Liberta Espresso Coffee Maker Size: 3 cup

I love this little machine. It works just as it should and the espresso tastes great. I have not had any negative experiences using this machine.

if you love an excellent cup of coffee but don't want to use the "standard" aluminum moka pot for whatever reason THIS is the pot for you.

PERFECT in every way this little 3 cup pot works beautifully on my electric stove top (about 5 minutes on medium heat). Clean up is simple and no worries about aluminum leaching into my already addled brain (!)

GREAT pot at a very reasonable price made in China but EXCELLENT quality all the way round (including the handle which is also stainless not plastic that may degrade over exposure to heat).

Enjoy your perfect cup of coffee from this Liberta 3 cup espresso pot

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Keurig B31BLACK K-Cup Single Cup Coffee & Tea Brewing System, Black

We love this brewer. The best benefit is a fresh, just-brewed cup of coffee every time. The k-cups are more expensive than buying bulk coffee but we were throwing away partially brewed pots of coffee every day with our old brewer. Plus, the savings in time not having to clean the carafe and dump the filter of grounds and then cleaning that is well worth it. Also, you can purchase a reusable filter for it if you want to continue to use non-kcup coffee. Believe me, it is still WAY less expensive than what you pay in the popular coffee houses and the coffee is just as good, or better.

It won't accommodate a tall cup but it is simple to brew into a glass measuring cup and then pour that into your tall cup or travel mug.

Helpful tip: We did have a clogging problem at first. The manual doesn't tell you that there is a "top needle" that can get clogged. Just remove the gasket and take a straightened paper clip to unclog it. If you use your own coffee, use a coarser grind to avoid that problem. HOWEVER, we were leaving the k-cup closed up in there and the grounds were getting cold and stayed stuck in the needle. We found that if you remove the k-cup right after brewing, it doesn't get clogged EVER. Have not had it happen since we discovered that. By the way, Keurig's customer/technical service is absolutely top notch! They stand behind their product and more than make up for any inconvenience you may have experienced.

For those of you who are confused about the amount of water to pour in, we just take the cup we are brewing it in, fill it with water and pour it in. We never worry about seeing where the water level is.

A trend I have noticed in many of the negative reviews of the smaller Keurig brewers (both here and elsewhere on the internet) is that I think people are unfairly rating down the product due to issues that aren't really the brewer's fault. Note: I'm not saying that Keurig machines are some sort of holy, blameless things that never fail...I'm sure people have had problems with them, but it seems some people are being very unreasonable in spreading bad word of mouth about them. A few things:

1. People having overflow problems This seems really weird to me. The fill-level indicators are pretty darn accurate in my experience, but I get the feeling some people are just FILLING the reservoir with water completely. (which you're not supposed to do) and then taking off, leaving the machine to do it's thing and then winding up with a mess. Important note: the reservoir holds probably around 15-16 oz of water, but the machine is not made to properly brew more than 10oz at a time. I think they stress this in the manual for a reason. Fill your mug with water first, and use that as the measurement. Pretty simple.

2. The coffee not being strong enough Given the fact that there's something like 180 types of coffee for the machine, this seems like a really vague comment. I mean...are you brewing dark roast or extra bold k-cups? When I've tried those, I definitely get a damn strong cup of coffee. Are you brewing breakfast roasts? Then, yeah, it's going to be pretty light. If you are making dark coffee and it's coming out weak, then yes, there may be a problem with the brewer, but I'm guessing people are putting in blends that aren't stronger cups and expecting the kind of paint-stripper coffee they're used to making by hand. If the bolds really aren't doing it for you, may I recommend brewing an 8oz cup, then brewing a second 8oz cup with the same k-cup and combining them. Alternately, get the reusable k-cups and put stronger coffee in at a higher fill rate (say 3 tbps).

