Coffee Machines

Monday, November 3, 2014

De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

Product Description

Prepare creamy froth with ease

Simple to clean thanks to a removable 35-ounce water tank

Enjoy delicious espresso made your way with the DeLonghi pump espresso and cappuccino maker. You can choose to brew ground espresso or E.S.E pods with the unique patented dual filter holder. The choice is yours, making your espresso truly made to order. You can enjoy espresso or cappuccino at the perfect temperature with two separate thermostats. If you prefer cappuccino you'll enjoy using the easy-to-use swivel jet frother, which makes perfect drinks every time. Other highlights include self-priming operation to eliminate pesky start-up preparation, removable water tank and drip tray and a durable, high-quality stainless steel boiler to ensure many years of delicious espresso.

Authentic Italian espresso, fast

Swivel Jet Frother

Easily prepare latte and cappuccino with the swivel jet frother. Create a rich, creamy froth for perfect drinks every time.

Patented Dual Function Filter Holder

With the EC155's dual function filter holder, you can use ground coffee as normal, or convenient coffee pods for faster preparation. It makes espresso and cappuccino preparation quick and easy.

Self-Priming Operation

Eliminate annoying start-up preparation with the EC155's self-priming operation. Get to your coffee faster, with less waiting around for the element and boiler to reach the correct temperature.

Easy to Clean

The EC155 is simple to clean with a removable 35-ounce water tank with indicator light, and a removable drip tray. It's easy to disassemble, clean, and reassemble to get back to making drinks quickly.

Technical Specifications

Input Power: 1100 watts

Boiler: Stainless Steel

Pump Pressure: 15-bar

Cup Warmer: Yes

Dimensions: 7.50" x 9.50" x 11.12"

CUSTOMER REVIEW

I love espresso, and this little baby makes a great cup. Here are a few points that might be useful for you to know:

Good points:

*It doesn't take up too much room on the counter and looks nice with it's silver metal accents.

*The water reservoir is a good size, you can make about 8-10 shots before you need to refill it, which is very easy to do, and there is a clear section behind the basket which shows the water level.

*Fast heat-up time (only about a minute), good frothing wand, no wait time between frothing and brewing (though you do have to wait a little between brewing and frothing).

Be warned:

*Frothing wand is only 3 1/4 inches from the counter top. Not a big deal, I just went and bought a frothing cup that is about that height.

*Distance from grounds basket to tray is only 2 1/2 inches, I usually use a small espresso cup.

*Built-in tamper sucks, buy a good metal one.

*You don't end up with a nice dry puck, the grounds basket is a watery soup after your espresso is made, so I dump it down the disposal.

*You will end up drinking more espresso than you mean to, it's that good!

Seriously, I chose this machine after a lot of online researching, and decided on this one based on its outstanding reviews and great price. What led me to it were the reviews of another DeLonghi, the EC140B, which is an older and less attractive model, but had reviews from people who had owned theirs for 6 and 10 years! I'm hoping that this one will have the same longevity.

-----> UPDATE: I've now had this machine for 8 months and it started running very slow. I'd been using only distilled water, so I knew it wasn't a calcification issue, so I looked into it and it turns out machines like this one (no backflushing) need to be cleaned every month or so to remove built up grounds that work their way inside the machine. So I ran some cleaner through it and all this nasty brownish liquid came out, and now it runs great again! So remember people, take good care of your things and they will take good care of you. A lesson I am still learning...

- and to answer a question commented on this review, my tamper is 2 inches in diameter.

De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

Product Description

Prepare creamy froth with ease

Simple to clean thanks to a removable 35-ounce water tank

Authentic Italian espresso, fast

Swivel Jet Frother

Easily prepare latte and cappuccino with the swivel jet frother. Create a rich, creamy froth for perfect drinks every time.

Patented Dual Function Filter Holder

With the EC155's dual function filter holder, you can use ground coffee as normal, or convenient coffee pods for faster preparation. It makes espresso and cappuccino preparation quick and easy.

Self-Priming Operation

Eliminate annoying start-up preparation with the EC155's self-priming operation. Get to your coffee faster, with less waiting around for the element and boiler to reach the correct temperature.

