Showing posts with label hamilton beach espresso maker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hamilton beach espresso maker. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Zojirushi CD-LCC30 Micom 3.0-Liter Electric Dispensing Pot

Zojirushi CD-LCC30 Micom 3.0-Liter Electric Dispensing PotI just received this for Christmas, it's something I've wanted for a while. Ever since my tea kettle died of old age, I've been boiling water for tea with a regular sauce pan and what usually happens is I forget all about it and only remember after it has been boiling for a while. Also, I didn't like the long wait for hot water. I want instant gratification! And now I have it with this Zojirushi dispensing pot. It's perfect since I'm an avid tea drinker, consuming several pots of tea each day.

A long long time ago, I used to have the "air pot" style dispensing pot where you just press on the top and it pumps out water. This one is a much newer design and dispensing is handled electronically. What I like is the "safety" feature which was lacking in the old "air pot" styles. You have to press the "unlock" button before the "dispensing" button which prevents accidentally dispensing hot water. You can set this to keep water at 205°F, 195°F, or 175°F. You can also set it to give you hot water in 7 hours, but this is a feature I really don't need to use. I'm using the 195°F which seems to be a good middle ground for making black (requires hotter water) and green (requires lower temp water) teas. This is also handy for making instant noodles, oatmeal, hot chocolate. Also handy when needing hot water for a dish I'm cooking, or making chicken/beef broth for a dish I'm cooking. This is very convenient ... no more waiting for hot water! (This beats getting a replacement tea kettle because with a tea kettle I still have to wait for it to boil/whistle, and it usually whistles shortly after I've sat down and gotten comfortable.) This pot will automatically reboil when it feels the temp has dropped too much. The water level gauge is easy to read, the lid lifts up easily for refilling (also removes easily to make pouring water out and cleaning a cinch). Another nice little detail is a removable power cord. It makes me feel a bit "safer" being able to remove this before cleaning out the pot in the sink.

I am confident that this will last me a long time. My in-laws also have a Zojirushi water dispensing pot and it has never failed on them. And I know people who have other Zojirushi products and have had no problems with them. So I feel comfortable with this brand, and I may look into getting one of their rice cookers.

Oh, I have to mention one more nicety of this dispensing pot. The base will swivel around (think lazy suzan style), making it easy to rotate it without scratching your kitchen counter top.

The only thing I need to be careful about is where to put the dispensing pot since there is a steam vent on the top. I don't put it directly beneath any kitchen cabinets, just in case the steam might damage the cabinet over time.

ADDED 11/19/05:

I just wanted to mention that I have had this for 2 years and it is still working as well as it did when I first got it. I have used this pot everyday for the past 2 years. I refill it at least once a day in the summer, 2-4 times a day in the winter. I use it mainly for making tea (big tea drinkers in this house) and cooking. It's easy to clean. No staining on the inside; of course this would depend on your local water quality. Not bad at all considering the use I get out of this. I still highly recommend this pot.

I have a baby now. I have found this dispensing pot handy for quickly warming up bottles from the fridge... instant hot water to immerse bottle in. My screaming baby doesn't have to wait long for her milk. Perfect! The pot has also been useful when mixing cereal... mix cereal with some cold water, then a splash of the hot water to bring it up to a nice warm temp for her.

I drink a fair amount of tea, and so this 3 liter size water pot is perfect for myself. I typically only refill it once a day, at night before I go to bed. It has a 7 hour delay timer that I use so that I have hot water as soon as I get up.

I use the hottest water setting that maintains the temperature at 208 degrees F. It heats up relatively quickly if it's left at 195 degrees or at 175 degrees to save electricity, but I'm impatient and don't like to wait.

I also use it for hot chocolate, apple cider, ramen, you name it.

It is very easy to refill thanks to the removable cover and removable power cord. The cord attaches magnetically, which makes plugging and unplugging incredibly easy.

I do have to turn the pot around so the back is facing me when I open the cover and remove it to refill the water. If I don't, the steam hits me on the wrist when I open it, and since I keep it on the hottest setting, the steam is scalding.

There is a safety feature where you press the "unlock" button before the "dispense" button so it doesn't accidentally dispense hot water, but it hasn't been that important to me.

