espresso-coffee-machines professional espresso machine in the news

I have owned 4 espresso machines before this one, 2 manual (De Longhi), and 1 fully automatic (Saeco Odea Go). So I have a pretty good idea about what a good espresso should look like and what an espresso machine can or cannot do.

I got this Incanto Deluxe as a replacement for the Odea Go that died a sad death after 18 months of service (that’s another review). On the positive side, the Incanto looks great, is very versatile and fully customizable. One can program almost anything from the temperature of the coffee, to the amount of coffee ground and the amount of water to be put through the ground coffee. The enclosure of the machine is metal (very rare nowadays when cheap plastic is ubiquitous) and the whole machine looks very high quality (unlike the Magnifica for instance which looks very plasticky) The features that convinced me to go for this machine also include: i) the ability to set the water hardness, ii) the automatic descaling cycle (the Odea Go descaling is a 45 min affair for which you have to be present) and iii) the ability to bypass the beans with pre-ground coffee (for decaf, etc.). One thing I didn’t like in the exterior design was the pannarello (steam wand). On my old Odea Go, I could place a relatively tall glass (but still 250 ml) under the wand and steam the milk with one hand only (holding my 5-month old in the other arm). I could actually leave the glass on the tray, steam as necessary, then turn the steam off and pick up the glass, all with one hand only. On the Incanto, this is not possible. I can barely fit the same glass at an angle, I have to hold it there the entire time the steam is running and then I need the other hand in order to turn the steam off. So if you get this machine make sure you have both hands available or use short glasses. The other comment about the steam is that it appears to produce a _lot_ of froth to the point of having froth dribble on my hand and counter way before the milk is even warm.

I read comments and reviews about this and other machines for several days before getting this. I read about problems that other people had with it (including the ventilation issue) and I also read about some people that were happy with it. However, I really liked the specifications and I figured it may be a matter of luck and I will try it anyway. However, rather than going for the lowest price on the internet, I decided to pay more but buy it from a store when I could return it if needed.

I had no problems installing the machine when I got it out of the box. It requested to be ventilated which only involved opening the hot water knob. So much for the ventilation issue, I thought. However, about 2 days later after exactly 5 coffees made – as dutifully reported by the beautiful digital display – the machine ran out of water while steaming the milk for a cappuccino. The “ventilate” request was displayed and that was it! I tried to run hot water with no results. The machine also comes with a very cheap manual pump that looks like an accordion with a tube at one end. There are instructions on a leaflet (not in the manual) that tell you to fit the tube of the pump over the water valve of the machine and pump water into the system. This pump is a very sad joke. The diameter of the plastic tube does not match the diameter of the water valve so the pump would not fit in it, and it would not fit around it, either. The best one can do is to push the pump on the water valve really hard and try to pump. It’s like holding a water hose against a flat surface and turning the water on. The water goes everywhere: walls, counter top, clothes, people, etc. After fighting with the manual pump for a while I gave up and called tech support. After about 20 minutes on hold, I managed to talk to a person. She had me reset the machine to the factory settings and brew 2-3 cups of coffee. Brewing the coffee worked which meant that the problem was with the hot water/steam circuit alone. She then said she would email me instructions on how to open the machine and adjust a “turbine”. Overall, this person was very nice and competent. A few minutes later I got the email with a pdf attachment. I opened it and I started laughing really hard. They expect the consumer to really take apart the machine, find this “turbine” and actually modify it. However, being an engineer and loving to take things apart, I thought it might be fun to try it. After spending some time looking at the brew group from all sides, I figure that this turbine looked completely different on my machine than it looked in the instructions. Once I took it apart, I also figure out that this turbine is no turbine at all, it’s just a valve actuated by a spring and sealed by an o-ring. The instructions stated “use removed screw to slightly widen the whole inside the turbine”. This is when I gave up. If they said something like make the whole 1/10 inch or 2mm or something, anything that can be measured, I could have done it. However, telling me to make the whole “slightly” bigger is a joke. Dear people at Saeco: These things can be _designed_, you know?. One can actually figure out how big the whole needs to be _before_ building the machine, not after. And even if you are not able to do this and you go with a hit and miss approach, once you build it and figure out how big it should be, you should make sure your product leaves the factory with the correct size hole, not ask the customer to fix your design or production flaws!! Even if you get your components from China, check their specifications before assembling them.

