CBTL from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Beverage System, Briosa Silver

Love this machine. I never had a single brew coffee maker before and I did a lot of homework before buying the CBTL brand. Was going to buy a Keurig, but there are too many bad reviews about burned out pump parts. The others didn't fair much better and some had the same problems because the pumps were made by the same mfg. Someone complained that these coffee makers make too much noise. Who cares if it makes a great cup of coffee and THERE IS NO CLEAN UP. The noise isn't that bad. The instructions do say use distilled or demineralized water. That will extend the life of the machine since there will be no mineral buildup. Also Amazon offered a 3 year warrenty so I got it. I also bought about 8 different flavors of the coffes and they are tasty. Plus you can adjust the strength on this machine.

Amazon offeres the best prices on the coffee and machines. I did go to the CBTL web site for comparison.

I own a CBTL Kaldi, CBTL Kaldi S04 Single Cup Brewer, Red which I've had for almost 2 trouble-free years. As I know from past experience with Keurig, these single-serve coffeemakers don't last all that long. So I decided to pick up this CBTL Briosa model for the unfortunate time when the Kaldi finally kicks the dust.

I'm disappointed with this Briosa it's a much cheaper build-quality as compared to the Kaldi. Although there are some better features, too. With the Kaldi you only have a choice of 1.5 oz., 3 oz, or 8 oz. and you can't fit a travel mug underneath. With the Briosa, you can remove the drip tray and a travel mug will fit. You also have more choices of amounts with the Briosa, ranging from a short espresso all the way up to 12 ounces.

The Briosa's pump is louder than the Kaldi's no doubt these machines are all fairly loud, it's because the pump has to be strong enough to make espresso drinks. My much more expensive Breville Infuser, where I pull my own shots, is just as noisy. But the Briosa also vibrates quite a bit, and that's the reason they include a rubber mat to place inside the drip tray, otherwise your glass or cup does a little dance.

Another difference between the two models is how the capsule enters and exits.

Kaldi: You pull the silver handle back, insert the capsule sideways into the opening. If you have made a previous drink, the "used" capsule exits into a used capsule storage bin, which needs to be emptied and rinsed out every 2 or 3 days.

Briosa: You insert a capsule, you remove the capsule manually, just like a Keurig machine. I don't care for this feature on the Briosa; after brewing it is VERY hard to open the top to make another cup. (The instruction manual says to wait 10 minutes due to pressure build-up).

I can also tell a difference in coffee flavor between the two. Coffee that comes out of the more expensive Kaldi tastes better. I'm certain it's not psychological.

If you can afford to spend more, I think the Kaldi is a better choice. The Kaldi has better components used in its manufacturing and will probably last longer.

There is also a mid-priced Americano model which I believe has the capsule storage bin. I have never used that one personally so I don't know about its features or build quality. (edited: I now own the Americano too! See my review for more info.)

Here's the Americano model: CBTL from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Beverage System, Americano Black

NOTE: I usually purchase these types of things from Amazon, but I couldn't pass up a great deal for the Briosa on a shopping network, which also included 122 capsules, for much less than the Briosa is priced here. However, I'm sending the Briosa back it's a horrible machine.

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This coffee machine has been nothing but trouble since I got it. Only after 3 months did this coffee maker die completely. I will be returning it.

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I received this machine for Christmas and was very excited to use it. As others have stated, it is noisy. But I could handle the noise if I could get the darn thing to stay on. It keeps cutting off when I turn it on. I have to try two or three times before it will stay on to brew a cup of coffee. Or it cuts off in the middle of brewing. Once it finally stays on, it takes two or three times to get it to turn off and stay off. On top of that, it leaks.

One pro I found with the CBTL systems. I was looking for the refillable pods but they don't make one for this system. Instead, you can empty a used pod, fill it with your own coffee, and cover it back over with your own aluminum foil. Neat concept. Here is the link:It is a shame that I have to send it back because the coffee is good.

