Showing posts with label manual espresso pot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manual espresso pot. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Hario Coffee Dripper V60 Size 02 Black Glass

Hario Coffee Dripper V60 Size 02 Black GlassSometimes I'll wake up in the morning and the coffee in the auto pot has turned off after 2 hours and I'm really wanting a fresh cup of joe, so I'll whip out my glass dripper. Placed on top of my mug with a #2 cone paper filter in it, I pour some hot water on the filter first; it helps heat your mug initially and the purists say it facilitates the brewing process when wet first. Slowly "circle" your hot water pouring only "in" the coffee grounds, not up the paper filter sides. Also, by circling you don't create a hole in the grounds going straight through the center of the bottom that clears a path. Take a couple minutes to pour. With the notched sides on the black plastic of the dripper I can see the level of the rising coffee without removing the dripper. Sure you can get a plastic dripper (got one too), but I love how glass is inert and doesn't transfer plastic odors. The inside swirls in the glass are supposed to help the downward liquid flow. It will fit on top of a mug up to 4 inches across. You don't get sludge in the bottom of your cup with this method like you do with the french press. Love this dripper.

I'll be taking for a test try tomorrow--but it looks like Pyrex quality (which was what I was hoping for).

Also, it looks like it will take other sized filters (other than Hario ones, which are expensive).

Will revise review soon after I give it a go. It was ridiculously hard to find a coffee drip that was made of glass, and this is one of the few out there. (yes, the black portions are plastic but are also removable and do not touch the liquid).

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It was a present for my husband. He is very particular when it comes to good coffee and is very happy with it. It channels the water slowly through and being that it is made of glass there is no plastic residue.

Read Best Reviews of Hario Coffee Dripper V60 Size 02 Black Glass Here

After having another pour over for a few months I upgraded to the Hario V60 and there is no comparison. It is made well and provides a great extraction for your favorite coffee.

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This is made of some thick, durable glass. I've dropped it on the counter a few times, and it did not crack. Try doing that with a Chemex, and you're going to be cleaning shards out of your hands. With that said, Chemex does give you a better brew, but that is because the Chemex filter paper is better than Hario filter paper. Don't get me wrong... I prefer this over the Chemex because I can actually fit it away in a drawer. I plan on buying some Chemex filters to see if they will fit in the Hario. Stay away from the Hario V60 plastic version.... unless you want some cancer with your coffee.... While I'm at it, stay away from the porcelain versions as well. Although this isn't made in China, I'm still weary about the leaching of lead.

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Monday, January 20, 2014

Mr. Coffee BVMC-ECMP1000 Café Barista Espresso Maker

Mr. Coffee BVMC-ECMP1000 Café Barista Espresso MakerI purchased this from the local Bed, Bath & Beyond since the price in store was the same as that on Amazon($199), but I could use a 20% coupon in the store. This was a 'blind' purchase I couldn't find reviews for this product anywhere on the net, in fact I seem to the first person reviewing this on Amazon as well.

I didn't know what to make of the Mr. Coffee brand (cheap/commodity brand in my opinion, maybe I'm mistaken) and the $199 price tag, but the feature set seemed to be good for the price a 15 bar pump, a milk frother that automatically dispenses the milk into the serving, espresso/cappuccino/latte at the press of a button and a cleaning cycle for the frother. I've used the machine for a little more than a week now and can confidently say that this is one hell of an espresso machine.

I've tried Illy and Lavazza in the machine so far, and the espresso comes out great you won't believe the crema you get. Highly recommend it!

Pros:

+ can use whatever brand of coffee you prefer, you're not stuck with expensive pods/capsules

+ strong pump that produces rich crema

+ milk frother

+ espresso/cappuccino/latte at the press of a button (the machine automatically adjusts the amount of milk and coffee in the serving)

+ options for making single, double shot and custom servings

+ milk frothing can also be controlled manually (you can adjust the amount of milk in the serving if you're unsatisfied with what the automatic programs provide)

+ the milk container and the lid of the container (which contains the frother) are both dishwasher safe, although I haven't tried washing them in the dishwasher.

Cons:

none that I've found so far

However, if I could make one change to the machine, it would be the amount of force you have to apply to insert the milk container into the machine (and to take it out). I suspect this has to do with the O-ring in the interface between the machine and the container. Since the container and the interface are all molded from plastic, my fear is that one of them will give sooner or later. Let's hope that Mr. Coffee has tested this extensively.

