Bodum Pavina 2-Ounce Double-Wall Thermo Glasses (Espresso/Shot), Set of 2 Review.

 "great for espresso" 2006-01-28
By Drew Cheney (Sacramento, CA United States)

These are awesome for espresso, though _one_ negative is that because they're so light, the vibrations from our pump-driven espresso machine make them shimmy around like those old football-player game tables: "VVVVVVVRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!"



So, I just hold them while the esprosso's pumping out. No sweat, and like I said, it's great espresso that's kept hot.



Remember that they have thin walls, so treat them very gently.

 "Simply the Best" 2006-04-12
By C. Thomas (Boston, MA)

I love these glasses. They work as advertised. My espresso's never tasted so good, now that they stay hot, longer. Additionally I havent burned my hand once since using these glasses.



As previous reviewer has mentioned, please be careful with these glasses if you attempt to wash these in the dish washer.

The glasses are so light, that jets of water coming from the dishwasher are likely to launch the glass out all over the place while the wash cycle is on.



All in all great purchase. Worth every penny. For espresso lovers a must!!!!!

 "Beautiful little shot glasses that are surprisingly durable!" 2009-12-28
By S. Douglas

I have a few other Bodum products (my one-cup french press is a personal favorite) and thought I'd give these glasses a try. I recently spent 2 weeks in Italy and upon tasting my "regular" coffee I made at home I was heartbroken. I went on a hunt for decent performing, affordable espresso / cappuccino gear to satisfy my longing. Enough of the silly background! :)



Why these glasses:

One thing important to keeping as much flavor in your caffe is heat. This involves preheating your cups with hot water or a warming tray before filling them with your favorite drink. I was finding that I had to drink my shots a bit faster than I wanted with a "normal" demitasse. I saw these glasses and thought I would give them a try - I thought the double wall would be good for holding in more heat.



Worries / initial impression:

The only worry I had about these before I ordered was how fragile the picture makes them look. I am not a graceful person by any means and I could foresee the possible death of one of these beauties at my hands. The reasonable Amazon price and my experience with other Bodum glass products convinced me to give them a try. Unpacking the glasses from the box didn't encourage me - they arrived in a sturdy cardboard box packed with bubble wrap. I gently extracted one glass and held it gingerly in my fingers as I looked at it. They really are gorgeous little things. I have big hands and they are a good fit for me, yet my wife has very small hands and they seem to be the perfect size for her too. I just couldn't get the thought out of my head that I should handle these things with the utmost care - not unlike your great-grandmother's set of handblown Austrian Christmas ornaments that have been passed down through the family for the past 100 years, ending up in your care. ;)

Rating: 5/5



Performance:

I have only had these glasses for a short time, but I use them three to four times a day and have a good feel for them already. I run hot water through my espresso machine to preheat everything and that includes the glasses I drink from - including these. The first thing that happened when I went to sip my first shot is that I burned my mouth. This highlights the first quality I would've realized if I were a smarter person: the outside of the glass stays comfortably "cool" (compared to the 170F liquid inside the cup). I thought that I somehow poured a lukewarm shot and went to dispose of it quickly (by gulping it, I'm too cheap to just pitch it) and immediately found out just how hot it was. Mother always said I was more brawn than brains, and I'm not a very strong guy either. :) Immediate and strategic action was taken and I survived the incident (placing a large ice cube in my mouth until it completely melted - based on prior experience).

So, take number two was much better. Outside of glass stays cool despite how molten the liquid inside is, check. Normally, I would have to drink my espresso within about two minutes of making it before it cooled off too much to enjoy. That's fine if you're in Italy standing at a bar, but I would really like take my drink from the kitchen, go sit in front of the fire, then enjoy the drink over a few minutes without losing the flavor. These glasses allow me to do just that. :) Someday, I may take some time to pour a sacrificial shot, then plot the change in temperature over time of these glasses vs. a regular demitasse; until then, I am going to claim that these wonderful things will keep your shots within good drinkable temps for at least five minutes. For those that like to drink their shots a bit cooler (and quietly - I loudly "sip" air over the shot as I drink it), you can enjoy your drink for at least 10 minutes (double shot).

Rating: 5/5



Durability:

Despite trying to treat these with kid gloves, I have managed to knock them around pretty good, and they are no worse for wear. I treat them with the same care I reserve for glass and ceramic kitchenware with great results. I originally thought I would have to handle these like I do with champagne and wine glasses (imagine someone playing the old milton-bradley board game "Operation" crossed with a nervous person handling nitroglycerin) but they are tough little guys! I bump them when I wash them, bang them into other glassware and can set them down on our stone counter top without having to emulate the early eighties video game "lunar lander". Dishwasher safe too!

Rating: 5/5



Miscellaneous:

The double wall construction creates a very comfortable lip to sip espresso over - it even seems to enhance my experience. The glass has a hole in the outside bottom with a silicon plug/"valve" in it to allow the pressure inside the glass to equalize with the atmosphere. Very clever design that enhances safety (perhaps a hot liquid poured in a cold glass would cause excessive pressure to build up - potentially creating enough force to scatter glass in a larger area if you should drop it - by that is just an engineering guess), but I don't know how durable it is with repeated trips to the diswasher or if you microwave it (I have NO IDEA if it is microwave safe, but in my opinion, you don't buy this set of teeny glasses to warm up small amounts of liquid in the microwave). For me, a simple hand wash and dry before setting them on top of my coffee maker works well. The size is good and not cumbersome washing or drying and I can get my fingers inside with a towel to dry everything.

Also, if you use these for espresso, it is neat to watch the layers form as you pull shots into them - very similar to watching a pint of Guinness properly poured - or at least the one time I bought one. :)



Cliffs notes:

A beautiful set of shot glasses that are relatively cheap, durable, and incredibly functional. I cannot think of a thing about them I would change.