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I purchased the Briosa from another retailer but thought I would leave a review here for all the Amazon family to read. I intended on buying a Kuerig for my wife for Christmas. We currently have a 2 year old Bosch Tassimo that has performed flawlessly. We really enjoy the coffee but the disks are getting harder to find and Amazon took away the Subscribe and Save feature. That plus the local stores have so many Kuerig flavors to choose from. Anyway, after reading countless reviews of persons that had two and three Kuerigs and others instructing to get the additional warranty. Then there is the numerous pump problems. I seen the Briosa in an ad, and did some review searching. They were throwing in something like 120 coffee pods with it and the price seemed great. Especially if compared to a Kuerig. I gave it to my wife for Christmas and the very first thing was the cup holder would not fit into the upper spot without a whole lot of struggling. Then the first pod shot water out the side of the machine. On top of this, the machine is a whole lot more noisy than the Tassimo and the cup vibrates across the plate. To add to that, the brewer dripped water from the spout for about 15 minutes after pulling the cup out. I was as disappointed as my wife. What I thought was a great idea for a present left us both very disappointed and now it is going back. Maybe I just got a lemon as these things do happen but we are not going to chance it again. I remember reading one reviewer saying she had the same issues, but thought then it was probably an isolated incident. I hope this helps others in their buying decision.

Lavazza BLUE Espresso Intenso Capsules

This is a great espresso with a nice crema. All Lavazza Blue products have been fantastic. Please note that this only works in the Lavazza Blue machines. It is a different size than the K-cups.

Capresso 490.05 ST600 Stainless Thermal Coffeemaker

UPDATE DECEMBER 2007:

final update to this review: we gave up on this capresso shortly after my last update and purchased a cuisinart (~$100-ish). the cuisinart has given us approx 8 months of flawless, carefree performance. it's not nearly as gorgeous on the counter as this capresso, but also unlike the capresso, it's thoughtfully designed, does not require finicky care, and does not have delicate, vulnerable parts. it appears amazon is clearing out the ST600 at a very compelling discount, so i hope buyers are careful.

UPDATE APR 12, 2007:

well, two flimsy plastic pieces on the filter holder have broken off in the last couple weeks. first piece was just an irritation but the second broken piece has disabled the coffeemaker. i am debating whether i should order replacement parts or just give up on the machine. another irritating thing that had been happening over the past couple months was the top lid randomly popping open in the middle of the brew, causing hot water to spit everywhere -when it first happened to my wife, i scoffed at her incompetence and clicked the lid back into place firmly -only to have it pop back up two minutes later, much to my embarrassment :)

wish i could change my star rating ...

ORIGINAL REVIEW DEC 27, 2006:

agree mostly with other reviewers here on some negative traits: coffee maker is too big, steam emissions (including out the back) requires that you give the machine wide clearance, the lid is designed in a way that it will drip condensate down the back of the machine when you open it, etc. on the positive side, the machine is very attractive, and the carafe keeps the coffee surprisingly warm for hours.

i am not a coffee aficionado so cannot opine on how much better the coffee is vs our old $80 krups -it seems marginally less bitter and clean tasting (i drink my coffee black and usually drink americanos outside the home). i suspect that most coffee drinkers would only see a minor difference in taste. but on the other hand, perhaps those willing to pay this much for a coffee maker will generally have a more discerning palate and notice a greater difference than i do.

let me address the issue of spillage, as it appears that there is great debate about this across the many capresso model lines. i initially had problems with the ST600. the design is poor. the spring-loaded, safety cutoff switch situated at the bottom of the machine is too powerful and actually pushes away the carafe when it's empty. even if it does not push away the carafe far enough to cause the spout to disengage and coffee to overflow onto the counter, it will still create enough of a gap to cause steam to shoot out and condense on the front of the machine, between the machine and the carafe. this condensation will dribble down the machine. this is the phenomenon described by lane and sean in prior reviews. this is exacerbated by a slippery countertop (e.g. a granite surface). this could have been avoided by having some sort of locking mechanism that clutches the carafe snugly to the machine, rather than relying on the friction of the footpads on the carafe to hold it against the machine despite the spring-loaded switch pushing it away.

