Starbucks Verismo 580 Brewer Silver (011023256)

I am obsessed with coffee machines, I am also obsessed with lattes. I spend too much money at Starbucks and I have been seeking a low cost machine that makes comparable drinks. This is NOT it. First of all the milk pods are basically powdered 2% milk and that is exactly what it tastes like. When I saw that they were also selling a $50 frother, I said, if these make lattes why do you need the separate frother?? now I know why, because the milk pods taste like watered down powdered milk. Basically what this machine is , is Nespresso but less sturdy and not as good. At least the Nespresso has the right brew temp and pressure. I have also tried the tassimo , which uses powdered creamora as their latte and that too is nasty. The only decent push button machine I have found that is comparable for decent latte making is the FLAVIA machine.Their milk packet is also made up of milk powder and whey, but for some reason it tastes much better Other then that , your best bet for cheap lattes is a Nespresso with a Keurig frother.

Starbucks Verismo 580 Brewer

The Starbucks Verismo single-cup brewer allows you to make your favorite drinks at home: lattes, espressos and of course traditional coffee. The system is very efficient and the ingenious pods make it so easy to use. Update 3/14/13. I am enjoying this machine more and more each day. More pods are being introduced and so there are more flavors and options out there. I've tried some of the coffee pods and I must say I love it!

Positives:

1. Make your favorite Starbucks drinks in just seconds at the convenience of home.

2. Very easy to set up, maintain and use. Modular as well, that is you can change the height of the drip tray.

3. Fashionable and eye-pleasing...they come in different colors.

4. Doesn't take up that much space.

5. Produces great lattes!

6. Well-built system. It looks sturdy and designed to last. Only time will tell.

7. Update 3/14/13. Emphasis on positive #1. It's timesaving machine! Sometimes I'm on the go and the Verismo machine always come true.

8. More variety of pods!

9. Pods provide a more consistent taste every time out. No need to measure just insert the pod and you will get the same great-tasting coffe every time out.

Negatives:

1. The pods are expensive. The unit cost per latte is $1.62.

2. The recommended pods produce small drinks. Was hoping for larger sized drinks. Update, 2/2/13 I have discovered that you can make the lattes bigger by hitting the espresso button an extra time or two without much loss of flavor. Problem solved.

3. If product doesn't sell well will Starbucks still support it?

In summary, after a week of heavy use, I really like the unit. It's very easy and produces delicious lattes and espressos in just seconds. The only initial drawback is the price of the pods, hopefully as demands for this excellent system increases the price of the pods will drop and become more consumer friendly. Update 3/14/13. More pods means more variety. After a couple of months of use, I love and rely on my Verismo more than ever. Taste is a matter of opinion but as more variety of flavors become available, the consumer is more likely to find the pod that best suits their taste buds.

Buy Starbucks Verismo 580 Brewer Silver (011023256) Now

It's been nearly 25 years since I got my first Espresso maker--a totally manual machine--and I've had quite a few machines since then. I hate to say what my current Jura Super-Automatic machine cost, but I can say that in all those years, I haven't been able to make an Espresso at home that was as good as I could get at a cafe. Well, except with my manual machine, but that was back when I was young, single, care-free and had time to pull a shot (and clean up the grounds, water and general mess afterwards).

While my Jura machine makes excellent coffee, the Espresso just isn't satisfactory, regardless of the roast and grind (harsh, with thin, watery crema that dissipates in seconds). I had wanted to get a pod machine, but I've tasted a number of them and they just don't hack it. Keurig, as well as most of the pod machines, don't really make Espresso, just a small cup of strong, pressure-brewed coffee, rather like my Jura machine. Except for the Nespresso machines (which are too messy and time-consuming for me), none of them brew with adequate pressure or temperature to make a true Espresso. I was skeptical of the Verismo when I first saw it, but the local Starbucks was giving demonstrations and free samples, so I thought I'd try it and this is definitely The Real Deal.

