Sensio 90017 Bella Professional 12-Cup Coffeemaker

In a Nut Shell Has12 cups capacity, 24 hour clock/timer, brew pause, programmable shut off, gold tone filter, heavy, and die-cast aluminum.

Comment Even tho I have a pretty collection of coffee makers, I wanted to try 'something different', so I opted for Sensio's Bella Professional line.

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* The Good -

1. Brews an Excellent pot of your favorite Java (kirkland's colombian supreme).

2. Brewing Time initially was Very Good compared to others, I have used before like the all-time favorite Krups line.

It's a Top Loader for both your Java and H2O and has the much sought after Radial Spray Head, which ensures an even coffee extraction. I strongly recommend using Filtered H2O

for all of your Brewing needs and using Reverse osmosis seems to be the best Option in "Hard-Waters" country, like here.

3. 1 year later, it's still working but the Tropics cause much deterioration and is taking it's toll.

* The Bad -

1. Expensive: Over 100 hundred Bucks + S/H Charges add up quickly.

2. Clock is very SMALL, totally worthless, as it does not have any Numerical Characters, like a regular clock, just 'subdued' lines, nice Blue glow though.

A much larger Round or rectangular 'clock & Coffee Function' window would have greatly improve it.

3. Using the Decanter to fill a Cup, results in Dripping coffee all over the counter, unless you Hold the decanter at a Perfect 20 to 25 degree Angle & Axis, which is difficult when it's Full.

This is mostly due to the way that the decanter's Flip-top is finished-cut at an angle. They should have looked at a mr coffee, Cuisinart or Krups.

4. The Pause n' Serve function is limited to 2 Quick cups only, otherwise, it will start to 'overflow' at the filter/basket, which can be a mess!

5. The Heating Decanter area gets grungy quickly from the spilled coffee and needs constant cleaning, as opposed to the Krups.

6. The Front Face Stainless has developed a 'smudged' appearance, not the Highly Polished finish that I expected, while this in itself does not affect the Function,

aesthetics are an important factor, for me.

7. It's sold and labeled as a 'Professional' coffeemaker, which it isn't and it's definitely NOT 'bella (beautiful) either!

* Update June 2010 I have downgraded this coffee maker to barely 1 Star. Here's why, the Decanter Warming plate has now degenerated to a Rusted, Crackled, Paint-less, Ugly Mess!

It also started to SLOW DOWN in it's percolating phase to the point where I have just replaced with a new mr coffee maker.

I expected more out of a 100+ dollar coffee maker.

This is the first time I have ever written a review about any small appliance purchased online. I am a long-time gourmet coffee nut, and have purchased many high-end coffeemaker brands over the years, including Krups, Braun, DeLonghi, and others. They all made great coffee and lasted a very long time. I purchased this Sensio 90017 Bella 'Professional' Coffeemaker in mid-2010 to replace a Krups that finally died after years of great service.

I suppose I was seduced by the great looks and supposed high-end features. But after this 'professional' coffeemaker broke down completely 7 months later, I contacted the Sensio 'Customer Service' department, located in Montreal, Canada. My unit simply would not brew at all, it just beeped continually. Be forewarned upfront that there is no service department anywhere to ship the coffeemaker to for repairs, so you are out of luck if it breaks down. And Sensio refuses to replace their coffeemakers should they break down during the one-year warranty period. This was very surprising.

I was also shocked to learn that the stated one-year warranty on this expensive coffee maker was not honored. Consumers beware: the company 'pro-rates' your warranty and will not repair or replace your coffeemaker if it dies within one year. Instead, they will refund you the pro-rated value left on the unit. For example, if you paid $100 for this coffeemaker and it broke down in 9 months time, you would receive 3 months (out of 12 months total warranty time) worth of the original value. Which equates to 25 percent, or $25 money back. I have never heard of such a policy in my life.

When I asked if I could have it repaired or replaced, they refused, as did the manager I spoke with. And here is what you have to do to get your pro-rated money amount back: cut the cord off the coffeemaker, type up a letter, attach a copy of your sales receipt, and SHIP IT ALL TO CANADA AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE!! Needless to say, for those of us who live in the USA it is not cheap to ship a package to Montreal. Do you think it is worth it for me to receive about $30 back when it costs a lot to ship the package and go through all this hassle?

