Primula Classic 8-Cup Coffee Press

This was my first foray into using a french press, so I don't have much basis for comparison; however, I'm very happy with the purchase. Following basic instructions I found on the internet (which match up nicely with the manufacturer-provided instructions), I was able to make a tasty and very strong pot of coffee. As someone who lives in a small space, I appreciate being able to make coffee at home without a cumbersome coffee machine taking up valuable counter space.

The pot and press both seem sturdy, and both have weathered several washings with no ill effects. The handle seems firmly attached, and the whole thing feels well made. I bought it in red, and it's an attractive object. Some of the red enamel on the lid was chipped when it arrived, but I haven't seen any other blemishes.

I would not recommend this for someone who doesn't like a robust cup of coffee--Coffee made in this french press packs a punch. For me, that's a huge bonus, but I like my coffee strong.

I had been wanting to try French press coffee for quite a while but didn't want to spend a lot on a press for several reasons. First, I wasn't sure I was going to like the taste. Second, all the presses, with the exception of the double-wall glass ones, looked pretty much the same except some had more plastic than others. Without knowing why I would spend $75 vs $20, I decided to opt for the less expensive model until I felt certain spending the extra $ was warranted. Well, not only does this press work really well, it is truly atrractive and a delight to keep on my kitchen counter. Easy to clean, pour, and use. Can't understand why spending big bucks would be worth it when this one is available!!

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price good , came in 3 days , first time making some coffee it was strong , very tasteful in simple to use i use this one it makes for me 2 big mugs of coffee in stil have a half a cup left, i think i might throw away my drip or put it back lol

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I bought this exact French press at Macy's and it lasted less than 1 year. I was very disappointed in the quality of this press, even though it was my first experience owning one.

I read the instruction booklet before using it, and it said that it was safe to put into the dishwasher. This proved incorrect because the red coloring is a thin layer of film and it began peeling off after one wash, sticking on other dishes. Not to mention it then looked awful because it had red color peeling off all over.

The press 'plunger' piece also was very cheap and would unscrew easily.

It did, however, "do the job" until recently when I bumped the carafe on the sink while washing and it completely shattered.

I would definitely recommend paying a little more for something that will actually last.

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As stated, this is a good French press for the money. But there is one caveat. If you put it in the dishwasher the metallic coating will be gone in a few washings. It still looks good, but don't buy it for the color.

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ABLE KONE COFFEE FILTER 3RD GENERATION

This product looks good and was nicely packaged, although I do find it quite expensive.

In my first trial of this filter, I used a medium grind (ie for drip coffee) and wasn't gentle pouring the water, so I noticed that water flowed too fast, and the coffee was very cloudy with as much sediment than my french press. I was very disappointed, but then I watched a video on youtube (Quick Look at the New Able Kone Coffee Filter) that mentions using a finer grind. It sounded counter-intuitive because with a french press you need coarser grinds to reduce sediment.

However it turns out that with this filter, the coffee itself acts as part of the filter, so a finer grind reduces flow and helps do tighter filtration. With a finer grind you don't need to use too much coffee either. The sediment will be less than what you get from a french press, and the Chemex body design actually helps trap some of that when you pour your coffee.

So, here is what works for me, hopefully these instructions will give you a nice result without need for scales or thermometers.

1. Use a medium-fine grind, something in-between drip coffee and espresso.

2. For getting two 12oz mugs out of my 6-cup Chemex, I use 4 tbsps of coffee (about 20 grams). Put it in the filter, tap it to get it all to the bottom, and place on the Chemex.

3. Boil the water and let it cool for half a minute so it's not too hot.

4. Pour enough water to get all the grounds wet, and let it sit for a minute or two. This is an EXTREMELY important step that conditions the coffee for the rest of the brewing and makes a layer of coffee stick to the filter for tighter filtration / reduction of sediment.

5. Pour the rest of the water SLOWLY, and into the center, without letting it rise in the filter much. Be as gentle as possible in order to avoid loosening up the grounds that are stuck to the filter. Stop pouring when the coffee level reaches the "dot" in the Chemex lower body. The brewing process should take around 5 minutes or longer. If it takes less time, you may need to pour slower and/or use a finer grind.

