Well, the title pretty much says it. Looking for something that can do expresso and steam milk. I'm not looking for the $1000 connoseur special, just something simple and easy to use. Preferably in the $100-200 range.

 

I have the Nespresso D-150 and it kicks booty. www.nespresso.com

 

Thanks, I'll have to check that one out. Anyone else have a recommendation?

 

Check this one out. I don't own it, but it looks good on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...lance&s=kitchen

Edit: the Nespresso ones are supposed to be great. I briefly looked around a few months ago and that' what I was leaning towards. I read somewhere (maybe a flyer) that 90% of non-store espresso in Europe is now made with pods. Even if that's exaggerated by a sales department that's still pretty impressive. America will be all-pod soon enough, no doubt.

 

I bought a similar one to the one linked. Think it was an earlier mr.coffee...bought used for real cheap at a garage sale.

works quite well so if they have advanced it any Im sure it would work great.

Once you start heating up the steamer though you wont be able to make espresso for quite a while (water stays far too hot for some time)... not sure if that problem applies to all espresso machines or not.

 

I'd like a good espresso machine too.

I've bought two Krups machines from Bed Bath & Beyond (the cheapy and then a $159 one) and I am disappointed with both. Things I don't like is that the grounds basket is too small and the water pump is not strong enough as the coffee basically drips-drips out.

I have a grinder and though I may be grinding too much, so I bought some ground coffee from Starbucks (the same exact stuff they use in their cappuccino) and I had the same results...drip, drip, drip. ~five minutes for a single shot.

to Krups

 

^ Consider a pod machine. It's all the rage right now and from the samples I've tasted at Sur La Table they're pretty darn tasty. My only hesitation (besides one more thing to cram into kitchen cabinets) is that you're sort of locked into a line of pods. The reason pods are great for coffee in general is that a group of engineers can taste test different brewing methods for a year or two and then lock it in with machinary. Since the coffee grounds can now be standardized, pod-brewing can ensure very high quality with no effort on man's part.

Hey, in Japan they have master-level espresso and now sushi in veding mahcines. It's only a matter of time...

 

[QUOTE=munckee,Nov 14 2004, 08:55 PM] Well, the title pretty much says it.

 

Have you checked out Starbucks? They seem to have some decent ones.

 

You want the best in espresso machines? You need a La Cimbali.

www.cimbali.it

They range from home units that cost around $600 to $700, all the way to pro units that cost $20,000. Those pro units have modems built into them so the factory in Italy can call them up and see how they're doing and give them a tune-up. We bought one of the smaller units direct from the factory in Binasco. Use only Illy coffee in it, and I don't think you'll get much better espresso or cappuccino at home.

Chris.