 Style AND Substance - A GREAT Coffeemaker |
| Review Date: April 3, 2007 |
| Reviewer: M. Steed, Dallas, Texas USA |
I have had this machine since February and use it nearly every day. This is definitely one of the best coffeemakers I have ever owned, and I haven't had one single problem with it.
When I was deciding whether or not to buy it, some of the negative reviews had me a little skeptical. But I am SO glad that I took a chance. It was absolutely worth it for me.
I honestly don't see how some of the reviewers have had some of the problems that they have. Reviewer 'Joan of Arc' seemed to have quite a bit of leakage problems. It must have been a defective machine, because ours hasn't leaked one time -- not even a little drop. I'll go over a few of the issues she and some others had:
- The removable water reservoir (or "bucket" as she called it) for the coffeemaker is easy to remove and replace. If you don't want to take it out to fill it with water, just pour water into it. It is marked clearly and is easy to read even when stationed on the machine. No problem.
- The showerhead over the filter basket swivels outward to allow you to change the coffee filter. When you're done, you just swivel it back into place. I don't see how you can forget to do it, because the lid is designed so that you can't even close it if the showerhead isn't moved back into place. It really isn't even something you have to think about.
- Some people have had problems with the carafe lid. It doesn't open fully, but opens wide enough for me to clean it with little problem. We haven't had any problems with it dripping or leaking at all. It's like any other carafe that I've used over the years.
- 'Joan of Arc' mentioned that it was easy for her to forget to put the 1st lid on the espresso side before putting down the second lid. I'm not exactly sure what she was referring to, but I think she meant the water reservoir cap and lid. Again, I don't see how you could forget to screw the cap back on after you fill it with water. I suppose it's a learning curve. The first few times I used the machine, I referred to the instruction manual to make sure I did everything right. Now I can crank out good espresso and cappuccino in minutes without really even thinking about it. It just takes a little practice, like with anything else.
- Some people wished for a frother that was a little more accessible to make it a little easier to froth milk in a larger pitcher. That would have been a nice feature. It isn't too difficult to use, however, and seems to work just fine. The milk is always steaming hot, and the froth doesn't get cold for us.
- The coffee and espresso COULD be a LITTLE hotter. I don't like scalding hot coffee anyway, so it doesn't bother me too much, but for someone that does, it might be a small issue. Again, it doesn't seem like a deal-breaker, though.
- A clock or timer would have been a nice addition as well, but not having it doesn't affect the quality of the machine. It would have made a good product even better.
We have used both the coffee side and espresso side many times, and have yet to have any problems. I think some people may have received defective machines, but any product can be purchased defective. Some issues can easily be resolved with a little practice in getting used to the controls and operation of the whole machine, but once you do, it's more than easy to make good quality coffee and espresso.
I would definitely have to say that I got a great deal on a sleek, stylish machine that also works very well and makes good quality coffee. If you 'get what you pay for', then I made out like a bandit. Perfectly satisfied and VERY happy I bought it.
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So far so good!
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| Review Date: May 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Sabad One, |
I purchased this coffee maker a few weeks ago, and I enjoyed many good coffees since. I am Italian, and I find the espresso as good as a good espresso prepared with a moka. This is good enough for me, but don't expect a REALLY good espresso, the kind you can have in that special little bar in a hidder corner of an Italian city. I did not have any trouble with leaks anywhere, so far (as some reviewer complained about). Only small complain, the espesso sometimes has a "metallic" flavor coming from the high temperatures reached by the water container. But no big deal, overall I am happy I purchased this product so far.
P.S. I posted the review in May 2007 and I am writing this PS one year later, in April 2008. The machine still works perfectly, with no leaks. I have also used the milk frother several times, and it makes a pretty good cappuccino! Maybe I should upgrade my rating to 5 stars!
P.P.S. In February 2009, everything still works fine!
P.P.P.S. In February 2010, this appliance is still working great. Indeed I tried to update my rating from 4 to 5 stars but the web site doesn't let me do it. Oh, well! |
better than i expected
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| Review Date: June 16, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Kitchen and Houseware Enthusiast, New York City, NY |
| i ordered my coffeemaker after reading the reviews below.. since they were mixed, i went for it anyway- i had a good experince, the coffee was good and i did not spill when i poured - overall id have to agree that i am pleased with my decision to purchase this coffeemaker |
Worth to the last cent, great product and great cappuccinos and lattes !
