Illy espresso coffee pods, REGULAR roast. 18 coffee pods.

Ok, I know they are pricey, but I love illy Pods! The illy Pods aren't as bad for the environment as some of your other pre-portioned coffees. They taste perfect. And they are fast and clean. In the end, they are still cheaper than going to Starbucks, and faster than waiting on that Starbucks line.

Love the convenience of dropping in a pod for a shot of espresso. Nothing beats fresh ground beans but this comes extremely close!

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CBTL from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Beverage System, Americano Silver

I couldn't decide between the various CBTL units, but was sure I wanted a combo espresso and coffee maker. While I wouldn't consider myself a total coffee snob, I do love the good stuff, Blue Bottle, Peets Major Dickason etc. I have been very pleased with this unit after about two weeks of use. I have an excellent true espresso maker, but the difference has been negligible enough that for the time saved and the good quality pull achieved, this is a steal. I was able to find a combo with a hand held milk frother for

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.

Read Best Reviews of Medelco #4 Cone Permanent Coffee Filter Here

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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Jura Impressa J9 One Touch TFT Coffee Machine

Pros:

+ Makes great coffee

+ Highly customizable for strength, size, temperature

+ Energy saving features

Cons:

Serious usability issues

Low height of spout

More plastic than there should be in a product this expensive

Please forgive the length of this review, but for a product that costs as much as this one does, I think you deserve as much information as you can get.

I have owned a Jura Impressa E8 for three years and have been very happy with it overall. The Impressa J9 is Jura's current top-of-the-line model and, at first glance, it looks the part. Gleaming silver body and chrome buttons and accents plus a color LCD screen make a positive first impression. This fades a bit when you notice that nearly all of what you see is plastic, including the chrome-plated spouts. Seriously, at this price point I expected stainless steel or chrome-plated brass here.

In front center, above the drip tray (whose chrome grille is pretty much the only visible metal) is the dual coffee spout. This slides up and down and the dual spouts pivot apart for filling two cups. (Note that coffee comes out both spouts at the same time regardless.) The height of the spout is adjustable between 2.5 and 4.25 inches, with the maximum distance between the spouts being 2.0 inches. I found myself wishing for a taller opening.

On the left side is another single spout which is used for milk and hot water. The standard spout serves as a mixer for milk, water/steam, and if you're making a latte or cappuccino, dispenses both the coffee and the milk, which is a nice touch. The height of this spout is adjustable between 4.0 and 5.75 inches. This spout has a dial that adjusts how much air/steam is mixed in with the milk, which enters the spout through a port on the left. Into this port you insert a piece of silicone tubing (supplied) which can be run into a milk container or connected to the supplied stainless steel insulated cup with siphon tube. This cup is said to be able to keep milk cold for up to 8 hours, though only when full. The port is covered with a red rubber plug when not in use.

Below the center spouts are two LEDs, with a single LED under the frothing spout. These initially illuminate white but change to yellow while a brew is in progress. They go out after a short while after the serving is complete.

There are four hinged doors on top of the unit. The door on the left side exposes the water carafe, which is tall and narrow. A handle swings up on the carafe to assist in removing, holding and replacing. An optional "Clearyl Blue" filter sits inside the carafe with an extender that snaps on to bring it up to full height. You cannot see the water level once the carafe is in place an issue made especially annoying as the "refill water" indicator doesn't come on until there is less than 8 ounces of water remaining, meaning that your last cup may not be full. The door on the right side covers a storage compartment which holds a spoon for pre-ground coffee, a hot water spout that can be swapped in for the milk frother, and the adjustment for the coffee grinder.

A small door in the center is where you would spoon in ground coffee if desired lifting that door triggers the pre-ground coffee cycle which is then started by pushing one of the buttons at the sides of the LCD panel within two minutes. A large door at the top rear surface exposes the bean hopper, which has an "aroma saver" inner lid and a plastic grille preventing you from getting your fingers near the grinder opening.

These doors on the top of the J9 are a problem for me. I have the J9 on a counter with cabinets above. The cabinets, and the moulding below them, are low enough that I can barely open any of the doors. I am able to, with some manipulation, get the water carafe out and access the storage bin, but the bean hopper is inaccessible unless I swing the whole unit around and out on the counter. Luckily I don't have to do that every day. The side doors on my old E8 were narrower and easier to deal with, though I still had to pull the E8 out a bit to refill the beans which, on that model, were on the right side. Of course, if you have the J9 on an open counter, with unimpeded access to the top, none of this will be a concern to you.

The drip tray has four components. The large tray itself has two electrical contacts on the end that tell the machine the tray is inserted. The chrome grille (with a plastic grille underneath) sits on this. A secondary tray sits on the large tray and a plastic grounds container sits on this secondary tray. I noticed that the grounds container was made of a softer plastic than the one on the E8 and grounds tend to stick to it more.

Above the center spout is the LCD display with three buttons on each side. This is your primary interface to the J9. In normal mode, it presents six choices: Espresso, Coffee, Cappuccino, Latte macchiato, Hot water and 1 portion milk. Pressing the button by one of these choices immediately starts dispensing the selected item. On the top front surface of the J9 is a large rotary dial with a central push button. This is used to select additional beverage choices and to make adjustments. Flanking this dial are the power button and a P button used for programming.

If you spin the dial, you are shown all the standard beverage choices plus these: Ristretto, 2 Ristretti, 2 Espressi, 2 Coffees. You push the central button to make your choice, though if you choose a standard offering; it just takes you back to the main screen. Otherwise, pushing the button immediately starts dispensing the beverage. The double-portion choices double the amount of water used, but don't double the amount of coffee ground, so don't think, for example, that you can brew two 8-oz cups of coffee and get something good. However, it would probably work well for two of the smaller products such as espresso.