Not only were the customer 'service' representatives very rude, it was obvious they did not care about their products or how consumers feel. I tried my best to get them to be reasonable, but they really don't seem to care about honoring the warranty. I was told there is absolutely nowhere to get the unit repaired, and that they no longer replace defective ones. Absurd.

While the unit worked, it made great coffee. And I would concur with other reviewers on the uselessness of the clock (it only illuminates while brewing and you can't make out the time). The other major annoyance for me was that the lid could not be removed from the glass carafe, making placing it in the dishwasher impossible. So much for the claim that the parts were dishwasher safe. And the carafe drips when pouring water into the unit or brewed coffee out into a cup.

If you want a coffeemaker at this price to last at least one year, and to buy from a company that actually cares about service, the warranty, and customers, then avoid Sensio at all costs. Also beware that this same model is now being sold under other brand names, such as the Food Network and a few famous chefs. You will recognize it by the looks and round blue clock with the nearly invisible hands. Sorry to have to complain, which I despise, but this company really does not care about its products.

Thankfully Amazon listened and refunded me my money. I was told they would contact Sensio about their warranty policy. Anyone have a recommendation on a sub-$100 coffeemaker that makes great tasting coffee and lasts?

Buy Sensio 90017 Bella Professional 12-Cup Coffeemaker Now

Thought after our wedding to get some of the most expensive appliances for our kitchen as we are just starting out. The coffee machine power quit after 12 months. I took it apart, have to literally damage the stainless face to access the switch. I heard they have a terrible warranty, so I thought try myself. No good. Into the landfill it goes. We had a junky coffee machine with an actual clock before and it was indestructable. What the hell? Pretty disappointed and out $120.

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We were looking for a new coffee maker that wouldn't dribble water condensation all over the counter top every time we opened the lid. Well, this one solved that problem, but the host of other issues does not make it worth the money. It is a handsome color for our kitchen and makes a very good cup of coffee. Other than that, it gets very low marks.

1. The first problem is the single entry/opening for adding both water and coffee grounds. I have seen this in other coffee makers and it is bad news. You always end up with coffee grounds in the water reservoir, and with this model it's virtually impossible to clean them out.

2. There is no water level window. You have to actually look into the reservoir and watch the water fill pretty awkward if you're a little short. Also, it has "steps" for the even numbers of cups for your water level. If, however, you want to make something in between, like 3 or 5 cups of coffee, it is total guesswork as to how much water to add. Most coffee makers have the same even-number set up, but since they have a window you can tell when you've hit the half-way point between two evens. Not so easy when you are peering in from above.

3. The coffee grounds basket has to be seated exactly right. I don't just mean line up the little notch on the rim of the basket; you also have to hold the handle of the basket up and while doing so, push the basket down into it's precise spot, and then drop the little handle. If you make an error with this step, the drip-stop function will be engaged, even though the carafe is in it's place. So the basket fills with water, but has no way to escape and you soon have an explosion of coffee and grounds all over your counter top. Once again, coffee grounds end up in the water reservoir, with no good way to clean them out. Even after we figured out this issue, and learned to properly seat the basket, we still miss once in a while and have a coffee catastrophe all over the kitchen.

4. The heating element is another problem. We've only had this maker a few months, and already the heating element looks 10 years old. You have to be sure to clean the heating element between each pot of coffee, and be sure to DRY your clean carafe before you place it on the heating element. Otherwise, any coffee or water seems to react with the heating element and the heat itself to ruin the finish on the element.

5. The programmable part is kind of a joke. It is indeed a programmable coffeemaker, and with much trial and error we have managed to get it to autostart coffee in the morning. The manual is rather vague about how to set the autostart do you put the left-side dial on BREW or ON? I called and asked a rep, who knew nothing about coffeemakers, and he determined that you put the right side dial on AUTO ON and the left side dial on BREW. This of course was wrong. Put the left side dial on ON. To just make coffee without programming it, you of course put the right side dial on PROGRAM and the left side dial on BREW. Yeah, that makes sense. NOT.

6. Another irritating feature of this maker is its auto-off which is not programmable. My old maker allowed me to program how long it could stay on, and since I like to putter around in the morning and sort of sip slowly through my cup, I usually set it for 4 hours. If I turned it off and wanted to heat it up later, I could just turn the maker back on and the heating element would do its job. But not the Bella. It automatically turns the heating element off after 2 hours. No ifs, ands or buts. If you still have a little coffee in the carafe you'd like to heat up, you are out of luck. If you turn the machine back on, it will sense whether there is water in the reservoir. If no water in the reservoir, it turns itself back off. And voila, cold coffee remains cold.