The Espresso is hot, rich, full-bodied and mellow--even the dark roast. Although it doesn't quite produce the thick, dense crema of the best Espresso I've had, it is far superior to anything else out there I've tried and considering how simple and easy it is, I've got no real complaints. I also disagree with the people who think the milk pods taste bad. I've used them for making lattes and hot cocoa and find them quite good and natural tasting (far more natural tasting than any other pod machine "milk"-based beverages). I actually find them a little rich tasting and so I run a little more water through the milk pod when frothing (which actually makes it frothier). I wonder if people are frothing the milk using the "coffee" button rather than the "milk" button, which will burn the milk, as the coffee is brewed at a higher temperature.

After brewing an Espresso, you can manually run the water through an espresso pod for a few seconds longer and get a good long shot (the higher end Verismo machine can do a long shot automatically).

I would say the low-end machine is a bit overpriced, while the high-end machine is quite overpriced, but like buying an Apple product, you are paying for the name as well as a better product. I've had no problems with leaking or noise. It heats up incredibly fast, it takes up little space on a countertop and is easy and quick to clean up.

The mechanism is shockingly simple compared to the other pod machines--no motorized or automatic dispenser, just a big lever you pull to drive the coffee pod into the brewing chamber. If you move the lever too hard and fast, or bobble the lever while moving it, the pod will not seat properly and will fall through into the dump bin (you can easily retrieve it for re-use, as it's obvious when a pod has already been used).

It would be nice if there was a low-water-level indicator, as there is on the higher-end machine and it's surprising to me that even the higher-end machine doesn't have some sort of automatic mechanism to load the pod, either motorized or spring-loaded, to avoid pod seating problems, especially considering the price.

All in all, though, it makes great Espresso with little effort at a reasonable price and that makes it easy to overlook the minor annoyances.

Just an update: If your machine is truly leaking water, i.e., water is coming out somewhere other than the spout or ends up anywhere other than in the drip tray, then your machine is defective and you should exchange it. Either the pump/hose has a leak or the seal around the pod is bad. My machine has no "leaks" whatsoever after several weeks and hundreds of espressos. Not a drop of liquid anywhere other than in the cup or the drip tray.

If people are talking about "leaks" in reference to liquid in the drip tray, that is normal. Any liquid that drips from the spout without a cup under it ends up in the drip tray and any liquid left in the pod/chamber when the pod is ejected ends up in the drip tray. This is an inherent side-effect of having a collection container for the used pods inside the machine, rather than requiring you to empty the used pod with each brew. It is true of all superautomatic coffee makers, for example, which are even messier to clean up, as you have to deal with loose grounds as well. I dump out the spent pods and empty the drip tray once a day--takes me maybe a minute and there is no mess (I do keep the machine next to the sink, though, so I don't have to carry the water reservoir around and spill water).

As far as the pod continuing to drip coffee after brewing, all you have to do is eject the pod before you remove your cup and the dripping stops immediately (of course the pod will then leak into the drip tray, but that's what the drip tray is for).

Believe me, I am not some sort of Starbucks fanboy--I rarely go there unless I want an espresso and it's on my way, as I can make great coffee at home with my Jura machine (better than Starbucks, IMHO), but I am totally satisfied with the Verismo and it's ability to make Espresso.

Another update:

I've had this product for many months now and have made many hundreds of Espressos. IMHO there is no better home machine for Espresso than this, other than manually pulling your own shots. None of the other cup-at-a-time machines even come close other than Nespresso and this is better and easier.

Just to clear up some misunderstandings that seem to be around:

1. Starbucks didn't invent this machine, it's a slightly modified version of the Swiss K-fee machine popular in Europe and Australia, replacing the bottom "Rinse" button with the "Milk" button to reconstitute the milk pods at a lower temperature than for brewing coffee. Starbucks' contribution was their clever method of manipulating temperature and pressure to allow you to brew coffee, produce espresso and steam milk with one machine (as well as fine tuning the system to match Starbuck's "flavor profiles".

2. If your machine leaks, it's defective--return it. No liquid should go anywhere other than in your cup or the drip tray. You must empty the drip tray before it overflows, but other than at parties, I've never had to do that more than once a day. I have absolutely no issues with liquid clean-up--not one drop.

