Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single Serve Coffee Machines

This is a GREAT coffee machine. I have purchased a Sanso, Tassimo, Keurig and now the Nescafe Dolce Gusto. I threw away the Sanso (lousy coffee), gave away the Tassimo, (lousy coffe..good cocoa), love the Keurig and love this Nescafe Dolce. Here are the differences that I have noticed between the two, in my opinion, best machines on the market. The Nescafe makes great coffee. This machines also allows you to make your coffee any way you want it. You must MANUALLY turn off the water out pour when you feel coffee is done to your liking. It DOES NOT automatically turn off. That is cool. I like my coffee very dark so I turn the water off 3/4 of the cup. My daughter, a little longer for a lighter cup. Still delicious. The Keurig has more variety, but I am sure the Dolce will catch up soon enough. The Keurig also has a K-Cup that allows you to put in your own coffee or tea to use rather than using a purchased k-cup. I love that feature. I also love having tea from the Keurig something the Nescafe Dolce doesn't have. What I love about the Nescafe are the gourmet/specialty coffees. Keurig doesn't have these. The Nescafe coffees are amazingly tasty. Much tastier than I had anticipated and take moments to make. Follow the directions in the pamphlet that comes with the machine for the best tasting coffees you will ever have from a machine. Actually, probably from anywhere. I am keeping the Keurig at my home for my morning green tea and evening mint tea, but bringing the Nescafe Dolce to my office for my afternoon specialty pick me up coffee Best of both worlds all day long!!

I want to love this machine. If you are considering purchasing the Dolce Gusto machine I STRONGLY suggest you sample the coffee first (I think Sur La Table has demo machines). Here's what I like about the machine:

* The design is sleek.

* It's well made and sturdy.

* The machine heats the water up really fastonce you turn it you're ready to make coffee in well under a minute.

* The machine is incredibly easy to use. (see attached video for a demo of a cappuccino)

* No real cleanup required after each use.

Now for the bad...

* The machine comes with a latte macchiato glass, a cappuccino cup and saucer. Unfortunately the packaging was very poor (not enough bubble wrap) and the saucer arrived cracked.

* The coffee is horrible. As good as the physical machine is... it is only as good as the coffee it makes. All the milk based Dolce Gusto drinks are excessively sweet, taste artificial and have a ton of sugar and have anywhere from 3.5g-6g of fat.

*The non-milk drinks are very disappointing as well. Both the espresso and lungo aren't very strong and taste very average.

I have posted video demonstrations for each of the drinks in my reviews of :

* Cappuccino

* Espresso

* Chococino

* Caffe Lungo

* Latte Macchiato

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I've tried everything but the $800+ machines. Nothing gave me real high-pressure brewing and real steamed milk. Until now. The Dolce Gusto's cappuccino, espresso, latte and coffee are among the best I've ever had. The hot chocolate alone would justify buying one. I can literally have a cup of excellent cappuccino within two minutes of walking into the kitchen in the morning. The unit is simple enough to use when half asleep, and is a snap to clean.

The heart of the Dolce Gusto is a 15-bar pressure pump coupled with a flash heater: water is ready for brewing instantly, and at espresso-making pressure. No warmup and no pressure tank to worry about. The pressure is so high that only a needle-sized hole in the top of the cartridge is required for brewing.

The cartridge is shaped such that the beverage never touches the machine.

I rinse the easily removed cartridge holder after every brew, but it's not really necessary--nothing gets on it. Other occasional maintenance includes rinsing the drip tray and water reservoir as necessary, and examining/cleaning the injector needle periodically. The system is so well designed that the cartridges rarely drip after being removed from the holder.

Brewing is simple. For coffee, put the cartridge in the holder, flip the locking lever down, and push the water selector to the hot setting. Stop the water when the coffee is done to your liking. For milk-containing drinks (cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate and iced latte), it's a two step process. The milk cartridge goes in first, the milk is steamed until the proper amount is in the cup, the coffee cartridge goes in, and the appropriate amount of coffee goes into the cup. Done. No preheat time, and no fixed cycle like some other cartridge brewing systems, so you can get the coffee exactly the way you want it.

