Capresso

Hazlenutlatte

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Sep 28, 2005
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Eaton, CO
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Alright, I know I'm gonna get pounded for this but here goes.

I own and use a capresso ultima. Ok bring it on!!!

I used this machine 3 years ago and thought I would be doing well if I was able to upgrade to the C1000. Boy was I wrong. First the machine needed to be cleared before each use. What a pain!!! Then the coffe did not come out as strong because It used half the coffee the ultima used. I had to make 3 shots to get the same or close flavor. That was also a pain. I was very sorry after purchasing. I thought maybe this was how a good espresso was supposed to taste. After using the new C1000 for about a year and a half it developed a leak and started to loose some of the steam pressure. It still worked just about a spoon sized puddle underneath. Last week the leak turned into a ladle. That was it. Had to get a new one or get it fixed. Ok, so now I found out that capresso parts are not availiable, that I absolutely have to send it away to get fixed. Ya like a drunk would be without his bottle for 6 weeks. There was no way I even considered putting myself through that. So I'm still on a quest to find the part so I can fix it myself and then sell it on e-bay. Anyone know where I can get the tube that goes from the boiler to the pump?? Ok so I desided to check out new machines and went to the nearest store that carried home espresso machines. Its really hard for me to buy something over $300 or 400 and not know how it works since the last time I did this it didn't turn out how I hoped. So all the signs pointed to the Capresso Ultima that I had used before. I sold the last one on ebay and they paid me $200. I happened to buy the last one (floor model) and got a deal for $200. Not bad. So I get it home make my first cup and WOW. I instantly discoverd what I had been missing. Was great and I will never go back! What I like about this machine is this: I like my latte strong. I like a good oily bean that has a smoky nutty flavor. This machine absolutly brings out the flavor. I cannot stress more how great this machine is. You don't have to spend tons of $$ on a machine that you can't even pronounce the name of the company that made it. I use boyers espresso roast or a local roaster thats so popular I'm very lucky to find my roast in stock. So to those of you who might live in a fairly small city. That don't have a lot of stores that sell expresso machines and you can still find an ultima. I promise you will not be dissapointed. To those of you who swear by starbucks YUCK! That coffee has NO taste at all. Could be the kids making the coffee. Could be the fact that they make it sooooo hot, by the time you can actually drink it, the best flavor is gone. I want to drink mine NOW I don't want to wait 30 min for it to cool down. Starbucks lovers don't realize that once you burn your tonge you can't taste it anyway. No wonder their coffee tastes so bad.
 

topher

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Aug 14, 2003
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Boca Raton
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ummm.....I am happy you found a machine that works for you...as to coffee being served too hot...umm...it has to be hot or you do not extract all the flavor....sigh but to each their own :wink:
 

Hazlenutlatte

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Sep 28, 2005
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Eaton, CO
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Sorry I thought I was pretty clear that my drink of choice is a latte which I call "coffee". When I say to hot I don't mean the shot of espresso. I mean the steamed milk. Which in turn heats the shot again. Thats just common sense. Now if you have to wait for 30 min to actually drink it, common sense again would tell you that its no longer fresh and some of the best espresso flavor is gone.
 

CCafe

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Aug 11, 2004
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Des Moines, Iowa
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Technically the espresso would be heating your latte. Steamed milk should never be taken over 160F, after that you start to break down the milk proteins and you loose the sweetness of the milk.

Your espresso should be cooking right around 200F. So if everything is working right it would be your espresso raising your drink temperature not the milk.
 
I guess I don't understand what the rant is against. Capresso Ultima is great. Starbucks isn't. It seems there is a reference to a third thing that needed to be cleaned before each use. What is that other thing?

Well, whatever the issue is, it's great you found something you like. As one can infer from Topher & others, there are steps of greatness yet ahead. Enjoy where you are, but stay open to the possibility that you have not arrived.

Today I cleaned my grinder and espresso machine (backflushed - the works) and put in the first bag of Starbucks Espresso Blend that has ever been in either. Neither machine gagged and rolled over on its side. The coffee itself had good crema and did not have the shave-your-tongue bitterness common in Starbucks shops. In fact, it had a sweeter finish than my regular espresso (probably the Indonesian in the blend).

No, I don't work for Starbucks. But it is important to drink the competition every once in a while.

Hazlenutlatte - when you can taste side by side the difference between espresso extracted at 3 bar and 9 bar - or have a good enough taste memory - you'll perceive that your journey is not yet over. You will enjoy every step of the way as much as you are enjoying the one you just took.
 
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