Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great so far!!, July 25, 2007
I read that another reviewer had trouble with her machine. Hopefully it was the exception and not the rule. It comes with a 3-year warranty, so I figure that I have reasonable protection should anything break.
This is my first espresso machine and I did a lot of shopping and read a ton of reviews before deciding to buy. I was nervous about buying it because there were zero reviews at the time. However, I loved the look, liked the feature set, and believed in the Cuisinart brand. I have had the machine for a week and have used it at least once each day. So far I am extremely pleased.
I had considered the DeLonghi EC155, which gets good ratings and is reasonably priced. However, it requires the operator to guess or measure the volume of espresso. I am terrible at guessing the volumes of liquids, so I liked that this machine has buttons that make a pre-set (or programmable) volume of coffee. It turns out that this is a great feature and really frees me to multi-task. In the mornings, I hit the power button, and by the time I fill the portafilter the machine is ready to brew. I hit the brew button and mix up my meal replacement shake. After the coffee is finished, I hit the steam button and pour the milk for frothing. It takes less than 30 seconds to froth and steam the milk, so I am pleased with its power. I have never run out of steam and was able to make a nice foam with very little practice. I can make my breakfast shake and a cappuccino or latte in under 10 minutes with the above process. Not bad for an amateur.
Overall I am very pleased with the machine and am having a great time with it. I would recommend it based on my experience thus far.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm in love!, February 26, 2008
This machine is amazing! Makes great expresso! I bought this machine to replace a Breville that I was not completely happy with, as it made weak espresso and I needed to turn a knob to brew the correct amount. NOT WITH THIS MACHINE! Push a button and walk away, come back to a single or double shot. The water tank is easy to refill (I use a clean syrup bottle to refill it, instead of removing it). The frothing knob is hard to turn at first, but upon the 3rd or 4th use, it is fine. I do not find the frothing wand to be too low or drippy, after all it swivels over the drip tray, duh!!! Looks great on the counter, large cup warming surface, truly stainless, not painted plastic, like some of the Breville is. A++++++
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent espresso, but weak frother, November 9, 2008
This unit is nicely put together, with its stainless steel finish. It definitely has a quality feel to it. I had no problem with turning the steam knob, as others have mentioned.
The machine makes excellent espresso, both in semi-automatic and manual modes. Good crema, excellent taste.
Where this machine fall short, though, is in steam volume. It takes a long time to froth the milk, and getting it right is very hit or miss. At first I thought there was more to the art of frothing than I'd assumed, and I kept working on my technique. The best approach, I found, was to include a couple of ice cubes in the milk, to keep the temperature down as the froth built up. Results were barely satisfactory.
I have since discovered that a stronger steam flow is the key to frothing effectively. I'm now using a fully automatic DeLonghi machine that makes excellent espresso and has a far more powerful flow of steam than this Cuisinart (at least the one I had).
If espresso is your thing and you don't mind the manual grinding, tamping, and brewing, this is a great machine. If frothing milk is part of your favorite drink, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
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