Espresso Club » Coffee Makers

Nespresso E350 Romeo Espresso Machine

admin — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:05:26 +0000

Today I am writing about the prestigious Nespresso E350 Romeo Espresso Machine. This coffee machine is designed for the Nespresso capsule system. So what are the cool features of this machine, besides its beautiful design?

Nespresso E350 Romeo

Like all Nespresso coffee machines, it uses a 19 Bar pressure pump with the Thermoblock system, that helps produce that perfect espresso.
A programmable dosing system lets you set the exact amount of water for your espresso, so you always get the same dose and don’t have to press a button to stop the water flow.
A fully automatic capsule placing mechanism sets the capsule into its place and ejects it to a used capsules container. When the container is full of used capsules, the machine will indicate it so you know when to dispose of the capsules.
A visual control lets you know when the drip tray is full of water so you can clean up before it gets messy.
Keep the espresso cups warm just before making the drink with the warming plate for 5 espresso cups.
An AutoCappuccino steam nozzle lets you connect any milk container to the nozzle with a plastic hose, so that you can get the steamed milk straight to your cup without needing to use the steam nozzle manually.

Over all this is a great looking machine with some extra cool features to show off. Enjoy!

Check out price comparisons and user reviews on Nespresso E350 Romeo Espresso Machine.

Antique Coffee Machines at Coffee Weekend

admin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:59:10 +0000

In my last post I told you about the Jura booth at the “coffee weekend” show I attended. This time I want to share some photos and impressions about a beautiful showcase of antique and original looking coffee machines by Elektra, La Cimbali, and more. I only took photos of some but you don’t see these every day so enjoy.

Elektra Belle Epoque (1997)

This is just an old world styled espresso machine. Selling for around 11,000 GBP, the Belle Epoque is a machine in a class all of its own, where beauty, functionality and reliability merge together. The brightness of its metal, shaped to a design with the fascination of the past makes an immediate impact and provides a striking finishing touch for elegant, refined premises (excuse me if some of the text is from the website, it just sounds exactly like what I was thinking).

Elektra Belle Epoque

La Cimbali (1950’s)

Two lever system espresso machine from the 1950’s by La Cimbali:

La Cimbali 1950

Mystery Espresso Machine

I have no clue what machine this is but here it is for you:

Oldie

If you recognize this last machine, please tell me what it is

No related posts.

Jura Impressa Z5 Bean to Cup at Coffee Weekend Show

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:00:11 +0000

So I took my camera to a mall in a nearby town, that had a coffee weekend show, where different coffee machines – mainly Jura and Gaggia – were showcased. Here are the photos and videos, as well as my impressions, from the Jura booth.

Jura Booth

First I had to look at the monsters, the Z5 and J5. You can see the Jura Capresso Z5 in action here, right after the steamed milk was poured to the cup, the espresso dose flows to the cup without having to move it.

Jura Capresso Impressa Z5

The Jura J5 surprised me with it’s amazing design. I really love the white color on this machine. This is the machine that won the red dot design award in the category of product design in 2007, competing against 2,548 products from 43 countries. That says something…

Jura Impressa J5

The other bean to cup machine that surprised me was the was the Jura ENA5 Jura brought 3 ENA5 machines in red, green and silver colors. That was enough to keep me staring at them for a while You can see the AutoCappuccino device on the right side of the machines. The plastic hose goes into the milk carton, and then gets sucked in to the frothing device, so you don’t have to do it yourself.

Jura ENA5

I also shot a few short videos for you so check them out. First the Jura Impress J5 and Jura Impressa C5:

The second video is of the Jura ENA5 machines in three striking colors :

The last one is of the Jura Impressa Z5:

Coffee Grinders Roundup

admin — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:31:41 +0000

I gathered for you some information on available coffee grinders. If you are using a traditional ground coffee espresso machine or would like to get one, you should consider buying a coffee grinder to grind the coffee beans mixture of your choice. Here are some nice options, ordered by cost:

Krups Fast Touch

This grinder has twin cutting stainless steel blades which whirl and chop the coffee beans. You can use it to grind other spices as well. The capacity is pretty large with up to 15 cups of coffee / 85 g of coffee beans. The grinder has 180 Watts power and a lid activated safety switch to make sure the grinder is not working until lid is locked in place.

Estimated price: 20 USD.

DeLonghi DCG39

This grinder holds up to 84g of coffee beans capacity, but you can select to grind between 4 to 12 cups worth with the cup selector. It has a stainless steel grinding blade and a grind selector so you can choose consistency of coffee from coarse (percolated), medium (filter) or fine (espresso). Green LEDs indicate grind consistency of beans.

Estimated price: 32 GBP.

Braun KSM2

The Braun Gourmet coffee grinder (KSM2) grinds 60g of beans quickly and easily. A powerful motor combined with a stainless steel blade and ribbed lid provides optimal circulation for a fast, even grind. The motor has 150 Watts.

