Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal Value in an Elegant Machine, December 3, 2007
Where to begin? This machine can do it all, from a strong shot of espresso to a flawless cappuccino, all in under minute. If you can tie your shoes, you can use one of these machines.
I looked in to this machine after using an older Capresso model at a friend's house. I was always impressed by how easily and quickly he could make a variety of drinks for guests, not to mention the quality of their appearance and flavor.
This machine comes with two different frothing systems, one is a more traditional bullet style frother, while the other can automatically steam or froth milk. This is where the J5 really shines. In no time you can froth yourself milk that would make the most seasoned barista jealous, and then push a single button to instantly brew piping hot coffee.
The machine starts with whole beans of your choosing and grinds them just for the drink you are making. This ensures that you'll get the freshest tasting coffee cup after cup.
What I like most about this machine though is the variety of drinks it can make. If you have a guest over who isn't a big coffee drinker you can use the machine to make instant hot water for tea, or my favorite trick: run chocolate milk through the steamer for instant hot chocolate. Of course for the rest of us, the pressure brewing system in this machine will allow you to say goodbye to expensive coffee drinks, and become your own favorite barista.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jura-Capresso Impressa J5 - Outstanding Performance and Quality!, December 23, 2008
At this writing I've owned the J5 for two weeks and have produced approximately 100 shots of espresso/coffee. Having stated that as a qualifier, I've found this super automatic espresso machine to be outstanding in performance, ease of use, and quality of espresso produced. The controls are simple to understand and use - there are detailed descriptions of these available on multiple vendor websites, the manufacturer's website even includes a number of very informative videos.
Considering the financial commitment associated with this machine, I was more than a little hopeful that it would produce quality espresso in a straight forward and timely manner. It does this with aplomb.
Regarding its operation, the J5 heats quickly (around 60 seconds) then is ready to run the rinse cycle (also quick, at around 10 seconds). Once the rinse cycle has completed it's ready for action. I won't go into detail about the individual espresso/coffee settings (again, this info is readily available elsewhere) other than to say the controls work exactly as described. Each button is customizable, both permanently and as a one-time override. A very wide range of volume and strength is attainable by adjusting these controls.
The morning routine:
I was quite concerned about the total end-to-end time for brewing in the morning before work, and I have to say in this regard I am very pleased. I've configured the J5 to automatically turn on as I'm showering/shaving etc, so when I arrive in front of the machine it's ready to run the rinse cycle. If you're interested in ensuring the warmest possible espresso/coffee, I recommend running an additional rinse cycle to heat up the internal components a bit more, this combined with preheating your cup really produces a nice hot cup. In the mornings I brew 8 oz. of café crema. The whole process, including a rinse cycle after brewing (the machine prompts for this after hitting the on/off button), takes about 3-4 minutes. This time would be cut by at least half if you were brewing the standard 1-2 oz espresso instead of the higher volume café crema. If you're interested in immediate cleanup, the drip tray and dreg box are easily removed and rinsed - both will hold a substantial volume however, so daily cleaning of these items is not required.
A word on espresso quality:
Okay, after covering some of the operational highlights, here's the real question - of what quality is the espresso/coffee produced? The short answer is...OUTSTANDING! Producing quality espresso consistently is where the J5 really excels. I've used two types of espresso so far, Lavazza Pienaroma and the Organic Espresso available from CoffeeAM.com. The espresso shots produced using both of these beans results in an amazing amount of crema (1/4 inch) and a fantastic taste. I've also used a locally available pre-ground decaf espresso in the by-pass doser with good results. It's difficult to describe a quality taste in a written review, but the espresso shots produced by the J5 are simply outstanding.
It's difficult to continue enthusiastically describing features of this machine without sounding like a shill for the manufacturer...but a few more things are worthy of mention:
* I've used the frothXpress attachment for making cappuccinos and lattes a handful of times and it works well, much better than I expected, and is easy to clean. I have not used the optional Dual Frother Plus. The hot water is nice and hot, and works extremely well when used as a cup warming aid.
* I've had no issues with the conical burr grinder or any of the other brewing components. They work well and operate within very acceptable sound levels.
* Commenting specifically on the espresso/coffee temperature, I can say that while using the "hot" setting, a rinse cycle to heat up the internal components, and preheating the cup with hot water, the output is very acceptable - no need to be hotter.
* Brew duration seems to be heavily effected by the grind setting. For example, a fine setting using dark oily beans induces very slow brew times. If these types of beans are used, a grind setting between medium and coarse seems to work best; this produces a great crema and normal brew duration. Oily beans should also be "air dried" for 4-5 hours before adding to the hopper to allow the excess oils to dry.
* Included with the J5 is an excellent owner's manual and very handy instructional DVD. Reading/viewing both is highly recommended.
Con?:
For reasons I have yet to determine, both 2 cup buttons brew at the "extra strong" strength setting only. Although I don't consider this a major fault, it seems very odd that the volume setting is configurable and the strength is not.
Finally, as stated above, I've owned this machine for only about two weeks, so I can't yet comment on durability or longevity. However, the build quality and performance so far would seem to portend high marks for both.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Dead on arrival, June 19, 2009
Plugging the brand new unit I received to the power outlet, it would not turn on.
I don't have too much to say about its functionality or performance, but the manufacturing quality control needs to be improved. I returned it and now I am buying a Gaggia Platinum Vision.
Detail: the box says "manufactured in Switzerland"
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