3. As explained in the manual, when you turn the machine on, you must run a rinse cycle, which is why only the top button lights when you first turn it on. This is a good thing. It cleans the machine out and warms your cup. It adds maybe 10 seconds to making your first cup of coffee. I also routinely run a dummy cycle without a pod to warm cups that just came out of the cupboard--it works great in the winter when my cups have been sitting in the cold cupboard overnight.

4. As explained in the manual, you can turn the machine off manually by pressing and holding the power button until it turns off (about 5 seconds).

5. I've used the milk pods to make lattes and hot cocoas for dozens of people and no one ever complained about the milk--even when I prompted them and asked them if the milk tasted funny (I don't think it tastes funny, I think it pretty much tastes just like frothed 2% milk). To me, the best lattes are made by running the milk cycle a few extra seconds (which produces a larger serving, makes the milk taste a little less rich and froths it more), then brewing two espresso pods into the frothed milk. Like I said, no complaints, only compliments from dozens of people I've served at parties.

6. Although it took me a day or two to get the hang of closing the lever consistently with no mis-feeding of the pods, I haven't misfed a pod in months. I think maybe people make the mistake of trying to do it too slowly and carefully once they are sensitized to the issue, which is not a good approach. Or else they try to slam it home, thinking it takes a lot of force. It takes a smooth, natural motion, not too fast, not too slow. I honestly have no problems with it at all now, although it's certainly an aspect of the product that could be improved.

Six Month update (May 2013):

I still love it. I use it several times a day, every day. No leaks, hardly ever misfeed a pod any more, easy to use, easy to clean--no issues.

I see a number of people complaining about having to rinse the machine so often--I must have glossed over that part of the manual. All I ever do is rinse the machine whenever I turn it on (unavoidable, as it will only allow you to run a rinse cycle when first turned on) and once before shutting it off for the night. Although I will typically run a dummy cycle in order to warm a cup up before brewing, if the cup is already warm, I don't bother. I never rinse the machine between brews. If I make a latte, I follow the instructions and brew the milk first, then brew the espresso into the milk. When I do this, I never have residual milk getting into the next shot.

Interestingly, I just got a call from Starbucks to participate in a Verismo survey. This was a real survey, not one where they just get the answers they want by limiting the questions they ask and the responses you can give. They asked questions about how it operated, how it tasted, the noise level, the price, any problems with the machine, and they listened to my feedback (we actually discussed ways to eliminate the pod-loading issue!). Even though I don't have problems with pod-loading any longer, it's still a less-than-professional aspect of the machine.

Hopefully this means Starbucks will eventually introduce a cheaper machine with an automatic loading system and low water indicator. Either that or they'll just give up on it--although I hope not!

Read Best Reviews of Starbucks Verismo 580 Brewer Silver (011023256) Here

Produces a good Esspresso, but no need for an alarm clock for the rest of the household, this machine is sure to wake them up. It is very loud! 2 times louder than the Tassimo...and I got rid of the Tassimo because it was loud and dripped too long after brewing. This machine does not compete with Tassimo or Keurig in quality of construction. The Verismo drips coffee after brewing as well as the milk. What is the point of a pod holder if you have to pull it out every time you use it to empty the dripped milk (and I'm not talking a few drops).

The milk is powder and not very good. Tastes like powered milk.

PROS: it is fast at warming up to brew. It froths the top nicely. The taste is what I expected it to be: like Starbucks Espresso. The size is nice for a counter.

I have had it 4 days and am returning it. For the flaws, it is overpriced. I am going to spend $50 more and try a Nespresso.

Want Starbucks Verismo 580 Brewer Silver (011023256) Discount?

I love espresso. After years of making espresso out of the trusted bialetti.. thought I'd try something easier. Yuck. Absolutely nasty. Don't waste your time.

Lavazza Aroma Point Capsules, for Espresso Point

I have just received my box of Lavazza Espresso Point Aroma Point Espresso pods from Aroma Cafe Culture Inc. They were produced in Italy on February 11, 2009. Aren't these coffee pods too old already?