An undocumented feature is that hot water can be obtained without a cartridge being installed: cups/mugs can be preheated before brewing, ensuring the coffee remains steaming hot, and hot water is instantly available for oatmeal or tea. Beats an expensive hot water dispenser.

The Dolce Gusto makes the best hot chocolate I've ever had. It's rich, dark, not too sweet, and it's frothy, steamy, and completely smooth. My wife was sold by the hot chocolate even before she tasted the coffee. Apparently a mocha flavor is scheduled for 2009: a coffee cartridge and a chocolate cartridge. Yum.

There's one nit, though. The cappuccino and latte drinks don't come as decaf. The drinks are packaged as sets of coffee and milk cartridges together in a single box, so mixing and matching say, decaf espresso with a milk isn't possible. This is a bit of an issue with me, since a late night cappuccino may result in my being wired all night. Not sure why Krups hasn't addressed this, because I suspect it's an issue for a lot of potential buyers.

The out of box experience is great. Krups includes 2 each of all available drinks, along with a latte glass and a cup. Having the latte glass is nice, because you can see that the coffee does indeed form a layer between the hot milk and the froth, just like in the picture. The cup and glass both have handles strategically placed to act as guides for the first few brews, and the brewing instructions are a picture for each type of beverage, showing the cartridges used, the order, and the approximate volume of milk and coffee to brew. No annoying manual to read before using the product. I was brewing coffee within minutes of unpacking.

We're absolutely delighted with the Dolce Gusto. I'd given up on ever having real cappuccinos and lattes at home, and could rarely justify the drive to the local chain and the cost. Kudos to Krups for a breakthrough product.

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This is an excellent coffee maker. I am military stationed in Germany and have owned one of these for about a month now. It is one of the best kitchen items I have ever bought. The variety of coffees that can be made "one" cup at a time is awesome. My family and I have tried the Cafe Lungo (regular coffee), Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Mocha, Espresso, and Chococino (hot chocolate). They all came out tasting great. The froth on the cappuccino and latte is perfect. I have always wanted a cappuccino machine and this definitely fits the bill...and then some. It's a lot easier to use than a cappuccino machine and a lot easier to clean and maintain (almost no cleaning involved). Also, once you have water in the big reservoir and flip on the switch, I can have a cup of coffee in about a minute.

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I love my coffee. When I was first given the opportunity a few months ago to try the Dolce Gusto, I thought it was a gimmick that would make gas-station-style, mediocre coffee-like beverages. I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of espresso that this machine makes. I have reviewed all of the varieties elsewhere, so that's all I will say about that.

Espresso & coffee use only a single pod. The custom drinks take two, and therefore are twice as expensive, but still well within budget.

The best thing about the maker is how easy it is to use. My 15-month old can run it. She can open the bin, put the pod in, close it, push the on button, wait til it turns green (meaning the water's heated), flip the lever on, and then flip it off. It is seriously simple and quick.

Finally, I have found a use that I have not heard many talking about: tea maker/water heater. If you take the pod out of the bin and run the Dolce Gusto, you have an automatic water heater. I will often put a tea bag in a cup and run the hot water directly in. Quick cup of tea without having to boil or microwave water.

Mr. Coffee Coffeemaker Cleaner for All Automatic Drip Coffeemakers, 2-Ounce Box (Pack of 9)

Exactly as described. Great filters for making great coffee! Will order these again for my Mr. Coffee 10 cup maker.

All electric coffee machines require cleaning. Most suggest this be done once a week to keep it operating at peak performance. I would suggest getting the large carton of these cleaners to save money in the long run. The process of using this is easy and takes about 20 minutes to finish the entire cleaning procedure.

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I would never use any other product to clean my coffe maker. Leave NO after taste and cleans my coffee pot like new.

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Cleans the coffee maker and the pot, like it is designed to do. Keeps coffee good tasting and fresh. Highly Recoommend

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These are very good products for keeping the resevoir clean and spotless. Also it makes the coffee taste extremely well. Thank you very much.