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| Review Date: February 22, 2008 |
| Reviewer: The Celican, Philadelphia, USA |
I really like this machine and thats why took all the time and effort to write such a long review. I am not a regular but the occasional Starbucks goer because I have always resented their high prices but then everyone needs their regular coffees, mochas, espressos, lattes and cappuccinos. So after a lot of research and spending more than 20 working hours looking for that perfect combination coffee-espresso maker, I zeroed in on this one. My wife and I have totally stopped going to Coffee houses after we purchased this because now we can make excellent hot and cold drinks, even better-tasting a lot of times, right at home. Talk about saving money, if you were paying almost $8 for two drinks at Starbucks. I was willing to spend about $250 on a good one, but almost every product I saw in this range on Amazon, had bad reviews and quality problems associated with it. Even companies like DeLonghi and Krupps. I initially brushed off Mr.Coffee because I thought of it a cheap brand making stock coffee for the masses in offices and homes. But reading reviews by other users here turned me around. Its outward look and feel isn't what a Krupps would give you, but doesn't look as plasticky and cheap as a Cuisinart either. Overall it looks good.
Espresso Part: Its got a nice frother. Use it submerged and down to steam milk, and use it set higher in your mug or cup to generate froth. The quality of both has been very good, especially the froth. I did notice however that the temperature of steamed milk after steaming is not as high as I would have liked. Maybe its because thats how they set it at the factory and don't want to get sued by some sucker who burns himself in the mouth or maybe I just like it really hot. So I just zapp in the microwave right after steaming for 30 seconds if its not hot enough and that does the trick. I haven't bought a stainless steel frothing mug yet but found that a regular ceramic coffee mug works just as fine. Many people complained about the length of its frother but its not really a problem if you are using regular sized coffee mugs. And you can always move the frother around to the side if you wanted to. Also make sure you clean the frothing aid after each use to ensure it doesn't get clogged. I have to tamp the coffee myself but it really results in a in-you-face-punch espresso shots. Although the manual says you will get espresso in 3-4 minutes, its really a lot more quicker than that. You do have to screw the top lid tightly though...think of an engine oil cap; otherwise much of the steam will escape through that while frothing. The espresso feature is very easy to use, choose either brewing or espresso making. Water compartments are separate for both the functions and thankfully so. The drip tray below comes in very handy as well. It won't be able to brew coarsely ground coffee in the Espresso maker very well for simple reasons of physics.
Now the coffe-maker part: I purchased a Mr. Coffee Gold-Tone filter for that. I like the fact that you can set it to brew 2-4 cups or 4-8 cups at a time. Me and my wife really don't need much, so the 2-4 cups setting works perfectly for us. The water compartment is translucent and you can see/set the water level as you wish to. The hot water shower head over the filter is movable and designed fool-proof so you can't close the lid if you don't have the shower-head in its right place. This is a very nice safety feature. Other than that I really wish it didn't have the standard bottom glass-carafe heater plate because it really messes the coffe up after some time and the coffee loses its flavor. Instead, they should have supplied a nice thermal carafe with it eliminating the need for a heating plate. But is not a big issue with us since we always drink the coffee fresh and never brew a big batch for the whole day. Plus you can also transfer the coffee to a separate insulated thermal carafe to keep it fresh as soon as its brewed. I have a collection of some gourmet Costa Rican coffees with low acidity + some European varieties and this has brewed them all each time perfectly. Obviously do not expect it to be a replacement of a $300-400 product but this thing really is the most bang for your buck. I have to also agree on the many complaints people have had on Amazon forum about how the coffee leaks because of the carafe-lid while pouring. This is a Design problem but a minor one. Yes the coffee does flow a little haywire because the particular lid structure breaks its laminar flow. A simple solution: Raise the lid a little with your holding hand from the back, and presto: problem solved!!
The instruction manual included is very easy to read and has recipes to make cappuccinos etc as well. Thats why I chose to give this 5 stars.
Great value for money! |
Awesome Machine for the Price!
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| Review Date: November 27, 2006 |
| Reviewer: S. Ellison, New Mexico, USA |
If you are looking to try your hand at Espresso making and want to save money and space, then this is your baby!
We previously had the entry level Mr Coffee Espresso maker and ran it to death. We had it about 2 1/2years and it was used just about everyday. If you figure the cost of your average Cap, Esp or Latte drink we more than got our moneies worth. We made the small additional investment of a thermometer and frothing cup just to make the job easier. Never having made anything more than regular coffee, this is a great machine to learn on.
Anyway, we finally killed it, and decided to replace it and our previous coffee maker with this combo machine which takes up less space.
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