(By the way, in case you don't know what a Ristretto is I didn't the J9 makes it out to be a very strong espresso. Originally it was a "fast pull" of the espresso machine's handle.)

No matter what choice you make, you can individually customize your cup, though the process of doing so I found awkward. On my old E8, I could select cup size before brewing and got mild, normal or strong by pushing the start button once, twice or thrice. On the J9, you use either the push buttons by the LCD or the dial to make adjustments, but your opportunity to do so is limited. For coffee and espresso, you can select one of five strengths only in the few seconds while the coffee is grinding. Then when the brewing starts, you can adjust the amount of water to be used in .5oz increments up to 8oz. For drinks that use milk, you instead select the number of seconds it will pump milk. For hot water you can select three temperatures; the manual says that "Extra Hot" corresponds to 203 degrees F, but I measured it at 170 in the cup.

You can, however, preset the customizations for each drink type using the programming menu and the "Expert Mode". These presets are used as defaults but can still be overridden while the beverage is being prepared.

When you first turn on the Impressa J9, the screen indicates that the water is heating and then it prompts you to press the dial's button to initiate a rinse of the coffee system. This rinse uses far less water than the E8 did. Then you can make your selections. When you power down, it rinses again.

Ok, that's a lot of words about the machine, but how good is the coffee it makes? Great! I found the coffee even more flavorful than what the E8 could prepare, and I had not even selected the strongest setting. The latte and cappuccino preparation was pretty good, though I found the milk foam to be no thicker than I ever managed to get from the E8. Earlier I got the Capresso frothPRO, which not only makes thicker, richer foam but is a heck of a lot easier to clean up afterward. However, if you're making a lot of milk drinks in a row, you'll appreciate the all-in-one convenience of the J9 just position your cup under the spout, push the button, and it does the rest.

Jura touts the energy-saving features of the J9, so I tested these. When the J9 is heating water, it draws 1300W, but I was amazed at how quickly it came up to temperature from a cold start, only about 15-20 seconds. When it is sitting ready to brew, it draws 3-5W. When powered off normally, Jura says that it draws 0.1W, but my "WattsUp" meter read zero, so it must have been even less than 0.1. There is also a rocker switch by where the power cord comes in (on the bottom right) that completely disconnects the power.

You can set an EnergySave mode. What this does is, once it has brewed, it does not keep the water at brewing temperature. This is indicated on the display. If you then want to brew a cup, you press a button and it takes 15-20 seconds to reheat, then you press the button again to start brewing. I watched my power meter when the EnergySave mode was disabled and didn't see the heater come on too often. Jura says that this can reduce energy consumption by up to 40%, but if you want your coffee NOW, you will probably choose to leave EnergySave disabled. You can also set an auto-turnoff time which will shut the machine down after a period of no use that can be selected from 15 minutes to 15 hours.

The coffee and milk systems get cleaned independently. The machine will remind you to run a brewing cleaning cycle every 200 cups or so. This is done using a Jura cleaning tablet that is inserted into the ground coffee funnel. The machine then soaks, sprays, and rinses the system and then flushes with water this takes about 20 minutes. When you do this, you must place a cup under each of the coffee and milk spouts. About 8 ounces of solution get discharged into each of these cups.

The milk frother is supposed to be cleaned after every use. The usual way of doing this is to add a small amount of cappuccino cleaner (an initial bottle is supplied) in 8oz of water and let the milk tube suck it up into the system. There's a cleaning option in the programming menu to do this. By default, it won't remind you to clean the frother, but you can enable that if you wish.

On my E8, I discovered that the stainless steel filter/strainer, inside the machine, would get gunked up with coffee grounds and oil over time. Eventually this would prevent coffee from flowing and what coffee you did get tasted bad. I know a lot of people griped about having to send their E8 back to Jura for "repair", but I think many of them could have fixed the problem themselves. The J9 seems a bit less prone to this problem as the clean cycle does a halfway-decent job of cleaning the filter, but I'm going to show you how you can help.

I have attached three photos to the product page. The first shows the view inside the opening when you have removed the drip tray. Notice the brown plastic flap with a slanted edge hanging from the top of the opening. This flap is hinged and spring-loaded. Up behind it is the brewing mechanism and the filter disc see the second photo. In this photo you can see the disc after just a few days of use. The third photo shows the same area after a cleaning cycle has been run much better, but not perfect.

What I recommend is: once every couple of weeks or so, take a damp paper towel. Reach into the opening, and with your fingers (and the towel), reach up behind the flap (you can pull it forward a bit don't force it) and wipe off the strainer and surrounding area. You may need someone with long fingers (or small hands) to do this. You won't be able to see what you are doing, but you will be able to feel the disc with its central screw. Cleaning this regularly will keep the quality of the coffee consistent and reduce the chance of problems down the road.

Some miscellaneous stuff you should know. The J9 comes with one filter plus a water hardness testing strip. If you choose to not use the filter, you are supposed to test the water hardness and set the value in the programming menu. This controls how often the machine will prompt you to run a descaling process. The descaling tablets must be purchased separately. If you use the filter, you don't need to descale, but do need to replace the filter every two months. Make sure you get the right kind Jura has two incompatible types of "Clearyl" filter. The one you want is Jura 67879 Clearyl Water Care Cartridge for ENA.

Also in the "Welcome Kit" are two cleaning tablets, a bottle of cappuccino cleaner and manuals in multiple languages. I highly recommend visiting Jura's web site and downloading the manual so you can go over it before purchase.

I hope you found this review helpful if you have additional questions, ask in the comments and I'll do my best. The J9 is expensive, to be sure, but if you buy it, you'll get a machine that makes fantastic coffee in multiple styles, and quickly. I do have some quibbles with the design as far as usability is concerned, notably the positioning and size of the top doors and the quick reflexes you'll need to make adjustments when brewing a cup. With proper care, it should last for years.