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Gaggia 9004 Syncrony Compact Digital SuperAutomatic Espresso

I received this espresso machine for Christmas 2007, and have been extremely pleased with its performance. I've had absolutely no problems....once I learned how to use the machine properly. Note, there are a few websites that offer video tutorials on how to use this machine that are very useful. Note, I use this machine every single day...typically going through 14 shots of espresso (at least) since there are several coffee drinker in our home. We have almost entirely abandoned our previous coffee maker...not because we didn't like it, but because this machine is so wonderful. Here are a few insights:

1. This machine typically makes 12-14 individually ground espresso shots before you will need to empty the hopper. It's pretty easy and no big deal to do this. The grinder works flawlessly, and the hopper typically holds about a 1/2 to 2/3 pound of beans.

2. I have tried to use ground coffee with this machine, which doesn't taste anywhere as good as the beans. When I first got the machine, I tried using some "fine ground" espresso in the little door on top to make a cup of coffee. No espresso would come out the machine....it took a long time to figure out that it was clogging up the filter. I used slightly coarser ground beans with excellent results.

3. There are two buttons for making espresso I refer to them as the regular and large size buttons. You can adjust how much water each button will automatically dispense very easily.

4. The steam attachment on the side of the machine works very well for both steam and dispensing hot water.

5. There is an automatic decalcification light that comes on to let you know to run the appropriate cleanser through the machine. I've figured out this light turns on based upon the number of cycles of espresso that are made versus actual need. No big deal....it's a good reminder light for maintance.

6. The water tank is pretty straight forward and lifts off for filling, although I prefer to lift the top off of it and refilling via a large glass/pitcher.

7. This machine is mostly made of plastic, but it's very solid and well made. The tray beneath the espresso dispenser is made of metal, along with the steamer nozzel.

8. I highly recommend watching one of the instructional videos for this machine. It does require learning very basic steps, which are explained well with the included instructions (they are outright cryptic). This is a very easy machine to use once you understand the controls.

9. If I could add a feature it would be a counter mechanism because some days I lose track of my caffeine intake and I'm simply curious as to how many shots we've really made in total.

I've made at least 2000 espresso shots with this great machine. Overall, myself, my family, and my friends have all enjoyed it...and everyone wants one. I've converted many diehard regular coffee drinkers to more flavorful espresso. You decide....this machine isn't cheap. But some luxuries are wonderful if you can afford it.

This was our first super automatic coffee machine and we loved it. We bought it nearly 3 years ago and it was great until this past summer when we got this strange message on the display panel "close door" but the door was closed. Eventually we sent it back to "Whole Latte Love" where we bought it. We paid for the shipping and cost of repair nearly $300 and the machine seemed to be fine until just now. All of a sudden we are getting the same message plus it's leaking water, steam is coming out of the sides and it stays hot all day (so that I have to unplug it for fear of a fire). Needless to say we are looking for a new machine.

All that being said, it makes a great espresso and steamed milk. The espresso has a very nice crema. We love the bypass doser so if we want decaf we can have that too. It is fussy about the grind used in the doser. It is also much less expensive than the "pod" type espresso machines available today in terms of the per cup price of coffee. It's also saved us big $$ on our Starbucks habit. We used the machine alot. Probably 8 shots (regular or decaf) almost every day along with steamed milk. It's a machine and despite the TLC we gave it, it's time to sadly say goodbye.

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We were delighted when we purchased this machine. It made fantastic espresso and cappuccino, etc., and was so easy to operate. But about a month after the warranty expired, it stopped working. Despite our careful maintenance, an electronic malfunction occurred and the gears continued to operate and torqued the mechanism out of line. The estimate for repair was $375.00. It's unacceptable to spend this kind of money for an appliance and then to face this kind of repair bill within less than two years. And the people at Gaggia were far from sympathetic. My recommendation is to steer clear of this machine.

