espresso machine reviews

July 2010

6 Easy Tips for Brewing Espresso at Home

You might be the kind of coffee addict that experiences the expresso from a commercial machine made by a trained barista, on a routine basis. A wonderful master espresso machine will no doubt be the machine of choice for most quality expresso shops. Added to that, the barista will no doubt have spent some time training and learning the craft.

So when the eager coffee drinker returns home and tries to make their own cup of espresso, the results are not surprisingly to a degree underwhelming.

Nevertheless, a smashing cup of espresso made at home can be a reality if you have good equipment and are keen to make a little bit of effort.

Let’s look at the six main ingredients in extracting a decent expresso at home.

1) Store your coffee in the correct manner. The perfect place for coffee is a dry, dark place at about room temperature (37 celcius). A china jar is a better container than a plastic or metal one. For optimum coffee flavor resist the temptation to store coffee in the fridge or freezer.

2) Don’t try to make your coffee last too long. In a perfect world, coffee should be used within a week to 10 days. Consequently, when you go shopping for coffee go for smaller packages. Coffee will begin to deteriorate in flavour if kept for longer than a week or so.

3) Buy yourself a quality expresso maker. These days, the market is full of decent espresso makers. From fancy expensive machines like the Saeco 21103 Royal professional espresso machine to cheaper, smaller models like Briel ES35AFB we have a groovy selection of good machines to help make the perfect expresso.

If in doubt, try reading some expresso machine reviews or get some advice from a quality sales assistant.

4) Know what your machine can and can’t do. The truth is home expresso machines aren’t likely to produce enough water pressure to extract expresso well. 120 pounds per square inch is the ideal level. Ensure you check the owner;s guide of your machine for the pressure. In most liklihood, your expresso machine will only have one heater. This means that the hot water is mixed with the steam resulting in a bitter espresso.

5) Take your time over your bean grinding. A two-bladed grinder will provide the best reults. A single blade machine will work ok but won’t be nearly as satisfactory. in addition, the blades should be kept sharp. After every 20 kgs of beans, replace the blades.

6) Use expresso extraction methods suited for the home, not for a commercial expresso machine. A coarser coffee grind is more suited to the home machine. In addition, dont pack the coffee too tightly. Your home machine will probably provide less pressured steam in less time than a commercial machine. Take this into account when steaming.

When all is said and done, espresso extraction is best done by the pro barista. It’s a much better experience to enjoy an expresso from a commercial-grade machine, made by a trained barista. But with a good home machine and attention to the points mentioned above, a decent cup of espresso can be made in the home.

Briel Cadiz Espresso Maker ES62AFB Review

Briel Cadiz ES62AFB

The Briel Cadiz espresso maker has been rated as one of the finest espresso makers available today in the market. The Briel Cadiz is an amazing espresso maker that is very easy for anyone to handle.

There is no rocket science involved in the handling of the espresso machine. You can now create authentic espresso, cappuccino or latte and do it just the way you like it.

The Briel Cadiz is a semi automatic espresso maker that offers a variety of features ranging from Briel’s own patented Auto espresso flow to a warming plate for pre heating the coffee cups.

The patented Auto Espresso Flow refers to a small microchip timing circuit. This circuit allows you to pre set the amount of espresso that needs to be dispensed into the cup.

With its 15 BAR pump providing the necessary pressure for optimal extraction, the stainless steel boiler makes sure to keep the brewing and steaming temperatures consistent right through. You have two thermostats that regulate the coffee along with the steaming process. There is a third thermostat fitted on the pump and is used only in the event of continuous usage.

(By the way it’s available at Amazon and is on sale at the moment)

Further, the Briel Cadiz ES62AFB is fitted with a Turbo Jet Frother that creates delicious and lip smacking cappuccinos and lattes and the patented Crema master filter produces rich cream with each and every cup of latte or cappuccino.

