Capresso 464.05 CoffeeTeam GS 10-Cup Digital Coffeemaker with Conical Burr Grinder

I'm writing from the perspective of someone who has owned more grind&brew coffeemakers than the typical coffee addict. This one is as good a grind&brew machine as anyone makes.

First, the negatives:

It is definitely loud and long in grinding, as other owners mention. The burr grinding process is wonderfully consistent compared to blade grinding, but it seems to take forever and the noise is enough to wake up the ... sleeping.

It doesn't have a way to dump out the unusued coffee beans if you want to change blends to another bean (though you can still put pre-ground coffee in the basket while there are beans waiting to be ground.)

The carafe does tend to make a sort of "cracking" sound when it sits on the hotplate sometimes.

I have owned some of the most popular, and some unusual, grind & brew machines in the past 30+ years, including a very different Capresso long, long ago. There are some models/brands that only have a single grind possibility (no settings), some that require constant cleaning of parts, some that fall apart within the year and don't have even that much warranty, and one that was going to cost an extra $65 to replace the faulty super-recessed lid switch, which died after 4 months, without which it was totally unusable. There's only one of those previous coffeemakers that I'd buy again by choice, and they stopped making it over 20 years ago.

This Capresso is well made, nicely packaged, and has all the features I want:

Fineness of grind is controlled with 5 possible settings

Amount of beans ground (from the hopper that holds approx. 2-3 pots of beans) is settable in 2-cup increments from 2 to 10 cups.

"Aroma" (i.e. darkness & flavor) is controlled with 3 settings, which in combination with other controls seems designed to yield every possible preference for "perfect" coffee.

It has automatic shut-off. (One of the much-lower-priced grind&brew machines doesn't have this feature, which I think should be mandatory on coffeemakers considering how many fires are started by overheating appliances.)

It has drip-trip, which is critical as I often don't want to wait for the full pot to brew before I take a cup in the morning.

It's completely programmable. Not only can you set a start time, but you can associate specific settings with the programmed time that are not the same as the current settings.

Other pluses that are less quantifiable:

It doesn't seem to cause me to spill water all over the counter in filling it, like the last one I had. I have no idea what design elements affect this, I just know that it happens with some coffeemakers & not others.

It takes some parts in common with the other-brand grind&brew that I last had, which started leaking when brewing. The charcoal filters and basket, at the least, seem in common with many other brands.

It cost quite a bit compared to some of the more popular models but, frankly, I'm convinced it's worth the extra investment.

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ADDED 11 MONTHS LATER:

I had problems with my coffeemaker (not dripping, though the grinder was fine) just under a year from purchase. I contacted Capresso -pay attention to their website advisory that Monday morning is the worst time to contact them! Despite the fact that I thought it was just past the warranty expiration, when actually it was just before the end-date, they were very helpful in getting it repaired at no charge, and they paid all shipping both ways.

Two weeks later, I now have a like-new or new (I'm not sure which) coffeemaker. I have to admit that I had no idea just how hooked I was on the quality of coffee I can make so easily with the Capresso. But in the interim, everything else has been tasting like dishwater by comparison.

I'm not only thrilled to have my coffeemaker back, but I'm happy to report that Capresso stands behind their products so amicably and thoroughly.

I'm a Top 1000 Reviewer here at Amazon, but haven't reviewed anything in years -until now. The Capresso 464 compelled me.

First things first. This is not my first grind and brew. My old Melitta Mill & Brew, with its faulty plastic latch long since broken had become a drag. For years I had to put a box of chicken stock on top of the grind chamber to keep it shut so it would work! And while it made pretty good coffee, it seemed to waste grounds by spraying them inside the grinder basket. And the daily cleanup ritual had started to make the whole idea of grinding and brewing in one device seem only of marginal value. And yet, the alternatives, including a best-selling Cuisinart model, have notorious bad reviews here at Amazon for being a total chore to clean.

Enter the Capresso CoffeeTeam GS, which solves all of my problems with its ingenious design. No longer do you have to measure the coffee. The CoffeeTeam GS will brew from 2 to 10 cups automatically, grinding just the right amount of beans with no guesswork. Cleanup is a breeze. The filter basket swings out and is easily washed. And because the grinding occurs in a separate chamber from the filter basket, there is no wasted coffee.

The quality of the coffee is also exactly what I want -hot, and with the full flavor of the bean preserved by the conical burr grinders. If you want stronger or weaker coffee, it's very easy to do. You can also choose finer or coarser grinds depending on the type of coffee you are using (oily coffee should be coarser, light coffee finer).

