Urnex Dezcal Activated Scale Remover, 3 Boxes of 4-pack's

I tried to find descaler for my Tassimo in several stores without any success. I ordered online and when it arrived I immediately followed directions to descale my machine. I guess I didn't follow the directions exactly because at the end of the cleaning cycle the descaling light was still lit. So after reading the directions again and HOLDING the brew button for at least 3 seconds, the descaling cycle began. I filled the reservoir to the Max line and added the descaling solution. It took more than an hour, but the descaling solution cleaned all of the gunk and scaling from the machine's interior and the dreaded descaling light went out. Beverages taste as good as the day I bought my machine. I'm happy! I use my Tassimo every day so getting a good-tasting cup of coffee is essential to my daughter and me. The 12 packs of descaling solution should last at least a couple of years, so the $$$ I spent is definitely worth it.

I have a Saeco Vienna Plus automatic machine, and this descaler works perfectly and is easy to use. And buying in bulk cuts the cost and will last a long time.

Buy Urnex Dezcal Activated Scale Remover, 3 Boxes of 4-pack's Now

Works pretty well. Still takes quite a few clean water flushed to completely rinse out without leaving a bad taste and smell

Read Best Reviews of Urnex Dezcal Activated Scale Remover, 3 Boxes of 4-pack's Here

I had initially planned to purchase this product from a local specialty coffee retailer but he wanted 3 times as much as the online retailer for the same product. No question then on where to make my purchase and the product was delivered within three days. I am very pleased with this transaction.

Want Urnex Dezcal Activated Scale Remover, 3 Boxes of 4-pack's Discount?

I have a Keurig which I dearly love, but it seems to be very picky. Every couple of months, it will stop sucking up the water after a brew cycle and turn off. It will usually start up again after the power button turned on again but eventually even that won't work. I put a packet of this in the water tank and it clears up the problem immediately and the cycles will start working normally again. I don't know if the water here is particularly hard, but having to descale every couple of months seems like a lot. At any rate, I will continue to use this product to keep the Keurig working.

Save 31% Off

MrC Steam Espresso Maker

So I bought this machine like everyone else trying to save a couple bucks instead of going to Starbucks all the time. First time I tried it I had the same problem everyone else did...only 4 seconds of steam for the milk...than I remembered reading somewhere online about adding more water to your machine than the directions say for less bitter tasting espresso and figured that also might work for the steamer. So I added enough water for 4 shots...2 for espresso plus 2 extra for steam, brewed my 2 shots of the Espresso and than turned the machine off. Than I turned on the steamer for my milk OMG!!!I had more steam than I needed to make three Mochas. It took several minutes for all the steam to finally run out! And the actual mocha I've been making taste just as good as Starbucks which shocked me because normally the home brewed stuff tastes really burnt. This doesn't. This steamer with the extra water works better than both the $350+ dollar pump machines my parents have invested in. If you're looking for a machine that will make great mocha's... for 35 bucks at Wally World you can't do better!

I bought this for my parents this past Christmas (2011) and with all of us being avid coffee drinkers, we hooked it right up. My fifteen year old brother was able to set it up without directions; it is just that easy, although the directions are really simple to follownot much handling required. My mother used to be a barista for a local coffee company so we let her have the first go. Our first two espresso's were hot, but not as hot as needed for espresso, but the flavor was great. However, the second round (my mother got the hang of it real quick) was perfect in temp and the flavor was amazing. Then we got funky with it and instead of using skim milk with the frother we used half skim, half french vanilla creamer. Oh my gosh were those amazing! My mother continued to make mochas and cappuccinos throughout the day and even zested some godiva chocolate on the top! Everyone was very pleased with the quality of the coffee that was being brewed. We must have made at least four dozen espresso's that day (big family) and the machine never faulted. Here are some tips when using this machine:

1. Do not expect it to work if you do not know how to make coffee (follow the easy espresso directions or get yourself an in-home barista!)

2. It will 'leak' its a steamer so expect a lot of hot steam and evaporation on the outside (it is built for heat so don't be scared)

3. Experimentour french vanilla lattes were stellar so mix in some chocolate sauce in the milk frother and make yourself a splendid mocha

4. Dont completely fill the frothing cup, about 3/4 of a cup. to 1 cup, otherwise you wont get good crema ( this is very important for the 'quality' to shine)

5. Use a small, metal frothing cup, because metal helps heat the milk.

And as a last note, like I said it was a gift for my parents so I couldn't take it home with me, but after falling in love with this tiny machine, I decided that I would be getting my own at the end of the month! Plus, the price cannot be beat.

