Medelco #4 Cone Permanent Coffee Filter

Descriptions claims its for use in ALL, not MOST #4 Cone filtered coffee makers. Not so. Doesn't fit my Gevalia coffee maker -I can't even close the lid. Not worth paying to return it, so I guess I'll cut the top ring and handle off and make it fit or throw it out.

I've been using this filter for about two weeks now. It is my first permanent filter, and I am very happy with its performance. It is solidly built, and with proper care should last quite a while. I debated on the high-end swiss gold filter, but thought the price was too high, so I figured I'd take a chance with this one with free shipping. I can't imagine how much better/different the swiss gold would be if any? I am using a fairly fine ground from a good, flat burr grinder, and have had no issues of grounds/sludge in my coffee. I also purchased a new Zojirushi coffee maker at the same time, so read my review on that as well if you're in the market for a good machine. This filter fits the Zoji perfectly.

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I bought the Medelco #4 cone permanent coffee filter as a substitute for a Braun UGSF4 filter. Unfortunately, it's not a really good substitute. Although the Medelco coffee filter will fit in a Braun coffee maker, it's not as tall and tapered as the Braun UGSF4. As a result, it doesn't concentrate the coffee as much when it is moving through the filter so you have to substantially increase the amount of ground coffee that you are using for the same strength of coffee. So while the Medelco is initially cheaper than the corresponding Braun filter, one would end up spending much more money in the long run because you would use more ground coffee. My advice is to search the net (including e-bay) to find a genuine Braun gold filter...even though it will likely be more expensive than the Medelco filter, you'll be much happier in the long run.

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I purchased this because, after about 8 months or so, I started noticing tiny holes/tears forming in the bottom of the permanent filter that came from the factory with my Braun coffee maker. It seemed to allow some of the smaller coffee grounds to come through during brewing. This product partially solved the problem. However, a more general issue with these permanent filters is that, even when they are intact, they do not filter as many particulates from the coffee as a paper filter. If you grind your own beans as I do, and your grind is on the finer side, a certain amount of 'residue' is going to come through these filters that would be stopped by a paper filter. Just keep that in mind, and don't drink those last few drops!

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A couple of years ago, I received a French Press Coffee maker as a present, and it made coffee that was clearly superior to coffee made in the drip coffee maker. One morning I looked more closely at the coffee in the French Press and noticed oils on the surface and realized that the "moist" look on the beans was possibly oils. When making coffee in the French press, it had no paper filter, and I deduced that this was because there was no paper filter to absorb the oils. This could be remedied in my drip maker with a permanent mesh filter. I went through a couple of these before I finally bought this one, which fits my Zojirushi coffee maker. The quality of my coffee improved as the oils found their way through the filtering. I recommend this filter for all you picky coffee drinkers.

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Nescafe Dolce Gusto by Krups Piccolo Coffee Machine

I bought this coffee machine yesterday at Walmart after much research into Keurig, Tassimo and Senseo units.

My first impression is that it's compact and ideal for the counter top. It's much simpler than the others in that there aren't a great number of moving parts. It is basic, but I really didn't need another LCD clock! The on-off switch glows red when the machine is thinking and goes green when ready. After 5 minutes it shuts itself off. This auto-shut-off can be disabled if you so choose. The simplicity should mean it's more reliable. Time will tell!

It's quick to brew (20-30 secs?) and makes little noise/vibration and the coffee is nice and hot. Keurig seems to have a lot of quality issues mechanically and with brew strength/temp. if you read the reviews. With the DG you turn it on, it thinks for about 20-30 secs then it's ready to brew. The capsule drops into a plastic, but nicely solid and substantial holder that you slide out of the head of the machine after raising a lever that, when closed pierces the capsule and snugs it in place. You move another chunky lever to brew and stop brewing, choosing hot or cold with the lever direction, so you have direct control over the type, amount and strength of the brew.

I found the Caffee Americano way too strong for my liking at about the recommended 7 or so fl oz, so I continued to fill my cup with more to weaken it. The Chococino really tastes and feels like Hot Chocolate if you keep to the recommended water volume. It might take a while to get to know how you brew the drink to best suit your taste.