Easy to Clean

Technical Specifications

Input Power: 1100 watts

Boiler: Stainless Steel

Pump Pressure: 15-bar

Cup Warmer: Yes

Dimensions: 7.50" x 9.50" x 11.12"

CUSTOMER REVIEW

Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker, Black

Product Description

Color: Black

Tiny foot print, compact, lightweight and equipped with an ergonomic handle, the new Inissia machine fits perfectly into any interior design. Nespresso began more than 25 years ago with a simple but revolutionary idea, to create the perfect cup of Espresso coffee with exquisite crema, tantalizing aroma and full bodied taste - just like skilled baristas. As the worldwide pioneer, Nespresso redefined the way coffee lovers around the world enjoy their espresso coffee through a unique combination of premium quality Grand Cru coffees, stylish coffee machines and exceptional customer service. To obtain the perfect espresso, Nespresso Experts seek out only the ﬁnest Grands Crus green coffees, which promise to offer the most tantalizing aromas. The virtuoso 'alchemists' compose the blend from these diverse origins and decide upon a speciﬁc roasting and grinding proﬁle. Each of the Nespresso Grands Crus has a distinctive character. You can, depending on the variety of different recipes, enjoy Nespresso with milk. When combined with creamy milk foam, you will experience a whole new variety of flavors. The Nespresso Club Services. A world of services at your disposal. The Nespresso Club is always there for you, online, by telephone or in one of our Boutiques. Order your Nespresso capsules, receive personalized advice and obtain technical support for your machine: whatever you are seeking, the Nespresso Club and its Specialists are with you every step of the way. Benefit from quick & easy ordering whenever, wherever.

CUSTOMER REVIEW

If you've been looking for an automatic espresso machine with the minimum acceptable 15 bar (this is 19), for under $100 US, though pump driven, the new Inissia is the model you and I have been waiting for. You will soon find, that for the budget, this little gem was worth the wait!

For comparison, the U is about $150 (depending on model, and without frother), the Essenza can be found for under $100 from time to time, and the rest of the line jumps up (eg. Pixie, others with milk frother options) to over $200 and well upwards from there.

The coffee, if bought on Nespresso's website, ranges from .50 to .70, depending on whether you insist on pure Arabica (and you should!). Amazon and it's vendors do both better and worse than this, so you HAVE to shop if you want to maintain your budget. Because of the skyrocketing popularity of this line, there are many more fulfillment by Amazon and Prime options now if you hunt for them.

Also, Sams and Costco have started carrying this line, but both of them locally (assuming Amazon charges tax in your area-- some fullfillment by do not), are a $40 savings on this Inissia at this writing if you buy on Amazon. Because Inissia does not have the downside of ruining cups with experimentation you find with the Essenza, it is already becoming hard to find.

How can ANYONE deliver 19 bar, in a dependable machine, for under $100? Well, they can't. This machine costs about $290 to manufacture bare bones. So, yes, this IS razor and blade and you ARE married to buying the little cups from Nespresso. There is NO BETTER WAY to get low cost, high quality espresso, with the convenience of automated brewing as simple as drip, for far less than Starbucks, even with the razor/blade strategy.

That said, I'm a Barista instructor, and if you do take the time to buy green, roast your own, and use a Moka pot, though technically not espresso at 6 bar, you can get better coffee, more controlled by you, for a LOT less per cup. But here comes some honesty my students would kill me for: YES, sometimes I prefer fast coffee, far better than Starbucks, fully automated, easy clean up, and zero work! I still roast my own and use a variety of techniques from Moka to Turkish to get a devlish range of wonderful tastes, but for the effort, this new little Inissia truly fills the bill!

The Barista association has been kind enough to let me try a full range of machines and techniques on their dime for over 7 years, and I've worked with espresso makers and systems that range from Mr. Coffee to $35,000 commercial machines. I can't say much more than the fact that THIS is the model I've waited for, even though I was painfully tempted by the Essenza. And also be warned, if you move beyond Nespresso for a modular system, you are NOT getting true espresso, but razor and blade drip.

If you read criticisms on the web that Nespresso has a poor range of offerings between first crack, City ++ and deeply dark, oily espresso, check the date on the review/complaint. I've now found that their range is just as broad and deep as any direct green or roasted bean you can get. Nothing is as good as roasting and grinding your own, but even with sophisticated taste buds, this system comes very close, and is certainly WAY better than Starbucks. Besides, even roasters/ Moka folk need a break once in a while, and will unlikely settle for drip when they can even get Americano if you like it less strong, with this system!

The other models in this series are known for durability and ethical customer service from Nespresso, but at this writing no one can tell you that about their newer technologies. I can tell you that poor mechanical performance would kill this at Sams before they even got out of the gate, so I'm betting on durability, but can't honestly opine on that parameter.

