Norpro Glass Froth Master

Previous reviewers who had worked as coffee professionals enthused that the Norpro frother produces thicker, creamier froth than even the most expensive expresso machines -and they're right. There couldn't be a handier and more effective little kitchen aid.

1. I don't drink cold coffee drinks, so I have no advice about that, but for best

results with hot froth, you must have a microwave. Pour in a very small amount of cold milk, lightly hold down the pumper with one hand to stabilize it and pump for 20 seconds with the other hand, and then place the beaker (without the metal pumper, of course)

in the microwave for 20-40 seconds, and watch the froth rise, rise, rise. Keep a close

watch because it can overflow easily. The froth is so thick, you have to take it out with a spatula!

2. Cleaning: What's the big deal? When you're done, rinse it out immediately with hot water. For a solid scrub, pour hot water and a little detergent into the beaker, and use the pumper to create suds and give the glass and metal a good clean.

3. Fragility: Duh, it's glass. Honestly, people go on and on about this, but I cannot

see what the problem is. Be. Careful.

Enjoy magnificent foam for coffee & hot chocolate.

I have gone through several frothers in the past couple years, only to be disappointed in all of them.

Then I found this one and, finally IT WORKS!!!

I am buying another one, in case I break the one I have.

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I received this item quickly and I'm please to say that it does exactly what it says it will do. I had been looking for a while for a frother that didn't run on batteries or use steam. It's perfect.

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I purchased this frother thinking it may or may not work. I usually make froth using my cappuccino machine. I thought a frother would be great, but could something this simple really work? Yes, it does!

The instructions say something like you should use hot or cold milk, not warm milk (if froths better); I have used skim milk strait from the frige and it works great. Pour milk in, cycle the plunger about 30 times, and then you have great froth. This is easy to do, with a great result.

Cleanup is easy, I rinse and let sit; when I use it the next morning I rinse again before use.

Materials: rubber foot, glass carafe, metal top, metal rod, plastic frothing disk, metal screen, plastic ball on top. I see the plastic frothing disk and I think this will wear out with use, I see the plastic ball on top does not unscrew, will probably come off at some point. I am not dishwashing this unit to try to increase its life. I would guess this unit will last me 1-2 years; when it fails I will buy a replacement that is totally metal and glass without any plastic parts.

*******************

update: still working, no visible wear after 18 months

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I purchased this milk frother as a replacement for a Bonjour frother that had lasted me close to 10 years until a small part broke and I could find no replacement. I should have bought another Bonjour! For about $24, 10 years is a pretty good track record. The Norpro is flimsy and the plunger does not fit in the carafe tightly enough, hence little to no froth, no matter how many times I pumped it. I would not recommend this frother to anyone! Instead, buy the Bonjour. It is sturdy and well made and froths milk beautifully with little to no effort. The Bonjour costs only 3 to 4 dollars more and is available Amazon Prime. I received it in 2 days as promised. Excellent product, excellent price and the usual outstanding Amazon service!

LaCafetiere Stovetop Espresso, Classic Polished, 6C

One sip and this becomes a conversational piece. You sense the brew power as it percolates and briefly steeps the coffee. Just be certain when you're brewing for the first time and you get all excited about this new toy, as I did, that you refrain from two urges: 1) firing the gas stove at full speed and 2) peeking to see if the coffee is ready by opening the lid. Adversary effect is, you might get a scalding from the coffee and two, you may overheat the handles. Fortunately, those two latter events did not happen, but it was a close call:)

Quality build is decent. The silicone gasket is decent. Also make certain to tighten the bottom half to prevent coffee from purging on the side due to high pressure as it percolates. cheers:)

I bought this Italian coffee maker just a few dAYS AGO, AND IT IS USELESS, I am Italian and every Italian household has one, this broke within the first 2 days,I have been a customer of Amazon for 6 plus years, and whatever I bought from different sellers were always five star, I cant send it back because it broke, I have used many Italian coffee makers like this one even cheaper ones and never had a problem, I will never buy from this seller again.Mary Forman, Redding Ca

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After years of living abroad, American coffee just doesn't cut it. Now I can have my coffee like I like it again. Great product and was fast on shipping.

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This is lovely but is in silver. Not red as the picture shows. I wanted red, so I'm not thrilled. Am still deciding on if I'll send it back as time is an issue. Disappointed in the salesmanship showing the item in red but selling it in silver. The item quality is fine, so I am still giving 5 stars.