this issue was bad enough that i considered returning the machine. this is how i've "fixed" the problem: when i insert the carafe, i insert the spout first while holding the carafe at a 45-degree down from horizontal. then i shove the bottom of the carafe up against the bottom of the machine in a way that actually ever-so-slightly lifts up the front of the machine. this changes the angle of the force from the spring-loaded switch just enough that it has to tilt the carafe to extend, not just push it away. the spring is not strong enough to push away the carafe in this position, so the carafe stays snug to the machine, and i get no steam spillage and condensation on the front of the machine. this sounds kinda idiotic, especially for a nearly $200 machine, but it's something that you get used to quickly (the angled insertion motion is not that different from most coffee machines anyway -just a bit exaggerated). i suspect another solution would be simply putting a non-slip pad under the machine.

at the end of the day, is it worth the money? ... did i mention it looks nice? :)

If you're like me, even when you don't buy from Amazon you include its reviews when buying a product, and in the process, you're often left wondering what and who to believe with a product that has mixed reviews and a big discount. I don't usually write reviews, but given the doubts I had before this purchase due the negative reviews, I thought I'd help others out and set the record straight.

Cutting to the chase, this is a great coffee maker, especially for the price. With all due respect, I cannot for the life of me figure out how people have any issue with this machine. Learning curve? Are you kidding me? Slip the carafe in, push the on button. If you can figure out how to plug it in, you can figure out how to use it. There are several aspects to its design that keep coffee from ending up on your counter. It won't fit in place unless the lid is lined up the right way and if it doesn't fit in right, coffee doesn't flow.

Does it take a moment or two to figure out the alignment, or maybe a quick read of the manual if it's not immediately obvious to you? Sure. Probably. It's not like any other coffee makers you or I have used. But some of the reviews made me think I'd be living through countless messes before getting the hang of it. I found the design to be very consumer centric (the politically correct way of saying idiot proof)

One reason I wanted to write this review is that years ago I purchased a vacuum coffee maker that originally sold for a $200 but was being given away by Starbucks for under $50. I was convinced there had to be something wrong with it given the huge discount, but they told me that it was just too "complicated" for some people and they didn't get it (makes coffee much differently than drip). Same deal. Best maker I owned but enough people returned it that it was discontinued. Never had a single issue with it until it gave out after 4 years.

I can't comment on defective units or longevity, but I can tell you the design is sound, the coffee is great (I too notice I don't need to use as much coffee for a great, strong brew, which means also a less bitter one), the unit looks great, the thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot, and I like the uniqueness of the design aesthetically and mechanically.

Snap this puppy up while you still have the chance, ESPECIALLY when its at the $60 Friday sale price.

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The coffee maker is impressive to look at but the size of the machine, compared to the amount of coffee made, is disproportionate on a crowded counter top. It makes good coffee and keeps it warm. The coffee filter holder can be fiddly to place unless you get it just right, but the fact that the coffee dribbles down the front of the machine every time, requiring it be placed on a pad, is a real pain. The front needs cleaning every time, no matter how good you connect the jug with the machine. I'm concerned that the coffee running down the front of the machine will eventually cause damage to the seam between the stainless steel casing and the plastic bottom? I don't know if I have a lemon or they are all like that? *******4-month review***** My concerns came true. The dribbling coffee and condensation has damaged the seam at the bottom and the auto shut-off switch now gets stuck in when I remove the jug, so this makes dribbling a bigger problem. I would not but this again.

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We bought this over a month ago and we absolutely love the coffee it makes. Seeing the other reviews about problems with dripping and cleaning -we really haven't experienced those problems. Yes, the coffee holder needs to be put in "just so", but the benefits of the great coffee far outweigh any minor quirks it has. I highly recommend it and think most people will be pleased.

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Before I purchased my Capresso ST600 from Amazon, I read all of the reviews so that I would be informed about the pros and cons and alert to potential problems. Also, as is often the case, a negative review was offset by a positive review providing the "solution" to the negative review's problem with the machine. Frankly, I WANTED this machine because of its unique style AND Amazon had a great deal on it the day I made the plunge.

