Nespresso D520 Gran Maestria Espresso Maker, Platinum

I bought this machine from another high end housewares store when they were on sale recently. I sold my Delonghi super auto as I was so sick of all the tinkering and cleaning. This machine is perfect for my needs.

I want to turn it on and be able to pull great shots with little effort. Yes, I know some people would say this is not the true espresso way...but in the AM when I need a great latte or doppio this machine does the trick. The heat up time is under 30 seconds, the espresso varieties are delicious and I can always get the exact same shot. I love that the dials on the front of this machine allow we to adjust quickly the amount of water passed through the capsule. Sometimes I add a little more water with the capsule in place so I can get a little more from the capsule. I will say that pulling a lungo capsule on the longest setting is a bit of a stretch and definitely makes a light shot.

-The fit and finish of this machine is gorgeous. I love the way it looks in the kitchen, with it's cool LED lights and finish. I am a sucker for packing and marketing so this is just the kind of thing that calls out to me.

-Getting the capsules from Nespresso has been painless and the iphone app allows me to quickly order as soon as I notice my supply is low. I wish there wasn't the $6.99 2 day delivery charge. But those are the breaks and when you buy into this system definitely keep in mind the cost of these capsules. .60 or .65 a piece. The quality and flavor make this worth it to me and I am glad to have a consistent high quality shot.

-The aerocino attached to the base is great as well. Dense foam and nice light steamed milk. My daughter also loves the steamed milk with a little vanilla flavor as a snack.

-This machine is also great for dinner parties. I can open the case of capsules. Guests can check them out and make a choice. People enjoy tasting and comparing. Makes coffee tasting fun and easy. No grinder, no tamping, no steaming and stretching milk by hand.

-I would definitely buy this machine again. I find it to be worth the premium prices and only being able to get capsules from Nespresso.

Enjoy!

Recently purchased the Gran M. was a bit worried as I've been disappointed in the past with other machines.... I must say I'm really happy with it. The coffee is surprisingly good and clean up super simple. It's so simple and fast that I find myself using it all the time. Other machines I've had sat idle and I made far to many trips to the local Barista.

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I did not purchase this machine from Amazon I purchased mine directly from Nespresso. It is a great machine and makes a great cup of coffee with a good variety of coffee pods to choose from. I live in Florida, and I wanted to leave a comment for other users that may be in high humidity climates. I had issues with the milk frothing (aeroccino) not consistently frothing the milk. It would work sometimes and other times not. It was very frustrating for a number of months, until I called Nespresso to complain. I got right through to an American support person and when I told her the issues, she immediately asked the state I lived in. When I said Florida, she said for high humidity climates like Florida, they recommend using only Organic Milk for frothing. Well my first thought was, give me a break no way is it the milk I am using. But she said she would make a note in my file but she was certain if I switched to Organic Milk my frothing issues would go away. She said it has to do with the extra stuff in regular milk and how they interact in the higher humidity climates? Well, low and behold she was right. Since I switched to Organic every single froth has been perfect. It took me a very long time to get this information, and I wanted to post it here just in case someone else is having similar issues. I have used all types of Organic milk to test things out Horizon, Ogranic Valley (boxed (shelf stable), whole, 2%, 1% vanilla, etc and it sure seems as long as it is Organic it froths to perfection every time. Hope this info helps someone.

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My girlfriend and I received the Gran Maestria as a housewarming gift from my mom in October. Purchased it from William Sonoma at Stanford Mall, but when we got home it was the wrong color and looked to be like it was a returned item as some paperwork was missing and there was a scratch on it. We were not notified of this and returned it the next day. Unfortunately, my mom wasn't able to try it because she had to return back home to Hawaii before we got the correct, new machine. OIur first experience with a Nespresso didn't look promising.

Alas, we got our beautiful machine home, plugged it in, and brewed our first latte. We were truly impressed with the quality of the espresso and it tasted much better than the one we tried in the store before we bought it. My girlfriend uses it religiously in the morning and we have one at night with dessert. So far the machine has worked flawlessly, which we'd expect from a $600+ machine, but you never know now days with so many products being made with only the bottom line in consideration.

