IMUSA B120-43V Aluminum Espresso Stovetop Coffeemaker 6-cup, Silver

The instructions do not tell you exactly when the coffee is done and when to turn off the heat. The plastic parts melted the first time I used it. I am a do-it-yourself type, so I bought a metal knob and some flat aluminum to fashion a new handle. Now it is better than new. It makes great espresso, but the instructions are little help. What the instructions should say is when the top fills with espresso and steam stops coming out of the spout, it's time to turn off the heat. It was well worth the discount price I paid. However, in hindsight, I would not buy one with plastic parts.

Imusa Espresso Coffeemaker, 6 cup

My sister-in-law lives in Austria and is always talking about how weak American coffee tastes to her. I tend to prefer a European-style coffee myself, so did some checking to find out what kind of coffeemaker is most commonly used there. This style seemed to be the one that came up most often.

I ordered this coffeemaker wondering how I'd feel about aluminum once I got it. I had my doubts but went ahead based on the strength of the reviews.

The first 3 pots weren't horrible, but I was glad I'd been warned (through the reviews) that the first few pots wouldn't taste the greatest. Pot #4, and following, have been delicious!

My favorite way to drink this type of espresso is Americano-style. It makes a very robust, yet smooth, cup of coffee this way. I'm able to pour the contents of the coffeemaker into a thermal carafe, add hot water to fill and serve full-flavored coffee to my husband and myself.

Sometimes I do choose to make cappuccino or a macchiato with the full-strength coffee I get from this pot. While it doesn't taste quite as "nutty" as the espresso I used to make with my electric espresso machine, it's still a good cup.

For BEST results, I would recommend that one use a good, dark, espresso-roast coffee, but I've also gotten good results with well-roasted flavored coffees if I'm making Americano-style. The flavored coffees come out with more of the flavor noticeable than when I use other methods of brewing them.

A drawback, which is true of all "mochi-style" coffeemakers is that you can't vary the amount of coffee you make... unless you have more than one of these coffeemakers in different sizes. Thanks to other reviews here at Amazon, I knew that going in so I haven't been disappointed.

I have no problem recommending this coffeemaker to anyone who simply wants a good every-day way to make full-flavored coffee with little or no bitterness. If you're looking for espresso that tastes exactly like what you get in a coffee-bar, you may be disappointed. It's good espresso, but it doesn't taste exactly like what you get from a machine. Again, I already knew that from the reviews so I wasn't disappointed.

Buy IMUSA B120-43V Aluminum Espresso Stovetop Coffeemaker 6-cup, Silver Now

I received this item as a gift and I am extremely pleased with it. Some other reviewers complained of poor instructions or melted handles. Perhaps the manufacturer has made some changes as my espresso maker did come with instructions that made it very simple to use. They specifically state that one should keep the handle positioned so that it is not directly over the burner. I have had many, many cups of espresso in the last week without any problems. The size is perfect for two people to enjoy some delicious espresso and cleaning is so easy. I think this product is fantastic for the price, especially if you are mindful of the plastic handle and keep it away from the direct flame.

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i received my espresso maker yesterday and right out of the box it had large cracks in the aluminum on the inside tube on the top half. i guess the quality control is non existing. sending it back today...not gonna order another.

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Ordered this item twice. First time, it arrived with the handle broken off. Second time, it melted after about 2 minutes on the stove. Definitely not satisfactory, even considering the very low price.

Jura-Capresso 13936 Impressa S9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center

A couple of previous reviews complained about blockages that quickly developed in their machines. I had the same problem after less than a month of use, where the brewed coffee would drip out very slowly, threatening to cease altogether. I told my wife she should return the machine, but she called Jura's customer service number, which is printed on the cover of the instruction booklet. The representative gave her a fix which is not mentioned in the troubleshooting section of the manual. It's difficult to describe, but it involves removing the grounds tray, poking a finger up through the chute and finding damp grounds that are stuck by a screen there. They can be wiped away with a paper towel and that should clear up the problem.