3. The coffee is not hot enough Again, this seems vague and personal preference-ish, yet people are rating down the machine because the near boiling temperature the coffee dispenses at apparently isn't insanely hot enough for them. Yes, in some circumstances, the heater may not be working, but I know people who like coffee hotter than the sun for some reason. Here's the thing: maybe you DO like scalding hot coffee. But just-at-boiling/just-under-boiling temp is generally considered the proper brewing temperature for coffee, at any roast. Also, using cold water will generally get you a crappy cup of coffee, in ANY machine. Chilled water generally wreaks havoc with the thermostats in coffee makers and in some instances the machines will simply heat to compensate for the temperature, but not actually boil the water. Use normal tap water for better performance (purified, preferably).

4. There are dry grounds in the k-cup or reusable k-cup This is something that people need to be very sure about. When coffee grounds are brewed at very high temperatures at high pressure, the grounds do NOT end up looking the same as the grounds do when you use a drip process (which results in a kind of brown sludge). If the grounds are being brewed right, they tend to bunch up and almost crystallize, with the high-heat, steam, and pressure almost "drying" them out for lack of a better way to put it. The grounds almost go through a kind of "spin cycle" like laundry does in a machine. So, the leftover grounds will NOT look like the wet, brown mess you get in drip filters. Are you SURE the grounds are dry and not being brewed or are they simply looking like the way high heat/pressure used up grounds tend to look? Does the coffee seem definitely weak and not brewing right?

About every 10-12 cups of coffee I suggest making sure the bottom k-cup assembly is clean and the needle is clear, then also clean the upper assembly and needle. Run the brewer every now and then with water, but no k-cup, which should help clean the top part. You shouldn't have to descale except maybe once every 5-6 months, and if you're using filtered water even then it shouldn't even be much of an issue.

I'm not saying Keurig brewers are perfect..I know some people have legitimately had bad experiences with them (and many have pointed out that the quality of water pumps they use are not exactly top of the line), but I think it's unfair to 1-star the product when many of the issues are not quite what they seem.

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I recently purchased both the Keurig B31 and Bosch Tassimo T45 personal brewers. My initial search was for a personal brewer for my office since the coffee provided at work is terrible. This review is written from the angle that I needed a brewer for my office cubicle, however I will add some insight for those looking to purchase for home use. My 3 main factors were 1)Convenience/Ease of Use 2)Price & 3)Coffee Quality. I opted with the Keurig for work and the Tassimo for home.

CONVENIENCE/EASE OF USE:

The Keurig wins for this factor since it is MUCH quieter than the Tassimo. As stated before, I sit in a cubicle at work so I didn't need a loud machine to disrupt my co-workers. We have `white noise' in our office and you can hardly hear the B31 as it brews. The Tassimo at home is louder and would definitely disrupt my co-workers sitting next to me. However, it is not so loud that it would wake someone up who is sleeping in the house. There are some good videos on YouTube of sound tests of the B31 and T45. I found the videos made the B31 sound louder than it actually is, while the Tassimo's are pretty accurate.

The Keurig brews a little faster than the Tassimo which gives it a little edge as well, but both are right around 2 minutes.

PRICE:

Since the coffee at work is free, price was a big factor for me as well. I didn't need something that was going to greatly increase my weekly spending. The Keurig B31 ($99.99) is cheaper than the Tassimo ($169.99). However, Bosch currently has a $50 rebate on the T45. Couple that with a 20% of BBB coupon and you have greatly reduced the price of the Tassimo machine.

The k-cups are also cheaper than the t-discs. I found the k-cups to be around $0.50/cup. The t-discs will run you $0.60 $0.80 for regular coffee and $1.25 for the cappuccinos and lattes. Depending on how much coffee you drink, this could get expensive.

Since I use the Keurig every day at work and the Tassimo only on the weekend, this made it the better choice for my desk.

COFFEE QUALITY:

The Tassimo wins this hands down. I found the Tassimo coffee (specifically Seattle's Best and Gevalia) to be much better than the k-cups. The flavors out of the Tassimo seem richer and fuller and the aroma that comes from the machine when brewing is much stronger. The k-cups do produce a good cup of coffee, but I found the t-discs better. I have been able to get close to the flavor of the t-discs by trying different brands of k-cups, but haven't found one that matched it in flavor exactly.

