There was no bigger fan of the first generation of Senseo machines than my wife and I. We bought one when they first came out in 2001, and it made the richest, foamiest smoothest cup of coffee you could get without traveling to a Paris Bistro. It put Starbucks and all other coffee shop coffee to shame, not to mention all other coffee makers. It truly gave you something to look forward to in the morning.
Well, our original Senseo machine gave out after a decade of continuous use, and I ordered this new one. Out of the box, I noticed the water chamber did not fit snugly into it's slot like it was supposed to. It stuck out crooked by 1/2" from the back of the machine -- an obvious manufacturing flaw. I then followed the start up procedures to the letter, used the same water and Senso pods we always use, and out came the worst cup of coffee imaginable. Tepid, weak, practically no foam at all, and a strong plastic aftertaste that stays with you.
After comparing the coffee chamber to our old one, it has many differences. The most important of which is the top part of the pod chamber, which used to be all metal (like a fine espresso machine) is now all plastic. The pod chamber is the most important part of the machine, as it controls the temperature and pressure that extracts the coffee essence from the grounds in the pod, along with the level of foam that's imparted. The operating temperature, pressure and foam generation have all been reduced to accommodate the cheaper plastic chamber, which equals less coffee in your coffee. At the same time, the strong plastic taste imparted by the pod chamber gives you the feeling your getting your complete RDA of melted plastic in your body every day :-).
I called Seseo support, and they told me Phillips is no longer producing these machines -- Senseo is now owned and manufactured by Sarah Lee, so the Phillips Logo is only on there for perceived brand continuity among consumers. The support person admitted the mechanics of the machine had been completely changed from the first generation, and refused to refund my very expensive shipping ($46) to and from saying taste was a matter of opinion and they can't be responsible for that. I asked if she had ever tried coffee from the Senseo machines she's selling, and she said no, to which I replied that she might want to so she could see for herself that the coffee that comes out of their machine is so bad that it's a matter of public record, not opinion.
I can't offer any advice on what to buy instead, I'm still mourning the loss of what was the best coffee maker I will ever own in my lifetime, along with my $46 in shipping to and from. I welcome any suggestions.