Otherwise, I recommend reading fhimas88888888's review for realistic advice, especially about the lifespan of a machine. This is my second super-automatic espresso machine, as a Saeco awaits repairs before becoming an office machine for my wife. They make very good coffee and espresso with relative ease and convenience. They're also great conversation pieces, although by now I find it tedious to demonstrate the machine for awed guests. If you love espresso, lattes, etc., the price of a super-automatic machine is worth it, although you can find one for less than half the cost of this Jura. I give the machine four stars because I wouldn't want to live without it, but I'm withholding a fifth star because I suspect competing machines are virtually as good.

This machine boasts A LOT of features! It has a dual boiler system that allows you to go back and forth from brewing to steaming without a wait time (although you can't do them at the same time). It has a bypass doser which allows you to add preground coffee. It has a rinse cycle that comes on when you turn the machine on. You can also program the machine to certain amounts of water to go through the coffee when you press a certain button. You can also have it turn on at a certain time and turn off at a certain time. There is a stylish blue backlight that looks wonderful on the machine. The machine also has a wonderful milk steamer that with the automatic frother and with the steamer itself allows wonderful steaming with ease.

Now my complaints. The steamer cannot get the milk anywhere as hot as my Expobar Office Control (semi automatic) or my old Rancilio Silvia (semi automatic). Also the froth quality is very bad with the automatic air injectors. This machine can only get the milk up to around 160, and after that the foam quality decreases.

The machine is HUGE! Before you even think about buying the machine (and if you do buy this machine, buy it online without tax) go to a place like William Sonoma and see the machine. Also it is helpful to try the coffee that is produced by the machine. The machine looks much different up close then in the Capresso glorified pictures.

The espresso quality is uncomparable to espresso from a semi automatic. I have an Expobar Office Control that was bout 800 dollars. This machine is very similar to the ones that you see at your cafe, with the programmed buttons but with a portafilter where one must grind and tamp the coffee themselves. This machine I get much superior crema, aroma, and espresso quality. When I went to try the coffee at Williams Sonoma from the S9, it was uncomparable.

Finally, the price. This machine is way overpriced for what you are getting. Although it does have some nice features, all of them can be seen on the S7, which is exactly the same machine, just is black and doesn't come with the automatic frother, which can be purchased for about 80 bucks.

In conclusion.... This is a great machine and can produce a good cup, not a great cup, but a good cup. Spending the big bucks doesn't guarentee better coffee. Any super automatics in the 500 and up price range will produce the same quality coffee, just some will have more features. If you are looking for a good machine, the Gaggia Syncrony Compact can basically do everything that this does minus a few things (and is MUCH smaller) and goes for about 1500 less. Remember, all super automatics can only last about 5-7 years depending on their usage and care, so remember that before buying. This machine will not last anywhere near a lifetime. Don't get me wrong, this is a great machine, but there are many others out there that can give you the same convenience, reliability, and a price tag much smaller, that will still give you the same quality cup of espresso.

Buy Jura-Capresso 13936 Impressa S9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center Now

I purchased this machine's predecessor, the Jura S90, about 4 years ago. Since no one's owned an S9 for that long, it's hard to say for certain what the maintenance costs for the S9 will be, but I thought those considering buying it might appreciate knowing that it will likely require a certain amount of annual or biennial maintenance.

The S90 has one part that needs replacing after approximately every 2000 shots, which in my house means about once every 18 months. There are also seals and similar parts that again will need service periodically. This machine appears to be mechanically very similar to the S90, so it will likely have similar maintenance characteristics.

Over the last 4 years, I've had the machine serviced twice by Jura, and once by a local repairman. The cost of repairs was around two hundred dollars including parts each time... My front panel switches are also starting to misbehave, though, so the next repair may be more expensive.

This machine costs enough (and is good enough) to be worth repairing, but if you're expecting a machine to last the ages without any repairs, you'll likely be disappointed.

