Showing posts with label espresso machine review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label espresso machine review. Show all posts

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Bialetti Brikka 4 Cup Stove Top Espresso Maker With Free Illy Espresso Coffee

Bialetti Brikka 4 Cup Stove Top Espresso Maker With Free Illy Espresso CoffeeBut really FrenchPress almost produces just as good. If you do a fine grind and use a lot of coffee and stir real good.

But this machine probably performs better because it produces creama and uses a little FORCE.

I got it right by the 6th attempt. You gotta remember is:

1. use HIGH heat , my stove is 1-9, i put mine on 9. Don't listen to the reviews where it says medium heat.

That is y their coffee comes out with no creama and the valve doesnt POP!!!

2. Use Fine to Medium to course grind. Well anygrind works. U just gotta use HIGH heat.

3. It takes 3-4 minutes. BOOM (POP)!! it comes out with great FORCE. The valve should come up and act like it is gonna fly off.

It will NOT do that with low to medium heat.

i used Seagrafredo Intermezzo. I am gonna try Starbucks, illy, Beantrees, and Lavazza. I bet I will like it all!!!!

4. I filled my water barely past the water mark and got almost 7 ounces of espresso. On high heat NO water will be left in chamber. Remember HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH heat!!!! HIGH heat!!!!

It makes coffee to the standard of the Bialetti Moka. I am disappointed with the crema that the special valve in the Brikka is supposed to make. It makes the crema but it dissappears very quickly. As you are pouring the coffee into your cup the crema disapates, so you just end up with plain black coffee. The Moka gives you plain black coffee for a lesser cost.

Buy Bialetti Brikka 4 Cup Stove Top Espresso Maker With Free Illy Espresso Coffee Now

This Espresso maker is fantastic. Though the indication in the store that it was Italian made, but it was made in Rumania. The build any how is excellenct and the tase of coffee is devine.

Read Best Reviews of Bialetti Brikka 4 Cup Stove Top Espresso Maker With Free Illy Espresso Coffee Here

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Incanto Classic Espresso Machine Silver

Incanto Classic Espresso Machine SilverActually I have this machine. I wrote this below review for older model.

I got this machine from ebay because for lower price was available there.

So I have used it already for one month. The espresso is coming out a fabulous, I think better, then Starbucks, even I have used Starbucks beans. I have tried three types of beans (Lavazza, Starbucks, Costco Hawaiian (yellow package) brand), so the best taste and creamy was from Costco Hawaiian brand. Lavazza in other hand was creamy but is not strong enough.

The cleaning is easy and fast. The frothing pitcher is produced good milk for cappuccino. I don't have any problems with this machine.

I have also noticed that me and my family is started consuming more coffee. I last time I have bought Starbucks coffee was just a day before I got this fabulous machine.

Also I will to suggest a follow the user manual and if you don't now something called to CS Saeco

Because remembering, its European product, so it's like a German caramazing to drive but easy to break, if you're not followed to user manual.

I gave four stars is only because the trash container need to be emptied too often, even the last one was not full and water container I wish will be bigger.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Delfino Intelligent Coffee & Spice Grinder

Delfino Intelligent Coffee & Spice GrinderI've only used this Toastess coffee grinder twice so far and to be honest its the first coffee grinder I've ever owned. I did a lot of research before deciding on one for coffee beans for my French Press. But the Toastess' price, 12 cup capacity, and the grind settings helped me finally make the decision. I definitely like that you have the option to set the consistency of the grounds the directions recommend one notch above coarse for a French Press and that seems to be sufficient for the press. Removing the lid and cup to clean are really easy; although, the grounds, even at a coarse level seem to get pretty sticky under the blade after running the beans through. Best to use some sort of brush to wipe and clean out the grounds. Also, the cord winder on the bottom is definitely convenient and I like its small footprint on the counter.

One thing I have noticed as slightly strange, is when I remove the stainless steel bowl to clean, there always seems to be a few crumbs of grounds that somehow find their way through out the bottom, around the mechanism that rotates the blades. Really weird must be escaping somewhere around the blade in the bottom of the stainless steel cup. Not a big deal to just brush out with a rag, but odd nonetheless.