Overall Rating: 5/5

 "Beautiful but delicate" 2007-04-26
By stephie189 (USA)

I love these little glasses! I know they're for espresso but I mainly use mine for tea. (I like my espresso in a bigger glass!) I think it's important for your (food and) beverage to be aesthetically pleasing as well as taste good. These little beauties make any drink more pleasing. They're very delicate so I wouldn't use a metal spoon in them and I would never put them in the dishwasher. I hand wash them, and dry them by hand, always. Treat them gently and I think they can last a while. They are a bit "slippy" when wet though so be careful. I plan to try the 9oz. Bodum Pavina Double-Wall Thermo Glasses, Set of 2 size next! Love the egg shaped interior.

 "Style and Substance" 2006-04-12
By Michael J. Khorsandi (Brooklyn, NY)

These glasses demonstrate a high sense of style marked by simplicity. These glasses will work for most serving occasions. They are dishwasher safe and they keep my espresso warmer than if I used a regular demitasse! They are absolutely perfect. I got two orders, so I have a set of four. Note that the larger pavina glasses work great for cappuccinos or regular coffee.

RSVP Terry's Tamper Review.

 "Tamps well" 2008-01-11
By Steven Smith (Boulder, CO United States)

I have a DeLonghi EC155 and the smaller size fits very nicely for tamping. It is able to hold over 50 lbs of pressure with no problem. I used the tamping method from Good Eats, where you put 50lbs of pressure, then twist.

 "good find" 2007-01-18
By tmo (chicago)

how can you rate a tamper? well, it fits in the basket and it tamps down the coffee. I guess Terry's tamper does just that. It was a great price, I mean come on, who's the numbskull who would pay $20 for an item to tamp his grounds?

I was impressed by the fast shipping and great customer service.

 "Vast improvement" 2008-11-22
By L. A. Richards (East Longmeadow, MA United States)

It's rare that a small purchase ($8.00) can make such a big difference. I'm new to the espresso experience and I was using the art-deco plastic girder-looking tamper that came with the Airette unit. After reading the reviews below I bought Terry's Tamper and I couldn't believe what a difference it made. It's a handy size and it allowed me to exert a greater pressure while tamping the grind and the result was a better cup of espresso. I seem to get a better extraction from a tighter tamp therefore greater taste and value from my coffee. What more can one ask?

 "low cost tamper" 2008-06-13
By jeff west (socorro, nm)

works great. unfortunately my saeco aroma portafilter is a smidgeon too small for the large end, and the small end leaves a gap on the edge, but it doesn't seem to matter.

don't know how i lived w/o it. the espresso is so much more intense when its heavily tamped.

 "Pretty good tamper, good price" 2008-11-18
By Humpty Dumpty (MD, USA)

I have a Gaggia Classic espresso machine. The 55mm plastic tamper that came with the machine broke after a while. This one-piece cast aluminium Terry Tamp temper is a perfect replacement for the original. It is easy to hold, easy to use. No reason to spend $20-$100 on fancy tampers that may be inferior in quality to this.

Hamilton Beach 68330R 4-Quart Automatic Ice-Cream Maker Review.

 "Love it! Just got it today & already have a gallon of ice cream" 2007-05-13
By Jack M. Robertson (Northwest USA)

Just received this afternoon. Ran down to the store, bought all the ingredients, and just threw our first gallon of ice cream in the freezer. It's so cool ... and FUN! We did the quick and easy vanilla recipe that came with the recipe book, chopped up some brownies and reeses PB cups, and the motor stopped like it's supposed to in just 30 minutes. Soft serve ice cream as good as anything from the store ... and better for us. The directions are VERY simple to follow. We've never made ice cream before and didn't know squat about how to do it. Including time spent going to the store, we had our first batch within two hours after FEDEX delivered the package. We were skeptical about the loudness of the motor based on a prior review we read; the motor is really not that loud, but the sound it makes is rather obnoxious after about 10 to 15 minutes. However, it sounds just like I thought an electric ice cream maker would sound like. So, no surprises and SOOOO worth it! The price was awesome too!

 "Hamilton Beach 68330R" 2008-08-04
By T. Council

I always read customer reviews here on Amazon before purchasing a product. The reviews posted for the Hamilton Beach 68330R 4-Quart Ice Cream Maker were somewhat puzzling. Some feedback was a concern and some raved about the product. I decided to buy the product and am very glad that I did. This machine is not as noisy as some have claimed and the quality of construction is pretty good. The ice cream produced by this machine is fabulous! Yes, it comes out like soft-serve but hardens perfectly when placed in the freezer for half a day. I prefer soft-serve anyway and tend to eat more than my share before it goes into the freezer. Clean-up is a snap with this thing. I really don't see any down-side for this product at this price.

 "Impressed!!" 2006-09-20
By Gem B (Missouri City, TX United States)

This was a temporary buy because I ordered a 6 QT electric White Mountain but had to wait 10 days for delivery and I wanted ice cream now. So I had little expectations. Boy, was I surprised. It worked better than the cuisinart electric. I must say the texture and consistency was perfect. The ice cream was ready in 35 minutes. I'll keep this one and look forward to many more batches of homemade ice cream.

 "Great and Quiet" 2007-01-02
By ALEX (LOUISIANA)

I am very impressed at how simple it is to make ice cream with this machine.It said it takes 20-40 mins to make but I used 2% milk instead of whole milk and it took a little longer.But who cares! It's electric.I just did like the instructions says and listened for it to slow down and or stop.It did and the ice cream was great.I used the quick and simple recipe ,not the one you have to cook.I can't wait to try out different things to add to the mix.Also I was very impressed at how quiet it is.It seems like most small appliances are very noisy but not this one.

 "Awesome Ice Cream Maker, Fantastic Value" 2010-05-14
By Joyce A. Brenc

1st, a great value. If you get cream at a bulk store, 6 bucks for a 50 pound sack of rock salt, ice from your freezer, and a few pennies for the other ingredients (sugar and vanilla), you're looking at a gallon of high quality ice cream for 5 bucks or less. Figure you're saving 5-7 bucks a use. That means this unit pays for itself if you use if 6 times, maybe 10-20 times if you're spending a lot on added ingredients.



