Forever All In One Stovetop Cappuccino & Espresso Maker - "Miss Combi Duo"

First, my review is based soley on making cappuccino, as the only espresso I've made are the three pots you are instructed to make and throw away to "season" the pot before using. When I first opened the instruction booklet, I was overwhelmed by the diagrams and instructions. However, the English instructions are very clearly-written, and they are easy to follow if you just take them step-by-step. Once you've gone through the process of seasoning the pot, you will be quite comfortable with the parts and the process, and it will go quickly. There is also a good troubleshooting section.

A few things to know before you purchase this pot. The instructions say not to use finely ground espresso. I asked my local café to grind their high-quality espresso beans on the more coarse espresso setting. The result tastes exactly like what we had on a recent trip to Italy.

Don't pat the coffee down in the coffee holder, and don't tilt the pot after you screw the top and bottom together. I did this once to make sure it was screwed on straight, and the milk didn't foam because the ground coffee shifted in the coffee reservoir. If you want foam, you must use whole milk. I used 1% the first time, since that was all I had when I received the pot. The result was a nice latte, but no foam. Also, the instructions say not to use vegetable-based milks (soy, almond, rice, etc.).

The instructions say not to use an induction cooktop. I have a glass top range, and I set the burner on #7. It takes 4-5 minutes total for cappuccino. The pot produces two smallish cappuccini. If you are drinking alone, and have a larger cup, you could certainly drink the entire amount yourself. In fact, I'm so pleased with this pot and the ability to make cappuccino easily at home (after spending the equivalent of $4 for one cappuccino in Italy), that I'm going to email the company and suggest that they make this pot in a 4-6 cup version.

Jan 28, 2013 Update: Since I wrote my original review, I've had mixed results with this pot. About the half the time, I end up with latte instead of cappuccino. I am following the instructions, and making sure the valve is clean after each use. Filling the coffee reservoir to the brim may be the cause this, so I've been trying to use a little less coffee. The English troubleshooting section of the instruction manual is titled, "When the pot is naughty." The title in the Italian section of the manual uses the Italian word for capricious. I would say that capiricious is accurate, since I can't figure out why I sometimes get foam and sometimes I don't. When I get foam, I am very impressed with how easy it is to make real cappuccino at home. When I don't get foam, I still enjoy a delicious latte, but it's somewhat disappointing. I've reduced my rating from 5 to 4 stars as a result.

I bought this in hopes that it would make a decent cup of espresso, and cappuccino. Followed the directions for pre-cleaning it. Even while cleaning, I could see that the process was very nice, using the little pressure valve. Holds the water in the coffee, until the pressure is up, and then WHOOSH! fills the top pot. This little pot brews a wonderful espresso, with nice crema, and a nice frothy cappuccino. WOW! My only wish is that it was bigger. Perhaps a 6 cup model. If you want a good espresso or cappuccino at home, this will give it to you. Easy to use, and quick. No big bulky machine on your counter, and to clean. This thing cleans up fast, too. VERY HAPPY with this purchase.

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This coffee maker is easy to use and makes nice cappuccino. It's similar to a bialetti, but you put milk in the top and as the coffee steams, it froths the milk. I've had it about a month, and have found that you have to be careful to use the correct amount of water, coffee, and milk: it's overflowed a couple of times. But most of the time it works well and I'm very pleased with it.

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I am not a Espresso expert but do know if my cappuccino tastes good or not. Although I do want to have a machine that gives me strong espresso with good crema and thick bodied milk froth, yet I am not ready to dish out the money on a 15-bar barista machine especially when a lot of these mid-range machines costing $500 or more don't last more than a year or two before requiring expensive repairs. This contraption of a moka pot sort of gives me an inexpensive way to start off on my path to a barista. I have tried out a couple of different coffees and grounds but am not totally satisfied with the results as yet (more to do with my inexperience with making an espresso than with the pot). Sometimes I do get a thin layer of crema in the pot but it disappears soon after pouring it in the cups. I am also not sure about how much ground coffee I need to place in the filter. With the given measure of water (which is hardly enough for 2 small espresso cups)I feel the coffee comes out too strong or bitter if I top up the filter with coffee (wihtout tamping ofcourse). Diluting with more milk or water once the espresso is made doesn't really work with Cappuccinos. I guess I need to play around with different coffee types and grounds to find my sweet spot. Can't blame the utensil much for that since it pretty much does what its supposed to do. It actually makes a great milk froth if I only use water for steam and the filter left empty without the coffee... but that defeats the whole point of making a capuccino with espresso in one go. Anyways I think the pot is better than regular moka pots as it does induce some steam pressure on the filter grinds for better extraction.