It's super easy to clean. I bought a 1-lb package of citric acid. I weigh out 30g, dissolve it in water, and throw it into a full pot. Then I press the button to put the pot on clean mode. It takes about an hour and a half Afterward, I dump the water and boil another pot of water to rinse it. I dump that, and the next pot of water doesn't taste like citric acid at all. There are cleaning instructions in the manual.

I clean it every few weeks, or whenever I feel like it. Our water is very hard, and even though I use filtered water, a layer of calcium will accumulate on the inside of the pot, but the cleaning takes that away without any problems.

The interior is Teflon coating, I believe, but as long as I don't scratch it, it's perfectly safe. It hasn't shown any wear or tear yet.

The outside is plastic and easy to clean even when it gets splatter from the nearby stove top.

I have had my pot for 16 months and it hasn't given me any problems. For tea lovers, I can't recommend this enough.

Buy Zojirushi CD-LCC30 Micom 3.0-Liter Electric Dispensing Pot Now

Okay, this is going to seem like a silly purchase to a lot of people. And before I seriously considered it, it did to me too. The only reservation for me was the price. Now that I have it, I think it is worth it.

I bought it a month or so ago (and got the $25 off if you spend $125 on housewares discount amazon usually runs). It's a great machine. There are two people here and we drink a lot of tea, all day long. I refill it at least once a day, and that's without using it for cooking much. People who don't make a lot of tea will probably still go through a pot a day if they use it several times for hot water for drinks or soups, and then maybe for a pot of water for pasta. It's great for things like pre-heating a thermos or tea pot, which can really help them stay hot longer. (Doing that the old way, with kettle-boiled water was a lot more time-consuming, and I might not bother.)

It's nice waking up to hot water using the 7 hour timer. It's also nice for people who drink green tea or oolong, as opposed to black tea, because it has different temperature settings.

By the way, I used a lot less hot water before I purchased this thing--but I used to wait a lot for the water I did use. This is my second Zojirushi product, and I think they're really well made (I also have a fuzzy logic rice cooker). I've learned that a well-designed, well-made product lasts much better, and gets used much more often, than a poorly designed one. I fully expect this will be the case with this machine.

Read Best Reviews of Zojirushi CD-LCC30 Micom 3.0-Liter Electric Dispensing Pot Here

After two years' of continuous use, interior coating is coming off. A few rusty spots have developed in the past 6 months. The company's website does not provide a replace container. I liked the Zojirushi brand but this one seems a disappointment.

Want Zojirushi CD-LCC30 Micom 3.0-Liter Electric Dispensing Pot Discount?

I purchased the Zojirushi 3 liter dispensing pot, and it runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in my house. We drink tea constantly, and it is wonderful not to have to wait to boil water. The Zojirushi allows you to set the desired water temperature based on your needs (i.e. 175 for green/white teas, 195 for other teas, 205 for cooking). The unit is tall enough to fit even our tallest to-go cup under the dispensing spout.

It also has a "7 hour" delayed start so that it can be off during the night, but you wake up to hot water.

The only downside is that it doesn't appear to be insulated as well as it could be. For example, the outside of the unit is warmer than an insulated thermos-style container containing equally hot water. This suggests to me that it is not as well insulated, and therefore not as energy efficient as it could be.

I recommend it, and would buy another one in an instant if anything happened to this one.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Impressa J6 Espresso Machine

Impressa J6 Espresso MachineMy husband loves cappuccino, and I love latte. I have known this brand "Jura" for several years because my mom has one in her kitchen. I have always wanted one but it's just so expensive and I was not sure if I would be willing to spend that much of money buying a "coffee machine." Well, I finally made a decision purchasing this expensive machine on Amazon because of the free shipping.

This machine came with a very well protected big box, and it's very easy to open the package. The piano black looks so arrogant yet classic. Before starting the machine, I played the DVD in my computer. It has very clear and easy to follow instructions, including first time set up, how to clean, how to make different types of coffee, and so on.

