KRUPS KM720D50 Programmable 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Glass Carafe and LCD screen, Stainless Steel

I ordered this coffee maker after I broke the carafe on my old Braun. It looks like Braun has gone out of business so I began looking for a new one. After spending hours looking over the reviews on all of the other coffee makers on Amazon and Consumers Reports, I took a chance on this one. It was amazing how many problems all of the other coffee makers seemed to have; from pumping hot coffee all over the floor and counter to some even catching on fire. I was very nervous about ordering this one because at the time it only had one review. I can safely say now that I am very happy with this one. The coffee is as good as my old Braun, the carafe seems thicker and sturdier than the Braun and it does what it is suppose to do; safely make good coffee, keep it in the pot and be easy to clean. This is a stylish looking unit after my research I believe it is the only one being made now that does all of this. Unless you get a bad one, and all companies will problems with some of their units, I think you will be happy with this one.

Well, I said I'd never get another Krups after the FME model I got 2 years ago made a great cup of burning plastic flavored coffee, but as you can see, I tried them again. This model isn't listed on Krups' website, and I only discovered this version by reading a review on another site. And if I remember correctly, none of my searches here on Amazon turned this one up until I typed in the exact model#. I tried a Cuisinart 1200, rated fairly highly here, and what it made was not coffee. So I gave this Krups a shot based on a 4.5 star rating. Yup this is the real thing. Good, rich, smooth, gourmet-flavored brew. All of you looking for a replacement for the Krups ProAroma 453 can find it here. The other good thing about this model is finally they put the clock display on top of the maker so you don't have to kneel on the floor to see what the display says. The bad is... the clock display, at least on mine, is fuzzy & unclear unless you go up on your tiptoes (hence my 4 rather than 5 star rating). I know, I just complain, complain, complain. Also good about this model is they finally put a bright red floating ball in the water level indicators (yes, there's now TWO of them so you can see from all angles!). All the buttons are up top & easy to figure out. You need to buy separately a #4 gold tone permanent filter. I like the top of the carafe well thought out. You open it by pressing your thumb down, which, unlike other Krups that attach on the lip-side, means you can partially open the lid while you're pouring. I had no problems with drips when pouring. Good job, Krups.

Here's an update after several days use. This appliance makes very smooth coffee, even when really strong. I found that adding a little extra grounds than usual makes for a mind-blowingly good brew. My wife said she could smell the power from across the room. I only say this so you know that stronger than usual may be better depending on your tastes. Also, the instructions say they advise not to make less than 4 cups coffee at a time. I agree. The ProAroma could handle one or two cups of water correctly but this one cannot. This Krups makes superb coffee when you make 4 or more cups, in fact I've learned to make 8 cups at a time, even tho' I only drink 2-3, because the flavor is so superior. I'm drinking a cup now & can't believe how incredibly good it is wow! I'm in coffee heaven.

I can now see one potential problem for the future. The carafe lid is held on by 2 nubbins that fit into slotted cutouts on the top of the carafe handle. Those nubbins & the slots are very small and I can see one of the 2 breaking off after a short time of use. In fact, I've already had the lid fall off all on its own. Both should have been larger so they would be stronger. The instructions warn you to turn off the maker when you pour the last cup. I know some folks, like my wife, think since it has an auto-off function, to just let it turn off on its own. That's a really bad idea. Not only can it de-temper an empty carafe & make it more likely to break spontaneously & splash scalding coffee all over you, it can set off the thermal overload switch located under the heating plate, which means your coffee maker is outta commission until repaired or replaced. Look at all the complaints under reviews of Krups machines burning out after less than a year. That's what happens if you leave it on when there's no coffee in the carafe. Turn it off when you're done so you'll have coffee tomorrow.