Buy MrC Steam Espresso Maker Now

I was ready to give up on this machine, but decided to wait a day and try again. The machine has two separate functions: making espresso and foaming milk. Each require water in the water reservoir. So, if making both espresso AND foaming milk, put extra water into the water reservoir. Use the dial to turn it to the function you want e.g. "brew" to make espresso, and when you have the expected amount of espresso in the carafe, then turn the dial to off, put the froth tip into the pitcher of milk, and turn dial to steam. There should be plenty of water in the reservoir, so there will be plenty of steam to heat the milk. Voile! Then, it's just a matter of learning how to froth correctly. I like the machine now.

Read Best Reviews of MrC Steam Espresso Maker Here

This is a great espresso machine on a budget. The size is right & can make 2 cups of expresso. The stainless steel makes it look sleek & it matches well with my appliances.

I have to buy my own Stainless Steel Frothing Pitcher, since it did not come with the maker. You can get them on line & it comes in many sizes.

You also have to buy your own flavoring syrup, I buy mine at Wal-mart using the Vanilla Flavoring syrup by TORANI, then I buy my expresso coffee beans from Starbucks, you have to tell them that you are going to use it for your own expresso machine then they will grind the beans a little finer for you.

The frothing arm comes with a frothing aid (it's just like a rubber cover for the frother) & I don't particularly like them because that rubber part would be the hardest part to clean if left in place.

When I use my expresso maker, I just use the frother arm by itself without that rubber aid. The frothing arm is a bit high for any frothing pitcher & have to place something underneath the pitcher until 1/4 or 1/2 of the frother arm is covered with milk.

Here's how I do it:

1) Add water to the expresso machine. I fill mine till the top. Make sure the steam cap is tight so steam can't escape.

2) Brew your favorite expresso coffee. Fill your carafate till it's getting close to the number 4. You don't want to overfill your carafate because then you will not have enough water to steam your milk.

3) Milk should already in the Frothing Pitcher, I leave enough space for the froth. Place your pitcher under the frothing arm until the the frothing arm tip is covered with milk. When your milk is getting close to the right temperature, start holding the whole pitcher & move the Frothing Pitcher up & down to make that perfect froth. (Of course you have to take whatever you put under that pitcher off before doing so.) When done, I immediately clean the arm by wrapping a wet dish towel around it & let a few steam come out of the arm then just wipe the rest of the milk off. Be careful when cleaning the frothing arm because the steam is very hot. When letting a steam off the arm, I suggest not to hold the towel underneath the frother arm, but rather make sure your hands are above it.

4) Then I get my favorite drinking cup.

5) Add your favorite flavoring syrup, then the expresso, then the milk. Scoop some froth out of your frothing pitcher then add it to your cup, then you are ready to enjoy your own homemade Vanilla Latte...

ENJOY :-)

Want MrC Steam Espresso Maker Discount?

I was in a Big W store and passed down the coffeemaker aisle. I saw this machine and couldn't get over the very low price. I consider myself a coffee snob, and had been looking for a superautomatic espresso machine. Loved my previous machine, but lost it in a fire, and NEEDED a new espresso machine ASAP (Starbucks habit getting out of hand...). The search had become overwhelming, and I wanted to do more research before shelling out $1K+ on a new machine. So when I saw this Mr. Coffee machine, I had to buy it--I always liked my previous Mr Coffee regular coffeemakers in the past. I figured it would make "OK" espresso and "OK" frothy milk for lattes, but I was AMAZED (yes, AMAZED) at the quality of the brew and the froth. And it was so easy to use. I can use espresso machines with my eyes closed, but I always read the manual thoroughly anyway. I questioned the part about only putting in enough water for your shot of espresso, but did it anyway. And just like the others commented, there wasn't enough water for steaming the milk. Should have listened to my initial instinct. I now just fill the carafe all the way, then dump it into the machine. I find the tapered lid design "thoughtless," but I guess nothing is 100% perfect. I don't understand the reviewers who complain that it takes them 20 minutes to make their espressos--maybe because they are newbies?? I wander into the kitchen every morning half-asleep, and the whole process from putting milk in the pitcher for my latte through cleanup takes me 7 minutes MAX. Practice makes perfect. I also don't think this is a noisy machine at all. I love this machine, and am planning to take it with me on vacation, as it is so lightweight. I almost hesitated writing a 5-star review, because I don't want Mr.Coffee to raise their prices on these little workhorses, but wanted others to know that this is an EXCELLENT machine to use.

