Customer Reviews

Bosch TCA4101UC Barino Pump Espresso Machine

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

 

 

i actually have the bosch water heater and it's what i used when i would prepare coffee by french press. my coffee habits changed when my sister got me the bosch espresso machine! now, i can officially claim to be a true java junkie! no more trips to starbucks because i can make way better coffe than they could thanks to this modern convenience! the free illy sample was nice too, though i've always used illy for my coffee. it's easy to operate and clean up is a breeze! the only disappointment was, when i looked at the bottom, it said it was made in mexico! gwah! i thought bosch was german?!

I loved the look and simplicity of this product. I wanted to buy a simple espresso machine before we upgraded to a full automatic. The Bosch TCA6301UC Benvenuto B30 Thermoblock 15-Bar-Pump Digital Fully Automatic Espresso Machine was my top pick so I went for the Barino as a starter machine. 2 Months later - completely broken.

I seriously doubt that it actually had the bars of pressure they advertised and the coffee was just barely warm. The whole thing was just not a good machine and it made crappy coffee especially using decaf beans.

I hate to say it - the Bosch TCA6301UC Benvenuto B30 Thermoblock 15-Bar-Pump Digital Fully Automatic Espresso Machine got such high marks but this thing is a real dud. I'm not sure I even care enough to try and get them to replace/fix it.

Sorry Bosch - thumbs down from me.

We purchased the Barino Pump and the first one received had a pump that didn't work. After a long process we were able to get it replaced. The second machine worked for only about a month and then died. This level of low reliability and quality is irritating. Never expected it from the Bosch brand. Something is wrong in their production control.

I love it! I have had no problems with mine and fine the quality to be superb! I only dont like how long it takes between cups of coffee to reheat. It's fine if I am just making a cut for myself, but doesnt work as well when I am making many in a row.

My first Bosch Barino had a dead pump. I returned it and got the one I have been using for 2 months.

Despite the low rating, I have been able to make good lattes. It is from working around the failures of this machine. It is also from the ability of the milk to hide the abject bitterness of the expresso this makes to get a full enough flavor to stand up to the steamed milk.

There are two other poor reviews of this machine on the web that can be ignored. They complain about the espresso coming out cold. Simple fact, all espresso makers recommend that you pre-heat the porta filter and the vessel into which your coffee is going. Problem solved. The best way to heat the portafilter and the vessel is to "prime" the machine, run it without grounds through the portafilter and into the vessel.

One issue I have concerns the lack of customer service. This is my first pump machine. I did not know my 1st Barino was defective until I checked online and watched and heard videos of how pump machines operate. (I highly recommend you find the video on YouTube with the instructions for operating a Starbucks Barrista machine. Excellent education on using a home espresso maker.) For customer service you are only given a toll free number from Bosch. When I called it I could not find anyone who knew anything about this machine. I was directed to a service person 100 miles away to whom I was told to send my machine. I called the service person and he determined the machine was defective so I returned it to Rudys (through Amazon) and they sent me another. (Rudys handled it effortlessly, nice work!)

My biggest gripe with the machine is that it simply does not make a good expresso and there is never crema. I had a home made cup of espresso yesterday from a high end Capresso machine. It was heaven in a demitasse. It was rich, with crema and not at all bitter. It showed what I was missing. You will never see crema with the Barino. I have tried all different grinds (I use a burr grinder) and different coffees, all very fresh, and nothing works.

The amount of coffee expressed from the Barino is too little. After the first dark coffee drips out, about 1 1/2 shots out of the double shot pod, weak bitter colored water starts coming out. So, a double shot, well, is not.

The frother does not froth well. I could get much better froth from my old Krups steam machine. The frother on the Barino is too low on the machine for my frothing pitcher and does not pivot in the verticle but only swivels in the horizontal plane.

I would suggest a more expensive alternative. The Saeco Aroma is a highly rated machine. I would consider a Gaggia, but I would need to buy a better grinder as well. (Per reviewers, the Capresso Infinity grinder I have does not grind fine enough for a Gaggia.)

I can no longer return this item. It will soon be an expensive door stop as I am going to replace it.

I bought this product because I was tired of wasting $20 + dollars a week on my fiances latte habit. I have used it typically once or twice a day since I have purchased it (about six months now) and have had no problems thus far. I have a few other Bosch products and I have yet to be disappointed.