I've owned a few stovetop espresso makers over the years, and this is my favorite so far cool comfortable rubber handles, the stainless steel will not corrode over time like another one I bought (which was beautiful but made of brass and eventually rusted). Looks handsome, works properly, and is easy to clean. Also doesn't use an internal rubber seal like the others I've had, which is great because a rubber seal can become a mess and I had one melt on me. I guess this one is precision-made well enough that it doesn't require one, because it works perfectly with no mess or splattering.I didn't have the explosion experience that other commenter mentioned if that happened, very likely you need to poke a pin through the steam escape valve in the bottom canister or run the device with just water to clean it out. If that bottom valve is blocked it'll make a mess of any stovetop maker. You may also just have a faulty item.
Full disclosure: I only paid $20 for this at Macy's (they have some great deals in the basement, especially over the holidays), but I would pay $50 for it. At that price I might start looking at espresso/cappuccino machines instead, but for a stovetop maker this one hits the bulls-eye.
Go for it!
It was a little shocking that people have had this blow up, but I have never had any problems with it. I don't have problems with pressure cookers either. Follow the directions and you will be fine.
This might be "6 cups" of expresso but it makes between 10-12 OZ of regular coffee. With any perculator you need to have a coarse grind on the beans so that you dont have sediment in the coffee. If you read the instructions you are supposed to fill the water BELOW the pressure release valve (viewable on the picture-its on the side) or yeah you might have problems. sometimes I do and sometimes I dont because i'm trying to pull out every oz of coffee out of it. This also uses the amount of coffee very efficiently so this one hitter uses a little under 4 tablespoons of coffee grinds for a cup.
As to any coating or plastic film on it, I saw noneperhaps it was a demo model they then sold. I got this as a gift and have used it every day for the past 2 years.
Buy Laroma 18/10 Stainless Steel 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Coffee Maker Now
Very basic coffee maker that quietly and competently brews a cup of dense flavorful coffee. The stainless sieves have pretty wide bore holes so there is a moderate amount of grounds shot into the coffee. Where they rate this as "6 cup" is beyond me as the total volume resulting from a full fill is about 2 oz. Still playing with the grind to figure out the best granularity for this thing. Operation is quiet although the base is so narrow that the unit is best placed toward one edge of a small electric range burner but brews nicely, quickly and silently at low to moderate burner setting. Easy to disassemble for cleaning.Read Best Reviews of Laroma 18/10 Stainless Steel 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Coffee Maker Here
I scored this beauty at Macy's for twenty-nine bucks on a pre-Christmas sale. I was really thrilled and willing to take all precautions to avoid explosions. BUT when I got it home, I found that the stainless innards of the pots are coated with "something" grayish, that stinks to high heaven! I'm taking it back, no way am I drinking some potentially toxic plastic? epoxy? teflon? with every cuppa. Epoxy is 50% Bisphenyl-A (BpA)after all, and if it is teflon then why does it stink? Who knows WHAT that coating is?!! Besides disgusting....After combing reviews of these stovetop espresso pots for literally weeks, I found one mentioning that a Veg Vivano (sp?)beautiful espresso pot also has a coating. Too Bad, I love the way they look.
*Does anyone know of a stainless stovetop espresso maker that does NOT have a coating?? Please post here, I am tracking comments. Hoping to find something by Valentine's day.
Laroma gets less than ZERO STARS from me for wrecking good stainless steel with nasty undisclosed coating, wasting my time and busting my hopes.
Want Laroma 18/10 Stainless Steel 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Coffee Maker Discount?
I purchased this stovetop espresso maker because I was trying to get away from using the aluminum Bialetti pots that I have. I became worried about the aluminum leaching into my coffee after the pots became etched and pitted. Unfortunately, until I found the Laroma, there wasn't anything else around that was available in my area except for the aluminum Bialetti pot.I do like the weight of the Laroma and the comfortable molded handle. It is really easy to clean and diswasher safe (the aluminum ones aren't). And you don't have to get out a potholder to save burning your fingers when you remove it from the heat. I don't think it makes as good of a drink as the Bialetti, but it was worth the sacrifice to have a stainless pot.
What I don't like about this pot... well, it originally was the price that bothered me. $60 whereas the Bialetti pots are only $25-29. Ikea has a stainless pot that is very similar to the Laroma. I didn't pick it up to compare when I was there last because I had already bought the Laroma. But I can tell you, it was stainless and considerably less expensive (at the time it was $19 vs the $60 I spent.) The lid on this particular pot I feel is a bit flimsy too, but that isn't a real big issue. However, my MAIN problem with this pot is the safety factor. When I bought it I noticed that the threads that connect the water chamber to the top pitcher aren't very substantial. The grooves on the threading aren't very deep and are gently rounded. This worried me because I wondered how the 2 pieces would stay connected under the high internal pressure. Because of that, I always made sure to have the threads aligned correctly and screwed on TIGHT before putting it over the heat. Sometimes you can tell by the uneven gap where the 2 pieces connect that it isn't on correctly. So you have to redo it, sometimes a few different times till you get it right, which I did't have to do with the Bialetti because it screwed on nicely. If it isn't seated correctly, when pressure builds up, you will have espresso dribbling out all over your stove. And there isn't anything you can do about it at that stage until it cools down and the pressure subsides. Not good if you want your drink "right now".
So...the reason I felt I needed to write a review was because yesterday my fears about the 2 pieces staying connected were realized. I was making a pot of espresso. I had my side to the stove because I was loading the dishwasher when I heard a REALLY loud "POW!!!" The pot has a steam valve/vent but it didn't let air out or I would have heard it and removed it from the heat temporarily. Instead when the pot exploded, I got hit in the back of the head by a flying part. I thought, "What in the heck was that???!!" When I turned around....oh Lord. There was coffee and grounds everywhere. It had shot out over 10 feet in every direction: On the floor, on (and IN...however that happened) the cabinets, on the walls, on the lights, on the ceiling. If there was anything in the kitchen, it now had coffee and grounds on it. The pitcher became imbedded in the ceiling and then with the weight, it dropped to the ground leaving an arc-shaped cut about 1/4-1/2" deep in the ceiling that will have to be repaired and repainted. It took a couple 1/4" gouges out of maple wall cabinet above the stove (don't know how I'm going to repair that.) The screw even shot out of the little handle on the lid. Is that crazy or what? I just say a big "thank you" to the heavens above that I wasn't peering into the pot at the time or I shudder to think what it would have done to my face. If the force gouged out a hardwood like maple, I have no doubt I'd be in the hospital right now with a broken nose, burns, compromised eyesight and maybe even needing facial reconstruction. It really was scary and could have been so much worse. I was lucky that it only hit me in the back of the head and that I was wearing a long-sleeved sweatshirt and jeans that protected my body from the hot liquid.
A friend of mine mentioned that he uses the AeroPress (I think that is what it is called.) He spent 7 yrs in the Pacific NW, where we LOVE our espresso and coffee. He said it makes the best coffee he's ever had. I know everyone's taste is different, but if he didn't cringe at drinking it, I think I'm going to give it a try next. Amazon carries it and it is less than half the cost of the Laroma. I just know that I definitely won't be buying another one of these. Especially with grandkids in the house.
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