My Krups IL Primo has officially retired. It will no longer get hot enough to make steam and I think I am drinking rinsed coffee grinds this morning.
I was up all night reading reviews and pricing, only to wake up this morning and hope my IL Primo would fire up this morning. It is over 15 years old and I really can't complain.
So on the reviews I have found 1 - 5 stars for each machine. I am interested in a machine under $350 (I don't want it to cost a whole paycheck!). Attached coffee grinders do not make a difference, however, I don't want to refill the machine to steam milk. Due to the reviews, I am leaning toward whatever they have at Costco because their return policy is one of the best. My conclusion was all machines have been returned because of some sort of failure.
Please share your thoughts on a wonderful Espresso Machine. I would love a big silver semi-professional machine, but I am the only one who drinks it and my kitchen is rather small. Help-please!
I read so many reviews! They were all 50/50...some good and some not so good. I purchased a Cuisinart because it didn't really have as many bad reviews & to save some money. It pulled a shot of espresso & frothed my milk, but it wasn't hot and it really wasn't warm either. I went to a deli I had gone to for years and they had stove top pots on the shelf. After reading a few great reviews and watching a youtube of how quick and easy this is, I am now an owner. The Cuisinart goes back this weekend! I just drank a latte with my bread putting from the deli and I couldn't have been happier.
I am not dealing with the mess of finding a working unit. I bet that little pot will last a lifetime!
I just bought my husband a new espresso machine at Williams-Sonoma for Christmas. Breville is the brand and has the grinder attached. It was $599 with free shipping. I bought last year's model.
My SIL has the same machine, only the current year's model. It cost $1200 and the grinder was $200.
It's a pretty darn good cup of espresso...
If you're in Vegas, it is worth it to drive out to Williams Sonoma Outlet at stateline. All the epresso machines are on sale there. They have the Nespresso there as well as a refurbished Nespresso for less (still under warrenty). Either that one or the Breville Espresso machine are really good. With Nespresso, you have to order the pods online through Nespresso.com and I think they come out to roughly 60 cents a pod. Breville you can use regular grinds. It really is a matter of preference, you should go to a store and get a feel for the machines. If you go to a regular Williams Sonoma, they often demo their products and you can taste the Nespresso. They don't do that at the outlet though, but you get bigger discounts there.
We have not made the investment to a automated machine yet so we have a mocha maker which is a stove top espresso maker. For 20 dollars it actually makes good espresso.
I posted about this a few months back and was told Gaggia. I did a mess of research and they really are the best out there. :)
I have to ditto the Nespresso. It makes a cup of coffee that tastes EXACTLY like what you get in Italy. The flavor is amazing. The cheapest one they have is a small machine for $150. I got mine on Amazon. Go to the Nespresso website for more info. Check out the article written about their coffee, business practices, etc. in Time Magazine back in November. You will NEVER have a better cup of coffee and I haev been a coffee snob for a long time. ;)
Honestly... I haven't found a good one for less than $800
We've had a few in the range you're talking (because that was / is our range as well), but they're crappy. Okay, but not great espresso. Breaks in a year or two requiring being sent in to the manufacturer. Has to be replaced in 3 years max, total. Not after being sent in, but total.
But saving up and buying a good one... GREAT espresso, and lasts for 10+ years.
EEsoIf you're not opposed to using pods/capsules, I love my Nespresso. The coffee is very good. There is an attachment for frothing and steaming milk and it's super easy to clean-no wand! Williams Sonoma can give you a demo. Sur la Table (sp?) Also carries them. I got mine for $249 and a $75 credit for coffee capsules. I think you'd really like it since you are the sole coffee drinker and it has a small footprint. Can you tell I love mine?! PM me if you have any questions.
ETA: Sorry, it was actually $349. I just finished with the last of the Christmas debris and while putting the box in the garage saw the price. I have a bad memory! It's still been worth every penny though.
My husband bought me a Kenmore espresso machine from Sears almost two years ago and I LOVE it! Granted, I normally make iced drinks so I am not really steaming milk very often (to be honest, I think I have only steamed the milk a couple of times, but I don't remember having any trouble). The machine itself works great and it is under $200. It's not huge, it IS silver, and it's very affordable. Good luck, I hope you find one you love!