I can't really fault the machine for needing periodic maintenance, though. You could get a commercial machine with heavy-duty parts for 2-3 times the price, and that would need periodic maintenance, too (though the parts would last longer). Just be aware that by buying a high end machine, you've moved out of the "disposable" machine range and into the "pay to fix it" range. "Never needs fixing" doesn't exist.

As to the quality of the coffee, I've tried this one, and the quality is the best I've tasted from a super-automatic.

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We're among three people we know who own these now, plus our local cooking supply store; their praise for this machine is universal. The quality of coffee it makes far exceeds any other method or machine I've ever used. Why?

Inspecting the grounds that I have to empty about twice a week gave me an extraordinary insight; the grounds have virtually no smell at all! The machine apparently extracts every bit of flavor and aroma from the bean and leaves grounds that might as well be vaguely damp, black sawdust. If it's in the beans, in other words, it ends up in your cup, and you get the complete experience promised by your favorite bean and roast.

Every cup (and we make mostly "standard" cups of coffee) is graced with a crema that makes the first two or three sips a true guilty pleasure. Every cup is perfectly fresh, and since you make each cup one at a time there's never leftover coffee thickening at the bottom of the drip coffeemaker. Every coffee bean that passes through the S9 shows its individual character in ways that drip and percolators could never let you experience. The steam wand uses a venturi effect to draw up cold milk and mix it with raw steam to make good, hot foam and steamed milk it's a strong feature that works very well.

Sure, if you don't use the included water filters the machine will nag you after every 200 cups to run an automatic cleaning cycle. But the machine cleans itself, for crying out loud, taking all of about 15 minutes every month or two. And every 2000 cups, as I recall, it asks for a deeper cleaning to remove any lime or calcium buildup down deep inside also essentially automatic.

The downsides are few but must be noted in fairness. It's very loud and the sounds are somewhat harsh; surprising at first. It's big. It costs a lot of money. Worst of all, once you start drinking this stuff it's impossible to completely enjoy coffee at a restaurant or local coffee bar. The restaurant probably makes drip, and the coffee bar using a big espresso machine rarely uses the high quality of beans that you'd use at home. Buyer beware: you'll get spoiled.

And I'm ready to buy a second one for my office.

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At first, we were very pleased with the machine. It makes very flavorful coffee and is easy to use. After less than one year, it developed a blockage so we had to return it for repair. This first repair was under the warranty period so we weren't terribly disappointed. Now, one year later, it has developed the exact same blockage and the minimum cost to repair it is $150. When trying to reason with the Capresso service rep. saying that it has developed the same blockage, the reply was, "sorry mam, it will be $150."

We originally bought the machine when it was $2400 and expect better performance than this. It appears that the cost is the upfront investment plus $150 per year to keep it working. We will not be buying any Capresso products in the future!

Cona Replacement Bowl (Bottom) Size 'D'

Perfect replacement. Quality glassware. Super fast shipping. Cona is the best way to brew coffee. You get all the flavors and oils without any paper or metal contact.

Ascaso SUBBVBR Special Edition Steel Uno Espresso Machi With Frothing Aid Attachment

Edit: the machine shown is a newer and improved version of the one I reviewed, therefore my comments about temperatures probably no longer apply.

I've had this machine for a few weeks now. The Ascaso uno SE has the looks and the feel of a high quality, more expensive machine and I think it offers very good value for the money. However to brew great coffee with it is a fussy proposition for a couple of reasons:

A the temperature needs looking after or the espresso will be cold. The first cup in the morning is a throw away I just run it once without coffee and even then I always heat it a little more ( a few seconds) manually before every cup.

and

B Although it's supposed to have a pressurized portafilter it still requires the finest grind almost Turkish and heavy tamping or the water runs right through it. Forgiving it's not.