2nd. Simple to use. Really well designed. Can't for the life of me understand people sticking plastic orange juice container parts to "fix" it. If it doesn't work, bring it back! Otherwise, top only goes on one way, and there's a locking feature that means that the unit must be properly assembled to fit correctly.



3rd. For people saying "it uses a lot of ice, and I had to run to the store . . . " my lord people, are we that helpless? You own a freezer, right? Make your own ice. All it takes is just a bit of planning. Just a bit people, not invading-Soviet Russia level planning. If you have an auto ice maker on your freezer, just empty it into a very large zip lock 2 or 3 times and you're good to go.



4th. The unit stops spinning when the ice cream reaches a given viscosity. I've made several batches of several different types and the only time the ice cream was "runny" was when I didn't break up the cookies and they clogged the mixer holes and caused the unit to stop prematurely - my fault. The other batches all came out about the same - like a very thick yogurt consistency. Into the freezer, and a day later it's getting there and 2 days later it's the same consistency as store bought. If you're getting runny ice cream, you're doing something wrong. BTW - if you use more crushed ice and/or salt, the mixture gets colder quicker, and you'll get more-crystally ice cream. If you use regular ice and/or less salt, the mixing takes longer and you get a creamier texture - adjust to desired consistency!



5th. As for using Ben and Jerry's recipes, be aware that this can affect the mixer. Maybe BandJ's recipes require a higher torque motor. We have made several types of ice cream from the instructions that came with the mixer, and they all work great. If you load the ice cream with pretzels and what not, this might not be a powerful enough mixer.



Great unit. Highly recommended.







EDIT - It's now late July and I've used this mixer one or two times a week since we bought it in March, which means we've done about 30 batches (lots of kids and friends and such). Still on the same 8 dollar bag of rock salt. Have made a dozen or so of the recipes that came with the book. Love it, recommend it even more than I did a few months ago.

Aerobie 80R08 AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker Review.

 "Coffee the way you like it" 2006-09-25
By P. A. Cook (USA)

I did many hours of research into coffee makers before deciding on an Aeropress. I learned that several factors influence the coffee you end up with: the temperature of the water, the way the water mixes with the coffee, and how the coffee is extracted from the grounds. I found it difficult to find knowledgeable reviews of the various coffee machines, so I decided to take control of my coffee preparation. The aeropress allows you to control how hot the water is and how long you let it mix with the coffee.



The whole coffee making process is explained in the products instructions.



1. Insert a filter and some coffee into the unit. A coffee scoop and some filters are included with the aeropress, they recommend 1 scoop of coffee per cup.



2. Heat the right amount of water. Markers are printed on the side of the Aeropress to show the recommended amount of water for between 1 and 4 (the maximum) espresso shots. The manufacturers recommend water between 75 and 80 degrees. I don't know if this is correct, because I don't have a thermometer in the kitchen, and in any case, I'm not going to stick a thermometer in water to get it to a precise temperature. I boil water in my kettle and let the water sit for a set time before use. Alternatively, you could microwave the water for a set time. A bit of experimentation and you'll find how hot you like the water. I agree with Aeropress that boiling hot water extracts unpleasant flavors.



3. Mix the water with the grounds. The grounds are immersed in water, much like in a french press, but the manufacturers recommend letting the water sit for no more than about 10 seconds. I find that this is about right, but you can experiment and decide for yourself.



4. Insert the plunger and push the water out of the Aeropress. You press the plunger down so that it extracts the water from the grounds over about 20 seconds. The Aeropress needs to be on a strong and stable container, such as a mug, for this part of the process. Pressing the plunger requires a bit of strength if you are making more than one espresso shot. You'll need to press down for about 20 seconds.



5. Drink up, or dilute the espresso shot(s) for American coffee or mix them for cappuccino, or whatever.



I am very happy with the Aeropress. It makes great tasting coffee. It's easy to clean and inexpensive. In my opinion the aeropress is superior to french press or manual drip percolator coffee. It is not as convenient as a machine but I'm willing to spend the effort for good coffee.

 "Hands down the world's greatest cup of coffee, no kidding" 2007-01-25
By Megan Smith (Sacramento, CA)

As a certified coffee snob, I thought it didn't get better than french press. Fugetaboudit! The Aeropress renders a sweet, flavorful, impeccable Americano every time that will change your expectations forever. I have a drip coffee machine, a french press and a Krups espresso maker, and they are all officially retired thanks to the Aeropress.



I can't say enough about the results, but note that the Aerobie is more time-consuming to use than either french press or drip coffee makers, more comparable to espresso makers. Well worth it, mind you, but NOT as quick and painless as the manufacturer would have you believe. This product makes espresso by forcing air through the grounds using a syringe-type plunger. You must put in a filter, add the grounds, measure out the precise amount of water, add water and stir. You then have to place the Aeropress on top of a cup to use it, exert a pretty good amount of force, and then, if you're making two or more cups, divy the espresso up into other containers and add water or milk, if you want. So far I haven't done it, but I think it would be really easy to push too hard, flip over the cup, and spray espresso everywhere.



Still, greatest coffee ever, no competition. If you want the best, you gotta put in the time.

 "Clever design and a great cup of coffee!" 2006-08-15
By T. G. Bishop (Hillsborough, NC USA)

Wow! Best cup of coffee I ever had. And so simple! The design is brilliant. I'm impressed with the quality of construction, ease of use, ease of cleanup, and the great taste. This is the end of all other methods of coffee production.



I fill the plunger to the appropriate mark with hot tap water and place it in the microwave for 20 seconds (the experimentally determined time to reach 175). While the water is heating I place a filter sheet in the cap, place it on the chamber, and add 1 scoop of coffee. With the chamber on top of my cup, I add the now hot water, stir, and press. Cleanup consists of ejecting the used coffee into the composting pot and rinsing the end of the plunger. Then I'm ready to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee.

