Nespresso Essenza C101 Espresso Maker, Black

This is my third Nespresso machine, following an old trio of D150s and a more newly deceased D290.

In use now for a couple weeks, the C101 continues the streak of winning machines. This is the bare-bones Essenza, without cappuccino wand, cup warmer, etc.. After a decade of looking at the milk warming wands, I realized they had never been used, and cost money. I'd rather not maintain a supply of cream in my office, nor cart in water as often as brewing "Americanos" would require.

Use is simple drop in a Nespresso pod (50-70 cents each), push the button, then the machine makes the espresso in about 30 seconds when it has sufficiently heated up. Trivial, even before injecting the morning caffeine. Every time very good espresso with a thick crema. An advantage over some older models is that making the coffee can be programmed in even before the machine has warmed up.

One can save more money buying the C91, but that one is manual in the sense that AFTER it is warmed up, one must start AND STOP the water for the cup, and a too-late stop is the gaffe for which I buy an automatic machine in the first place. One can pay more for the Pixie, but the only difference I could decipher is a smaller footprint and perhaps a faster warm-up, and worse aesthetics IMO.

I've synchronized watering the Nespresso machine with watering my plants each is once a week, i.e., about every ten cups of espresso, which is about how often the empty pods need to be dumped from the internal trash can, as well.

It looks seriously industrial on my filing cabinet no plastic Mr. Coffee. Which brings up another selling point, abandoned machines such as my old D290 still can serve as conversation pieces on the coffee table, although a friend partially revived it after a month as a paperweight .

[5-12-11 update a couple of times now the darn thing has stopped working when I accidentally tried to make an espresso without water, which wasn't problem with the old D290, and then no water was drawn into the machine, apparently sort of a vapor lock problem. After thrashing around for quite a while, I discovered that running it for a while without a pod inside draws enough water through to re-prime the tubes.]

[7-12-12 update no problems whatsoever since last update.]

[8-5-12 update got another for my aging mom to replace her D150, which she likes.]

[8-26-12 update got another for home.]

I've had this machine with the separate frother for around 3 years now. It still delivers a great espresso with a perfect crema. It's not as good as what I can do with my Rancilio with Peet's. But it's close enough without all the drama. I got it for my office, where I didn't want the mess, but took it home for the holidays and found it so convenient, it never went back.

The only problems have been:

1) sometimes it doesn't open the capsules correctly, so you have to open and close the bar a couple of times to make it work without wasting a capsule. This happens most with dented capsules.

2) The packaging of the capsules leaves a lot to be desired. Around 20-30% of them arrive with small dents and 5-10% have major ones. I've talked to Nestle and their only solution is to offer to take them back. I'd rather they fix the problem. Especially since one of the things that really attracted me to this system was the fact that the anodized aluminum capsules look so cool, like little jewels, when they are perfect. But when they are dented, it's like your new Ferrari after a fender bender. It may drive the same, but it's embarrassing to let anyone see you with it.

3) Frother's pretty useless because it's difficult to clean, has to be handwashed, takes to long to heat up the milk, and produces very little (just enough for a single). I'd be better to save your money, heat your milk in the microwave and use one of those $5 hand frothers.

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I have had this machine for over a year and I am pleased with the perfect cup of coffee each time. Each of the color cubes are selected for the taste at that moment. Whenever I have people over for dinner, this coffee is served after the meal with rave responses. I have gotten 14 people this year to purchase this machine. Now that I have started drinking this coffee, I have not been able to drink the regular drip coffee.

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I felt a little guilty buying this machine. You have to buy the coffee capsules from Nespresso. I suppose you could empty them out, compost the grounds and recycle the aluminum, but that's way too much work. On the other hand, it makes a great cup of coffee. A couple of Lungos to start the day and a quick short or long shot any time your caffeine load wanes ... just perfect.

The instructions are not entirely clear. I'm not sure if it's French graphic conventions or just my bias toward textual explanations, but I was confused for about five minutes. My confusion was easily cured by loading the thing up and pushing buttons to see what happens.

I think I'll have some coffee.

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Bought this machine when we arrived here, and the machine works perfectly fine. Although other offers are now coming through for 149 $, Amazon's product is slightly priced. The delivery was fast and on time. No complaints about the product.

Farberware Percolators

I've happilly enjoyed Farberware's larger 20-cup electric percolator that is still brewing some wonderful coffee after 10 years. All I had to replace was the electric cord, which petered out after 3 years.

I've had this model for a few months and think that it will also last a long, long time (don't know about the cord, though). This machine looks terrifically retro, is easy to clean and keeps the coffee consistenly hot for hours. After tasting coffee here, you won't go back to your old drip machine.

My advice to you is:

1. Don't overfill the basket with grinds, because it's very easy to make a STRONG cup of coffee with this. We like strong coffee, so this is a good thing.

