Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines Coffee Tea Espresso - Page 3

Briel ES161ACTB Domus Due, Stainless Steel

Amazon Price: $391.93 List Price: $550.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Briel - Model: ES161AC-TB Amazon Marketplace: 6 new & used starting at $369.99

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Features:

• ESE adapted for use with ground coffee or coffee servings (pods)
• Electronically controlled AEF system with soft touch buttons
• Thermo Block assures a better temperature control as well as a continuous stream production, features two heating elements and long channels
• Easy to read gauge shows the pump pressure of the machine
• Constant 18 bars pump pressure producing a savory espresso with perfect crema every time

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Awesome Product 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is an awesome machine. The basket is pressurized so there is no guessing. Because it has 18 bars of pressure, you get your espresso real fast. Keep it clean and you have a machine for many years to come, The frothing pump rocks.

You had better be able to read Portugese 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

English is my mother tongue. I also speak French, Spanish, and Italian. The instruction manual provided went from step one to step eight. The balance of the English language was/is missing. I could piece together from the other provided manuals how to make it work, but my questions to the manufacturer in all four languages were not replied to. Amazon told me they could be of no other help except to provide phone numbers (which did not work), and email which bounced, and webaddress which I already had. I have only tried it once and it seems to work well. Amazon was nice enough to offer a free return or a small credit. I still have a less than pleased feeling. It is a lot of money for an incomplete product.

Editorial Review:

The new Briel Domus Due is a full size thermo block espresso machine with AEF automatic espresso flow. This design combines all the great features from Briels existing range (plenty of pump pressure, patented "Crema Master" filter for consistent genuine crema, stainless steel housing, and chrome front panel), with innovative new developments which are guaranteed to make the production of espresso and cappuccino at home easier than ever before.

Gaggia Espresso Color Espresso Machine - Red

By: Gaggia - Model: 12700 Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $298.90

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Editorial Review:

The Gaggia Espresso Color is housed in bright red impactresistant ABS polycarbonate plastic, ready to make a statement nomatter where its located. Inside this housing is a stainlesssteel boiler as well as a pump that produces up to 15 bars of pressurefor the perfect, crema-topped shot. The chrome-plated brass group headensures temperature stability, and the portafilter includes filters forsingle shots, double shots, or pods. With the Pannarellofrothing attachment, the Gaggia Espresso Color makes it easy to texturemilk for a cappuccino or latte. A stainless steel passive cup warmerkeeps demitasse cups warm for the next brew, and the included tamperand measuring spoon means that brewing is simple and straightforward.In short, this semi-automatic espresso machine is expertly designed toplease both the budget and the taste buds for amateurs, aficionados,and everyone in between.Specifications:Stainless steel boilerRed ABS plastic housingThree filter baskets included: single shot, double shot, and podChrome plated brass group head and filter holderMaximum water pump pressure of 15 barsPannarello frothing wand42 oz removable water reservoir14H x 8.3W x 10.8D1100 Watts - 120 Volts10.14 lbsAccessories Included:Coffee tamper Coffee measuring scoop

Gaggia 11202 Baby Espresso Machine, Silver

List Price: $500.00 By: Gaggia - Model: 11202 Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $369.00

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Features:

• Chrome-plated brass commercial style portafilter for the best quality espresso
• High power 17.5 bar pump
• Highest wattage system available at 1425 watts for quick heat up and recovery
• The only machine at this price point with a "three way solenoid valve."
• Turbo Frother milk frothing wand for perfect froth every time.

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Great espresso, sub-standard exterior 3 out of 5 stars.
21 of 21 people found this review helpful.

I bought this machine after reading reviews of its great espresso and I have not been disappointed with its internal workings. It can do a really good job pulling shots if you get the grind and tamp right.

However, after a couple of weeks of use, the power switch got stuck in an always-on position and I had to unplug it each time I wanted to power down. This wasn't much of a surprise given how cheap and flimsy are all the buttons -- they feel like cheap plastic toy parts -- but it was enough for me to return the machine and upgrade to the Gaggia Classic. The Classic and Baby have the same internal parts and so make the same quality espresso but the housing and buttons of the Classic look like they might last more than a month. You can save $100 or so by going with the Baby and likely be very happy with the espresso quality, but you need to be comfortable with the risk you're taking on.

With the Baby model, I found I needed a *very* fine grind (#2 at commercial coffee shops) to make a decent shot. The Classic appears to be happy with a more conventional #3 or #4 fineness.

