99 of 101 people found the following review helpful:
A great machine so far!
This review is based on a latte a day for about a month now.
-Customer service was great: one part got jammed during shipment (despite how extraordinarily well the manufacturer had it packed inside the box!). I called and a person answered the phone right away who helped me figure out the problem.
236 of 253 people found the following review helpful:
The good reviews are right...unfortunately, the bad reviews are even more so
I know about coffee, espresso, steam machines, pump machines and all. This machine makes almost perfect espressos. This is due not to the quality of the machine but to the double wall filters that come with it. That being said, people who are thinking of buying this unit have to know that the same filters that produce the great crema they love will get clogged after 2 or...
This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
This review is based on a latte a day for about a month now.
-Customer service was great: one part got jammed during shipment (despite how extraordinarily well the manufacturer had it packed inside the box!). I called and a person answered the phone right away who helped me figure out the problem.
-Thus far, the espresso comes out hot with a great crema, and my milk is also nice and hot (from 120-160 Fahrenheit depending on how you want it) and well-frothed (meaning microfoam(!) not seafoam). With the frother it's essential to keep the full rubber head (meaning the fat part) submerged in the milk to get it hot (including the intake air vents on the side).
Bottom line: I am very impressed that this quality comes at such a great price.
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
I know about coffee, espresso, steam machines, pump machines and all. This machine makes almost perfect espressos. This is due not to the quality of the machine but to the double wall filters that come with it. That being said, people who are thinking of buying this unit have to know that the same filters that produce the great crema they love will get clogged after 2 or three uses, and cleaning them will require a lot of work (unclogging the tiny holes with a pin, soaking the filters overnight in vinegar and/or running a lot of pressurizedboiling water through the empty filter), wasting a lot of unused coffee, and worst of all...wasting a lot of time to do all this (which hardly anyone has these days). I guess this problem would be solved if the pump was strong enough to push through the clogged filter, but that is not the case. When the pressurized water builds up, instead of going through the filter and coffee, it will go backwards and down to the reservoir in the bottom of the machine (picture trying fo inflate a balloon with a hole in it.) wasting tons of water in the process. Also, do not think that you can clean the filter after each use.....you cannot, because as I said earlier, the filter has two walls, the first one with a lot of tiny holes and the second one with a very small one. Whatever gets trapped within the two walls will likely stay, clogging the tiny holes and rendering the machine useless. Nothing will come out of the machine even with an empty filter!!!!!!!
In the end, the price seems good and the machine looks great but, and this is a huge BUT... you will end up drinking the most expensive cups of coffe (about $25/cup, not including all the wasted coffee, water and time) in your life after the machine stops producing coffee after 10 cups.
I read all the reviews here before buying, but since I really wanted this handsome machine, I ignored all the bad ones. Something most consumers do...they want something so bad their brain will soak up on all the good opinions and filter out the bad and dismiss them as "exceptions" Well, the exceptions are too many and the reason is always the same. Clogged filter...clogged machine....no coffee...big frustration.
I will try to return the machine and if I can't, I guess I will be another disatisfied customer whose only option is to write reviews like this.
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
All I can say is WOW! My teenage daughters and I love espresso & designer lattes, This machine made it a BREEZE for us to give up all the overpriced designer cafes in our area. My brother is a coffee snob and spent literally thousands on a fully automated Capresso machine. You could buy a couple dozen of these Breville machines for the price of his.. and you know what? It's a few seconds more work but the coffee is JUST AS GOOD!
One of my daughters is visually impaired and she can work the machine and clean it with no problems.
Assembly was easy, cleanup is easy, and making three different beverages in seconds is a breeze, too. We have three completely different tastes so we've managed quite a few different drinks. I make sugar free soy lattes using Soy Slender and sugar free DaVinci flavors. We've frothed skim, 2%, whole and soy milks of every type. Even heavy whipping cream and half & half froth perfectly.
The only issue we had was that one time we tamped the espresso a little too firmly and nothing would come out. If you tamp lightly, you'll have no problem at all and the crema is absolutely superb!