2. Clean it w/soap & water as soon as you are finished with it to protect the pot. I also clean it out with Dip-It every 6 weeks or so to remove the coffee stains from the inside and make it shiny and new-looking.

3. At most supermarkts you can buy little paper disc filters that sit in the bottom of the jar and keep the smaller grinds from falling into the water. It also filters out alleged carcinogens that are not removed by traditional percolators or coffee presses.

I would actually give this 4.5 stars, because sadly, these newer models are now made in China rather than the Farberware factory in the Bronx.

had one for over ten years, loved it. now they're made in china and i've had to buy 2 in the last year. i'm an aircraft mechanic and the thermostat has failed. it's a 5 dollar part and farberware refuses to sell the part or even identify the part number for it. if the coffemaker is within 18 months of the datecode on the bottom they'll replace it. what a waste of time and effort!! if i had the part i could fix it in ten minutes. farberwares' customer service reps on the phone are the worst. you can get the thermostat for the larger models probably because of the higher cost. if this were an aircraft, there would be an emergency bulletin sent out to replace the part with one that is more reliable. farberware has really dropped the ball on quality and service. if this were one of my products i would be embarrassed to sell it. i would recall the entire lot until it was fixed. if you google fcp412 you'll find dozens of complaints.

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I have purchased 2 of these pots in the last 16 months. The last one in Feb. They both worked great for 6 months or so then the heating units seem to fail. Only got warm tan water this morning! Same thing my last one did after about 8 months! Great pot if you only need one for 6 months. Am on Amazon looking for something that will last a little longer!

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For the coffee traditionalist AND for those who long for the taste and smell of home!

This little perc has been a presence in our family for thirty or forty years. After I left home several decades ago, I evolved into a coffee press/Peet's fanatic myself, but when I brought my parents to live with me, the little Farberware Perc came with them, and I quickly reverted back to that fresh perked taste and smell. The coffee makes up fast and goes fast, so you never have that old perked coffee smell in your house or that syrupy brown gunk to deal with, and these chubby little Farberware droids last forever. Fortunately my folks decided they liked Maxwell House Colombian better than the Master Blend, and we brew several pots of this delicious liquid a day.

Warning: do not compare this coffee experience to your Peet's or Zabar's cafe presse instead think of diners and grandma's house!

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This is a wonderful little perk. I've had it for almost a month and used it every day, sometimes twice a day.

Speed of coffee prep: A+ (doesn't really take longer than a drip machine)

Speed of perking: A+

Temperature and Temperature maintenance: A+

Ease of cleaning: A+

(Day-to-day cleaning: rinses out easily with very little elbow grease, and you should also buy some percolator cleaner you can find it at most grocery stores hidden amongst the dishwasher stuff. You use this stuff about once a week or approx. every 5-10 uses to clean any stains or grounds buildup. I use about a TBS. of powder and one perk cycle, rinse powder residue, and voila, it's perfectly clean cleans the "slots" without scrubbing)

Design: B+

(the manufacturer's label piece on the front started coming off immediately, but since this has absolutely nothing to do with the perk's function, I'm too lazy to return it).

If you have never used a perk before, or have used a different kind, you may need to experiment a bit with how finely or coarsely you grind your beans, and your preferred ratio of water to coffee beans. But when you find that right balance to suit your taste buds, well, you'll never want to go back to a drip coffee maker!

Note #1: This is a 2-4 cup perk. This means 2-4 SMALL cups of coffee. If you're like me, your coffee cup is more like a 12-16 oz. cup. I fill with water to the 3 or 4 cup (max) line, and I only get about 1 1/2 cups of coffee out of this. I think the 4-cup max means 4 6-oz or 8-oz cups of java. So if you want more than 2 decent-sized cups of joe without having to make another pot, I'd suggest buying the larger version of this perk. This size is perfect for a limited coffee drinker, or someone who's single. It's small (and kind of cute).

Note #2: I do wish they'd start making these with an auto shut off option. Some folks don't want an auto shut off, but some of us would. The perk does lower the temperature to a keep-hot setting, but if you leave this baby plugged in all day, you may arrive home to the smell of burnt coffee. Depending on how much coffee is left in it, the coffee will eventually reduce/evaporate even on the keep-hot setting. I made this mistake once, and so I've learned to always unplug the percolator after I pour my cuppa joe.

March 2011 UPDATE

Nearly 4 years later, this little baby still works great. I've washed daily with soap and water and maintained it with Dip-It cleaner every 2 weeks or so, and it's still in great shape and making great coffee.

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Briel ES161ACTB Domus Due, Stainless Steel

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.

This wa my 4th esspresso machine and my second Briel. I loved this machine when I first got it > It made great coffee rich,creamy and even looks good on your counter. Well that being said after 8 months water started dripping from the head unit occasionally until it became impossible to make coffee without water leaking everywhere spoiling any chance of enjoying a cup of espresso.

I would avoid this machine if you dont like headaches.