Espressi Mypressi Twist Red Espresso Maker - Espressi MT0901R

I love this product. We have owned five of them. Two were defective about one year of heavy usage. The company replaced them for free. So now we have two function twists (one at home and work) and one backup. I will be sad if this product ever goes off of the market. At that point, I will buy 100 of them so I can have good espresso at home until I die.

BEFORE I PROCEED: I must emphasize as strongly as possible that we have found that the grinder is more important than the espresso machine. PLEASE trust me on this. The best option we have found for the money is the Ascaso iMini grinder ($300 ish). We have had it for over 1 year and it works perfectly (in stark contrast to the cheaper previous models that we tried).

Some tips:

* It loses heat quickly. Espresso depends on the right temperature of the water for extraction.

* You should preheat the water cavity of the Twist by pouring in boiling water and dumping it out right before you put in the new water to pull your shot. This will prevent the cavity from cooling the water too quickly.

* You should use boiling water and pull your shot as quickly as you can get the lid on the twist. Boiling is a little too hot for extraction but it will cool a few degrees in that short amount of time (I have used a thermometer to test this).

* I have had 5 twists and each one behaved a little differently. All of them haved pulled good shots. The pressure regulation mechanisms seem to be the variable. I say this only to encourage you to give it some time to get used to.

* The key to good pressure is keeping on your seals clean and dry.

* The seal around the showerhead can sometimes get coffee grinds in it.

* The seal around the lid can sometimes get wet when you are pouring in the water, dry it off before putting the lid on.

* There is no reason to use the bottom part of the twist, the part that splits the shot into two, we never have this part attached (in barista talk I think that they call that a naked portafilter)

* wash with soap and water occasionally

* be gentle with the n2o cartridges

* when you insert the n2o cartridge it gets punctured by a little needle-like stem inside the twist. it seems like one of ours twist's stems got bent and it made the reloading process a little awkwrd and some of the cartridges wouldn't work. so be somehwat gentle when replacing cartridges. we haven't had that problem with our other two twists, it could have been a fluke (Mypressi replaced it for us for free).

* Cartridge sizes seem to vary slightly. We have chosen to by the mypressi branded ones in hopes that they will prolong the life of our devices

* We have found that the coffee make s a huge difference (apart from the grind which is super important). The moisture content. The date of roasting. We have had a couple of dud bags of coffee beans. No matter how we adjusted the grind, we simply could not get good shots.

* It is worth noting too that there is significant variability between bags even if you order the same product from the same place. Apparently, the blend changes as different beans come into season.

Making espresso is an art and a science. the better you are at repeating your experiments exactly the more consistent your shots will be. It isn't hard. I can make a doubleshot in about 6 minutes start to finish. But it did take some time to develope my skills. Hopefully some of my advice above will help you get to great espresso quicker :-)

I make good espresso 80% of the time. I make great espresso about 10% of the time. I make terrible espresso about 10% of the time.

We have one at home and it delivers a good espresso. Its perfect when you have the time to prepare a more laborious coffee. This is by far better than any home espresso machine. But you have to handle it with care. It supports pods to, so you can avoid making your kitchen a mess. We love it.

Buy Espressi Mypressi Twist Red Espresso Maker - Espressi MT0901R Now

One of the best features of this espresso maker is the ability to make great tasting shots with very little experience. I had never pulled a shot until I bought this and was able to get a 30 second delicious tasting shot on my second try. The quality of your shot will scale with the quality of the grinder. I started with a Hario hand grinder and pulled shots better than my local coffee house for a fraction of the cost of a comparable machine. When I upgraded grinders, my shots only got better. The consistency is amazing from shot to shot which I would attribute to the cartridge pressure never varying. The one negative brought up is the fact that you have to buy replacement cartridges but it only comes out to 4.5 cents per double shot since you can pull five 25-30 second doubles per cartridge. It would take many shots over many years for you make up the difference between this and a counter top model. It's also dead silent; another plus when making espresso in the wee hours of the morning.

Read Best Reviews of Espressi Mypressi Twist Red Espresso Maker - Espressi MT0901R Here

My husband got this to take with us on our recent vacation. Very easy to use and he even said he was concerned because it was making a better espresso than his big Gaggia machine at home.