The first thing I did after the machine arrived was to thoroughly read the brief, but informative, manual and follow the instructions. Since I have a filtered water system, I don't have to bother with the included unimpressive filter system that comes with the machine. I would only use it in an unforeseeable emergency. It's a nice thought, but totally unnecessary for serious coffee drinkers who always use filtered water and, thus, have their own system. If I had to buy water filter replacements all the time, I wouldn't bother with this machine.

Then, I made my first pot of coffee. Good first attempt. As with all new devices, I consider that there is a learning curve to get to the cup of coffee that I want from the device. Second pot, oops! I found coffee all over my counter-top. So, what did I do wrong? Well, I had the machine on a pad that was smooth and slippery and the bottom of the carafe was slightly wet because I had just rinsed it out. So, the carafe slipped away from the machine and created the mess.

Believe me, it hasn't happened a second time! I got it! The machine is sensitive and protective. I need to work with it to get the results I want. I placed the machine directly on the counter (which can also be slippery when wet) and have fared well so far. I stay with the machine briefly to make sure it's properly connected. One "rushed" day, I propped a heavier item against it as my watch-dog to keep it from slipping away.

My long-term solution is to find a good non-slip pad for my 'sensitive' machine so I don't have to babysit it as it starts up. Also, one reader provided a different approach -inserting the carafe lip into the slot at a 45 degree angle.

Is this learning curve worth it? The coffee is great! The design lightens my spirit when I see it first thing in the morning. I bought something beautiful and non-ordinary for myself, and, with patient understanding, it provides me with the aroma and taste of great, hot coffee. The carafe in its own right is terrific and once I learned its signaling clicks. The non-drip spout is a bonus and it keeps my coffee hot all morning long! Worth far more than the $80 amazon deal I paid for this beauty.

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo - Black

I bought my Dolce Gusto two weeks ago, and I really like it. I'm a huge fan of iced coffee drinks, so I'm glad that they have Cappuccino Ice. I'm hoping that they come out with more iced beverages soon. I've noticed that other coffee machines have A LOT more flavors, and that many other machines can use different brand capsules. This one you can ONLY use the Nescafe brand capsules. The only hot drink I've made so far is the mocha, and it was VERY good. I love the foam it makes on hot drinks! I made my Dad a hot chocolate a few days ago and he really enjoyed that one too.

I think the value is good, as I was spending over $3.00 per drink, per day and expensive coffee shops. The drinks that need two capsules for the Dolce Gusto (Milk pod + coffee pod) will only cost a little over $1.00 per drink. I also think it's pretty fantastic that when you register your Dolce Gusto machine online, you'll get a free box of coffee! You can also enter the codes online from the inside of your boxes of coffee and earn more coffee or other things!

Pros:

small footprint on countertop

automatic power shutoff after maybe 5 minutes

less expensive pods than other brands

adjustable brew strength by running longer/shorter

much quicker cup of coffee than the whole coffee snob equipment that now gathers dust at my house

easy easy cleanupI don't miss those coffee grounds all over the place from the aforementioned system

taste, taste, taste,

easy to use

Cons:

limited local availability of pods although I just saw them at Walmart. Readily available online

If the 21 ounce tank could be a drawback, the Melody is the exact same machine with larger tank and the Circulo is the same system, different shape.

b/c of the adjustable strength, possible to overflow cup if you get distracted during the few seconds you're brewing but that was the same with the Gaggia system (which we loved, we're just lazy/busy)

We visited friends in France and fell in love with this coffee maker. We were so glad to be able to find it when we got back. Friends have both this and the other K machine at their bed and breakfast and prefer this one, both for taste and ease of use, so we were glad to have the opportunity to do our own test as well. (They're not bothered by refilling the tank every few cups.) This won, hands down. This brand is not marketed nearly as well in the US as the other K machine. I've only seen the pods in one store in the US (although readily available in rural supermarkets in France!), but I'm happy to plan ahead and order online as the price is so much better anyway. I think the pods for this machine are a little less expensive than the others but we'd have bought it anyway.