Here's one more update after having used this coffeemaker for a couple months. There is a flaw in the design of the filter housing, which is removable like with previous models of Krups machines. There's a spring-loaded valve on the bottom of the housing so you can, in theory, remove the pot while the machine is still making coffee without hot coffee spilling out from the filter area. Many coffeemakers do this so you can get a quick cup without waiting for the whole load of water to brew. The valve assembly is not designed well. The piston is held on by a small soft washer that has a tendency to disconnect when simply removing or replacing the carafe & the whole assembly falls apart. Also, the valve stem doesn't fit snugly in its channel so it makes a significant side to side movement when replacing the carafe. That results in the tip of the valve, where the coffee comes out, to land on the wrong part of the carafe lid & spill over the outside of the carafe. Krups states in the directions that failing to carefully place the carafe will result in spills, implying that it's a problem. It is a problem. Just about every other potful leaks and it's really frustrating. If they can just fix this valve problem... I'm really tempted to remove the assembly completely, which would assure the hot coffee comes out straight down where it needs to. But the coffee quality is excellent, and that, my friends, is more important than anything else in my book & I'll put up with some flaws for the perfect taste.

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The taste of the coffee from this machine when put on the "Aroma" setting is outstanding. I was wanting a replacement for an older Krups machine. It has good tasting coffee too, but this particular model has made my coffee drinking experience brand new. I have had comments from others saying "This coffee sure is good!". I do not go to any special lengths to make my coffee either. The Krups brand in my opinion is hard to beat.

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My old Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Black/Brushed Metal died so needed a replacement in my office. This is a great quality product from Krups. It's fast, convenient, and easy to clean. It keeps the coffee hot and fresh. Highly recommended.

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Love this coffee maker, just wished it beeped when done brewing. Can't say for sure that the 'aroma' feature makes that big of a difference. I love strong coffee so I still use a good 1 cup of grounds for only 5 cups brewed using dark coffee beans. Other than that this Krups sits real pretty on the counter. Also no dreaded drips when pouring. The carafe has no plastic on the rim. Keeping my fingers crossed that it lasts longer than a year or two.

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Capresso EC100 Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine

I ordered the Capresso EC100 Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine because I'm tired of spending megabucks at the local coffee shops for espresso beverages. Also, I don't always want to leave the house to get one, especially for breakfast. And finally, by making espresso beverages at home I can control the ingredients and know exactly how many calories I am consuming.

This machine enables you to prepare espresso with a medium, strong, or very strong taste, using either ground coffee or pods. You can prepare either one or two espressos at a time. It also enables you to prepare cappuccinos (by frothing the milk) or lattes (by steaming it). Oddly, the recipes in the manual do not mention how to prepare a café mocha. My own method is to squirt some Hershey's sugar-free chocolate syrup into a latte, add two packets of artificial sweetener, and stir vigorously. The manual does include helpful tips on ingredients. For example, the lower fat milk is the more froth it will produce. I'm sure you'll think of your own favorite flavorings to add to beverages--cinnamon, brandy, whipped cream on top, or whatever.

I found the machine fairly easy to use, although it's a bit fiddly. You need to go through several steps just to pre-warm the components and the cups. And there's filling the water container, inserting the filter, steaming the milk, cleaning the machine after use . . . on the other hand, at the local coffee shop I just wait around while someone else does all this stuff.

This machine comes with a limited one-year warranty and an order form for parts when they need replacing, which parts are actually quite reasonably priced. Oh, and a separate copy of the manual entirely in French, should you need it.

So I had bought this machine going by a review by an unbiased espresso machine store, and they tested on a video. They sold all types of machines. So I gave this a try. After reading the reviews on amazon I was little hesitant.

When I tried the machine it worked wonderfully, and later some of the shots I pulled were weak... Similar to what others had mentioned as a con.

Unlike the latter I knew that it did well initially so the error must've fallen on myself, but how? I wondered. So I went online a did a bit of research and found the error lay on how I was grinding the beans. Online it said that certain machine work well with certain grinds. This particular one must be extremely finely ground, and a burr grinder would work more efficiently.

As for the complaints about the bitterness, you get a bit more bitter taste with grinding it finely, but honestly esperesso is not meant to be extremely bitter, that is the result of burnt grounds scorched under pressure, and that's the result of a poor machine.

