dr. tech Commercial Automatic Expresso Coffee Machine

I decided to write this review because there are few online reviews about this machine. I purchased this machine brand new on another shopping website (not the aution one) for $300 with free shipping. I have been researching automatic espresso machines for several months and ideally I would have purchased a saeco or delonghi or gaggia. However, money is an object and I could not justify spending $1000-$3000 on a coffee machine. Also, this is my first espresso machine and I am not certain of the longevity of any of them (most discussions state 5-7 years is the norm). I even considered refurbished or used but even these were $600 and up.

This machine is a compromise. It allows you to enter the world of superautomatics for a fraction of the cost. Let me say that for $300, I will be content if the machine functions for two years. Money well spent. So far it's only been a few days and I will try to update this a few months down the road.

Firstly, the machine arrived well packed; good amount of foam and bubble wrap. The only accessory is a scoop for preground coffee and a rubber straw for frothing milk. No video. No elaborate manual. The manual is in English....however not grammatically correct English. The instructions are basic; mostly diagrams. I would advise searching online for manuals or videos on other machines for more in depth directions. It seems most of these machines function similarly. This is what I did so the lack of detailed instruction didn't bother me.

After unpacking, installing the drip tray and straw, filling the coffee bean and water reservoirs, I powered up. The machine walks you through some warm up and cleaning steps. It flushes itself with water. There is a menu function where you can set water temp (it's an icon of a thermometer that goes up and down; don't know precise temp). I would recommend setting this to highest point. You can also select how long you want the machine to stay on before turning itself off....30, 60, 90, or 120 min. There is no clock on this machine so you can not program it to turn on and off. I just turn it on when I first wake up and it's ready in probably 10 minutes. You can turn off the beeps...this is important as this machine will constantly beep when there is an issue until you fix it, ie, needs water, drip tray removed, side door open, etc, etc. If you turn off the beeps you will still get the message on the display. There's also a descale option (the machine will prompt you when it's time) and you can adjust how much coffee gets ground per cycle (this is accomplished by holding the menu button for five secs at the very end of the brew cycle). The menu also has the date the machine was manufactured and total cups brewed. You can set your water hardness level (if you know it). There is a knob inside of the coffee bean hopper to adjust fineness of grind...it's settings are 1, 2, and 3.

This is a fairly tall machine so counter to cabinet clearance might be an issue for some. Also you will have to pull the machine out to fill the reservoirs and to get the brewing unit. It has some recessed handles on the bottom which makes it easy to move. The brewing unit is accessed by a side door. There you will also find the dredge container. The whole machine appears plastic (except for the boiler I assume). The indicator that the dredge container is full comes on when the container is only about 1/3 full, so be prepared to empty it often. I can't give you specs but I will say that the bean hopper can hold about 8oz of beans and the water holds enough for about six single shots. You will also need to emply the drip tray daily, as there is always water dumped into it by the machine with each shot.

So, the first two shots you make you will need to dump. I guess the machine has to adjust. The machine is fairly loud, I've never owned one so I can't compare to others but it is as loud as a coffee grinder. After that, I got beautiful espressos. The taste is as good as that chain store. Obviously not perfect. It seems the grounds could be tamped a bit more. The double shot button simply makes two single shots back to back.

The front of the machine is super simple. There are individual buttons for a single shot, double shot, steam, hot water (which comes out of the steam wand), menu, and OK/exit. There is a nifty straw that you can attach to the frother and then insert other end into a container of milk. It will conveniently froth milk into your waiting cup. It stops after frothing some predetermined amount (I don't think you can alter the amount but you can push ok button to stop the water or steam or milk at any time.). There is a little knob on the steam wand that allows you to choose steam or frothed milk. There is another button for the bypass doser...this is when you want to use preground coffee. You push the button, fill the included scoop, and dump this into the little hatch up top. You can only do single shots this way. There is a passive warmer which doesn't get warm enough to warm the cups. I would recommend warming your cups first...you can fill them with hot water from the wand or put them in microwave with water for 30 sec.). This just helps ensure you have hot espresso. The espresso is hot...I didn't test the temp but hotter than my machiattos from that chain store. The espresso tastes wonderful....coming from a non-expert.

