Espressione Caffe Novecento Espresso/Cappuccino Machine

[ckeilah]

from coffeegeek.com:

While designed in Italy by Ariete and distributed in the US as part of the Espressione brand, the machine is made in China.

Oy vey! Has anyone tested this thing for lead (and other toxic) content? I’ve discovered alarming amounts of lead in my Chinese products lately, one was a BABY TOY, also an ex-costco item (which I’m pretty sure is where woot got these).

[ed46464]

Target had this machine on clearance a few months ago and I did some research. Basically there’s not much info on it. There are some glowing reviews that seem to come from paid reviewers and there are some horrible reviews that seem to come from people that have bought it.

After a few days of reading I decided not not buy it. The negative reviews were really negative and with the lack of information online about this machine I wasn’t willing to take the chance.

If you do buy this machine you’re going to want to spend a couple hundred dollars and buy a good bur grinder.

[DreamTheEndless]

@hustler03

Any chance this thing will last if used in a small coffee shop? I really have no idea what the differences are.

Short answer? No.

I hate to be the “home equipment doesn’t even compare to pro equipment” guy, but…

Two of the biggest differences would be the size of the boiler and plumbed vs. “pour over.” This machine is not hooked up to the water supply, it simply has a tank that you fill by pouring water into it. Also, the “boiler” - the tank that holds the hot water, is only large enough for a few drinks, not enough to withstand even a busy 10 minutes in a coffee shop.

You’d be much better off with a used commercial machine. They can be found without too much trouble at places that sell used restaurant equipment.

[ckeilah]

@DreamTheEndless

Short answer?
You’d be much better off with a used commercial machine. They can be found without too much trouble at places that sell used restaurant equipment.

Too bad most commercial equipment is uglier than a Yugo after being hit by a train.

@TarHeelz

This would be a perfect addition to the look of any steampunk kitchen.

Absolutely the BEST reason to buy this…perhaps the ONLY reason. Keep this one on the counter, and the functional Krups (or nice Rancilio Silva with PID mod) under the counter for actually producing espressos!

[DreamTheEndless]

@sdc100

So tell me, what exactly are the structural or chemical differences between steamed and frothed milk? The interaction between a substance and our tongue (aka taste), after all, is based on those two factors.

First of all, just to get this out of the way, for god’s sake - it’s “espresso,” not “expresso.” Now, steaming milk also cooks it. When you steam milk with a steam wand, you have very precise control over the temperature and the type of foam produced. Also, steaming milk with a powerful machine is very fast as compared to microwaving and/or stove-top heating and then spinning with a hand blender. Clean up? All I do wipe down the steam wand with a wet towel as soon as I’m done steaming and then blow a tiny bit more steam out of the wand afterwards.

[lesdys]

there’s some Amazon reviews on this product

search Amazon for the product name to find a few helpful reviews

[wuddaheck]

Wow! i was teetering on “to buy or not to buy” until i carefully read the list of what you actually get for this price… it comes with a SPOON!! I’m in for 3!

[nivram]

Where’s the flux capacitor located on this thing??

[j51]

You coffee snobs are hilarious.
If you want REAL espresso, you grow your own Arabica beans and feed them to your own Jacu bird to poop out (or palm civet for the pedestrian among you), then you harvest them for roasting yourself.

amateurs.

[zipster1]

$211 at Sams Club on line, includes delivery.

[radi0j0hn]

@Adamcu81

You don’t need an expensive burr grinder. You can buy espresso ground coffee or grind your own at the store using their burr grinder.

I’ve found that store grinders are often ether worn out of misadjusted. I could never get the right grind for my Handpresso using one. Your experience may vary.

[dernst_ca1]

@Roostalee

You got a steal! They obviously didn’t know what they had. And I agree with you, but most folks want to do it simple, and a La Pavoni has a learning curve that will frustrate many.

Personally, I’d recommend a used semi-auto Rancilio or Gaggia, both of which still require skill to use correctly (esp. the Rancilio).

And pronounce… I know… I got a total steal… I love it…

[radi0j0hn]

I’ve owned several mid-range machines, (Saeco SS, Swiss Krups) and some cheapos. I also have a Handpresso for travel and work. First, bean quality and grind IS important. But I question the pooh-poohing of the pressurized portafilter.
In an ideal world freshly ground, high quality beans, properly tamped create the back pressure needed to make crema. But I use what I can find or afford and the “artificial” back pressure makes a better cup with mediocre beans. My opinion.

[dernst_ca1]

@DigMe

I’m a coffee purist and a total geek about all the technical and aesthetic aspects of coffee. I do realize that everyone is not like that. Having said that, if you’re going to spend $250 on an espresso machine I would recommend going with a Gaggia Espresso over this machine. They are considered one of the cheapest “starter” machines that are capable of making good espresso. I used to have one myself and I definitely pulled some good shots with it when paired with my Mazzer grinder. Now I have moved up to an E61 heat-exchanger machine.