I have had a Capresso C3000 super automatic for many years that I was starting to have some minor problems with (small water leak, tray sensors corroding) and decided it was time to get a replacement. I work from home and tend to drink coffee most of the day so I'm looking for something that works reliably and for a very extend period of time. I started looking at the new super automatics from the Jura Capresso based on the longevity of the old C3000. I will admit, it's the TFT display that really caught my eye on this one. I started looking thinking that I'd end up with a Z series, but the TFT display was what veered me over to this one.

It comes pre-loaded with default recipes for latte macchiato, cappuccino, an espresso shot, a ristretto shot, coffee, coffees, hot water, and steamed milk. All of the recipes can be customized via "Expert Mode". You can adjust the strength (1 5 beans), volume in ounces or mL's), steamed milk amount (based on time in seconds). You can also adjust all of the parameters while making the drink without saving, which is great for guests. Basic operation is very simple and straightforward. The TFT display makes this super user friendly. Anyone can easily scroll thru using the wheel on top of the machine and pick whatever type of drink they want. Or, you can select most drinks directly from the TFT screen as well. For two shots or two cups of coffee, hit the button twice. You can also enter the recipe modification mode by holding the drink selection button as well. Grind adjustment is via a knob under the back right top cover. It also displays graphics of your drink while it's being made.

The coffee seems to be a bit stronger on this than on my old C3000, but I love the fact that you don't have to move the cup for lattes and cappuccinos. And, the insulated milk container (included) really does keep the milk cold all day.

I was a bit disappointed when I first got the machine and went looking for the "Auto On" function that turns on the machine at a set time to warm up. After I really started using the machine, I realized this was really not needed. It's typically heated up and ready to go by the time I get the milk container out of the fridge and connected.

Maintenance and Cleaning: If you use steamed milk, I highly suggest changing the setting to display the "Rinse Milk System" prompt to appear right after using. The default is 10 minutes, and you cannot select this rinse from the Maintenance menu. The quicker you rinse out the milk residue, the less likely you are to get clogs. The manual also suggests to use the Jura Cappuccino Cleaner daily. I tend to rinse often and do a breakdown cleaning of the milk system and frother about every other day.

The drip tray on the J9 TFT is very different that what I was used to on the C3000. It has 4 parts (bottom tray, top tray, grinds container, and grill) but the material seems much easier to clean that the drip tray on my C3000.

There is a bar graph style indicator in the Maintenance menu that shows you when cleaning and filter changes are due. I've always cleaned my old one as least once a month with a tablet and about once a week using a cleaning cycle with just water. This machine does use the new Clearyl Blue filters.

One other thing, the coffee only dispenser does not rise up high enough to use with any of the travel mugs that I have, but the milk frother/coffee dispenser side does.

Overall, very happy with my purchase so far. It has the Jura quality that I'm used to, makes great coffee, everything can be customized, easy to clean, and has a neat screen on the front :-)

Buy Jura Impressa J9 One Touch TFT Coffee Machine Now

If you are reading this, you are likely both a gadget lover and a coffee enthusiast, or are considering the J9 as a gift for someone who fits that description. Having tested it for a month and a half, I am still finding surprisingly thoughtful aspects. For example, I found that holding down any button while coffee or milk is pouring prompts you to let it know when you have as much as you want. This is perfect for those odd size cups you can't estimate the volume of, or adding milk foam to the top of a cup of hot tea. It is this attention to detail that really defines the experience with this coffee machine.

Because others have given very good lengthy reviews, with even more available on Youtube, I will give my brief thoughts:

FLAVOR

As expected from the Jura brand, the flavor is excellent. More accurately, the flavor is finely tuned to the user, as the way it is brewed, including strength and grind, is very customizable. Regardless of how you like your coffee, the J9 will likely make it just right and consistently. I have used both very high end and standard beans, and was pleased with both, in the sense that the best flavor and consistency was brought out of both. Of course, the better bean gave the better coffee. Different coffee types are all produced equally well, with black coffee being something beyond the typical office brew and espresso having a beautiful crema and serious punch. A filter is integrated to give better water quality as well, though it can be left out if you want to avoid the cost of replacing it.

INTERFACE

The screen, which seems to add a hefty sum to the price, could be considered a gimmick. For some reason, they brag that it is TFT in the product name, though that is not an impressive screen technology. However, having a screen and buttons (no touch interface) allows for simple and intuitive customization. You can set every parameter of each coffee type quickly and without ever looking at the manual. This makes customization something everyone can have fun with, rather than a daunting task for the professional. If you purchase this unit, I recommend playing with the settings and creating your ideal coffees rather than sticking with the presets. It is a primary reason to own a fancy coffee machine. Some changes can also be made on the fly, such as the above mentioned ability to change the volume of coffee and milk.

CLEANING

The machine includes some consumables for the cleaning, of which extra will need to be purchased (or DIYed) as needed. Other than this issue, cleaning is a breeze. The machine lets you know when it needs to run self-cleaning modes, if you don't do it first, and they are automated. The coffee grounds are ejected as cute pellets and can be thrown away more regularly. The tray will not let itself overflow, because it has sensors to let you know it is time to empty it.

DESIGN

This is my only real sticking point with the machine. For something in this price range, it is sub par. Other than the front plate and tray lid, it is largely made of plastic. The silver color is painted on and easily scratched off, revealing the black plastic underneath. It is strange that they did not at least use silver plastic to avoid scratches showing. Those scratches might occur while trying to open the top flaps, since the unit is a bit too tall to fit under a standard kitchen cabinet. The spouts on the front are chrome plated and feel cheap. Also, the chrome plated wheel on the top for menu navigation does not have smooth movement and feels very plasticky.

Other than the strange design compromises, the J9 is a really wonderful coffee machine. I can not imagine anyone being disappointed with it in that regard.