As for the reviewer that said their espresso was watery, if you use a fine ground espresso, that definately won't be a problem. The two-serving filter makes a great double shot, but if you try to make more than that, I can see how you could end up with something watery. The drip tray does need emptying once in a while, but that's the same with every espresso maker I've ever used.
I DEFINATELY recommend this machine!!
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
This is the second espresso machine I have owned, the first one was a professional one in my restaurant and made perfect coffee quickly!
This machine for a home espresso machine lacks nothing in it's ability to produce a great espresso other than the time required to do so. The crema it produces is thick and the steamer produces a reasonable, constant flow of steam making it possible to make perfect foam with your milk. The water storage allows space for more than enough water to make several cups and steam a large amount of milk. The drip tray is large enough to collect a good amount of dripage and the design is sleek and compact. The only thing I think that Breville could do to improve on this unit would be to include a timer to turn the machine on so that I can have espresso in the morning before I leave for work!
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
I've owned several machines over the last ten years, from the $49.00 'wait for the steam', a $4000 Venezia VAE-22, an 'all-in-one' $1000.00 Starbuck machine along with my current (broken) Starbuck Barista. None of the machines I've owned come close to the Cafe Roma ESP8XL for quality and design. From the water feed systems removable, cleanable, replaceable, easy to access water tank to the three tang filter holder, precision and functionality was first for the designers. The frothing system, the drip tray, the simple controls are all top notch and the cup warming plate is over the top! The pop-up button that shows you the level of the water in the drip tray is a really nice feature. By adding the stainless demitasse cups and saucers Breville created the best machine on the earth. For those that have problems with getting the grounds out of the filter I found a stainless steel Knockout tray with 49mm Tamper that matches the machine and is easy to clean. The first espresso I made was perfect, it took several cups in our stores Venezia VAE-22 to get everything right. Some of the other reviewers seem to have issues with the 'taste', part of learning how each machine functions is the issue. The filter on the ESP8XL is one of the easiest to maintain I've ever used and one of the reasons for the perfect Espresso.
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
I was tossing up between this and the Sunbeam Cafe Crema. After reading all the reviews here and on other sites about the Breville I decided to stick with the product that seemed to get the all round thumbs up. I am impressed by this machine. Sick of dodgy cappaccino's at the cafe's near me I can proudly say I'm making better than most of the shop purchased coffee's I've been getting lately. I have used this machine only to make cappaccino as that is all I drink.
I read good coffee accounts to 50% barista technique so Google how to poor a good espresso - plenty of sites out there. It does take a bit of mucking around trying to get the grind right. If you dont have your own burl grinder, find a store that sells beans and will grind them on the spot. A fine grind will clog the filter and the coffee will not come through. Buy in small quantities to start with, ask for a medium or medium to fine grind and go from there. Tweak with how hard you tamp.
As for foaming! I find I get bubbles of air if I leave the black attachment on. I'm having much better thick glossy results with the attachment OFF. I keep the tip just on the surface of the milk until the milk doubles in size. Should take about 10-15 seconds. Then plunge the wand into the milk and swirl around until the desired temperature is reached. I bought a cheap coffee frothing thermometer which is very handy. Result is nice thick glossy foam. I have only tried with skim milk.
I think given this is a low end machine, the results are impressive. For the average home user that enjoys a nice coffee it's great. I have been so fed up with the watered rubbish I have been getting in cafe's lately and so pleased I can finally make something decent myself! It does take practice though and perserverence.
Easy to keep clean, the brushed stainless is fine with a wipe. My drip tray full indicator doesn't work but I really cant be bothered returning it just for this. It's easy to just pull out and rinse under the sink and pop back in. I think someone mentioned it was a pain to clean up. I find it so easy! For the most part I just rinse and wipe with paper towel then once a day or so when I'm doing the dishes I wash and dry properly.