I'm ordering a non pressurized portafilter and also high quality grinder to go with it. I'm happy with it because I like the ritual tinkering and the result is worth it ... but that's just me. I'd definitely recommend it to some friends but not to people who'd prefer a semi-automatic machine.

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KRUPS XP1020 Steam Espresso Machine with 4-Cup Glass Carafe, Black

Do not understand why this item has so many bad reviews. It is not a bad machine!

My last expresso machine was also a Krups steam powered. Lasted for 13 years until it fell apart last week (the prssure valve inside broke). For my replacement machine, I was looking at fully automatic ones (Magnifica, $900), pump based (like cuisineart em-200, $200), and steam powered (like this item, $50). After reading all the review and knowing how pump based machine works, I decided not to go for them. The main reasons are they require a lot of maintenance and they can break down easily. I just do not want high pressure stuff in my house. If it breaks down, it may take a month or two to fix it. After warranty is over, it is more expensive to fix than buying a new one. I basically want a reliable espresso machine which can last 10 years with very little mainenance.

I typically makes a few shots in the morning as soon as I get up. I just do not see how pump based or full automatic machine can save me time. They require preheat which can take 1-5 minutes. For steam based ones, I just load up the coffee and water and wait. Both would give me pretty good espresso after 5-7 minutes.

As far as flavor goes, I do not really feel any difference between my cheap machine and starbucks/peet's coffee, given using the same coffee. I think good espresso got more to do with type of coffee then the machine. Started drinking espresso drinks heavily in college in 80s, I think I am pretty picky on coffee.

I saw a local store carries this item at $49. I decided to give it a try since they have pretty liberal return policy. It turns out to be a pretty good machine, better than my old Krups and with high pressure.

The good:

(1) Pretty good looking among entry machines, although the price is $10 more than ugly ones.

(2) Makes good espresso drinks quickly

The not so good:

(1) The knob takes time to get used to. The knob has three seetings: off, steam and espresso. It is pretty easy for people to turn on steam when they want espresso, a potentially dangerous situation. Krups should have separate power button instead.

(2) The power cord is kind of short, 6 inch shorter than my old one.

(3) It is pretty hard to heat up the milk straight from the frig. You more likely to have a bunch of cold foams. The better way is to heat up the mil in microwave and then use the steam to make foam.

Overall, I recommend it as an entry machine.

I've had one of these machines for several years and I just ordered another one for our vacation home. The beverage it produces is just as good as any. I use decent beans (Starbucks or comparable) and normal espressso grind. I rarely drink latte or cap, since I prefer full coffee flavor, but on the occasions I have, this machine has done a fine job. I agree with another reviewer that the plastic tube on the steam outlet isn't really necessary.

____________________

UPDATE:

I've had a chance to use the new machine a few times. Observations:

--At least one user reported odd chemical or plastic odor when using. I have not observed this.

--Someone expressed dissatisfaction with the need to steam the milk before making the coffee. This is NOT necessary. The instructions do recommend steaming the milk first, but this is only to avoid the frustration of using almost all the water/steam pressure when making the coffee, only to find that there isn't enough left to steam the milk adequately. The milk steaming process uses only a fraction of the amount of water used to make an espresso, so under normal circumstances there should be enough left if you do the coffee first. Because of back pressure caused by compression of the coffee during the espresso process, after the coffee stops dripping out there is still quite a bit of steam left in the machine.

--Someone complained that there is no tamper. This isn't a commercial machine, and it can't handle enough pressure to make espresso with a fine grind if it's packed very tightly. The instructions recommend NOT packing the coffee tightly. So the lack of a tamper is not a problem. You can use a small spoon to pack the coffee GENTLY.

--The container for the coffee is a very tight fit when you thread it into the machine, and it takes a lot of pressure/force to get the handle turned all the way to the front to the locked position. My previous machine was like this, too; it loosens up to normal very quickly with use. (If you were a fan of "Are You Being Served, this may remind you of the oft-repeated line, "Don't worry, they'll ride up with wear.")