I've never used any other espresso machine, so I can't really comment on clean-up, but I can tell you that the Nespresso is easier to clean than a regular coffee maker.

I ordered our first set of capsules on Nespresso.com, which was a breeze and they arrived so quickly there is no need to get them from a store. But now that Nespresso has opened a store in The City next to Union Square, I can pick up our monthly supply on my way home after work.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for a fantastic espresso and who are looking to impress guests. It definitely adds class and pizzazz to our kitchen. In fact, I love our Gran Maestria so much I just purchased the U (in orange) for my desk at work. I just hope the loud brewing sound doesn't annoy anyone. If it does, they will forget about it once the rich and bold aroma of my espresso fills the air. Enjoy!

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Waking up to a cappuccino. The perfect amount of frothy, earthy espresso dripping into my warmed Spode Christmas mug, organic, grass fed cow's milk foamed in just under a minute spooned on top, it is a singular pleasure. A high end luxury, that brings a certain specialness to the moment, puts love in my heart and makes me want to hug and kiss any cat, dog or human within arm's reach.

Considering the consistent, delicious, simple, fast and ease of cleaning this machine, I can't imagine why you would spend more on an expensive espresso machine you need to constantly maintain. Everything is recyclable. It's a treat anytime of day.

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1500 Watt Deep Fryer (White)

I got this product for $25 at Freds. I thought i picked a fryer that the basket and the actual cooking pot could be taken out and cleaned seperately from the base. The fryer works GREAT! I love this fryer, although it is my first I feel it is a very good buy.

Eric

my fry daddy died after about 7 years of loyal service. so i bought this from a local discount store in town. they sell reconditioned equipment, so that might have had something to do with it. bottom line it just did not get hot enough. i would put frys in, but they never would "float", they just came out soggy and rubbery. i am returning it and going back to the tried and true fry daddy. i suggest you do the same.

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Pasquini Livia 90 Semi Automatic Espresso Machine

Just one quick note: The photo above (at the time I wrote this review) is of the automatic model and not the semi-automatic model. This review is for the semi-auto model. For those who don't know, the auto model allows you to push a button and the machine will start and stop the flow of water on its own (single or double). Semi-auto means you need to turn the flow of water on and off yourself. There are also super-auto machines that grind and tamp the beans as well.

The Review: This is a serious coffee machine. It's "commercial quality" so it's heavy (almost 50lbs) and very well built. It takes up some counter space (mostly depth) but it looks elegant and is easy to keep clean. The portafilter (handle with basket for coffee) is very sturdy and fits snugly. It has a useful ready gauge and simple buttons (as noted above) for on-off and start-stop.

Now the important stuff: It makes great coffee consistently. I moved up to this machine from a Braun pump espresso machine. This one has better pressure and temperature. I used to brag about my Braun machine because it was inexpensive and made consistently good esperesso. The first shots I pulled from this machine made me realize that I didn't realize what I was missing. If you know how to make espresso, this machine lets you pull easy, consistent, and quality shots.

Another great feature of this machine is the continuous steam and hot (very hot!) water outlet. If you've ever had trouble steaming milk on machine you'll be impressed and maybe even surprised at how well this works. The machine also recovers well and quickly after you pull shots or use the steam wand.

The tanks is removable and holds a lot of water. It's easy to fill in place as well. You can leave this machine on all day if you like (it's designed to work that way) and you might want to if you're like me and drink too much coffee. The reason is that it can take a little while to warm up if it's been off for a while. That's probably the only thing I'm not fond of with this machine. First thing in the morning it can take a while to warm up (5-10 mins). This makes sense given the size and build of the machine. It simply takes time to warm up to the proper brewing temperature. However, I had gotten used to a machine that only takes a couple of minutes. So, my new morning routine includes going down to turn on the machine and coming down after my shower for my great coffee!

