La Pavoni Professional PBB-16 Espresso Machine Black Base

I have had this machine since 1998, i drink on average 4 espresso a day, that is a total of around 17,500 espressos and it still works like a charm. I have serviced it myself about 3 years ago with new gaskets you can buy them for about 40 bucks. If you are looking for a solid machine that will last, this is it, pays for itself time and time again.

We've only had this machine for a week now, but I'm already in love. It makes the best espresso I have ever tasted... We are coffee snobs (roast our own beans even!) and this machine is perfection. It's quiet (so nice not to hear the thunk thunk of a pump!), easy to use, etc. We thought there was going to be more of a learning curve, but after pulling a few shots, we've got it down. The foam extension isn't the best, but we're getting some pretty good foam now a week later. This machine is perfect too for people who have limited counterspace. It looks SO sexy on the counter, is easier to clean than our pump machine, and takes up so little space.

I'm in love. :) (Don't tell my husband! ;))

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Our machine has been providing us with excellent espresso (and lattes that are far better than those we have gotten at Starbucks) for six years. As others have noted, there is a bit of a learning curve. For example, too fine a grind, especially if it is tamped too tightly, will make it nearly impossible to draw a shot. Too coarse a grind will lead to watery shots that are useless. And I would guess that just about every Pavoni user has at one point pulled the coffee filter too quickly from the machine, resulting in spattered coffee grounds on walls and counters. While getting good foam with the wand takes some practice, I have had good luck with the foamer attachment, which works quite well and requires no skill. Further, the machine does require some maintenance. The wand seal started to fail after about three years; this has to be replaced or you will steadily lose steam pressure for foaming. But this machine is not nearly as mechanically complicated as automatic machines, and I would anticipate that it would last a lot longer than automatics. In the end, the obstacles to using this machine are easily overcome, and it should provide you with years of great service. The Pavoni also has an interesting quasi-steampunk look and looks pretty cool on the counter.

One footnote to a couple of reviews elsewhere that noted that after some time, the Pavoni would not draw water. Keep in mind that the piston screws into the connecting rod. Over time, it can gradually unscrew, so that when you pull the lever up, it will not retract high enough to allow water into the chamber. The fix is simple: just periodically tighten the piston. I am painfully reminded that you should do this when the machine is cold.

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I have owned this machine (8-cup) for over ten years and everyday when I make my morning cappuccino I love it more. You can spend more for a machine that measures the coffee, tamps it, pulls the water through and steams the milk for you, but you can tip the kids behind the counter at Starbucks and they'll do the same thing. Making espresso should be a little art and a little science and this machine an impeccable balance of the two. If you aren't the kind of person who takes joy in mixing the perfect martini, making a risotto that whispers with flavor, or whipping a meringue to impossibly tall peaks, this probably isn't the machine for you.

The La Pavoni is for the person who will find tremendous joy in going to the lengths required to make a perfect cappuccino by hand everyday. (And don't bother using anything less than Illy Cafe coffee in it.)

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Beautiful machine. My wife calls it "futuristic". I call it "retro". It uses steam pressure so there is no pump. Pump failures have limited the life span of other machines that I have bought (usually failure occurs after 1-1 1/2 years of use). The boiler produces steam and when the pressure on the gauge is ~.8 bars you lift the lever and release the hot water through the coffee. Steaming milk is very easy. The espresso/coffee tastes great. We've made multiple lattes at once with plenty of horsepower to spare. You do need to ensure that you don't build up too much pressure (by inadvertently leaving it on) or leave too little water in the machine (you can see the water level in the sight glass). Engineers will likely love having a machine like this in their home. A side benefit while you are drinking your latte is that it is great tool for teaching kids simple science concepts.

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Chemex - Chemex Bonded FP-2 Filter Paper (Designed only for Chemex CM-1) 1-3 Cups (100 count)

Chemex, in my opinion, makes the best damn regular coffee. I've tried french presses, vacuum systems, etc.; Chemex 8 Cup Coffee Maker CM 8A tops them all. And it's not even the coffee maker that is the key but the filter paper. Since the Chemex system was invented by a scientist, back in the '30's, I can only assume he was using some laboratory filter paper in his shop and figured out that was what was making his coffee taste so good.

As far as I can tell, Chemex filter paper removes the slightly sour/acid taste from coffee, that I find objectionable. This, in turn, lets through the complex bitter/sweet flavors and allows me to taste them more fully.