Want Espressi Mypressi Twist Red Espresso Maker - Espressi MT0901R Discount?

ITEM ARRIVED DAMAGED !

I MUST ADMIT THAT THE FIRST SHOT WAS GREAT !

AND THEN IT STOP WORKING !

WE LOST 10 GAS BOTTLE REFIL ALREADY , AND WE HAD TO MAKE INTERNATIONAL LONG CALL DISTANCE AND TO SPEEK ONLINE FOR 2h , AND IN THE END THE MANUFACTURE AGREE TO SEND US A NEW HANDLE , WITH HOPE THAT IT WILL WORKS

WE PAID $38.00 USD TO THE MANUFACTURE SO THEY WILL SHIP THE NEW HANDLE TO US (OUTSIDE USA)

THE HANDLE NOT ARRIVED YET .

IF THE HANDLE WILL NOT WORKS THIS TIME , WE WILL HAVE TO RETURN ALL THIS UNIT FOR A FULL REFUND

AS LONG AS IT WORKS , IT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD PRODUCT WHICH GIVES RESULTS BATTER THEN A COFFEE MACHINE IN RANGE PRICE OF $500,00 USD

IF THE HANDLE THAT WAS SHIPED BY THE MANUFACTURE WILL WORKS WE WILL UPDATE THIS REVIEW AGAIN

MY RECOMMENDATION TO ALL COFFEE LOVERS SAVE YOUR MONEY AND PURCHASE A GOOD ESPRESSO COFFEE MACHINE IN $2000,00 $2500,00 USD , AND YOU WILL HAVE THE BEST OF THE BEST .

I ALSO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A FANTASTIC EUROPEAN ESPRESSO MACHINE NAMED BY: BEZZERA

THEY ARE MADE IN ITALY

PLEASE SEE THE ENCLOSED LINK:

BEZZERA GALATEA

BEZZERA GIULIA

BEZZERA MITICA

THANK YOU

Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemakers

I purchased this coffee maker at the recommendation of a friend and I'm really happy with it so far. It has a selectable brew strength, a defeatable audio alarm that beeps when brewing is complete, a clock, and a delayed brew timer.

The delayed brew timer is nice to have if you want to wake up in the morning with a pot of coffee waiting for you. I've used the feature a few times, and I like having it, although most of the time I grind my own beans, so I don't like to let the grounds sit in the coffee machine overnight because they can get stale. Of course, that's unavoidable unless you spend the extra money on a machine that also grinds beans before brewing.

This coffee machine comes with a permanent, washable coffee filter that is sturdy, well-made, and washes out in the sink in a matter of seconds. It also comes with a charcoal water filter that is placed above the brew basket. The manual states that these should be changed every month (I wouldn't be surprised if they last longer than that, though). The replacement filters are inexpensive, but if you already have filtered water, you can leave it out.

Another feature that I really appreciate is the Fresh Brew timer, which allows you to see exactly how long that pot of coffee has been sitting there. If you're in a hurry, you can also pull the carafe out while the coffee is brewing to pour a cup. Once you put the carafe back in its spot, it continues normally. I've tried it a few times, and not a single drop has ever hit the hot plate. Oh, and the temperature of the hot plate is adjustable -I got mine set at the perfect temperature so it doesn't burn the coffee if it's sitting there for a while.

My only complaints (and believe me, I'm trying pretty hard to come up with them): the display, while attractive, is a little on the bright side -a switch to adjust the brightness would be nice, even if it was just a High/Low 2-way switch. An internal battery to keep the clock accurate in case of a power outage would have been a bonus too. Finally, even though it looks great and feels pretty strong, it's almost entirely plastic, so it doesn't have that solid "I'm going to outlast your children" feel to it that it might have if it had more metal in the construction.

All in all, I feel like I'm cheating it by giving it only four stars, but it's not quite 5 stars either. It would be a 4.5 for me if I could do that. :)

So what we have here is my stubborn insistence that all my kitchen appliances be red and fairly inexpensive. Thus this Mr. Coffee unit got dumped into my shopping cart last year. This coffee maker has numerous problems but with some careful planning, as long as it doesn't quit, you can make it work for you.