Read Best Reviews of Jura Impressa J9 One Touch TFT Coffee Machine Here

This coffee maker exceeds all my expectations. It's quick to program the drinks to your specifications. Machine is easy to use and even easier to clean. It is worth every penny.

Update: Thank goodness for Amazon. Jura has no customer service. One week after purchase the machine started having trouble making espresso. I tried all their troubleshooting methods; increasing the grind, cleaning, and descaling. By week two, the machine could only steam milk. I called Jura and left multiple messages. I also emailed them. After no response I submitted a return to Amazon. They took back this expensive paperweight, paid for shipping, and gave me a full refund. Again I say, thank goodness for Amazon. I still haven't heard a word from Jura. Bottom line: this machine is a lemon

All instructions were followed exactly according to the manual. Defective machines happen, but ignoring them loses customers.

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UPDATED: Frother issues

After a year of making 4 or 10 cappuccinos and 4 or 5 lattes a day, our frother was so dysfunctional, we were cleaning it between uses which seemed a little silly. I called customer service on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, left my phone number and was CALLED BACK a few hours later.

The tech we talked to said I should not be using organic milk for froth because of the pasteurization. He said the machine does not work as well with fat Free milk either -so I had been givign the machine a double whammy. He also said not to switch to soy milk. (ICK.) I have no idea if this is true or not, yet. However, did I mention they called me back on the SATURDAY after Thanksgiving? That is superior customer service.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

Jura Impressa J9 One Touch is an elegant, gorgeous machine. It is all sleek, silver lines. It's a beautiful design. I love the way the tray sort of floats in front of it. It makes every coffee drink perfectly. No longer does the poor user have to stand there and remember whether to froth or warm or foam the milk or whether the milk or espresso goes first... The complexity and the abilities of this machine are amazing.

This machine took about thirty minutes to look over and open all of the doors, to read the directions, and to load up with espresso beans and milk. Before you get to the directions, you wade through what seems like 100 warning items telling you what not to do. Don't do any of those things. There are a lot of possible mistakes. The directions were absolutely clear, with descriptive photographs of relevant parts. It is all pretty self-explanatory, even if you have never used a super or fully-automatic machine before:

1. Read the directions.

2. Wash the milk container and lid by hand.

3. Put together the two-part filter with the bigger part on the bottom. It will snap into the bottom of the water tank and the tall thin part connects to the top of the filter, first, and then should connect to the top of the water tank pretty easily. It used to be trickier on the older machines.)

4. Fill the water tank. Replace. It snaps in easily.

5. Put beans in the back compartment.

6. Fill the milk cup with milk and choose the appropriate hose.

7. Plug in. Turn on power switch. Put cup under spout. Press on button.

Once the machine heats up it will want to be rinsed. Once you rinse it by pushing the button, the screen will offer you cappuccino, espresso, coffee, latte macchiato. There are more options. It's like heaven for coffee.

There is a PDF file with instructions for use on the Jura website. It's pretty easy to find. The online guide seems to be simpler and more direct although it does refer you to the enclosed guide for warnings.

We use a variety of different espresso beans for our espressos, from Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Whole Bean Coffee, 2.2-Pound Bag and Lavazza Tierra! 100% Arabica Whole Bean Espresso Coffee, 2.2-Pound Bag, for every day espressos, to illy Caffe Normale Whole Bean Coffee (Medium Roast), 8.8-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2) on weekends. I also order espresso beans from a small roaster in Wisconsin, called Ancora. I would advise you to be very careful in using flavored coffees like those that come out of catalogues of Green and Free Trade beans -as those were the only beans that gave my first machine fits until it had to be sent in for repair, tune-up, cleaning, and blade sharpening. At the time, Jura customer service offered us a trade up for a bigger machine, which we leapt at. Customer Service has always been perfect, even telling us how to repair minor problems to get rid of strange sounds, which they can identify over the phone if they feel like it. They are generous with advice.

The primary flaws of the older machines include the noise not unlike a power saw in your kitchen and the strength of the drink. In Jura's defense about the sound, they used to send a CD to play so you could hear the normal sound and know that the machine was not broken. In order to make a standard espresso, I turned the dial to 3.5 ounces while it was grinding enough beans for a strong cup and then dialed it back to 2 ounces of water while it was espressoing. You don't have to do that on this machine.

The other problem was how much trouble it was to froth the milk for a cappuccino or a latte. Putting milk in the frothing pitcher and then turning on the steam generally caused, well, me at least, to get a face-full of hot and cold milk.

We have had two Jura super automatic espresso machines in the past ten years. It is the best, fastest, easiest, and least expensive cup of espresso.

We started looking for a super-automatic espresso maker when my husband noticed my debits, on the house debit card (foolish me), for espressos on my way to work every morning. My husband was looking for a solution for my $5 every morning double-espresso stop at any numbers of coffee shops on my way to work. $5 x 20= $100. We amortized our first $1200 machine well before the first year, including my three summer months off, because I often went out at midmorning for a walk and a latte. I probably still went out half of the time but I used that funny green paper stuff to pay for it.

I recommend this machine completely and without reservation.

February 17, 2012 Customer service update: 900+ cups of espresso later, this machine developed a glitch. After the first or second cup, every morning, it insists that the grounds need to be emptied, even though there are only one or two pucks at most in it. I called customer service and was instructed to leave my number because the call wait time was over 7 minutes. They called me back about an hour later and the tech told me to unplug the machine and leave it off for at least thirty minutes to allow it to reset.

I did that three days in a row and we get the same message.

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Vietnamese coffee filter set

Ever since I came back from Vietnam, I have been using these small "French presses", or Vietnamese coffee filter sets. I bought 3 sets for one dollar (15,000 dong) in Vietnam, and soon realized that I needed more. So, I bought a few in the U.S. (local VN grocery store) and noticed that they come in different forms. This one has the screw in press, which I don't like as much as the simple press down piece that just sits on top of the ground coffee. It works great. The screw in needs to be tighten until you hit the coffee, but don't tighten too much (low drip, or no drip) and too little (too fast), but just right. I can't figure it out.