Okay, I'll be honest, at home espresso machines don't tend to impress me. Price is not really a factor, I have sent back a thousand dollar LaPavoni and kept an 89 dollar delonghi, which did okay espresso but the pump dies every 12-15 months, I'm on my fourth, having had two pump failures and one dead out of the box. I had a baby Gaggia, worked fine until it started leaking, had a phillips Saeco that lasted five days before pump failure. I have the most basic nespresso and love it, but my gosh the price of the capsules is a high price to pay for espresso love.

I remember when Mr. Coffee became a staple in households where I grew up. Before then it was instant or percolator. My Great Aunt got a Mr. Coffee and all the adults gathered round with cups held out for this amazingly delicious coffee. Since then higher end products have reached the market, but I decided to give the Mr. Coffee Barista a chance when offered one. And getting it through vine is no guarantee I'm going to like it or be inclined to give it a pass, just check out my singolo review on a machine that costs more and does less.

There are other barista espresso makers that have the milk reservoir and cappuccino and latte functions. Nespresso has one, Jura does, but the price point tends to be much higher than this Mr. Coffee (at the time of this review the Mr. Coffee is selling for 199, a real bargain if it only made espresso, let alone the rest of what it does)

My espresso is black, no sugar, cream, or milk coming between be and my brew. I want a lovely crema (the frothy cream colored goodness on top). Espresso should not taste sour or over-extracted, strong but not bitter or burned. I tried both a preground espresso illy, Ground Espresso Coffe, Fine Grind (Dark Roast, Black Band), 8.8-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2) ) and my own espresso ground from a whole bean using the finest setting on my kitchen aid pro burr grinder. Both worked and produced what I consider a truly great cup of espresso, probably the best home espresso I've had except from my nespresso, and better than many I've bought in coffee shops.

Next my husband tried the milk drink with a cappuccino. The milk gave a lovely froth and he had a very attractive drink that he said tasted fine. I asked about the heat level and he said it was about the same temperature he gets it at coffee shops.

The Barista pro is simple to use out of the box, reading the instructions makes it even easier. Pretty much anyone who can put some grind in the portafilter, tamp, turn it in the holder, and press a button should be able to draw a really nice shot.

Pros:

Large tank that is easy to fill from the back.

Easy to use portafilter, both to fill, tamp, and get in the machine. I have some espresso makers that were fussy with the portafilter fit.

Portafilter had a really nice feature, the insert turns and locks. There is a flip up holder from the handle like standard portafilters have, but you don't have to use it. Anyone who's played dig in the trash and fish out the portafilter at 6AM knows what a lovely and useful feature this is.

There are two presets for each function, a single and double shot of espresso, a small and large cappuccino and latte.

There is an override function to customize your own shots, up to five ounces, though I find both presets work well.

The milk tank and frothing being built into the machine makes adding milk so much easier then pouring into a steel cup and trying to fit it just right under a built in frother in other espresso machines while pumping it up and down and trying to get the milk to froth. Again, push a button and voila.

The milk frother is adjustable so you can vary the amount of milk in your latte or Cappuccino based on your taste preference.

The really cool way you push in a platform sideways for a large cup and just pull it out of the nook for an espresso cup. While seemingly low tech, it's one less thing to stop working and it gets a lot of use in our house, and it's easy!

There are a few cons:

the portafilter is drippy. It drips after the espresso is done, drips all the way to the Dreamfarm Grindenstein 4-Inch Espresso Stein, Black to dump the espresso (makes excellent compost for the compost pit) and drips to the sink. This is easily fixed with a towel underneath.

The only other negative I can find is the two spouts on the portafilter are a bit far apart and I have to pay attention to get some of my narrower espresso cups under right so both are going in the cup.

The Mr. Coffee Barista espresso maker is a great espresso maker. I am extremely impressed and wish Great Aunt Lily were here to share a cup of espresso in my house to see how far Mr. Coffee has come.

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This machine is fantastic! It is user friendly and easy to clean. The froth is amazing and I love that I can customize each drink that I make. My husband loves the espresso and I get to have a coffee shop drink every morning in my own home! The price is great compared to other similar models and I love not dealing with pods! I would highly recommend this machine.

Read Best Reviews of Mr. Coffee BVMC-ECMP1000 Café Barista Espresso Maker Here

I'm always a little hesitant to review an appliance. I'd hate to steer someone in the wrong direction, particularly on a high ticket item like a refrigerator or TV. I mean, really, you never know, maybe I got the only good one, or maybe my needs aren't the same as yours. That said, Holy $&%#, this thing is amazing, PARTICULARLY for the money. It was less than half the price of my Starbucks Barista I bought 10 years ago. I can't compare it to a 3 thousand dollar restaurant style machine, because I don't have one of those. I CAN compare it to the Barista AND my local Starbucks.