Another thing I was concerned about was the noise, and this isn't nearly as loud as I had anticipated. It also has a self-timer, so once you push "Start," it only last 4 or 5 seconds and it turns itself off, so there's no guess how long you should hold the button down.

I have no comment yet on how long the motor will last of course, but I guess I'm not really expecting it to last forever seeing as how it was only $40.

So, for the casual coffee drinker who likes to use their own beans, and isn't snobby about having a machine by a fancy manufacturer, I definitely recommend this machine.

I've had a number of coffee grinders over the years and this is the best of the blade grinders.

A number of features make this unit a joy to use. It has a cord winder built into the base and cord management is a breeze. And it has both a timer and a control for the coarseness of the grind. But best of all, it has a removable bowl & blade so that they can be washed either by hand or in the dishwasher. This means you can easily and safely grind spices or coffee and clean it thoroughly so that there is no cross contamination of flavors or odors when switching from one job to another!

It works very well as well as any blade grinder we have ever used. It's built sturdily and it is a bit larger than the typical, small, simple blade coffee grinders.

It is noisy when grinding hard spices like whole pepper corns, but that's a minor item.

This is really versatile!

Jim

Buy Delfino Intelligent Coffee & Spice Grinder Now

well if you like to grind your beans for Espresso this is the grinder for you I have owned several and by far this beats them all I wish I had found this one long ago it is all most automatic well you do have to put in the beans ;o} you can set the amount of beans and how fine a grind you want and in less that than 60 sec you have the correct grind no powder and the grind is cool (in other blade grinders the grind gets hot and loses some flavor) with other units you have to guess how long to grind all the other units i have had will make a lot of powder as much as 1/2 of the load not this one it's seems to be the blade design I would assume it would also do great on regular size grind the uint can be set from corse to fine and it feels soild and it has a manual cord winder in the bottom I like the idea of "Manual" it seems the first thing that breaks is the "Auto-winder" This is a six star unit

Read Best Reviews of Delfino Intelligent Coffee & Spice Grinder Here

It worked great the first time I used it and I would have given it five stars. For the second use my wife tried it but it did not work; it was totally dead. Since being not one to return things for a refund, I took it apart for troubleshooting. What I found were Two springy contacts that probably were not making electrical contact so I bent them out for better electrical contact. That solved the problem. I recommend this gadget for DIY people only otherwise have a favorite fixer in mind for a possible fix.

Want Delfino Intelligent Coffee & Spice Grinder Discount?

I have used an inexpensive ($20) Mr. Coffee grinder for a number of years. It has minor annoyances as others have noticed such as, the difficult cleaning, having to hold down the lid for grinding, the cord storage, etc. So, when I saw this, I thought it would make my life a little easier (I am a retired male, who wants to make my life as comfortable as possible).

Now that you have the background, here is what I have found. First the mechanism that you wind the cord back into the unit is stuck and won't unwind or rewind. I am fearful of forcing it, as I am I may break it. This means the cord length isn't adjustable. Luckily, it is stuck at just the right length for my use.

My next issue is that it has grinding settings for 2,4, 8 or 12 cups. Yep, you got it; I brew 6 cups for my self every morning. That simply means I will have to play with the grinding settings for me to get the correct grind fineness.

On the plus side, it cleans easily and I like that once you push the button it grinds and stops automatically.

In addressing other reviewers comments regarding the use of the unit, it states in the directions do not use for more than a minute at a time and let it cool down for 4-5 minutes after each use. This would mean that if you were grinding a fair amount of coffee,let's say for a week or so, (I grind only one pot at a time) you would have to stop and wait for the motor to cool or risk burning out the motor.

The directions also state not to grind any spices that have moisture as the machine is not designed for this use (including things like cinnamon sticks).

Finally, the directions state that you can freeze coffee beans for up to two months and the unit will grind frozen beans. I have a distrust of any coffee grinder manufacturer that states you can or should freeze coffee beans. There are plenty of websites that will tell you why this is not a good idea.