There are two items that are drawbacks, but I don't mind them so am still giving this five stars. First, the grinder is wake-up-your-wife loud. And it can go for 40 seconds if you are making a full pot. It's not so loud that it hurts your ears, but it is not pleasant, and Capresso would have done well to add some amount of noise insulation. Second, because of the design, a small amount of ground coffee is left in the machine every time. This is an issue in two respects. First, switching from one type of coffee to another is not instantaneous, because invariably there is this overlap. Second, if you leave the machine unused for more than about a week, Capresso recommends cleaning out the coffee chamber and using new coffee. That's because the coffee will get a little more stale with each passing day. But like I said, in my mind these are very minor complaints to a really great product!

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This is my first review but I'm taking the time to express how impressed I am with this product and the company. I bought the coffee maker/burr grinder combo because of my annoyance with grinding beans that get all over the place. This coffee maker grinder/combo works wonderfully. Put the beans in, set the grind setting, and there you go. The consistency of the grind is awesome! I have it set to grind the finest with a mix of esspresso and columbian beans with no clogging problems at all for over a month now. I was wary because I had heard gripes about how loud the grinder is but I really found it to be quieter than my previous stand alone Cappresso grinder which cost $60 alone. I get up at 0400 and it doesn't wake up the rest of the house. The best part was the customer service. After a couple of days, I noticed that the clock appeared to be off. I measured it over several days and it ended up that the digital clock ran fast which messed up the programmed time I wanted coffee in the morning. I was worried that it would be a pain to return since I bought it on the internet and return or repair would be a hassel. When I called the 800 number for Capresso in the manual and told them my story they sent me out a replacement unit (without even requiring proof or info that I purchased the unit from a third party). The new unit arrived with return UPS label (I didn't need to pay for shipping for the new unit or return) and it works great!

I recommend this purchase whole heartedly. If your looking at this machine because you want great fresh coffee with NO mess and NO worries, this is the machine and the company for you!

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I owned 2 Cuisinart grind and brews. 1 broke in a year, the others grinder stopped grinding well-enough and they both took 10 minutes to clean. You also couldn't make coffee again until the pieces dried after cleaning. I love this machine! 30 second clean-up, and the best tasting coffee I've ever had! Don't consider any other grinder/brewer, this is awesome!

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After 2 generations of Cuisenart Grind and Brew frustrations I took a shot on this Capresso unit. So far it has been just great. The set up is easy and the clean up is a breeze compared to the Cuisenart. The noise is lower pitched so it really doesen't bother me as it is no louder then a stand alone grinder. You must take time to try all the different combinations of grind, aroma and amount to find the perfect blend for your taste. It took us about 2 weeks of trying different combinations but now that we are set the coffee is perfect every time. We had a small issue with the drip stop but customer service was quick to send out a fix at no charge. I love this machine!

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Mr. Coffee BVMC-FM1 20-Ounce Frappe Maker

Many people buy this machine to save money from the expensive coffee houses.

I bought it because the nearest location I can buy a Frappe is 25 miles from home ...

I also bought it because I like coffee in the afternoon, and I could use decaf ...

And then there's the fact that I'm diabetic and need low carb choices ...

So for me, it not only saves money, but it makes the impossible possible.

I've been using the Gevalia Dark Chocolate Truffle Ground Coffee, Decaffeinated, 8-Ounce Packages (Pack of 3), with 1/2 cup water in the top. Then in the blender I add 2 cups of ice, 3 TBS low Carb chocolate syrup, Equal, and 1/4 cup nonfat milk.

Three minutes later I have a scrumptious frappe, fully approved by my doctor! Because of the low calorie count and the lack of caffeine, I can have as many of these as I want at any time of day. Right now I'm whipping one up for breakfast and another one in the evening as a low calorie substitute for ice cream.

Everything on this is easy to use and easy to clean. It made no more noise than the blender I was using to try to make my own (unsuccessfully), and not a drop leaked anywhere. Everything locks tightly for a safe and mess-free experience.

I love the recipe book included (which even has some alcoholic options), but the best part for me is being able to substitute what I like to make my very own perfect frappe. I like mine light (like McDonalds), but if you want a heavier coffee flavor, you simply add more grounds to make it your way.

I've put my coffee maker away for the summer (maybe forever), and moved the blender back under the counter. Since this is smaller than my blender, it hardly takes any counter space.

