 Long lost love, oh where have you been all my life? |
| Review Date: December 30, 2009 |
| Reviewer: A. Andrew, Sacramento, CA USA |
LOVE this machine! I do not claim to be an espresso junkie or aficionado, but I am addicted to lattes and my morning habit was getting to be expensive so we bought this machine for Christmas. It's AWESOME! One of my main criteria, besides great espresso, was a frothing wand that would really do the job, and this one does. It texturizes the milk beautifully and creates delicious, creamy froth for my lattes and cappuccinos. We're still working to get the right grind and tamp combination, but I love that you can also use pods in the machine, which is fantastic for decaf! We drink regular espresso in the morning or afternoon, but every once in a while I want a cappuccino at night but it's not worth keeping the decaf beans or emptying my grinder to replace with decaf so we keep decaf pods on hand for those rare evening cravings. Perfectly convenient! You have to be willing to experiment to get the right tamp/grind combination or your espresso won't taste too yummy, but if you have some patience and try various combinations it really pays off. And I love the hot water wand - heats very quickly and great for hot tea! Super easy to use, pretty easy to clean and maintain, and entirely worth the cost!
Notable stuff:
- heats up quickly
- advertises that the top of the machine serves as a warming station for your espresso cups, but it doesn't get nearly warm enough to actually warm the cups (warm by filling with hot water from the hot water dispenser instead)
- does not require the use of distilled or filtered water (in fact, the instructions say NOT to use distilled water) - just use tap water and decalcify with vinegar occasionally
- the drip tray is nice and large-was able to make 6 lattes, including rinsing in between each one, and drip tray still wasn't full
- water reserve is very large and holds plenty of water
- "programmable" just means that you can program how large your single shot is and how large your double shot is so that once it's programmed, you just have to push a button to make a shot of espresso - eliminates the guess work that results in inconsistent shots
- the pod attachment only works for single shots, as far as I can tell there are no double pods on the market and even if there were, I don't think they would fit in the pod attachment |
FANTASTIC!
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| Review Date: November 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Paul Campbell, |
This is a great espresso machine. Easy to use, AFTER you read the instructions. Cleaning is simple, the indicator on the spill tray lets you know when it's full with "Empty Me!" I use the hot water function to warm up the cups and to make tea. I have never used a cappuccino milk steamer before, but this one is extremely simple to get a good milk froth. The mug warmer on the top of the machine works well, but only if you plan of having multiple uses as it takes a while to get the heat up to the mugs. The pressure gauge on the front gives you a good indication how well you are grinding the coffee, and tamping. I normally have the pressure gauge in the lower optimal range and it tastes very good. It does take practice to create the perfect method, so be patient. The water tank holds enough water to serve many people without refilling.
I also purchased a knock box, which I think completes the set. Removing the grounds from the filter can be frustrating without this specially made knock box. I bought the: RSVP Espresso Knockout Box and it works very well at a good price RSVP Espresso Knockout Box.
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Fantastic machine
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| Review Date: January 17, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Rob F. Adams MD, Augusta, GA |
| I have had this machine for about 4 weeks and love it. It's easy to learn, is made of high quality parts, and looks beautiful on the counter. Be careful with grind fineness, as we had some problems when coffee ground at Starbucks with their machine on "espresso" setting. Once you find the right grind consistency, the results are delicious and consistent. The steamer wand works extremely well and is easy to maneuver with the 360 degree swivel arm. This is a great espresso maker for the coffee/espresso lover. |
Professional machine, professional results
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| Review Date: July 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kunsthandler, Eastbay, California |
The only word is WOW! After using an inexpensive machine for eight years I upgraded to the die-cast Breville, and what a revelation. Well worth the money, it will pay for itself in less than a year if you compare costs with store-boought espresso drinks. Heavy and sturdy, the coffee produced is equal to any from a storefront. I couldn't be happier - except I wish it had a second tank access for direct pouring of fresh water, but, hey, you can't have everything for $500, can you?
Never going back...! |
I love this machine!
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| Review Date: September 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Herman B. Finkelstein, Virginia Beach |
I bought this machine refurbished as an upgrade from an inexpensive machine. I have to say "WOW". This is a well designed system. I really love the progam feaure that allows you to brew a single or double shot just by pushing a button. No more watching until your cup is filled to the right level.
Whether using pods or ground espresso, the Breville brews as good a cup as I've had.
I like the all stainless steamer/frother. It is easier to clean as the end disassembles from the wand.
I haven't had much use for the hot water feature, and if I were redesigning this unit I would leave it out.
The all stainless construction is attractive and utilitarian. Sturdy and lends itself to easy cleanup.
Well worth what I paid for it! |
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