It is much more difficult to remove the screw part after the coffee is done. Worse, sometimes it can be that it is screwed in too hard, so the water does not drain through, but now you can't loosen it, because the hot water covers the piece. That's why the simpler version works much better. I have never seen this construction in Vietnam either.

However, there is one advantage, it is that it is sturdier and lasts longer.

And this little gadget does the job much better than a Melitta style funnel and paper filter. If you grind your own you'll need to experiment a bit with how fine to grind and how tight to screw down the tamper, but after a few tries you should have the cup of coffee you want.

I have 4 now. They are pretty cool for serving coffee when you have company. I don't think the online price is outrageous, but if you are lucky enough to live in a city with a Vietnamese market you can pick these up for $3 each.

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The Vietnamese styled coffee filter is really a nice bit of kit. It makes the often mundane act of drinking coffee into a ritual.

While its origins are south-east Asian, its has a cosmopolitan use that is quite underrated. If you're like me and have several different blends of coffee in your home to choose from, its nice to offer guests their choice of coffee without having to make several pots to do so.

You can alter the strength of the coffee by how tightly you compress the top filter in this apparatus. Thus enabling a "Lungo" or "ristretto" type of taste as you would find with espresso machines. This is however, not technically an espresso maker as espresso is made by forcing water through the ground coffee beans, while this apparatus uses gravity to distill the coffee.

Many people who first experience these will be in specialty Vietnamese restaurants, offered as a traditional "Cà phê su'a dá" (translated "Coffee milk ice"), but you should be able to find this nice little filter at many oriental specialty shops for anywhere between $3-$4. Don't worry about manufacturer, as I have seen several, and there seems to be absolutely no difference in quality. So don't pay a high price for this item.

Often, the best things are the simplest, and it doesn't get any simpler than this. It should last you decades of use.

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Ever since having Vietnamese coffee at a restaurant in St. Louis (and then returning regularly to have Pho and coffee), I have wanted to buy one of these filters to use at home. The one at the restaurant uses friction to compress the coffee grinds with the insert, so this kind is a bit different in that you actually screw the insert down, but I haven't had any problems with it.

To use this properly, make sure to not screw the insert down too tightly it should be snug, but not tight. It might take a couple of tries to get this right. The coffee grounds need to be able to expand a bit. Once the insert is screwed down, pour a little bit (less than a cm) of water into the filter, and let that drip through. This allows the grounds to expand. If you don't do this step, sometimes the grounds actually escape from the filter up into the water chamber. Not too big of a deal, but the water runs through too quickly when that happens. After the small amount of water goes through, then fill the filter almost to the top with water, and cover it with the cap. About 4 minutes should pass before all of the water has gone through. Then, enjoy!

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The picture for this item shows the top of the screw on damper as flat, but the one we received has a convenient slot for a screwdriver or the flat bottom of your spoon handle. The lid doubles as a plate to set down the coffee filter after you're done with it.

Bialetti Easy Cafe 6-Cup Espresso Maker

If you like expresso or lattes and you are looking for convenience and portability, here's your answer. Simply unscrew the top from the bottom. Fill the bottom to the line with water. Place the metal filter in the bottom and fill with your favorite ground coffee. Now, screw the top half of the pot back on place the pot on the electric heating plate and wait 5-6 minutes to pour excellent coffee. I like to warm lowfat milk in the microwave while I wait. The coffee beeps when it's ready, and you simply pour. Sweeten to taste. A full pot makes one venti-sized latte or six espresso sized portions. Barristas unite!

I owned the first model of Bialetti electric moka pot, which didn't have a separate base. It was used daily with no problem, then just stopped working. It was still under warranty so the company replaced it with this model as soon as it was available; it was distributed in Italy before the USA. Their customer service staff were wonderful to work with.

The difference in the new electric moka model is that the base, which houses the electric switch, is now separate. I've been using this model daily for almost a year now, with absolutely no problems.

Stovetop models make a better "espresso type" coffee, producing some crema on top. I still use my stovetop moka pots at home because I have the leisure time to watch & listen for the brewing to finish.

The electric pot is kept at work, where I can enjoy wonderful coffee brewing right in my office, instead of the tasteless coffee brewed in the breakroom. Not having to worry about the coffee burning, if I have to step out while it's brewing, is a big advantage. The light turns green and the pot beeps distinctly for about 1 minute when the brewing is finished, then it shuts itself off. It brews coffee faster than my stovetop moka pots at home. Supposedly it will keep the coffee warm for about 20 minutes, but I pour mine immediately, so I've never tested that feature! It brews about 10oz. of strong, espresso-type coffee (with a small amount of crema), to which I add 6 oz. of milk heated in the microwave. Illy is the brand of coffee I use; they've just come out with a new product especially for moka coffee, ground a bit coarser.

I've no complaints about Bialetti's product! This wonderful electric moka pot has saved me the money that I used to squander daily at Starbucks. I'm also less rushed & frazzled in the morning because I don't have to wait in long lines at SB's, and I get to work thirty minutes early. Several people in my building bought this model after tasting my coffee, and I've heard nothing but rave reviews from them.

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The coffee is great fuller and richer than with our Mr. Coffee. We loved our little pot and after three weeks, the power base just stopped working. The return to Target will be simple just drop it by the store but I hesitate to buy another.

For those who dare: be sure to keep your coffeemaker very dry [it's best to store it disassembled], be careful never to add water above the escape valve [or it can blow], screw it together tightly and hold the coffeemaker not the handle when you twist. And for us, this made one large mug.

I'm giving it a 3 since it broke so soon [and believe me, I pampered the little pot]. The coffee tastes great!