Editorial Review:

The Gaggia Baby espresso machine has evolved through many updates over the past 25 years and was one of the original ground breaking models that led to the modern pump design . This Baby Gaggia espresso machine features commercial grade components for exceptional performance, including the addition of a 3-way valve that eliminates excess water in the portafilter after brewing.

Expobar Lever Semi-Auto Espresso Machine

By: Expobar - Model: Lever Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $1,249.00

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Features:

• E61 Brew Group.
• Heat Exchange Boiler System - NO WAIT for steam.
• ALL Stainless steel housing - Beautiful machine to spotlight on your counter.
• Commercial portafilter - For the best extraction of espresso.
• Large 12 oz Brass boiler - you won't run out of water while steaming, and can brew multiple shots with little recovery time.

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Editorial Review:

The Expobar Office Lever espresso machines is a welcome addition to the Expobar line. Its traditional styling, compact size, and commercial strength make this a leading competitor in the semi-automatic lever operated espresso machines. The commercial style copper boiler has all the features that are found on larger commercial machines. It allows simultaneous brewing and steaming, enabling smooth operation. It has both a steam wand and hot water dispensing wand that adjust laterally so that they can swing in either direction for easy access. With commercial capabilities its size makes it convenient for those who want great espresso without sacrificing a large amount of counter space. It is 15 tall, 10.25 wide and 17.5 deep. The E61 brew group provides pre-infusion and a thermal siphon for maximum temperature stability and aroma extraction. The eye catching highly polished steel housing is as durable as is it beautiful. The accessories include a chrome plated brass portafilter, tamper, single shot filter basket, double shot filter basket, backflush disc and a 7 gram coffee scoop.

Gaggia 11200 Baby Espresso Machine, Black

List Price: $500.00 By: Gaggia - Model: 11200 Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $369.00

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Features:

• Chrome-plated brass commercial style portafilter for the best quality espresso
• High power 17.5 bar pump
• Turbo Frother milk frothing wand for perfect froth every time
• Highest wattage system available at 1425 watts for quick heat up and recovery
• Turbo Frother milk frothing wand for perfect froth every time.

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Same boiler & brew group as the classic but swtiches make this a bad choice. 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This machine makes espresso as good as the Classic which costs $50 more. The $50 saving is not worth your trouble because the push button switches are extremely flimsy. What good is a machine with high end works if you can't turn it on? The Classic has rocker switches which should last. The brew switch on my Baby gave out after 1.5 years of daily use. When I removed the switch to replace it ($13.75 for the part) I was shocked to see how it was made. I was surprised that it lasted as long as it did. Do yourself a favor, if you want a Gaggia, buy the Classic!

Perfect, Heavy-duty for Home Use 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this from Italy in April 2003 (2 years from now). It needs little attention and experience and then you will be proffissional in making espresso and frothing milk.

After 2 years of daily use, it proves to me that GAGGIA quality is great. There is no change in its performance. It is realy heavy-duty product eventhough its shape is handsome.

If you are looking for heavy-duty, easy use of espresso machine at home. This is the perfect selection.

Editorial Review:

The Gaggia Baby espresso machine has evolved through many updates over the past 25 years and was one of the original ground breaking models that led to the modern pump design . This Baby Gaggia espresso machine features commercial grade components for exceptional performance, including the addition of a 3-way valve that eliminates excess water in the portafilter after brewing.

Nespresso D90 Essenza Metallic Gray Manual Espresso Machine D 90 S

By: Nespresso - Model: D 90 S Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $199.00

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Editorial Review:

Nespresso has created a hermetically sealed capsule which contains the precise amount of freshly roasted and ground coffee. All of the coffee aromas are preserved perfectly until the espresso is ready for drinking. Nespresso offers a range of 12 premium c

Bodum 3020-16US Espresso Granos

Amazon Price: $499.99 List Price: $625.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Bodum - Model: 3020-16US Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $499.95

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Features:

• Single or double espresso at the push of a button; fully programmable
• Chrome-plated brass filter holder; 19-bar pump; ThermoBlock provides full-flavored coffee
• Cup warmer; water-bottle adapter; steam wand for making cappuccino and latte drinks
• Uses ground coffee or espresso pods; tamper and single, double, and pod shot filters included
• 2-year limited warranty

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

CAUTION: This machine has known leaky design flaws 1 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

CAUTION: This machine has known leaky design flaws which BODUM chooses to ignore.

