Black & Decker DCM2590 SmartBrew 8-Cup Drip Coffeemaker with Thermal Carafe, Black

I originally had a 4-cup coffee maker with a stainless steel carafe. It did the job, but would not stop leaking during pours. I was a bit skeptical of the DCM2590 because of the price, but I was wrong. While eight cups may seem a bit much, the thermal carafe has kept coffee I made in the morning warm until after work! Plus, not a single drip out of the carafe! The coffee tastes great and is quite hot. Highly recommended purchase.

I needed to replace a Bunn coffeemaker. Even though it made great coffee and was super speedy, I was fed up. In just three years there had been two recalls, and then one morning it had leaked water all over the counter. Enough already! After lots of research, this looked as if it was what I wanted. Even though it would take longer to brew coffee than the Bunn, it had a thermal carafe and a timer. I made the right choice. This makes hot delicious coffee which stays hot and fresh long enough to last through the morning. I am pleased.

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I wanted an automatic drip because the on/off switch on my vacuum coffeemaker broke within three months (Bodum brand) so I had to stand and hold the button. I wanted thermal to keep the coffee hot. This model, to my surprise, has a flat filter, not cone-shaped. The coffee needs to be finely ground to ensure a rich cup of coffee. Unlike the vacuum, the water never really boils so it starts out cooler, but stays a reasonable temperature in the carafe.

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First, I have this unit and have enjoyed it for months now. I bought it at a garage sale to avoid burnt coffee from the warmer plate on most drip coffee makers. It is a less time consuming option than my espresso machine.

My coffee is perfect in temperature without preheating and we do keep the house in the 60s. I grind my own coffee in a burr grinder and I preheat my milk and/or mug (for black coffee, using tap water) in the microwave (and sometimes foam it with a small electric whisk) so that it doesn't cool the coffee. I use a cheaper grinder for decaf coffee in the evenings. I do the same ritual at Panera to preheat my cup and milk using the microwave under the counter for the same reason. I like my coffee hot. Cold liquids and a cold cup ruin what came out of the carafe at just the right temperature. Since my wife likes weak, insipid coffee (we still respect each other in the morning), I sometimes decant the first run of coffee into a separate stainless steel thermos and run a "second run" for her. Since the thermos carafe keeps it hot rather than a warming element, the coffee does not get bitter.

A comment about keeping the coffee hot.

Since the pot is a stainless steel thermos, you are going to get the hottest coffee if you brew a full pot. It also will stay hotter the more coffee (and less air) it has in it. And, of course, it will stay much hotter if the lid is fully sealed except when pouring. Also there is a small hole always open, so unless you cover this hole with a towel, it is not quite as hot as a stainless steel thermos with a full seal. I never brew less than four cups (as marked on the side), but that is because you also don't get the right drip through on the coffee if you have too shallow a depth of coffee in the filter.

If you are making a small amount of coffee and your house (and carafe) are cold, prewarming the pot is not a bad idea, especially if you are just making a few cups of coffee. (The first hot coffee in the pot has to warm the pot, stainless steel does not warm as fast as glass and even if there was a heating element under the carafe, the heat wouldn't get through because it is a thermos with a vacuum barrier in between the inside and outside walls .) As I say, I have not had to do this.

Simple tip: If you want your coffee hotter, you can also preheat the carafe (and the rest of the system for that matter) by running a cup or two of water through the coffee maker before you brew your coffee. This would also clean your carafe and system--dump it out of course just before you hit the button to start the coffee.

All drip coffeemakers work the same--the water turns to steam, climbs up above the beans, condenses and drips through. So your coffee will also be relatively hotter if 1) you use a coarser grind of coffee, as finely ground coffee slows the drip more, 2) if your ambient temperature is higher (since the coffee is more or less in the "room" while it is dripping through the beans into the carafe, and 3) as above, different strategies for keeping your carafe more insulated and starting at a higher temperature before the coffee enters.