Some of the additional features of the Briel Cadiz are a big 1.5 liter removable water reservoir and a removable drip tray. It also includes a stainless steel boiler and an in built coffee tamper. The good thing about this espresso maker is that it can be used with both ground coffee as well as ESE pods.

The Briel Cadiz is designed exclusively for delivering coffee that is very similar to that of cafes. The Espresso Flow system of this espresso maker allows you to set the strength of the coffee according to your tastes. This means that you can set your coffee to a strong brew with less cream or you can even make it with less robust brew.

Likewise, you can now decide at what temperature you want to consume your cappuccino or latte and preset it accordingly. However, the ideal brewing temperature of espresso coffee should be at 190 degree F. With its 15 bars of pump pressure, this espresso maker can deliver two cups in about thirty five seconds, which is quite remarkable.

The frothing wand helps in making a very fine cappuccino whereas the Crema maker provides genuine crema for every cup of espresso.

With so many features, it is not surprising that the Briel ES62AFB Cadiz espresso maker is one of the most popular espresso makers in the world. With its stunning looks and varied features, this espresso maker is ideal for both your home as well as office environments.

Since they are very compact, they occupy very little space and can be placed in any corner of your office. With this coffee maker available to you, say goodbye to costly lattes and cappuccinos at your nearest barista.

You can get the best price on this espresso machine at Amazon.

Briel ES35AFB Chamonix Review

Briel ES35AFB Chamonix

The Briel ES35AFB Chamonix has been voted as one of the best espresso machines in its category. This espresso machine has some stunning features that make it one of a kinds in the market place.

It is very easy to handle and is also easy on the pocket. With this machine you can now make your own cappuccino or latte according to your specifications that can be preset into the machine.

The Briel ES 35AFB is a semi automatic espresso machine that offers a wide range of features which include Briel’s patented Auto Espresso Flow and a warming plate to preheat the cups before use.

One of the major features of the Briel ES35AFB is its Auto Espresso Flow. This feature has a microchip timing circuit that allows you to preset a certain amount of espresso that you want in your cup. The fifteen bar pump provides the necessary pressure while the stainless steel boiler ensures that the brewing and steaming are maintained at consistent temperatures. There are two thermostats. One regulates the coffee while the other regulates the steaming process. A third thermostat is fitted on top of the pump and is used when there is a continuous usage of the machine.

The Briel ES35AFB is available from www.Cookware.com. BUY NOW >>

The Briel ES35AFB is equipped with a Turbo Jet Frother that allows you to create delicious tasting cappuccino and latte. With its Crema Master filter, this espresso machine ensures that each and every cup is filled with the desired quantity of genuine crema.

The other features of the Briel ES35AFB comprise of a stainless steel boiler and a built in coffee tamper. Likewise, it also features a 1.5.liter removable water reservoir along with a removable drip tray. Another important feature with this espresso machine is that it has a filter holder and a filter basket that can hold both ground coffee as well ESE or coffee serving pods.

The Briel ES35AFB is equipped with an automatic self priming pump that helps in eliminating any kind of abnormal and irksome start up preparation. Its Aqua Stop No Drip system prevents any dripping of water and at the same time ensures that there is no bleeding the machine of any remaining water.

The Briel ES35AFB is designed for delivering café style cappuccino and latte at your home or office. Its Auto Espresso Flow system allows you to adjust the strength of the espresso according to your taste buds. If you prefer strong espresso coffee you can brew it accordingly and if prefer something that is medium, you can brew it less robustly. Similarly, you can decide at what temperature you prefer to have your latte or cappuccino.

You can preset the temperature accordingly. Ideally, espresso coffee is brewed at 190 degree F. The Briel ES 35AFB can deliver two cups of hot espresso within thirty five seconds which is pretty quick by any standards. Equipped with a frothing wand, you can now make high quality cappuccino and latte with genuine crema from the Briel patented Crema maker.

Finally, with its amazing looks and a host of features and benefits, the Briel ES35AFB is ideally suited for home and office environment.