So, while the description calls it fully-programmable, it is not.

I would give this product only one star but it does make excellent coffee, so I gave it 2. There are surely other coffee makers out there that also make excellent coffee without all the hassle, and for less than $100.

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I didn't make coffee in this product, so I can't attest to that function. I expected it to be a little more substantial, but it looked and felt a little cheapish. I don't think it was horrible, just not what I was looking for. Actually, I was getting so sick of these kind of coffee makers, cold coffee, short life,etc, that on a whim I purshased a Farberware stainless steel percolater. It makes fabulous coffee and it is really hot and so flavorful. Everyone that comes over raves over the coffee. Best part. It was only about $48 on Amazon! You will have to grind your own coffee to the percolator grind in the store.

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Dip-It Automatic Drip Coffeemaker Cleaner: 7 OZ

• Sold Individually
• Color: Light Green
• Safely dissolves the hidden lime and scale water deposits
• Cleans better than vinegar with no unpleasant odor
• 7 FL OZ (207ml)

When I was going to school (Purdue) in 1955, I worked at a "fixit" shop, where we repaired all sorts of small appliances like toasters, mixers, irons, coffeemakers and other things. One day my boss came in and said, "Here, use this stuff in that coffeepot you just fixed before you tell the owner it's done." He handed me a package of DIP-IT! I didn't think too much about it, but followed the instructions and ran a pot of Dip-It instead of coffee. The inside of the pot sparkled! It took no time at all, and the product was pretty cheap. From then on, we used it in all coffeepots we repaired, just to give the customers a treat when they picked up their coffeepots. I am amazed and pleased that this product is still available after all these years!!

---Sincerely, Jerry McMurry Retired Engineer.

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Fantastic, it's a shame this product is no longer available at local stores. Just follow instructions and coffee pots, carafes and thermos bottles that I thought would never come clean are spotless.

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Works very well and very easy to use. I clean our coffee maker every 6 weeks.

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I had used the Dip-it cleaner for stainess steel coffee carafe for the coffee maker and also for Staineless steel thermos jugs....but I was unable to locate the cleaner at our local supermarket(s) where I had purchased it before....even tried Bed Bath & Beyond (they carry misc. cleaners etc.) No one seemed to know where to locate it. So, I tried my true & trusted source, Amazon....and here they were....I thought I would try the coffe maker cleaner and went on to purchase the other Dip-it food and bevarage stain remover cleaner as well...No fuss, no muss, the orders were processed and delivery was in a timely manner.....

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My 8 year old coffee maker makes better tasting coffee after cleaning my drip machine with "dip-it".I also bought the powder "dip-it" to clean my stainless steel coffee mug. It worked wonders.

Keurig Vue V700 Brewing System Machine w/ 32 Vue Cup Carousel & 2 16 oz. Stoneware Coffee Mug

The Vue version of the Keurig brand is going to be the future of coffee

with the ability to recycle the used V-cups. It is only a matter of time

before the various coffee interests begin selling more flavors using

the V-cup product. We still use the old fashioned coffee percolator

when several coffee drinkers are present, but the Keurig offers one

a choice of flavors vs. the percolator method. This unit offers heat

and size controls very agreeable with our preferences. Never found

a fault with this unit yet.

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Aerolatte Milk Frother, Satin

I just got the box from Amazon, pulled out my new Aerolatte, removed the protective cover from the battery compartment (yeah, it even comes pre-loaded with a pair of "aerolatte" double A's!), and put about 2 oz of NON-FAT (skim) milk in a glass.

I nuked the milk for about 20 seconds, pulled it from the microwave, stuck the aerolatte in the glass and pushed the switch.

DANG!!

Nearly INSTANT foam. GOBS of it. It formed PEAKS!! You could make small milk-animals out of it.

I really can't believe how well this thing works. The only thing that would ruin it for me is if it simply fell apart after a few uses, but frankly, with a little bit of care, it looks like it'll hold up. We'll see.

But in the meantime, call me Doctor Foam.

-Jonathan Sabin

UPDATE ***9 MONTHS LATER***

Notwithstanding the complaints of people who claim that their aerolatte lasted about 5 minutes, I just replaced the batteries for the first time since buying it back in January. (Yes, it still works, but I was disappointed that I was no longer able to make foam-animals!)