Update: Improving the rating to 4 stars as I think I am now getting better results with a different grind and coffee. Using starbuks medium roast fine grind filled all the way to the brim of the filer, I am getting better crema and coffee is smoother too. I am frothing the milk seperately now using a small hand held milk frother. That way I can have more milk to reduce the strength (the pot only holds frothed milk enough for one cup) and keep the froth white in the cup as well. Going to try Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ground Coffee now to take it up a notch!!

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So Overall I am amazed on how good the Cappuccino is and the valve used to make it happen is better than the one used in the other better known brand with the cow symbol. The overall machine is really well made. The issue was that upon arrival and opening the first thing I noticed is that it appeared to be almost new and not a new coffee machine. I say almost due to the fact that I would have not notice that it was used if it wasn't for the dried coffee stains left on the side of the coffee maker. For what I can see it seems like someone used it probably one time try to clean it really fast and put it back in the box trying to make it look all new but since they didn't pay attention to detail had left proof of their mischievousness. I have decided not to return it since I am not a picky person I clean it and is all well. The seller was CashClock but they may not be the ones to blame since I had also ordered some filters for my humidifier from a different seller at the same time and they got send together by amazon fulfillment services, where at least they should have done some quality check (although I don't know how their mail system works)and notice that the box looked like it had been open before and do something about it. The only reason I mention all of these is that I would had been really angry if the same had happened with a more important item like my baby's new bottles or an expensive electronic device that looks like it was tampered. In other words something did not happen or something happen in between me placing my order and receiving it at home. But hopefully I am wrong, and just wanted to inform you all for your knowledge in case these helps at all. Surprisingly enough I do recommend the coffee maker since is an excellent device and works so far great. If all above mentioned had not happened I would had gave it a 5 stars.

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BUNN 13300.0001 VP17-1SS Pourover Coffee Brewer with 1 Warmer, Stainless Steel

I have had this unit since 1997, it should last forever.

We use it for making iced tea and coffee at least once but mostly twice a day.

We have it on a $15.00 appliance timer so the water is not heated between 10pm and 6am (it only takes

15 mins to heat up the tank if it is off) I make coffee at 6:30am it takes 5 mins

to make a pot (I can make as little as 4 cups) then I turn it off till the evening when

we make tea. I got tired of buying the $20 coffee pots that only last a year.

We love our BUNN VP17, having had it at home in our Kitchen for over 1 year now.

I am a hard core coffee addict, and in our house we can go through several pots just in the morning.

The coffee is always perfectly hot (200F) and the big BUNN brews a full 64oz pot of terrific coffee in 3 minutes.

This is a very sturdy, well built machine. Simple to operate and built like a tank.

When looking for a replacement coffee maker, we had some simple requirements (It had to be American made, and it had to be simple).

The last thing I want at 5am is to have to fight with a computerized coffee maker.

Pro's

Made in USA. Let's keep Americans working!

All Stainless Steel. No plastic

Simple to use. Just pour as much water as you'd like coffee.

High quality power switch for the lower burner

The coffee is always brewed at the perfect temperature

Water is always maintained hot inside the tank

It' s a BUNN

Great conversation pice in my kitchen

Con's

It is Big! and takes up a substantial amount to counter space

A comment regarding power consumption.

The BUNN VP17 is always "on". It has no power switch per se.

The internal tank has an independent thermostat and heating element. Once the unit is heated up, It will operate once (3-4 mins)/1.52 Hours.

During this hearing stage, the machine will use around 1500 Watts of power.

The independently switch hotplate draws about 50Watts.

Keep in mind, the BUNN has no water pump, so once it starts to brew, the water is gravity fed into the pot.

We are energy conscious, and have placed the BUNN on an appliance timer; turning in on at 4am, and off at 8pm.

Heat up from cold water takes about 20 minutes.