The Briel ES35AFB is available from www.Cookware.com. BUY NOW >>

Note: We are always happy to recommend buying online from www.Cookware.com because they are accredited by several industry bodies and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee and full refund policy.

Saeco 21103 Royal Review

Saeco 21103 Royal Professional Fully Automatic Espresso Machine, Silver and Blue

Where do you go when you want to buy your favorite coffee drink?

A lot of folks go to the place that starts with an “S”, you know the one, and word on the street is that they use Saeco machines to satisfy millions of fans around the world.

Why am I telling you this? Well as they say 10,000 Elvis fans can’t be wrong.

Of course the fact that there is a re-labeled Saeco machine on every other street corner is not reason enough to run out and buy a Saeco 21103 Royal. No, Saeco has a lot more going for them besides that! Let’s get moving then because I enjoy investigating these machines as much as, hopefully, you enjoy reading about them.

About Saeco

Saeco recognize their services as simple, and convenient luxuries, their expression of mission is “Espresso Feeling”. What they mean is that espresso embodies more than just a hot beverage.

Saeco say espresso is a celebration of life itself and that Italy, the home of Saeco, is synonymous with enjoyment, contemporary design and passionate living.

Saeco talk a lot about their employees in their mission statement, and state that offering a safe, modern and positive working environment is their responsibility as an employer. They also mention that they invented the fully automatic coffee machine, more than 20 years ago.

The Saeco 21103 Royal

The Saeco Royal Professional has been around for a few years, and has seen at least one re-design. This model is unique in that it bridges the gap between home and office. Plenty of manufacturers claim that “this” or “that” model is perfect for home, as well as office, read: heavy use, but with the Royal Professional, Saeco means it.

Having one foot in both worlds means having some great features that you won’t find in home oriented models, but there are a couple trade-offs too. I was just pontificating the other day about how almost no one seems to make a tap plumbable water system, but the Royal Pro has it. Similarly, I was thinking about the lack of both a steam wand and an automatic frothing system and, you guessed it, the Pro has both.

So it sounds perfect right? Well, maybe. As I mentioned, there are a few trade-offs, the first being the footprint. This machine is a bit larger than your average home model. For some this is not a problem, others a deal breaker. It’s not mentioned often, but the maker has a built in turntable, a lazy Susan, if you will.

This alone is such a great idea; you have to wonder why others don’t use one. Then there’s the maintenance. According to owners, you will find yourself cleaning this machine frequently. I’ll get more in depth in the “What Others Say” section, but this machine appears to struggle more than the average when it comes to oily beans.

Being a relatively older machine, the Royal Professional uses a rather small and simple digital screen that doesn’t have the flair of the more recent, large-screen, TFT multi-color read-outs that you will find on other makers, including those made by Saeco. It also lacks the programmability of some of the newer home models, but realistically this, in the end, may be a good thing if used primarily in an office setting.

This may sound like a big negative mess, but it isn’t, at least not for me. I’m not sure that this would be the one I would choose for my home, but if I was looking to use a machine in any kind of high traffic capacity, and that includes a very busy home, the Royal Professional deserves a close look.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

Saeco Royal Professional owners seem to have hit and miss experiences with their machines. The maker generally rates quite high, but there are some issues that are fairly consistent. The first, and most common is a finicky burr grinder. While it does its job well, it seems quite sensitive to oily beans.

I have found that this is not uncommon for super-automatics, and indeed burr grinders in general. I have noticed in ther machines that getting even the smallest amount of water in the grinder by accident creates problems, and the Royal Pro is no different. Tis will be another reason to plumb the water.

If you have had experience with a busy office, and busy employees, you can probably testify that people can be a little less careful with appliances that they, themselves, do not own. Warm-up time, too, has been cited as an area of concern. I don’t think that the time is excessive, just a little slow compared to some other makers.