Taste is wonderful and it's sooo quick and easy to use. We love the small footprint of this machinethe other brands are monsters and have a cheap look and feel. Krups has another that is basically the same machine as this but with a larger tank, but we only make 2-3 cups/day so this meets our needs just fine. We tend to be neurotic about leaving water since we once had a machine get slimy/moldy from the water inside when we didn't use it for a while. I think it's cleaner not to leave a tank full of water sitting for days anyway so we take it off and let it dry most nights. Tank is quite easy to remove and refill and takes very little space on my dishrack.

Before kids we were aspiring coffee snobs so we have a "real" espresso machine as well. But as a busy mom, I just don't have the time to grind, measure, tamp, brew, rinse, clean up debris, etc to get it just right before heading out the door. This machine is so fast and taste is wonderful, really much better than my Gaggia. The power of the machine shuts itself off after ~5 minutes, so that's a nice safety feature as well. It's great to be able to make a weak or strong cup of coffee too by brewing longer or shorter. One (very small) downside is that if I were to space and step away while brewing (kids, phone) and forget to stop it, it would keep going, overflowing the cup (another upside to small tank!). But since it only takes a few seconds to brew, this is not such a big deal and it hasn't happened yet.

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Great coffee, great flavor. Easy to do. However, hard to find the capsules in regular stores. Either you order from the internet or drive miles to get it.

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i've loved the cafeteira, the price, the delivery and how it works, great deal.

i'm using it at my home, Brasil and i have the same options i had in USA, mainly the latte machiatto and the capuccino.

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I love this product! It is faster and easier to clean than the Keurig I have as well as more compact. If I had one complaint it would be that the coffee pods are extremely hard to find outside their personal site where as Keurig I see their products everywhere. The Nescafe quality of products however is very good and love the being able to have a creamy, foamy latte when I crave it.

Philips Saeco RI9822/47 Talea Giro Plus Automatic Espresso Machine, Silver and Titanium

Definitely worth 5 stars overall in my estimation having done lots of research and knowing its limitations before the purchase. Quality of the espresso produced surpasses almost all coffee shops including Charbucks and others by far. An expert barrista may be able to produce slightly better quality, but even their results are not consistent.

I previously returned a Jura-Capresso 13423 Impressa S9 One Touch Automatic Coffee-and-Espresso Center, Platinum because it produced inferior espresso and frothed milk with gigantic lukewarm bubbles. I would not have returned it (even at that price) if it had performed as well as the Talea. (THANK YOU AMAZON for a great return policy.) In fairness to the Jura, maybe it was faulty at the finest setting the grounds looked very coarse coarser than I would use for French-Press coffee.

The Talea cost 1/3 the price, produces far superior espresso, and very acceptable frothed milk BUT it is made of plastic and not stainless which might be a more important disadvantage for some. The ceramic grinder is quieter, producing very noticeably finer espresso-sized grounds at the factory middle setting (experimentation proved this setting to be the best) than the Jura set to the finest grind. Consequently the coffee is much stronger than the single scoop of coffee would suggest (as compared with the Jura's 2 smaller scoops).

Within 80 seconds after switching it on, it completes a warm-up procedure which includes passing some 2oz of hot water (I use it to pre-heat my cup) through the two dispensing nozzles and is ready to brew coffee. The relatively small size of the spent coffee-puck bin, dregs tray, 8oz bean hopper, and 57oz water reservoir can be annoying when you are making numerous coffees, but I see the positive here "The Nasties" do not build up. Rinsing the puck-bin and dregs tray under warm water each time I refill the water container takes much less than one minute usually only once per day. The steam wand also needs wiping down and flushing with steam after each use to prevent "The Nasties" and I pull off the stainless part and wash it and wipe the internal pipe after each session of multiple frothings.

I choese not to use the expensive water filters because my soft tap-water will require few descalings. Weekly rinsing of the easily removed brew-group (the plastic guts of the machine) is easily accomplished without using expensive chemicals. At the same time I soap and rinse the water reservoir, puck bin, and dregs-tray. Lubrication of moving parts of the brew-group (using the food-safe lubricant provided) is suggested after 500 brewing cycles. Every 2 months should do it for my usage.