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We received one as a wedding gift in early 2008 and use it everyday. Whenever it makes less than a perfect cup of coffee, it's because we've taken it for granted and lagged on cleaning it for too long. We absolutely love it! I'm enjoying my second cup of the morning right now. Between my wife and I, we average 5+ cups a day from it. I am here purchasing another one for a wedding gift for our kids and wanted to share our 100% positive experience with this well made machine.

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I bought this machine more than three years ago. I absolutely love it. It was my first, and only, espresso machine. I did weeks of research and obsessed about which brand and model to buy. I finally settled on the Syncrony Compact because it was small, had a by-pass doser, was a well-respected brand, and was in the cheaper price range for a super auto. It took a couple of days to get used to exactly how to use it, but I knew there would be a learning curve. I have had absolutely no problems with this machine. It makes great espresso every day for me and my husband. I love using it for guests as everyone is impressed at what I can make in my own kitchen. As long as you remember to descale every so often, it'll put out one great shot after another. I highly recommend this machine!

Braun 7050-798 Tassimo Cleaning Disc

A few things to note. You only need one of these and once you have it you can keep cleaning your machine over and over again. So, don't order more than one.

If you are cleaning with vinegar make sure to run at least 3 full containers of straight water through after. The vinegar seems to take a long time to leave this system.

This disc is put into the slot in the back of the coffee maker for storage when not being used. To clean water deposits from the "innerds" just this cleaning disc in place of the T disc that usually provides coffee,tea or hot chocolate.

I removed the water filter and ran water through the cleaning disc 4 times, then let it dry well and stored it in the back until next time. It is very easy to use.

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the cleaning disk for the Tassimo works great. No problem. Also promt service.

Maggie

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This is a very simple piece of plastic. Your Tassimo should have included one and you only need to purchase this if looking for a replacement. You can use this over and over. Essentially it is a place holder for where a T-Disc would go and it has a barcode that instructs your Tassimo on what to do...pump hot water through the system. Again, once you have this disk, it can be used over and over.

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my original disc disappered.... i bought this one and it works as well as the original one. the color of the disc is yellow, which makes no difference

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Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer TAS1000UC

I purchased this machine because I like to drink various drinks as the whim takes me. Tassimo allows you to do this. Also, most of the time I'm by myself, so don't need to make a large pot of coffee. Before I made the purchase, I was comparing Keurig with the Tassimo. The reason I chose the Tassimo was a) the price b) the T-discs were more available than the K-cups and the only K-cups the stores here carried were Van Houtte coffee, which I detest c) reviews said the Tassimo makes better lattes and cappuccinos. I'm extremely happy with the machine for the following reasons:

absolutely no mess

the availability of different brews, from very dark roasts to light roast, hot chocolate (which IS a bit sweet), teas, lattes (in particular my fave, chai latte), cappuccinos, espressos, cremas and even decafs I like a darker roast but was even able to find t-disks that were too strong for me

I like that I can have 4 friends over and give them their preference of hot brews

the tank is big enough that I don't have to fill it for each cup

the bar code reader means a perfect brew each time

the size is relatively small, smaller than my old espresso machine and my regular drip coffee machine (both of which have now been sold off)

you have a cup of coffee in a matter of minutes vs a drip coffee machine or even a french press

using just the cleaner disk, you can also simply spit out hot water for your own tea bags

most of the t-disks are a reasonable price, brewing a cuppa can be less than 50 cents a cup. The Starbucks disks are more expensive, taking you closer to a dollar a cup, but what the hey, what did you pay the last time you actually went into a Starbucks? :)

Cons and yes, even though I LOVE this machine, there ARE some cons:

most of the disks make a small cuppa (10 oz)unless you get the breakfast blends, which will make a bigger cup, or you can simply brew 2 disks.

the cup stand doesn't have finite adjustment you can fit a regular sized mug, the stand adjusts for smaller mugs, but then it's a big leap to a large mug. If you have a slightly bigger mug, you have to set it on the bottom and then you get some splashing

the foam is not as stable as coffee shop foams, but then for $99, I didn't expect it to be. As well the foam stability depends on the t-disk manufacturer as well. Nabob cappuccino was quite firm foam that lasted the duration of the drink.

t-disk storage takes up a bit of space but I'm still in the "try all the varieties until I find my favourite brew" stage, so I have a lot of selections at the moment

In Dec 2009, Tassimo is coming out with packages of just the latte cream. You will then also be able to use it simply as a milk frother if you wish, or you can make any of your favourite brews into a latte.