Well a couple of fresh Duracells later, and I sound like a deranged dentist with this thing in my hand. The "buzz" I had become accustomed to, is now a high-pitched whizzing sound, that actually made my molars uncomfortable.

But I'm back to making some seriously decent foam again!

I have owned this for about 5 years. I use a stover top espresso maker which works about as well as electric steam type. I have found that the electric pump type that are less than $250.00 don't work that well, and take up too much counter space in a small kitchen. This does work, but I found something that froths milk much better than this and much faster.

Use a small Bodum 4 cup French Press. Put your milk in the French Press (not the same one you are making your coffee in. Get a second smaller one) and rapidly work the plunger up and down for about 10 to 20 seconds. You have frothier milk in less than half the time and you won't need to change batteries every two weeks.

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I'm pleasantly surprised at the thick, firm, yet light, foam this product produces from homemade soy milk ... all that with my very first attempt! Now, I can experiment with some light flavors. Trust me ... this is a no brainer! My only regret is that I waited so long to give this little gadget a try. I'm at the bottom of my first large cup of coffee using this little frother, and the froth/foam had such staying power that I'm having to use a spoon to get the last it from the cup. Thank you Areolatte!!

UPDATE 12/22/06: Boy oh boy, how I love Aerolatte frothers!! I now own three of these little gadgets! I recently bought 2 more from the online Aerolatte distributor. The very newest top-of-the-line model is all stainless (even the handle), has a thicker stainless stem, and comes with a large stainless stand. Then, they have the black molded plastic one that comes with it's own sturdy grey, protective, plastic container with a cap on one end (not the one with the tin case) for on the road. I just can't seem to contain myself with how happy I am with this product! I hope this review is useful to some who might have doubt.

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This works amazingly well. We've used it for a poor-man's latte by microwaving milk, then frothing it to simulate steamed milk, then mixing it with various coffees. We've also used it to froth hot chocolate. Doesn't work that well for making whipped cream.

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Performs as described, makes loads of creamy frothy milk for your coffee. (I found that frothed half-and-half gets thicker and is foamier for longer than soy milk. The joys of extra fat.) We can make tons of cappuccinos and lattes at home with our own coffee. Starbucks who?

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Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker, 34-Ounce, Black

This was my first French press. I have always enjoyed this type of coffee, particular after dinner. However, I was attracted to the plastic framework surrounding the carafe, as I can be clumsy at times.

This press has worked just as well as the more expensive, more traditional looking French press pots. I set the coarsest setting on my Braun grinder, and no grounds get through the screen. It is just perfect. I haven't ever run my press through the dishwasher, it isn't necessary with the easy cleaning with this one. I just put hot soapy water in the carafe, up-and-down a few times with the plunger and it's all ready to use again. I have heeded the warning not to stir with a metal implement; I use a wooden spoon.

I would heartily recommend this model of Bodum for someone who would like to experience French press coffee at home, inexpensively.

I have two Chambord models, and this one. I prefer the features of the Brazil's keyed lid, and secured plastic frame to the Chambord models. I've had this for about 3 years now, use it every day, and it's held up perfectly. Great press.

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Let's face it, dumping coffee grounds into a bucket of hot water is nothing new. The Bodum Press is a refinement of the cowboy coffee brewing method, minus the campfire & straining it thru a sock. In My world, there is no such thing as "too Strong" for coffee. There IS, however, too bitter & too acidy. The press does what perking, dripping and steaming ground coffee cannot do: produce a stout, yet smooth cup of coffee just like the stuff made around decades of my campfires.

Model Brazil, made in Denmark by a Swiss Company & called a French Press. No wonder the confusion over exactly how many cups this actually makes. The Euro-instructions for the press say 4 oz. per cup, but even my fine Bavarian China cups (from when I lived in Munich) are 6 ounces.

Just look at it this way: It holds 32 ounces of water.

The instructions on your roast coffee container usually say to use 1 TBSP per 6 ounces of water (NOT 4 ounces & NOT 8 ounces). Again, in MY world, 32 ozs. makes about 2 cups of coffee.

I toss in 6 or more scoops of ground coffee, pour in hot water & wait the obligatory 4 minutes. The result is a smooth coffee that you can drink by the quart without that nasty heartburn/reflux side effect.

It's ideal for work, where the office sissies are afraid of offending anyone with REAL coffee, so they make it weak. I simply step up to the hot water spigot & take the Press to my desk.

