Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why did I wait so long, July 31, 2006
My sister has owened an Aroma for years and I'd always been impress with the quality of espresso and capucino she could make at home. And one morning, I just decided that I deserved the best coffee too and ordered my own. I picked the chrome model which complements my other chrome appliances in my kitchen. It's a robust and simple piece of machinery that produces an amazing espresso. The extraction time is small, the crema is thick and their patented gizmo they use to foam milk is fool-proof. Just stick it in an wait a few seconds and you get the best foam.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It aint fancy, It just works, July 24, 2007
It aint fancy, it just works. Seriously, no big bells & whistles, just great, FAST espresso and steamed milk. The cleanup is easy, especially since the little do-hickey on the frother comes off; the drip tray comes out, etc. It's easy to use, though there is a slight learning curve... there is a specific sequence of switch flipping and dial turning you have to get down. That's about the only negative. This unit could be improved by adding more switches and having each do one thing only. On the positive side, this sucker heats up super fast and makes consistent espresso. It's smaller than most machines, at just a little stockier than your average drip coffee pot. The only other negative would be the positioning of the frothing wand, but I've found that EVERY espresso machine has this problem - they just don't swing out far enough and are too long..or something. You nearly have to tip a cup of milk parallel to the counter to get it under the steam spout. Why has no manufacturer fixed this yet?? Alas, great little machine, just right for the price, great coffee, good & fast.
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quality Machine, Quality Coffee, December 21, 2007
I love coffee. Unfortunately, good coffee can be hard to find. So I decided to take the matter into my own hands and make my own coffee. After many hours of research on the internet through various sites, I decided to go with this model (It helped a little that Alton unofficially endorsed this model on his show). All I can say is wow. This unassuming machine sure does produce an excellent shot of espresso. I think it's nearly impossible to not get a beautiful head of crema in every shot. Not only does the shot look amazing, it tastes great too. Once you get down a good routine, the coffee this produces will be almost 100% free of any bitterness. I personally don't think you can ever completely rid coffee of its bitterness, but this machine helps me come closer than any coffee I have ever bought from a coffee shop. The machine is very easy to use, and cleaning really isn't that much of a hassle (make sure to read the instructions thoroughly before use). The frothing wand works well. Not great, but well. It doesn't quite achieve that micro-bubble texture, but it does a pretty good job. The portafilter has a little more plastic on it than I would like, but it's holding up nicely after 7 months of frequent use.
Overall, the machine is solidly built (for the most part), efficient and so far, reliable. I really would give this unit 4 stars, but for the price, I feel I can't give it anything else but 5.
*As a side note, this machine alone will not give you a good cup of coffee. You will need of course a good coffee bean roasted to your preference, a good grinder, and if you really want to standardize and perfect your coffee every morning, you really need a scale to measure the coffee. I shoot for about 15 g of coffee for two shots. You may want a little more or less depending on your preferences. You definitely want a conical burr grinder, and I wouldn't go for anything less than the Infinity model by Capresso (it's what I use). If you can afford better, then go for it.
**Edit: One thing I should have mentioned, is that this is really considered an entry-level/beginner espresso machine. This machine uses a pressurized portafilter, which basically means it is more forgiving to novice mistakes (coffee grind for instance). While I'll still assert that this is a great machine, more experienced users should really consider different options.
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