When our unit heats up, after being off for 8 hours, it only takes 5-10 minutes to get up to temperature.

This has resulted in a negligible change to our electric bill.

Overall, it is a wise investment. You can enjoy your coffee knowing you helped to keep fellow Americans employed.

And please try to buy American.

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Tired of burning through cheapie pkastic drip coffee makers? I was. This is great...resturant coffee anytime. It works as well today (2011) as it did when I took it out of the box! It keeps the water inside hot by reheating it periodically. Don't worry, you'll never notice it on your electric bill. Well made, built to last. The VP-17 is made to fit under wall mounted kitchen cabinets. It comes with plastic pitcher for water. I use about 1/4 of the pitcher for one cup (mug) of coffee and about 2 scoops of ground coffee.

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It's expensive. It stays on all the time, but it will be the last coffee maker your will ever buy. I purchased a bigger model for the office, and made the mistake of ordering the Plastic/metal pots for that product. They are hard to clean though hard to break. With this product for home I purchased glass pots. I would recommend the glass pots for this product. They are well made of treated glass and made in Germany. If you break them, it's easy to order another. They are much easier to clean and safe to put in the dishwasher. I Got two pots for insurance.

Hard water...no problem, the maker comes with a root rooter device to ream out the stainless steel tubing.

Made in the USA! Made to last. You can't ask for more!

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I purchased this coffee brewer for the office. We previously bought the $99.00 Bunn's from various shopping centers and they just didn't last and had overflow problems regularly. Since purchasing this one, I have not heard any complaints and everyone in the office thinks it's absolutly wonderful.

I gave it 4 stars mainly because we have only had it for a month.

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West Bend 60 Cup Commercial Coffee Maker

Purchased this for business, works well however it runs really hot, won't be surprised if the coffee inside is 212%, also stops dispensing with about 12 cups inside, guess this keeps the pot from burning, but I then have to move the last 12 cups to a carafe so they can be enjoyed. Guess you cannot have your cake....u know the rest.

This coffee maker is easy to set up, easy to clean, makes a great cup of coffee, and keeps the coffee at the correct temperature for several hours.

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I use this on our filmmaking sets. While it did take about an hour to perc about 60 cups, the coffee was delicious and stayed piping hot indefinitely. Most of the cast and crew complimented the coffee (I used Starbucks French Roast). Just be sure to use a medium grind. Too fine, and the grounds will clog the permanent filter. Too coarse and you won't get enough flavor.

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TOO HOT: High temperature scorches the coffee resulting in bad taste.

TOO LEAKY: Right out of the box it leaked liquid while brewing.

TOO STEAMY: Steam never stops leaking from the top while it is on.

TOO NOISEY: You can hear it brewing from 186.35 [ft] away ( I measured it).

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I needed a 60 cup coffee maker for my Sunday school class and this is working out nicely. My only complaint is I had one person put their cup 'behind' the dispenser lever and when she tried to get her cup out, coffee poured on to the floor.

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Medelco Personal Coffee Maker

This product is simple and produces coffee I like. No more wasting paper filters for me, or drinking nasty coffee from the company coffee pot.

I used to use a French press to make my coffee at work for that little pick-me-up. That tastes good to me, but the French press is a hassle to clean, and the glass vessel I have is very delicate-I worry it will shatter next time I wash it. There's another reason I want to get away from the French Press: I want to buy pre-ground coffee (I'm just a casual coffee drinker, not a connoisseur) and the French press allows too much of the coffee grounds and sludge into my cup when using anything finer than coarsely ground coffee. I figured I would try this product, and get a similarly tasting cup of coffee without the sludge in my cup. Well, I'm happy with the results.

The filter prevents most of the "dust" from the store-bought pre-ground coffee from getting into my cup of coffee. Well, it allows more dust to get through than a paper filter, but it performs much better than the swissgold® KF 300 One-Cup Coffee Filter I bought from Amazon.

I should probably note that I'm generous with the amount of coffee grounds I use to brew coffee. It tastes better that way.

So some time ago I posted on a few coffee sites, looking for a mesh, single-cup coffee brewer. I had a funnel that held a paper filter, but I kind of missed the fines at the bottom of the cup you get when you use mesh. So I ordered this thing. It comes with a diffusor which I promptly threw into a drawer and began dumping hot water directly on the grounds. It worked great. Yes, it does get a bit clogged with finely ground coffee, but eventually the water goes through...I wasn't in that big of a hurry and, if I was, stirring or swirling sped things up.