Conclusion:

I found the Keurig B31 to be the best option for my cubicle at work based on convenience and price. I would recommend the Tassimo for those who are using it at home. Or you could purchase both and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Read Best Reviews of Keurig B31BLACK K-Cup Single Cup Coffee & Tea Brewing System, Black Here

Like many on here I could have written a glowing review on this mini and heck I may have but can't remember. You add water with each cup being careful not to overfill it, you buy pricey pods no secret there, it makes a great, hot cup of coffee, etc, all of the things it is SUPPOSED to do. I learned all of the little tricks, tips, paper clip cleaning of the needle and so on and so forth BUT how much time do you really want to spend cleaning the machine and unclogging the needle? I've been on the phone with Keurig when it didn't brew and their service department is excellent (shouldn't you always develop a relationship with CS within what 2-3 months of ownership?). I know this little machine inside and out. Like I said it makes great coffee but only when it feels like it! I swear this thing has a mind of its own. It randomly leaves water inside the heating element quick fix by turning off the machine, holding down the on button and pumping the water out. It randomly explodes the pods at the seams sending coffee grounds all through the pod housing this trick is usually discovered once my coffee appears with a multitude of floating grounds no biggee you just pull out your handy dandy fine sieve and filter it into another cup. Don't we all want to mess with that in the morning? This morning prior to the explosion it just didn't work at all...turned it off, pulled the handle, etc. and finally it was ready. I'M DONE. Sorry Mini I wanted to love you but you will be going back from where you came before I'm no longer under the return window. You'd looked cute sitting there on my counter top and 75% of the time you were great but the other 25% with your finicky self has just ruined this relationship.

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I wish I would have read the reviews before buying the Mini! Mine died after to months of average use. Currently it makes about 1/4 cup or less. After reading what others have gone through I am not going to bother fighting with it or costumer support but because I love the product and convenience I am sizing up to a model that has better reviews and is more long lasting. I am giving this company a second chance only once. Don't bother getting this model because in a few months you will need a new one.

Breville BKC700XL Gourmet Single-Serve Coffeemaker with Iced-Beverage Function

I've owned a Keurig Platinum B70 since January 2007 and have liked it a lot since getting it. K-cups are very convenient and aren't overly expensive when purchased from Amazon. My primary complaint about it is the pump noise and vibration. Keurig updated the design and greatly reduced the noise and vibration in their latest model of the Platinum and in this Breville model, and I wanted to find out just how much of an improvement there was. In my opinion, the improvement is huge. It is much, much quieter. I also liked the addition of the smaller cup size of four ounces, as well as the option to use a built-in water filter. Functionally, the Keurig Platinum and Breville BKC700XL are identical. The Breville adds a couple of nice convenience features (such as a supplied My K-Cup with a storage bin), and the cosmetics are clearly different. After using both, the cosmetics are a wash for me (some pluses for one model, and some pluses for the other), so it comes down to the difference in price. Right now, the Breville costs over $90 more than the Platinum. I don't think it's worth it, but it certainly might be for anyone that prefers the looks of the Breville. Either way, the coffee is good and easy to make!

This is a replacement for a Keurig B-60 which we certainly enjoyed and was a very good machine. One of the reasons we chose the Breville is that our kitchen wall cabinets are 17" over the counter-tops. Could not leave the Keurig under the cabinets while making coffee, as the top would not open far enough to insert a K-Cup; not a problem with Breville, as the height of this unit is less. I know that's not an issue for most people but it was just a pain.

Anyone who owns a Keuring knows the noise they make, they sound like a B-52 coming in for a landing, surprisingly the Breville is quiet, really quiet! Now the dog can sleep through my morning coffee making ritual. This comes with a nice hidden storage space on top where the included reusable K-Cup and measuring scoop are stored, nice feature, if like me, you always misplace goodies like this.

The unit is obviously stainless steel, it is attractive in the kitchen---coffee makers are normally one of those things we leave on the counter all of the time. It dispenses four different cup sizes plus has an iced beverage setting, which I'll look forward to using this Summer. I would think that all K-Cup makers, make an equally good cup of coffee as they all work basically the same, could not make that an advantage for this maker. There is attention to detail, like the indicator on the cup platform to let you know if it needs to be emptied, the storage compartment, lighted water container etc.

