Customer Reviews

Briel EG281APG Multi-Pro Stainless Steel Pump Espresso Machine with Built-In Coffee Grinder

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

 

 

As I had expected from reviews & plenty of research the Briel Multi-Pro series makes great espresso with little fuss. Additionally the frother froths quickly and easily. I am very satisfied with the overall quality of this unit and the quietness of the pump. Here's my take on each of the features included within this unit on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being best).

Overall Unit Quality: 4

Ease of Use: 5

Filter Holder: 3

Crema Master Filter: 5

Turbo-Jet Frother Attachment: 5

Grinder: 4

On Quality: Knobs for adjustment of grind & steam could have more of a solidly built feel but are adaquate.

On Ease of Use: Quite nice. Grind the beans into the filter holder, tamp, put the filter holder into place, press the start button. A cup of espresso in less than 45 seconds from start of grind to taking the first sip.

On Filter Holder: Quality of construction is quite good, however overall depth is somewhat shallow. Although you can put in a double dose of grind, it's rather tight.

On Crema Master Filter: It's required and being a seperate unit makes it easy to clean.

On Turbo-Jet Frother: Steams quite well and creates a large amount of froth from a small amount of low-fat.

On Grinder: Grinds well however the auto-doser is not adjustable. If you don't like the amount of coffee per dose you'll have to adjust by removing or adding a small amount of pre-ground.

Overall if the doser was adjustable & the filter holder deaper this unit would rate an easy 5. Those are the only drawbacks I have found yet. But when looking at the cost of a seperate grinder as opposed to this attached unit, the savings over the seperate grinder makes this a worth while investment.

Hey folks,

Same gasket problem as most folks had, but SOLVED! Coffee and coffee grain used to piss all over the place out from on top of the filter holder due to a badly deteriorated gasket.

The technical support team for Briel here in Canada are very informative and very comprehensive. The numbers for support are:

U.S.A. = 1-800-763-6699
Canada = 1-905-660-9958

You can obtain parts ordering information for the nearest distributor near you. The gasket is easily user-serviced and no take-apart is necessary. Simply flip the machine over, grab the smallest flat-head screwdriver you can buy, get a flashlight, locate the silicone gasket and gently pry it out with the screwdriver. Order a replacement gasket from one of the distributors, pop it back in place and start enjoying amazing espresso pulls again!

The distributor they recommended to me was:

Café Express Distributon
Sainte-Foie, Quebec (near Montreal)
1-418-654-1419

They have replacement parts for all Briel models available.

Enjoy folks!

James

A friend of mine had the BRIEL EG281 multi-pro with built in coffee grinder. They absolutely love having fresh coffee beans ground on the spot, then placed in a filter holder for an "instant" espresso. I was surprised at the rich crema and texture that the espresso coffee was extracted from the machine, which proves to me this machine is a winner. It takes a strong pump to give a proper espresso.

Then it blew my mind when I learned you can also use the coffee pod or serving. I've had illycaffe in the past and actually like the pods my friend had better. The extraction was even richer with the pod and there was absolutely no messy cleanup.

I've had an entry level pump espresso machine from Krups and found it to be marginal at best. I'm sold on BRIEL and this MULTI-PRO machine is great. I'm not sure if I'm going to buy the one with the built in grinder or the one with the built in 10-cup drip coffeemaker. Maybe I'll have to get both!

This is the first Espresso machine I have ever owned so I don't have another one to compare it to but I can say that it makes Lattes as good as any I have had at Starbucks. I especially like the "Auto Espresso Flow" feature that allows you to set the strength of the espresso based on how much water is pumped through the machine. I have got it set where I like and now all I have to do is push the button. Friends have told me that they have to monitor the time on their espesso machines which seems far less convenient. I put off buying an espresso machine for a long time because they looked like to much trouble to make but I have to say that with the pods, espresso is easier than coffee from my drip coffee maker and lattes are only a little bit more time consuming. Do get the pods because once you use them you will never go back. I didn't get them when I first bought the machine and probably only used the machine once a week. I went back on line and bought the pods from Amazon (which are excellent) and I now make a latte almost every day because it is so easy. I figured out that once I go through my BOX of 150 the Machine will have almost paid for itself since a comparable latte at Starbucks is about (dollar amount) and the pods are very inexpensive.

However, it's also great to have the built in coffee grinder. This is a quality burr grinder, as I learned from the Briel people. You can grind fresh whole bean coffee, dose the ground coffee directly into the filter holder and instantly brew a perfect fresh espresso, from bean to cup!

This machine is a home run and I would recommend it not only for home use but also for the office. Everyone likes a "fresh" coffee on command.

I ended up ordering three of these and returning two as defective.Apparently there is a problem in the coffee ground holder: two of mine clogged and kept locking up the pump. The third is a different design and has pressure relief holes which seem to work ok. The 3rd machine had a defective grinder. The one I have now works great. ANYWAY the machine is a bargain if it keeps working since it includes a grinder for the same price as a separate unit, but it is reportedly a new model andd one of the techs at the number Briel provides says they don't know a whole lot about the reliability at this point. I'm keeping mine and getting an extended warranty. Makes great espresso/lattes when it is working.

It is my first "pump" espresso machine, and we really like it. The frother works very effectively and quickly. Part of that is probably the pressure, and part is the mechanical design they have. The coffee has a good strong delivery system too. Controls are easy to use.

At first I thought I should have gotten the one w/o the grinder, because it takes a minute. But then I realized, it takes that long to warm up. It does take another 5" of counter space than the model w/o it.