It’s the grinder though that will really allow you to make good espresso. The grinder is key and is more important to the process of making quality espresso than the espresso machine itself.

Woot has had a lot of really bad espresso machines for sale throughout their history, God love 'em. That would be cool to see them get a decent one like a Gaggia or Lelit. Or a decent grinder from Baratza or something.

Look into that, Woot.

I use one of these:

Its an ELMA grinder from spin made around 1900. Its a counter top Burr mill and full adjustable. I got it on EBAY for somthing around $40. The thing is amazing… really… and it can grind down to a turkish consistency… well beyond espresso…

[radi0j0hn]

@sdc100

I can’t understand people who would spend the money and time on these devices.

You go on to talk about frothing milk, etc. Let’s get this straight: a shot of espresso has nothing to do with a latte, other than being a component of it. I get up, make a shot in my pump machine faster than a dripper can get started. It’s the kind of coffee I enjoy. It’s an art, an aesthetic, not a habit or addiction.

[darkteck83]

Don’t know about you folks but I prefer to start my day with a hot, steaming cup of Woot.

[dernst_ca1]

@sdc100

I can’t understand people who would spend the money and time on these devices. Not only is it costly, but clean up and maintenance can be difficult. Seriously, look at all those parts, including coils and pipes. If I ever need a good cup of expresso, I can simply go to my local 24 hr coffee house (although I realize that not everyone is as lucky as we NYers, especially those who live in the Village).

We love cappucinos but even then, we’re perfectly happy with our drip coffee maker and a milk frother – total cost: < $50. The coffeemaker even has a timer for our morning coffee. Do these machines? While a true cappuccino uses expresso, extra-strong quality coffee and frothed milk is a good enough approximation for most people.

I’ll admit that I was skeptical about the need to foam milk until an Italian collegue introduced us to it. There’s a scientific reason for doing so; just Google it. Now we froth our milk daily. But there’s no need for these steam contraptions. Yes, they produce a finer, arguably richer foam (important only for latte art, not taste). But a $12 handheld battery-operated frother does just fine, tastewise. Just a 20 sec whirl and your skim milk has tripled its volume as foam. See Good Housekeeping.

Frankly, we couldn’t taste the differece between steamed milk and the whirled foam from these frothers. Plus, the frothers allow you to produce cold, hot and flavored milk foam. Simply use cold, hot or flavored milk (i.e. a touch of alcohol or almond syrup). My guess is that you can froth soymilk too. Our cleanup involves putting the frother coil/blade under running water for 5 seconds.

For my money (and tastebuds), a drip coffeemaker and motorized frother is fine for most people. Go out for that occasional expresso. And the forementioned Italian colleague (a coffee afficionado) agrees. And if Woot offers it again, grab the Kaloric 4-in-1 hand/immersion blender with frother attachment. Multifunctional for only $19.99. We use it daily to foam our milk for coffee.

http://images.highspeedbackbone.net/skuimages/large/L251-CMM24294-main-af.jpg

I can’t understand why anyone would go to all the trouble of making meals for themselves when they could just go to the local 24 hour QuickieMart and pick up a nuked burrito and a slurpee… Its so much cheaper than cooking and the cleanup is a breeze. Also, why would anyone bother with orange juice? I mean, you can just take a orange flavored starburst and drop it in a cup of hot water and it tastes exactly the same! But then again, most people aren’t as lucky as I am living right down the street from a 24 hour QuickieMart.

Really though… there is a huge difference between whipping milk with a wire and integrating steam into it, heating and cooking it…Most places however burn the Krapp out of the milk and end up scooping scalded foam onto a drink that is more the consistency of Mr Bubble rather than pouring a finely steamed layer of silky smooth spuma onto the top of the espresso…

[dernst_ca1]

@hustler03

Thanks for the replies, wootsters.
I can’t believe how much you all know about coffee machines. Kinda scary.

Gotta stay up somehow to follow the woot offs…

[dernst_ca1]

@ThorsHammer

My wife already has the counter top so junked up I can’t find my olive grabber

Somehow this just sounds wrong…

[darkteck83]

@dernst_ca1

I can’t understand why anyone would go to all the trouble of making meals for themselves when they could just go to the local 24 hour QuickieMart and pick up a nuked burrito and a slurpee… Its so much cheaper than cooking and the cleanup is a breeze. Also, why would anyone bother with orange juice? I mean, you can just take a orange flavored starburst and drop it in a cup of hot water and it tastes exactly the same! But then again, most people aren’t as lucky as I am living right down the street from a 24 hour QuickieMart.

Bwahahahahahahaha

(breath)

Bwahahahahahahaha