For what it's worth, I grind my dark roasted beans right before using them, grinding 6 cups worth for wife and myself. We've also made our own ceramic coffee pots that have the same size top, to hold the Chemex filters. Works just as well as the Chemex pots. Now, if I can just find an auto-brew device that can use Chemex filters for work...

I have been using Chemex for 40 years. I wouldn't change for the world. The BEST coffeeis made with Chemex filters.

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I like these and would recommend them for the Chemex Coffee Maker. Do yourself a favor and use only genuine Chemex filters in the Chemex Coffee Maker, it's the only way to assure great tasting coffee. As usual, Amazon shopping was flawless... easy checkout and quick shipping.

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The Chemex filters were fine of course. You need a Chemex coffee carafe to use them. I highly recommend this for any coffee lover. I have the 2 cup carafe which I use to make a large mug of coffee. It's a bit more time consuming that an automatic drip method but using the Chemex makes a far superior cup of coffee. Bold coffee flavor, no bitterness, just the right temperature. I ignore my plunger pot now in favor of the Chemex...every time.

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These filters really work as advertised to take some of the acids, fats, oils and bitter flavor elements from coffee. I was skeptical of the manufacturer's claim, but have been a satisfied user for many years. The filter paper is somewhat heavier than other filters. That seems to do the trick. I just wish they were less expensive.

Oggi EZ Grip Tea Canister, Black

It's pretty much what I expected, and will suffice for storing my tea, but the hinge is VERY weak. It will probably break before too many uses, and doesn't guide the lid down easily for sealing.

First, the product description says that canister is supposed to be attractive and keeps tea dry and safe from air.

In the canister that I got, the back hinge of the lid was angled wrong (wasn't symmetric), preventing the lid from closing down completely. I noticed this only after putting in my loose tea and flipping the canister upside down tea leaves came falling out. Not only is it not air tight, it's not even tea tight.

The white "T-E-A" letters were also carelessly printed on the canister, with the "E" aligned above the "T" and the "A", and with the "A" slightly on an angle. It was one of the first things that my coworkers noticed, and I imagine that's not something one would want anyone noticing in their first impression of the canister.

Since I couldn't use it to hold my tea, or even keep it around for people to see, I chose to return it immediately after finding these defects.

I did like the spoon holder that is built into the canister. It was a nice touch.

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First, while the inside is not quite big enough to hold a full pound of coffee, this canister is very large outside. This is due to the handle design. So don't be fooled into thinking this is a small canister that won't take up much space on your counter.

Second, the decal is obviously put on by hand by someone who is not concerned with getting the letters straight or even. The letters in the word TEA are at varying heights and spaces and angles.

And last but certainly not least, the latch to close the canister has already come apart after only two weeks of use, which pretty much makes an airtight canister useless.

I would NOT recommend this to anyone. These canisters look good in the pictures, but they won't look good on your counter and they won't work for you (at least not for long).

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I have looked at my local stores for a sealed container of this type and only found clear. This works great and handle makes it very convenient to use.

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The only thing that could improve in my opinion is the amount of space that is lost to the handle. I can't fit a pound of tea into this container because of the giant handle space. I like the scoop and how fresh the seal keeps my tea.

KRUPS XS6000 Auto Cappuccino Milk Frothing System in Stainless Steel for?Krups?Espressaria Full Aut

I love the cappuccino foam that this little gadget makes. It is a good complement for my espresso machine. But the words labels wore off of the nob to turn from cappuccino to latte foam within the first couple of times I washed it. Also, it is not dishwasher safe, and somewhat difficult to properly clean (which needs to be done every time, since it is milk running through the tubing). I would have given it 5 stars if it didn't have those issues, as well as if there was some way to change the temp of the steamed milk coming out of the nozzle, since not everyone likes their milk a medium hot temperature like I do.

I bought this to go with my Krups coffee center and was very happy with the frothed milk for cappucino. It was creamy and thicker than what I could make with a pitcher. The only drawback was that it wasn't very hot. I also find it very convenient to be able to put the milk container right back in the refrigerator.

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I have been using this for 2 months or so now, and it works great. I use it everyday to make my morning Latte. It does a decent job of heating up the milk (it could be warmer) and a better job creating foam.

It is easy to clean and even though the markings come off that indicate Latte or Cappuccino you can still identify which side by looking at the slot (when it points up, its for cappuccino.)

Another note: when I had fresh raw milk or soy milk in it, it curdled...reaction to steel?