Fortunately, I opened the box before I brought it home and realized it needed the 4 cup basket filters, so I was able to grab them while I was still at the store. I bought the 2-4 cup size which fit perfectly. But other than wishing the information on the filters was included in the details on the outside of the package, it was a wonderful purchase for me.

I bought this locally on sale, and as a result this will more than pay for itself in about two weeks ...

*** NOTE *** The video is "real time" so you can see exactly how long it takes to go from beginning to end. It actually took me longer to upload the video to Amazon than to make the Frappe and in the time it takes you to watch the video, you could be sipping yours!

SPECIAL NOTE

Mr. Coffee has recently come out with a latte maker Mr. Coffee BVMC-EL1 Cafe Latte. If you are looking for something similar to use for your winter drinks, it is nearly as awesome as the frappe maker. I have posted a video there as well, and now rotate between them based on season.

*** Edited Review *** I purchased a second Frappe machine for my daughter which we used about 5 times a day for a week. She is using ice cubes from her freezer, and even though we were sure her lid was secure, one of the ice cubes caught the lid wrong (or is it right) and loosened it, causing the "kitchen mess" others have reported occurred. This happened once in about 35 times of use.

I am using smaller crushed ice and ice from an ice machine (small and round) and have not had it happen on my machine yet, even though I have made more than 70 frappes in my machine but I have removed a star, Mr Coffee really does need to make sure the lid is secure and locks.

****Second Edit**** This morning (about 10 months after I purchased the Cafe Frappe, my unit would not power up. :'( However, I called customer support and they were able to walk me though a quick fix. I'm back up and running. Since customer support is important to me, I wanted to add this to my review.

*** Updated Dec 2012. The Frappe maker survived the move to a more civilized location, in easy driving distance, but the ice maker that keeps it supplied did not! After looking at the price of Frappes, I am continuing to make my own.

*** Updated May 2013. It started getting warm again, and I pulled out my Frappe Maker once again. It works just as good as ever! You should know that I am now on my third ice making machine to supply ice to this, my favorite appliance. If it ever gives up the ghost for real, I won't have to even consider whether it is worth replacing, I will buy a new one, with overnight shipping since I have prime, it costs less to ship overnight than to buy even one frappe.

This product doesn't do anything you couldn't do on your own with a blender and a coffee machine, but the combination of the two makes the frappe-making process much more convenient. In the few weeks I've owned it, I've found myself just making my own frappes instead of running to the local coffee shop. The accompanying recipe book offers some great ideas, including tea frappes. As a warning to those who don't keep paper coffee filters around the house, the package doesn't even include a sample filter, so you'll need to purchase four-cup size filters before you can try out the product.

The process is simple. Set up the coffee brewer by placing a filter, 3-6 scoops of ground coffee, and water in the machine. In the blending pitcher, add ice cubes and other ingredients (e.g. ice cream, milk, flavor syrup, alcohol, etc.). Turn it on, and the coffee (or tea) brews directly into the pitcher, which then automatically starts a pulsed blending cycle. There is a separate "blend" button that can be used if you find the drink requires further blending once the automatic cycle is complete.

The machine has worked great for me, but there are a few reasons I'm not giving it a full five stars. The coffee flavor is a bit weak, so I sometimes also add my own shot of espresso in the blending pitcher, which sort of defeats the purpose of the product (though I'm someone who prefers the darkest straight espresso shots, so I realize others might find the by-the-book frappes fine as is). Ideally, the product would have a built-in coffee grinder so I wouldn't also have a grinder to clean, but that would obviously increase its cost. In regards to cleaning, it's worth mentioning that the components of the machine aren't dishwasher safe.

If you're like me and tend to keep a collection of gimmicky small kitchen appliances to inspire you to make things you might not otherwise think to make, this is a great item to have around. It operates well, and some of the little details like the automatic pulsed blending as well as the option to perform extra blending as needed render it truly functional.

Buy Mr. Coffee BVMC-FM1 20-Ounce Frappe Maker Now

I recently purchased the Mr Coffee Frappe Maker after seeing an ad for it. I thought of the times I have had to stand in the long lines at the local coffee house, how many times they have made my Frappe wrong because they were in a rush to deal with the long lines and of course the cost they charge. I figured for $ it was worth a shot. The Frappe Maker gives you the control of strength of coffee or other goodies you may want in your drink, syrup, sugar, etc. The ad claims in delivers the product in 3 minutes and it does! I was personally delighted with the end product. It will have paid for itself after a mere 20 visits to the local coffee house. I am pleased with the ease of use and the convenience it provides. I can make myself a Frappe in my own home saving time and money, this is a great product for those that do not have a need to impress others by drinking coffee house Frappes. I anticipate many other copycat products following suit. Every so often a product comes along that is affordable and does exactly what you want it to do.......this is that product and it's affordable. Try it, if you don't like it, return it, you will be surprised how convenient it is however.

