Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker, Electric Titan

CUSTOMER REVIEW



We have owned the Nespresso CitiZ for a year and have been very happy with it. Recently we also bought the Nespresso Pixie for our vacation place and are slightly disappointed with the operation of the machine. Here are our thoughts (listed in no particular order):



PROS:

- Small footprint makes this machine well suited for smaller kitchens that don't have a lot of counter space.

- Heats up very quickly, i.e. making coffee is quite fast

- Cute design

- Coffee is very good and hot, with excellent crema, just like it is with the Citiz.



CONS:

- Smaller water reservoir means frequent refilling.

- Reservoir is more difficult to remove than on the Citiz. It clicks into the machine at the top via two plastic 'hooks' which only retract when one opens the reservoir's hinged lid. With the lid open, one then lifts the reservoir up and out. We found this a bit tedious, coming from the more straight-forward design of the Citiz where no opening of the lid is required, one lifts it out and is done.

- The cup tray folds up for taller cups such as latte macchiato glasses but it does not stay folded up on its own, i.e. one has to hold the tray with one hand and place the cup down with the other. As soon as the cup is removed, the tray falls back into its original position

- We found that there is noticeable coffee spray during operation. We had to place the machine on a towel and move it away from anything that could be permanently soiled by that spraying, such as walls.



SUMMARY:

The coffee quality is excellent, absolutely no gripes here. Our problem with the Pixie is with the operating aspect of this machine. We feel that it is too small for its own good. The smaller size apparently required design changes which in turn lead to all those inconveniences listed above. Where space is at an absolute premium, we would probably still recommend this machine but if there is sufficient space (and the Citiz is not THAT much bigger) we think that the Citiz is definitely the better and more thought-out machine. In our opinion the slightly higher price for the Citiz is worth it.



UPDATE 8/16/12:

When ordering Nespresso capsules from the Nespresso website (pretty much the only place where to get these), they have now set a requirement for their customers to order multiples of 50 capsules. Which means you can either buy 50 or 100 or 150 etc. capsules when ordering. This rule of 'multiples of 50' did not exist before. To me this is a very annoying move on part of Nespresso because it doesn't allow the customer to order, let's say, 30 of a decaffeinated variety, 20 of a Lungo and 20 of an espresso variety. Now one must place orders for higher (or lower) quantities in order to reach the 50/100... multiples.



I thought I'd mention this because if you decide on a Nespresso machine you will need to order your capsules from their website exclusively (if you want genuine Nespresso, do not live near one of their boutiques and do not want to shop on eBay). I for one will take a long hard look at this marketing practice and probably scale down my usage of Nespresso considerably because of it.

Keurig K550 2.0 Brewer

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Old #Keurig died today(sad day for us) Costco was great and gladly refunded our money after a year and a half of use and said the New and improved Keurig 2.0 was for sale for the same price as the one we had so of course we went and got it!



Now the fun part....



We get home and take the beauty our of its box find an awesome k-carafe thing inside the box which is cool cause it allows to brew 4 cups at once into a carafe.



But come to find out that you can no longer use the My K-Cup which let's you use your own coffee. Old #kcup do not work with the new 2.0 you have to Jerry rig the foil cap off a new cup and tape it onto an old one in order for the #Keurig to recognize it as a compatible series cup. The new 2.0 only brews 10oz cups unless you buy the cups made for travel mugs which then the Keurig will recognize it being a cup for a travel mug and allow for a larger brew size.



Before with the old #Keurig we would spend 12.99 every 3 months or so on coffee but now with the new 2.0 you can ONLY use Keurig brand k-cups which for 50 cups is about 30-40 dollars....



I'm no coffee snob but after messing around with this coffee maker I am really really unimpressed by the "New Features" they have made and will be returning this one back to Costco and taking my $170.00 elsewhere to buy another #Keurig B75 platinum series Brewer...



So if anyone is looking to buy a new #keurig definitely do your research and think twice before buying the 2.0

Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker, Black

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.