6. When dripping stops, pour yourself a cup! If all went well it should be very flavorful, and with minimal sediment. Don't forget to clean the filter as soon as possible, since dried up grounds are much harder to clean.

Please comment if these simple instructions helped you get the great results I achieved!

Many improvements since the earlier versions. The cushioned rim makes it much easier to clean. There is still some sediment, less than a press but more likely to mix in with the coffee. You might want NOT to pour water down the sides as with a paper filter, or it spends less time soaking the coffee.

Pour into the center or onto the grind, but not onto the metal.

The filter holes are probably state of the art, but I find that water escapes much faster than with a paper filter, hence spends less time brewing.

Great as alternative to paper filters (and "greener"), but paper still creates a clearer more flavorful brew with no sediment and is not expensive.

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Bought it for a gift for my son. He loves it. I don't know if I would spend the money for myself though. I like paper filters.

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Great quality, very good construction. Best way to make the most of your chemex brewer. Easy to clean and use.

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I like the Kone coffee filter and expect to use it regularly. I am a longtime Chemex user. I bought the filter and find it easy to use and the coffee quite good. There is sediment but in my experience it settles into the bottom of the cup and is not bothersome. I wouldn't tip up the cup and drink the last drop, but the sediment is less noticeable than with the typical french press. I've used a finer grind and a typical drip grind and find the results to be very similar in strength and sediment.

The Kone does not hold as large a volume as the paper filters did. There is a gap between the sides of the pot and the sides of the Kone. Also the Kone does not go as low in the pot. For this reason I think it might not suit the largest pots as well.

Gaggia Classic Espresso Machine - Brushed Steel|14101

I have this machine for over 15 years and I can't be happier with it. It is also impressive that Gaggia Classic has sturdy, compatible and replaceable parts in case you need any. A caveat with a manual espresso machine is that if you have never done it before, you will have to learn how to properly make an espresso. You will find many guides how to make a good espresso with this machine on or if you just search the internet via google or bing. I will just add that it is very important how you grind the coffee for espresso so that is not too fine or too coarse.

I also recommend you get a higher quality espresso tamper. The one that comes with machine does the job, but it is made of plastic and is pretty light.

If you are looking for a manual, high pressure, espresso machine then look no further. If my Gaggia ever breaks, I'll get another one.

I had been using a Saeco Classico for many years and it served me well as I don't drink or make too many cups of espresso for myself or others every day. Maybe two cups of latte every morning for my wife and I and sometimes I'll make a solo espresso mid-day as a pick me up. I've always looked around for used or refurbished models as there are some great deals if you look around. Thrift shops are also good places to look.

I found a used Gaggia Classic on Craigs List in my area for $200.00 and after I took it home and cleaned it thoroughly and ran some descaler through it, I started to make coffee and I was impressed. The machine is nicely constructed and pretty heavy with large 58mm portafilters which have they're own heavy feel if you're used to the less expensive machines like I was. The coffee, the crema, the steam are all improved from my previous experiences.

Even at $375.00-$400.00 new, these are good buys. They'll last, parts are avilable, can be rebuilt,etc. I wanted to get a Rancilio Silvia but even used they were $300-400.The Gaggia Classic is definitely in the "prosumer class"!

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I did a lot of research on espresso machines before deciding on my Gaggia Classic. I chose it due to the overall rave reviews and a great sale on Amazon. I have worked in coffee shops and have a keen sense of what "good" espresso is and this machine makes "GREAT" espresso!

You will need more than this machine to pull great shots:

Grinder: For now I am using a Mr. Coffee Burr grinder (plan to upgrade to something better in the future) but even with this grinder I am pulling great shots almost consistently!

Tamper: You will have to purchase a good tamper. The one that comes with the machine is very light and doesn't allow you to get enough pressure. I purchased a stainless steel 58mm tamper on Amazon.

The machine: The frothing wand works well but isn't as adjustable as I would like it to be to fit under large frothing pitchers. If you use the frothing wand and then want to pull another shot you have to let the machine cool down (or add more water) to bring the temperature down or the coffee tastes burnt. You just have to pull all your shots then froth milk to avoid this problem.