So that's about it. It is so far a decent machine for the price. I can have espresso whenever I want at the push of a button. Keep in mind there is NO WARRANTY so there's some risk. The online store I purchased from has a 45 day return policy...that's it. Like I said, I will try to update this review in a few months.

Similar to the other reviewer who liked the machine, I was surprised at the quality of the coffee after I got the machine adjusted to the strongest setting and the finest grind. The on screen controls are great as you can change the volume or strength of the coffee after you have started to make a cup. I agree that the grinds do not tamp as well as the $2000 Saeco Royal Professional that I also own, but for the money it is quite a bargain. All the controls are easy to use and should not require a manual if you can operate any modern day electronics. The water reservoir is small and so is the spent coffee bin, but it is not unreasonable that you would want to keep the machine clean more often and use clean water more often. I have had this machine for almost a year and use it as a secondary machine for my office. I have made 600 cups of espresso and talk coffee's and have been very happy with the taste and quality. First time shoppers should be pleasantly surprised because of the low price. I just wish that Amazon had a supplier as I am currently shopping for another one for a present.

Buy dr. tech Commercial Automatic Expresso Coffee Machine Now

It may have been a bad machine, but the coffee produced was poor. The expresso cakes were wet and mushy, should be dry and well formed.

Read Best Reviews of dr. tech Commercial Automatic Expresso Coffee Machine Here

Hario Coffee Dripper V60 02 Clear

If you are a serious coffee enthusiast this is a great option for making coffee at a relatively low price. Good for the cost conscious budding "coffee snob" or as an alternative to a truly good coffee machine such as a Technivorm (which cost $~300).

If like me you are a super serious enthusiast with a large collection of coffee equipment this makes a great addition.

What this is not, however, is not a no-brainer coffee brewer.

There is a short but steep learning curve to achieving the potential of this product. There are hundreds of youtube videos which can instruct you on the various techniques, so you won't be without hints & tips. However you will want to probably buy a new water kettle as using this correctly requires very good water/pouring control; of course Hario sells an excellent one.

The key elements of the coffee product, once you've mastered the technique, are clarity (as it uses a paper filter) and excellent control of the extraction so you can play with the coffee in an effort to achieve what you believe to be the "ultimate" product from it.

This is not, however, a quick & easy method. It takes several minutes of actual concentration and effort to produce just a few cups of coffee. By contrast espresso takes only one minute, a press pot takes several minutes but only 30 seconds of activity, a coffee machine obviously requires almost no effort. It is quicker than a vacuum/siphon pot but only marginally so.

It also requires very good coffee beans. With mediocre coffee it can magnify the negatives. Counter Culture, Intelligentsia, or even Peet's (fresh roasted, not from the super market) are all good options. However in my experience not just any good coffee is a good match for this method. Some of my favorite blends taste sort of crappy with this no matter what I try, whereas some single source coffee's practically sing with joy when made with the Hario.

This isn't by any means the "best" method of making coffee (there isn't a true "best"). It is, IMO, in the top four.

We use it in an office with poor access to running water. Given this, filters, an electric kettle, and ground coffee, we are good to go. Pour-over gives you nearly all of the quality of french press without the clean up and fuss. The downside is that you're making one cup at a time, but that's the issue with Keurig systems, Jura machines, etc.

Buy Hario Coffee Dripper V60 02 Clear Now

If you're looking for a simple drip coffee maker, this is a great choice. A french press still makes better coffee, but this one is simple to use and clean. You can drip directly into a mug, or into a suitable pot or carafe (I've used a small glass pot, for example). I'm considering getting the matching Hario server.

The plastic cone is very well made, from a hard clear plastic. Appears sturdy enough to last for a long time in normal use.

I used the basic #2 coffee filters from Trader Joe's, they work fine, don't break or have any other problems. So I think you can just use any good quality filters, don't have to order the Hario filters (which are much more expensive), unless you really want to.