Programming is intuitive. Setting the time for it to turn on and off, water temp., cup size and current time is a cake-walk. All controls are illuminated and easy to use. For some the price of this unit may be an issue, but when you consider it an appliance that gets used a lot and is left on the counter, the quality over other brands, the value is there! (Just made of cup of coffee while writing this, still blows me away just how quiet the Breville is).

I always get up in the morning several hours before my wife. I would make a pot of coffee, have several cups, it would then set there until she got up. Needless to say, what she got was not the greatest. Someone was talking about these K-Cup makers, I thought that would at least let her get a fresh cup when she got up.....so I bought one. Perfect! She became a happy camper first thing in the morning and we didn't have to dump coffee when I made too much----how sweet it is. Having a selection of different blends of coffee is nice too, everyone likes something different. The Keuring was used and used until we needed a replacement, certainly got my moneys worth. Went with this, and can say that there is value for the extra cost and we are more than pleased with the performance of the Breville. Once in a while I'll put a scoop of Folger's in the reusable K-Cup, and it is great tasting too, put a tea bag in and have a cup of tea.

I think you would be more than pleased with this coffee maker if you are looking for quality, ease of use, versatility and great looks. Every review should have something negative---well, here it is: The plug is three inches long, it has this do-nut hole to put your finger in to make it easy to remove from the wall plug, great idea, but it just makes it impossible to put the coffee maker close to the wall when the plug is behind it. A thoughtful idea and probably not a problem for anyone else----just happens, our maker sits in front of the plug. Pathetic I know, but, I just had to get it out!

If you do make this purchase I really hope that you are as pleased as we are and get equal enjoyment from using it.

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Maybe it's an "I spent most of the 90's in coffee shops" thing, but finding an acceptable cup of coffee is not the easiest task in the world for me. And if I'm not going somewhere for coffee, that means firing up my Cuisinart burr mill (potentially waking up my family with the noise... possibly neighbors and nearby dogs, too) and waiting for my Cuisinart coffee maker to take a small eternity to brew a couple cups.

That's fine, if I don't have anything to do. But I'm not a morning guy, and I don't get up any earlier than I need to. Adding 15 minutes for coffee isn't in the cards, and neither is stopping at a gas station or fast food restaurant for their dirt water.

A few years back, I picked up a Senseo Single-Serve Gourmet Coffee Machine, hoping to achieve fast, quiet, and good coffee. Sadly, the Senseo failed. It was noisy, the used pods were messy, and despite trying almost every flavor, the coffee had a strange instant taste to it.

So, I had an opportunity to get the Breville BKC700XL, and I crossed my fingers. It couldn't possibly be worse than the Senseo, and K-Cups seemed to be easier to find than Tassimo discs. The selection of K-Cups really impressed me, especially seeing a wide selection from Caribou Coffee. Fortunately, I ordered some different K-Cups ahead of time, as my Breville did not come with the 18 cup sampler advertised. (Note: This may be because the BKC700XL I received is for evaluation purposes)

As soon as I got it out of the box, I was really blown away by how nice it looks. I think the Keurig Elite B70 looks really cool in the "I am a gigantic nerd who loves unnecessary blue LED's" sense of the term, but this has a distinct semi-retro look to it (with unnecessary white LED's and backlighting, which are much more understated -and different than the item's pictured blue tank light and blue LCD). Personally, I think the Breville is less likely to look dated after it's been on your counter for a couple of years.

I was also surprised by how heavy this unit is. The exterior is almost all stainless steel, and the unit itself seems to be near bomb-proof. You can definitely tell that you're getting quality for the extra money you'd spend.

Setting it up was painless. Breville is nice enough to give you a quick-start guide that gets you up and running in about 10 minutes. If you don't use the included water filter (which appears to be the same replacement part that Cuisinart uses), maybe 5 minutes. And while you're running your first-time primer brew, there's enough time to read the full manual. But here's what absolutely floored me: This thing is SO QUIET! Quieter than a regular coffee maker, to my ears. Seriously, I can't express how surprisingly quiet this is. If you're more than a couple of feet away from it, you'd hardly know it was on when it heats up the water. Once it gets going, all you really hear is your coffee dripping in to your cup.