The price of the capsules is comparable to the competitors, though Nescafe hasn't the variety offered by Keurig give it time perhaps. Walmart has good stocks of the capsules. Nescafe also sends you a free box when you register and subsequent purchases earn reward points for more free capsules (1 free box for 10 bought). Their website is like a coffee lover's club with a forum, shop, quizzes, FAQ and product information.

The coffee and chocolate is very good in that it is strong, hot and the milk capsules that accompany such drinks are smooth and creamy and not at all artificial in terms of taste/texture. You do have to control the relative quantities of milk/coffee/chocolate yourself with each capsule, so you have to watch over the brew, but then you have total control to make it like you like

The reservoir is 21 fl oz and is very easy to remove and fill, if a little small. But then you can't have compact and water capacity!

The capsules make very little mess, though I note that when you remove the holder to throw away the capsule, there are a couple drips from the capsule to watch out for.

So far I like it and would recommend it if you want this type of coffee maker. It does make good coffee and chocolate quickly with no mess.

UPDATE: Dec 8 2010

So far so good. I have learned to control the strength of my Cappuccino Light by watching the color (hence strength) of the stream coming from the capsules and turning off the brew. It also helps using the same glass cup as I can also judge the volumes of the milk and coffee. I have eliminated the drips from the capsules when discarding; wait until the green light comes on, watch for the last couple drops to fall, then discard no drips and the capsule holder remains nice and clean.

Everything really does feel solid and well-built. Very happy so far.

UPDATE Dec 29 2010

Still happy with it. No problems at all. I didn't notice before but the capsule holder is magnetic in that when it is partially inserted, the magnet pulls it into position. This gives it a nice solid feel, which is my general opinion about this whole unit.

I use a large glass cup (so I can see how much milk Vs Coffee) that uses almost all the capacity of the water reservoir. I don't like strong coffee and fill the cup 3/4 full with the milk (that's why the Dolce Gusto is good; you choose how much water to flow through the capsules) and then I add the cappuccino. I still get a good flavor though as the capsules can make really strong coffee). This large cup requires the base to be set at the bottom, but is too tall for the next position up for the base. This leaves about a 2" gap under the capsule holder. When the unit starts up, it looks like the 15 bar pressure blows the seal in the bottom of the capsule. There is a slight delay, then you can hear the seal give way and the milk or coffee starts to flow. Occasionally, the stream from the capsule is not straight and columnar. It is twisted and rough. This looks to me like the seal is not completely opened by the pressure and part of the seal is disturbing the flow pattern. This is when I see some spatter of tiny milk droplets onto the coffee machine and onto the table; splashes from the liquid surface in my cup. No big deal, but just have to wipe it up with a damp cloth. With the right height of cup, this won't happen.

I have settled to drinking the Cappuccino Skinny. I like Cappuccino and the Skinny version is only 50 calories! I use this in my office, making 2-3 cups per day.

After weeks of researching the different single serve pod coffee makers we decided to buy the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo instead of the Kuerig or Tassimo. The main reason for this was the Dolce Gusto uses 15 bars of pressure to make your coffee and after tasting the products from the K-Cups and Tassimo, this one actually tasted better and was hotter. One other difference is that this little machine makes some noise, but FAR LESS noise than the small Keurig version. I love that we adjust each cup by adding more or using less water the fact that you have manually stop the water flow means the Dolce Gusto is not 100% automatic, but the tradeoff is you can make your espresso or cappucino stronger or weaker to your own taste. (Which is great as my husband likes strong coffee and I prefer more add in flavors in a weaker coffee)

Within 15 minutes of arriving home with the machine, I had unpacked it, run a first cleaning cycle through it and we were drinking an espresso and a cappucino (with an added squirt of plain old chocolate syrup). Both were very good, though you need to be serious about measuring just 2 ounces for the espresso or it will be weak indeed. The milk steamed and frothed nicely for the cappucino and it was seriously hot. So the machine is both fast and very easy to use. I found a variety of the drink flavors at the local W-mart and of course online at the Nescafe site and Amazon. (They all seem to be priced within pennies of each other.) One thing the was no funky aftertaste or flavor of fake sweeteners with the Latte Machiatto. The use of artificial sweeteners is what turned me off of the Tassimo products.