 "Great coffee, clever design" 2006-10-01
By C. Young (Baton Rouge)

As others have said, the Aeropress makes great coffee and espresso. The Aeropress lacks the style and design of the $3,000 automated Italian machines. In fact, it looks a lot like a bong or a chemistry set. It operates like no other coffee maker you have seen before. Who would have thought someone could come up with a new way to make coffee?



The Aeropress is a completely manual system, which explains its low price. You espress the coffee manually by pressing on a plastic pipe that sends hot water through the coffee grounds, sort of like an upside down french press. It is very easy to use, and could easily be packed for travel.



Pros:

Cheap

Great coffee

Great espresso

Takes up very little space

No electronics to break

No high-dollar bean mill required. A regular blade grinder will do.

Right water temperature produces coffee with very low acid.



Cons:

You will go through a lot of beans because the coffee tastes so good

It takes practice to make crema

You need an instant-read thermometer to heat the water to 165 to 175 degrees

You will have to heat and steam milk manually if you like milk-based espresso drinks

No cool-looking Gaggia or Saeco espresso machine sitting in your kitchen

No excuse to upgrade your blade grinder to a mill

 "Great for iced coffee and iced mochas." 2007-10-23
By M. L. Firm (Fayetteville, AR)

For reasons beyond the scope of this review, the Aeropress does not make espresso. However, it does make incredible coffee with ease.



The Aeropress' inability to make espresso is also the reason that it makes exceptionally good coffee: The oils and acids in coffee are trapped in the grounds that remain in the bottom of the Aeropress, instead of your cup. As a result, the Aeropress produces very low acid coffee that is smooth, clean and easy to drink black.



The Aeropress makes coffee that is roughly four times the strength of an automatic drip machine, so it is perfect for making iced coffee and iced mochas. Because of the increased concentration, I brew directly into a tall glass containing cocoa powder and Equal. Brew into glass, stir, fill with ice and milk, stir again, drink. The concentration of the Aeropress coffee offsets the dilution from the ice, and allows you to have a fresh-brewed iced mocha, instead of making one with stale, cold coffee. Beware, once you make fresh coffee mochas, you will never be able to go back.



For best results, buy good coffee beans and grind them immediately before brewing. If (with freshly ground, high quality coffee beans) your Aeropress coffee tastes flat, increase the temperature of the water to 190 F, and be sure to use good tasting water. If your Aeropress coffee tastes bitter, you are brewing it too long and the coffee is getting over-extracted. If the brewed coffee is too strong (Dad), simply dilute it per the included instructions.



The Aeropress makes great coffee, is fast and easy to use, is easy to clean and is made in the United States. On top of all that, it is a great value. I cannot recommend the Aeropress more highly - but it still doesn't make espresso.

Progressive International HGT-11 Folding Mandoline Slicer Review.

 "Mandoline Slicer" 2009-05-31
By L. Pierce (Florida)

Heard about this mandoline from a guy who makes salad frequently. This is ideal. Exceptionally easy to clean, quick to handwash, or pop it in the dishwasher. Offers a good variety of slice thicknesses, plus juliennes; changeout is quick and easy. Storage box is a definite plus. Excellent value for the price. The best part? The blade is really sharp. The worst part? Yeah, the blade is really, really sharp. I find the holder is too awkward to use and actually sliced myself once in the first week because it went so much faster than I expected. Best way to get a stir fry or fajitas done and on the table in top speed, though.

 "what a great deal" 2009-09-16
By M. Stowers (West Virginia)

I have a full sized mandoline but it does not cut with the ease of the Progressive Mandoline. The first time I cut potatoes for french fries I thought it wasn't cutting because there was no effort to move the potato over the cutting blades. It offers several choices of types of cutting and all are fantastically easy to use. Also the clean up is exceptionally easy. I love the plastic storage box that comes with the slicer. I bought this to put on our motor home, the size, ease of use and clean up, plus the storage container make it a real winner for me. I haven't had a problem, but I've read in other reviews about the need to be careful around the blades as they are very, very sharp. As easy as things are sliced with this slicer, you should take that warning seriously.

 "Why did I ever live without one of these?" 2009-02-06
By En Sabah Nur (Gulf Shores, AL USA)

Haven't had this slicer for very long, so I can't comment on blade life but has yet to disappoint. So far have sliced tomatoes, apples and even onions with ease. Can't believe I stuck with using a knife for so long. Changing depth guides is a snap, literally, and I have put in the dishwasher for cleanup with no ill effects. There does seem to be a learning curve with the gripper handle so I rarely use it but be careful as the blade is very sharp obviously.

 "Great Product" 2009-05-01
By A. Lachman

This is a wonderful mandoline. Very versatile, and it comes with a storage box which makes it very easy to keep together and organized.

 "Good kitchen helper" 2009-08-06
By Patricia (CA)

It's been 9 months since i'v bought this slicer. It has never disappointed me when i need fast slicing of onions, carrots or any vegetable for that matter. It has reduced my cooking time and i'm very happy with the blade still sharp. I don't use the safe guard that much because it is not that comfortable(for me). You can even cube vegetables if you get the hang of it. Good product overall.

DeLonghi EC155 Espresso Maker Review.

 "Great espresso, incredible price!" 2007-04-23
By Jennifer Smith (Santa Barbara, CA United States)

I love espresso, and this little baby makes a great cup. Here are a few points that might be useful for you to know:



Good points:

*It doesn't take up too much room on the counter and looks nice with it's silver metal accents.

*The water reservoir is a good size, you can make about 8-10 shots before you need to refill it, which is very easy to do, and there is a clear section behind the basket which shows the water level.

*Fast heat-up time (only about a minute), good frothing wand, no wait time between frothing and brewing (though you do have to wait a little between brewing and frothing).