A ½oz ristretto is too strong for me if more than "1 bean" (7gm of coffee grounds) coffee strength is selected. When making a long coffee (6oz of coffee in an 8oz cup) "1 bean" is fairly strong, "2 beans" is strong, and "3 beans" (10.5gm of coffee grounds) is too strong and I like strong coffee. The "Saeco Brewing System" is easily adjusted to produce espressos with lots of crema or long coffees with little crema and greatly improved taste. This is not the sales gimmick I had suspected it to be. Froth is of a fairly good quality easily matching most store-bought coffees, but a good barrista can always produce far superior frothed milk on a high-powered semi-automatic machine.

When I ran out of my regular, every-day coffee (Lavazza Super Crema) I used a local high-quality medium-roast coffee which was quite oily (must have been rather old tasted below par) but the ceramic grinder handled these with ease. Though I would never use them (their taste is so inferior to my palate) dark roasts always tend to be oily and are best-avoided in super-automatics where cleaning the grinder becomes a major issue. Medium and light roasts work best with all super-automatics. The by-pass doser is excellent for decaf. coffee and the single-origin beans I use occasionally, though I have to use my separate burr grinder for them. Even though I am making more coffee drinks per day because it is so quick and easy, I am using less coffee. Wasted/stewed coffee is effectively eliminated.

This machine will accommodate mugs of 5½" (6¼" if drip tray is removed). Even my Nissan Travel mugs can be filled directly from the machine using the double brew feature (2 quick presses of the brew button gives 2 complete, consecutive brew cycles) for 2 x 6½oz = 13oz of coffee again from fairly strong (1 bean/14gm coffee) through too strong (3 beans/21gm coffee).

I use several different styles and sizes of cup (for ristrettos, espressos, long coffees, lattes, macchiatos, and cappuccinos) so I PREFER the simple selection process this machine offers to that of the more-programmable and more-expensive Talea Touch model. For me it would be a pain to have to enter programming mode because the available 3 selections does not cover the range of drinks, sizes, and strengths I make. AND I only have to make 2 adjustments each time (size, strength) before pressing the brew button compared to 1 button on the Talea Touch.

The one big question I have about this machine (and all other "super-automatics") is long term reliability. They all have plastic "brew-groups" the working parts which do the tamping, brewing, and ejection of spent coffee pucks, and these may be this type of machine's weakest link BUT replacement brew-groups are available for $60. I quickly discovered that this was the culprit when the warning light came on when everything was OK (bean hopper and water reservoir full, puck-bin and dregs tray empty). During the weekly maintenance I now vacuum the machine all around the (removed) brew-group supports, and gently waggle the brew-group as I re-insert it to ensure that it is correctly and fully seated. No longer a problem and the weekly maintenance takes less than 5-minutes.

My 5 Stars would be less if a stainless body and larger capacities were more important to me. So far I am delighted with both the ease of use and quality of product. Though better coffees may be possible, this barrista (and most others) cannot produce them consistently.

I have owned this machine for only a month. In that time I have not used any of my numerous other coffee-makers. It is producing 5 to 15 good quality coffees per day without fuss or waste. Any change and I shall revisit this review.

I have had my saeco talea Giro for about two years now. It had to be serviced once during this time. The machine is a bit touchy and you really have to get to know how it works before you can judge it. First of all you have to keep it cleaned and de-scaled to keep it in good working order. If you have no time for this then do not buy it. Lights will come on before you start to brew to let you know you have to clean out the coffee grounds or empty the water well. This can be annoying if you are ready to have an espresso and you have to stop and clean things out. It will not work unless this is done first. So what I do after I brew is take the time and clean and empty grounds so the next time it is ready to go. With that said, I absolutely love making my latte it is of the highest quality that you would find at Starbucks or any other great coffee house. I even take it with me on vacation, if I can. I think for the money though, it should be made of stainless steel and not plastic on the outside. Also the drip tray should be make more sturdy to hold a large cup and not break off like mine did. If you have any problems with this machine after warranty you have to ship it off to a dealer that fixes these machines. That can me troublesome and you have to do without your espresso machine for weeks. I did give this a high rating because of the excellent quality of espresso and lattes. In the end that is why I bought the machine.