Purchase and enjoy!

***************UPDATE May 11, 2011**************************************************

We've been using the Piccolo every day at least six times a day. Still loving it and we've now settled into a steady favorite selection of the available coffees. The first thing I want when I get up in the morning is a Vanilla Latte! One thing I have noted is that you NEED to descale it after the first 90 days. HUGE difference in performance after we descaled it the first time. We just use tap water in the machine and nothing else like special bottled water etc. I got the descale kit for free from Dolce Gusto direct using their reward point system. I would totally buy the Dolce Gusto Piccolo again!

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Have to admit, this is a pretty good machine.. Does a great job of producing an instant cup of your choice.

The Dolce heats up quickly and produces on demand.

There are many other options out there but the price for the unit itself was very affordable compared to others currently on the market.

The only negative is the price of the coffee/drink packets. I am being very conservative on my use of the Dolce because of the products themselves. (the reason to buy one is in effect to save money and enjoy your favorite cup of joe anytime) If I am going to pay top dollar I am going to get the real thing not an instant substitute.

So in short, the unit itself is great, no complaints.

But would like to see a more affordable product to be used in the Dolce.

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I had been researching the Tassimo T20 machine for sometime and had assumed it was popular when Amazon and every Target store in the greater Nashville area had sold out of it. I finally found one at a local wal-mart and went to purchase it when I saw this machine. The design initially stuck me and the fact that it makes the wide range of drinks like Tassimo. While the selection of flavors seemed to be limited, I was drawn in by the brand name. Coming from France, I know the Nespresso/NesCafe name to mean quality. So far, that is what this has delivered. I have been continually impressed by the drinks. The reward program through the company's website also makes the drinks quite affordable!

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Mine just came today and I made my 1st drink cappuccino and it was so good! After reading in some of the reviews that it was hard to determine how much water to use or the drink would be too weak, I just watched the color of the liquid and estimated based on how full my cup was. I turned it off when the liquid just started to turn lighter/clearer, and when it seemed like my mug had filled up the number of ounces it recommended. It was perfect! I added a little bit of flavored syrup since I prefer my drinks a little sweeter. The temperature was perfect as well...just barely too hot to drink when it finished brewing, but by the time I sat down with a slice of banana bread, it was cool enough to drink while still nice and hot. It also stayed hot until I finished it, unlike when I make hot drinks in the microwave.

I signed up for the "subscribe and save" deal through Amazon to get capsules delivered. I started out with a box of mocha every 2 months, but I'm sure I'll buy more than that.

I'm not a big coffee drinker, and this is really my 1st coffee maker, besides a Mr. Coffee that was only used once (when my mom was visiting) and eventually given away. I see myself using this at least once a day if not more.

The only negative so far is that it took me a while to get it ready to go. I ran plain water through it as the directions suggested before its first use. It really only took a couple of minutes from the time I took it out of the box to the time my drink was brewing, so I guess I'm just impatient. It really does heat up quickly (about 30sec) and took about 30sec to brew my drink. It was slightly louder than I thought it would be, but about as noisy as a regular coffee maker, maybe quieter. I don't see it waking my husband up if I make a cup while he's still asleep.

Saeco Incanto Deluxe Coffee Machine

When the unit arrived, I opened it up and followed the start up instructions. The "Close Door" message would not go out. The piece that contacts the switch when the door is closed did not make contact. I had to cut a small piece of paper, fold it, and put it in the switch so that when the door was closed, the switch would work and the error message would go out.

The steam/hot water knob fell off. It was easily put back on, but fell off several more times while trying to make the unit work.

I made my first cup of coffee. It came out lukewarm and weak. (Yes ... I preheated the cup.) I changed the settings to "hot" and "strong." The coffee came out lukewarm and bitter. I tried to make hot water, but the hot water dispenser did not work and neither did the steam function for frothing milk.

This is a cheaply made piece of garbage, especially considering the price. The menu system is ridiculous, but at least that worked. Sending the unit back and looking for something that actually works.