Do the research there's plenty of information on the Internet and YouTube ... It is a great machine! Very easy to use at a great price.

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Great deep crema!

Super easy machine for making capuccino: I make the froth in a cup and then dispense the espresso directly into the same cup. This might be blasphemy, but at 5:30am, who cares.

Cleanup: 20 seconds: I wipe off the nozzle, tap out the hockey puck into the garbage, and rinse it.

Large clear water container, easy to see how much water is left.

Cleaning the machine: I ran diluted vinegar through once so far in 6 months. Working fine. I had to clean out the brew head once, which required a screwdriver and took a couple of minutes and a paper towel.

Note on espresso strength: With my unit, the coffee seemed like it was on the weak side at first, then after about a lb., seemed more like regular strength.

Other things to like about this machine:

A snap to clean up. If you've used other machines you know there are usually little sprays of coffee, coffee grounds, milk, froth, etc., and grind slop to clean up after.

Water container holds enough to make many cups in a row before refilling.

The foot print is much smaller than some other similar machines, so it fits into my counter corner easily.

The manual is very thorough. When I had to figure out how to clean out the brew head, the info was right there.

The price is nice! We inherited a Barista and later purchased a Cafe Roma which are also great, but I like this system for its ease of use, crema, and tidy footprint. Also thinking this would be a nice gift, as it'll turn out a nice cup right away. Had the unit 6 months so far, so hope it keeps up the good work.

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I love everything about the Capresso...except for the fact that it makes coffee, not espresso. This is the third espresso maker in this price range that I've owned, the previous two being a Starbucks Barista and a Gaggia, and while I like the design of the Capresso the most (1. Capresso, 2. Gaggia, 3. Barista), I like the coffee the least (1. Gaggia, 2. Barista, 3. Capresso). Which when you get down to the bottom line is kind of a dealbreaker.

The Capresso does produce a thick "crema" but the coffee is mellow rather than bold. I can turn on the machine, run through a few empty cups of water to heat it up, use my boldest roast, and the coffee that I pull will still be mellow and smooth. If you like mellow, smooth coffee this might be the machine for you. I like thick, bitter, ultra-strong espresso, and the Capresso will not produce it. Also it took a couple of weeks before the new machinery stopped making my coffee taste a little bit like rubber.

For all that, I was really sad to stop using the Capresso and return to my Starbucks Barista because the Capresso is so much easier to use! The water tank, in particular, is genius. It attaches to the back of the machine and is so much easier to detach and re-attach than the reservoirs I'm used to, which hide behind the portafilter and drip tray. It holds the perfect amount of water too, enough to last me a couple of days but not so much that I ever worry about the water stagnating.

The portafilter basket that holds the grounds is irritating to use. It's made of a lightweight metal that feels cheap. I always use the double espresso basket and the spoon that comes with the machine does not measure the right amount. I'd drop one spoonful into the basket, then scoop out more grounds and measure around 2/3 of a second spoonful in order to fill the double-espresso basket. This was irritating, time consuming, and often messy.

Other than that...the Capresso is easy to use, easy to clean. So easy to clean! That's my second favorite thing about it, after the water tank. I just wish it made espresso.

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I simply love it. I used it for 3 months (2 to 6 espressos a day everyday), and never had a problem with it whatsoever.

I only make espressos with it and never used the steam/foaming outlet (cannot comment on it).

I never decalcified it yet; cannot comment on that either.

PROS:

Heats quickly.

Does great espresso, with a lot of foam (love it).

Easy to clean and maintain.

CONS:

The water runs out too quickly to my taste. I guess the coffee could be tastier/more powerful if the water was running slowly (and even an adjustment of the grinding size didn't make it much better. I found my best grinding size, but the next finer one just clogs the machine which only gives one drip every 1/2 second).

A lot of foam my wife doesn't approve of that much foam on her espressos :-)

I would buy it again and advise friends to do so, since I'm really pleased and had a hard time figuring which espresso machine to buy in the US (the choice here is less than 1/10th of what we have in Europe).

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