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This thermal carafe coffee maker works well in getting most of the flavor from the coffee, is very easy to clean, is energy efficient, keeps the coffee hot and keeps flavor in the coffee for a long time if the top is closed securely, is reasonably attractive, appears to be durable, and seemed to be the least expensive of all the thermal carafe coffee makers currently available. I believe that it should be illegal to sell old fashioned hot-plate coffee makers, which are incredibly wasteful of energy and which make coffee undrinkable 5 minutes after brewing.

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Wolfgang Puck WPEM0020 Super Automatic Espresso/Cappuccino Maker

Got it today ... is leaking from the day one ... water is all over the counter and on the floor ...

but prepared coffee is OK ...

We bought this through DirectBuy, so didn't have a chance to inspect it first. But we should have done some product research instead of jumping at the good price. The unit had some nice features: custom savings for 5 users, and multiple brew selections, but it failed right out of the box. The centre LCD worked for the first 6 cups, then went solid blue. Unlike our SAECO (which we love), the lack of an LCD means there are no diagnostics, and it is impossible to determine what stage of the cycle the machine is on. All programming is also lost. The initial cups of coffee seemed OK, perhaps a little weak, but we'll never know. The steamer is horrible: it requires a separate tygon/poly aspiration line which has to be flushed out after every use. The bean compartment is too small. The warm-up time is too long. Customer service is poor. Don't waste your money on thisyou will be quickly disappointed.

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We have tried loads of settings and it still produces mostly froth, with little coffee taste. Almost like bad office coffee or weak coffee from a cheap store or hotel.

If you stand there with 3 cups and catch the pre brew and discard, save the good stuff, and discard the last 1/3 which is all froth, you get a decent cup of espresso. But for that price, you should get a great cup without all this nonsense. I have thrown out most cups, or save them to dump into iced coffee with lots of sugar. A real disappointment and not worth the money.

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I bought a Wolfgang Puck One Touch Versa Cooker one year ago. It broke shortly after receiving it. After many phone calls and emails, and promises to send me a replacement... I have received nothing. One year my friends, and I still have not been refunded nor has the product been replaced. Wolfgang you should be ashamed of the company and product that you put your name on. SHAME! Be aware that if you buy this product you may experience the same lack of support I got. Money down the drain!

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Black & Decker EE200 Expresso O Mio - Expresso Maker

As an ex-Seattle-ite of 12 years, I am pretty persnickity about my espresso. I found this microwave espresso maker at an upscale retail outlet for discontinued merchandise, in my new home city, and thought, what the heck, it is only $10, what do I have to lose? For ten bucks I got the microwave espresso maker and a frother, basically a beaker with plunger/beater for making steamed milk froth you see on a cappucinno.

After a few attempts, I found the proper setting on my microwave, to make excellent shots of espresso. I did have a couple of messes to clean up before I figured it out. I have a smallish GE microwave purchased in 1997, and don't remember the wattage, but running the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds yields almost a full shot of espresso. I empty the result into a cup and put the espresso maker back in the microwave for an additional 10 or 15 seconds which makes enough more to make a good sized shot when added to the first batch. I do this because one newspaper reviewer, who I will talk about later, mentioned that his espresso had a burned taste from leaving it in too long. I have not experienced this, but do this anyway as a precaution. The result is an acceptable dose of espresso for use in making a latte, etc., every time. I do sometimes just add a bit of sugar and take it straight, as well.

Now for the frother. This little guy is amazing and worth the cost, even if you don't use the espresso maker. I am able to make a decent froth in a few seconds using non-fat milk. Whoa. With whole milk you can make something approaching whipped cream in a 15-30 seconds.

Now for the reviewer I mentioned earlier. This fellow published his very negative review in the Seattle Times and, I think, contributed to the apparently horrible reputation that perhaps caused B&D to discontinue this little gem. He obviously did not tinker enough to figure out the settings that would work for his microwave, etc,, and made a couple of messes and gave up, and then proceeded to blast this espresso maker.

I wondered if I was the only person who liked this little guy, so I called a good friend of mine who is a consultant and travels all over the country to see if he wanted one of these. He was way ahead of me and had already been using one for some time. He loves it and it goes everywhere with him. BTW, he is twice the coffee snob that I am. He told me that when he is home he still uses his little B&D instead of the fancy countertop unit he has in his kitchen, if he wants to make a single shot of espresso.