For $200, this is an excellent value. Even the packaging was a work of art and ingeniously set up for both reliable safe shipping, and ease of unpacking. Sounds silly, I know, but when you open it up, you'll see exactly what I mean. That's always a good start. If they take this much care with the packaging, I have to assume the build quality comparable.

The Quick start directions are all you will need. It's FAR easier to use than any of the fancier and far more expensive machines I was considering purchasing. As a matter of fact, it's so easy to use, I think I can safely call it idiot proof.

I drink my coffee black, so my first drink was naturally a double espresso. As close to perfect as I've ever made at home. I suggest you purchase some REALLY good quality coffee to take full advantage of just how well this thing works. We purchase whole bean dark roast Costa Rican coffee exclusively and grind it as needed. The espresso had a beautiful rich crema and was delicious. My first foray into a latte for my wife was met with great enthusiasm. She LOVED it and when I showed her how easy it was, she was excited that she could make it herself. Evan as a trained chef, she never really got steaming the milk for a latte or cappuccino down to an art.

It disassembles and cleans very easily. Fill the milk reservoir with your choice, milk, soy, almond milk, half and half, whatever you'd like. Remove the reservoir and just put the unused beverage in the refrigerator when finished.

I can't attest to the reliability or longevity of this machine, I've only had it a week, but frankly I don't care. I'll easily save the cost of this machine several times over if it lasts a year by staying out of Starbucks.

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This is a poorman version of a semi-auto espresso maker but a very very crappy one at best. It doesn't do any one thing well. If you are looking at this unit to save time, then be warned it will NOT save you anytime over manual espresso makers. Because of the poor design, it requires A LOT OF CLEAN UP after each use and there is no way around it.

1) one button espresso shot maker I can never get an equal shot out of this machine, it's either over or under, never consistent amount of espresso. This is especially true when you use the latte or cappuccino button, you can tell sometimes it just stop the espresso shot when the shot just started.

2) milk frother not really a frother, more of a bubble maker and it splatters milk droplets all over the places because of the fast and violent high temperature boil it does to the milk. Because of the unit is black, it's very easy to see the milk droplet splatter after every use. Your drink will have hot milk, espresso, and milk bubbles no milk microfoam whatsoever.

3) milk container is poorly designed as several reviewers said, it requires a lot of force to insert the container or remover it, you can actually splash milk out of it during insertion or removal because the energy required to insert or remove the container. Because you will need to store the milk container in the frig, there is no getting around of not removing the container after each use. Also, there is a sensor that detects the milk container and it will would not let you start a drink until it thinks the milk container is properly seated. The sensor seems to be effected by temperature. After the milk frothing process starts and the mechanism is heated up a bit, my unit would randomly sudden-stop the frothing process as if the milk container was removed or loose, even though it is pushed back as far as possible and perfectly seated. This would require removal and reinsert the milk container to reset the fault condition before unit will allow you to restart a drink.

4) milk pick up tube problem the tube pick up design has problem dealing with the changing vacuum force needed to draw the milk to the frother. When the milk container is full, it has no issue pulling the milk but as the milk level gets lower and lower, the tube struggles to draw enough milk. In my experience, when the milk container is about 1/3 or 1/2 full, the latte or cappuccino created will not have enough milk, or become extremely inconsistent. In those cases, you will have even more milk bubble as less milk gets the high temperature boil, creating an even bigger mess.

I think the idea of this machine is to partly automate the creation of an espresso drink. Since it doesn't grind the coffee, the only thing it automates is the milk frothing. However, the milk frother and related mechanism are so riddled with design flaws, the process is anything but consistent and require a lot of clean up after each use.