Aaah... coffee in your cup. The moment of truth. I have to say, this thing makes some fine coffee... and QUICK! I used the Large / 9.25 oz. setting, and had my coffee in under a minute. But, in fairness, it wasn't all that great. If you stray from the standard Medium / 7.25 oz. setting, medium roast coffee tastes pretty watered-down, and flavored coffee tastes almost like tea. On the other hand, if you go for two K-Cups in a 12 ounce mug using the Small / 5.25 oz. setting, you're absolutely golden. Of course, if this is the route you plan to take, you'll want to stock up on K-Cups if you aren't using your own coffee.

The built-in timer is also a very welcome addition. You can set a "window" for auto-on and auto-off, as well as an optional separate automatic shutoff after two hours. With these turned on, you really can have a full cup of excellent coffee in your travel mug in under two minutes, and not have to worry about ruining the machine and wasting power.

The Breville BKC700XL is probably the first countertop appliance I've actually been excited about. If the price doesn't have you calculating how many Hamilton Beach Brewstations you could buy instead, buy this right now.

***November 2011 Update***

I was actually referencing this brewer in another review, and noticed all of the negative reviews about quality, so I thought I'd offer an update.

Having owned this for just over two years now, I can say that I haven't had a breakdown or leak, with the exception of the dismal MyCup system that's included. (If that's interesting to you, please buy a ekobrew Cup, Refillable K-Cup For Keurig K-Cup Brewers, Brown, 1-Count, which works brilliantly with this brewer!)

What I have noticed though, is that the brewer is very, very, VERY sensitive to hard water. The public water system where I live comes from a community well, and while totally safe, the water quality is not very good in terms of hardness and taste. So, we use a 5-gallon water cooler (like in an office) for drinking water.

Not too long ago, I noticed the brewer was getting progressively louder, finally making a loud "clunk" one day, and it seemed like it was ready to hop across the counter. Before I could start shopping for a new one, I noticed that my wife was filling the reservoir with water from the refrigerator -thinking that the built-in water filter would be adequate. I realized that the brewer probably had some scale build-up from the tap, ran some vinegar through it several times, and it was good-as-new. So, now everyone refills the reservoir from the water cooler, and there have been no other problems to date.

Read Best Reviews of Breville BKC700XL Gourmet Single-Serve Coffeemaker with Iced-Beverage Function Here

As have been noted by numerous reviewers, this coffee machine is extremely unreliable. After a week of working well, it stopped working. No water or very little water was dispensed. There is no clog to speak of. When the machine malfunctions, one cannot access the menu. The machine would turn itself off inexplicably. A few days later it would work again, and then stop working after a few days. At the price charged, Breville could have ensured better quality in this machine. A black mark for its reputation, in my mind. Worse, Breville does not have after-hours or weekend customer service. The coffee made is delicious, and I love the ice brew feature; however, these are not enough to make up for all the technical problems. I really wish that Breville and its designers had tried out this machine for about a month before pushing it out onto unsuspecting customers like me. Definitely a coffee machine that's to be avoided and I don't recommend it at all.

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Several reviewers have given this coffeemaker low marks because it "stopped working" after just a few uses. I thought that I was going to be in that group, because after delivering three perfect cups, the coffeemaker started dispensing slow drips of coffee rather than mugs of coffee. Eventually, the coffeemaker started indicating that it could only make "travel size" (largest) cups, perhaps because the reservoir where the water is heated was full. So, I tried to make several enormous mugs with the K-Cup holder empty, but it still filled the mug with only a small fraction of what was required.

Then I did something that no red-blooded American male would do unless forced: I read the manual.