Save 35% Off

Jura-Capresso 13187 Impressa E8 Super-Automatic Espresso Machine, Black

I have to say, I *love* my E8! I tried one at a store and, after a lot of research, settled on Jura Capresso because of the cleaning cycle feature (most others you have to remove the "brew group" once a week or so and manually clean it I was *so* not going to do that!). I settled on the E8 versus other JC's because of the price and the features... the higher-end models' extra features (none of which directly affect the quality of a single cup) were worth the additional cost, especially since I live alone.

I've no complaint about the temperature of the coffee, as long as I pre-heat my cup. A little hot water out of the spiget does the trick. I use a decent coffee bean from a local store and have excellent results. I did have to play around with the grind settings, but I expected that.

The frother (I don't have the fancy add-on) does a better-than-decent job of frothing/foaming milk; however, it's not as good as a coffee-house machine wielded by a pro, with perfect-temperature milk and a cold pitcher. However, it works much better than any home-based espresso machine I've encountered, and much better than what one often gets from a disaffected coffee counter person.

The flavor is rich and full like cafe crema or espresso ought to be. While, again, a true barista with a true pro machine and the best beans can indeed produce a better cup, this is far better than what I typically get in a high-end coffee shop. That's part of what originally sold me on it I found out the store that I sampled it at used "cheap supermarket beans" (as they put it).

One does have to be careful with the beans; if they're oily, they'll cling to each other and not make their way down the hopper. The solution? Stick your finger in the beans and swirl once, or don't use oily beans (oily doesn't necessarily mean more flavor). I like the beans I use but they do stick slightly, and a little touch with my finger fixes the 'problem'. The manual, video, web site, and talking chicken that came with the product makes this very clear.

Cleaning is a breeze every couple of days I empty the hopper that catches the pucks (grounds). Once a week or so I rinse out the drip tray. Every once in a while it alerts me that I need to run a cleaning cycle: in goes the tablet and that's it.

My only complaint and I knew this going in is that for $1000 it ought not be 100% plastic. The spigot that the coffee comes out is plastic, and raises/lowers. I'm always careful, because if something that I have control over is going to break, it's going to be this piece. More expensive models have metal for this piece, but I couldn't see adding $500+ dollars for this.

I was originally concerned not having a cup warmer might be an issue. It says it has a passive cup warmer in some of the online literature, but that's baloney the top doesn't get any warmer than rooom temperature. However, it is no inconvenience (and I'm pretty lazy) to release some water from the spigot into the cup, and let it sit for a few seconds.

This is just about the best thing ever! I used to go to coffee shops and drop $7 $10 a day. I figure I'll make that back after costs in about a year. It's not expensive it's economical in my book!

OK, this thing ain't cheap. I mean, how can you ever justify spending $1000 on a coffee maker?? I named mine Miss AnniBirthenTine. She was so expensive, that she was my 'Anni'versary, 'Birth'day, and Val'enTine's day gift all rolled into one item! That being said, I admit I have a bit of an unhealthy relationship with my coffee maker. I love her. Fine. I said it.

One thing I have noticed is that Miss Anna is smarter than I am. She tells me when to clean her, fill her with water, etc. And, I love that. She's clean and polite never demanding. Here and there she does some things I am not sure of, but nothing has been serious. For instance, I also experienced what the reviewer who gave one star said intermittent coffee part way through she would just turn off. I did not call customer service, but instead did some troubleshooting on my own. I came to the conclusion that the beans I bought were a bit oily (which is warned against in all the manuals and videos) and were jamming the works. I ran it through a clean cycle with a tablet and she has been a happy coffee maker since.

Miss Anna has been a part of our family since early Jan 2005. I drink Capuccinos every morning and use the hot water a lot during the winter for tea and soup. When I am feeling rather saucy, I even make espresso with half and half. YUM. You would have to rip this thing out of my cold, dead arms to get it away from me. I love Miss Anna. When I am away on vacation, I am sad about the mediocre swill people call coffee that I have to settle for until I return home. As long as I don't think about the money, I love this thing more than I can describe.