Estimated price: 25 USD.

Krups GVX2

Krups Burr Grinder GVX2

This grinder has a 200g bean container and a 100 Watts motor. Choose out of 17 settings coarse to fine grinding. Choose number of cups with the cup number selector (2-12). The grinder will switch itself off when the required quantity has been ground.

Estimated price: 60 USD.

Capresso Infinity

The Capresso Infinity grinder comes in professional-looking silver. It has a bean capacity of 8 1/2 ounces. Its 16 options for grinding, ranging from fine to coarse lets you prepare the ground coffee just like you want it.

Estimated price: 140 USD.

KitchenAid Pro Line Burr Grinder

KitchenAid Pro Line Burr Grinder KPCG100

The KitchenAid Burr Coffee Grinder is a beautiful grinder. Its all-metal construction produces the finest ground coffee and there are fifteen consistency settings to choose from. It has a 198 gram capacity glass bean hopper.

Estimated price: 175 USD.

No related posts.

Personal Coffee Machine Advisor is Up!

admin — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:56:47 +0000

Hey all,

I put in a new feature today. It’s a personal compatibility guide to help you choose the best coffee machine for your needs. All you need to do is to answer a few simple questions, and it’ll try to match the best choices for your needs.

Let me know what you think by commenting on this post! I want to improve it so I need your feed back

Jura Machines Reviews and Coffee Machine Buying Guide

Jura Machines Reviews and Coffee Machine Buying Guide

admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:59:18 +0000

Just a quick post to let you know I am working on several reviews for the amazing bean to cup coffee machines by Jura. These are considered by some to be the top choice, especially if talking about home coffee machines. I’ll try to bring you some real close-up photos and inside information that you won’t find in other places. So wait for this

Subscribe to my RSS feed and be the first to get informed !

Also, I am working these days on an interactive espresso machine advisor, to help direct you to some of the best fitted options for you, according to several important questions, like what is the main use you require of the machines, how much you want to invest, etc… I will post it here in my blog as soon as it is ready.

Tassimo T-DISCs – Where to Buy

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:07:12 +0000

I know this can come in handy so here are links to where you can get T-DISCs for your Tassimo capsule system based machine.

Tassimo T-Discs

Stores

Use the following link to locate the nearest store to your home.

Online

Get T-DISCs online at one of the following options:

Each T-DISCs pack consists of 16 capsules (for milk based flavors, 8 of the capsules are milk and the other 8 are the actual coffee, chocolate, etc.).

Prices

About 4 USD per pack of 8-capsules (sometimes sold in packs of 16 or 32 capsules).

The Nescafé Dolce Gusto System

admin — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 21:18:39 +0000

NESCAFÉ’s Dolce Gusto™ is Nestle’s answer to the Tassimo system and is a hot beverage system with its own unique coffee machine and capsules that produce hot beverages like espresso, cappuccino, latte and hot chocolate. The machine for the system is the Nescafe Dolce Gusto. The capsules are made by Nescafe with a variety of flavors, including milk based beverages. You can find the capsules at major stores or get them at Amazon.

Dolce Gusto Capsules

The machine works in a similar way to Nespresso system machines using thermoblock. However, unlike the 19 bar pressure used in Nespresso machines, in the Krups machine 15 bar is used. The high pressure and the capsules are designed to deliver an even distribution of water and pressure over the coffee to ensure that flavor is maximized. For comparison, in traditional filter coffee makers (drip machines) water flows through the coffee grounds at just 1 bar of pressure.

Warranty is given by Krups for two years.

Nescafe Dolce Gusto

Technical Specification

High 15 bar pressure
Free starter pack including Latte Macchiato glass, Cappuccino cup with saucer and more
Ultra fast warm up, coffee in minutes
1.3 L removable water tank for easy cleaning, filling and emptying

Check out price comparisons and user reviews for the Nescafe Dolce Gusto and the Dolce Gusto capsules.

Here is cool commercial for the Dolce Gusto:

Delonghi Lattissima EN660/670/680/690 Nespresso Capsule System Coffee Machine Review

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:05:50 +0000

I wanted to tell you about this great looking Nespresso capsule system coffee maker from Delonghi – DeLonghi Lattissima EN660 / EN670 / EN680 / EN690. This coffee maker includes a built in internal milk frothing system and a programmable sequence mechanism to produce a great tasting cappuccino in just a press of a button!

Delonghi Lattissima EN660

This is a really cool machine. The idea is that you place your espresso cup or latte mug in one of the two available heights. Then you insert the included milk container with fresh milk at the left side of the machine and direct the milk nozzle to your cup. After pressing the programmable button, you will get the steamed milk directly to the cup followed by the delicious Nespresso coffee. You don’t need to move the cup…

This sequence is done with two separate Thermoblock pumps, for the milk and water, which means they are heated in two different places in the machine, and you don’t have to wait between the milk and the water. When you finish you remove the milk container and store it if you want, and return the milk hose to its original setting.

