Customer Reviews

Bodum 3004-586USA Mini Electric Santos, Orange

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I admit I bought this coffeemaker simply for the unique design and the stunning color (orange)... but now I'm quicker to tell people about the FANTASTIC coffee it makes. I'm a coffee lover who thrives off of my tall skim latte's, but I have to confess that the cup of straight black coffee I get from my Santos FAR surpasses any latte I could get from ANY Starbucks or Caribou.

The fun stuff -
When I first got my Santos we were having a party in my apartment building, when it came to my apartment for dessert/coffee the party ended up in my kitchen... it was so funny watching tons of people cram into my tiny kitchen in silence to see the 'cool coffeemaker' at work. Yes people, it's a conversation piece too! And guaranteed EVERYONE will be jealous of you. = )

But it's not just cool - the coffee it makes is stupendous. It takes a lot of beans to make a few cups, but no matter how strong you make the coffee it is NEVER bitter! I've tried several kinds of beans and keep testing the strength, I've found that the difference is the smoothness of the coffee, if it's strong it'll still be fantastic.

Clean-up isn't difficult at all, just a few more seconds than my old drip... but I've noticed that there are a lot less crevices and impossible corners to reach when cleaning it... the Santos is so rounded and smooth that I think it's actually easier to clean them my drips.

There are a lot of complaints out there about rubber seals, tipping the canister right, spitting water, blah, blah, blah. I found (as with any product) that if you read/watch the well documented directions and actually FOLLOW them that you'll have no problem getting this machine to work. Spend a few extra minutes to do this, it's too expensive of a machine not to.

My review - get this coffeemaker, I can't say enough good things about it - you won't be dissapointed, I PROMISE!

This is a great small version of the 12-cup Bodum Santos released last year. It's 5-cup size is much more practical to be used every day. The vacuum system is VERY cool that produces very good coffee. Cleaning it requires a little bit of work but you just need a wire cleaner.

I have to admit that the price is a bit high. If you can overcome this, for anyone looking for a stylish, fun to watch coffeemaker that produces quality coffee, you should seriously consider this product. The color choice is an added bonus

I can't say this is the best of both worlds, but it is very close. The Santos (and mini Santos) vacuum coffee makers make a full pot of coffee in less than 4 minutes, and are slightly easier to clean than a press. I have enjoyed coffee with a drip maker for the last 8 years, so the full flavor of a press or vacuum machine took some getting used to (the flavor is usually stronger, depending on the coffee type and how it is ground). Since the heating element does not remain on after 15 minutes, this unit is designed for the coffee to be consumed within a half hour or so. So the convenience of a heated pot is not available here as it is on drip makers. So the emphasis here is on freshness and enjoying coffee at the best possible temperature. And just as the coffee in this machine is meant to be consumed quickly, the unit is also meant to be cleaned quickly after use. I recommend hand-washing the bowl and rinsing the pot after each use, as the parts are plastic and thus are more prone to coffee build-up. Bottom line - treat the Santos with care and it will make the best coffee you've ever made at home.

I've used the Bodum Mini now for a month. It makes great coffee, and looks beautiful on my counter. Prior to buying the Bodum, I did some research at Amazon and read the reviews. One negative comment I remember is that the Bodum is difficult to clean. I wanted to come back and write a review specifically because my experience has been completely different; I find the Bodum easy to clean. So for those wanting a little different, more interesting experience of making coffee in the morning, this Bodum is it.

Cute pot. A pain to clean --there is no filter--good for environment, but one must scoop wet grounds out with hand. I tried pulling the stopper to loosen grounds but worse, the grounds all came flying out. The pot does not stay on long enough. I land up drinking cool coffee after 30 minutes. I am impatient and think it took too long to brew (my Delonghi percolater was fastest). Too pricey for not being perfect.