Lello Ariete Burr Coffee Grinder Review

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(More customer reviews)(UPDATE 2008: What's with the $50.00 price tag? When I bought this, it was $30.00 and well worth the price! It still works as I've listed below, but I would never contend that there aren't better grinders. At $50.00, it's approaching the price of more functional machines. Yes, it works well, but $50.00?)
This grinder works well. It's a very significant improvement over my blade grinder. It has two ridged wheels facing one another with an angle of somewhere between 10 and 20 degrees between the edges of the wheels. The beans go in the hopper up on top and fall through the shoot into the spinning wheels. The ridges on the wheels are dull to the touch, so the beans get crushed as they pass through with no cutting occuring at all. The grounds come out extraordinarily uniform in size and by turning the hopper, you can select a grind size from the fineness of flour upwards to a size larger than one would generally use for drip. It's also very fast; MUCH faster than a blade grinder. Unlike the reviews I've read of other low-priced burr grinders, this one is very clean. The chute from which the grounds are expelled projects slightly into the collecting bin, so they are all neatly collected without spillage. The collecting bin comes off of the grinder, which makes sticking a scoop in the bin to transport the grounds to the espresso filter easy. Also, because the whole collecting bin comes off, it's easy to rinse the bin in the sink after every use. The body of the machine is made up of about one quarter stainless steel and three quarters plastic. Of some concern to me is the report of a later poster that his machine is all plastic: I wonder if Lello altered the machine construction since I posted my review in April of 2006? Ah well, I can only report on my own results...
Unlike another reviewer, I had no problems manipulating the various parts of the grinder (e.g., removing the collecting bin), the collecting bin's cover did not fly off spontaneously, and the hopper cover was easy to lift off of the machine. I do agree with one reviewer that, unlike a blade grinder, this machine is a bit large to store in a cabinet between cans of tunafish. Plan on setting it on the counter.
The two potential complaints I have about it don't bother me much:
1- It's very loud, but because it grinds so quickly, this doesn't bother me, as it's not loud for long.
2- You select the amount that you want the machine to grind, but at the lowest amount and the finest setting, it doesn't grind the amount selected, so I have to set the dial to grind for four cups when I want two. Not a big deal once you figure it out.

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Lello Ariete Burr Coffee Grinder

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Factory-Reconditioned Breville XXESP8XL Café Roma Espresso Maker Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this machine in July of 2008. The reason I decided to write a review at this time is because I am considering purchasing another one for my parent's 60th Anniversary and noticed all of the negative reviews.
I lived in Spain for three years in the late 70s and learned to enjoy espresso drinks while I was there. When I returned to the USA I purchased a very inexpensive machine which I used off and on over the years. I say off and on because it did not produce very good espresso and I would exile to the basement. Every few years however I would haul it back up expecting, I guess, that it had learned it's lesson while it was in 'time out'! I eventually decided to spend a little more money and try a better machine. I found the refurbished Breville Cafe Roma at Amazon for $95 with free shipping (even at $149 it is a steal.) I had a little trouble at first because it operated differently than my old one, but all I had to do was send an email with my question to Breville customer service and they would call me back and walk me though any difficulty I was having. In the intervening months I have become quite expert in the nuances of this machine. During the winter I make a latte with mounds of foam so tight you'd think it was whipped cream. In the hot summer months I make two-oz. of espresso and put it in the freezer overnight. THe next morning I put it in the blender with 6 oz. of skim milk and 1 tsp of vanilla sugar and hit the 'frozen drink' button. I get a smooth, frothy cold mocha drink that feels and tastes totally decadent - but isn't. I can't start my day without one of these treats and they are both far superior to anything I have bought at several different upscale coffee houses.
As to the cups and frothing pitcher: my sister bought a new Breville Cafe Roma which did come with the additional items and she never uses them. The pitcher is too small (10-oz.) if you like lots of foam. I purchased a very nice Rattleware 20-oz. pitcher from Amazon and it is the perfect size. Neither my sister nor I drink espresso straight, but if I did I would not want stainless steel cups because they put my teeth on edge (no I don't bite them.) I much prefer glass or ceramic which can be purchased in beautiful colors and designs.
Bottom line: if you want good espresso and are either short on funds or filthy rich but don't need a high-end machine sitting on your counter to impress your friends and relatives, get a Breville Cafe Roma and be patient while you are learning how to become an expert barista in your own home - then impress your friends and relatives with the delights you make with this machine.

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Cafe Roma is perfect for making all your favorite cafe drinks in your own kitchen. Apparatus contains a 15-bar pump for optimal pressure and perfect cream on every shot of espresso.

