When I first saw the machine, I was intrigued by the concept:
A coffee maker that takes the guesswork...and the mess...out of making
the world's favorite beverage. But I wondered if it was really that
simple...and even if it were, how good a cup of coffee does it make?
I'm happy to report that Capresso truly lives up to
its claim of making "the finest collection of coffee makers and espresso
cappuccino machines."
Features:
Built-in coffee grinder with four gradations (fine to
coarse), with built-in safety device to prevent grinding if filter holder
is not in position to receive grounds
Coffee grinder holds enough beans for 20 to 30 cups
Reusable Gold Tone size 4 (fine-mesh) coffee filter
Water filter (good for 6 weeks or 60 uses, whichever comes
first) removes 82% of chlorine for improved taste
Programmable set-up (up to 24 hours)
Ability to pour a cup during the brewing process without
drips or mess
Delivers 180F coffee in carafe after brewing...the perfect
temperature for drinking (in my opinion)
Auto shut-off after two hours
Setting up the machine was simple. The directions
were easy to follow and in no time, it was ready for a test. Initially,
you must remove, invert and re-insert the water filter cartridge.
The coffee beans. No measuring is necessary.
Just fill the bean container and replace the lid. When ready to brew
coffee, you simply:
Indicate the grind (fine to coarse, but the booklet recommends
you begin on coarse grind and adjust this over time if you feel it necessary
to do so)
Set the "strength" indicator (3 possible settings, mild
to strong)
Select number of cups to brew (2 - 10)
Pour water into water filtration container and close lid
Slide coffee filter unit toward the grinder
Press start
What happens is that the grinder begins to work, dropping
the exact amount of perfect grounds into the basket. When that is
finished, the coffee filter unit automatically slides back in place and
the water begins to heat.
Unbelievably fast, you begin to smell the aroma that
only a great pot of coffee gives off. In truth, I've been known to
make a bad pot of coffee. In fact, I'm ashamed to say that I'm not
the one you want making coffee for you, especially if you're a connoisseur
of brewed java. So the real test of the machine is the quality of
the coffee it makes.
I'm delighted to tell you it was wonderful. Probably
the best I've ever made. Idiot-proof!
My first attempt, I made a full pot (10 cups).
I'd always believed that you get a better quality coffee this way, so I
wanted to try making smaller amounts, too, to test it's versatility.
Every pot I made was equally fantastic, from 2 cups straight up to 10.
Side notes:
You may, if you wish, use pre-ground coffee rather than
starting with whole beans. The system includes a plastic measure
for this purpose.
I placed a call to Capresso's consumer hotline and was
very pleased with the friendly, thorough response. I consider this
an excellent selling point...I would hesitate to recommend any product
without this.
Downsides:
The need to replace the water filter every 60 uses
or 6 weeks, whichever comes first. The booklet indicates that "If
you use distilled, spring or bottled water or if your water has little
or no chlorine, you might not find a difference in taste in your coffee
when using the water filtration system." Filters cost a paltry $10
for 3 or ($19 for 6), which comes to about $1.50 a month for average use
(we're talking 5 cents a pot)...though once you taste this coffee, you
may find yourself making more than one pot a day.
I live in an area with very hard water, full
of minerals and other undesirable contents, so we have a reverse osmosis
system built into the kitchen sink to filter it. I have, however,
had coffee made with unfiltered, even super-chlorinated water, and it severely
detracts from the taste. The only real problem I see is for procrastinators
who wait until they can taste the difference before buying (or ordering)
new filters.
Though the Gold Filter does a phenomenal job, there is
a
small amount of sediment that falls to the bottom. If you are
bothered by this, they also offer paper filters ($7 for 200, $15 for 500).
Why do I consider this a downside? Only that none were included with
the coffee system. Even a sample pack would have been good.
This is really picky, but the CoffeeTEAM™ Plus is slightly
larger than the average coffee maker...a little wider and a little
taller.
Bottom line:
The Capresso CoffeeTEAM™ Plus is an excellent piece
of equipment, a "must-have" for every coffee drinker. It's obvious
that this company's team of designers evaluated every aspect of coffee
making before they came up with this design...and they are to be
commended.
If I were to give an award for a kitchen appliance,
this would definitely be a winner! Maybe I will do just that.
I look forward to evaluating their cappuccino espresso machines!
Suggested retail price: $239.99 Colors: black or white
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Capresso CoffeeTEAM™ Plus
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