I purchased my machine January of 07 and was infatuated with my machine functionally and aesthetically until it began to aggressive leak from the tank above during the process of making espresso just nine months after purchase. After returning the machine (very costly shipping) to an apathetic outside contractor of Bodum that provided absolutely no technical information or help, the product was returned to me a month later only yielding one shot of espresso before it started to pour out the seams from the tank once again. CAUTION PEOPLE. This machine is tantamount to a sexy woman with no substance inside. Gorgeous looking design but with a huge design flaw that dates back to the conception of this product in 05'. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY or be tricked by the provocative sexual curves of this machine. Shame on Bodum for not making the necessary changes in their product when an obvious design flaw exists. According to my research, the average machine lasts 4-6 months before starting to leak. A $ 500 machine should work for at least 3-4 years. I advise anybody who is interested in this product to do some research online. The results are astounding...

Editorial Review:

How appropriate for Bodum to call their home espresso maker Granos? After all, there's something elemental, basic yet profound about a cup of espresso. As hot water infuses through finely ground coffee beans, slowly maturing with flavor as it seeps through the granular macrocosm that will bring each flavorful drop of brew into the waiting cup, resting below. It's like transcending into the prime roots of our reality, our collective conscious, when nature and you were one. We've lost that basic innocence but Granos allows you to trace back through to the source - that pure center where tension gives way to euphoria. It's all there, waiting for you in that cup. Taste it, drink it, close your eyes. Slowly open them. You may just be in Granos.

FrancisFrancis! X3 Espresso Machine, Silver

List Price: $499.99 By: Francis Francis - Model: X3-Silver Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $449.50

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Features:

• Pump-driven brewing system with 18 bars of dynamic pressure
• Chrome-plated brass brewing handles maintains ideal temperature
• Generous water tank with rear access
• Includes handles for both ESE pods and ground coffee
• Measures 10-5/8 by 6-1/4 by 11-3/4 inches; 1-year warranty

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Excellent espresso machine 5 out of 5 stars.
27 of 28 people found this review helpful.

I've had a Gaggia Classic in my office for quite some time. It pulls excellent espresso shots, but the steam wand is cheap-looking, ineffective, and cumbersome to clean. The machine itself is not quite an award-winning beauty item, either.

On the market for a machine for home, I eyed this FrancisFrancis! X3. Reviews were equally outstanding and the machine looked much more attractive, so I decided to take the plunge.

The machine arrived in excellent packaging and with a complimentary pack of Illy espresso pods (FrancisFrancis! is owned by Illy, I believe). The machine is, indeed, really beautiful (I bought the silver one).

I thought I'd write a review comparing against the Gaggia Classic, since it's the clear contender in the same price range.

- In terms of aesthetics, the X3 wins hands down. This is not the overriding factor for me, but truth be told, it is important.

- In terms of material and construction, they both feel solid, but the X3 feels more so. The grill in the X3 is made of plastic, whereas the Gaggia's is metallic. On the other hand, the steam knob in the X3 is metallic, but made of plastic in the Gaggia. The X3 is slightly easier to clean.

- In terms of usability, the X3 is clearly targeted toward ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) pods. It has a holding element exclusively for pods, and the protective perforated plate that is typically attached to the boiler element to protect it from coffee grounds comes included as an add-on in the X3 package, whereas the Gaggia has it attached permanently (which is more typical). While the X3 can, apparently, use coffee grounds just fine (judging by the instructions and other users' reported experience), in my case I only accomplished to make a mess of my kitchen counter. Nevertheless, I fully intended to use ESE pods exclusively (SO much easier to keep things clean and tidy), as I do with the Gaggia in my office, so this wasn't a concern for me and thus I never tried too hard to get it to work with coffee grounds.

- Espresso quality is outstanding in both cases, but each machine has a trick to it. In the case of the X3, it is important to get the hang of how long a shot you can pull before the water coming out of the boiler decreases in temperature, which would give a bitter taste to the coffee. As a rule of thumb, if the low temperature light comes on, you've ruined your espresso. It took me a couple of days of scratching my head and Googling to find this out, but once I realized where the problem was, it was fixed forever. In fact, the X3 comes with three different ESE holders, each with more or fewer perforations. The instructions clearly indicate that you should pick one based on how long a shot you want--i.e., NOT by pumping out water for a longer time. I guess I learned my lesson the hard (bitter?) way. The Gaggia is not without tricks, as it tends to drip some water into the cup before it starts to pump out espresso, so I always need to hold on for a couple of seconds after the pump is on to put the cup beneath the spout (messy!), or the coffee will be watery. On the other hand, the Gaggia can pull longer shots and not come out bitter (perhaps temperature is higher to begin with).