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Lello 1375 Ariete Cafe Prestige Coffee Maker Review

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(More customer reviews)I will give this five stars. Not the same five stars I would give something along the lines of a Gaggia Carezza mind you. This five stars should be taken as a rating relative to its price. If this were the same cost of the Gaggia I would probably have to give it a 3.5
I should note I prefer americanos, cappuccinos, lattes, etc over straight espresso. I bought this for a second house. If I were to be drinking a lot of straight espresso I would have bought the Gaggia.
One important detail which is not in the description is this unit will use ESE pods. The portafilter has inserts for single and double shot amounts, as do most machines. The single shot has a small ledge around it which is designed so it may be used for both single shots and ESE pods, with a pod fitting perfectly into the area created by the little ledge. This is a big advantage for those days when you are in a rush.
Construction. This thing is solid. When I ordered it I thought it would not really be steel, just chromed plastic. Well it is stainless steel. And the finish is beautiful. This has to be the most impressive looking espresso machine this side of $300. One plus of being so heavy is you don't have to hold it down when tightening the portafilter. Something I never liked about the lighter units.
Despite the description noting a rather weak looking 950-watt heater, I was pleasantly surprised by the speed at which it warms up. This had worried me at first, but now that I have it I have discovered no reason to be disappointed. While using the steam feature to froth it has enough power to be ready to pull a shot immediately with no need to wait. And after pulling a double shot it seems like it is ready in seconds for the next shot, well before I have time to remove the portafilter and get it cleaned and reloaded.
Another impressive feature here is the warming plate on the top of the unit. Once again, as with the 950-watt rating, I was expecting a rather weak showing on the warming front. Wow, another shocker. It works! I turn the unit on in the morning and prepare my first drink. Then I leave it on. Make sure at this point you clean the portafilter and place it on the unit empty. By the time you roll around to getting your second cup, the cups on top are nicely heated and the portafilter is warmed up as well.
The drip cup and water reservoirs are quite generous. The drip cup underneath the bottom plate even has an ingenious little pop up float near the back which raises with the water level. Instead of constantly pulling up the plate, you can tell if it is getting full by simply looking to see if the float is starting to pop up. What a nifty little feature!
There is one drawback. The portafilter is what Ariete calls their "Thermocream" design. The problem with this design is it is created to produce a "crema like" crema on the top of every cup. This somewhat hides whether or not you are doing your job right and the crema is a product of a good grind, good tamp, and good pull. I prefer the crema production to be a function of how well I doing my job, not a function of some little device that makes stuff that looks like crema even if it is not.
I would like to add that the Group Head (the thing the portafilter attaches to when you put it on) is not solid metal. Parts of it are plastic. But given the price I am not willing to deduct a star for this (or the Thermocream feature) as I would if I were comparing to the $200 machines.

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Constructed of heavy-duty stainless steel and simple-to-use controls, this 950-watt espresso/cappuccino machine makes it easy to brew cafe-quality coffee drinks. The unit's high-performance ThermoBlock 15-bar pump-driven system provides uniform and constant pump pressure to make a superior espresso with good crema and a frothy thick milk cappuccino. Its removable 2-1/4-quart water reservoir can be refilled from the top at any time during operation, and a cup-warming area allows up to nine cups to be warmed before use. Designed in sleek, attractive housing, the espresso/cappuccino maker measures 9-1/2 by 9-1/4 by 12-1/2 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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DeLonghi EC270 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Machine, Black and Stainless Review

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(More customer reviews)This machine is nicely heavy and strong, normally with every pump espresso machine you have to wait like 5 minutes or more to let it warm up, well this one is ready in seconds, the pump is not noisy at all, the steamer works very nice mixing perfectly the milk with the steam without making boiling the milk before you get a firm foam and that is a good advantage because you can froth directly into your cup instead of using frothing pitcher (less clean to do), the water reservoir can be remove to fill it or it has a lid too, and it comes with two kinds of filters one to use with ground coffee for 2 cups, and another one that can be use with ground coffee for 1 cup or with E.S.E pods( which although they are bit expensive, once you use them you love them cause they are super practical) and at last but not least the fact that this has stainless-steel boiler is a plus since all the small espressos use aluminum which is not that healthy. In general it is very easy to use and to clean machine.

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Brew cafe-quality espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, and more from the comfort of home with this easy-to-use espresso machine. Thanks to its durable stainless-steel boiler and maximum pump pressure of 15 bars, each shot brews at the proper temperature and comes out with a thick layer of golden crema. The unit's dual-function filter holder can accommodate two separate attachments. Use the patented Sempre Crema Filter with two measures of ground coffee, or use the E.S.E. (Easy Serving Espresso) Filter with pods or one measure of ground coffee. In addition, the machine comes equipped with a self-priming system for quick start-up times, two separate thermostats for brewing and steam at the perfect temperature, and an adjustable frother with a special chamber that mixes steam and milk to create a rich creamy froth for cappuccinos, lattes, or any other frothy milk-coffee beverage. Other highlights include a removable 35-ounce water tank, a water-level indicator, and a removable drip tray for quick cleanup. The 1050-watt espresso machine measures 12 by 8-1/5 by 12-4/5 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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