Baratza G385 Black Maestro Plus Coffee Grinder

If you need to grind espresso or French press this is supposed to be the best general purpose grinder under $200.

If you're even more serious about grinding espresso you may want to look at something like a Rancilio Rocky, $295 or Pasquini Moka Grinder @ $499

This can be considered high end for home use especially for a drip coffee maker. (that's what I use it for). It also can be considered a good upgrade if you want something better than a blade grinder or inexpensive burr grinder or a backup espresso grinder if you already have a serious espresso grinder. (This was my upgrade from a Braun burr grinder).

It's also not intended for commercial use, it won't hold up to that kind of constant use but I think it's a great grinder for all aspects of home/office use if you're looking for a heavy duty conical burr grinder.

I narrowed my choice to the Solis or the Capresso. They're nearly the same but the Solis was designed and assembled in the USA, the Capresso is made in China.

This is easy to dissasemble and clean. The plastic adjusting mechanisim that rotates and holds the grinder burr simply slips out and drops back in. It's not under any stress and isn't going to break unless it's put together wrong.

It's quiet, low static with less mess. There's going to be some mess, it's just a lot less than the high rpm, less expensive grinders.

It's smooth operating with enough weight to feel like an appliance and not a toy. It's all I need for my high-end drip and low-end espresso needs.

I just bought this Coffee Grinder to replace a Braun Burr Grinder in which I had burned out and and replaced three motors. This grinder gives the most even grind I have ever seen in anything except commercial grinders in stores and coffee houses. For home, this gives commercial grind quality. For motor life and to keep from overheating the beans, the stepdown gearing for slower grinding keeps the coffee cooler and extends motor life. I would have given this a 5 star rating except for the fact that there is so much static electrcity with this (and many others) that coffee flies all over, but the benefit far outweight that inconvenience and it's best grinder I've ever owned.

Buy Baratza G385 Black Maestro Plus Coffee Grinder Now

If you need to grind espresso or French press this is supposed to be the best general purpose grinder under $200.

If you're even more serious about grinding espresso you may want to look at something like a Rancilio Rocky, $295 or Pasquini Moka Grinder @ $499

This can be considered high end for home use especially for a drip coffee maker. (that's what I use it for). It also can be considered a good upgrade if you want something better than a blade grinder or inexpensive burr grinder or a backup espresso grinder if you already have a serious espresso grinder. (This was my upgrade from a Braun burr grinder).

It's also not intended for commercial use, it won't hold up to that kind of constant use but I think it's a great grinder for all aspects of home/office use if you're looking for a heavy duty conical burr grinder.

I narrowed my choice to the Solis or the Capresso. They're nearly the same but the Solis was designed and assembled in the USA, the Capresso is made in China.

This is easy to dissasemble and clean. It's quiet, low static with less mess. It's smooth operating with enough weight to feel like an appliance and not a toy. It's all I need for my high-end drip and low-end espresso needs.

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Having just worn out my fourth blade grinder and probably my hearing in the process, I decided to upgrade to a burr grinder. I was also tired of going through and picking out the blade 'survivors' then regrinding them to something smaller than the half-beans that were mixed in with the much finer have beens. I always like a good cup of drip, sometimes a latte and occasionally need an espresso. 'Occasionally' means I go out for that rather than invest in an expensive pump espresso machine. The same can be said for a grinder, too expensive...then it probably wasn't meant for home use. I looked at several and bought the Solis Maestro Plus which was at the high end of my range and needs, but sounded like it would meet my requirements. It has done that with little problem in my experience. I don't change the setting much and have not had any parts break. It's much quieter than blade grinders, so, I don't even mind turning it on in the morning while worrying about others that are lucky enough not to be early risers. It also provides a very consistent grind. Yes, cleaning could be improved and the price could be lower. I did make a mess the first time I ground some beans...opened it up and the static electricity sent coffee everywhere. After a little experimenting, I found that giving the ground coffee receptacle a good flick/thump with my index finger before opening it solved that problem. This grinder makes the morning coffee ritual more enjoyable and somehow that contributes to the coffee tasting better. My imagination...maybe...

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At first I loved this unit. It was a very consistent grind between espresso and a coarser drip setting. However, the fine espresso grounds gets stuck in the adjustment ring, and as other customers have noted, cause the two tabs on the adjustment ring to break ruining the unit. If still under warranty, they will ship a replacement part for free, but after three of these allegedly "reinforced" replacement rings, I am now stuck with the unit outside of warranty and it is broken. Very frustrating to deal with. Beware if you plan to use for an espresso grind...and maybe even for drip grind.