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I'm an Italian-American. My grandparents were born in Italy, and my mother brewed espresso in a very large stainless steel pot that I have inherited and use when I have company. I find fancy cappuccino and espresso makers a bit ridiculous. I've tried numerous smaller espresso pots, and been disappointed with all of them. Either they were difficult to dismantle and clean, or the coffee was bitter, or the manufacturer had tried to combine a stove-top espresso pot with a latte/cappuccino maker and failed: after emitting alot of steam, the pot produced muddy, undrinkable coffee.

This pot works. I bought the electric version because the burners on my stove are too large for a smaller pot. (Beware -if you balance a small pot on a large burner, the handle will weaken and break off -this happened to me and it was not pretty.) The coffee is delicious and the pot is easy to clean -just dump out the grinds and rinse. In fact, this pot is just like my Mom's, albeit electrical. Although it's advertised for six cups of espresso, it's great for brewing the one, large cup that I prefer after dinner. In fact, if I didn't have my mother's ancient large espresso pot, I'd definitely buy an even larger version for company.

A word of advice: wash out the grinds and clean the pot right away, so that your pot does not deteriorate and your coffee become "bitter." Vinegar wash will not fix a pot whose finish has deteriorated; the only way to prevent such damage is to clean the pot immediately after each use.

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The unit makes very tasty coffee, but note that it produces about 1.5 American cups, not 6. When they say 6, they mean 6 small espresso cup servings. I liked to brew up the pot and pour it into a large mug, which was perfect. The bad news is the electric base was fussy, and sometimes the on/off button wouldnt click on; the base chirped the way it does if you forget to put water in. After a few episodes of not being able to turn the base on, it eventually quit working entirely. Well, that was pretty disappointing because the unit is expensive. Today the owner of a chef's supply in my town suggested I contact Bialetti, which I did tonight. I think I've had the unit for about a year, so it may not be under warranty. I dont feel the base is built to last, so consider that when you contemplate buying this model. It might be better to go for the stove-top version, although with that one you need to stay by the stove to avoid ruining the brew and burning the handle off the pot. Phooey, I wish this thing were better engineered. I really liked it, but it isnt long-lasting.

La Pavoni Stradavari Espresso Machines

Update: At the three year mark, the heating elements on my machine failed. Repair costs TBD. If it's a write off, I estimate my service life equipment cost to have been right around a buck a shot. I had hoped for better longevity from a simple, expensively over-built machine. My initial rating was five stars, which I now reduce to three. Original review follows, with updates noted:

I have owned the 16-cup La Pavoni Stradivari model for about six months. I purchased it through Seattle Coffee Gear, a nearby dealer and repair shop I have come to trust. My wife and I use the machine at home for 4-6 Americanos or lattes per day.

My machine arrived in good order and was easy to set up. Per directions, I ran a tank of water with baking soda through initially, and set up the steamer with the venturi frothing attachment. There's a lot about this machine I like: its small footprint and steamship-era aesthetics, sturdiness and perpetual maintainability, silent operation, and the ability to pull an absolutely perfect shot. The venturi frother is a black plastic gizmo with a silicon tube to put into the milk to be frothed. Turning on the steam draws the milk into the frother and deposits the result directly into a cup. The result is hot and tasty, but with bubbles not quite fine or consistent enough for "coffee art", which doesn't really matter to me. Update: when the feeder tube from the Venturi frother became uncleanable I switched to the traditional wand and figured out how to use it. I like the finer foam it produces much better.

Here are some tips on use of the machine:

Raising the pump handle up opens the pump assembly to the water tank. Steam pressure then drives water into the pump. Depressing the lever pushes the water through the puck and into the cup.

If the pump and the filter are not hot before you compress the grounds into the filter assembly, the metal of the filter cup may expand when you operate the pump, allowing some water to go around the puck. Ways to mitigate this problem are: let the machine warm with filter assembly attached for 15-20 minutes; run 2-3 shots through an empty filter; or put hot water in a cup and soak the pump head until it warms up (doing the same for the filter assembly). In any event, this problem goes away after the first shot.

Experiment with your grind until you find one that allows expression of the shot with moderate pressure on the pump handle for between five and ten seconds. I use a Capresso conical burr grinder set on the coarsest of the "extra fine" settings. If you're foolish enough to blow a grand on an expresso maker, spend a little extra to buy a heavy stainless tamper of the appropriate size as well. It will make forming the puck much easier.

Per the instructions, when you raise the pump handle to let water into the pump, pause a few seconds or until coffee first drips from the filter assembly, then pull the shot. The pause moistens the puck and results in vast amounts of rich, deep caramel-colored crema. You can't replicate this step with an electric pump machine, and I believe it makes an important difference in the result. Update: Actually, Breville's new unit is supposed to do this for you.

Wait a short while after pulling a shot before removing the filter assembly, to allow pressure to dissipate. If you're impatient, you can blow grounds all over the counter. The harder the pull, the longer the required wait.

Be sure to rinse the frother right after using it to keep milk solids from clogging it. If it clogs, run a cup of 50%-diluted white vinegar through it, followed by a cup of water.

These steps are easy to master and the result is truly worthwhile.

This machine is exactly what I expected, pulls beautiful shots, but not without some patient troubleshooting. You MUST use an adjustable burr grinder and learn the art of grinding, tamping and pulling the shot. There are some good videos on youtube on this machine.

However, the plastic tray that catches any spilled espresso was either broken out of the box, or broke during its first cleaning. It is made of gossamer plastic, and cracked right away.

Also of concern, the base of the unit (Stradivarius) appears to be plastic covered with a chrome looking finish. It sure looks like metal in the pictures, and for a machine that costs as much as this one does, I would expect the base to be metal. Unfortunately, when you pull a shot, the plastic base flexes, and after only a few weeks, I have noticed some cracks on the base unit just to the right of the boiler. I think older machines have metal bases, and I would definitely try to get an older metal base machine if I could do it over.