This is like the Holy Grail of microwave espresso makers, though, to my knowledge, it is the only one of its kind. OK, maybe I am being too enthusiastic, but, hey, I love my coffee. It is handy enough toss in the suitcase and take with you for making espresso in your hotel room, if you are a traveler, or just don't want to spend a few hundred dollars for a gadgety space hogging countertop appliance. I actually went back to the store where I bought this and bought two more, in case something happens to my first one, so I will never be without one.

OK, now for the negatives, and there are some. This guy only makes one shot at a time, and then you have to empty the grounds and start over. If I want to share an espresso with my honey, then she had better be patient, because the first shot is for me. The coffee goes in a little aluminum cup that is covered by a screen, and this little cup gets HOT. If you want to make a second shot you have to take the maker apart, empty the grounds, refill it and start over. I do it, sometimes, and it is not impossible, but I do alot of cursing when I do. Of course you can set it aside to cool off first, but that's no fun.

Bottom line, this is a great little espresso maker if you don't mind making one shot at a time, don't mind experimenting a bit, are a traveler, don't want to spend money or space on a large espresso maker, etc. I heartily recommend this microwave espresso maker and wish you luck in finding one (my spares are not for sale!). They are still out there, and I did also see them at Walgreens, at one time.

.. and brand new; I decided to give it a whirl.

There was a little bit of leakage from the unit, but nothing unmanageable, and it did indeed make excellent espresso. Yes the metal cup (and plastic assembly) inside does get hot, but so do the parts from a "regular" espresso maker. A quick rinse in warm or cold water does the trick before fully disassembling. On my next attempt, I made the base tighter and voila! No leakage. Except that it only makes one shot, this is a very neat gadget. I guess it's too bad that it didn't catch on.

... Ok now that it's been here awhile...

Pain in the patootie to use, and the espresso is really not very good. Now I'm sure I know why it's discontinued.

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The product is OK, but when the frother comes apart, beware...no instructions and I have tried every which way to put it back together without success. Searched online and many others have same problem.

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European Gift Aluminium Stove Top Espresso Maker, 12 Cup

1. espress roast/espresso grind from www.capricorncoffees.com

2. stovetop esresso maker

3. aluminum sauce pan

4. milk

5. whisk

6. comfortable chair

7. good book from www.amazon.com

Contrary to the elitest pump-heads, you do not need a $500 pump driven espresso maker to make terrific espresoo -heck -they've been making espresso for hundreds of years -long before delonge came out with their Espresso-master 2000.

I've had this stove top model for 3 years now ... the espresso it brews is hot, smooth, and intense, but never bitter.

Similarly, you can froth milk over a low heat with a whisk and a saucepan it comes out frothier richer than a steam valve could ever produce.

The total set up is about 30 bucks. Take the $400 in savings, buy a bunch of books to enjoy with your espresso drinks.

De'Longhi BAR32 Retro 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

Edit 2/24/2012: I wrote this review several years ago. The machine broke down after a year or so, and I put off replacing it. However, I've wanted to start making espresso again and so, remembering how much I liked this one, I picked up another one.

It's pretty much just how I remember it, and the instructions I wrote below still work. There are a couple of things I've noticed, though. First, the maker no longer comes with sample E.S.E pods. That was disappointing. Also, the bottom of the filter handle (where the coffee comes out of) is plastic if you use a hand-held tamper, make sure you don't press too hard and damage the pour spouts.

Also, I've moved from the Midwest to the East Coast, and it's still nice to have good espresso and capuccino in your own house.

Otherwise, it's still a sold four-star machine.

Original review:Despairing of ever finding decent espresso in the Midwest, I finally broke down and decided to get a home espresso machine. I had worked as a barrista, and had sipped espresso in Italy, so I had some idea of how it should taste.