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Jura-Capresso 13936 Impressa S9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center

A couple of previous reviews complained about blockages that quickly developed in their machines. I had the same problem after less than a month of use, where the brewed coffee would drip out very slowly, threatening to cease altogether. I told my wife she should return the machine, but she called Jura's customer service number, which is printed on the cover of the instruction booklet. The representative gave her a fix which is not mentioned in the troubleshooting section of the manual. It's difficult to describe, but it involves removing the grounds tray, poking a finger up through the chute and finding damp grounds that are stuck by a screen there. They can be wiped away with a paper towel and that should clear up the problem.

Otherwise, I recommend reading fhimas88888888's review for realistic advice, especially about the lifespan of a machine. This is my second super-automatic espresso machine, as a Saeco awaits repairs before becoming an office machine for my wife. They make very good coffee and espresso with relative ease and convenience. They're also great conversation pieces, although by now I find it tedious to demonstrate the machine for awed guests. If you love espresso, lattes, etc., the price of a super-automatic machine is worth it, although you can find one for less than half the cost of this Jura. I give the machine four stars because I wouldn't want to live without it, but I'm withholding a fifth star because I suspect competing machines are virtually as good.

This machine boasts A LOT of features! It has a dual boiler system that allows you to go back and forth from brewing to steaming without a wait time (although you can't do them at the same time). It has a bypass doser which allows you to add preground coffee. It has a rinse cycle that comes on when you turn the machine on. You can also program the machine to certain amounts of water to go through the coffee when you press a certain button. You can also have it turn on at a certain time and turn off at a certain time. There is a stylish blue backlight that looks wonderful on the machine. The machine also has a wonderful milk steamer that with the automatic frother and with the steamer itself allows wonderful steaming with ease.

Now my complaints. The steamer cannot get the milk anywhere as hot as my Expobar Office Control (semi automatic) or my old Rancilio Silvia (semi automatic). Also the froth quality is very bad with the automatic air injectors. This machine can only get the milk up to around 160, and after that the foam quality decreases.

The machine is HUGE! Before you even think about buying the machine (and if you do buy this machine, buy it online without tax) go to a place like William Sonoma and see the machine. Also it is helpful to try the coffee that is produced by the machine. The machine looks much different up close then in the Capresso glorified pictures.

The espresso quality is uncomparable to espresso from a semi automatic. I have an Expobar Office Control that was bout 800 dollars. This machine is very similar to the ones that you see at your cafe, with the programmed buttons but with a portafilter where one must grind and tamp the coffee themselves. This machine I get much superior crema, aroma, and espresso quality. When I went to try the coffee at Williams Sonoma from the S9, it was uncomparable.

Finally, the price. This machine is way overpriced for what you are getting. Although it does have some nice features, all of them can be seen on the S7, which is exactly the same machine, just is black and doesn't come with the automatic frother, which can be purchased for about 80 bucks.

In conclusion.... This is a great machine and can produce a good cup, not a great cup, but a good cup. Spending the big bucks doesn't guarentee better coffee. Any super automatics in the 500 and up price range will produce the same quality coffee, just some will have more features. If you are looking for a good machine, the Gaggia Syncrony Compact can basically do everything that this does minus a few things (and is MUCH smaller) and goes for about 1500 less. Remember, all super automatics can only last about 5-7 years depending on their usage and care, so remember that before buying. This machine will not last anywhere near a lifetime. Don't get me wrong, this is a great machine, but there are many others out there that can give you the same convenience, reliability, and a price tag much smaller, that will still give you the same quality cup of espresso.

Buy Jura-Capresso 13936 Impressa S9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center Now

I purchased this machine's predecessor, the Jura S90, about 4 years ago. Since no one's owned an S9 for that long, it's hard to say for certain what the maintenance costs for the S9 will be, but I thought those considering buying it might appreciate knowing that it will likely require a certain amount of annual or biennial maintenance.

The S90 has one part that needs replacing after approximately every 2000 shots, which in my house means about once every 18 months. There are also seals and similar parts that again will need service periodically. This machine appears to be mechanically very similar to the S90, so it will likely have similar maintenance characteristics.

Over the last 4 years, I've had the machine serviced twice by Jura, and once by a local repairman. The cost of repairs was around two hundred dollars including parts each time... My front panel switches are also starting to misbehave, though, so the next repair may be more expensive.

This machine costs enough (and is good enough) to be worth repairing, but if you're expecting a machine to last the ages without any repairs, you'll likely be disappointed.