All in all, highly recommended. Please use the comment and question features for any details you need, or email me, or check out the Nespresso dot com website for details between models, or questions you might have on this little gem. As a bonus, if you check their site, you get to see Jimmy Kimmel trying the brand with Penelope Cruz, not a reason to buy, but still FUN! ;=)

eMailer answer: YES, this does accommodate large cups, unlike the Essenza, and yes, you can just push a button without having to time the brew.

Ovente KG83 Series 1.5L Glass Electric Kettle (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW

I selected this model because it listed 1100 watt power usage and it is lower than other models yet reviews say it is quick heating, and it certainly is. The power cord is substantially heavy, the shut off when water reaches a full rolling boil works well with an audible click and the blue charming glow light for the water goes off when the pot automatically shuts down. I use pot this to heat water for French Press coffee making and the all glass contact with water is completely clean. You can click or lift the top up if you don't want the mesh filter to touch the water when filling or pouring if you are a real purist. The pot has no smells on first use or thereafter. It deserves the 5 stars more so than much more expensive pots.

T-fal BF613 Balanced Living 1-Liter 1750-Watt Electric Mini Kettle with Variable Temperature, Black

Product Description

T-fal BF6138US Balanced Living 1-Liter 1750-Watt Electric Mini Kettle

T-fal BF6138US Balanced Living 1-Liter 1750-Watt Electric Mini Kettle with variable temperature

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T-fal BF6138US Balanced Living 1-Liter 1750-Watt Electric Mini Kettle with Variable Temperature

With the T-fal Balance Living Kettle, soothe your body & soul with warm liquids for a day filled with balance! Select the best temperature for brewing and enjoying the healthy rewards of tea. Thanks to its concealed heating element and fast heating system, this electric Kettle will quickly and efficiently provide the perfect cup of tea, instant coffe, soup and more. Water boils in 90 seconds! Product dimensions are 9.5 x 7.7 x 7.7 inches, and it comes with a limited 1-year warranty. Product also provides Automatic Shut-off, Variable temperature, Removable Anti-Scale filter, 360 degree rotating base.

Quick hot water system

Quickly & efficiently bring water to a boil for a variety of teas, instant coffee, soups and more.

Automatic shut off

Kettle automatically shuts off when temperature is reached or when removed from the base.

Variable temperature control

Brew the perfect cup of tea by changing the water temperature with the variable heating control - low for white tea, medium for green tea and boiling for black tea.

Removable anti scale filter

Anti scale filter collects unwanted impurities in water and is removable for easy cleaning.

360 degree rotating base

1-Liter capacity with exterior water level indicators and a 360 degree rotating base makes prepping and serving your hot water needs easier than ever.

Fresh & Simple

Enjoy a variety of soothing teas and other hot drinks for a well balanced life.

CUSTOMER REVIEW

This is a wonderful small kettle. It heats water up faster than I thought possible. Don't bother walking away to do anything else, as your water will be ready in a flash. I haven't timed it yet, but it is so much faster than a microwave. The three temperature settings are a useful feature. Inside is a metal bottom and the surrounding wall is plastic. I do not know if it is the safe plastic. I looked all over the packaging and inside the booklet to see if it was. There was no information regarding this. It is easy to take off of the base. I like that the electric cord can wind up inside the base, so you only use what cord you need. It shuts off automatically when the desired temperature is reached.

There is only ONE negative feature that I can think of. The level indicator is hard to see. I have to wipe the inside after using if I want to use it again immediately because the condensation makes the "hard" to see water level indicator "impossible" to see. A minor inconvenience, I think.

I would buy this again. It would make a great gift. I have used it for making tea, ramen, and oatmeal thus far. It is so handy to have!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

OXO Good Grips Twisting Tea Ball

Product Description

OXO Good Grips Tea Ball:

Loose leaf tea just got a lot less complicated. The OXO Good Grips Twisting Tea Ball makes it easy to scoop up the desired amount of loose leaf tea. The twisting feature ensures that a generous amount of tea leaves stays inside the Ball while you close it. The spinning design also makes the Tea Ball easy to clean. The Twisting Tea Ball has a long, stainless steel neck to accommodate many different sizes of mugs and cups, and the soft, non-slip grip makes stirring comfortable. The Twisting Tea Ball is also great for steeping herbs and spices.

It’s the Little Things:

At OXO, we consistently develop products that address even the tiniest of pet peeves, because we know it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. Sometimes at OXO, tools are introduced because they are the pet projects of our employees. OXO’s president, Alex Lee, is an avid tea drinker and encouraged the development of our Tea Ball. Each detail, even the shape of the holes, was carefully thought out over five years of development. The result? A Tea Ball that has quickly become a favorite of tea enthusiasts everywhere.