Being relatively poor, I wanted a machine that would deliver a decent espresso, at a decent price. Though I was willing to consider a system with proprietary coffee pods (K-cups, Tassimo, etc), it would have to be cheap enough that I wouldn't mind shelling out the extra bucks for the coffee itself. And I also wanted to make sure that it was pump-driven, not steam-driven.

After checking reviews and looking around, I finally settled on the DeLonghi BAR32. It's a pump-driven maker, not steam driven, so it's not scorching the grounds as it brews. And it comes with a single and a double espresso filter.

The DeLonghi uses either ground espresso, or E.S.E. espresso pods. The E.S.E. pods are not proprietary any company can make them. The DeLonghi comes with a package of 18 Illy pods (retail $12). The pods are convenient, but still expensive.

I've had the espresso maker for several days, and I'm happy with it so far. With the pods, it pulls a good single espresso with a satisfactory crema. Sugar floats on top of the crema for about 2-3 seconds, and it has a nice golden color. The espresso tastes very smooth.

Pulling a good single espresso, either with the pods or loose coffee, is pretty easy. Use the pods as a good judge of how tightly to pack the grounds in the filter. Use a level, loosely packed scoop of coffee for a single shot.

Pulling a good double, on the other hand, still eludes me. The best I've come up with is to use 2 scoops, 3/4 full and loosely packed, and pressed looser than for a single. Even then, it still dribbles out slowly, with a less-than-satisfactory (though present) crema.

The steam wand works very well. I've made several excellent cappuccinos and lattes with it. It's a little cramped to use, so I pull mine to the edge of the counter so that I can get a good mug under it. I steam straight into the mug of milk, and then add the espresso. Make sure to blow some steam through it to clear out condensation before putting it in your milk. Start with the steam wand nearly submerged in the milk, and then slowly pull it out (lower the mug) until you hear a gentle "sipping" sound. That means that it's frothing. If you see noticeable bubbles on top of the milk, that means you've pulled it out too far dip it back in slowly and you should be able to whip the bubbles into froth. Once the froth is just below the level you want it, submerge the wand back into the milk to finish heating it. Listen again once the milk starts to sound "hollow," it's nearly hot enough. Let it go for a few more seconds, then shut off the steam, and remove the mug. The wand will drip a bit, so put it over the drip tray or an empty mug.

Making espresso is fairly easy. Turn the machine to "Heat" to start heating the water and priming the pump. Make sure the filter holder is screwed into the machine. Once the "Hot" light comes on, run an espresso cycle without coffee into the cup you'll use pulling espresso into a cold cup will ruin the flavor. Fill the cup half-way with hot water, and turn the machine back to "Heat." Empty and quickly dry the espresso cup. Put the E.S.E. pod or ground espresso into the filter (tamp down the loose espresso) and twist it into the machine. Turn the machine on, and wait until you've got your cup of espresso. A single espresso should be 30-40ml, or 1-1.5oz. I used a measuring cup to see what that looked like in my demitasse cups.

Looking back over what I've written, I suppose I do make it look a little complicated. And it is a little bit more complicated that popping the K-cup into the machine, and hitting "Go." But it really is pretty easy, and less than 5 minutes pass between "You know, I could go for a cappuccino," and "Man, that's a tasty cappuccino."

Pros:

Inexpensive

Good pressure

Easy to make a good single shot of espresso

Uses pods or loose grounds

2 dials + 0 buttons = easy to use

Outstanding steam wand

32oz water reservoir lets you make 3 or 4 cappuccinos, or 6 to 8 espressos, without refilling

Built-in tamper means one less part to lose

Pre-heat cycle helps make good espresso

Cons:

Hard to make a good double espresso (might just be me)

Steam wand leaks slightly (usually at the start of a brewing cycle I just keep mine over the drip tray)

In the end, the machine makes a good espresso, especially for the price, but remember that you're not going to be running a coffee shop with it. I definitely recommend it for anybody who wants to make their own espresso, but wants to do it for under $200.