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I am a "frappe-aholic" to say the least. I saw this frappe maker and just had to have it. I have to say for the most part I am pleased with it, But~ they really need to redesign the lid on this thing. Every morning I am cleaning the counter and all around the frappe maker due to the mixture that is shot out of the top when the blend feature it on. It is seriously insane the amount of liquid that is shot out of this thing. I've tried everything to ensure this isn't a daily mess. I now have to wait just prior to the blend and place a washcloth over the top to catch the mess. For the price they could at least fix this problem. Just a note as well, the parts are NOT dishwasher safe. If they spend a little more time in the design room fixing this issue.. it would be a 5 star machine in my eyes. I do love it, just hate to spend the extra time cleaning a mess that could easily be prevented by a redesigned top. Get to work Mr. Coffee... : )

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If you like Starbucks' Frappes, then read on. As a "smart shopper" I love finding deals that will end up saving me money; ultimately, saving me enough that the product pays for itself. I used to buy real iced tea by the gallon until I bought Mr. Coffee's Iced Tea machine... now I smile as I pass the aisle at my grocery knowing that I no longer have to lug those containers around and that my appliance has saved me lots of extra food money. With the Mr. Coffee Frappe Maker, I will be able to say the same every time I pass by a Starbucks (i.e. every other block!).

I have tried using a blender for similar results, but trust me when I tell you that is a waste of time. The results from the Frappe Maker are far superior. The ice breaking power and the appliance's "technique" were not only made for frappe making but is also as simple as can be. A note on its power: make sure you place this machine on a sturdy surface as it kind of jumps a bit when the blend takes place -although I was never in doubt that the Frappe Maker would ever be too unstable (as tall and powerful it is) even during the first time I ran it... it is a legitimate piece of machinery.

I used Hershey's dark chocolate syrup to make a mocha frappe and followed the directions without modification... the results were perfect! The recipe booklet it comes with has several great concoctions that I would have never thought of on my own... I can't wait to try them out! Seriously, if you were to pour your homemade frappe into an empty Starbucks container and gave it to someone, they would NOT know the difference (and I say that without exaggeration!). One extra note: when you are at the store picking up ingredients, don't forget the straws... take it from me who learned the hard way! Also, the directions call for crescent-shaped ice cubes, but I used regular medium-sized ones and the results were just fine. Enjoy!

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KRUPS XP1500 Coffee Maker and Espresso Machine Combination, Black

If you want to make espresso like you'll pay $2.00/shot at a coffee house, this machine isn't for you. If you want a coffee pot/espresso combo in the $100 range, you will get the best value with this combo. I can make a very good latte with it, and a fairly decent shot of espresso -and very good coffee. The negative reviews I've read seem to be from two types: 1) Those who really need to spend more to get a beautiful golden crema-topped shot of espresso. I understand, but it can't be had for this price. 2) Those who don't know how to use it properly.

For a latte, you'll need to have finely ground espresso, a stainless steel frothing pitcher, and cold milk (2% or non-fat work best). Remove the rubber end to the frothing nozzle -I never use it, and that may be one of the problems other reviewers have. Follow the instructions in the manual to fill your water reservoir and your espresso filter. Fill your frothing pitcher no more than halfway with milk. Turn the dial on the left to the "cup" setting, and as soon as your first drop of espresso falls, switch the dial to the frothing setting, and start frothing your milk. Keep the nozzle low in the pitcher, just heating -not frothing. Hold the pitcher in your hand and keep heating the milk until the pitcher is just about too hot to hold -(or you could buy a thermometer, but this works just as well, and for the price-conscious does the trick), then move the pitcher lower, letting the nozzle just skimming along the top of the milk. This will start your foam growing, and it will not take long before your pitcher is about to overflow. At that point, switch the dial back to the "cup" setting, and your espresso shot will fall. When all is done, pour your shot of espresso in a cup, add the milk, top with the foam, and add a little cocoa powder or cinnamon or your choice -and maybe even a drop or two of vanilla extract. You're good to go. A delicious latte, at an extremely low price.