Read Best Reviews of Hario Coffee Dripper V60 02 Clear Here

I'm very happy with the plastic hario cone for making pour overs. I didn't feel like getting the expensive ceramic one (and then fearing breaking it) but I needed an improvement over the cheap melitta ones, which aren't designed as well and don't allow enough coffee flow out causing over extraction. This did the job. You do have to get Hario's filters as well, though; the regular ones won't work very well or will break in the middle of a pourover!

Want Hario Coffee Dripper V60 02 Clear Discount?

At home I usually use a Bee House ceramic cone, but I wanted a plastic one for travel. Having been curious about Hario drippers, I ordered this one. My first cup was a disaster--like bad diner coffee--and I was concerned this would only work with the Hario pouring kettle, which wouldn't be an option in a hotel room. I over pack, but that's beyond even me. After watching some instructional videos and being patient and careful, and getting an optimal grind, and using a good amount of coffee, I've managed an excellent cup using my regular water kettle. So, I'm confident this will be a joy on the road. It's certainly lovely to look at.

Gaggia 102533 Espresso-Dose Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Warm Silver

My husband and I were very excited about this purchase. We decided we wanted to spend a little more money and replace our old espresso machine and stovetop espresso makers and he'd read great reviews about the product at that time.

We bought this product from wholelattelove. After the first month the machine started leaking from the filter basket. We disassembled the parts and cleaned them out just in case grinds had made their way up there. This didn't solve the problem. Next we figured it might be a bad seal so we tried to find a replacement. We ordered replacement seals from the same company only to have to cancel the order when we noticed they were for another machine. We couldn't find the seals anywhere. So we've had to keep a plastic tupperware container to catch the excess (and I do mean excess) water from spilling all over the countertop.

After about 6 months the machine started to have some kind of electrical failure as well. One of the button lights goes out so that you can't tell when the machine is ready to make coffee.

Another thing, the machine is made from a flimsy plastic. Feels cheap.

Positives are hard to pinpoint but when the machine actually worked it produced decent crema and the steam wand still makes decent froths as well.

Our recommendation is you spend your money elsewhere.

I have owned a number of Gaggia machines and liked them. I bought this for my girlfriend and it is the worst espresso machine I have used. it is a poorly manufactured plastic imitation of a Gaggia machine.

It is too light and you have to hold it down to attach the porta-filter.

The heating tray on top is practically useless as it doesn't get hot.

the Filter seal started leaking after 2 months and I have waited 3 months for a replacement.

It does not siphon water into the tank so you have to prime it everytime you use it.

Don't waste your money spend more and get the Gaggia Baby or Coffee. both of these are great machines that will make better espresso.

Buy Gaggia 102533 Espresso-Dose Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Warm Silver Now

I bought this machine from Wholelattelove and am very dissapointed. It failed after 30 days. It started pumping spontaneously, pumped itself dry and then quit pumping. So far its taken Wholelattelove 2 months to repair it and I still dont have it.

Its a lightweight flimsy machine, with some odd quirks. Why is the on/off switch in the back where you cant reach it. The water reservoir leaks, and steamer fell off.

I dont recommend the machine or Wholelattelove.com They dont respond to emails, and dont seem to care about customer service.

Read Best Reviews of Gaggia 102533 Espresso-Dose Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Warm Silver Here

I purchased this from Amazon in January and found it makes great espresso for a relatively small and light weight machine. I also have a Sirena which is much sturdier and more expensive but I think that the Gaggia makes a better espresso. I initially gave this product a lower rating because the lights failed to operate after a few uses and I was frustrated because it wasn't clear how to trouble shoot the machine from the Gaggia website. Thanks to Google, I found the customer support number in the US. They called me back promptly and were very helpful. They were able to resolve the problem with me over the phone with a simple screwdriver in about 5 minutes. They actually knew a lot about the machine and I didn't need to send it back and wait 5 weeks! Despite the issue with the lights, I think the machine has been well worth it.

Want Gaggia 102533 Espresso-Dose Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Warm Silver Discount?