I have purchased this machine from Amazon on June 2006, that's 16 months ago and I have been using this coffee maker every day, usually 2 to 3 times a day. A few words about me, I grew up in Italy, lived there for over 20 years and I still go visit my country for at least a month every year so I should know about coffee, right? DeLonghi is considered a good brand in Italy, I'm not sure about customer service in the U.S. since I never had to contact them; my aunt in Italy has an identical machine with no complaints. I'm not sure about the complaints I read here. Some people say it takes too long to heat up the water... I usually turn it on 15 minutes before making the espresso and the water gets really hot, if you think that's too long then you've never used an espresso machine before, it's very average as a matter of fact. Sorry, but that's not the machine's fault, it's the way it is with all machines. Coffee shops machines need one hour sometimes longer to heat up. Others have complained about the steamer leaking a bit... NO KIDDING! It's called vapor condensation, if you think that's a machine issue I recommend going back to school and taking Physics 101. Not usually a big deal for me, just keep the steamer over the tray and the problem is solved... it's only a drop or two anyway.

Some have written about the coffee not being very strong, true it could be stronger but if you make the right dose it's ok. I get my coffee in Italy and, you want to trust me on this, if you're not using good ground coffee to start with you're not going to get a good espresso. Forget that Starbucks junk, this machine makes a much better espresso if you use it right with the right coffee.

I'm not saying it's perfect, but for this price it gets really good, hard to find better. Forgive me for my somewhat sarcastic remarks, but I have the feeling that most of the people who complained about this machine have issues related to "Operator's Error" and not the machine itself.

One note though about the frother (I've seen better construction), remove the plastic part and it works much better.

I used both Illy pods and ground coffee and I like both. Illy is considered a high quality coffee.

For the past 16 months it has worked great for me and I'm sure it will again tomorrow morning. Remember not to let the water reservoir go dry or you will burn the pump, again "Operator's Error" not machine's.

To the guy who grinds his own beans not espresso fine... Operator's Error! Espresso machines need espresso ground coffee not larger grains. I still have to find a grinder in the US that can make fine espresso ground without costing an arm and a leg. One more thing: make sure you use bottled water (I use spring water) because tap water contains more limestone and can ruin the pump in the long run.

By the way, all the customers images are mine (as of today October 8th 2007), glad to see so many people enjoyed them.

Update: October 24th

Over 2 years, and still working great! :) I used it about twice a day.

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I've been a coffee snob for several years have several brewing machines scattered throughout my kitchen. Since I got this machine xmas morning, all the others brewing systems have become obsolete.

It produces plenty of steam in a jiff, and the removable water tank is very handy (especially for use with my water filter). While I scoffed at the thought of using the ESE pre-packed espresso pods, it came with a tin of them, so I tried them out since all local coffee houses were closed (and I had no beans!). The ESEs make a pass-able cup of espresso--not the darkest roast, but the convenience of a pod is handy. I have some Major Dikason's blend from Peets which I made regular espresso and Americanos out of. Delicious, thick, creamy.

This machine is a steal at this price. I've had to get the hang of packing my grounds in the handle, however. If I pack too tightly, the cream only comes out as a trickle. I suppose that's the case with most home machines, however. Also, it has a built in tamper on the frame of the machine, and I consider that to be a bit of a mess and kind of sketchy. Go buy a tamper sperately.

This is a great little machine. For any price under $200 it's a steal.

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Primary Complaint Classification: Service Issues

Secondary Complaint Classification: Product Quality

Complaint:

Received as gift from Amazon.com, 12/25/04. After 5 weeks of occasional use, the rubber gasket which holds the screen snugly inside the filter head began to split. Within 2 weeks the entire gasket had broken completely apart and rendered this $100 machine unuseable for want of this cheap, tiny part.

I went to DeLonghi's website to locate a replacement part, but the site has never been put fully online since it was first enabled in March of 2004, and the features I needed were unavailable.

I then called the phone number in the product documentation and received a DeLonghi automated menu. After I made my selection from the menu I was told "This number is no longer in service," and was disconnected. I tried every menu option and received the same message and disconnection every time.

Attempts to locate contact information for DeLonghi's corporate headquarters (through investment websites)also failed.

