industrial coffee makers

1. Posted: Sep 1 2008

   This is a good and apparently a well-made appliance. It is flawed, however, by its internal water level guage. This makes it difficult set the level for six cups or less without having to rely on the markings on the carafe. An external guage would have been better.

2. Posted: Aug 31 2008

   I was hesitant to spend this much for a coffee maker but after using it for a couple of months I consider it to be a good buy. Brews quickly and the coffee stays at a good temperature - hot, but not too hot to sip. It's easy to clean. Best of all, the grounds stay in the filter - no splashing up onto the internals or creeping down into the carafe. My wife's not crazy about the "retro" look but I care less about that than the quality of my coffee. Starbucks is losing business to this machine!

3. Posted: Aug 31 2008

   I have had hundreds, maybe thousands of cups of coffee in my life. This machine makes some of the best coffee I have tasted. My coffee maker died after 8 years. I did much research (consumer reports) and reading of reviews on Amazon. I decided on the Cuisinart DCC-1200. It is a great deal at half price and free super saver shipping. I have been using mine for 2 weeks now and continue to be impressed. My friend came over last week and the first words out of his mouth was "wow, cool looking coffee maker" So, you get great coffee, its a great deal, and it looks great. What else are you looking for?

See all reviews...

1. ( 4 of 4 found this review helpful ) Posted: Aug 12 2008

   At one time I owned a Krups espresso/cappuccino machine that I ended up using for only a few months since it was such a pain to set up and clean. Right now, it's sitting in my basement, gathering cobwebs. However, when I received this Nespresso machine as a gift, I now can have cappuccino whenever I want in mere minutes. I turn the machine on, wait for the solid red light to show proper heat/steam (it takes about 30 seconds), pop in a pod, and press the correct cup size for espresso or the larger "lungo." The coffee is forced through the pod and into the cup below in seconds, with a nice brown crema on top. For cappuccino or latte, you need only to then press the steam button (the machine comes with a steamer attachment), stick the tube in a cup of milk, press the lever, and watch the machine suck up the milk and deposit it, hot and foamy, into the cup. Clean up? A breeze. Even if you steam milk, you have only let the steamer suck in water for a few seconds and deposit it into another cup. The empty pods are tossed into an internal receptacle that holds ten or so. There is no tamping for preparation. No scraping the grounds out afterward. No dishwashing. It really is that simple. And the espresso and cappuccino taste just like they do in Italy. Of course, there are downsides to every machine, and this one is expense. Not only is the machine pricey, but the pods must be purchased through Nespresso at approximately fifty cents per pod. (They come in sleeves of ten.) The Nespresso also must be particularly sensitive to power surges, since mine stopped working in less than a year, as did my sister's, for no apparent reason. But . . . the customer service is awesome. I called, and they sent a loaner machine overnight, with packing and a pre-paid label to send mine in for servicing. When mine was fixed a week later, I simply shipped the loaner machine back using, again, a pre-paid label. I didn't pay a cent. Still, I now leave my machine unplugged when not in use. Others may want to put it on a surge protector. I was worried that the pre-measured portions of coffee would taste canned, but they have excellent flavor. Once you buy this machine, you will be part of the "Nespresso Club" (wait until you see how exclusive they make it seem -- you'll have to laugh!). You will buy your coffee off the web site or over the phone, and receive it within two days. The "Ristretto" pods make the best full-strength espresso and cappuccino. Even when I make "lungo" coffee, I tend to use the higher strength coffees such as "Arpeggio" since I'm not a fan of the milder types. "Decaffeinato Intenso" makes competent decaf cappuccino as well as lungo, although I wish they had an even stronger decaf. (The regular "Decaffeinato" is milder.) This machine is a luxury, to be sure, and I doubt I would have splurged on my own. However, this is one gift that I use regularly, with as much appreciation for it as I had the first week. Unlike my Krups machine, this one sits proudly on my counter. Friends who come to dinner eye it longingly, hoping that, once again, I'll offer up espresso or cappuccino with dessert. Of course, I always oblige.

2. Posted: Mar 10 2008

   This is my first espresso machine and I couldn't be happier. A friend who owns a coffee shop recommended this machine to me because I wanted something easy to use but that wouldn't skimp on quality. And it's been a homerun. * The shots come out exactly the same every time with that beautiful and elusive crema on the top. * The espresso comes out nice and hot. My friend told me this and the bars of pressure were what put Nespresso apart from most similar machines. A luke warm espresso is no good. * The machine is easy to clean and maintain. * The Nespresso club is a nice touch that makes ordering more coffee a cinch. I thought being limited to Nespresso coffee (the pods) would be a downside, but I've liked all the pods I've tried and haven't felt like I needed more. The only negative I'd list is that the frothing attachment is lackluster. I used it for about 6 months now and it just wouldn't produce the airy milk froth you get from a stand alone unit (like the Nespresso Aeroccino I just bought today and love!). Bottom line: get this machine. You'll thank yourself over a cappuccino or a nice shot of espresso.

3. Posted: Feb 26 2008

   OMG, this is so easy to use and it makes the best cappuccinos. Over the years, I've tried them all -- I've gone from a cheap Braun espresso machine, to an expensive Gaggia, to a stove-top Mukka, and this is without a doubt the best coffee I've had at home. Plus, it is so easy to clean up.

See all reviews...