Overall, I will keep the unit and play around with the settings. However, my trusty, old, cheap Mr. Coffee will be kept in reserve.

Save 24% Off

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Sunbeam Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser

Sunbeam 6131 Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser, BlackI've used a Hot Shot a whole lot for heating up water for drinking various types of tea and other beverages. If it's right for what you're brewing, it really is a great product--the water is heated within a minute or two, which is way faster than a kettle, and it holds the perfect amount for a large mug.

There are a couple things to note though. Like other reviewers have said, because of the product's design, some taller mugs (especially large vacuum-sealed caddy mugs) won't fit in to receive the water, so you either can't use them or have to dispense the water into another container first and pour it from there. Also, you definitely should empty the excess water after you're done--you might even want to open the lid while it's still warm to let the extra moisture evaporate. This is because the inside is metal, and re-re-reheated water that's been sitting in there gets a bit gross and might not be the healthiest.

The last issue, which affects me more than it may others, is that the Hot Shot heats the water to boiling or very near to boiling. This is great if you're drinking black tea, hot chocolate, or hot cider, but if you're drinking green tea (which takes hot water that is well below boiling), the water from the Hot Shot can be too hot and make the tea bitter. If it's right for the beverage you want to make, though, I can't recommend a more convenient or quick option.

Sunbeam 6131 Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser, Black

We have used a Hot Shot for many years, replacing the first two because they eventually stopped heating water sufficiently (only up to 160 degrees F). Since they had become a mainstay in our kitchen, used several times a day, we were eager to replace the last one, and ordered the sleek new black model, which is of a somewhat different design than the original.

The first one we received from Amazon leaked considerably if we didn't use up all the water that had been heated, so we sent it back (Amazon paid for the entire return postage and sent us a new one at no extra cost). The second one leaked just like the first one, through the dispenser spout, when water was left to sit in the heating chamber. We never had this problem with the older model.

I am giving it two stars instead of only one, since some people may not mind being sure to empty the heating chamber after each use. (If it didn't leak, I would give it 4 stars -and 5 stars, if it were also tall enough to accomodate taller cups).

Buy Sunbeam Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser Now

I've used a Hot Shot for at least 20 years and won't go without one. But they are made real cheap now. My son is still using the one he bought over 10 years ago. I had this less than a year when it leaked, and is getting worse. Put water in, press the button. Before you get the water poured in and put the cup under the spout it is dripping, real fast now. By the time the water is heated, if I grab it real quick I lose about 2 tbsp. (in about a minute). If I don't catch it right away it will leak enough so I have to warm up more water to make a full cup. I keep a towel under the spout now. This worked good for a few months. Think about it, if every small appliance in your kitchen had to be replaced within a year......

Also, a tall cup/mug won't fit under the spout. So I pour the water from one cup to another. I do like the old hot shot, saves time and electricity.I gave it one star because I do like the hot shot water heater, I just don't like this one.

UPDATE: A couple months after I wrote this review, there was a burning smell--the cheap thing burned out. Meanwhile it leaked water into the cabinets below and spoiled the food.

I went without one for a while, but eventually bought another one because I like the concept... put in cold water, press a button, come back to boiling water. I bought the cheapest I could find because it won't last. I'm just glad I don't have to replace all my other appliances every year.

Read Best Reviews of Sunbeam Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser Here

There is an ON button but no OFF button so if you plug it in and press on before filling it with water, the water heating area will singe. Uh oh. This works so much faster than putting a kettle on that it really hits the spot especially in the middle of the night when you just feel like a hot tea.

Want Sunbeam Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser Discount?

This product has been around for over a decade, and for good reason: it works, and works well. My mother bought me one in Fall 1993 when I went off to college and lived in a tiny dorm room. It has served me well ever since. Nearly 12 years later, it still works as well as the day I got it. It really does heat 16 ounces of water to boiling in under 2 minutes. It's insulated so the outside does not get hot. Just remember to only heat water inside of it, not other liquids. It has a nice, clean look and a modern design which I'd even call "cute". The cord stores underneath the base when not in use, for a clutter-free appearance. I'd recommend it to everyone for a wide variety of situations.