The recommendation was that I clean the K-Cup holder after extracting it from the machine, and particularly that I clean the needle in the holder. I first checked whether I could see light through the needle; no such luck. It was completely clogged after only three uses. In addition, the needle was not perfectly round at the tip; it seemed to be pinched a bit (manufacturing defect?) So I used a strong sewing needle (a bent paper clip is also suggested) to force some sort of deposit from the needle. What came out could have been coffee, or it could have been something left over from manufacturing. In addition, the needle became round, not pinched. Suddenly, I could see light through the needle, and the machine is back to making perfect cups of coffee.

If this has to be done every few cups, I'll send it back to Breville. I suspect, however, that this was a one-time occurrence.

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Gaggia 16103 Evolution Espresso Machine, Silver

This is not meant to be a complete review of this espresso maker. If you see my "So you'd like to make great espresso at home" guide, you'll find that I argue that Gaggia's are best espresso machines in the $100-$400 range, always besting anything made by Krups or other non-Italian manufacturers. In other words, this is a great espresso machine.

That said, Gaggia uses the identical internals on their Evolution, Carezza, Espresso, and Coffee de Luxe machines. The only differences are in the external "looks." I personally find the Evolution the most attractive, with the Carezza a close second, but you can form your own opinion by simply looking at the pictures. Why these models sell for different prices remains a mystery. In Europe, I have seen the Carezza typically cost the most, and the Evolution sell for the least. (For example, just check Amazon.co.uk.) In America, the Carezza usually sells for the least. If you're looking for the best value, consider the Carezza.

This is not worth the money. The plastic body is so light weight that you have to hold the machine down with one hand to keep it from sliding on the counter when attaching the portafilter. Even if you can get past that, no matter how long you let the machine warm up, the brewed espresso is only warm. I tried letting the machine warm up for 30 minutes and pre-warmed the cup. My husband, who prefers his expressos much cooler than me, even said that they were just above room temperature. After several attempts, I realized there was no way we could live with this and I returned it.

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...Here's why:

-the pump is weak and sometimes espresso hardly drips out

-the clearance under the spout is too tight and big mugs spill when trying to remove them

-the steam nozzle leaks water everywhere while the espresso is running

-the majority of the unit is cheap plastic made to look like nice polished metal

-the icons on the buttons were painted on before they started rubbing off

Every morning we get stressed out because making espresso is a general pain in the butt. Now we don't have frustration-less espresso or $200.

Read Best Reviews of Gaggia 16103 Evolution Espresso Machine, Silver Here

Gaggia 16103 Evolution Espresso Machine, Silver

Why did I bother? Not only did it arrive damaged, it was made of flimsy plastic. There's no mystery why it was damaged in shipment it is made from inferior materials. This experience was a wake up call!

Since great espresso is so important to me, why was I buying an inferior product? A $25.00 stovetop espresso maker would have been a better choice!

I returned the damaged Gaggia (after much communication and sending numerous photos of the damaged item, showing the condition in which it was received) and purchased the best quality espresso maker I could afford one that would last. My choice was a commercial grade machine that individually grinds each serving and has a strong steamer for frothing. The machine I finally bought should last a lifetime and is worth every cent to me!

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After the spousal unit and I added up what we'd been spending at national coffee chains for our once (sometimes twice!)-a-day cappuccino habit, we were horrified.

But we're such coffee lovers/addicts, kicking the habit was absolutely out of the question.

Enter Amazon.com and the wonderful, space-saving (and money-saving) Gaggia Evolution espresso machine! For a great price we got a wonderful machine with the same pump and internal parts as pricier Gaggia models (see other reviews for this info).

The instructions, especially supplemental instructions written by U.S. machine importer Importika, were explicit and guided this espresso rookie to pulling an acceptable double shot on the first try! I did follow the standard advice and bought a proper grinder to go along with the machine, and this was key: There's no way you can get the consistency you want with a blade grinder.

The machine is at top operating temperature in well under 10 minutes (about six) and ratchets up to steam temperature in no time -certainly fast enough so that the espresso doesn't get cold waiting for the frothing to happen.

And speaking of frothing, the included frothing adapter that attaches to the steam wand makes even the most ham-handed barista a master of cappuccino!

I have no idea how durable the machine will be. I'll check back in on that. We hope it never dies, though, because it has become our best friend in the morning.

Vive la Gaggia!

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