If you've never had a pump machine before, you may need some practice, but I think this is a good machine to learn on (due to its consistency). Just remember to follow the instructions (especially not to overfill the filter) and adjust either the grind of your coffee or the pressure of your tamping to get the desired results.

I hope this is helpful to you if you're considering this machine. I'd say it does well or better to other machines in this price range. It's a definite step up in quality and build from the machine's you'll find in the $500-1000 price range. It's a complete improvement in machine and coffee from pretty much any machine under $500.

One last comment, Pasquini has been excellent and very responsive to questions. I'm very pleased to see them here on Amazon.

Good luck with your quest for great coffee...I found it with this machine!

I bought the Livia 90 semi-automatic in 2003 and I was always pleased with the consistent results. Very good espresso with crema and excellent cappuccinos, not to mention the ability to brew a tea in less than 5 seconds. The machine is very sturdy and beautifully constructed with stainless steel and a 1.5 liter brass boiler chamber. The machine takes 7 minutes to warm up because it's all metal with only the porta-filter handle, the switches, and a couple of knobs made of plastic. For the first couple of years I used the machine with ground coffee, but then I switched to pods because it's less messy and I consistently get the crema every time I use the machine. Also this gave me the chance to try out several brands of coffee ( I believe I tried more than twenty varieties by buying pod samplers available on the web). I'm now mostly settled on Illy medium roast ESE pods, Starbucks, and Lucaffe Colombia pods.

After three years since I had the machine I had a problem with the steam water valve: at least once a day it wouldn't stop heating the machine after reaching the correct pressure, causing the safety valve to release the excess pressure with a very loud noise. I had to return the machine to Pasquini where they replaced the valve and rewired the machine to work properly. After that the machine always worked perfectly and I now turn on the machine early in the morning and I turn it off after dinner at night every day.

You need to take care of the maintenance of the machine, starting with cleaning the machine regularly ( I use the PuliCaff powder once a week) in order to get rid of the coffee oils that deposit in the group head and filters, as well as replacing the undercup gasket and the various O-rings at least once a year, or else the rubber will harden and water will leak from the porta-filter. The maintenance intervals vary with the machine usage: I brew about 6 to 8 coffees every day and I found out that cleaning the machine once a week and changing the gaskets once a year is a good compromise.

After seven years of use the machine still works great and looks like new. I love the espressos I can make with this machine, but now the problem is that I cannot drink regular brewed coffee anymore when I go out to a restaurant that doesn't serve espresso coffee.

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I have waited a year before writing a review because I think that is a reasonable amount of time to wait to give the review credibility. I have to say my husband and I love love love this machine. It looks fabulous and makes the best coffee. It's easy to clean, quick to recover in between coffees so you can make lots of coffees one after the other. Milk steamer is easy to use and great to make the kids hot chocolate. Also the hot water dispenser is great 'cos I love to make tea as well. The water tank is very large and we don't have to fill it often but even then it's easy to do we fill it in place with a couple of big plastic jugs. It's great we love it and don't have single complaint. We got it for each other last Christmas '07 and have a lot more friends now! I don't hesitate in recommending it to you and one final thing it really takes no time to warm up whats five minutes to wait for great coffee! The line at Starbucks would take longer and your coffee will taste a lot better!

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I've had mine for about 10 years now with daily+ use. It only required one replacement part when I got it (used) and has functioned generally flawlessly for all this time. I'm an espresso connoisseur, roast my own beans and seek perfection from this machine. A great burr grinder is essential for this machine. Overall, it does a very good job, but is admittedly finicky. FRESH ROAST, grind, tamp and extraction must all be done very well or shot quality goes funky. Some gripes are the 4-hole standard steamer tip is BAD. It can be replaced with a 2-hole (Google this issue for recommendations) that will slow down the process a bit, make less mess in a small pitcher and permit great microfoam. Oh yeah, try a few different varieties of minimum 2% milk (whole is best!) from your supermarket some foam MUCH better than others.