Be warned:

*Frothing wand is only 3 1/4 inches from the counter top. Not a big deal, I just went and bought a frothing cup that is about that height.

*Distance from grounds basket to tray is only 2 1/2 inches, I usually use a small espresso cup.

*Built-in tamper sucks, buy a good metal one.

*You don't end up with a nice dry puck, the grounds basket is a watery soup after your espresso is made, so I dump it down the disposal.

*You will end up drinking more espresso than you mean to, it's that good!



Seriously, I chose this machine after a lot of online researching, and decided on this one based on its outstanding reviews and great price. What led me to it were the reviews of another DeLonghi, the EC140B, which is an older and less attractive model, but had reviews from people who had owned theirs for 6 and 10 years! I'm hoping that this one will have the same longevity.



-----> UPDATE: I've now had this machine for 8 months and it started running very slow. I'd been using only distilled water, so I knew it wasn't a calcification issue, so I looked into it and it turns out machines like this one (no backflushing) need to be cleaned every month or so to remove built up grounds that work their way inside the machine. So I ran some cleaner through it and all this nasty brownish liquid came out, and now it runs great again! So remember people, take good care of your things and they will take good care of you. A lesson I am still learning...

- and to answer a question commented on this review, my tamper is 2 inches in diameter.

 "Process of elimination" 2008-01-02
By OhioGardener (Ohio)

First, a couple of disclaimers:

1. This is the first pump-driven espresso machine that we have owned.



2. We generally drink cafe Americano, which is an espresso with a little added hot water (or cold water with an iced Americano). We make an occasional cappuccino and have thus used the steam wand, but not extensively.



After doing a cost/benefit analysis in regards to our current cafe Americano habit (~10 per week), we realized that there would be some justification to buying a home unit. We first considered the Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker, but reviewers consistently lamented the unit's tendency to clog the filter, necessitating time-consuming cleaning. Also, not being completely sure that we would actually use the espresso maker, we balked at the $250 price tag.



We also considered moving up to one of the superautomatico machines that grind, tamp, brew and dispose of the grinds, but we worried about the reliability of technology that had only recently hit the consumer-grade appliances. After reading zillions of reviews, we realized that every mid-priced machine had some glaring flaw and, in the end, we decided to buy an inexpensive pump-driven unit and wait for the technology to catch up before investing a huge chunk of change in an espresso machine. Moving our investigation to low-end espresso makers, we were impressed by the reviews of the DeLonghi EC155 and purchased it from Amazon.



I put off writing a review in order to make sure that the DeLonghi was going to last until we had at least broken even on it. We received it in mid-July and since then it has produced about 200 double shots flawlessly. By my reckoning, that's about $400 worth of Americanos at the local cafe. Even considering the price of the coffee, we have more than broken even. So, here's our pros and cons:



PROs

- Price--we paid $91.28.

- Crema Production--this unit consistently produces a thick layer of delicious crema.

- Powerful Stream Wand--Easily froths milk.

- Mechanicals--After six months of nearly daily use this mighty-mite works as well as it did the day it arrived.

- Easy Cleanup--Filter cleans easily.



CONs

- Ergonomics--As other reviewers have noted, there could be a little more room between the area where the cup sits and the output nozzle. Also the steam wand could be longer.

- Features--No cup warmer. Not a big deal to us, especially considering the price of the EC155, but it will put off some buyers.



SOME THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED

- Using a coffee especially made for espresso, such as Lavazza, produces a much better espresso. Lavazza has the added benefit of allowing you to go for hours without blinking.

- Preheating the unit for 15 minutes and warming the cups in the microwave improves the results and experience.

 "Awesome pump driven machine for the $$" 2007-03-24
By Maddi the Pup (Bloomington, IN USA)

I was always skeptical of expensive espresso machines and wondered why anyone would pay hundreds of dollars for an expensive machine. It turns out that the more expensive and quality machines are "pump-driven" rather than the typical "steam driven" found at your local Wally World and such. A pump driven machine will hit pressures 4-5 times greater than that of a steam driven machine and gets much better extraction from the espresso grinds (better flavor) and are the only machines capable of generating the "chrema" foam at the top of the espresso.



The DelLonghi EC155 is an excellent budget machine found for under $100 that is pump driven. I was happy with my old steam driven Delonghi, but once I received this I realized that I didn't even know what I was missing. This espresso is as good or better than anything you'll get in a nice Italian restaurant or at your local Charbucks. The chrema that this thing produced is flat out great (you'll get a nice 1/4 layer of tasty emulsified foam). The convenience of pulling a single shot is great too, and you really only need the machine to warm up a few minutes before you pull a shot.



The best feature about this machine in my humble opinion is that it is E.S.E certified (easy serve espresso). This means that you can pick up the ESE certified pods from Charbucks or a good online pod retailer and not have to go to the trouble of grinding and tamping. This is a HUGE feature that even some more expensive machines do not have and is what eventually sold me on this unit. Having grown accustomed to the convenience of pod coffee, it was only natural to look for the same thing in my espresso machine. Do note that coffee (senseo style) pods will not work in here as those are much larger than the ESE certified pod. Try a nice blend from Baronet or another find espresso brand and you won't be sorry.



I highly recommend this machine. In short, it has fantastic features for the money, makes awesome espresso chrema, and it ESE certified for pod use. You will definitely not do any better than this machine for under $100.

 "Great product for the price" 2007-09-22
By Pilates Lvr (Concord, CA)

This product will meet your needs if you are looking for a basic machine that delivers good espresso at a decent cost. After trying it with the 15-30 minute recommended warm-up (turned it on to pre-heat and hit the treadmill) and the quick warm-up (about 5 minutes running two cycles of hot water), the end result is the same either way. I've tried the single and double shot filters packing my own coffee, and the single filter using a pod. I will say that I much prefer the pods for the convenience and because I'm not good at tamping-- plus, you don't have the hassle of dumping wet grinds out of the filter. Either way, the ultimate taste experience is going to depend on the quality and type of coffee bean (or pod) that you use, and your ability to successfully steam the milk without scalding it.