Then, one day, I found the diffusor again and decided to try it. It had a very interesting effect; it kept the fines up in the coffee rather than allowing them to get to the mesh. This had two effects. It sped up the coffee, and it kept that pinch yummy of "turkish sludge" from the bottom of the cup, which most people would also find to be a positive. So now I use the diffusor...sometimes.

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I got tired of electric coffee makers. Either they break down due to early demise or the coffee just doesn't taste good. Some of them the first cup is good but after a 30 (or more) minute stay warm it is like black mud. I usually like one cup, maybe later another so no waste with Medelco. To my surprise I found this little gadget and it really is my answer to good coffee. The only 'problem' have is I like a large 18oz coffee mug and this is made to fit over smaller regular sized cups. I have a Starbucks clear double wall cup that works great for brewing, can see how much I'm making, the personal coffee maker fits on top perfectly. Then pour brewed coffee into the mug. No paper filters to buy. Anyway, I had no idea this was available, and this does answer my needs as now theres less clutter on my kitchen counter and a fresh cup of coffee anytime I want!

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I bought this for making coffee in a temporary location, but found it didn't really work out too well. It's great for tea though. I have a lot of loose-leaf tea and using this little device is one of the fastest and simplest ways of making a single cup of tea when you aren't using a tea bag. I use it often for that purpose.

But coffee grounds don't seem to get along with this coffee maker very well. The device gets clogged up with coffee and the water doesn't pass through properly.

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This little Portable coffee maker is AWSOME, you just need coffee and hot water. It sits on top of a 1 cup coffee mug; it consist of:

1) a ring/circle disc, that detachesused to help the coffee maker sit on top of a mug,

2) the coffee makerlike a cup with the gold filter at the bottom of that cup-this part is where you place your coffee grounds,

3) another cup like object that sits on top and inside filter, part No#2 (with Coffee grounds that goes inside part No#2)this part/section of the coffee maker is where you pour your hot water in, this part is not a filter, but it has many holes for the water to seep through, pouring hot water, to brew your coffee in part No#2, This part also helps regulate the amount of hot water that goes down,

4) the last part is just a cover for the top, to cover part No#3just a round disc thing that does not snap or screw on, it also helps keep the heat in, to keep your coffee nice and hot as you wait for the hot water to finish going down, brewing your hot coffee, This part is loose so that your hot water goes down smoothly. ( In this last part, it is not securely fastened for a reason, because if it was, then it would be harder for the hot water to go down, delaying the coffee brewing process.)

The filter is really really good, if though it could be used in a car as an oil filter. LOL!!! This is a really good filter, it holds back the oils created by the coffee, there was no coffee grounds what-so-ever in my mug after pouring hot water to make my coffee. When I make my coffee, during the pouring of hot water, the filter/cup/portable coffee maker, holds the water while the filter is doing it's thing to make you your hot coffee. After filling the coffee maker with hot water to almost the tip, it is just enough for a cup of coffee. (1 cup)

I am writing this review finally after many uses, and I've had this for about six months, I am very satisfied with this product, it delivers. There seems to be no cons I can think of, only product suggestions for the future. I made Bustellos coffee with this coffee maker, and I love it.

Without this coffee maker, I wouldn't have wrote this review, because I am drinking the coffee that I just made, with this Medelco Portable Coffee Maker. I am drinking my Bustellos coffee... sooo Good!!! :D I've used other coffee beans and it is Excellent with this Coffee Maker. ;)

I only wished that they can make a bigger size version so I can fill my 16oz leak proof coffee mug.

And if they could make an upgraded Portable version, to have everything snap together, because the cover is loose and does not snap to fasten. I think they could make some upgrades to have compartments to store more coffee grounds, and some sugar as well. These are some of my suggestions and feedback for this product. I am sure other campers, survivalists, the men and women overseas/abroad, military, and such will find this product most useful, you just need "HOT water", "Coffee grounds of choice", sugar, cream, a mug, zip lock bag or tub-a-ware... etc... Cleaning it, I have to scoop or tap the coffee maker to empty the used old coffee grounds, and just rinse with water, making sure you also rinse the oils from the coffee off too, no need to use the steel wool....