When I got this machine I was in love with it. It was rugged and out-performed every other machine I owned. However, within a year it was on the fritz. There is nowhere in the USA for repair other than in New Jersey. Living across the country I wasn't about to ship the machine there so it "might" get fixed. I repaired the thing myself and got another 6 months out of it. Finally too much started to go wrong with it. It is now in the pile of disgarded machines.
We use our machines two or three times a day for multiple drinks--light commercial use for a home. This machine should have been able to handle the volume, but service and parts are lacking, or a long time in coming. I am now going to buy a Pasquini Livia 90 to replace this machine. Lots more money, but proven durability.

I'm in the U.S. Navy and was stationed overseas when I bought this machine. Since it couldn't be shipped overseas directly, I had to have it sent to a friend, then forwarded to me. The unit arrived in great condition, but the instructions and owner's manual were poorly-written and hard to understand. With experimentation, it wasn't long before I became an expert espresso maker.

When I moved back to the States, I packed the machine into its original box and it was shipped inside another larger box. But during the move, something happened to the machine. When I used it, water sprayed everywhere and it would not make any espresso. With no service locations on the West coast, I too found out that Newark, NJ was my only option.

I thought my luck had changed when I found a local commercial espresso machine repair shop that said they'd fix my Briel. After the problem was diagnosed as a manufacturer's defect (poorly-made water heater tank and a gasket which was placed incorrectly causing internal corrosion in the machine), my repairman began to search for parts (by that time, it was no longer under warranty). Briel is from Portugal, and as others have mentioned, parts are VERY difficult to obtain.

It's now been six months, and it appears unlikely that my Multi-Pro will be repaired. My suggestion to anyone considering a high-quality pump espresso machine is to contact the nearest espresso repair shop in your area. Find out what machines are reliable, and which ones to avoid. Many repair shops that I contacted had never even heard of Briel.

When the machine was working -- it performed fine. But now that it needs service, I've found out that the Briel EG281APG Multi-Pro was probably not the best choice to make. Remember that all espresso machines have working parts which will eventually break down -- sometimes sooner than later. Consider how easy it will be to get replacement parts when you're investing in a good pump espresso machine.

Did much research for a machine with grinder
attached. I would say that Briel gets my vote
for price and quality.
Was concerned when reading reviews that you
may want to order two in case problems with first
unit. No problems . Tried to purchase ...
warranty. Check was returned stating this
is no longer a possibility with new "management."

For several years I've been making espresso at home using an off-brand (Monterrey) device bought from woot.com for $20. Though it also made decent espresso, I was in the market for something a bit better so I investigated here on Amazon and talked to several customer reps at different resellers. In February of 2008 I settled on a Gaggia 9306 Syncrony that was listed as refurbished. When it arrived, the unit and the packaging all looked to be in perfect condition. However, I soon discovered what they never tell you before you buy an automatic espresso maker: You can't use most types of coffee beans in the grinder because they are too oily and they clog the grinder and brewer. I sent it back for a full refund after a week of trying out different kinds of beans.

Now it was time to do more research on "semi" automatics because it seems that every automatic has the same problem with oily beans. I settled on the Briel because it appeared to have what I wanted (control over brew size and strength, and a grinder that dispensed fairly accurate doses).

This machine has been through a good 40 large (6 oz) cups of both espresso and weaker coffee since it arrive ten days ago. The grinder has worked better than expected grinding the beans of MY choice (not the beans that the reseller makes you buy), which I buy from a small coffee roasting outfit (Cafe Sophia in Palo Alto, CA). These, like most good beans, are indeed oily. [see note below]

The brew itself is consistently great (as good as Sophia herself makes, which is orders of magnitude better than Starbux or Peet's) espresso and cappuchino. The Briel lets you control how much water to run through the brew head, making a cup of regular coffee a breeze as well. I'm still getting used to the frother (nothing's perfect!) as it is quite a bit different from my old unit, but when I do have the knack, it works great as well, giving a good head of froth on top of my half and half (I know, everyone says not to use half and half but I particularly enjoy the creaminess).

I like that you can leave it on for a while (it turns itself off after a couple of hours) so I can have a second cup (or more when friends visit) without waiting for the water to heat.

One thing that might interest others is the separate holder for ESE pods. I don't use pods so I can't say whether or not this option works well or not.

My only beefs with this unit is that (1)you are limited in what height of cup you can place under the brew head. I usually like my drinks in a regular coffee-shop-style ceramic mug and unless I remove the drip guard, it won't fit. My mug is 4" tall and the distance between the coffee ground filter (the thing that you crank onto the brew head) is less than 3.5", and (2) when the machine first boils the water, water drips from the frothing wand unless it is tightened REAL tight. However, once tightened so tight, it is difficult to release it so steam can be used. Minus one star for these problems.

I would highly recommend this machine to anyone who is looking for a consistently good cup of espresso, cappuchino, or a tall cup of coffee.

[Note about oily beans: Despite what resellers and mfrs of fully automatic espresso makers try to pass off on the unsuspecting buyer, oily beans are preferred over dry beans.

A Google search (oily coffee beans) will turn up a number of hits that will give you further info. I liked this response from <[...]> :

"Beans that are not oily have been roasted for a shorter period of time. A dark roast brings the natural oils of the beans to the surface and gives them that oily appearance. These oils are volatile and contain much of the subtlety of the taste in a fine coffee. That's why it is so important to keep your beans in an airtight container until you use them."

Other web pages will mention that the oils are what really make a good strong-tasting espresso drink.

I leave the ultimate decision as an exercise for the individual coffee drinker.]