I understand the complaints people have about the awkwardly positioned steam wand, but I purchased a 12oz pitcher and a thermometer, and have been able to manuver it under the steaming wand without much trouble. I recommend releasing the steam for a couple of seconds before putting the milk under the wand-- that will eliminate any water buildup from the wand going into your milk. If you're new to steaming milk like I was, I recommend reading an article or two on the proper steaming technique-- it makes all the difference. I brew into a marked 1 oz glass, so the small clearance space between the drip grate and the filter basket isn't a problem for me, but it is something to be aware of.

 "EC155 A Really good machine" 2007-02-15
By Edward M. Wright (Portland Orygun)

This is my first pump machine, until now I have been steam driven. Wow, what a difference. I choose it based on price + reviews + past experience with DeLonghi. The reviews were the major factor.

I have fed a variety of coffees through the machine, used an incorrect grind etc, just to test it. It provides perfect creama every time.

Starbuck's stock may just go down as I now make really good espresso at home.

My only complaints, and I think with time they won't be complaints any more, is that when fitting the coffee basket to the machine it is pretty easy to cross thread, and I would prefer the steam wand be mounted just a little higher. The steam wand by the way foams well and easily. I have only my old steam machine to compare to, but this machine is a joy.

Amazon as usual provided a highly competitive price, and better shipping than I had any right to expect.

5 stars all around

Margaritaville DM0500 Bahamas 36-Ounce Frozen-Concoction Maker Review.

 "Great Choice over the DM1000 and DM2000" 2008-07-09
By J. Walker (Southeastern U.S.)

I picked up the DM0500 model after some extensive shopping around for one of the Margaritaville blenders. This one doesn't hold as much ice as the others but it holds enough for one pitcher worth of drinks. It also doesn't have the fancy buttons that the others have that denote "mudslide," "daiquiri," or "Margarita"(I've heard there is little difference in these settings).



That is the main difference between this model and the others. It had the standard shave only/ blend only switch and a start button( more on that later).



The blender itself is very nice it has some great artistic accents like behind the pitcher on the machine is a metal engraving of a palm tree and a sea plane. The construction is easy and it works right out of the box. All you have to do is attach the ice hopper and you're finished.



Some of the negatives though are that the metal ice chute (that's what I call it) shifts up and down so that it fits perfectly and tightly to the pitcher which is nice except that it doesn't seem like it is extremely sturdy but it hasn't broken yet so I guess I should report that if it does.



The Start button is nice it makes a drink about the consistancy of a smoothie from smoothie king. I enjoyed it alot. The ice hopper shreds ice like a dream and the seal on the top if fantastic. I noticed some people complaining that it spilled and I have had no such problem.



I would highly recommend this model over the others for it's reasonable price and great offerings.

 "Awesome blender!" 2008-02-06
By Patricia P. Strong (Virginia, USA)

I bought this for my father for Christmas. He loves making margaritas, but could never get his blender to shave the ice well. This blender shaves ice perfectly and comes with some great drink recipes. I have the larger version that I also use for smoothies, but this size is nice for every day use if you have limited counter space, or as a gift.

 "Perfect Magarita Consistency" 2008-02-06
By Paxton in AZ (Surprise, AZ)

Made the huge mistake of buying the Margarator first. What a piece of junk. We returned that to the store and we were very hesitant to sink even more money into this, but we really wanted something to make frozen drinks. I am so glad we took the plunge and bought this machine. PERFECT SHAVED ICED CONSISTENCY - JUST LIKE IN THE RESTAURANTS! Very easy to make and very fast. Make sure you follow the recipe ratio in the directions. The recipe calls for 2 to 1 ratio. I was used to following the recipe on the back of most Magarita mixes that are 3 to 1 (Mixer to Alcohol).

 "Makes Margaritas too, but who cares?" 2008-06-21
By Paul Kerr

The first time we used it, we made margaritas. They came out perfectly! But we're more into on-the-rocks, so that was that. Note that it is dead simple to use, and cleans up very easily. Only ice goes in the ice bowl, other liquids only go in the blender container. The blender container disassembles easily to clean up, dry and reassemble in a couple of minutes, total. The ice bowl and water-catcher just need to be dried.



Since the first batch, like our daughter who has one of the larger units, we just use it to make shave ice and slushies. It is absolutely outstanding at making all of these frozen concoctions.



For shave ice, fill the ice container with ice cubes and use the shave/blend toggle to shave ice. It will make about 2 blender containers full of shaved ice. Put the shaved ice in bowls or paper cups. Pour about a tablespoon of one of the Monin syrups used for coffee drinks, like blueberry or cherry, on each serving of shave ice.



For a slushie, put 12-16 oz of a cold beverage like lemonade or Coke in the blender part. Fill the ice container about half-full with ice cubes, and press the margarita button. For best taste, use drinks made with cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup. HFCS leaves an aftertaste, while sugar is cleaner and crisper. If you can get Mexican Cokes at a store that serves that market, or Kosher Cokes during certain times of the year, they're made with cane sugar. Odwalla lemonade is made with cane sugar, too.



For a really fancy margarita, after a lot of experimenting, we reproduced our favorite -- the super-smooth 19th Hole Margarita from the Mexquite restaurant. For 3 margaritas (the capacity of the Bahamas model): put these into the blender part: 4.5 oz Sauza Hornitas Reposada tequila, 4.5 oz orange juice, 3 oz cranberry cocktail juice, 1.5 oz agave nectar syrup, 1.5 oz Gran Gala orange liqueur, juice of 1.5 limes. Fill the ice container to about 2/3 of its max ice line. Press the margarita button, and when it's done (it'll blend twice so wait for it), it's ready to pour...