Aug 2010 this machine has been updated somewhat. The newer machines are a bit smaller, taking up a bit less room yet, on your counter. This is mainly due to a redesign of the tank. I just bought my second machine and will be taking the older one to use at work.

Apr 2011 I just had an opportunity to compare the Tassimo system to a Keurig. To be fair, the Keurig was the single cup model, which requires you to add water each time. I found the Keurig to be incredibly slow to brew, in comparison with the Tassimo. I don't know whether it's the single-cup model or whether all Keurigs are that slow. I didn't like the coffee, but do realize that different brews can be found in the K-cups, other than the one that I was provided with (Timothy's).

Tassimo has just released more T-disks, there are now decaf cappuccinos available as well as a black tea disk. As for the Starbucks disks being discontinued, I'm not aware of that as they are still widely available in Canada.

July 2011 I can now voice displeasure at Tassimo customer service. In Canada, when you purchase a brewer, you are promised coupons for two packages of free disks. I registered for my coupons, yet several months later had not received them. I contacted customer service again, now several months ago and was promised replacement coupons which I also have not received. If you purchase one of these brewers, DO NOT expect free disks with them. If you get them, bonus.

As well, I've noticed a swing in t-disk availability. T-disks seem to have dropped off drastically in popularity in terms of being available in local stores. K-cups have increased greatly. Though I still think the Tassimo is the better machine, I have now purchased a Cuisinart K-cup machine. At present I continue to use both. The K-cup advantage is the ability to use your own coffee blends, which Tassimo still does not offer.

August 2012 I have now made a complete switch to the Keurig system. My reasons for this are following:

the selection of K-cups is HUGE compared to t-disks.

Starbucks switched from Tassimo to Keurig meaning that I could finally get K-cups that I liked still don't like strong coffee, but too many of the other K-cups are too bland, forcing me to brew them at 8 and even 6 oz

never did receive my free t-disks, which really kind of made me angry

the second Tassimo machine now has the red light problem light comes on for descaling, but despite going through the treatment, the light has remained on, this is obviously an issue with the Tassimo machines

stores don't carry the full line of t-disks, so limited selection of t-disks AND limited availability

the Keurig machine tanks are a little easier to fill as they are either on the side or at the front top, instead of the Tassimos which are at the back, making accessibility difficult if you have it sitting on a counter under upper cupboards

I still say Tassimo has the better system, but they need to improve their customer service, their machine descaling light and their selection of t-disks as well as their marketing to major retailers. Keurig still does not do any foaming drinks and is still a much slower machine, but I find I'm using it more than I used my Tassimo simply because I can find a lot of K-cups that I like (iced tea, variety of hot teas, and lots of different brews). When a friend recently asked me which system I preferred I used the analogy that the Tassimo was like a Beta machine and the Keurig was like the VHS (yes, I date myself with that one!). The Beta machine was a much better system, but everyone bought into the VHS.

I have to say this item has impressed me more than any other kitchen appliance I have purchased in the last fifteen years.

Like all new "concepts", you tend to raise your eyebrows a bit about a new method of preparing an age old food preparation, whether it be a blender, chopper, or in this case the traditional coffee maker. Frankly, my only real concern was the future availability of the Tassimo Coffee "T-discs" as without them, the system becomes useless of course.

But after my father passed away two years ago, my mom began to drink "instant coffee" after being a brewed coffee devotee for over 65 years. Brewing 8 cups of traditionally made coffee for a single elderly person just seemed to be a big waste of time, as well as unused coffee. She seemed to be, a perfect candidate for this unique individual cup coffee brewer. Having tried this item once in an upscale Resort Hotel on a business trip, I was convinced to give it a try as an answer to my Mom's particular situation.