I actually clocked myself, factor in clean up time, it actually takes less time to make a latte or cappuccino using a less expensive manual espresso maker with a standard build-in frother.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Vev Vigano 8006 Kontessa Oro 6-cup Espresso Pot

Vev Vigano 8006 Kontessa Oro 6-cup Espresso PotI bought this little gem shortly after my Bialetti. I didn't read the full description of the Bialetti and was terribly disappointed when it arrived and found it to be aluminum. Hopefully I won't develop Alzheimer's for the short time I used it until I found my wonderful little Vev. First off when the descriptions say 6 cups or however many cups it is not meaning the standard 8 oz to a cup. It's referring to those small expresso cups which are something entirely different. I think my expresso cups hold about 4 oz's each. Anyway, I wanted to clear that one up as it seems it's not the first time I have seen someone confused over how much these hold. I did fret over the price of this one but it was worth every penny. It makes a fabulous expresso or cup of coffee. I have found it very easy to care for ( I use a handled sponge to get inside it) and it stays out on my stove top because it is really beautiful to look at. I have had no problems with mine leaking and the seal is super tight. I am so glad I found this kind of maker in stainless. These would make great gifts for the expresso lover. Oh, and I also HIGHLY recommend the Aerolatte frother to go along with the Vev. I warm my milk in the microwave for about 15 seconds before frothing and it makes froth comparable to any big coffee chain. Also a great little item for mixing cocoa and powdered drink mixes.

The Vev Vigano Kontessa is a stainless steel stovetop espresso maker. Our previous aluminum bialleti style pot was no longer working correctly and we decided to get stainless steel. This model has a good reputation online. We bought the 6-demitasse size. The first one we recieved had a loose hinge pin that had fallen out during shipping. When I reported this to the seller, Kasbahouse, then immediately responded saying they would ship another top. As it turned out they sent another entire unit. So kudos to Kasbahouse for excellent customer service. The Kontessa is solidly made and works well. Two minor downsides: the hinge design could be better and the threaded connection between the top and bottom is a little difficult for my wife to get tight. Stovetop Espresso Maker Vev Vigano Kontessa Gold 6 cup size

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Followed all the directions with regard to seasoning the pot: make and discard about 4 to 5 pots of coffee before making a pot of coffee to serve. This worked, because the coffee was delicious. However, be sure to use a good brand of coffee. The grind basket is a little hard to remove from the pot, otherwise the pot is perfect.

Read Best Reviews of Vev Vigano 8006 Kontessa Oro 6-cup Espresso Pot Here

I started off really liking my Vev Vigano 6 cup. It's solid and sturdy and makes a good cup of coffee. But I started disliking how hot the handle got, and how I had to use an oven mitt or a towel all the time to lift it off the burner. And when it started to rust.....well, that's what sealed the deal. I'm getting a new coffee pot, and not this kind. It rusts on the inside because of the way the bottom is designed, with that flared base. Water never drains fully, even when I turn the detached base upside down. It started ruining the taste of my coffee, and I'm worried about the metal I'm ingesting with every cup. Buyer, beware.

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I own an older Kontessa, with the round ball on top, and bought one of these for my uncle. The picture is of the old style, and still is. When the new style came, I was dissappointed, but he could live with it. When I made coffee with it, it leaked froom the bottom of the pour spout. I had to return it. The build quality is not like my old Kontessa.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Philips Saeco Via Venezia Espresso Machine

Philips Saeco RI9366/47 Via Venezia Espresso Machine, BlackWe have been making cappuccino at home for more than 30 years. With a machine in each of two homes, we have run through a fair number of them, as they generally last 5 to 7 years and usually repairs, if available, aren't worth the cost. This Saeco is very similar to the Starbucks Barrista machine, as Saeco made that machine for Starbucks when they sold it. The Starbucks machine was recommended to us years ago by a very good repair person who was unable to repair our Baby Gaggia for the second time, at a cost that made sense. She pointed out that the Barrista had a stainless steel boiler tank, an important dividing line in her estimation between machines that were more durable and those that were not. Starbucks no longer sells this model, although they do sell the Saeco Aroma under their house name. We initially bought a Saeco Aroma from Amazon, but returned it without using it because the plastic water reservoir was chipped in shipping. When we saw the machine we also concluded, however, that it was not like the Saeco Gran Crema machine we have in our other house and which we like but which Saeco has stopped making. The Aroma has a frothing wand that cannot be moved around and it is awkwardly placed. And it is pretty light, leaving me with the impression, unconfirmed, that it does not have a stainless steel boiler.

We then tried a Cuisinart, which we bought locally, and you can see my review of that machine here on Amazon. Cheaper than this Saeco but despite appearances of solidity it has serious quality control problems. Ours was among those that did not work properly and we returned it. Then we got this.