Maintenance on this machine is important and frequent. The good news is that the brew group is removable, so a good rinse is all that is likely needed here. Lastly, the owner’s manual, many say, is poorly translated and difficult to read. Saeco was purchased by Dutch electronics giant Philips in 2009 and the fact that the Royal was created well before then may, or may not have something to do with some of these complaints.

However, I have read a few complaints about Saeco owner’s manuals since Philips purchased the company. Perhaps we can consider the translation part of the Italian firm’s charm?

Read more customer reviews here.

IT’S A PROFESSIONAL

Since this machine was designed to be more flexible than others in terms of volume, I think it’s time to consider some of the Royal Professionals strengths. Keeping in mind that this is a high volume machine, and we’ll call “high volume” up to around 100 cups per day, it’s really not that big.

Because of its inherent size, you get a higher capacity than typical for water, enough in fact for 40 espressos, or best of all unlimited, when plumbed into a potable water source. Another excellent feature that you will be very hard pressed to find elsewhere is the ability to froth milk with either the Panarello wand, or the Cappuccinatore.

If that’s all Italian to you, it simply means you can use the traditional type steam wand with Panarello attachment to froth milk in a container, or use the Cappuccinatore, which draws milk from a container, and froths it for you before dispensing it directly into your cup. They even make refrigerated containers for the Cappuccinatore. Talk about convenience!

This really is a great office/church/busy home/small business/etc… solution. Speaking of solutions, one owner mentioned that he/she kept a jar next to the machine in the office to help cover the cost of the machine, supplies and maintenance and was able to pay for it that way. Capital idea!

SPECIFICATIONS & CAPACITIES

110v or 220v
Weight: 31.3 LBS.
15 Bar Pump
Cup Warmer
Adjustable Doser: 6 -9 grams
Removable Brew Group
Plumbable Water/Reservoir 82oz
Conical Burr Grinder (10.6oz)
Dual Frothing Capable
Made in Italy

Note: Older models were 220 volt for commercial applications. If you are buying used, and need 110 volt, make certain that you are getting the updated model. There are a few other differences too with the programmability, etc.

DIMENSIONS

W 15.5” x H 15.5” x D 17.5”

WARRANTY

1 Year Limited Warranty

EXPLORING THE COMPANY WEBSITE

The Saeco website is one of my favorites. Not for any practical purpose, mind. I just like the clean layout, and the little Flash sequence when the page loads.

The other 99.9% of the site is fairly typical. The header at the top has tabs for products, support, contacts and other links you’d expect to find on any corporate website. Looking for the Royal Professional on their website, you need to go to the vending machines area.

There are some differences between the Royal Coffee Bar, and the Royal Professional, so what you find at the Saeco website may be a bit confusing. Typical web support for Saeco makers is pretty good, I’d say better than for the Royal Pro. Bummer.

WHERE CAN I BUY A SAECO ROYAL PROFESSIONAL, AND HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY?

You can get your Saeco Royal Professional at a great price here. Amazon I find, offers great prices and fast shipping. Consumers have always reported excellent customer service as well.

FINAL WORD

Saeco made a choice with the Royal Professional that other companies have chosen not to make. Whether this is because Saeco already make vending machines, and therefore have the know-how that others lack, or maybe saw an opportunity to fill a niche.

Either way it’s the consumer for whom this machine was designed who really wins by choosing this maker. The fact that there was an update, two models with similar names, some color options, different SKUs, and even power requirements can make finding the right one a little confusing.

The model reviewed here, of course, is the Royal Professional # 21103 and finding it at Amazon couldn’t be easier.

It may be tempting to buy a sexy new maker, with as much processing power as the computer that I’m typing on right now, you know, the one with a fingerprint scanning I.D. system, wait a sec, that would be another model by Saeco, the Xelsis, but I’m getting off track.

The point is that in a high volume situation, what you really want is a little simplicity, a little ruggedness, to go along with your high-tech super-automatic convenience, and that is exactly what you get with the Royal Professional.