And some oddities, the filter basket tightens to the left. The on light is red, while the heating light is green (seems they should be the other way around). My machine hovers around .75 bar, which seems low, but it still pulls beautiful crema.

Other than the plastic parts, this machine is great.

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This machine was a great disappointment. I got this to replace a 70's Pavoni Europiccola that simply wore out. From the beginning the first cup of espresso is cold, unless you go though a ritual to get it hotter. The manufacturer said this was just the way it is now designed.

Then I noticed that after using it, there was a puddle of water underneath. La Pavoni sent me to Thomas Cara in San Francisco, and said he was their representative. HE curtly said he was NOT their representative. But he described a defect in the Stradivari design the heating element is made of stainless steel and the bottom fixture is brass so they cool at different rates and frequently leak like mine was doing. So there is no good fix for this $800 espresso maker.

Thankfully, Amazon has been very responsive in taking the unit back, and I expect a full refund. That part was easy.

La Pavoni ESW-8 Stradavari 8-Cup Espresso Machine, Chrome with Wood Handles

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This machine is outstanding! That is, if you know how to manually pull shots. Apparently, some people want a fully automated espresso machine so do not get this if that is what your looking for. Once you get the hang of how it works, you will never want coffee from any store like charbucks or tully's...I lived in Italy for almost 2 years and this machine will produce better espresso than what I had over there, which was better than anything from a coffee shop in the US. If you get this machine get a conical burr grinder, and if you are serious about coffee, roast your own beans too. I have a Zassenhaus knee grinder, a Nesco professional coffee roaster, and I buy my green coffee beans from . Buying this machine with regular roasted beans from the store is not going to produce the best espresso and you should look at a cheaper machine if you are planning on doing so. Overall the machine looks beautiful on your counter and you will impress your friends with your at-home barista skills!

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It is the best in quality and function , highly recommend it,it makes the very best espresso that anyone could want.

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KRUPS XP5220 Pump Espresso Machine with KRUPS Precise Tamp Technology and Stainless Steel Control P

A few weeks ago we shopped for a new expresso machine at the Bed, Bath and Beyond store. Take in your 20% discount coupon and you will get a great deal.

Overall, we give the Krups XP5220 machine 5 stars. It is a quality made machine and makes good creme (foam). The nicest feature is the automatic tapping and the push-button to pop out the used coffee puck, no longer need to bang the filter holder on the garbage can to get the grinds to fall out.

One word of warning: we found a number of unhappy amazon.com users who had broken the tabs off the steam wand. A customer may not realize that in order to remove the nozzle for cleaning you have to pull the slip ring down and pull straight off which requires a bit of force. If you pry one of the 3 tabs which are in a vulnerable position they will break and then the steam wand may not stay on under pressure. Once you understand the proper removal and installation, it's not a problem. The manufacturer should review this design and make it a bit more robust. Otherwise it is a high quality machine and does a great job.

We benefitted from previous reviewers on the subject and were careful with our steam wand. Once you understand how to properly remove the nozzle it's not a problem. Don't overlook this machine, it is very nicely made and works well.

We've had this espresso machine for just over a month and it works wonderfully.

It's a huge step up from our previous model (XP4030). For one thing, the previous machine was extremely loud and vibrated so badly that it couldn't be left unattended. We expected a bit more noise, and did get used to it, but not being able to turn our back while the coffee was brewing wasn't an option. This machine is much quieter, and there is no vibration. I can leave the room and come back to find the carafe or cup in the same spot I left it.

The coffee does pull slower, but that's not an issue for us.

Secondly, this machine has an auto tamping system. At first I was dubious about that, but now I love it. No more worrying about how far to tamp the grind down, just put it in the holder, put the holder in place, turn it a click or two, and you're ready to go.

If you click too far, not only will the holder be too tight, but the coffee won't flow. If nothing happens after a second or two, simply shut the machine off, release the holder, then click it one turn back. At that point it should work without having to remove any of the grounds (though in the beginning I did have to take a bit out). It takes a little practice, but you do learn how much ground to put in the holder.

The third thing that this machine has over our previous one...NO THIN RUBBER GASKET!! That was a big draw. We had spent quite a bit of money replacing gaskets (from the six month point on), and every other machine that we looked at (and we looked at them all) had the same rubber gasket.

Fourth, Krups finally got wise and encased the metal that was behind the drip tray. No more exposed metal, no more rusting. And instead of a pull out drip tray, the entire piece lifts off for easy emptying.

All of these things made the machine more expensive than our previous one, but it's less expensive than a lot of the brands/models we looked at. And though we're serious about our espresso/Americano's, we're not ready to take the plunge into the machines that cost hundreds of dollars. This is a good alternative (for us anyway).

We've had no problems with the frothing wand. It seems as sturdy as any of the others we've seen.

I will say that with our old machine it was extremely difficult to develop a good froth. With this one, I expected about the same, but then we hadn't purchased the machine for fancy drinks.

That said, this machine makes a fantastic froth and it's very simple to use. I had given up even trying with our previous machine, and whenever I wanted a cappuccino my husband had to do it (with mixed results and never quite as good as our old steam espresso maker).

It's nice to be able to make my own cappuccino's now. :-)

Who knows. I may be back in a few months with some negative comments, but for right now we're enjoying this machine.

*And here I am. Ten months in and we experienced the same problem with this machine as with the less expensive machine. The inner rubber gasket (which isn't visible on this model) failed.

Our first order of business was to find out if replacement parts were available. With none found, and since the machine is still under warranty, we contacted Krups. They would not send a replacement part, but did pay for the machine to be sent to (and returned from) a service center for repair. A few weeks later the machine is back home and in good working condition. With any luck we'll get ten more months of usage before the problem arises again (hopefully longer, but I won't hold my breath). With even more luck, Krups will decide to make replacement parts available to the consumer by the time we need a new gasket. We certainly couldn't afford to mail this machine off every time it needs a new part.