Bustellos espresso... Mmmmmmm. ;)

Enjoy...

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Jura 13332 Impressa J5 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center, Matte Black

I have had 3 cappuccino makers prior to the Jura J5 and have always wanted to own the Impressa J5. Well, this year I went out and got one and, as far as I'm concerned, that was my biggest mistake. It makes a good espresso, that I must say; and I love the cleaning process, but the milk steamer/frother system is definitely a design flaw. The second time I used the dual frother, the wand blew off and sprayed me with steam and milk. I called customer service and they told me that the frother needs to be properly cleaned (taking the frother nozzle off to clean it) and soaked in the cleaning solution each day after it is used. Well, I have been cleaning, soaking and rinsing that frother for several months now and it still blows off intermittently when I steam coffee, blowing milk and steam everywhere. I went to a local distributor and asked them about it and they told me that they have the same problem. Surely there has to be a better frother system for such a nice cappuccino maker?

I had a Capresso C1500 for about 6 years. It started leaking and making weak coffee. So, I got the J5 as an upgrade/replacement. I have now own the J5 for about 2 months. It is definitely an improvement over the C1500.

Pros

It makes really hot beverages

Two types of frothing method: 1. Traditional way; 2. FrothXpress way

Programmable everything (e.g. water temp, strength of coffee, amount of water..etc)

Self-rinsing before startup and before shutdown.

Convenience.

Cons

Cheap Plastic Shell (Especially for a machine costing $1800!!)

Extracting the espresso too fast. (But this is with all Super-autos)

Does not have a traditional steam wand. (the wand came with it is not really a traditional one you find with other machines)

Cleaning the wand properly after use. (You really have to soak it and make sure the little holes on the wand are clean. Or else it will not steam properly)

I think maybe because now I am a bit more experienced in making espresso and understand the details that goes into it that I find I am looking for more in a machine. Yes, this is a very good machine that produces good coffee/espresso. But now I am wanting to go a step higher and get a "God" shot of espresso. The J5 (actually all super-autos) will not give you that.

What this machine will give you is convenience. The shots are hot and are good. It will give you good froth but not the true micro-foams you find in traditional semi-auto machines. I still love the machine and feel that the espresso it produces is better than 80% of the retail coffee shops.

I would recommend this machine to people who are into coffee/espresso and knows at least that good espresso does not need to taste bitter. This machine will satisfy probably 90% of the coffee drinkers out there. For the other 10%, the coffee snobs, this machine probably will not do. It does not produce "tiger stripes" shots (at least I am not able to do it). You can not control tamping. The steam wand is not traditional and in my opinion not that powerful. Does this mean I am a coffee snob?!?

But really, I can not complain too much it is still a wonderful machine. I am starting to contemplate more of a prosumer type of espresso machine. One that is semi-automatic and you really need the end user's experience/input to produce that "god" shot (e.g. Tiger Stripes crema). Well, I will use this until it dies. Then I will go the next step....

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Where to begin? This machine can do it all, from a strong shot of espresso to a flawless cappuccino, all in under minute. If you can tie your shoes, you can use one of these machines.

I looked in to this machine after using an older Capresso model at a friend's house. I was always impressed by how easily and quickly he could make a variety of drinks for guests, not to mention the quality of their appearance and flavor.

This machine comes with two different frothing systems, one is a more traditional bullet style frother, while the other can automatically steam or froth milk. This is where the J5 really shines. In no time you can froth yourself milk that would make the most seasoned barista jealous, and then push a single button to instantly brew piping hot coffee.

The machine starts with whole beans of your choosing and grinds them just for the drink you are making. This ensures that you'll get the freshest tasting coffee cup after cup.

What I like most about this machine though is the variety of drinks it can make. If you have a guest over who isn't a big coffee drinker you can use the machine to make instant hot water for tea, or my favorite trick: run chocolate milk through the steamer for instant hot chocolate. Of course for the rest of us, the pressure brewing system in this machine will allow you to say goodbye to expensive coffee drinks, and become your own favorite barista.

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We have had several of the Jura-Capresso machines. We currently have the Impress J5.

We love the coffee and lattes it makes but there is one very annoying and potentially dangerous issue.