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I got a deal on this machine by agreeing to buy a years worth of Illy coffe. Since illy is my favorite coffee and they offer vacuum cans of pods it was a no brainer. The coffee actually lasted more like 2 years but I still buy Illy pods for those times when grinding is a chore. I'd recommend you check out the current Illy deal if you are looking for an espresso machine. I'd tell what I paid but it would bum everyone out.

The Livia 90 is so not a toy. Also it is not a factory machine that grinds and tamps and does everything for you. I suspect those machines by their nature are less reliable but anyway I like to handle my food and drink when I prepare it.

The espresso is perfect every time with just the right temp, flavor and crema whether I am using a pod or not. The boiler is large enough to make half a dozen different drinks and steam milk for all of them. This is a tried and true two portafilter machine with one portafilter. Also it dispenses boiling water for tea or Fench press coffee or you can make tea with pods. I love having boiling water on demand in the kitchen. I have never had it perform in any way other than optimally.

La Cafetiere TQ080200 Thermique 35 fl oz Coffee Press, Stainless Steel

After weeks of searching for a stainless steel coffee press and reading every review submitted--I really appreciate product reviews: good and bad--I finally found a press that I thought would work...and it does! In fact, it makes an excellent pot of coffee. It is also very beautiful. It looks like a silver coffee pot you might find on the room-service tray at a 4-star hotel: classic art deco design. The generous spout allows you to pour the coffee without dripping and the large handle makes it easy to hold securely. The pot is polished stainless steel, made in China by a British firm with, obviously, very exacting standards; there are no flaws, dents, or unfinished surfaces. It has a smooth and seamless appearing surface throughout: inside and outside and it can sit proudly on any tray or table.

Following my accident with my glass Bodum press (it exploded and I received 1st and 2nd degree burns), I was a little leery about pressing down on the plunger when I made my first pot. No need to worry; it slid down like a dream: smoothly and easily. So easily that I thought it might not have captured all the coffee grounds. (The one drawback in using a metal pot is not being able to see the grounds being pressed.) No need to worry, as I discovered when I cleaned the pot, all the grounds had been captured by the stainless, mesh filter and there was little if any water with the grounds in the bottom of the pot. By the way, this press must be hand washed and dried: it cannot be put into a dishwasher.

The only feature that did not seem to "work" for me was the keep-warm feature. I did not make a full pot (which probably contributed to the cooling down of the brew); but, I did make enough for two mugs of coffee--about 20 oz.--and I drank the second cup within ten minutes. The second cup was not as hot as the first one. I did rinse the pot with very hot tap water before putting the ground coffee into the pot and I placed it on a hot pad so my tiled counter would not cool the pot. However, this pot is double-walled and the air pocket is what "keeps the coffee warm"; it is not a thermos pot. The pot is hefty; but, not as heavy as it would be if it was a thermos or glass-insulated pot. Not having the glass insulation might be a good thing: nothing to break should I drop it; therefore, it should last a very long time. I think the warming aspect would be better triggered if one was making a full pot and using--as the instruction booklet suggests--water "just off the boil." That is, the water for this coffee press should be boiled; it will cool down when it hits the pot and the heat is absorbed by the air pocket.

Oh, yes, the coffee from this elegant press--it was the best! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this great press to anyone. Yes, it is a little more expensive than the glass presses; but, I don't have to worry about it exploding or breaking.

July Update: I have made many full pots of coffee since my initial review and I can safely say that my coffee did stay very warm; that is, very drinkable--for up to 2 hours--and the pot stayed cool to the touch. I did use water just off the boil; I think that certainly helped. I really do like this coffee press!

After trying out (and reviewing) several other stainless steel coffee presses, I guess I'm keeping this one. It's all metal, (unlike the awful new Bodums that use a plastic frame for the screen) solid enough, and does the job for less than half the price of some of the other presses. It's pleasing to the eye, from a distance at least.