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For some reason, this attachment works great the first 5 or 6 times, than sputters and splashs milk everywhere instead of in my cup. Have cleaned the steam outlet properly, cleaned the parts thoroughly, made sure all the connections are tight... Sometimes it works perfectly but more often than not, I'm cleaning up milk splatters all over the place. Might just go back to using the steam outlet on the machine.

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It Did every thing it supose to and lfet my desktop counter clean and gave longer life for the milk

Green Mountain Coffee, Dark Magic (Extra Bold), K-Cups for Keurig Brewers

Dark Magic is for coffee drinkers searching for something bolder than the breakfast blends and flavored coffees ubiquitous on supermarket shelves. Whether it will satisfy depends on what you normally buy at coffee shops. My wife favors a latte or mocha, so she found Dark Magic too strong. I prefer an Americano, so I liked this roast.

I tested the Dark Magic blend on Keurig's small cup (5.25 oz) setting to capture the strongest flavor. It was a nice improvement from Green Mountain's Fair Trade Gingerbread I drank earlier in the week. Dark Magic is bolder than Tully's Coffee Kona Blend or Green Mountain Coffee Breakfast Blend but no more bitter.

If you need more caffeine, I recommend you add a SToK Caffeinated Black Coffee Shot.

In summary, I like "tres intense" roasts and Green Mountain Coffee Dark Magic is the darkest I have found in the Keurig lineup. I will post an update should I try a stronger blend than Dark Magic. Rating: Four stars.

BTW: Here are other coffees I recently reviewed for Amazon:

5 stars: Van Houtte Chocolate Raspberry Truffle

4 stars: Tully's Coffee Kona Blend

4 stars: Green Mountain Coffee Dark Magic

3 stars: Green Mountain Coffee Breakfast Blend

3 stars: Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Gingerbread

The Keurig system is marvelous--and the Dark Magic coffee is delicious. But Amazon is falling down on the job a bit with this price--you can buy a box of 24 K cups from the Keurig site for $13.95--and get a discount as muc as 15% if you are a repeat buyer.

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Green Mountain's Dark Magic Extra Bold is my go-to coffee for use with my Keurig coffee machine. I go through more of this particular flavor then any other type of coffee. In fact I don't think a day goes by that I don't have at least 1 cup of this flavor, if not more. Don't let the words dark and extra bold scare you off this coffee is rich, smooth and in many ways mellow. Its not overly acidic, it does't taste burnt, its just a good cup of "coffee flavored coffee". It works well with most flavored creamers, sweeteners, but is a pleasant cup in its pure and unadorned form as well.

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This has become my favorite coffeee. It is strong and bold without being bitter. I even make a second cup with the same puck and it is still good.

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I compared the 18 cup Dark Magic (from Target) to the 50 cup Dark Magic(from Amazon), since the labeling and k-cup is markedly different. The coffee did not taste as rich, so I became more curious.

I opened the k-cups to find the 50 cup filters have a visible cross hatch pattern, as compared to a dense firm paper style. I used a microscope to see the difference in density, as well. The weave of the fibers of the 50 pack is not as closely bound.

The coffee granules are finer in the 18 cup, giving the coffee a different texture on the fingers. The 50 pack ground coffee appeared 50%-100% larger under the microscope.

I hope that Keurig can shed some light on my findings! I have photos I can submit. I notice amazon is out of stock, currently. Perhaps, Keurig is looking into the matter.

No. 2 Cone Coffee Filter in Natural Brown (Set of 100)

When it comes right down to Melitta, they definitely know how to make great products for your everyday cup of coffee to taste great. That also comes with very strong filters, not just for your cup of joe, but also for the enviroment as well. That really shows with their 100 pack of #2 filters, which fit great in their Perfect Brew coffee cup cone filter setter. These filters are really worth the money, because they fit well, and also don't breakup into mush like other brands of filters. I absolutely recommend Melitta a whole lot, and these filters are a great buy.

Price: B

Quality: B+

Overall: B+

I love these filters. Easy to use, easy clean up, great for the perfect single cup of coffee :-) Highly satisfied with my purchase!

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I bought a silicone collapsible coffee brewer for work so I can make my coffee at my office desk using a kettle these fit perfectly. I could not be happier!

For the brewer: http://www.amazon.com/Cuissential-SlickDrip-Collapsible-Silicone-Dripper/dp/B0051HEFAS

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good price, good product, good times.

14 more words are required so here you guys go, hope you enjoy them.

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I've been using this filter for more than 2 years and I always got good tasting tasting coffee. The quality of this filter is excellent because I haven't had any issue with material defect or poor manufacturing quality. I'll continue using this filter for my daily morning coffee.