At one time I owned a Krups espresso/cappuccino machine that I ended up using for only a few months since it was such a pain to set up and clean. Right now, it's sitting in my basement, gathering cobwebs. However, when I received this Nespresso machine as a gift, I now can have cappuccino whenever I want in mere minutes. I turn the machine on, wait for the solid red light to show proper heat/steam (it takes about 30 seconds), pop in a pod, and press the correct cup size for espresso or the larger "lungo." The coffee is forced through the pod and into the cup below in seconds, with a nice brown crema on top. For cappuccino or latte, you need only to then press the steam button (the machine comes with a steamer attachment), stick the tube in a cup of milk, press the lever, and watch the machine suck up the milk and deposit it, hot and foamy, into the cup. Clean up? A breeze. Even if you steam milk, you have only let the steamer suck in water for a few seconds and deposit it into another cup. The empty pods are tossed into an internal receptacle that holds ten or so. There is no tamping for preparation. No scraping the grounds out afterward. No dishwashing. It really is that simple. And the espresso and cappuccino taste just like they do in Italy.
Of course, there are downsides to every machine, and this one is expense. Not only is the machine pricey, but the pods must be purchased through Nespresso at approximately fifty cents per pod. (They come in sleeves of ten.) The Nespresso also must be particularly sensitive to power surges, since mine stopped working in less than a year, as did my sister's, for no apparent reason. But . . . the customer service is awesome. I called, and they sent a loaner machine overnight, with packing and a pre-paid label to send mine in for servicing. When mine was fixed a week later, I simply shipped the loaner machine back using, again, a pre-paid label. I didn't pay a cent. Still, I now leave my machine unplugged when not in use. Others may want to put it on a surge protector.
I was worried that the pre-measured portions of coffee would taste canned, but they have excellent flavor. Once you buy this machine, you will be part of the "Nespresso Club" (wait until you see how exclusive they make it seem -- you'll have to laugh!). You will buy your coffee off the web site or over the phone, and receive it within two days. The "Ristretto" pods make the best full-strength espresso and cappuccino. Even when I make "lungo" coffee, I tend to use the higher strength coffees such as "Arpeggio" since I'm not a fan of the milder types. "Decaffeinato Intenso" makes competent decaf cappuccino as well as lungo, although I wish they had an even stronger decaf. (The regular "Decaffeinato" is milder.)
This machine is a luxury, to be sure, and I doubt I would have splurged on my own. However, this is one gift that I use regularly, with as much appreciation for it as I had the first week. Unlike my Krups machine, this one sits proudly on my counter. Friends who come to dinner eye it longingly, hoping that, once again, I'll offer up espresso or cappuccino with dessert. Of course, I always oblige.
If you are more interested in "lungo" (regular) coffee, then I suggest you look at the new single-cup coffee makers such as Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System.
-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann
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Nespresso D290 Concept Automatic Coffee-and-Espresso Machine with Aeroccino Milk Frother, Satin ChromeProduct Description: Developed with a unique extraction system specially designed for coffee-filled capsules, this 1250-watt single-serve automatic machine features technology essential for preparing perfect espresso. A simple system perforates the hermetically sealed capsule and soaks all the ground coffee to optimally filter the coffee, while the unit's high-pressure 19-bar pump extracts all the aromas and gives body to the espresso ensuring a smooth crema--the delicious creamy layer on top. In addition, the machine's ThermoBlock heating system heats water to 187 degrees and 196 degrees during extraction and empties the remaining water after each use to ensure fresh water for each preparation. Used capsules eject semi-automatically into the used-capsule collection container upon lifting the handle.
Furthermore, the machine provides a removable nozzle for hot water, steam, or milk-frothing functions, and it cools down automatically two minutes after the last use of the steam function, or by pressing the steam button. The one-touch Aeroccino milk frother also comes included--perfect for frothing 2-1/2 ounces of milk in just a few seconds or for heating up to 6 ounces of milk. Other highlights include automatic and programmable coffee quantity, a used-capsule container with a built-in electronic "full" indicator, backlit control buttons, electronic temperature regulation, and a removable 40-ounce water container. The espresso machine only uses capsules, not any other ground espresso, but a range of premium coffee blends is available, including decaffeinated. The capsules can be purchased from Nespresso, either by phone or at their Web site, and an assortment of 12 capsules comes included. An espresso cup, a lungo cup, two saucers, and a ring binder containing information on Nespresso are also provided. Compactly designed in ABS housing, the strikingly modern espresso machine measures 14 by 8-2/3 by 12-1/5 inches, and the Aeroccino milk frother measures 3-1/2 by 3-1/2 by 5-5/7 inches.
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