As I say, this is similar to the old Starbucks Barrista, but it has been updated a bit. It is a very sold, heavy machine and feels like it will last forever. Like the Barrista, it has the frothing wand on the left, which is unusual but not a problem. More importantly, the frothing wand is on a ball swivel joint allowing one to position it conveniently both for use and then for dripping dry over the drip tray when you are done. And even more importantly, both the frothing wand and the coffee brewing work very very well. It's a powerful frother that lets you make the textured milk for a cappuccino reasonably fast, and its design lets even a novice produce a good texture. The coffee, of course the most important, is reliable and good, nice crema, good flavor. The water reservoir can be filled by pouring water into a hatch at the top of the machine, or by removing the reservoir altogether (after removing the drip tray) and bringing it to the water source. (Because we have this machine in our Phoenix home, where the tap water does not have a good flavor, and leaves a lot of minerals behind in any container it's been in (water heaters have short lives here), we never put tap water in our coffee makers.) The length of the power cord is adjustable--it unwinds from inside the machine, and you can push it back in to shorten it--a nice if minor convenience.

This machine does not have any automatic features but we have never had that. But having used it now for about two or three weeks, we know it works well, produces very nice coffee, and gives every indication of being very solidly built. We are very pleased with it.

I would avoid "super-automatic" machines that grind the beans. Grinders can be fussy, and it's better to have the grinder separate so that you don't have to replace your entire machine if the grinder goes. The grinders in super-automatics also generally inhospitable to beans with more oil--see, e.g., the website for Seattle Coffee Gear, which provides detailed information on most espresso machines; you are warned to avoid the heartier, more roasted beans with virtually all their super-automatics. And many of those machines make it difficult to change the bean you are using to make coffee, which is s problem if, for example, you want to make decaf at night and regular in the morning.

I am the proud owner of this machine for two years now. I was a barista at Starbucks at the time of purchase, so I really have a high standard not only of espresso quality, but also how efficiently I can make myself a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato in the morning.

A few things Saeco got right on this machine:

Simplicity of design: There are not so many parts that the user will be overwhelmed, which is especially encouraging when it comes to cleaning and maintaining. Most units that have too many parts either stump the barista on which attachments to use, or how to clean the machine and its parts without ruining it. There is a plastic 2 tbsp scooper, that doubles as a packer (although a little flimsy), as well as two types of adapters that your coffee grinds sit in, one for regular coffee grounds and one for individual espresso pods (if you don't have a customizable grinder at home, you can buy pre-ground espresso in packets).

The other main benefit of using this machine, is that you can customize how much espresso you want to pour. If you are the type of person that gets a triple-shot latte in the morning to get your day started, you can pour three shots (or almost 3 shots) before the espresso is what I would call saturated, at which point it doesn't produce the same strength of espresso after a little more than 2 full one-ounce shots have poured. Of course, this might be a little flexible depending on the grind and quantity of grounds in the hopper. This is the advantage of having this be a 'manual machine' vs an automatic, where serving size is pre-determined.

A couple things I've been disappointed with in this machine are its inability to pour shots while steaming milk simultaneously. Furthermore, steaming milk is really going to be most frustrating for those who want frothy milk or foam (ie cappuccino, macchiato, latte) because of the lack of power behind the steam wand. If you're expecting to take drink orders from family/friends, don't expect to crank out 4 to 6 drinks in several minutes. The manual nature of this machine, along with the inability to steam milk while pouring shots slows down production significantly, once you move beyond your individual drink.

Bottom line: I got this machine for a great deal, combining a Starbucks holiday sale (look for it now on sale for $149, with my employee discount, I ended up paying close to $90. For that price, it has been more than satisfying. I have not cleaned it as much as a responsible owner should, but the parts are very well-made so I have suffered little consequence. If you want quality espresso with a little customizability thrown in, this is a great machine, but don't expect to crank out drink orders like they do in stores.

Buy Philips Saeco Via Venezia Espresso Machine Now

It would probably be prudent to offer some background information on my 'espresso credentials' prior to getting to the bulk of my review. Knowing nothing about espresso preparation, I received a steam-driven espresso machine (Mr. Coffee ECM160) as a gift about a year ago. It was a great gift that introduced me to home espresso, although even upon first use I knew that it wasn't making 'true' espresso, I just didn't yet understand the underlying mechanics behind proper espresso extraction. A little research revealed the obvious difference between steam and pump driven machines. My desire to occasionally enjoy a straight shot of crema-topped espresso, in addition to various espresso-based drinks, pushed me to begin researching pump driven machines.

I hadn't come across this machine in my research, but instead I was introduced to Saeco's Via Venezia while visiting a friend's house. Seeing an appliance like this in action, and tasting the resultant espresso, is about as good a test drive as you'll get.