Anyway, I put the whole thing back together and I called Saeco again. This time I talked to somebody else. This person was not so nice and appeared more interested in trying to find flaws in my recounting of the events rather than helping me solve the problem. Eventually she said I have to send this to a repair center (paying for shipping myself) after I fill in a form and submit proof of purchase. I initially thought I would do this because I really liked the machine. However, on second thoughts, I figured that I do not trust this machine anymore. I think this is an older design and if they haven’t fixed this issues after all the consumer complains on the internet, it’s probably soon to be replaced by a new generation. I really do not want to fight and fix this over and over again until it goes out of warranty and then have to buy another coffee machine altogether. I will just take this back for a refund.

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Can anyone recommend a solid espresso/coffee maker?
I own a Westbend combination espresso/coffee maker which has been used almost daily for the last 3 years. (I know, I'm suprised too considering its hardly high end) Its worked very well but at this point the poor machine is just worn out, and I'm looking to get a new one.I used to be a barista and I enjoy tamping my own espresso shots. My roommates like a good pot of regular professional espresso machine coffee in the morning. Thus my ideal combination machine would have a drip coffee function, manual espresso function (not automatic), and a steaming nozzle. Things like automatic shut off are great too.My problem is there doesn't seem to be a great amount of decent combination machines out there. I'm seeing alot of Deloughi and Krups combination models and they're all getting HORRIBLE user reviews (breaking after a few months, leaking water, etc). While I can't spend $1000 on a professional model, I'd like the model I buy to not break on me after 2-3 months. And due to lack of electrical outlets and counter space, Its not an option to buy a separate espresso machine and separate coffee maker. Please no recommendations for stovetop espresso machines; they're adorable but I don't have that kind of time in the mornings. Thanks!
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There are many options in home espresso machines so consider how often you will use it and what features are the most important to you. Units can range anywhere from $100 to over $21,000 for commercial machines so the investment requires you take care regarding espresso machine sales and consider which is the perfect machine for you.

When shopping for a home espresso machine, sales people at many of the retail stores will try to steer you to the most expensive models with all the bells and whistles. While that may be the perfect choice for some espresso drinkers, for others it is a bit of overkill. The best way to shop for a home espresso machine is via the internet, where you can find the greatest variety of equipment at the lowest prices.

When shopping for a home espresso machine, sales people at many of the retail stores will try to steer you to the most expensive models with all the bells and whistles. While that may be the perfect choice for some espresso drinkers, for others it is a bit of overkill. The best way to shop for a home espresso machine is via the internet, where you can find the greatest variety of equipment at the lowest prices.

Features professional espresso machine to Consider When Shopping For Espresso Machines

Espresso machines can be simple mocha pots or actual electrical appliances which brew with steam and manual pressure, ones with a lever/piston pressurizing device, or automated pump mechanisms. A mocha pot is the cheapest option but certainly has the greatest number of limits. At the top of the scale are the pump espresso makers, which come with a variety of features.

Cup warmers, usually located atop the machine, keep your espresso cup warm and ready.

Professional baristas know the value of having the option to control the strength of a cup of brew. While many coffeemakers have this feature, the ones on espresso machines actually control the amount of water and ground coffee in each pull to finely adjust the taste. For espresso drinkers who are particularly picky about the ratios of water and coffee, this is a must-have accessory.

A nifty feature on some models is a pre-moistening cycle which sprinkles the coffee grounds prior to pulling a shot. The idea behind pre-moistening is that this process helps extract the coffee’s aromatic oils and produces the most delicious cup of espresso.

A frothing wand is a handy device for adding frothed milk to cappuccinos and lattes. Higher end espresso machine models include a special canister just for the milk.

For making more than espresso or coffee, some units include a hot water dispenser. This is a handy accessory if you do a lot of entertaining and want to be able to quickly accommodate guests who wish for other hot beverages.

Be sure to look at all the options online for espresso machine sales. Without the pressure of commissioned salespeople breathing over your shoulder, you can browse through the available models and their key features in comfort. As well, you will undoubtedly find the best prices and be on your way to making the perfect cup of espresso in no time.

A built-in water filter and bean grinder are two little items which are real time and money savers. The downside is that they add extra equipment to the machine which could malfunction and which will require extra maintenance. An integrated bean grinder is very handy, though, in that it usually grinds just enough coffee for each cup of espresso. Both of these accessories ensure your cup of espresso will be the absolute freshest.


espresso-coffee-machines professional espresso machine in the news

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