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Lets Gel Inc GelPro Designer Comfort Anti Fatigue Kitchen Floor Mat

First let me say that THIS IS NOT A GEL MAT. I think that some reviewers are getting confused because it is made by GelPro, but the description clearly states that this is a foam mat. And personally, while I would love to have a GelPro gel mat, they cost a big pile of money that I don't have. Second, I don't know why anyone thinks it should be thicker or softer except that they don't know how anti-fatigue mats work. This mat is meant to give slightly and then provide support, and that's exactly what it does. More cushion wouldn't be supportive, and more thickness would increase the possibility of tripping over the edge. And depending on who it belonged to, that would range anywhere from annoying and inconvenient to seriously dangerous.

Anyway.

This mat was a much needed and long overdue purchase. My husband and I both get sore backs from standing on our tile floors, and this mat has worked wonders. It is also attractive and easy to clean, doesn't migrate around the kitchen, the edges stay down, and our cats don't seem driven to play with it they way they have kitchen rugs. I'm planning to get another one to put in front of the stove.

I ordered it because According the web page it's one inch thick, "Product Dimensions: 32 x 20 x 1 inches". Unfortunately, it is misleading. The thickness is only 1/2 inch not 1 inch.

However the over all quality is good, the red one i got is very pretty, it seems like it will be esay to clean. My husband said his back feels comfortable when standing on it. I decided to keep it.

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I really like this mat and I am shopping around for different sizes and colors. The red is a great color for some areas in my home and I'm back to look for more colors. Some people complained that this mat was too thin and said it was listed as one inch thick, which it was not. It was listed correctly. Next, the complaints of "flat as a pancake" is very misleading. Unless someone expects something thick enough to bounce on, then this mat does the job it is designed to do.

I use these in the kitchen and bathroom and also have one beside the bedbecause stepping onto a tile floor is very cold in the winter! All my floors are tile. I prefer these mats to area rugs because they can be wiped (not scrubbed) clean easily, and are more sanitary then any carpeting. That is very important for those of us who have had chemo or radiation treatments, which plays havoc with the immune system. Carpeting holds so much dust and all the other things that gets embedded into the fibers, so it isn't the healthiest surface for children to play on. Nor to have around when a family member has asthma which is often made worse by carpet dust and the other things it holdssuch as animal dander and hair. Tile is the best flooring to use for ease of maintenance as well as for beauty, as is wood floors for the next best choice -so get a few mats in different sizes and colors, especially if you do have tile or hardwoord floors. Slide them under a bed, or roll them up and put them in a closet if you don't want to use them at times, then bring them back out later on. The only complaint I have is the cost. I think the prices should be about 20 percent lower, so I'll check often for sales.

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Things you need to know before buying:

1. The mat covering doesn't have a "polished" look; in essence, it looks like the top part was printed out by an average printer and glued to the bottom section.

2. The pattern on the mat is difficult to discern from the pictures. Think scales -like scales on a lizard -and you'll get the idea. (I have the green version.)

3. The material on the bottom is smooth (not sticky or rough). This will cause the mat to slide every once in a while when you step on it. Just re-adjust its position and carry on.

4. As mentioned in another post, this IS NOT a gel mat. Some friends of ours have a gel mat, and those contour exactly to your feet (think gels that go inside your shoes). THIS mat just provides a soft area to stand on so that your hardwood/tile floors don't cause your back to ache.

5. The cushion in this mat does its job: you'll definitely notice a majority of your aches and pains going away as you wash dishes/cook dinner (what I use it for).

6. The mat seems to be of solid construction. I've had this mat for about 2 months now, and there appears to be no signs of wear and tear whatsoever.

All in all, it's a decent product. The fact that it looks "scaly" and the print job seems average at best (see points #1 and #2) will make me replace this product some time in the future -purely due to decorative value. For now, however, it does a good "functional" job of alleviating back aches, so I'll use it for a while until we re-do our kitchen.

'Hope you found this helpful!

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I'm a professional dishwasher, so I spend at least eight hours per day on my feet. I used to get cramps and spasms in my legs, then I bought the comfort mat. Now, can work my regular shift and overtime without any problems. I should have got one of these mats a long time ago.

Sunbeam Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser

I'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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

Philips Saeco RI9752/48 Odea Go Full Automatic Espresso Machine

I recently upgraded to this model from a Krups steam espresso maker and it was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. I can't believe I did upgrade sooner.

The espresso comes out perfect, just like those at places like Starbucks. My favorite part about this model is the minimum work required for cleaning. It has a bin that collects the used grounds so you don't have to empty and clean after every cup.

The steam for the milk frother comes out super fast and super hot. It takes less than 30 seconds for me to froth milk. And when you're done, just rinse the plastic nozzle and you're set for the next cup.

Now the only downside about this model: it doesn't store too much water. If you have 2 or more people using this thing every morning, there's a good chance someone will always have to refill the water in the tank after the machine pumps out a half cup of coffee and blinks its red light. Even then, for the price, it is well worth it and provides great value.