I have tried cappuccino, latte, and regular coffee. It's so easy and quick! The quality is really amazing! My husband and I are both happy we bought this machine. Now we can enjoy cappuccino any time we want and it just takes one push! Love it!!!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Nespresso Pixie C60 Electric Red Espresso Machine Plus Free 30 Capsule Carousel

Nespresso Pixie C60 Electric Red Espresso Machine Plus Free 30 Capsule CarouselEasy to use, fast, easy to clean, delicious. Pricey but soooo good!!! You should get the aeroccino though, if you really want to use this in more ways than just a coffee or an espresso

Saturday, July 13, 2013

illy Medium Roast Ground Coffee for Drip Coffeemakers

illy Caffe Ground Coffee Medium Grind Medium Roast 8.8 Oz. for Drip Coffeemakers & French PressesConfession: I have been a true fan of Starbucks. I used to think Starbucks was the best coffee ever and the many bags of Starbucks in my pantry will prove that! However, I recently received a gift of a half pound of illy Caffe Normale Drip/Medium Grind (Blue Band) Coffee, 8.8 Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)and I was for once in my life, truly impressed with the quality, flavor, and aroma of this coffee. I also find this to be heartbreaking as I do not know what to do with all my Starbucks that I have on hand. I just gave 3 pounds of my Starbucks to my mother-in-law since I will not be drinking it anymore. If you are a true coffee conesseiur then you will love Illy coffee. If I ever open a coffee shop, I would be more than happy to invest in this company.

We use Illy in both drip and espresso machines. Their darker roasts are wonderful, not bitter, and form a nice crema when used in our espresso machines.

Drink Illy any time of the day--use decaf at night as needed!

Do not feel pressured to buy whole beans and grind them every day. This ground coffee is great! The Illy canisters are vacuum-sealed and have a long shelf life. Buy several at a time if you see a good price, and enjoy!

Buy illy Medium Roast Ground Coffee for Drip Coffeemakers Now

This is my default brand of coffee. It's just right, not too strong and no burnt taste. Starbucks was good 10+ years ago, but now I only go if I'm desperate for caffeine. Peets is a bit too strong for my taste. Illy is perfect, esp. their medium roast, fine grind. Hmmm.

Read Best Reviews of illy Medium Roast Ground Coffee for Drip Coffeemakers Here

I keep coming back to this espresso as one of the smoothest, medium-bodied but full flavored coffees I've tried. I make it in a 4-cup drip coffeemaker, not an espresso machine, and the results are still great.

I have tried the dark roast version but find that one is too much for me (at least brewed this way). I just wish it were cheaper or came in a larger quantity; it's not the kind of price that you're comfortable making extra cups worth and not drinking them.

Definitely one you should try if you have not.

Want illy Medium Roast Ground Coffee for Drip Coffeemakers Discount?

The Illy company was set up in 1933 in Italy by a Hungarian officer who had come to Trieste with the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I, and stayed. Today, the company remains with the Illy family, with the founder's grandson at the helm. They have 700 employees and sell their brand in over 100 countries. The company uses only Arabica beans, purchased directly from the farmer, rather then the middleman, and produces only one superiour blend.

So much for Google info ;o)... Now, here is my personal Illy "journey":

I am down to only one cup of coffee a day and so I need its taste to be perfect (quality vs quantity). I like my coffee very strong, but dread the bitter aftertaste many strong brands induce (Starbucks would be one). I was introduced to Illy by a co-worker a few years ago, and have not looked back... It provides the strength I crave, with a sweet and smooth aftertaste. Yes, this coffee will grow hair on your chest(figuratively...). The coffee is packed in air free conditions (with nitrogen gas), to help preserve the taste. When you pull of the inner metal seal, you will hear the air hissing its way into the can. The metal cap is a twist off. It is designed to be air tight as well, to prolong the freshness after the can has been opened.

Regarding the brewing process: for a decade now I have been using the French press exclusively (I believe it delivers a stronger/sweeter brew). I find the medium grind/medium roast "blue band" Illy to be perfect for the purpose. The instructions on the back of the can help you with coffee to water ratio for both the drip machine and the French press. Do not over-agitate the French press after brewing and you will be ok. Alternately, you may purchase whole Illy beans and grind them to your satisfaction (sadly, I am too lazy for that...).

Regarding Amazon price and service: Illy is not easy to find in certain parts of the country. Where I live, it requires a trip to the local mall... So, I was happy to find that Amazon offered this product at the same price as my mall, with the cost free, directly to my door, service. The item arrived promptly, with the "open by" date fourteen months away. I am a happy customer!

I hope the coffee will work for you as well!