I can't really fault the machine for needing periodic maintenance, though. You could get a commercial machine with heavy-duty parts for 2-3 times the price, and that would need periodic maintenance, too (though the parts would last longer). Just be aware that by buying a high end machine, you've moved out of the "disposable" machine range and into the "pay to fix it" range. "Never needs fixing" doesn't exist.

As to the quality of the coffee, I've tried this one, and the quality is the best I've tasted from a super-automatic.

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We're among three people we know who own these now, plus our local cooking supply store; their praise for this machine is universal. The quality of coffee it makes far exceeds any other method or machine I've ever used. Why?

Inspecting the grounds that I have to empty about twice a week gave me an extraordinary insight; the grounds have virtually no smell at all! The machine apparently extracts every bit of flavor and aroma from the bean and leaves grounds that might as well be vaguely damp, black sawdust. If it's in the beans, in other words, it ends up in your cup, and you get the complete experience promised by your favorite bean and roast.

Every cup (and we make mostly "standard" cups of coffee) is graced with a crema that makes the first two or three sips a true guilty pleasure. Every cup is perfectly fresh, and since you make each cup one at a time there's never leftover coffee thickening at the bottom of the drip coffeemaker. Every coffee bean that passes through the S9 shows its individual character in ways that drip and percolators could never let you experience. The steam wand uses a venturi effect to draw up cold milk and mix it with raw steam to make good, hot foam and steamed milk it's a strong feature that works very well.

Sure, if you don't use the included water filters the machine will nag you after every 200 cups to run an automatic cleaning cycle. But the machine cleans itself, for crying out loud, taking all of about 15 minutes every month or two. And every 2000 cups, as I recall, it asks for a deeper cleaning to remove any lime or calcium buildup down deep inside also essentially automatic.

The downsides are few but must be noted in fairness. It's very loud and the sounds are somewhat harsh; surprising at first. It's big. It costs a lot of money. Worst of all, once you start drinking this stuff it's impossible to completely enjoy coffee at a restaurant or local coffee bar. The restaurant probably makes drip, and the coffee bar using a big espresso machine rarely uses the high quality of beans that you'd use at home. Buyer beware: you'll get spoiled.

And I'm ready to buy a second one for my office.

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At first, we were very pleased with the machine. It makes very flavorful coffee and is easy to use. After less than one year, it developed a blockage so we had to return it for repair. This first repair was under the warranty period so we weren't terribly disappointed. Now, one year later, it has developed the exact same blockage and the minimum cost to repair it is $150. When trying to reason with the Capresso service rep. saying that it has developed the same blockage, the reply was, "sorry mam, it will be $150."

We originally bought the machine when it was $2400 and expect better performance than this. It appears that the cost is the upfront investment plus $150 per year to keep it working. We will not be buying any Capresso products in the future!

Nespresso U D50 Espresso Maker with Aeroccino Milk Frother in Orange + 40 Capsule Carousel + 2 Ston

The machine is great! The U D50 produces the expresso within a minute and the Aeroccino has the milk ready in another minute. The best tasting cappuccino within minutes.

The machine took a little while to get here but the Amazon team resolved the issues professionally and proactively.

Recommend both the machine and the service for a great experience.

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Vev Vigano 8310 Vespress Inox 12-cup Coffee Pot - Made in Italy

Fantastic stove-top espresso or coffee maker. Brews quickly and coffee tastes great --the only way I now make a cup of coffee because the taste is superior. I like that the handle is not plastic and the 12-cup (i.e. 12-espresso cups) capacity is much more convenient. Well made from stainless steel. It is a bit more expensive than other brands, but well worth it --you definitely get what you pay for.

This is an amazing product, large volume of coffee, more like 14 cups than 12. The coffee tastes the best I have ever had. I have had the aluminum type.. don't go there. The stainless steel cleans up perfectly and wont get moldy left unused on the counter for a week or two. We use propane cook top and these work fine on the gas burner. We don't use high heat .. low to medium flame as to not burn the espresso. We broke in the pot with one cook through, then we used the maker..truely a great design, handle barely gets warm, taste of Starbucks "Komodo Dragon Blend-Dark" is beautiful! I have the 6 cup and the 12 cup now!