Love this coffee machine! Plenty of information and settings to create a great cup of coffee for any taste. Had others before, but this is simply the best. This is a winning machine...couldn't be happier.

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I have had my Saeco Incanto for 5 years. Just sent it in for a tune up but other than that, its been doing a great job. Just be careful not to get oily beans, they will cause the machine to not recognize them as coffee beans. I had to vaccum out the beans and put in less shiny looking beans.

There are several ways to control how strong of a coffee you get.

1. Adjust the grind

2. Adjust the aroma in the cup settings

3. Turn the valve to the right as the coffee is brewing

4. Use your favorite preground coffee

Its a dependable machine and well worth the price.

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Mr. Coffee ECM20 Steam Espresso Maker, Black

I must confess that I spent a lot of time trying to get a good coffee maker, I had a Krups Single Serve My Cafe for about a year, I was never happy with it anyway. I am the only coffee drinker in my family, so I do not want to shop for a drip 10 cup type of coffee machine, so I bought this one.

Here is my review of this machine:

1. Build quality Yes, the knob and top cover is a bit of hard to turn, build quality is so so, but I think the inards of this machine is ok, it generate steam quickly and appear to be built with no better or worse quality than many of the steam type espresso machines.

2. Coffee Here is something that I am really surprise of, I think it makes great coffee, I run through it with three different kind of Ethiopian coffee, to my surprise, I can tell the subtle different among them, this machine produce very good coffee. Coffee is also hot enough contrary to some of the reviews mentioned.

3. Cost I think this is a very good deal considering I spent more than $100 for a single serve machine but I do not get the enjoyment of coffee from that, I do now.

4. Design it looks ok and do not occupy a lot of counter space. I actually think it has appeal of its own.

Be aware of the amount of water you pour in, I usually turn off the machine before the last drop get vaporized, otherwise, your coffee will taste a little bit overdone.

I think this is a good machine as long as you treat it gently, it may not have the best build quality but it gets the job done. I am happy.

I picked this product up at a local store for mid $20's after getting sick of making my coffee with a stove top espresso machine. I couldn't see spending $100+ for something conceptually as simple as an espresso machine. I know someone who got a simple Krupps machine for about $40 years ago and it still works just great. But since I couldn't find anything else in the sub $40 range, I settled on this one.

It makes a fine cup of coffee if you just want to use prepackaged coffee grinds or you use a basic coarse to medium grind. BUT, when I tried to use a very fine grained "espresso" grind on my beans, almost nothing came out. It seems that too fine a grind stops up the filter holes and the machine just doesn't have the oomph to force the water/steam through.

Also, it does suffer from

a very difficult to turn knob (don't get this product if you have arthritis)

a caraf lid that won't stay on let alone stay properly oriented

So basically, it's good for making a medium to fairly strong cup of coffee (by my subjective measure), but if you really want something strong and sludgy, this machine won't do the trick unless you want to wait for an hour for it to eventually push enough liquid through.

I guess now I understand why espresso machines aren't cheap. Years of using a really simple stovetop espresso maker led me to believe that they're really simple machines. But perhaps when you try to package it up as an appliance it isn't so straight forward.

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I have read so many negative reviews of this wonderful little moka machine, I must put in my 2 cents. First, this is a stream machine, meaning it makes moka not espresso. If you like Bialetti but want cappuccino instead of cafe latte, then this is perfect. The grind must be close to espresso, finer than for Bialetti, and you must tamp it down, but no tamper included. There is only 1 knob, yes it is stiff, but i don't have arthritis. The round design makes it easy to handle even though it is very light. It descales with...vinegar! How about that, actually a traditional machine. The panarello works, just put in extra "cup" of water for steaming. Make 2 "cups", not 1 or 4, and always start with cold machine, or use very, very cold water. Stop the brewing as soon as moka hits 2 "cups" or it starts to steam instead of brew, then switch the knob to steam for the milk. If you don't, coffee will taste slightly burned. I have owned espresso and moka machines from USD5 to USD1,000 over a period of 40 years. If you like moka, don't waste money on anything more expensive. But, like any machine, read the manual, and experiment if things don't work the way you want. Finally, garbage in garbage out. If you want great cappuccino, use good organic coffee and organic milk.