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
Let me say this up front. You can make very good espresso with this machine. That being said you must become an espresso expert to get that good shot. Use the proper grind size, tamp pressure, time your brew time and you may get a good result. I don't think that the single serving filter is good because the surface area of the filter is smaller and cannot get a decent tamp going. (you'll understand when you see it) Just use the two cup serving filter and a very fine grind. I don't think that this machine heats the water to 200 degrees, but if you run the machine and wait for the heater to come on you can get it hot enough. The steamer wand works good, but needs some heating up. I just took off the rubber thing and use the bare nozzle. Don't get me wrong, this machine is good and much better than steam powered machines. Just expect to practice, and don't expect a "god shot" on you first or even tenth try.
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
I was completely new to the espresso world when I bought the Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma. A friend of mine turned me on to espresso, but his machine was too expensive for my budget, so I sought out a cheaper machine that would produce a quality espresso. The Cafe Roma fit the bill. I've had the machine for about a month now, and after finally finding the proper grind and tamping pressure, I've been pulling shot after shot of great espresso. I have it paired with a Rancilio Rocky grinder, and with a grind setting of 10 and with approx. 30 to 35 lbs of tamping pressure, the espressos are perfect. The puck knocks out of the portafilter like a brick making clean-up easy. I had a problem early on with watery pucks, but after I got my grind setting and tamp pressure right, the watery puck problem has been eliminated. Stainless steel housing is phenomenal, and looks great on my kitchen counter. The key to a good hot espresso with the Cafe Roma is to pull a blank shot before loading the portafilter with coffee. Although the instructions that come with the Cafe Roma suggest a "light tamp," it takes a good 30 to 35 lbs of tamp pressure to get a good shot, and the plastic tamp that comes with the machine is junk and just won't ever get the tamp right. Spend more money and invest in a good solid stainless steel tamper. The only real complaints I have are that the frothing wand is too short to accommodate a larger froth pitcher, and there is no variable steam control. Other than that, the machine is great. It is a great buy for the money and pulls a great espresso with a thick rich crema. For the novice, be patient and take the time to experiment with the grind, tamp, and type of coffee beans, and you won't be disappointed.
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
Having used several other piston and steam type models at work, I am pleased to say this one is as easy as any to get a great cup of espresso. This machine replaces a Krupps.
First Impressions: My first cup was a little weak (I did not measure). After using the provided measure and a light force tamp, the second cup was perfect. So was the third. Some other reviewers noted the coffee was not hot enough, I thought it was just right...and I am one who always has to ask Starbucks to make mine "extra hot."
For the record, I used home-roasted beans (using the popular Fresh-Roast plus 8) and grind them using a Cuisinart DBM8. Since the grinder is new, I am using the full espresso setting (18) and am pleased with the results out of the box.
Grips: As noted by others, the steamer is slow. I've used it twice and it takes about 1 minute.
Likes: Quality accessories--I really like the espresso cups. Great looking stainless steel housing, easy to use, and a fairly small counter footprint.
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This review is from: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker (Kitchen)
I must admit, I had never really experienced true espresso until I fired up my Breville a few months ago, and neither had my wife or my 10-year-old daughter, who positively hated coffee! After having spent five years with a steam-operated coffee scorcher, I really expected the Breville to be just a bit better quality than what I was accustomed. Needless to say, I was very surprised. I now know why the coffee drinks I snare at all my local coffee shops taste so good -- they're using real espresso machines!
My wife and I can't drink regular coffee anymore, as it's much too thin and has a scorched, watery flavor. We love to find unusual coffee bean flavors and tremendously enjoy exploring the world of coffee beans and all the flavors.
As for the Breville, it works wonderfully, time after time. Every cup is the same, thick and rich, with a beautiful caramel-colored crema, thick enough to flow a dollop of sugar. Experiment with the tamps, a hard tamp gives you a longer shot, whereas a soft tamp gives you less crema. Do the same with the grinds and discover the beauty of coffee, your own way and at your own pace. Have patience and enjoy the journey! We are, thanks to our Breville!
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