--TIP: You can save some cleaning time by folding up a paper towel (in fourths)and putting it under the metal grate that goes beneath the coffee cup and catches drips. Every day or so, take out the paper towel and put in a new one. The paper will absorb drips and spills and changing it is easier than sopping up coffee that has dripped and pooled in the recessed area beneath the metal grate

________________________________________

To those who complain about the lack of a steaming container: use the carafe. They don't advertise a special steaming container, so why expect one?

TIP: even if you use filtered water, the water will have dissolved minerals which create scale inside the machine. This may be the cause of slow brewing, excessive steam escaping, etc. Scale can cause this. To remove scale: pour a 50% solution (1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar) of distilled white vinegar into the machine. Screw the cap back on. Put the clean, empty metal coffee filter on, and put the carafe under the spout in the usual way. Turn on the machine. In effect, you're making a carafe of espresso without the coffee. Let the machine run until no more hot solution comes out. You will smell a strong vinegar smell. Pour out the carafe, rinse, and refill the machine with clean water. Run the water through the machine, just as you did with the vingar solution. This will clean any residual vinegar out. The whole process takes 5 min or less, and you will be amazed at how much quicker you can make your espresso.

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UPDATE #2

I have used the unit for over a month--about 4 times per day (OK, I'm hooked). Still working great, very quick, good results.

Buy KRUPS XP1020 Steam Espresso Machine with 4-Cup Glass Carafe, Black Now

Granted, I worked at a starbucks for a little while after high school so I kind of knew the work that it could take to steam a pitcher of milk and pull a shot of espresso.

For the price, I think this is a great starter if you're strapped for cash or want to dabble with espresso & latte preparation. I've had mine for 2 years now. It's the first one I ever bought. I've had to replace the coffee grind holder/handle once (for about $13), but other than that, i've had no problems. read the directions, they are great. they inform you that pressure builds within the machine and if you do not properly release the pressure upon completion, then yes, it will explode the grinds all over you. duh.

it's pretty easy to clean and maintain. I bought a brush to clean the steaming wand.

It does not come with a frothing pitcher or a beverage thermometer (which i recommend) but they are both pretty inxpensive. I ordered one of each when i ordered my machine.

regarding timing, i put the water in my machine and it begins steaming within 1 minute-1 1/2 minute TOPS. Then when i'm done steaming my milk, i switch it right to the coffee setting and it dispenses my coffee instantly. thats good enough for me!

Hope this review is helpful. i've recommended this to many friends and I think its fantastic for the money.

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I've made great cappuccino for many years using a similar machine. Better than store-bought. I thought the bad-mouthing reviewers simply didn't know what they were doing. Well, I filled my 1020 with the correct amount of water and used a reliably good espresso grind, turned on the machine and waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually, a pathetic dribble of coffee came down. At the appropriate time, I turned the knob to froth the milk. I burned my finger on the jet of steam issuing from the knob-hole on the side of the unit. A weak fizzle came out of the frothing nozzle which never increased in volume. I gave up here and went back to making the coffee there was no more water to make steam. It had disappeared somewhere inside the machine and onto my countertop. This was such a complete failure that it was almost funny. Fortunately, I bought it locally, and can return it. I left little notes here and there in the packaging saying that this machine is a dud, and could burn you.

I feel that Krups should recall these machines forthwith. They are a complete waste of money for the consumer, and a black eye for the maker.

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I just got one of these for Christmas to replace a similar unit I used for years. The first time I tried it, it spewed water and coffee grounds all over. It practically blew up! I reduced the amount of coffee (a good Italian espresso, pre-ground fine), and the same thing happened. According to the trouble-shooting guide, the grind was too fine. I tried a coarse grind with no blowups, but the coffee was wimpy. Apparently, this espresso machine wasn't meant to make espresso coffee. This never happened with my previous unit. Pass this one up. It is simply a piece of junk.