- The steam wand in the X3 is extremely easy to use and clean. You can create abundant and (importantly) dense froth as long as you use 2% or fattier milk. The best way to learn how to use and clean it is to watch the DVD that comes with the machine, which is by the way short (good), to the point, and excellent. The wand in the Gaggia was something I gave up on long ago.

People complain about the water reservoir being too small. I personally think it's perfectly adequate, although the Gaggia's is indeed larger.

In conclusion, both machines are excellent, with the X3 looking nicer, sturdier, and sporting a better steam wand. I would venture that the Gaggia pulls slightly better espresso shots, but they are really close. The one thing I don't feel comfortable discussing is the X3's handling of ground coffee (as opposed to ESE pods). If that's important to you, I sugggest to look for answers in other reviews.

Editorial Review:

The third "baby" of Italian designer Luca Trazzi, the X-3 semi-automatic espresso machine was created for those who appreciate state of the art design in both appearance and function, yet who may have space and budget constraints that are incompatible with the X-1 model. This machine has a sexy presence, a small footprint, and is functionally easy to operate. Like its older, larger sibling it is an 18 bar pressure pump system which will crank out cup after cup, each with perfect crema, as quickly as you can reload the filter holder with an ESE pod, or ground coffee if you prefer. An easy to operate steaming nozzle dispenses hot water for tea, or steams milk for lattes and cappuccinos. Be advised that it will not make espresso and steam at the same time. As with other semi-automatic espresso machines the boiler has a heating system designed not to overheat and operation of this machine is quite easy. The 3 baskets allow you to choose from ristretto, regular, or lungo shots.

FrancisFrancis! X5 Espresso Machine, Orange

List Price: $649.99 By: Francis Francis - Model: X5-Orange Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $649.00

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Features:

• Pump-driven Supercrema brewing system with 18 bars of dynamic pressure
• Chrome-plated brass brewing handles maintain ideal temperature
• 48-ounce water tank with rear access; battery-powered clock on the front
• Includes both ESE pods and ground coffee handles
• Measures 10-1/4 by 8-1/4 by 11-1/4 inches

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

FrancisFrancis! espresso machines aren't just a design dream aesthetically. They're also engineered to do much of the barista work for you, removing intimidation and trial-by-fire from the home espresso game. This fabulous-looking all-metal X5 model features a brass boiler and the Supercrema brewing system, pump-driven with 8-9 bars of dynamic pressure. The chrome-plated brass brewing handle maintains ideal temperatures for coffee, while the steam/hot water wand swivels for tidy storage. One of the friendliest aspects of the X5 is its ability to brew espresso with either pre-measured ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) coffee pods or with loose grounds from your favorite bean vendor. Two interchangeable handle baskets are included, one for each method. Three filters also come with the machine for pulling ristretto, regular, or lungo shots.

Measuring 10-1/4 by 8-1/4 by 11-1/4 inches, the X5 is a relatively compact machine, built with flat sides to save space on tight countertops. Keep in mind that it weighs 16 pounds, so you'll want to make a permanent spot for it, and that the 48-ounce water tank is accessed from the back, so you'll need room to work behind it. The sleek little battery-powered clock on the front of the machine pops out for setting and battery replacement. FrancisFrancis! includes a detailed instruction and tip guide, as well as a starter container of Illy Café espresso. --Emily Bedard

Briel ES150PG-TB Space Saver Multi-Pro One Group Thermo Block Espresso Machine, Steel/Silver

List Price: $499.99 By: Briel - Model: ES150PG-TB Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $319.98

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Features:

• Thermo-Block espresso machine with electronically regulated temperatures
• Highly polished stainless-steel construction with matching end panels; 15-bar pump pressure
• Auto espresso flow; turbo-jet frother; Crema Master filters; AquaStop no-drip system
• Uses fresh ground coffee or E.S.E. pods; removable water reservoir for easy filling
• Measures 12-1/5 by 10-3/5 by 15 inches; 1-year warranty

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Briel ES150PGTB, This Space Saver thermo block unit comes with superior controls of espresso quality that+s found elsewhere in commercial machines. For use with fresh ground coffee or the exciting new E.S.E. pods, MultiPro.