Now, you, too, can have coffee the way you like it at work without having to cover up someone's botched brew with that foo-foo Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Cream or other phoney-flavored faux creamers.

Cleanup? Swirl around some soapy water, & dump the grounds down the sink just be sure to have the water blasting & the garbage disposal running, so as to not plug up the sink trap.

Even if you already have the coffee-brewing apparatus of your dreams, buy the Bodum 32 oz. model. You won't be disappointed.

Read Best Reviews of Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker, 34-Ounce, Black Here

This is a very simple, easy-to-use and easy-to-clean French press. I couldn't be happier with it. Brewing with a French press generally results in much more flavorful, rich coffee than using a conventional drip coffeemaker.

Though it makes very good hot coffee, I especially like using it to cold-brew homemade iced coffee. Ever notice how when you try to make iced coffee at home by brewing some with a regular coffeepot and then sticking it in the fridge till it cools, it never tastes right? That's cause most good coffeeshops cold-brew their iced coffee, which results in a smoother flavor. When you cold-brew, you use time rather than heat to brew the coffee.

In case you've never cold-brewed coffee, here's how I do it: I take a grinder-ful of fresh-ground premium beans, toss them in the press's pitcher, fill it up the rest of the way with cool, filtered water, let it brew 12-15 hours at room temperature, then press the beans down, stick in the fridge for a while, and serve in a glass with some ice cubes. Delicious! Add sweetness and cream to taste. I'll save a fortune by brewing my own iced coffee from now on. (By the way, the directions for brewing hot coffee are the same, only you use hot water rather than cool, and the heat makes it brew in about 5 min rather than 12 hours.)

If you're a coffee nut like myself, whether you prefer it hot or cold (or either, depending on the weather), you owe it to yourself to try a French press, and this Bodum can't be beat for the money!

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Video review of bodum original brazilian french press. Almost perfect design and function. Great value.

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NespressoC100 PianoBlack/Aerocc

The Nespresso system is about as simple as coffee making gets you turn on the device until it heats up (about 30 seconds), put the pod into the holder, press GO and in 20 seconds or so you have the perfect espresso shot. There are variety of pod blends available, and the machine is capable of producing a shot so smooth it would rival any professional coffee house.

My own real criticism is the price this machine is expensive for something that essential boils and pumps water. But it is elegantly designed and has a small footprint and is guaranteed to become a conversation piece in your home or workplace. The second problem is that the pods themselves are expensive and can only be ordered directly from Nespresso. It's easy to create a $100-a-month coffee habit that's hard to justify in this economy, so I went back to my Mr Coffee maker after 3 months of Nespresso addiction.

But if you're in the market for pod-based espresso, I'd recommend this machine.

I just bought the bundle of the C100 with the milk frother, and I love it! It is SO easy to use! No mess, no packing grounds, no skill needed, it is so quick and absolutely delicious. Ordering the coffee packs online is super easy and arrives in 2 business days. The machine came with a 12-pack of flavors, and I like every single one of them. One shot of espresso costs $.55 each, so if you are a Starbucks addict like I was, it pays for itself in less than 2 months. I'm so happy that I can make a cappucino or latte anytime I want, at home, in two minutes and not pay $4 for it!

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Tried this out (Cadillac unit) in England.... this is the basic unit, but inside the same except it does not froth milk and do all the extra stuff...it is just for espresso (or coffee).... tastes as good as the larger more expensive ones.......I've only had it a few months though and it is making lots of noise sometimes while brewing and is at times can be a little slower than usual...... having said that, overall it is the best out there especially for people who hate the mess of the grounds and cleanup, etc....it is as they say...it taste the same every time as the pods are vac-packed and it is so quick and easy....truly "plug and play".

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5 stars for the great tasting espresso and ease of use. 1 star for burning out after 2 years no longer in warranty Nespresso offered to sell me a new one as repairing it costs more than replacing it.

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After bringing our first baby home from the hospital, I thought my husband would appreciate the convinence of having espresso and lattes at home. I wasn't sure if we would like having to use the capsules, but they are so easy to use and order that it doesn't matter at all. It's especially great that there's no messy coffee grounds all over the kitchen! This espresso machine is by far the easiest coffee machine ever. Plus, the finished product tastes great. It's very small so it's easy to keep out on the counter. My husband uses this at least twice a day, and we would recommend it to anyone who wants quick, easy espresso.