Tea Forte Tea Chest Collection 4.20 Ounce

CUSTOMER REVIEW



No one really understands the mystical effects of the pyramids... especially the effect on tea! I am not even sure that the shape of these tea containers is the source of their magic. But I do know this, when I buy these for my wife, it makes her really happy. You know that little squeal of delight when she opens the package - kind-of-happy... She likes the tea, and she also likes the presentation. The little tip of the pyramid rising up out of the cup... with the strange little leaf poking out of the cup cover...(yes guys, there are special cups... and pitchers... and little stands for the pyramids to rest on after bathing in warm water) This provides a near endless source of gift choices for the myriad of special occasions that require gifts. I know, I know, guys don't get it - at least I don't. But despite my testosterone based emotional handicap I do understand that these little tea infusion devices make her happy...and that makes me happy.

Aerolatte Milk Frother, Satin

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I just got the box from Amazon, pulled out my new Aerolatte, removed the protective cover from the battery compartment (yeah, it even comes pre-loaded with a pair of "aerolatte" double A's!), and put about 2 oz of NON-FAT (skim) milk in a glass.



I nuked the milk for about 20 seconds, pulled it from the microwave, stuck the aerolatte in the glass and pushed the switch.



DANG!!



Nearly INSTANT foam. GOBS of it. It formed PEAKS!! You could make small milk-animals out of it.



I really can't believe how well this thing works. The only thing that would ruin it for me is if it simply fell apart after a few uses, but frankly, with a little bit of care, it looks like it'll hold up. We'll see.



But in the meantime, call me Doctor Foam.



-Jonathan Sabin



UPDATE ***9 MONTHS LATER***



Notwithstanding the complaints of people who claim that their aerolatte lasted about 5 minutes, I just replaced the batteries for the first time since buying it back in January. (Yes, it still works, but I was disappointed that I was no longer able to make foam-animals!)



Well a couple of fresh Duracells later, and I sound like a deranged dentist with this thing in my hand. The "buzz" I had become accustomed to, is now a high-pitched whizzing sound, that actually made my molars uncomfortable.



But I'm back to making some seriously decent foam again!

BUNN BT Velocity Brew 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Home Coffee Brewer, Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



****Update 10-5-11****Unit has died (heating element apparently went out). Now out of warranty since it has been 4 years. On the one had I hate to spend $135+ to get a new one, but on the other hand, once you've had one of these things, it's hard to go back to the traditional coffeemaker. It did make great coffee for 4 years, and I loved having my coffee ready in just a minute or two. Despite the fact that I would have liked to get more than 4 years out of my original purchase, I will probably buy another one.



****Update 2-27-09****

My coffee maker developed a leak. I dusted off my original paperwork, and was very happy to see that this unit comes with a 3 year warranty. I sent it back to Bunn, and they sent me a brand new unit. Painless and relatively quick (less than a week). Yet another reason to buy a Bunn. The only thing I would mention is that I had to pay to have the old unit shipped back to them. Cost me $13 UPS, so it's not really that big a deal, but I just have this old fashioned notion that if something is covered by warranty, it shouldn't cost the consumer a penny to get it fixed or replaced.



****Original Review****

I don't see why anyone would buy a traditional glass carafe coffeemaker. The heating element scorches the coffee after about 15-20 minutes, so if you haven't finished the pot by then, you end throwing the rest away. At least I used to, until I discovered thermal carafes years ago.



I really like this coffeemaker. I am a big coffee drinker, and I usually make 1 pot in the morning, 1 pot in the afternoon, and 1 pot at night. The quality of the coffee that it brews is excellent, and I like the fact that the coffee is ready in 3 minutes.



A few other observations:



-I have not had any problem with the carafe. No spills or dribbles, and it keeps the coffee piping hot for a good 90 minutes, and then drinkably hot for another 2 hours. I especially like the fact that you don't need to open and close the lid to pour the coffee. The lids stays in the closed position while the coffee is brewing and it stays in the closed position when you pour it from the carafe.



-I have not had any problem with the basket overflowing or grinds in my coffee, but I have noticed that the grinds rise up to the tippy top of the filter, and I use Bunn filters which are a little taller than most. Although I have not had a problem myself, I can see where someone who likes an extra strong brew and adds a little more coffee might have an issue. For me it works, and I use about 10 tablespoons of coffee per full pot.