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The acid test of any product is how successful it is at doing what it's supposed to. This coffee maker makes very good coffee. A bonus is that it looks good doing it. Mission accomplished, right? Not quite. In no particular order, here are the "lows" from my perspective after two weeks of almost daily use:

1) The brass "vent" seems to not function at all: no steam escapes from it -ever. This feature (or, rather, lack of one) produces two sub-drawbacks: (a) no visual sign that the water in the bottom reservoir has been exhausted (that is, that the brewing process is all-but-completed); and, (b) no audible signal of the same status (no whistling at all to cue you that the brewing process is underway, and no absence of whistling to cue you that your coffee is ready);

2) The lid thumb lifter gets very hot mostly, from what I can tell, because the only steam produced during the brewing process escapes through the lid -mostly in the area of the lid lifter. This, again, relates to another two drawbacks: first, since you really have no clue when the entire pot of coffee is finished brewing, the only way for one to be sure is to lift the lid. Doing that with your bare thumb can produce a scalding injury, especially if the brewing is still underway; and, the instruction sheet advises you to stir the coffee before serving -ostensibly to more evenly distribute the earlier brewed with the last brewed coffee. Fair enough. But, you still have to lift the lid which, as mentioned, is very hot by this point; and

3) Finally, the edge (or, rim) of the lid is made of thin steel which can produce a mild to potentially severe laceration if not handled carefully.

As mentioned, the Vev Vigano makes pretty darned good coffee. The bad news is that the drawbacks mentioned above would most likely deter me from buying another one.

I STAND CORRECTED. After reading and thinking about some of the replies to my original post, I decided to write to Bialetti, describing the issues. (Granted: this unit is not a Bialetti, but the principles should be the same.) Here is the response I received:

"There should be no steam coming out of the safety valve all the time. Only if there is a clog or pressure build up that could become dangerous. Make sure you take out the gasket and filter plate from under the upper unit and hold the filter plate up to the light to check for any clogs. You should be able to see through all the holes in the plate, especially right in the center where the coffee brews up. Do not tamp down the coffee, only fill loosely as it will expand. Use a courser grind of coffee if what you are using is too fine. Don't bang the coffee funnel against anything to get grounds out or it could dent or get out of round causing a problem or whistling."

Sorry for my erroneous assumptions about the function and purpose of the pressure valves reflected in my first point. The "cure" I have implemented is this: I do not prepare the coffee at the burner's highest setting, but at about 3/4 heat. Takes longer, but there is no excess pressure. The brewer works fine, now. (I have 3 other similar makers -all Bialetti brand -and will follow the same procedure with those. That stated, the rest are, I think, still valid. It would be safer if the lid lifter were coated or if the lid itself has an insulated knob, as do the Bialettis.

Read Best Reviews of Vev Vigano 8310 Vespress Inox 12-cup Coffee Pot - Made in Italy Here

We have a Bialetti Venus Stainless Steel Espresso Maker which we have used and loved for years. But it doesn't make enough espresso for more than two people really (even though it's for four cups, I guess our cups are bigger than theirs).

So we wanted one that would help when we have more coffee drinkers over and we bought this one.

I have no complaints but definitely feel the coffee made by the Bialetti Venus Stainless Steel Espresso Maker tastes better. It's possible that this is just due to the size and the amount of coffee being made, not the design. I've tried, per other reviews, brewing the coffee on lower heat. And then I tried high heat. It just doesn't taste as smooth as the coffee made by my smaller pot. But it is still okay as espresso and I am not regretting the purchase, as I really did need a bigger one! (Based on other Amazon reviews I think the taste issue may be a common issue among larger stove-top espresso makers and is not brand or model specific).

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I have used a Bialetti 12cup every morning for the past 10 years until it died. I replaced every part possible and still no luck. Suffice it to say that I had mastered all the elements of a perfect cup of espresso/coffee, and now none of my fine tuning tricks worked.

After months of frustration and trouble shooting, I gave up and bought this incredible pot. It did take some adjusting to get that perfect cup....1) plan on at least 3-4 practice runs with bad coffee. I was about to get worried I was never going to get the cup I longed for but hang in there... 2) unlike the Bialetti, which I always made on super high heat, you HAVE to brew this on low. It's the only way it will work.

Enjoy! I strongly, enthusiastically recommend!

URNEX DEZCAL COFFEE MAKER & ESPRESSO DESCALER - 7oz: 7 uses

I had been descaling with other descalers for years from local stores. I got ahold of these and gave 'em a try and found that they actually work markedly better. I had descaled a tea-kettle several times and the element remained burned-looking and still had spots. I attributed it to age and thought nothing of it. I used this one and, suddenly, the coil was shiny chrome again and most of the spots had disappeared. Also, this was the first time a descaling actually resulted in visible flakes coming out with the dirty water (both in my espresso machine and my kettle). I will never try another brand.

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