 "Great party machine" 2007-12-21
By Garry C. Begoon (Bryant, Ar)

After looking at several different machines, we decided on this one. We definitely made the right decision. This machine is both easy to use and performs exactly as advertised. The ice is shaved to perfection, not crushed. You simply fill the ice bin, add the ingredients to the blender jar and punch the button. When the machine stops, pour and enjoy. Haven't tried daquiries yet but I'm sure they'll be great!! Would definitely buy again!!

Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (CCM-16PC1) Review.

 "An attractive, efficient, and competent grinder" 2004-03-14
By Trey Harris (New York, NY United States)

This is the second automatic hopper-type burr grinder that I've owned. The first was the similarly-priced Capresso 551.01, which died after a couple years of use. I don't know what the lifespan of this Cuisinart grinder will be yet, but so far I'm extremely impressed with the comparison between the two. Start with the weight, at nearly 4 pounds--it simply feels more substantial. (The Capresso is a comparatively diminutive 2 lb. 9 oz.) The casing is an attractive stainless steel (which may just be a veneer over plastic, but it certainly looks nicer than the Capresso's black plastic) and the hopper and grind chamber are of thick, good-quality acrylic.

The Capresso had to be emptied before changing the grind coarseness, and had a small, finger-bruising wheel with which to adjust it, but the Cuisinart's entire hopper turns freely to adjust the grind, filled or not. I'm also very pleased to find that the Cuisinart doesn't dust the countertop with a sprinkling of coffee after use, as the Capresso did. The motor isn't whisper-quiet by any stretch, but it's not as noisy as many home grinders.

There are only two disadvantages of this grinder, in my opinion. First, the timer can only be adjusted in two-cup increments (minimum of 4 cups). It does this with a satisfying click, but still, I'd like to nudge the slider a bit for a weaker morning brew or a stronger nighttime one. Second, the hopper contains almost four cups' worth of coffee below the visible area, inside the machine. That, combined with the grinder's heftier weight, makes it a chore to empty it if you want to change coffees (say, if a guest requests decaf). Not only do you have to turn this brute upside-down, but you also have to turn it every which way so that all the coffee inside the machine works its way out.

But these are minor quibbles. Overall, this is an excellent machine.

 "Works Great" 2006-07-03
By D. Allen (McKinney Texas)

I've had mine for about 6 months now. I use it to grind for a drip machine, and it grinds for about 16 cups every day. The motor seems to take it all in stride, and it's never sounded like it was under undue stress, so I'm puzzled by all the reviews reporting bad motors. I suspect, at least some of them, are really interlock problems. There are at least two of them: one is under the cup that collects the ground coffee. The other is under the hopper. If the cup or the hopper aren't properly seated, the motor is prevented from operating. This is a safety feature.



The flavor of coffee ground in a burr mill barely resembles that of beans chopped up in a grinder with spinning blades. The spinning blades keep hitting the coffee over and over, heating it up. If you watch, you will see the coffee turn a lighter shade of brown as it dries out. A burr mill spits the ground beans into a cup as soon as it's finished with them, and the grounds are the same shade as the beans were. The difference in flavor is tremendous, so recommending a burr mill, such as the cuisinart, is a no-brainer.



Update Jan 09, 2007: We've been grinding for about 16 cups per day for about a year now. Still going.



Update July 27, 2009: 3.5 years of faithful service, but I have to admit that I'm starting to get paranoid. This thing has done a lot of work, and something has got to be on the verge of going out. I'm addicted to my morning coffee (I drink it ALL morning), and I'd be in a bad way if I couldn't partake of my favorite bean. I'm considering buying another one as a back-up.



Update Sep 26, 2010: Still grinding.

 "Still working 3 1/2 years later" 2005-04-26
By Morganna Wolf (Pacific NW)

Update 12/21/2008



I have had this grinder now for over 3 years. With almost daily use it is still working great.



Pros:



* For the most part it grinds a uniform grind (Toward the top of the box there is some extra fine grind that tends to spill out when opening. A tap or two on the counter settles most of it preventing it from spilling out.) Still cleaner than my old blade grinder.



* Stores a 1/2-pound of beans.



* Consistently grinds the same amount of beans. Makes reproducing that perfect brew every morning just that much easier.



Cons:



* Louder (not by very much) than my old grinder but the cats quickly adjusted to the noise

 "Finally a burr grinder I can LOVE!!!" 2009-12-04
By Paul S. (Boise ID)

I'm a self proclaimed whole bean coffee snob. I've owned several grinders over the years and have become addicted to grinding my own beans when I'm ready for brewing my trusty cup o' joe. Since I have an espresso machine, drip coffee maker, and a variety of french presses I can't just use the one-grind-fits-all approach. But why have 2 or 3 grinders taking up cupboard or counter space when I can now just use this?



The traditional whirling blade grinders take a lot of practice to get the timing just right depending on what level of grind you are looking for. More often than not I ended up settling for something a little too fine or a little too course. Enter the first burr grinder of my amateur barista world: I loved the consistency of it but couldn't get a fine grind for espresso. So for the last year or so I've had to use both...



No longer! This Cuisinart grinder has been a blessing from coffee brewing heaven! The variability of grind options is amazing with this machine! I can grind up my beans to a powdered perfection for espresso or chunky enough to make cowboy coffee worthy of Jack Palance's Curly from City Slickers.



As far as the quality concerns another reviewer mentioned it must have been a bad unit. I've used this one daily for over a month and not even a hiccup! This grinder is well worth the price!

 "Nice, functional, minimal problems" 2004-07-07
By Hypno Walrus (Victoria, TX United States)

Got this burr grinder and really couldn't be happier with its looks, performance, and durability.
Pros:
1. Big hopper
2. Completely customizable -- grind settings coarse to fine and cups to make
3. The fine ground setting really does produce fine grounds...or at least as fine as needed for espresso. I know some people would like coffee dust, but not me
4. Relatively quick grinding time
5. Automatic stop...press the button and do something else, then come back

Cons: (minor ones)

1. The scoop/brush accessory that was included, broke within a week. Actually, just the scoop. Snapped right off. But I don't need a scoop, I need the brush to clean the machine. So no biggie
2. Kinda loud (but most burr grinders are so just keep that in mind)
3. Slides around a bit when handling it. Maybe heavy rubber stoppers needed?
4. Lid doesn't latch closed to the hopper. Just don't turn it over with coffee beans inside like I did. Ha

Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner Review.

