Customer Reviews

Primula 6-Cup Stove-Top Espresso Maker, Aluminum

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

 

 

Just bought this and it works great. You put water in the bottom, add coffee to the filter/funnel. As steam builds, it forces water up through the funnel and then through the coffee and you get this lovely espresso. My only warning (and this applies to all brands of stovetop espresso makers of this type) is that you have to stay close by as the coffee brews. Once all the water has boiled off, you have to turn off the heat or move the pot off or else you will have a nasty mess.

I was planning to get the Bialetti expresso maker...thank god i got this one...Excellent expresso...My coffees are great with this...The only thing i didnt like about it was that its made in china...but everything is made is china these days...so what the heck...its pure aluminium..no paints etc...big..nice a heavy...i wud buy it again.

Had this for a month about. Coffee started out tasting great, Lavazza Cafe Espresso., very smooth. Cleaned each and every time it was used. Over time it tasted bitter, couldn't get rid of the aweful taste. I question this brewing method and will continue with my french press.

Beware of this product! It's not Primula but Emporio espresso coffee maker which is nothing like Primula.

When I inquired this matter to the specialty Gourmet Goodies, they said these are the Primula units but they ran out of boxes at this busy time and used the Emporio boxes instead. If it says Emporio on the unit, then it's Emprio. It looks different and never brew any espresso. I couln't even return it because refunds will not be issued in used condition. I only tried to brew once which was unsuccesful. When I learned that I couldn't get any money back, I tried again with no luck.

Fortunately I was afforded the opportunity to examine this pot prior to purchase. Maybe the one I looked at was the exception, but the quality was terrible! The lid would not open all the way due to metal left after the pot was formed blocking the hinge, the safety valve was in crooked and had machining scars all around it. Not impressed.

I did purchase, and recommend, a Forever Moka pot. This is made in Italy and is advertised as 'Commercial Quality'. I have now owned this pot for almost a year, no staining, the silicone seal works great and best of all; it makes a killer cup of caffe. This pot does cost more but the quality is outstanding.

For care; always rinse with cold water only, no harsh soaps. I only rub the coffee out with my bare hand and running cold water. The pot still looks brand new. Never place the handle over the stoves burner as it will melt or at a minimum get too hot to safely handle. And last, but not least, do not over torque the base onto the top; after the seal contacts, turn the top just slightly more.

You can not beat this appliance. It makes the smoothest full flavored coffee. It is fast and easy to use. I have had my coffee maker for over 5 years. I look forward to its wonderful coffee every morning.

The construction of this espresso maker is rotten. The coffee canister came with 3 cracks/dents and after the initial wash, there was already rust forming on the screws that holds the handle in place. It took me 14 minutes to brew coffee! I sent it right back to Amazon. Need I say more?

I was nervous about this espresso maker once I saw that it had been made in China. Cooking or heating beverages in metal from China is no doubt a risky undertaking these days. I was already wishing I had purchased the Italian made product that is so similar (Bialetta). But the Primula performed well for about 4 weeks. The last two weeks it stopped making as much espresso for some unknown reason. Now it has stopped entirely. When I try to make espresso the pot just gets really hot and starts to smell, but no coffee. And yes, I read the directions, have followed them all and in general have taken very good care of the unit.

All my attempts to contact Primula via phone and email have gone unresponded to. I finally just had to write it off as a loss and put in a purchase for the Bialetta.

Cheap Chinese metal. Zero customer support. Low quality. Avoid this product.

I purchased this "espresso" pot yesterday at a local supermarket along with some Bustelo espresso coffee. I purchased it understanding that it would not make "espresso" per-se as many today understand it, but something similar. This is because the limitation of the device is that it is essentially a specialized percolator rather than a piston or pump-driven device. I washed and rinsed it and ran a pot of plain water through it. This morning I opened the Bustelo, tamped slightly and made my first pot. I drank it straight and unsweetened, and made a hazelnut flavored latte for my wife. Both were very good. The espresso was smooth and flavorful, with just the right amount of bitterness. It was lacking "crema," though had I bothered to pour from a greater height , some semblance of crema may have formed. The latte was made with whole milk, which had been heated then frothed with an Aerolatte. It was sweetened with sugar and a splash of hazelnut syrup. While I did not sample it, my wife found it to be very good. Having the Aerolatte out led me to experiment with my second cup. A brief agitation led to a more attractive presentation of the espresso, and had no negative impact on the flavor. Cleanup was easy. All-in-all I find this to be excellent value, creating a product that is similar, though not identical, to the usual coffee-shop cup. It stands on its own merits.

This is an old design that is hard to beat. You can spend hundreds of dollars on a complicated expresso machine that takes up a lot of space and is a pain to use. Or, you can have a simple little stovetop machine that makes great coffee and costs less than $20.