(I explained the above because the instructions in the manual are not that good, and I don't have the time to build a how-to video. I hope it was helpful.)

I am a self-confessed coffee junkie. With or w/o the caffeine (pregnancy and such) I love the taste; and the taste of the coffee that I've brewed with this machine was great. Loved it, loved it, loved it. The machine was easy to use and looked pretty darn cool sitting there on my counter. The only issue that i have is that the espresso side seems to need some encouragement. The knobs need to be fiddled with a bit in order to get the espresso to start dripping (even after 10 minutes during a holiday party full of thirsty coffee drinkers). Thought that was just b/c my machine was so new, but it's been doing that ever since the first use. Still, it's not terribly difficult, and the coffee is oh-so-yummy!

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We love this machine. We have limited space and need to have both a coffee maker and a cappucino maker in that space. We have had none of the difficulties that others mention. But we did take the black plastic sleeve off of the frother and that has made a huge difference. With it on we got bubbles. Now we get great froth. And if we pack the espresso well we get an excellent crema. It is a $100 machine that makes both coffee and espresso. It is not going to be like a $1000 Starbucks machine. We set our expectations appropriately and were delighted.

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My wife doesn't drink coffee, so it is appropriate to say "I" received the XP1500 as a wedding gift. Like others, the SECOND TIME I made espresso, the handle cracked on the espresso grounds holder from the normal pressure of turning it into place. Customer service assured me that they could do nothing unless I had the receipt. This was two years ago, and the machine was a brand new item, so there should have been no question to the age of the machine for warranty purposes, but I had no receipt since it was a wedding gift. They wouldn't even pay the shipping for a new holder. In short, they wouldn't budge, and if I wanted a new grounds holder, I would have to pay full cost to do so. So I kept it, being very careful over the last couple of years to not turn it too hard. Today, it broke further, rendering it useless. To be fair, I have tried to make espresso and cappucino many times, but I have never been able to get a truly good cup from this machine.

Other problems: the frother is too low. You need to angle the milk cup too much to be useful. A half cup of cold milk will turn into a counter full of frothed milk when it's done.

You're better off researching all products and choosing one that is made with better materials, has better reveiws for the quality of the resultant coffee, and going with a company that has BETTER CUSTOMER SUPPORT. There's a reason that "customers who purchased this product also purchased..." "...REPLACEMENT ITEMS!!!"

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We've had this machine for over four years now. In that time, it quite literally is used seven days a week except when on vacation. Usually it's two cappuccinos a day, then pots of coffee on Saturday and Sunday. We were recently have a trouble with the coffee maker side slowing down considerably, and with some research found that it needed to be internally descaled (works like new again once we descaled itYay!). I went on Amazon to find the Krups Descaler packets, and was very surprised to see the less than stellar reviews here for this machine.

Potential cons: This model may be simple with its lack of electronic displays and settings, but my husband likes it that way as he worries about electronic failure keeping him in the way of making cappuccinos (he is my live-in barista). You can only use one side at a time, either coffee or espresso. The steam arm could use more flexibility in its positioning. Also, if you use the steamer with the plastic housing cover, it doesn't keep a tight seal in the fact that if you take it off, you will see some traces of the milk you just frothed on the metal arm (you can take the plastic housing off permanently if you prefer).

Ok here are the great things: it is very hardy and durable. It makes GREAT cappuccinos as coffee!! I highly recommend and would buy again in a heartbeat.

I am going to repeat something that I think may have to do with a lot of the negative reviews: you have to CLEAN the MACHINE REGULARLY. It mentions this in great detail in the owners manual (also available online at Krups.com if you lost yours like we did ours). That means you should be wiping down the steamer after each use, soaking the steam arm without the housing once a week or so depending on use, and using the descaler every year or so (we waited four years to actually do this, as we never had a problem before and our water is treated). Also, every couple of weeks or so we take our kitchen dish brush and brush the top portion of the unit where the water comes out from and connects to the pot or espresso basket. Just like your barista at Starbucks would do, you have to do. If you notice that your steamer arm isn't working, chances are you did not clean it. Don't panic, most likely your machine is NOT brokenjust take a tall glass of water, let the steam arm sit in it for several hours, take your kitchen brush and clean it down thoroughly, let the steamer run through a full espresso pot of water, and everything should be ok again.

Happy trails on your path to coffee bliss!

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