 "Excellent pressure canner at a great price!" 2006-05-12
By Kauaijohn (West Central Illinois)

I decided to purchase this pressure canner after an exhaustive search online. This was the best price of any of the other sites I checked. I'll admit that the review from the woman whose canner "LITERALLY exploded" had me a little concerned, but since it was the only negative review, I decided to chance it since the price was so good ($79.97 and Free Super Saver shipping)! Best of all, it arrived in TWO DAYS!!!



The first thing I did was take the pressure gauge to my local county extension office (as recommended by the manufacturer) where they tested it and found it to be working perfectly. After getting their "OK", I hit the produce sales at my local market.



Even if you don't have a garden, you can still can fresh fruits and vegetables. I've already made 8 jars of strawberry jam using the hot water method, and canned enough tomato sauce to get me through until my own tomatoes are ripe and ready for the canner later this Summer. Unlike commercially canned or frozen produce, I can control what ingredients go into my food!



The instruction book that comes with this pressure canner gives different ways to can most foods depending on if you want to can them (1)"cooked" so you can warm them up when you're ready to use them or (2)just safely preserved to be cooked right before serving or using in recipes.



Overall, an excellent pressure canner at a great price! Just follow the manufacturer's instructions - including having the pressure gauge checked by your county extension office - and you should have no problems preserving fresh, healthy foods for yourself, your family, and your loved ones.

 "Super Canner" 2007-06-12
By Cheyenne Ann (CHEYENNE, WY United States)

I had a pressure canner many years ago. Bought it at a hardware store. No guage, but it did the job. Did I sell it at a yard sale? Don't know where it went, anyway.



Decided recently to can again. So I read tons of reviews, Internet articles, compared features and prices. The Presto 1781 is the one I decided on. Amazon had it with free shipping, which made this doll the perfect deal for me.



I have used it as a canner about 5 times already. Have not just pressure-cooked in it. Here are my observations: Easy to use. Follow the instructions in the book, and you are good to go. This baby is heavy! Moving it off the heat when it is full of jars is no small feat (especially when using as a boiling bath canner)! Eat a good breakfast! Half pint and pint jars stack nicely. I have not tried to can more than 7 quarts yet, so am not disappointed that the max is 7 quarts. I put up 7 qts of chili yesterday and my huge cookpot was pretty full. Any more would have been too much anyway.



When using as a boiling bath canner, be careful when taking the jars out, especially when putting up half pint wide mouth jars, as the jar lifters are not very long and you can burn yourself getting that bottom set out. While you can use long tongs for half pints, I tried and ended up with a mess of hot strawberry jam all over and inbetween the stove and cabinet. So, use a jar lifter and hold it tightly!



I like the guage on this canner. I have never used one with a guage before. After a couple of uses, I find I can take my eyes off it once it gets to correct pressure by the sound of the pressure regulator. It gets noisy when it gets too high. I live at 6800 feet altitude, and everything pressure canned has to be done at 14 lbs. 15 makes a noise and that's my signal to lower the heat.



I have a ceramic top stove and have no issues with this canner on my stove top. The canner bottom is flat and heats up evenly.



I love this canner. Just wish it folded up when not in use--it's a big honker!

 "Finely - something to handle those tomatos" 2005-08-30
By L. Jamison

I've been wanting one of these for a while & glad I got it. It is easy to put together, is HUGE, and the book is helpful in calming any nightmare stories you have heard.

If you have wanted one of these things - this is a great one & you can't beat the price.

I have a flat top stove too & it worked. I think it may have taken longer for the water to heat to the right temperature but held up fine. Be aware that the pan is very large & even a gas stove will need the bigest flame it has.

 "Excellent Product" 2007-09-17
By Paula (California, USA)

This is one of the best canners I have ever used. I used to have a Mirro, but this is better. The seal is tight and it doesn't leak. I love the little pressure indicator because it drops down when the canner is completely depressurized, letting you know you can open it.



Even though there is a dial gauge, you actually CAN use this canner as a weighted gauge canner! I contacted Presto about this, and the weight that comes with this canner is the same weight that is on their smaller pressure cookers, the 4- and 6-quart models, which cook at 15 PSI. Therefore, when the weight begins to gently rock, it is pressure canning at 15 PSI. However, people who live below 1,000 feet of elevation need to pressure can at 10 PSI, so you either need to make sure your gauge is accurate, or you can purchase a 3-piece pressure regulator from Presto (model #50332). The lady at Presto confirmed that by using this particular pressure regulator, it will then effectively be a weighted gauge canner with the dial there just for reference.



Now that I have a way to pressure can using just a weighted gauge and not depending on accuracy of a dial, I love this canner. I do not have a way to have my gauge checked other than by sending it to Presto, and that takes weeks to have it checked. Also, I don't know how accurate the gauge would be after being in the mail getting jostled around.



This canner is great because it is lightweight and, therefore, comes up to pressure quickly and also drops pressure quickly. Replacement parts for Presto products are readily available. Customer service for Presto is so far excellent. They will actually answer your e-mail within one business day.



I highly recommend this canner as well as most other Presto products.

 "Pressure canning is easier than I thought!" 2005-08-02
By Juanita Lagrone (Greenwood, SC)

This is my first pressure canner, and I have already used it twice. As recommended, I took the lid and gauge to the local Extension Service for testing, and it worked perfectly. The instructions booklet that accompanies the canner is pretty easy to understand, though I wish the graphics were a little larger. I thought pressure canning was something akin to rocket science, but it was really very much easier to do. And now I'm continuing a tradition that has been going on in my family for generations.