Update 4/7/2010 Still turning out great coffee/espresso with ease after 3 years of service. Must've saved me $1000 from morning trips to Starbucks annually.

But then again, I guess I wouldn't know how good it really is.

Four stars because a) I haven't had it long enough to give it a 5 and b) I'm taking off one star for the price.

I really like this machine, I was hesitant to get a super automatic because I like the process of making espresso. However, when I need multiple shots each morning for 2 drinks, this is far more practical. I was not interested in the sales associates' push for Nespresso because I can't see being tied down to one brand of pod forever, so I went with this. I've had it a few weeks, so I will update if I run into any snags, but so far so good.

Prior to this I had a Krups (great while it lasted, actually), and a DeLonghi, and a Breville Ikon that I returned. I was looking at this, a Capresso, and a Gaggia, but the store where I returned the Ikon only had this so I gave it a shot.

Pros:

Delicious espresso, nice crema, but it does take some experimenting with grinds, etc. I am still working on getting it just how I want it, but still, the worst cup out of this machine is better than good cups in others. I use it for lattes almost exclusively, but my husband has had shots and likes them a lot. It is incredibly fast shot to shot, something I was hesitant about in leaving my beloved filling and tamping behind, but now I will never look back! The frother is very powerful and fast, the best I've had on any machine.

Cons:

As another reviewer mentioned, this machine has quite a personality! It is like C3PO (or is it R2D2) in my kitchen each day, Flashing, blinking, making sounds. It always wants something: Fill water, empty grounds, release hot water. If I didn't like the coffee and ease of use so much it might be annoying but for now I find it entertaining. I feel like it's letting me know what it needs, so that's ok I guess.

I don't like how plasticky it is, it feels like a $100 Krups, but it looks nice and the coffee is what matters. Nearly everything comes apart for easy and thorough cleaning, so I always know it's clean through and through, unlike some other machines I've had.

Machine is kinda big. I have a lot of counter space (for once in my life!) and I have it angled in a corner. It looks great and blends in, but if space is an issue for you, note that the size is a bit deep. The curve of it makes it look a little smaller than it is, and it definitely looks stylish.

Other comments:

Some online reviews I saw noted it's finicky about beans. I've tried two kinds now and haven't had any trouble with the taste or grinder getting stuck.

I hope this review is helpful. The espresso machine purchase process is overwhelming, and it seems like there are shortcomings to all of them. I am really glad I took two back wound up with this one, even if the process of finding it was maddening. I was about to give up and not even own a machine at home any longer. I gave it one last whirl with this one. As I was walking out of the dept. store, a stately European couple saw me walking with the giant orange box and stopped me to tell me "What a great machine! We bought it a few months ago, you're going to love it." I grilled them about 4-5 concerns, they raved, and I felt like I was at least off to a better start with this machine than with the others that were mediocre or bad.

FYI: Many Bed, Bath and Beyonds sell these and honor the 20% mailers they send out, should you choose to buy it in person. (I would, in case anything goes wrong. I am done with getting electronics >$100 online and messing with shipping.)

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This was my first espresso machine that I have owned, but have used many manual machines. The most common use I have for it, is making espresso/cappuccino for family dinners; I do make single batches for myself on weekends. I have found it superb for single doses and a tad more complicated for multi-batch sessions. I agree that more stainless vs. plastic would have been nice, but the plastic is easy to clean, and does blend nicely into a stainless kitchen. The wand should have been either all metal or "rubber" (some heat resistant pliable stuff) as hard plastic is the worst of both worlds, but that being said I have had zero problems with it. It is very easy to clean. On the other hand, it is impossible to foam and not get foam on the handle and up into the joint between the tip and the pipe of the wand (remember to clean it too). I would be gentle with the wand.

Making Coffee

1. First off finding the sweet spot on the coffee strength meter, will take you a few batches. On my machine just about 2.5 dots makes a perfect 2 cup espresso.

2. Be careful on first startup of the day, put a mug underneath the machine, as the cleaning/priming cycle can spurt a fair amount of boiling coffee stained water. I keep a spare mug next to the machine just for startup.

3. Eventually after the entertaining light show (really? before I've had my coffee??) the machine is ready for brewing. Press the big coffee cup button, and after loud grinding, magically coffee comes forth! Depending on your dial setting you get anything from concentrated espresso through cafe-americano.

4. Now onto milk steaming (for cappuccino/latte). First off press the steam button and wait until the thermometer stops blinking. Now using your spare cup open the steam valve and let the boiling water spew out until steam only is coming. Now insert into your milk pitcher and foam until you get to 140-150 degrees (yes you need a foaming thermometer) which depending on how cold your milk is, a minute or two. Make your cappuccino as desired.

