CoffeeForums Coffee Facts

Q: Ever since I've been reading these NGs, I've wanted to get a pump Espresso maker and replace my steam, Mr. Coffee. In fact, some of you may remember my last posting about 3 weeks ago. I was wondering if THIS machine is worth the effort: "You can have creamy, cafe-style Espresso or cappuccino for just pennies a cup in the comfort of your own kitchen when you take advantage of this great deal....The pump pressure delivers perfect 'crema' Espresso every time and the carafe used with the 'perfect froth' attachment yields yummy latte or cappuccino. It features a 34 oz. removable water container and makes up to 4 cups at a time." It sounds like a pretty good deal to me for $53.99 + S&H PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know if it's worth it!!!

A: I dunno... $54 for a PUMP-DRIVEN Espresso machine and coffee maker? That sounds awfully low. Hell, that's cheaper than what I've seen for the steam-driven combo machines. If you can check it out physically, I'd do it; look for the screw-down lid on the Espresso side that says 'steam-driven'. If it's a mail-order deal, I'd make sure there's a 30-day (minimum) money-back guarantee, and I'd use my credit card just in case the sender decided to change his mind. It sounds too good to be true, and you know what they say about that... I bought this machine and returned it a day later. When they advertise 4 cups, they mean 4 cups the size of a shot-glass. The frothing worked OK..nothing special. 34 oz of water is correct... but you have to replace the coffee grounds after making one "shot-glass" size cup.. It was a real hassel. I bought it primarily because, I'd like to have cappuccino on "demand".. it didn't happen. So I resorted to one of those mechanical frothing machines... which work great (providing the milk is cold)... It takes two minutes and you have perfect creamy froth... add that to a pot of good drip coffee, and you have your cappuccino on "demand". The Krups Novo series of machines consists of three or four decent, pump driven home Espresso units. The original Novo retailed for about $250 but was easy to find for $200. Any price less than $150 indicates the units have been factory refurbished. Might last you three weeks after the warranty or they might last ten years. Roll of the dice. Do not make your purchase decision based on the recent addition to this thread by “Midi.” I do not wish to criticize unfairly, but Midi doesn’t know jack about Espresso. You’re making Espresso to add to milk that you will heat with steam and then use more steam to froth it up. Of course the shots are teeny little things. You’re pulling Espresso, not plain coffee. Of course you have to change the coffee grounds after every shot. Of course the frothing of the milk takes a little bit of time (and, to do it right, frothing takes a surprising amount of practice). “Cappuccino on demand” is a relative term. Well, the “demand” part is relative. The definition of cappuccino within the coffee trade is fairy solid. Cappuccino is (more or less) a shot of Espresso with about the same amount of steamed milk topped with about the same amount of milk foam. Adding cold, whipped milk to regular drip coffee is not “cappuccino.” It’s coffee with milk.