One last note, in case you don’t know this, you are limited to one of 12 flavors in capsules currently offered by Nespresso. Only Nespresso makes and markets capsules for Nespresso machines. This is not a big limitation really, since 12 is a nice variety, and Nespresso offers an easy way to order capsules from its website.

I know this machine is not for everyone pricewise, but it looks amazing, and there’s something about pressing a button and getting your coffee prepared without extra work that gets some of us excited!

Check out price comparisons and user reviews on DeLonghi Lattissima EN680 and its companions
.

Coffee Machine Summary

Nespresso Pod System Coffee Machine
Instant Froth Dispenser – Cappuccino in one press of a button
Removable Milk Jug
19 Bar Pressure (Thermoblock)
1.2 Litre Water Reservoir
Cup heating tray in the EN680 and EN690
Energy Saving Function
Adjustable Drip Tray
Automatic Capsule Ejection
Metal Structure

Capsule System Coffee Machines

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:33:01 +0000

Capsule System

Coffee Capsules

Capsule systems for making coffee are a newer method than the traditional coffee handle machines, and are well fitted for home or small office uses. They offer a simpler, cleaner way for producing quality espresso and other coffee and tea beverages. Essentially, capsules which contain premeasured amount of sealed ground coffee are inserted in the compatible capsule system machines. The machines then pierce the top part of the capsule to allow the water to flow through. Following that, hot water is forced through the capsule with high pressure, extracting the beverage to the cup. Each capsule is used once and then disposed of.

Several capsule systems exist in the market, and each of them has a unique capsule technology which means the capsules have a unique shape and structure. For each capsule system, a limited variety of coffee machine, that are compatible with the system’s unique capsules, are available. For example, the Nespresso D100 coffee machine is made by Magimix and Krups for the Nespresso capsule system. This coffee maker may be a very good one, but it will not be able to handle a capsule from the Caffitaly capsule system.

So capsules are sold in many shapes and flavors. You can buy them in stores, or online. I wanted to put together this article, to make some things a little clearer for those of you who are thinking about buying a coffee machine for your home. Here is a summary of some of the most popular capsule systems available:

The Caffitaly System

Caffitaly System

The Caffitaly System (or Caffita System) is a capsule system for making espresso and other coffee, and tea drinks in home espresso machines designed for the Caffitaly system. The system was developed by the Italian company Gaggia. The Caffitaly capsule has two small filters. The coffee is extracted as the high pressure water passes through the grounded coffee and the filters in the capsule. Caffitaly capsules are found in the world though different manufacturers, which brand the capsules in a different ways, but the capsules are always the same.

Among the Gaggia coffee machines which use the Caffitaly system you can find the K111d Gaggia Caffitaly, L’Amante Gaggia Caffitaly and the new Nautilus.

Read in more detail about the Caffitaly system here…

The Nespresso System

Nespresso D100

The Nespresso System’s capsules are made of pressed aluminum foil. The top and sides are made of a thick layer, and the base is covered with a thinner layer. After the top is pierced and the machine activated, pressurized hot water runs into the top of the capsule, which in turn causes the bottom of the capsule (thinner layer) to bow out, and finally be pierced by the machine. This way the brewed coffee can flow into the cup.

Among the popular coffee makers which use the Nespresso system are the Nespresso D100, Nespresso D185 Le Cube and many more.

Read in more detail about the Nespresso system here…

The Tassimo System

The Tassimo System’s capsules have among others, drinks that include milk, such as cappuccino. The capsules are called T-Discs and have a bar code printed on their label. The Tassimo machine reads the bar code to calculate the amount of water, brewing time, and temperature for the specific beverage. The brewing process takes between 30-60 seconds. Discs containing milk use UHT milk, not powdered milk.

The newer coffee makers which use the Tassimo system include the Bosch TAS4511 Multi Beverage Machine and other models by Bosch.

Pod Systems

There are more capsule systems, like the Keurig system with it’s K-Cup portion cups, and even more pod systems. Pods are tightly packed filter bags filled with coffee grounds (sometimes called pads). These pods fit in special machines for their system, or on special adaptors fitted in traditional coffee handles, so you can place the pods instead of actual coffee grounds. One of these pod systems is the Senseo system that makes pods for coffee makers made by Philips and Douwe Egberts. Models that utilize this system include among others the Senseo HD7832 Supreme Single-Serve Gourmet Coffeemaker.

Senseo HD7832

I hope this gives you some useful information about the capsule systems available. Follow the links to get more information about the different systems, and the relevant coffee makers.