The made-in-Italy Via Venezia is a single stainless-steel boiler machine, driven by a 15-bar pump and features a pressurized portafilter which ostensibly provides extraction that is less dependent upon grind size/consistency and tamping force. From my experience, the forgiving pressurized portafiliter lives up to its billing. Some home baristas dislike that it takes the user's control out of shot characteristics but I appreciate its ability to provide great espresso without requiring every detail to be perfect I get rich crema on every pull. With a single boiler, brewing and frothing must be carried out independently. I'm still able to prepare drinks at a decent clip as the machine reaches optimal temperature quickly.

The machine is simple to use with indicator lights on the brew and steam selector buttons that specify when the machine is ready for each mode. The steam wand (panarello) swivels with a good range of motion to accommodate various frothing pitcher sizes so far I've been happy with the milk frothing results and the panarello is easy to clean. I've been able to use my 20 oz frothing pitcher without any awkward clearance issues with other parts of the machine. The design is well thought out for ease of use.

Beyond the impressive espresso results, I was also immediately impressed with the Via Venezia's build quality. The entire outer case is metal, with minor plastic used for the drip tray and accessory tray. This provides a sturdy, substantial feel befitting the price tag. The generous water reservoir (68 oz) can be filled either by removing the reservoir container (by sliding out the drip tray assembly) or by flipping open an access hatch on top of the machine. Saeco also provides a ESE pod-adapter for the portafilter, which accepts espresso pods. I have yet to use this feature as I prefer to grind my beans prior to brewing, but it is nice to have the additional capability.

There are myriad choices in the semi-auto home espresso machine market. While the Via Venezia may not be the most cost competitive, its impressively sturdy build quality elevates it above plasticky machines of questionable durability. The Via Venezia is highly recommended for the budding espresso enthusiast.

Read Best Reviews of Philips Saeco Via Venezia Espresso Machine Here

Saeco manufactured this model for Starbucks for several years (or a close variation -I think the Starbucks version may have had the temperature control adjusted to brew their custom blend at an optimal temperature). In any case, it's a basic, good machine from Saeco, with one odd customization of the frothing wand being on the left side rather than the right. It also rotates on a ball joint, which is convenient.

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I originally purchased this machine for my mother, liked it so much I purchased one for myself when it went on sale. Eight months into owning the thing my mother's breaks down. Okay we are a coffee drinking family, and this little guy did get a three cup per day workout. We sent it Saeco to get repaired. Ten weeks later we get it back working but now sounding like a freight train. Morning coffee takes on a whole new meaning when the noise of the machine wakes up everyone in the house. Sent it back ($80 shipping cost each time), and again worked for a bit and the noise came back. We gave up sending it back.

My Saeco worked a bit a longer. The first time mine went in for repair it was 1.5 years old. Now while I have a daily coffee, it didn't work as hard as my mom's unit. Came back from repair, this time a different repair facility and was working great.

Cut to: A half year later, and the thing just dies midway through pulling a shot.

My lovely repair shop is no longer open. Call Saeco customer service, and they tell me to take it to one of the recommend repair places. The first guy tells me to try fixing myself first. The second guy tells me to bring it over, and then isn't there. I leave 4 messages over the course of the next couple of weeks he never calls back. I go to the third place after a call with Saeco only to find out after driving 45 miles away from home, that they don't fix this particular machine.

Call Saeco back, and preface the conversation with "I'm sorry if I'm snappy but at this point I'm pissed" The lady was amazing sent me shipping labels and said they would pay for the repairs of both machines because of inconvenience.

Six weeks later, I finally get a call from Saeco telling me the machines are too rusted to fix. WHAT? HOW THE HECK DOES A MACHINE THAT IS BUILT TO HANDLE WATER AND STEAM BECOME TOO RUSTY TO FIX? The thing has only been broken for a couple of months. My mom lives in Las Vegas. I live in Southern California... inland... it's not like we live in New Orleans where it's humid. The customer service lady was awesome, but unfortunately she could only do so much. I would have even been happy had they offered to let me purchase a new one at wholesale pricing or give me a discount, not that I would have actually bought another of their pieces of $%^&, but they don't care they already got my money, so all I can do is warn others.

Summary:

Purchase Price: $400 (mom's) $300 (mine)

Repair: $160 (mom's) $80 (mine)

Shipping for repairs: $200

Lesson learned about purchasing a Saeco machine: Definitely not priceless more like $1140

Save your money and your sanity.

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