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This is a terrific little machine. I had one like this before and when it came time to replace it I bought another brand which was not nearly as good as this machine. In the future I will buy it again if it is still available. Makes great espresso and lattes and more.
However, if you are looking for 1 - 2 espresso's at a time this machine is great. I love this little machine for the price. I have used professional machines and, of course, this does not compare. It also made excellent froth. I recommend but not for a crowd.
I have cleaned it multiple times and it doesn't do any good. 2005. I received this machine as a b-day present in Dec. When I make it I might get 1 shot of "good" espresso but it starts to get a burned taste after that. For the first 1-2 years I worked great for lattes, that is all I used it for. About 9 months to a year ago the espresso started to get bitter, and taste burnt. This is a good espresso machine for a starter, but don't expect it to last for too long. I am in the process of buying a higher end espresso machine right now.
Serious espresso aficionados turn their noses up at any of these steam driven devices eschewing them in favor of expensive and usually complex espresso machines priced into the thousands of dollars. Unfortunately most serious coffee types seem to have a penchant to be verbose, so plan to do a lot of reading for relatively little solid information.it is, however, enjoyable and fascinating reading. Only a moderate packing here, not major compression because too hard a tamp and the water will not be able to penetrate the coffee until the pressure, and therefore the temperature, gets too high. Also, if you remember any high school physics or if you use pressure cookers in your kitchen, you will also realize that as the pressure builds up, the temperature at which the water boils also increases. Learn to froth without using the extra helper device on the wand. Releasing the steam into the milk also reduces the pressure in the boiler tank, and thereby keeps the water temperature lower as the coffee is brewing. Top of the line espresso machines are designed with a lot of attention to detail and complexity regarding these considerations. Super java-heads and professional baristas will go on for hours and hours about finessing the grind, the amount of coffee loaded into the portafilter, (aka dosing,) and the way the coffee is packed or tamped down.
This Capresso Mini steam device (and all others like it) use steam pressure to force the water through the coffee in the portafilter instead of a pump. I have had one of these little steam pots for making my morning lattes and cappuccinos for years now. If that sort of thing is of interest to you I suggest you check out "http//www.coffeegeek.com" for additional information and how-to articles. Some, like myself, judge by feeling the warmth of the outside of the mug or pitcher.Now steaming as you are brewing has another positive effect with this machine. Fill a mug (or smallpitcher if you prefer) about 1/3 full with this milk. But there is a trick that can help.
If you are one of those people for whom espresso is an art form and a lifestyle, you will never be happy with one of these simple steam powered pots.but if you just want to be able to get your morning java with a nice bit of steamed milk like they do it at Starbucks without having to leave the house (or without paying $5 plus a cup) you can get fine results with this device. The trick to getting good results with this machine is understanding that by the time the carafe has fully filled with the brewing coffee the runaway temperature/pressure thing has happened and your pot of coffee is probably spoiled. If you know about these steam espresso makers and know that this is what you are looking for, the Capresso Mini is a good one. In about 30 seconds you will notice a little of that foamy head called "crema" forming in the carafe. That trick is to have an extra empty mug handy as you start to brew. There are three zones you want to become familiar with while frothing milk. If you are interested in what those limitations might be and how to get the best of what can be expected of this device, I invite you to read on.
The problem is that by the time the water has boiled and built up steam pressure it is already above the "perfect" temperature to make a cup of espresso. But the Devil is in the details as to how that is accomplished.Fancy (read expensive) espresso machines force water at just below boiling through the ground coffee held in the "portafilter" (aka basket and holder) by using a pump. Listen for changes in the sounds as you do this. First, and nearest the surface, is a zone that entrains air into the milk and makes a stiff foam. Watch the coffee coming out of the little spout on the bottom of the portafilter. Be careful to observe the volume changes as you foam like this because that is the only clue you have to the process being pretty well finished. As for frothing the milk. This little device has plenty of power for that.