First, the carafe leaks at the top under the rim. No problem--just keep a towel handy and once you've poured the water in the unit *very* carefully (keeping it absolutlely level) bring the pot to the sink and rotate/tip it so all the water comes out here and doesn't leak onto your counter. Then use a towel to wipe it dry, place it in its brewing spot on the hotplate and you are good to go.

Next, make sure you put the coffee pot on a cutting board or other similar surface--this will allow you to catch the leaks (from underneath and the top) when the water drips down without staining your countertop. As an added convenience the handle on the cutting board can be used to pull the unit out to fill the water. Very handy!

Lastly, make sure you put in twice as much water as you think you need but 1/2 the coffee grounds needed for that amount of coffee--because somehow between the pouring of the water and the finished cup of coffee about 35-50% of the water will go MIA. Where it goes remains a mystery and even my want-to-be-a-detective 12 year old can't figure out where it could be going. We'll just consider that the 8th wonder o.k.?

So, after all that (what's a little work after all...for my java) you should be in receipt of a perfectly well brewed cup of coffee. No problem.

Seriously---best look elsewhere. Unless you are addicted to red appliances and are broke--and if that's the case don't forget if you position it by a window it could function as a homing beacon for your spouse in the dark or rain OR as a great nightlight for your child who needs to make that middle of the night potty run--yes folks the lighted clock is really great but I would recommend you cover your eyes and, much like the sun, do not look at it directly. It must be some military patented thing meant for the troops or something.

Buy Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemakers Now

I wish I did some research before I purchased this machine. Well.. for the 1st week, everything seemed good. Made great tasting coffee and worked as it should.(I've always used the timer function so I never actually watched while it was brewing). Well, one day, I came down stairs little bit earlier than normal and observed some steam escaping from the top while it was brewing. It didn't bother me too much and I didn't make an issue out of it because I assumed this was normal for all coffee machines.. or is it??

next day, while I was observing, I heard something pop from the machine. What happened was that because the top lid gets hot from the steam, it expands and it popped the lid off and would not close properly.(so even more steam escaping....)

Again, because it was still making great coffee, I let it do it's thing.(and the lid closed fine after it cooled down)

Well, starting 3rd week, I noticed that the machine would not make full use of the water in the reservoir. Lets say if I put in 8 cups of water, it would brew about 5-6 cups and stops (Leaving rest of the water still in the reservoir)

4th week, it just stopped brewing period. No coffee in the decanter. Machine turns on and you can hear the water sucking noise and bit of steam coming off from the top for few mins and nothing. luckily, I still had my receipt and returned it.

I just think this coffeemaker is poorly designed. Or maybe I just had a lemon. But, if you are going with this one, save your receipt/box just in case. (and yes, I cleaned it regularly as it was recommended on the manual)

Read Best Reviews of Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemakers Here

I have had the older version of this coffee maker for years, maybe 5 years and have had no problems with it until I dropped the filter holder and it broke. My fault, not the coffee makers fault. For the previous negative reviews: What coffee maker do you not have to place the decanter just right to get the coffee in it? Also, there is a temperature knob that will keep your coffee as hot or cool as you want it, just turn the knob to the highest setting. Also, how long does it take someone to pour a cup of coffee? The pause feature is for 30 seconds. I can pour three cups in that amount of time. Great machine at a great price. Going to buy another one since they don't sell the filter holder separately.

Want Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemakers Discount?

Don't know why there was so many bad reviews on this coffee maker, i have had no problems at all and has been the best coffee pot i have ever owned. only had it for a couple of months so we will see.

Save 22% Off

Melitta Coffee Maker - Ready Set Joe - One Cup Maker with Mug - Black

Used the Melita one cup while visiting my parents in TX. They both drink decaf.....I don't, so it was ideal for my early morning wake-up!

At home we have a 12 cup Farberware that we set up the night before for the morning, but for that quick cup during the day or early evening, I want my own Melita one cup! Can't wait for it to arrive.