that lasted a year, and another similar amount for a second one that lasted about the same.
And then, like Charlie Brown trying to kick that football and having it be pulled away by Lucy every single time, I hopefully purchase a new machine. This last time I purchased a Due, costing almost twice the price of a Chamonix, hoping perhaps that it would be more enduring.
The Due broke after six months. The pressure guage which for the first six months registered a consistent 11 13 bar every time would no longer climb above 6 bar. The coffee was weak and watery. I ordered a new crema filter at my own expense from Electra-Craft, the exclusive East Coast servicer for Briel products. That made no difference. I changed the grind every which way. I changed the tamping every which way. I sent the machine in to Electra-Craft for repair, paying for the shipping at my own expense and then paying Electra-Craft for the return shipping. I tried putting in a new filter basket, borrowing one from the Briel graveyard that is in my basement.
Electra-Craft said the machine was fine, according to their standards. They say that, although the pump is warranted, the fact that the gauge will not climb above 5 6 bar does not indicate a pump failure.
I followed up with a telephone call. Spoke with a technician. No help.
I followed up with another call. Another technician. No help. They gave me the name of a supervisor, Frank.
I wrote to supervisor Frank, I explained all of the above, that I was a repeat Briel customer, that I had spent hours tuning the machine. That the performance was no longer proper and asking, please, what can you do to fix the situation.
Briel wrote back to explain that the machine is fine and that if I were to send the machine back for repair a second time, they would impose an additional service charge on me.
I now have one more Briel corpse in my basement. And in the meantime have swelled Starbucks's coffers during the period that I spent trying to deal with this problem and being unable to use my expensive Briel paperweight.
Briel would be well served were it to replace Electra-Craft as their service provider.
If these machines were built to last at all, they would be perfect, and would merit 5 stars easily. Buy a Briel product only if you are willing to buy another, and another, and another, as each prematurely breaks one after another. Don't bother with shipping a unit to Electra-Craft particularly because the terms of the limited warranty require you to pay for shipping both ways. Save the shippingt cost and invest it in another machine.
I, however, will never buy another Briel.
I would avoid this machine if you dont like headaches.
Buy Briel ES161ACTB Domus Due, Stainless Steel Now
This is an awesome machine. The basket is pressurized so there is no guessing. Because it has 18 bars of pressure, you get your espresso real fast. Keep it clean and you have a machine for many years to come, The frothing pump rocks.Read Best Reviews of Briel ES161ACTB Domus Due, Stainless Steel Here
English is my mother tongue. I also speak French, Spanish, and Italian. The instruction manual provided went from step one to step eight. The balance of the English language was/is missing. I could piece together from the other provided manuals how to make it work, but my questions to the manufacturer in all four languages were not replied to. Amazon told me they could be of no other help except to provide phone numbers (which did not work), and email which bounced, and webaddress which I already had. I have only tried it once and it seems to work well. Amazon was nice enough to offer a free return or a small credit. I still have a less than pleased feeling. It is a lot of money for an incomplete product.Want Briel ES161ACTB Domus Due, Stainless Steel Discount?
This was my first espresso machine. It ran beautifully for about 2 months then water started leaking from the steam wand while pulling shots. Paid $30 shipping ($15 each way) to repair center on East coast).they replaced the pump &after 4 weeks got it back...It ran for 4 weeks before it started to leak water from steam wand again while making shots(losing 4 ounces of hot water to every 1 ounce of espresso made). Sent it back to East Coast repair center...Paid $15 in shipping & they paid return shipping since their repair failed. After 3 weeks got it back again with the steam pump replaced. It worked for about 4 weeks and then guess what?? Yup!! it started leaking from the steam wand again. Called the East Coast repair center and told them I wanted a different machine cause this one was a lemon...After passing me around to different service people for 2 weeks I was finally told to call Steve the owner...I was then told that this machine was not under warranty because the Amazon seller I bought from was a secondary seller and not recognized as a Briel "authorized" dealer. Thank God I had taken out a "Square Trade Warranty" when I bought this machine. Square Trade refunded me the cost of the machine less the shipping cost. All this does have a happy ending...I found a Delonghi Magnifica semi-automatic on Craigslist for $75 that has carried me through and past the Briel nightmare. If you can afford this machine or can find one used I would say go for it..it is a quality machine with no problems.
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