The additional coffee brewed into your standby mug is waste. Soon after that the coffee coming out of the bottom of the portafilter will appear markedly lighter in color. Here is how:Good espresso is achieved by first using only quality espresso ground coffee and then carefully controlling both the rate at which water is passed through that coffee as well as the temperature of the water. Then I tamp it down firmly but not hard. When the brewing gets going insert the tip of the wand into the mug of milk and tilt the mug slightly. In fact, unless you have a really good coffee shop around your place, or have a friend who is a good amateur barista, you might not even recognize this stuff as foamed milk at all. Fill the water tank and turn the machine on to start the brewing process. It isn't properly called espresso because of the way it was made, though most of us would call it that.
When the water gets too hot, the coffee comes out tasting nasty. True Believers in the Religious Experience of Espresso turn their noses up at this sort of foam, but it is precisely that stiff head of foam that some of us like, so don't let anyone tell you it is "wrong." The second zone, just a little deeper into the milk than the first is a point that produces "microfoam" or bubbles so small they are barely noticeable as bubbles at all. Furthermore the grouphead temperature itself can also be effected by either several shots of espresso being processed through it in a short period of time, or by long periods of sitting idle. Some people use thermometers to determine the perfect temperature at which to stop warming the milk.
Mine is getting a little beat up through the bumps and scratches of operator misuse and abuse, but it is still functioning fine. The rate of the temperature controlled water passing through the coffee is affected not only by the pump but also by the density with which the coffee was packed into the portafilter and the fineness of the grind. If that still doesn't work try a different fineness of grind. Flip the valve to steam and move the mug downward to draw the tip of the wand closer to the surface of the milk. At this point the top of the coffee is level and uniform, and is a scant 1/16 of an inch or so below the top of the filter basket. I fill my basket to the top, then level and pack it gently with the tool provided. Once the volume doubles you are done microfoaming.In either case, microfoam, or stiff foam, the last step and the third zone to know, is to sink the tip of the steamer deep into the milk near the bottom of the mug or pitcher.
To start off with, the amount of coffee you put into the portafilter, the fineness of the grind, and the way you tamp it effects the rate at which the water goes through it. In a nutshell that is all there is too it. Start with cold 1% milk. It is easy to keep clean, has a small footprint on the countertop and does its job well.However, if you are new to understanding home espresso and cappuccino machines please realize that these steam driven ones have their limitations. Throw it down the drain.If you never get any crema appearing in the carafe, or if the brew goes blonde very early, try tamping a bit tighter and/or using more coffee. I do not pack it very hard at all. You should be able to get about ½ of the carafe full before this happens. Instead it is more properly called "moka." (Not "mocha," which is chocolate and coffee).
The build quality is good, the durability is excellent, and for what it is and can be expected to do, I rate it tops. Enjoy. In fact the milk looks hardly changed, except that as you are steaming, it grows in volume. What is in the carafe is a very acceptable tasting brew of strong coffee. Here the only thing that happens is that steam warms the milk. This is called "blonding." As soon as you notice the "blonding" remove the carafe and replace it with your standby mug. The water itself is carefully heated to a pre-determined temperature taking into account any further effects that the "grouphead" (aka the part of the machine that holds your portafilter,) is expected to have on the water temperature as it passes through it.
No further foaming occurs. At that point I can usually sneak in a little bit more coffee. It should start as a very dark stream. This sort of microfoamed milk is delightful in lattes. At first paying attention to the brew as you steam the milk may seem difficult, but with practice it all gets to be second nature.
The below average reviews I read before I bought this product in general complained about it dying on them after a few months of use. This espresso/cappuccino machine works like a charm. Of course, I've only been using it for about a week now. So, if you don't see a follow up it means it's still going strong.As for the machine, I love the taste of freshly brewed espresso and the cappuccino I can make at home. Like that Master-Card ad says - Cost of the machine $xx.xx.cost of the coffee grounds - $yy.yy.cost of the paper towel to clean up the mess after the brewing process - &0.zz.cost of enjoying a hot refreshing cup of espresso/cappuccino/mocha/what ever it is that you like with in the comfort of you house - PRICELESS (with a halo on my head and a huge smile on my face).Hope the halo doesn't turn into horns and the the smile into a frown anytime soon.
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