Features & Benefits:

Scoop: Generous head and twisting feature makes filling the Tea Ball with a large amount loose leaf tea a breeze Steep: Long, stainless steel neck accommodates most cups and mugs for convenient stirring; length also allows it to rest on the side of mugs for prolonged steeping Comfort: Soft, non-slip grip on handle makes twisting and stirring easy and comfortable Cleaning: Twisting the bottom of the handle after use self-scoops wet tea leaves from the Tea Ball, making clean up a breeze; dishwasher safe and BPA free

Good Tip:

The Tea Ball works best with whole-leaf teas, such as pearl teas, full-leaf green teas and large-leaf black teas. Small- or broken-leaf teas are best used with a fine mesh strainer such as the OXO Good Grips 3” Mini Strainer.

and BPA free

OXO is dedicated to providing innovative consumer products that make everyday living easier.

How do we do it?

We study people – lefties and righties, male and female, young and old – interacting with products and identify ways to make them better. Our “question everything” process and relentless attention to detail uncover the best solutions for slicing, peeling, whisking, baking, stirring, washing, scrubbing, dusting, storing and organizing.

CUSTOMER REVIEW

I have used the common spring loaded, mesh tea infusers for years. I found that the halves don't always line up and hinges invariably got loose and then broke. I found the mesh balls were messy to clean up. I recently purchased three new infusers of various types because they operated differently and looked different. This is functionally the best of the three. This one is easy to load. It is also easy to unload and clean. I rotate the cover back and tap the handle on the edge of the trash/compost bin and the leaves fall out. It is easy to rinse the remaining leaves out as the infuser is sheet metal with small holes rather than the mesh tea infuser I replaced. I have only had some loose sediment at the bottom of the mug when using very fine loose tea or when I am getting the tea dust that collects at the bottom of the can. I have had several comments on the infuser from other tea drinkers who have never seen one. I brew my tea in a 20 ounce mug and the infuser easily holds a big enough load for a robust mug of tea. The ball may take up a too much space and it might look a little awkward in a small mug or teacup. If the handle sticks out too far it could be accidentally knocked out or tipped over. The mechanism is a stem that rotates in a hollow handle with half the tea ball connected to the stem and the other half connected to the handle. If there are weak points it would be where the halves are attached. I don't know if liquid gets into the handle but being stainless steel, it should not develop rust. I have used this every day for about a month and a half and have had no problems. I would recommend this with no reservations.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine

CUSTOMER REVIEW

I have not written reviews before, but I have been a coffee, capucchino drinkers for years. Although I don't claim to be an expert in any sense of the word, I think that I am knowledgeable about making a good espresso and cappuchino. I read the 4 reviews that were posted on this machine prior to writing my own review, and I felt this machine deserved my review as well. Although this machine is not perfect and does require some trial and error over days/weeks, I think that it does a great job for the price and is well worth the investment!!!!!

I have had my machine for over a month now. I make 3-6 capuchino's a day for my wife and I. Compared to the Starbuck's espresso/capuchino barista machine we bought years ago, this machine is wonderful. We were inspired to buy it when we were in Puerto Rico and had a latte/capuchino at the airport with Latte art. Not only did we enjoy the art work, we realized how poor our old espresso/capuchino machine was.

Appearance

Although appearance and looks aren't everything - lol -, it is important. I personally think that this machine is gorgeous and looks great on my kitchen countertop. I love the stainless steel. I love the way it is laid out. I love the way the tamper is held. I love the way it looks when you turn it on and the lighting that it has. Everything is easy to access. If you need to put in water and its under a counter top, you just pull the machine out so you have room to refill it or turn it sidewise. I have absolutely no complaints about the layout of the machine. I think the design is fabulous.

Burr Grinder

On the good side, I must say that it is fabulous having a grinder on the machine that directly feeds grinds into the container that you make your espresso in. It makes making an excellent espresso so easy. The espresso/coffee also really does taste soooo much better when you are grinding beans immediately before you use them versus having them ground for days or weeks ahead of time. It is also sooo convenient not have a separate grinder, and it is such a nice system to have. I went into a local Starbuck's the other day, and they had a very similiar layout on the machine with the coffee beans in a conical plastic holder above the machine feeding into the grinder just like the Breville machine.

Personally, I cannot comment on the burr grinder and how well it does because I am not that knowledgeable. The grinds seem consistent and well done, and I have no complaints about the burr grinder's grinding.