Amazon.com indicated that they would not replace the product as it was beyond their 30-day returns window, and that I would have to take it up with DeLonghi directly. Obviously, I had already attempted this and it had proved impossible. After browsing Amazon.com reviews by buyers of other DeLonghi products, it appears I am not alone in my complaints of poor product quality and non-existent customer service from DeLonghi. Caveat emptor.

Now I have a $100, fancy Italian-designed paperweight taking up counter space and what I need is a cup of coffee. My hope is that you have some means of contacting DeLonghi and finding out why they refuse to stand behind their products. I understand that I may have to accept the $100 loss incurred by my purchase of their terrible product, but I think other consumers should be made aware of the risks they make in buying from DeLonghi America Inc. before they make the same expensive mistake I did.

Desired Settlement: Refund

Desired Settlement Explanation :

Although the part needed is small (and undoubtedly cheap), I'm reluctant to have any further dealings with DeLonghi America Inc. or their products. I would like a full refund so that I may purchase an espresso maker that works, from a company that will make good on the buyer-seller contract.

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Like many of you, I pored over the Amazon customer reviews of many espresso makers before making my purchase. I was replacing a cheap Mr. Coffee device that was a lemon. I have been making espresso and cappuccino for many years using the department store-grade articles that come with a four (espresso)-cup carafe and controls consisting of an on-off switch and a steam valve and I was very satisfied with the flavor of the product. However, I was never able to reproduce the lovely crema of the espresso I enjoyed in Italy or of our better baristas in the U.S. but that was just an aesthetic compromise. Other customers' comments encouraged me to consider a pump-driven espresso maker, so I took a chance with this one: it seemed to be in the middle of the price range and most customers were pleased with the results they got, although some unhappy folks obviously bought defective devices and were dissatisfied with DeLonghi's customer service. For me, so far, so good and I am delighted with the results. Although making espresso with the DeLonghi requires a bit more attention than the less expensive basic models I'd grown used to, it is a minor compromise. This machine makes superb and beautiful espresso. Because the water is drawn from a 35-oz. reservoir, you cannot just wait until all the water you've poured into the machine runs through (like you can with the machines that hold only a cup of water in their reservoir) but you have to stand by to shut off the water flowing through the grounds when you've made enough. Therefore, you can make your espresso as strong or as weak (that defies logic!) as you prefer. Don't worry; your "wait" will amount to less than a minute.

The controls are simple, yet efficient. The silver knob on the front has four positions, left to right: preheating water for steam off preheating water for coffee water flowing through the coffee. A red light indicates that the heating element is energized. A green light indicates that the water has reached its desired temperature for steaming or coffee, depending on the mode you've selected. The valve/knob on the top of the machine regulates the flow of steam through the nozzle to froth your milk.

The milk frothing nozzle is superior to any I have ever used. The frothing starts almost immediately and is a very efficient process. When the milk is frothed, click the control knob over two positions and you will probably find that the water temperature is ready to make coffee immediately. Less than a minute later, you're done.

The DeLonghi does not come with a milk frothing pitcher. It does have an attached grounds-tamper which is a convenient perk. My only complaint is that when making espresso, a few drops of water tend to drip out of the milk frothing nozzle, as if there is minor leak-by the valve. Also, before frothing milk, I drain the steam line into a separate cup to purge a teaspoon to a tablespoon of water from the line before the steam is expressed.

I am delighted with this DeLonghi Espresso Maker and recommend it highly.

Addendum

I've had the DeLonghi BAR 32 for 14 months now. It gets used at least three times a day up to ten and I still love it! I have not any problems with it. I plan to buy more as gifts!

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Alessi Moka Stovetop Espresso Maker - 1 Cups

This is the Alessi edition of the world-famous Bialetti coffee "moka". In other words, the best Italian coffee-making tradition coming with super stylish design. I love it! I use it with "Illy Moka Ground Coffee, Medium Roast", and the result is a gently balanced coffee, neither too strong, nor too bitter.

NOTE This is the single-cup version, which is not very popular in the US. However, if you're alone drinking coffee, I really recommend you to go through the ritual of preparing it one cup at at time... that's the way you should enjoy it.