Customer Reviews

Briel ES42F Artemis Pump Espresso Machine, Black

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

In the winter of 1991-92, I worked at an Army gym where we had a little combo style coffee machine for the staff -- drip on one side, espresso on the other. I was an instant espresso convert. I have pined for years, but still had never purchased my own machine -- until now.

After comparing dollars to donuts on *many* machines, then surfing the Briel website -- I decided on Artemis. I have drunk quite my share of espresso, and I have only ever seen crema like this twice! Little combo machines just can't build enough pressure like a good pump machine such as the Artemis.

Out of the box, I rinsed everything, reassembled and fired it right up for some of the best espresso I've ever had. A new brick of Jacobs Krönung didn't hurt. Feed your machine good coffee. Not even the best machine in the world can make bad coffee grounds produce good coffee. Briel waives the rules and gives you thousand dollar coffee and ease of operation for the tiny little price of Artemis.

"Artemis for Dummies": This is a 5-star HOME machine -- as long as you FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. Removal of the water reservoir is indeed a bit stiff at first, but it does break-in soon. You MUST NOT overfill the filter. When you first set the machine up, place a filter in the filter holder and put the holder into the machine. Note how far the handle turns when empty. If you can't turn it that far when the filter is loaded with coffee, it is overfilled and the filter holder WILL leak. Do NOT "pack" the scoop. My first cup was from a freshly opened brick and the coffee was still too compacted -- this led to overfilling, and the filter holder leaked EXACTLY as the manual said it would. Thankfully, the drip tray is very easy to remove, and well grilled to prevent sloshing or spilling. The first few times you load the filter -- tamp it, mount it on the machine, then remove it and look at the grounds. If the grounds have flared high around the sides, the scoop was packed too full and the machine will leak. While the frothing nozzle does seem a little bit low at first, it is really quite adequate, and if need be -- the machine can be easily sidled up to the edge of a sink, or raised atop that never-used breadboard.

The last time I was this positively giddy over a fabulous appliance choice was when I got my 5qt Kitchenaid mixer!

Having been wooed by the price break over the list cost, I was hoping for something better than the old cheapie Krupps I once owned, and the Artemis delivered. It cranks out the espresso in a flash, and the quality was wonderful.

One thing that really bugs me about this machine is the placement of the cappuccino frother. Because of its position, you cannot set a frothing cup comfortably below it without moving the machine to the edge of your counter. That aside, it's really a nice little machine.

Pros:
Removable water tank which is easy to fill and replace
Speedy brewing system
Beautiful quality espresso
Mega-easy to operate
Easily fits two Corelle coffee cups so double shots in each cup is no problem

Cons:
Plastic construction feels cheap - not like a $200 list-price machine (I know there are $thousand machines out there, but as a cosumer on the hunt for a bargain, I'm not shelling out that kind of moolah)
Pump is quite loud
Cappuccino frother in an awkard position

All in all, I'm quite pleased with this purchase, and look forward to seeing if this machine stands up over time.

I bought the Briel Artemis for my husband, for Christmas, but it's now on its way back to Amazon. I don't know whether the one we had was faulty in some way, but the espresso it produced was very weak and tasted more like coffee made in a coffee press (like the Bodum). We have had an old Gaggia for years and the espresso and cappuccino made in the Briel do not compare with that from the Gaggia. Although we got a nice crema on top of the espresso, the flavor just wasn't there. Very disappointing!
I had taken some time to review many kinds of machines in this price range before choosing the Briel but I guess we'll just keep looking for an alternative for our very old Gaggia.

My parents have a $300+ Starbucks Barista (Saeco) - and this Artemis pulls espresso shots that are just as good. It does not have the metal, tank-like build of the Saeco machine. Even though the housing is plastic, it is high quality, and it appears it will last. The 'stainless steel' front trim is a nice touch.

For best results from this machine, follow the simple instructions included, exactly. As others have said, do not overfill the coffee holder, or the excess coffee will prevent a proper seal, and the holder will leak.

Another reviewer here said to tamp the coffee to 30 lbs. (!!??) and the coffee should come out in a hard 'puck.' No, NO! Just tamp the coffee lightly - no harder than if you were pressing a button. The included scoop/tamper works just fine. After you pull your shot and remove the holder, the coffee grounds in the holder will be soupy, with water sitting on top. If you had an old Krups steam driven machine before, which produced hard, dry pucks, this will take some getting used to.

Tips:

Froth your milk first. Then, pull your shot(s).

Get a shot glass with markings, so you can measure and pull consistent shots. If you let the pump run too long, the coffee will gradually run clear from the holder, and you will get a weak shot. Another reviewer here complains of weak or flavorless shots, this is most likely the reason.