**July 2012

I can now add our machine to the list of those that have blown the foaming wand. Not too long ago I was steaming milk when the wand blew completely off of the machine. The wand ended up in the foaming cup, but the three plastic prongs that hold it in place blew apart and flew across the kitchen.

Thankfully I was only foaming a small amount of milk so had little mess to clean up in that respect.

We've used the foaming wand less than a dozen times.

The part is available through Krups, but seems to be permanently out-of-stock.

I'm getting fed up with home espresso machines.

October 2012

Here I am again, continuing the ongoing diary entries concerning this machine....Sigh.

Last month we noticed a crack in the handle of the grounds cup/holder. It nearly encompasses the entire handle (near the metal cup).

We have never cranked on this handle. Never forced it into place. There is absolutely no reason it should have cracked except for the fact that it's a shoddy plastic part.

We had no problems with our previous Krups model aside from having to replace the rubber gaskets from the six month point on (every three months or so). That was becoming expensive, but seems like little irritation now. That was however why we took the plunge and shelled out more money for what we assumed was going to be a better machine overall. Silly us.

The grounds holder was listed at the Krups website a few days ago as "out-of-stock". When in-stock, it sets the consumer back $30. Today the part is no longer listed. This seems to be a fairly difficult machine to buy replacement parts for, if you can even find them (see the gasket issue above after ten months of ownership).

I'm guessing that translates into a. Krups isn't manufacturing enough parts for the few who need them, or b. so many people are needing parts that they can't keep up with demand. I'm thinking.....b?

No matter. We've repaired the handle with a hose clamp (available at the hardware store or Home Depot) $1.05 vs. $30. It may not be a permanent fix, then again, it may be. It seems sturdier than it did to begin with. The clamp will at least buy us some time until we figure out what to do next.

One thing is for certain, we are finished with Krups. This is one product I would strongly caution, 'buyer beware'.

My rating has been dropped to reflect the problems that we've had with our machine. It still hovers at 3 stars, just barely, and that's only because it does make a great espresso/Americano when all of the parts are in working order.

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We put this item on our wedding registry, and received it as a gift. The espresso that the machine makes is fantastic. The precise tamp system works very well, and we were super pleased with the espresso and lattes it makes.

HOWEVER, the steam wand is the most fragile, bad design I have ever seen. The steam wand is actually PLASTIC, NOT METAL. There is merely a thin, aluminum cover that surrounds the body of the steam wand, but underneath, and more importantly, at the top of the wand, it is ALL made of plastic. And soft, cheap plastic at that. It's like Krups was trying to save a few bucks in manufacturing by making this part out of cheap plastic instead of steel, which is what it should be made out of.

The wand broke on its own, maybe 6 or 7 times after it was used. Not through some sort of force, or because we handled it too roughly; the wand literally split away from the rest of the machine due to the steam heat coming out of it while we were steaming milk. All of a sudden steam started coming out of the top of the wand, instead of the tip of it, and the milk would not steam. Then the wand fell off. The place where it broke clearly looked like it had partially melted, and just split away from the rest of it where the piece was supposed to be solid.

We took the unit back to the store where we bought it, thinking that this surely must have been due to a manufacturing defect in our unit, since the espresso maker was so well made otherwise. THAT WAS VERY NAIVE OF US. After receiving the replacement unit, we used it again, this time taking EXTRA care in being very gentle with the steam wand. This time, the steam wand worked fine for about 2 months, then all of a sudden the exact same thing happened again. It was CLEARLY the heat causing the plastic to split and separate at the top of the steam wand.

It's a shame Krups got so cheap and decided to make it this way, because otherwise, we LOVED this machine, and we wish it didn't have this problem. But BEWARE, DON'T BUY THIS CHEAPLY MADE MACHINE!

Read Best Reviews of KRUPS XP5220 Pump Espresso Machine with KRUPS Precise Tamp Technology and Stainless Steel Control P Here

If you have read through the earlier customer reviews, you know that the easily broken milk frother has been the reason to avoid purchasing this product. That has changed. Krups redesigned the frother and is now manufacturing it using a more durable plastic. This new frother is available on all new machines. But it is also available free to those of us who already own one of the older machines.

Call the Krups customer service line, 800-526-5377, and request the replacement frother. The person I spoke with didn't even request proof of purchase. In about ten days the new part arrived. Now I am back to making terrific espresso with this dependable entry-level machine.

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After our 10-yr old DeLonghi machine quit working, we wanted another sturdy semi-automatic machine and settled on this Krups model. It feels hefty and well-made compared to others at this price level. After using it for 2 weeks (4 espressos a day), we are very pleased with the design, mostly for how it simplifies working with the coffee grounds. First, you don't need to tamp grounds into the holder the racheting design automatically tamps the grounds as you twist the holder into place. Secondly, after the grounds have been used, the pop-out button simplifies ejecting the used grounds (the "puck") without having to bang the holder on your counter or garbage can. If you want even MORE simplicity, it holds ESE pods, which are readily available (Starbucks 12 for $4.95). We actually use the ESE pods for our decaffeniated espresso. Now, let's talk about that frother, which is the subject of most of these reviews. I experimented with the frother wand and had no problems. It worked well. However, most reviewers talk about the frother wand breaking down after months of use. So LISTEN UP I have a little frother secret to share with everyone. We microwave our milk 90 seconds in a tall container, and then use a Bodum battery-operated mini whisk to create foam Bodum Schiuma Battery-Operated Milk Frother and Salad Dressing Set. Using this method, our frothed milk and espresso are ready simultaneously in about 90 seconds, and we don't have to worry about cleaning dried milk off that frother wand. I love the sturdy efficient Krups machine and feel it's a great value for under $200.

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