5. Cleaning: well remember that hockey puck of beans it made, well it's sitting in the container to the right, along with overflow of the steaming cycle. This machine has a bizarrely low tolerance for stuff in the right container. I have had it complain with 2 batches of espresso (sometimes due to too much water and if the grounds land standing on edge, it gets unhappy too). When making lots of batches in a row, you will be filling water and emptying the waste side frequently. Some people are more annoyed than others. I agree, slightly larger would have been useful, but I wouldn't want the machine to be larger. I also after removing the wand tip and cleaning it in the sink, then take my spare mug filled with hot water and clean the handle and end of the wand (it undoubtable has milk on the o-rings, etc.

Other lessons:

1. I found larger beans makes it unhappy, I switched to the Illy whole beans, which have smaller beans, and works perfectly.

2. Not sure why the water filter is not included: buy them, as it tastes better and more importantly reduces scale buildup.

3. Read the manual on maintenance (there is a Saeco kit that includes everything) and perform it regularly. To remove the guts (the brew group) it's behind the door on the right, press the "push" button and pull the whole thing out. Carefully follow the directions in applying the silicone lubricant as instructed. It's a little tricky getting it all back in.

Sum up: I really like it, and it cranks through repeat brewing fairly quickly (albeit with the delay of refilling/emptying) without complaint. Occasionally it becomes "de-primed" which is solved by opening the steam valve and dispensing hot water until it stops blinking red. Not sure what de-primes it, but it is infrequent. I would purchase this again.

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This is my second Saeco Espresso machine that I have bought in the last year. I first bought the Taleo Giro for $1000 from Costco, which worked beautifully for about 4 months, but then a clogged grinder prevented me from brewing any more coffee--only the hot water worked. I called Saeco on multiple occasions and even though every one was friendly, the only resolution was sending me one instruction booklet after another. Some instructions did not match my model, some where from a previous version of the same model and some were so complicated that I did not know how to follow them (it was basically taking apart the entire grinder--and that was recommended to be done every two weeks). I spend less time maintaining my car then it looks like the Saeco machine requires.

Then I bought the Saeco Odea upon reading the instruction manual and feeling assured that I did not need to disassemble the machine every other week. Again, it stopped working after 6 months. Again, I get brochures from their customer service, but no trouble shooting assistance--and this model apparently also requires complete disassembly of the grinder every other week. When asked why the original manual does not let you know that, I received an "I don't know".

I am going back to my basic Krups model that requires no maintenance--if you are looking for a hobby and love to take things apart, the Saeco might be a great fit--otherwise: Stay clear.

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This is a review by a Coffee Fanatic who has owned several machines, including the $8000 industrial version. I had the Vienna Plus for 8 months and decided to give that away to get the Odea Go.

The Vienna Plus had more water in the dredge drawer.. so much that I first thought the machine was leaking!! Found out that IS the way the machine works.. But the machine was bigger than the Odea, so it had room. I had to clean it out every 6-8 cups made.

The Vienna also allowed me to see the water level, so it was easy to refill.

Now for the ODEA:

Doesn't matter which model Odea you get, they're the same build. I was impressed by the BMW-designed mechanics, so I bought it for the sleeker look. Smaller unti fitted well on the small kitchen counter I have.

MAKES STRONGER COFFEE than other models of Saeco that I've tried/borrowed/owned/tasted. It's able to extract more flavor.

PROBLEMS:

1. The water container is smaller than the Vienna. And the tank is hidden, so you can NOT see when it's time to refill. YOU MUST refill before it's down to 2 cups left, because the light weight will make the sensor stop working. The sensor is not by water, but by weight of water!

2. The coffee lid can't be opened while the machine is ON. The other models can. This is weird.. because I used to be able to refill the Vienna while it's brewing.

3. The dredge drawer needs to be emptied for every 3-4 cups of coffee brewed!! Though it's not really full, the sensor will not let you brew coffee with water in this drawer!! So you will end up cleaning this every 4 cups max.

4. The drawer can't be seen, the spills can't be seen, because of the sleek design, everything is covered. And everything is BLACK, so you can't see whether you've cleaned it very well. Coffee grinds may be hidden in places you can't see... all gray and black plastic!!

WHEN MY NEW MACHINE WAS 5 WEEKS OLD, THE 3 RED LIGHTS FLASHED QUICKLY which means electrical problems. Turning it off and on did not help. Calling the manufacturer, diagnosed over the phone, and ended up to have to replace it with a new one. IT SIMPLY STOPPED WORKING.

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