The frothing tip on the machine flies off intermittently and sprays hot milk on us and all

over the cabinets and floor. We make a point of blowing steam through the tip for about 30 seconds

after we make each latte to make certain no milk remains in it to clog it and we also clean the

tip in solution as directed -but the problem continues. We had this issue on other Jura-Capresso

machines as well so we don't understand why they don't have screw on tips to easily solve this problem.

Making lattes has become a stressful event!

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This machine is utterly fantastic, period. I have wasted through endless Cuisinart Grind & Brew machines to no avail and spent way too much on Starbucks. This literally makes the perfect cup of coffee or espresso. The milk frother creates perfect cream. I set it to 'wake up' before I do so its ready to go. Its as easy as pie to clean and the machine tells you to do everythingadd water, beans, clean out grounds, etc. Its even Energy Saver. What else could you want?

Ne-Cap Nespresso® Compatible Refillable Capsules for Machines Before and After 2010 (100 Capsules

Guys: Although I was a bit skeptical at first, I got to say these are pretty neat because you can fill it with your own coffee and it's also a one time use cartridge for about .20 a pop if you go to coffee cap shop (one word) and select the cheapest shipping (100 capsules at $18.00 plus $2.39 shipping). Nespresso has a very tight grip on the distribution of their capsules, but a slight design change in these allows them to work with the Nespresso machines while still not infringing on their copyright. Note: There are alternatives to this product which are re-usable called Nex-pod, and another referred to only as "3 Brown or 3 Black" or coffeeduck CoffeeDuck Refillable Coffee Capsules For Nespresso 3 Pods These Espresso Cups fit all Nespresso machines from after October 2010 Please make sure you have the correct machine before purchasing..... I haven't tried these myself, they are a bit more expensive and from what I've read in other reviews and have seen on YouTube, they didn't just didn't seem to be the best choice for me; you may want to go online and look at the Amazon reviews of these products to judge yourself. Also, it looks like the brown ones (which are out of stock) are the ones for Nespresso machines made prior to October 2010; the black ones (still available here) are for machines after 2010 (I have the old original C190 Concept machine (model c190) from 2001). Just as an aside, I've also seen videos of people simply re-using a used Nespresso pod and re-sealing the foil piece with a new piece of aluminum foil (I tried this once and the results were really crappy and watery, and coffee grounds ended up in my machine).

Anyway, back to Ne-Cap.....I fill it with my own espresso grind (illy or Lavazza) and I've got to say that the coffee was good and had a decent crema. They're pretty easy to use as well, although you might need to experiment a bit with the coffee, grind and amount you put into the capsule to ensure you get a nice rich cup of coffee. Take out a new capsule, using your pod as the "scoop", scoop it to the very top and then simply wipe off the excess so it is filled to the top but not overflowing the rim, then very carefully peel off the paper ring from the top of the cup (uncovering the sticky ring on the top of the cap) and then place the pre-cut aluminum cap on top of the capsule to seal in the coffee (note: you need to be somewhat careful when you're peeling off the paper from the cup to expose the sticky seal or else you'll also remove the sticky seal which is supposed to stay on the cup). Although the sticky seal for these capsules is not the same as the Nespresso air tight seal (which I think is only done to keep their packaged coffee fresh), the seal is good enough to perform the job and prevent coffee from exploding outside the capsules. I know their video shows them tamping down the coffee pods as they fill them, but for me, no tamping works best (and it's simpler).

After experimenting a bit, I noticed that if you want the richer coffee and thick crema, you should stick with a darker roasted, robusta beans, finely ground (espresso or fine grind...check out Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ground Coffee, Italian , 8.8-Ounce Bricks (Pack of 4) which is primarily robusta and is on sale with subscribe and save). And when tamping down on the coffee, don't pack it in too much before attaching the foil top or else you just get a little dribble of coffee coming out (and in all honesty, I've been using these capsules for some time, but every once in awhile, this still happens to me. The drink is fine, it just takes awhile longer to fill the cup). Along with the illy brand of coffee, Cafe Pico, Cafe Bustelo, Lavazza Crema and Pilon also do a very good job in these capsules. If you want to see how much coffee Nespresso uses in their capsules, you can also open up a new Nespresso capsule and see what the grind looks like and the amount of coffee they use so you get an idea. I'm too cheap to do that ;-) The other thing I've noticed in reading some of the other reviews is that these pods seem to work well in machines that are more "manual" and allow the user to close the door and clamp the capsule into place (e.g., my C190 allows me to manually clamp down the door mechanism, there is no automated mechanism that may not close properly over the capsule).....this is just a guess on my part for some reviewers that noted problems using this with a newer machine (e.g., the U).