Buy Jura-Capresso 13187 Impressa E8 Super-Automatic Espresso Machine, Black Now

I bought this machine about two years ago. At the time I thought it was pricey, but decided that in the long run, it would pay off. It has.

PROS:

CONVENIENCE. There is nothing like coming down in the morning, pressing a button, and having a good coffee, which is freshly ground for you while you wait. The separate boilers allows you to immediately switch from foaming milk to producing espresso.

EASE. My partner and parents (who wouldn't touch my Gaggia classic because it was too complicated) all use this machine without hesitation.

DURABILITY. After two years, our well-used machine (2-3000 cups) has not needed a repair.

VERSATILITY. The coffee bypass is extremely convenient, given that my partner and I frequently prefer different roasts it is very simple for one of us to grind our own and use the bypass to produce our preferred cup.

ECONOMY. The initial price tag for this machine is high. But when you compare it with the cost of buying 1-2 cappuccinos per day from your local barista...you can quickly see that the machine pays for itself.

CONS:

COFFEE QUALITY: Very very good, but I suspect that the pressures are just not quite high enough to make the coffee of nirvana. Still very good.

FOAM QUALITY: We've never been able to produce the perfect foam from this machine, but again the quality is high enough, and the convenience makes it worth it.

REGULAR MAINTENANCE: The machine does require regular (about every 5 wks) cleaning and descaling, using tablets purchased from the manufacturer. It's a slight inconvenience, but the procedures are easy to follow and take about an hour each.

*****

UPDATE THREE YEARS AFTER PURCHASE: After three years of use, our Jura has started giving us an "Error 8" message and its first major repair, which is to replace a large chunk of the brew group. The repair guy claims that this is a common error for this machine, and is expected to cost us ~$150. We also estimate that we pay about $100/year for cleaning tablets. I still really love this coffee machine (we use is several times every day) but thought that these additional maintenance costs would be useful to see in a review.

Read Best Reviews of Jura-Capresso 13187 Impressa E8 Super-Automatic Espresso Machine, Black Here

I think I am a bit of a coffee snob. I have had this machine for a few weeks now and it's going strong! I absolutely love it! I was concerned reading other reviews about Starbucks coffee not working so good in the machine, but the 'espresso' roast is working fine in my machine and I have had no problems yet.

The crema on this machine is wonderful! We're making coffee all the time. My guests are in awe of the machine, marveling at how quickly it brews fabulous coffee drinks! I made 6 different drinks the other night in just a few minutes and everyone loved them. It's great for entertaining.

My only issue so far is finding the right milk to froth. The fat free, lactose free milk that we normally drink doesn't yield much froth (it's barely milk to begin with). So, I'm going to try 2% and see how that works.

I really can't say enough good things about this machine. It does everything it's supposed to do and so far, has impressed the most discriminating coffee snob....ME!

Buy it, you won't be disappointed. It's worth every penny. I am going to name it I like it so much!

Want Jura-Capresso 13187 Impressa E8 Super-Automatic Espresso Machine, Black Discount?

You are buying convenience here, it does not make great espresso, but good enough for not so picky drinkers that want a quick shot without much work. Very good for a quick latte too. It is very picky on beans, if coffee does not come out like one reviewer mentioned, it is likely that the grind is too fine and you need to set the grinder a notch or two down. eg. I have no problem with Lavazza Top Class at the finest setting, but need to dial back a notch with Lavazza Super Crema because it was clogging. The brewing temperature is not a hot as the S series but still hotter than most other super-auto out there. I would get the the S if not for the aluminum thermoblocks.

Primula Espresso Maker Gift Set with Demitasse Cups & Saucers 9 Piece

This pot is perfect for brewing espresso for two people. It's smaller than regular size stove top espresso makers (I have one of the regular ones too for when company comes over.)

A nice, added value is the set of demitasse cups and saucers. Granted, they are not the ones I would serve company with, but for everyday use they are perfect. Moreover, if ever I break one I am not going to get upset.

The maker itself is well constructed. My regular size companion is also made by the same company and has served me for over a decade.

This set is touted as a gift set and it makes an inexpensive, attractive and functional gift. It is also a nice addition to any kitchen for folks like myself who live alone and who love a nice, freshly brewed cup of espresso.

Here is a tip for spicing up your espresso: add two or three anise seeds to the ground espresso in the top of the pot before brewing. The flavor is exquisite. Or, if anise is not a flavor you enjoy, try a small pinch of cardamom.