The steam function on my machine is sometimes peculiar. When the green 'ready' light comes on, I don't always get steam when I pull the lever forward. In that case, I simply pull the lever forward, slowly, until the green light goes out, then I stop. The soft 'click' indicates the boiler has switched on again, for steam production. Wait 20 seconds, pull the lever forward to purge the water, then steam your milk.

My frothing pitcher will sit right on the machine's base, with out me having to hold the pitcher while frothing. Very handy!

Don't forget to refill the boiler after steaming, before you pull your shot, as indicated in the instructions. Just turn the switch to the pump position until you get water, switch off, wait for the green light, fill holder with coffee, and pull your shot.

This all may sound complicated, but it is really easy, and it makes sense when you actually do it.

I highly recommend this machine.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but my wife is right. Our cheap Krups Bravo machine works better that the expensive Artemis I bought to replace it. The Krups makes 4 shots at a time, and they come out a lot richer, and there is no supervision of the machine to avoid making the shots too weak. Also, the steamer really does not make a very nice froth. The Krups folks have that process down much better, I'm sorry to say.

If you have a warranty issue, like I do, don't expect any help. They won't even answer my emails.

If you're going to spend this much money, buy the higher-end Krups. I hate it when the wife is right!! =)

Hands down easy to use, (takes either ground coffee or the coffee pods- which are so simple and clean to use). Reliable little unit that makes espresso with nice crema on top. What I also like is that it doesn't burn the coffee, so the espresso taste is just right. And it looks great in the kitchen.

I read many of the reviews before deciding on this model. Like many espresso machine owners I began with the Krupps unit. Needless to say I could never figure out why I couldn't make a "Starbucks" like latte with this machine. I began researching why and realized that it wasn't me but the shoddy appliance sitting on my counter. So I bought the Briel ES42BF and now I have unbelievable crema and I can make a killer cappucinno.

The reason I didn't give it a 5 out of 5 was because of two things:

1. You have to be nearly exact on how you press down the coffee into the filter or it will most definately leak while brewing.
2. It is too difficult the clean the steam nozzle. You can easily remove the main assembly but to really clean the nozzle you have to unscrew it from the metal stem. Seems simple enough but it appears to be very fragile and it doesn't allow you to completely remove all the plastic pieces so that you can clean the milk that builds up between the stem and the plastic. It can get very gross.

All-in-all I would highly recommend this unit to anyone who doesn't want to blow $1,000 on an automatic unit.

Bought this last week for work after receiving a Mr. Coffee machine at home and now I wish the two were switched. The Briel is a solid product and makes great espresso (its patented Crema-Master thingie does the job!) and is even a better machine than the comparable $60 Mr. Coffee product.

Great steamer/frother, too. Bit of a pain to clean, but aren't they all like that?

Good customer service, too. There's a phone number on the back and when I called, someone immediately picked up. They transferred me to someone knowledgeable, who was able to relay my fears that I would break the water reservoir when following directions. Just pull straight up -- it's very sticky/stiff until you break it in -- just don't use the handle, which may break.

Shopped for good quality pump espresso machine but at a nice low cost.

Purchased this unit and am extremely happy. No it's not a commercial espresso machine but it's also substantially below commercial espresso machine prices.

Some of the features that we liked include:

Additional features include:

ESE adapted for use with ground coffee or coffee servings (pods)
Unique Thermoplastic steam tap activates steam heating element
No need for separate steam on/off button means no more overheated boilers with blown elements
Virtually instant steam supply for up to 5 minutes - enough for 6 Cappuccinos!
Boiler in food grade aluminum heats quickly and only uses 800 watts
Interior of boiler with 15 bars of pressure - ideal for creamy espresso extraction
Filter holder and filter basket for ground coffee/Filter holder for coffee servings (pods)
Aluminum boiler it has a greater capacity in retaining and accumulating heat, this makes it possible for the use of a heating element of only 800 watts, and still offering a very good performance.
Placing the heating element on the exterior and covering the inside of the boiler prevents any problems with lime scale.
The protruding parts inside allow a fast and very efficient heat transfer to the water, this allows the temperature recovery of the water after the coffee extraction of only 20 seconds.
Patented Crema Master™ filter produces rich genuine crema every time and AquaStop™ No-Drip System prevents dripping and need to "bleed" machine of remnant water.
"OK" light signals when machine is ready for brewing or frothing.
Two thermostats regulate the coffee cycle and steaming process, with a third "safety" thermostat located on the pump in the event of abnormal or continuous use.
Push button switches - dependable quality.
Large 40-ounce water reservoir that fills from the top. Transparent for easing viewing.
Water filter on intake.
Removable overflow tray for easy cleanup.

Highly recommend that you purchase this machine.

Simply put, I bought this machine, and I recommend spending your money elsewhere. Don't think that long warranty is worth anything, because the company won't return your calls or answer your emails.

Buy one of the brands that are more reputable.