I wouldn't recommend making these cups too far in advance (since you don't have an airtight seal once you make the cup), but instead make them when you're ready to use them that day. Although this may seem a bit of work if you're in a rush (and remember, you do have to buy your own coffee), it is sort of fun to experiment with the different blends (you can use any full or half decaff coffee for those last minute guests that want espresso without all the caffeine or you can experiment and add flavorings like sugar or equal, vanilla, spices etc.).

I will start with some helpful info..

-Nespresso machine: Pixie

-Ne-Cap capsules 100 pcs. ($23.29)

-Coffee: Lavazza Crema e Gusto 250g enough for 50 capsules ($5.75)

-Empty capsule weight: ~1 gram

-Filled capsule weight: ~6 grams

-One capsule preparation time: 60-70 secs

-Cost of filled capsule: ~$0.35

The main reasons for purchasing the refill capsules are, being able to enjoy the coffee I like and save some money.

I haven't encountered any troubles with the capsules EXCEPT that you dont get the best out of it, as most of the hot water is spilled into the used capsules container; although I had the capsules filled, pressed and sealed appropirately. Therefore, I had to reuse the same capsule, however, sometimes replaced it with another one. The reason of water spill/waste is that Ne-Cap capsules are shorter than Nespresso capsules. Thus I assume if they were the same size, the capsules will perform much better.

This option is somehow economical, nevertheless, sometimes you may need to use two capsules to enjoy your Espresso, or Cappuccino cup.

Conclusion, if you are not enjoying the taste of Nespresso flavours or you like to have your own ground coffee, and want to save some $$$, go for it..BUT dont expect the same performance and cleanness of Nespresso capsules.

Update 2/8/2012================

When I first used the Ne-Caps, I gave it 3 stars. After using almost 30 capsules, I got to believe that it's not worth it and that Nespresso capsules are irreplaceable. I tried all possible ways to enhance the performance of the capsules, I made more holes at the base, also I dilated the existing ones, but all my attempt were useless. The shape of Ne-Cap pods should be modified to look like nespresso ones. That way, I believe they would be better. So my advice is to stick to nespresso despite the price. Save yourself the time and headache and enjoy your easy, tasty coffee.

Buy Ne-Cap Nespresso® Compatible Refillable Capsules for Machines Before and After 2010 (100 Capsules Now

Just filled a few of the capsules yesterday with my own coffee. It was a little messy but used the capsules this morning and they worked just fine. A lot less expensive than buying capsules from the company.

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Manufacturer refused to admit problem with their capsules when it doesn't work.

Problem:

1. 1/3 to 1/2 capsules ends in very dilute coffee/dirty hot water

2. seal by far not perfect

3. foil cap not reliable peforated

4. used capsule compartment becomes overflow hot water compartment and sometimes overflow

Since the manufacturer says the problem is not theirs, I tried many permutation to make the capsules work, including:

1. filling grinds to different level, full to not-so-full

2. compacting grind to different degree, from no compaction to hard compaction

3. using 1 or 2 rubber seal

Results remain unreliable. When it works it works great. That's about 1/5 of the time. 1/3 of the time it is acceptable, the rest of the time I wasted the coffee and money on the capsule. In the end, it turns out to be more expensive than the nespresso capsules. Not worth the effort and frustration to get a cup of coffee nicer than nespresso's own only for 1/5 of the time.

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Very time consuming to peel off paper around edge of capsule, usually pulls off sticky part, so push sticky ring back down around tiny rim in a circle, then try to separate foil lids one by one, add the rubber ring and gently push up around bottom rim of capsule (which fell off on half of the capsules I tried), tamp in expensive ground coffee I purchased, makes a mess, then insert in machine and lots of water pours into tray on bottom! Surely someone can invent some easier solution for more coffee choices for the Pixie machine. Waste of money and time all around!