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One of the biggest complaints with this machine is that the reservoir lid is difficult to open. The manual tells you to release the remaining pressure by turning to either coffee or steamer. Then it opens easily. The knob to select steamer, off, coffee gets easier to use once it is broken in, but I agree, if your hands are not dry, it is a bit slippery.

The manual also gives clear details how to make different types of coffees and a troubleshooter. The frother makes long-lasting tasty foam, and I found the coffee to be plenty hot. I cools quickly because there is no hot plate to keep it warm, but you are only making one cup at a time--why wouldn't you drink it right away?

The coffee I liked in my previous coffee maker didn't taste the same in this machine. I had to experiment with a variety of brands and finally decided on Bustello. Someone else I talked to raved about LaVazza, but I didn't share her enthusiasm for the taste. It's all about individual preference.

I like that with one machine, My husband can make his espresso, and I can have my weaker American style coffee by simply adjusting the amount of coffee vs the water.

I have had my machine almost 6 months and my handles have not broken. Perhaps the other folks contributed to theirs breaking by banging the coffee basket against something to release the grounds. This may have weakened the handle? The glass is thin and you do need to take reasonable care not to break it. The metal parts are not Stainless Steel (except the inner grounds basket)and I found the finish on the frothing tube began wearing off (to what looks like brass or copper? )when I used a scrubby to clean off the dried milk. I have since steamed water with it right after use, use only a sponge and finger nail to clean and have not noticed more wear.

This machine is the same one sold at Walmart as Mr. Coffee (same model #)for $25 and at Walgreen as Signature Gourmet for $20 (the one I bought). It is not going to be made with the finest materials, Folks!

It does make very good coffee, is extremely affordable, simple to use, takes up minimal space on your counter and has held up almost 6 months so far. That's why I gave it 5 stars

EDIT It is now November 2008 and My coffee maker is still going strong! The knob is easy to turn but the white lettering has worn off. I broke the carafe by throwing groceries against it in a rush. The carafe can be replaced for about $10 but I am using a regular coffee mug. It works fine and the coffee is just as great!. Best $20 I ever spent.

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o.k. let's all get a grip concerning this product.

it cost me twenty-five dollars at walmart three years ago and i and a co-worker draw about twenty shots a day, every day at work (backstage at a theater) and it makes a perfectly fine, strong coffee... not bitter... but no crema... it's not espresso.

it's not supposed to be.

tastes fine black... i use milk and sugar sometimes... sometimes i froth the milk... sometimes i heat it in the microwave... sometimes i pour it over ice and add cold milk... it all tastes fine.

if i want a real double shot of espresso i go to the locally owned coffee house and splurge every week or two.

so i know what really good espresso tastes like... as many of you do.

if you want strong, cheap, good coffee... brew it with this thing using a good quality course grind or a good espresso grind (fair trade would be nice)... don't tamp it down (too tight for the pressure it delivers)... and it you want it to heat up water quickly turn it on before you filter your water and set the grounds into the coffee filter (a couple of taps on a table after you fill it will get the grounds to settle in).

oh yeh, and the carafe will break apart almost immediately, so i've used a big, low profile mug to catch the coffee for all three years... man, what a chore. ha.

as a perpetually starving actor of twenty five years this is a tasty way to get your caffeine cheaply without injecting it directly into your bloodstream.

and to all you espresso fanatics... welcome to the new economic depression...i hope you have already purchased your several thousand dollar machine, time to brew the best cup of coffee you can for the least amount of money at home or at the office for your economically deprived friends ... and let starbucks sink under it's own expensive weight.

if not, get this one and go socialize at a locally owned coffee house when you get an extra dollar or two.

whoohooooo! i'm buzzed already!

Update:

i've used the thing backstage for over six years now and it is performs exactly as described above... never cleaned it... still twenty shots a day... still using the same low profile mug as a substitute for the piece of junk carafe.

i'm trying to kill the poor little thing, but it just won't die.

oh, and welcome to the double did depression.

aren't you glad that you are buying a home espresso machine to save cash?

shots at the coffee house add up quickly.