Is it well made? No, not really. The brazing that connects the handle with the pot is sloppy, the join is cut at an uneven angle and bent, and the metal of the pot is rippled and distorted at the handle join. The polish job is very rough. It's obvious that this thing was put together in a Chinese sweatshop without a lot of pride in craftsmanship. I find it absurd to compare this cheap, tinny pot to a real handcrafted silver serving vessel. It's like people have lost all understanding of quality... Don't kid yourself; this is a low-quality item that will do the job, period. And considering that the Frieling press, while more substantial, also suffered from low quality metalworking, I'll stick with this one and save a couple bucks. The strainer on this pot is a cheap imitation of the Bodum piece with a looser, thinner screen, but thankfully shares the same thread size, so a real (old-school) Bodum 3-piece stainless screen can be screwed on in place of the stock one.

On the positive side, the spout works very well and does not drip, unlike some others. You can rotate the lid and it will cover the opening, presumably keeping your beverage hotter even longer. The handle sits nicely in the hand, and the pot balances and pours well. Although not a vacuum thermos, the double wall design does keep your coffee hotter longer than a single-wall.

So, although not of the quality I'd like, (which apparently does not exist anywhere, at any price) I will be keeping this one, although I am sure every time I see that wonky handle join, I'll cringe a little. Those less fastidious about metalworking will probably like this pot just fine, and I will give it my qualified recommendation as being the best option on Amazon at the moment, for the price, IMO. Good luck!

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While this product does hold up to its claims of keeping coffee hot, it has poor seams several places throughout the stainless where there are pin holes allowing liquid to get trapped between the stainless thermal layers. For sanitary reasons, I am not using and have ordered a competitor's stainless french press as a replacement. Very unhappy with my purchase.

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All metal filter...no plastic or rubber. I preheated the thing with hot tap water, then made my coffee using fresh ground coffee from a burr mill. Kept the level 1 inch below the spout as instructed. Let it sit for 4 minutes with the lid on and filter up, then pressed it. Poured coffee. Taste was acceptable, similar to Bodum glass carafe.

Twisted the lid closed again to hold in heat. Angled the filter a little to keep the lid sealed better...it isn't a very tight fit, but the angle sealed in the steam acceptably well.

One timed hour later, spun the lid to the pour position and filled another mug. Perfectly hot, even after adding cream. Room temperature was 73 degrees F. Coffee bitterness after grounds stomped to the bottom did not noticeably increase after the one hour.

You'll get at least one hot hour from this maker. That's plenty.

The lid has a hole in the top and bottom for the filter rod to pass through. In theory, you could get gunk in this space, and find it hard to get out. I say poo on that. Flush with hot tap water, hold it upside down, and work the filter rod...the water comes out fine, as would any grinds that get up there if you get carried away with your filter plunging.

Stays hot, makes good coffee, all metal. Go get one and be happy you aren't breaking glass carafes when your guests come over. If you're a glass carafe aficionado, then keep this one in the cupboard for a backup.

If you like my review, send me one million dollars and I'll send you a thank-you card.

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I spent a good while seeking a replacement solution for the last french press when the press itself had broken. I was determined to find another press that was klutz-proof (so not glass), was not plastic, operated with easy pressure, poured cleanly and easily, and made enough coffee for at least two large cups in the morning (cuz some mornings are just rough like that or I'm fortunate enough to have good company to share with). Sounds impossible, right? Until you look at the product I'm reviewing and notice it satisfies all of those parameters!

What makes me even more giddy about investing in this particular press is that the construction is S-O-L-I-D. The metal has heft to it it is at least 18/8 stainless, but unmarked and the handle and the spout are very artfully, cleanly welded onto the body, and chased back to smooth, as you would expect of a piece of jewelry. And the double walled feature of this product doesn't stop at the pitcher; even the lid is an enclosed air pocket, making not only for better warmth retention, but also a more pleasant cleanup experience. Can you imagine having permanent dampness caught in the thickness of the lid? Doubtless infuriating.

Total bonus that it's damn pretty and I want to leave it out in view. The only disparaging things I have to say about it are that it's not dishwasher-safe (which is understandable), and not USA designed & manufactured (...which is sadly expected: UK-designed, Chinese-manufactured).

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