The coffee was absolutely WONDERFUL! She has fell in love with Starbucks Columbian "pods", but I also purchased the Verona, Cappucino, as well as the Expresso Pods and will continue to purchase new blends as they beome available. As my tea drinking Sister lives nearby and visits often, I also purchased the Twinings Chai Latte as well as the Earl Grey Tea "T-Discs" so she could enjoy a hot beverage with our Mom while they are together.

Although I traditionally grind & brew my own Gevalia Coffee Beans here at home in a 8 cup brewer, I decided to purchase an additional Bosch Tassimo maker for my home as well; as the availability of Expresso and Cappuccino brews is something I can now enjoy as I desire. Now, my Sister's best friend who lost her husband recently has tried it at my Mom's home, and they purchased her a new Bosch Tassimo maker for her home for her recent birthday gift.

Incredibly easy to operate, my 87 year old mother has no problem in brewing the wonderfully fresh hot brewed coffee she had enjoyed for over 65 years.

I want to thank Amazon.com for once again searching out yet another unique and quality made kitchen appliance that has become a big winner for our entire family of coffee and tea lovers. I just received an Email from Amazon notifying me of a new shipment of Tassimo T-discs that has arrived at their central warehouse which is just another way this fine Internet Products purveyor does an outstanding job for their regular customers.

THANK YOU AMAZON!!!

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Easy to use, great tasting latte and cappuccino, much cheaper than coffee house, what more could I ask for? The answer is: nothing. Okay, maybe a smaller unit I can buy as a 2nd unit to keep on my desk at work.

Instead of spending $4-$5 dollars everyday for a coffee house latte on the way to work; I just make a double or triple latte straight into my insulated travel mug and I'm all set for the morning.

I also enjoy the bolder brews such as the Starbucks Verona T-discs. The Twinning Chai Latte is also excellent as an alternative to the daily espresso. If you go more for hot chocolate, I definitely recommend the Milka over the Suchard (which is way too sweet for my taste). Either works well to make your latte into a mocha. For espresso and latte; I prefer the Gevalia.

Maintenance so far has consisted of a descale after 9 months.

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I've owned one of these for a year, purchased at Bed, Bath, & Beyond (I guess this qualifies as "beyond"). I'm not very impressed by this product, in spite of the hype and high price.

I bought this (instead of Senseo or Keurig) because it was totally automated, and had this way cool bar code reader. Huh... I also wanted Starbucks coffee, which wasn't available from the other brands.

First off, I've found that the coffee tends to be either too weak or too strong. The remedy for too strong is to manually add hot water, which is fine if you like standing next to the coffee maker with your finger holding the button for 15-20 seconds. There is no remedy for too weak other than not buying that product. There is no provision for manually determining the portion size; this is set by the bar code on the pod automatically.

Second, the pods are quite expensive, and not easily available. None of the grocery stores around where I live carry them, and very few "boutique" stores carry the coffee types I like, including the BB&B where I bought the maker originally. I've had to buy the pods mail order, mostly from Amazon. I've ordered a few items directly from Tassimo, and found that their service leaves a lot to be desired. Their shipping charges are high, even for ground shipment, and the items took over a week to arrive the last time I ordered.

Third, the "head" of the thing (whatever it's called) seems to require frequent removal and cleaning with soap and water. This can be a pain in the neck.

Fourth, there is no way to use your own blend of coffee or make your own pods as there is with the competition. You're stuck with whomever Tassimo negotiated. (For example, they don't sell a REAL cocoa mix; it's "chocolate FLAVOR", which tastes like crap to me). I also found I didn't really like the selection of coffees, even Starbucks.

In conclusion, I'd recommend one of the alternatives if you want a single-cup brewer. I just bought a Keurig from Amazon, and so far I'm impressed. I'm selling my Tassimo...