It is very stylish, I have gotten a lot of compliments on the looks of it.

The portafilter is quite heavy and well built.

All in all, I love my new Gaggia and look forward to creating my beverage every morning. If you are new to espresso making I suggest going to youtube and searching for how to pull the best shots. It is a great resource, and with the knowledge of how to pull shots this machine will not let you down.

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There is no doubt that this machine can make great coffee, with a very solid group handle and construction, its some of the features that leave me shaking my head and asking myself... 'why?'

In order of irritation, I rank them as

1. The steam wand is utterly useless at making creamy aerated milk instead it blows huge bubbles into the milk, which ends up looking like a witches brew instead of shiny aerated milk. Taking off the 'steam enhancer' helps, but even then I got much better milk from a $200 Sunbeam with a plain steam nozzle. No idea why Gaggia did this, as it majorly detracts from the machine. On this basis alone, I wouldnt rebuy it because it irritates me every single time I froth milk.

With practice, I've got better at steaming milk, but other machines with ordinary nozzles do a much better job.

2. The wand is too long when the steam enhancer on, and too short with it off so short that it can barely touch the milk in a medium sized steaming jug.

3. The group handle basket is too low to fit anything under except short black cups too bad if you want to pour into a cappuccino mug... because it won't fit under unless you unscrew the spout and leave a fairly unsightly hole, or replace it with a single spout.

4. The lights are back the front. The red light goes on when its ready and off when its heating... the reverse of every other appliance under the sun.

As said above, the biggest problem is the steaming wand which I believe lots of people replace with a Silvia wand I bought one but the copper pipe thread was a different grade, so it wouldn't fit. One of these days I'll get it professionally replaced I think... then it would be quite a good machine... but my next buy will probably be a Rancilio Silvia

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An excellent choice for the best espresso, without the bells and whistles of other complicated machines, It is a true expression of simplicity with intelligence in design.

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Cuisinox Liberta 10 cup Espresso Coffeemaker

Received quickly, love it's look, very nice quality coffee pot we will use forever:) does a fantastic job and just feels nice to handle,, well made!!

This is a lovely expresso maker. I have made excellent expresso in the cheaper pots, but I am not keen on using aluminum cookware (altzheimer's, toxic metals, and all that!). This pot is very well made. It looks sleak and elegant on my stove and when serving to guests.

Cuisinox should send out better directions (but few folks give clear instructions). They need to include a photo that labels all the parts, but I managed to figure everything out. The extra metal filter with a small knob on top goes in upside down in the coffee holder for when you make only a half pot. They warn you not to screw the top on or off by twisting the handle as the torquing would make the handle come loose. This makes sense. Just hold the entire top to screw on and off. Don't pull on the handle to tighten or loosen.

They warn you to be careful that the handle gets hot. Dah! Any metal handle on the stove will get hot.

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First, I was sent the liberta IN A NATURAL CAT LITTER BOX THAT WAS PARTIALLY SMASHED. The carboard liberta box was also partly dented inside the bizarre cat litter box. Unsurprisingly, the liberta itself had extremely apparent stains and even grains of espresso!

The next liberta that was supposed to be new also had scratches and smaller stains, but was obviously still used and still arrived in a natural cat litter box that was indented. The first even had huge stains of rust inside the water compartment. Both were huge dissappointments, and the next merchant I tried on a different website also sent me a product with espresso grains inside the metal compartment and even gave themselves 30 extra days on the second purchase to refund me because I had to send it back to Cuisinox for it to be "verified" as an old product! The woman from that company who spoke to me even refused to admit that her company possibly could send out a used product, and repeatedly tried to make me admit that it must have been "damaged" during shipping!

I know refuse to do business through wayfair for at least stainless steel products, and I unfortunately am going to use amazon prime to get a smaller size so at least it will not arrive in a cat litter box until this product becomes more widely available from companies that don't send products in ruined boxes. I have never had an ongoing problem with any metal cookware product, but it looks like I am going to have to use amazon prime and pray that the next one arrives in an unsmashed box, with no espresso or stains, but at this point I probably would not care if it came scratched!

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