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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.

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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.

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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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Gaggia 9004 Syncrony Compact Digital SuperAutomatic Espresso

I received this espresso machine for Christmas 2007, and have been extremely pleased with its performance. I've had absolutely no problems....once I learned how to use the machine properly. Note, there are a few websites that offer video tutorials on how to use this machine that are very useful. Note, I use this machine every single day...typically going through 14 shots of espresso (at least) since there are several coffee drinker in our home. We have almost entirely abandoned our previous coffee maker...not because we didn't like it, but because this machine is so wonderful. Here are a few insights:

1. This machine typically makes 12-14 individually ground espresso shots before you will need to empty the hopper. It's pretty easy and no big deal to do this. The grinder works flawlessly, and the hopper typically holds about a 1/2 to 2/3 pound of beans.

2. I have tried to use ground coffee with this machine, which doesn't taste anywhere as good as the beans. When I first got the machine, I tried using some "fine ground" espresso in the little door on top to make a cup of coffee. No espresso would come out the machine....it took a long time to figure out that it was clogging up the filter. I used slightly coarser ground beans with excellent results.

3. There are two buttons for making espresso I refer to them as the regular and large size buttons. You can adjust how much water each button will automatically dispense very easily.

4. The steam attachment on the side of the machine works very well for both steam and dispensing hot water.

5. There is an automatic decalcification light that comes on to let you know to run the appropriate cleanser through the machine. I've figured out this light turns on based upon the number of cycles of espresso that are made versus actual need. No big deal....it's a good reminder light for maintance.

6. The water tank is pretty straight forward and lifts off for filling, although I prefer to lift the top off of it and refilling via a large glass/pitcher.

7. This machine is mostly made of plastic, but it's very solid and well made. The tray beneath the espresso dispenser is made of metal, along with the steamer nozzel.

8. I highly recommend watching one of the instructional videos for this machine. It does require learning very basic steps, which are explained well with the included instructions (they are outright cryptic). This is a very easy machine to use once you understand the controls.

9. If I could add a feature it would be a counter mechanism because some days I lose track of my caffeine intake and I'm simply curious as to how many shots we've really made in total.

I've made at least 2000 espresso shots with this great machine. Overall, myself, my family, and my friends have all enjoyed it...and everyone wants one. I've converted many diehard regular coffee drinkers to more flavorful espresso. You decide....this machine isn't cheap. But some luxuries are wonderful if you can afford it.

This was our first super automatic coffee machine and we loved it. We bought it nearly 3 years ago and it was great until this past summer when we got this strange message on the display panel "close door" but the door was closed. Eventually we sent it back to "Whole Latte Love" where we bought it. We paid for the shipping and cost of repair nearly $300 and the machine seemed to be fine until just now. All of a sudden we are getting the same message plus it's leaking water, steam is coming out of the sides and it stays hot all day (so that I have to unplug it for fear of a fire). Needless to say we are looking for a new machine.

All that being said, it makes a great espresso and steamed milk. The espresso has a very nice crema. We love the bypass doser so if we want decaf we can have that too. It is fussy about the grind used in the doser. It is also much less expensive than the "pod" type espresso machines available today in terms of the per cup price of coffee. It's also saved us big $$ on our Starbucks habit. We used the machine alot. Probably 8 shots (regular or decaf) almost every day along with steamed milk. It's a machine and despite the TLC we gave it, it's time to sadly say goodbye.

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We were delighted when we purchased this machine. It made fantastic espresso and cappuccino, etc., and was so easy to operate. But about a month after the warranty expired, it stopped working. Despite our careful maintenance, an electronic malfunction occurred and the gears continued to operate and torqued the mechanism out of line. The estimate for repair was $375.00. It's unacceptable to spend this kind of money for an appliance and then to face this kind of repair bill within less than two years. And the people at Gaggia were far from sympathetic. My recommendation is to steer clear of this machine.

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We received one as a wedding gift in early 2008 and use it everyday. Whenever it makes less than a perfect cup of coffee, it's because we've taken it for granted and lagged on cleaning it for too long. We absolutely love it! I'm enjoying my second cup of the morning right now. Between my wife and I, we average 5+ cups a day from it. I am here purchasing another one for a wedding gift for our kids and wanted to share our 100% positive experience with this well made machine.

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I bought this machine more than three years ago. I absolutely love it. It was my first, and only, espresso machine. I did weeks of research and obsessed about which brand and model to buy. I finally settled on the Syncrony Compact because it was small, had a by-pass doser, was a well-respected brand, and was in the cheaper price range for a super auto. It took a couple of days to get used to exactly how to use it, but I knew there would be a learning curve. I have had absolutely no problems with this machine. It makes great espresso every day for me and my husband. I love using it for guests as everyone is impressed at what I can make in my own kitchen. As long as you remember to descale every so often, it'll put out one great shot after another. I highly recommend this machine!