Gaggia has a reputation for building relatively solid though finicky espresso makers. This machine is one of the new generation of Gaggias, which evidently are attempting to retreat from the reputation of solidity. This machine the Espresso has three iterations: the Pure (the simple black plastic cheap one), the Color (one color, red, costs more than the Pure evidently because of the color), and the Dose (which can be calibrated to deliver a fixed amount of liquid per button press, which costs even more. The units all have the same mechanicals stainless steel boiler, roughly 3.5 ounces in size, a brass coated brewing group, and (note well) a non-pressurized 58mm "commercial" portafilter.

Right out of the box, the Espresso feels cheap and flimsy. No metal in sight, and the machine (in my case the Dose) looks like a big ugly hunk of plastic. The steam control knob feels like a child's toy and is so poorly mounted on its stem that it feels like you could twist it off. The water reservoir is a skimpy 42 ounces, and the alleged warming plate is ugly white plastic and produces markedly little warmth. This by far is the ugliest appliance in my kitchen and is also among the most expensive. Most importantly, the machine weighs only 10 pounds, which makes tightening the portafilter a chore as you have to pin the machine down to keep it from tipping over or just being shoved around the counter.

The mechanicals inside appear to be solid, and the portafilter is sturdy and serviceable. The boiler appears willing enough, though it is really tiny, and the steaming wand is excellent. The dosing function on my Dose model appears mainly useless, as my brewing results worked better with manual operation, and this pointless features adds about $50 to the price of the base model. Eyeball your cup's fluid level and save $50. No three way valve, but the filter puck is reasonably dry and easily emptied.

Now the real problem if you plan to use your own beans for this, you need a $300 grinder from Gaggia. That's it, end of story. My $90 Capresso Infinity after much experimentation with tamping and grind proved incapable of making anything other than sludge due to the non-pressurized portafilter. I called the vendor up and their service staff informed me (in a sympathetic and polite manner) that the Infinity simply couldn't produce a consistent fine grind. Even the popular Baratzas (in the $100-$200 range) can't produce a "Gaggia grind" without being disassembled and modified by the user. (This is true check the Baratza website FAQs). Upshot: nothing less than a $300 grinder can produce home ground coffee for this machine.

The vendor told me to try pre-ground espresso, and sure enough the commercially ground coffee I tried was much much better, but this means dealing with a short lifespan and keeping the coffee in an airtight container in the freezer. Even after trying that, I found that the pre-ground produced nice crema only when very fresh, like 1-2 days, and generally not after it came out of the freezer. If you don't mind running off to a local store for a small dose of commercially ground coffee every day, this is your machine. Or you can buy a grinder that costs as much or more than your Gaggia machine does.

Anyway, the disappointment for me here was not necessarily that the machine has such extensive "special needs". If it was elegant and solidly made, I would still give it a pass, though maybe not for me personally as buying $600 worth of home espresso equipment is beyond my budget. However, even if we factor out the demanding grind requirement, the flimsiness of this machine and its ugly plastic frame simply is unacceptable at the $250-$300 price point. A Saeco Aroma in the same price range is made of metal, has a bigger steel boiler, weighs 30% more, and uses a pressurized portafilter that works nicely with less finely ground coffee.

The Gaggia has a better reputation for durability, but the new Gaggia Espressos look like they are made on the same assembly lines as Saeco's (the companies are commonly held) with the main difference being the portafilters, so I have little reason to assume that this cheap plastic eyesore will prove any more durable than a comparable Saeco. The Aroma is much easier to use, does not need a grinder that costs as much as it does, IMO is more attractive, and is at the same price point. I don't know why anyone would buy one of these Gaggias. Maybe if you have an expensive grinder, and your old espresso machine died, and you need a cheap replacement? Whatever. I am underwhelmed.

Save 31% Off

Cuisaid Xpress-O Stove-Top 9 Cup Espresso Maker

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

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

Buy Cuisaid Xpress-O Stove-Top 9 Cup Espresso Maker Now

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

Read Best Reviews of Cuisaid Xpress-O Stove-Top 9 Cup Espresso Maker Here

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

Want Cuisaid Xpress-O Stove-Top 9 Cup Espresso Maker Discount?