On the negative side, I currently have the grinder grinding the minimal amount of coffee possible RYI, there is a range of settings on how much it should grind on the front of the machine. I have my setting on the most minimal coffee to grind, and I have the grind setting on a very fine grind. When the grinder is on its automatic function of grinding, it grinds an amount that slightly over flows the container that the coffee goes in and you lose some coffee. You would think when your grinder is set on the minimal amount of coffee grinds and a fine grind on top of that, it would deliver an amount that would not spill over the side and cause wastage of your coffee. I haven't dared to set the grinding amount at anything more than the minimal amount fearing it would just waste more coffee. The actual amount of ground coffee that is wasted is not much whatsoever, its the principal of automatic settings still wasting coffee grounds that bothers me. For your information, you can always control the amount that is being ground by manually starting and stopping the grinder by pushing the basket in and out, but I like to start the grinding, walk away from the machine, and not have to worry about it grinding slightly more than it should. Of course, once you tamp it down, you will probably have to grind a little bit more in order to have it at the right level so although its a minor inconvenience overall its absolutely great to have fresh ground coffee so easy to grind and put into the holder to brew great fresh espresso.

Making espresso shots

I have to admit, even after a month of using this machine, I still have to play with different factors to make great espresso. One of the things that I really love is the pressure gauge that works when you draw each and every shot. The pressure gauge helps you determine whether you have the right pressure each time you brew a shot to create a great shot. Without the pressure gauge, you would have absolutely no idea the pressures or barr being generated by the machine. Now I can look at every shot and know the pressure and whether it hit the right zone to make the perfect shot.

Generating the right pressure may be tricky at times. The pressure apparently depends on several things such as grind fineness,how much grinds you put in the basket, the bean type and other factors. You just have to play with these features to find the best combination for the perfect shot of espresso. I also think that each type of coffee bean that you use, the amount of time since the bean was roasted, and the age of when that coffee bean was roasted also plays a factor in terms of what grind you use and how much you have to pack or tamper the grinds.

Customer support

I have talked with customer support many times as I try to learn how to create a great espresso and great microfoam for capuchinos and latte art, and I must highly commend Breville for having a technical support line staffed with people really willing to help out. It is a major reason why I kept my machine and will keep it. Any company that cares about their products and their customers satisfaction with their products should model themselves after Brevilles customer service department. They are very friendly. They try to be very helpful, and I think generally they are very knowledgeable. Although at times, you can get frustrated with them because they really tell you that there are so many factors involved including the type of bean you are using, when it was roasted, how it was roasted and a myriad host of other factors. At first when I was in the learning stages, I actually went to whole foods grocery store as they will tell you and tried to buy the coffee that they recommend. Unfortunately, after making a trip there, I can tell you that the coffee they recommend apparently is unique to the California market, and they do not sell that type in any of their stores in Florida. The bottom line though is that I think the customer service department really makes a good effort to understand your needs and to get you to use the machine properly to produce the espresso and microfoam that you are after. Although I ended up not believing everything they told me and rightfully so, I think that most of their advice is very appropriate and helpful.

Microfoam

Microfoam is an art. I have been searching to perfect the technique over the last month, but its not necessarily easy. I think it can depend on the machine. I think that it can depend on the milk you use, and I think that it can depend on your technique and a combination of all these factors. Sometimes, I steam the milk (I usually use 2%) and the taste is absolutely devine, and I can't wait for the next cup. Other times, too much of the milk remains as heated milk rather than turn mostly into microfoam so I still feel that I am learning. Overall, when I do it correctly which is about 80% of the time, I am in heaven with my fresh espresso and microfoam, and the other 20% of the time, it is very good.

Ideally, I wanted to be able to do latte art with this machine. I have tried over and over and over to do it, but to be honest, I just can't get the microfoam or something write like they show you on the video's on youtube. I don't know if its the machine (remembering this is only a $599 machine versus the many many thousands of dollar machines at commercial places) or me, but I haven't been able to make my latte art "hearts" or other things well or consistently.

Overall, I really like this machine makes excellent espresso and microfoam with trial and error initially, and it is well worth the price. Use the customer service provided to help you learn about how to use this machine if you need help. I am sure that this Breville machine is not nearly as good as a commercial machine that cost megabuck or maybe even other models that only cost thousands, but for the asking price, I really don't think you can ask for much better, and I am really glad that I bought it. I hope this review helped.

PS The rating for this Breville machine price deserves a 5 star. I gave it a 4 star rating only because it seems that the people buying these machines are very, very particular and want the best even the price is nothing like you would pay for a commercial machine that would give them their ideal coffee.