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I like coffee but I don't drink it everyday. To me the coffee tasted pretty good. My wife loves coffee but drinks only like a cup a day. So take my review for what it's worth. If your lucky enough you can try a cup or sample if you know someone who has one or catch it on demo somewhere. The main competitor of this is the Keurig coffee maker which you can also catch on demo. These machines are great so you don't have to wash a coffee pot everyday for just a cup or two of coffee. If you drink a lot, then stick with the pot. These machines advertise no clean up. Yeah right... You need to rinse any parts that come into contact with liquid and wipe it. Still easier than washing a pot and filter tub. If you don't then your coffee will taste off and the build up will cause problems later. And not to mention that is just gross.

The difference between the Tassimo and the Keurig is that the Tassimo reads a barcode on the coffee discs and it adjusts the brew temperature amount of water, pressure,etc. and by doing this you can have a regular cup of coffee, espresso, make a latte, americano etc. with the milk discs. So you can make different types of coffee drinks. It won't be as good as the rob you blind coffee shops but still decent. Imagine how much money you would save after a month. But keep in mind, most of these type of single cup coffee makers make about 8 ounces of coffee. Most orginated for the European market and they drink like 4 ounces. You can manually press a button and send more water through but your coffee will be watered down. You don't have the option of buying your favorite flavor with a larger serving. There are only a couple coffee flavors out there that makes an average Amercian mug sized serving.

The Keurig is basically a drip machine. You choose from like four programed drink sizes and the machine will dispense as such. The premeasured coffee grind cups are more suited for the smaller serving. The bigger the size, the more watered down the flavor will become. Since this is more of a drip machine, it can't make an espresso or latte style drink. The coffee on the Keurig also tasted decent.

Here are some points that might help in the decission proccess.

Tassimo can make drip, lattes, cappucino, americano, and espresso type drinks. But remember, it won't be like from a real coffee shop. Just an imitation. Keurig, only drip. Both offer teas as well.

Tassimo small selection of varieties compared to Keurig. Keurigs offerings is huge. Keurig also has a reusable cup filter that you can put your own coffee grinds in and make your own so basically your selection of coffee is limitless. It comes included with the machine depending on where you buy it.

The Tassimo coffee is not as available in stores. You can find them mainly at Bed Bath & Beyond and Target. And they carry only a small selection. The Keurig coffee you can find just about anywhere and more selections.

If you drink mainly just drip coffee more than lattes, espressos, etc. Then probably better off with the Keurig and treat yourself to a real latte, espresso, etc. at a real coffee shop because it will taste better. If you like changing up and can live with it's not the real thing but better than paying $$$ for a cup. Then maybe the Tassimo. If a good cup of coffee with the fancy names is the world to you and you can afford it, then stick with what you are doing now.

I didn't bother to mention the other single cup disc/cup coffee machines out there because they are not as popular and you might be stuck with a machine that you can't find coffee for. Hamilton Beach now makes a single cup coffee maker unit and also a dual single cup / 12 cup coffe maker called the Scoop and the Dual. The single is a small unit that comes with two premeasured reuseable filters that you use to scoop your grinds in and then place directly into the unit but it doesn't have a timer. The dual unit is a full size coffee maker with a seperate single serve maker on the side. The dual does have a timer function that works for both sides. Both units have two brew strengths to choose from. The units can take the senseo coffee discs also, but be aware that the senseo discs are designed to be used with a pressurized system. The Hamilton Beach does not use pressure and you won't get the full intended flavor out of them. The reviews have been pretty positive on the Scoops.

So bottom line is flavor and availabilty of coffee. You can buy online also if you can't find what you like in the store. Something you should take into account if you don't live near any stores that carry your favorites. And mind you, the stores carry only a limited selection of offerings. You have to go online if you want the full line of flavors. And with Tassimo you are really limited in the stores compared to Keurig. Next time you go to a store, take a look at what they have and you will get an idea of what I am talking about.

Update: Starbucks did not continue thier contract with Tassimo, so your selections is dwindled down even more now with Tassimo. I down graded my review from 4 stars down to 3 stars now because of the even less limited varieties of coffee available for Tassimo.