-I don't particularly like the automatic feature that starts the brewing cycle as soon as you close the lid to the water chamber. I would prefer to have a button to press, but its not a huge deal for me. Like another reviewer, I can see potential disaster if I have company or overnight guests and they want to make the coffee, and I haven't briefed them on how the machine works.



-Price is high when compared to the Mr. Coffee type machines with glass carafes, but I really do notice a difference in the taste of the coffee when I visit friends and they break out their $30 coffee maker after dinner. I think the price is a fair price for what you get, and although I haven't had it long enough to comment on its durability, Bunn typically makes products that stand up over time.



-The entire machine does have a rather large footprint, and it is bit taller than many coffeemakers. I have alot of counter space and my cabinets are high, so its not an issue for me, but do yourself a favor and take 30 seconds to measure the space where you intend to put the machine to make sure it will fit nicely.



Overall, if you're into good coffee, and you're willing to spend the money, and you're willing to overlook a few very minor flaws (see above) I would highly recommend this machine.

Hamilton Beach 46201 12 Cup Digital Coffeemaker, Stainless Steel

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I've tried many coffee makers over the years and this model #46201 by Hamilton Beach is by far the best I've ever owned. There are several very intuitive features that make this particular coffee maker stand apart from the rest. The description and pictures on this Amazon listing don't even begin to describe the features that make this coffee maker great, so I will describe them for you.



1. Removable water reservoir - The bottom of the coffee maker is equipped with little rollers. To fill the coffee maker with water, you simply turn the coffee maker around 90 degrees, grab the reservoir by the little handle and lift up to remove it. Take it over to the sink, fill it up, drop the reservoir back into place, and spin the coffee maker back around. This solves two problems that most other coffee makers have, in that I don't have to pull the machine out from underneath the kitchen cabinet in order to open the lid, and I also don't have to worry about trying to pour the water into a tiny little opening in the back of the machine. Great feature.



2. Front access to coffee ground basket - The coffee ground basket is located above the decanter, and it swings out to the front, giving me easy access to add my coffee and filter. Again, no more pulling the machine out in order to open the top lid like other coffee makers. There is a button on the right side of the machine, and when pushed the basket is released and it swings out to meet you. It takes regular sized flat bottom coffee filters, and the bottom of the coffee basket has the little spring loaded button that stops the flow of coffee if you decide to pull the decanter out while the coffee is still brewing.



3. Burner Temperature control - There is a button on the front that allows you to control the temperature of the burner under the decanter. It has three settings. I love this because after the coffee is done brewing, I can turn the burner temp down a bit and then my coffee can sit there in the pot for a while and not end up with a bitter burnt taste. With my old Cuisinart coffee maker, the coffee would taste completely burnt if it sat on the burner for more than half an hour. Burnt coffee no more!



4. Brew settings - There are 3 brew settings: Regular, 1-4 Cups, and Bold. The bold setting simply releases the water at a slower rate when brewing so the water has more time to extract the maximum flavor from the coffee grounds. If you like your coffee with a bold flavor, then this feature is for you.



5. The decanter does not dribble - This was a big selling point for me. The decanter for the Cuisinart coffee maker we just had (it's in the trash can now) dribbled like you wouldn't believe. We were finding ourselves keeping a towel next to the coffee maker because every time you poured a cup of coffee you had to clean up a mess of coffee that dribbled down the side of the decanter onto the counter top. This decanter spout has a nice deep groove to it, and it pours like a dream.



It also has the regular features that can be expected such as a clock, and the ability to set it for delayed brew. I would say the only thing that I don't like about this machine is the blue light on the display, but that is just me. This coffee maker does exactly what it is supposed to and has none of the annoying flaws that most other coffee makers suffer from. I would like to meet the engineer who designed this machine and shake their hand. My morning coffee is much more pleasurable now.



*UPDATE 12/4/2013

Well, I've had this coffee maker for a year and a half now. I use it every day, sometimes more than once a day, and have yet to experience any problems whatsoever. It just works, and I'm very pleased with this purchase. I'll probably buy another one to have on hand in case they stop making this model. By far the best coffee maker I've ever owned.