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I've had this machine almost a year and have used it at least once a day with no problems. It's my first expresso machine so it's really my testing machine. It makes great expresso and it's very quick and easy but as previous reviewer said, it's a bit touchy and I found the initial learning curve annoying.

Pros: I can make multiple cups easily.

It has the ability to select shot size, strength of expresso and the amount of water dispensed with the shot.

It has a pre-ground coffee bypass feature which I love for late night decaf and trying different brands for different family members tastes.

Because it warms quickly I can have a latte before work in the morning.

As semi automatic its convenient, consistent and makes great lattes.

No more costly Starbucks!

Cons :You have to stay on top of the maintenance and prep.

Lights will come on if the grounds aren't emptied and water tank filled.

It takes up a good bit of counter space.

It's plastic and the drip tray does not support a large coffee cup filled with milk for steaming. I have to prop it with another cup.

I gave it 4 stars because, as a semi automatic, it produces wonderfully consistent expresso and lattes, is very easy to use and it's fast. As a starter machine it's great and when I move on up I'll know what I want in my next machine.

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I purchased this machine after 12 years with the Athena from Starbucks. Granted the Athena was not automatic and would really have enjoyed an automatic machine. This one was pretty bad. I have only had this one for two weeks. I did have to get used to the warm up procedure every morning when I turned it on. It dispensed one shot of water through the espresso spout and another shot of water through the milk frother. It just konked out on me today. I used the machine with the bean grinder for espresso shots for my husband and the coffee bypass one for decaffinated grounds for myself. It had a tendency to trigger the warming up light. Today the water light kept coming on after I dispensed my one shot of espresso. The water tank was half full. I filled the water tank and shut it back. I was finding myself slamming the door to get the machine to register that I had done what it had asked. Frequently I had to pull the main espresso part out and slam it back in with all the doors to get it to register. I feel like I'm doing the same thing I had to do with an old copier in the office. Not a good sign for a high end machine. Well today after two weeks it just gave out. I tried turning the machine on and off. I took the water tank out filled it up with water, slammed it back in its spot and the dredges drawer and still it wouldnt turn off the maintenance light and the water light came off. I turned the water light off and still no espresso, I could still get water from the frother but no espresso.

I've had it, sending it back. Its not like it was a $50 machine. Maybe I should be expecting performance from a $2000 machine?

Want Philips Saeco RI9822/47 Talea Giro Plus Automatic Espresso Machine, Silver and Titanium Discount?

This machine was a wedding gift from our uncle that he purchased on Amazon. So far we are very pleased with the coffee it makes. The espressos have a lovely crema every time, and the milk steamer practically works on its own, you can just place your milk container on the drip tray and let it do its work, you will always get really smooth foam. My husband calls this machine idiot proof, once you have set the dials to your preferred settings, you simply place your cup and push a button for a great espresso every time. One thing we should mention, however, is we did read the manual carefully and realized if you want optimum results on the long-term it's important to follow their suggestions regarding cleaning and maintenance of the machine. All in all we really love the machine and hope it maintains it's great performance for a long time.

UPDATE: We have had this machine now for more than two months and it continues to brew perfect coffee day after day with no problems whatsoever. We brew on average 6 to 8 cups of coffee each day with this machine. The more we use it, the more we love it. Cleaning and maintenance is very easy. Again, if you follow the regular cleaning and maintenance cycles for this unit you should have no problems with it. We have a local Saeco distributor close to us and were happy to find that regardless that we purchased the unit from Amazon, they were happy to advise on best coffee types and other information specific to this model along with replacement parts, descaler liquid and water filters for this unit when required. This is a very simple unit to use. It looks amazing we always get comments from guests about what an amazing coffee machine we have and it continues to work perfectly day after day. If I could say, if you have the extra money, the upgrade to the digital display model Philips Saeco RI9828/47 Talea Touch Plus Automatic Espresso Machine would be a nice touch for the extra hundred dollars.

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