The Coffee Maker Store
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Capresso 121.01 Ultima Semi Automatic Coffee and Espresso/Cappuccino Machine |
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List price:
$440.00
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- Brews from 1-1/2 to 12 ounces of espresso or regular coffee in seconds
- No-mess, no-fuss: automatically tamps coffee and discards used grounds
- Removable 53-ounce water tank big enough for 30 cups of espresso
- Double brewing spout fills two cups at once; adjusts to fit different-size cups
- Wand for steaming, frothing milk for cappuccinos and caffe lattes
8 months and going strong.
Rating: 
Lots of reviews on how the Ultima performed in the first few rounds, so I though I would add my 2 cents on "longer term" performance.
This machine is dangerous. Dangerously addictive, that is. If you love espresso based drinks, you WILL feel like making a cup after every meal to accompany your dessert. And then the morning pre-breakfast cup and the afternoon one with an almond-hazelnut double-chocolate biscotti. Control, control...
It is super easy to make a drink, and not tamping and cleaning after each cup is a god-send. You have to try a non-automatic and know what a chore those tasks are to appreciate the simple advantages and joys of this semi-auto baby.
And the taste - ah, beautiful. For all of you living around a Trader Joe's store, I highly recommend the Roma Coffee Beans - less than 20 cents a cup gets you a coffee that rivals some of the best in Roma.
Hope it keeps running for along time, but it has served me and my guests well for over 8 months.
Cheers!
Great coffeemaker!
Rating:
I've had this espresso machine for about a month now, and I've used it daily to make 2 cups of crema coffee or two shots of espresso for lattes. So far, I'm loving it. I use it with Illy Scuro pre-ground espresso which seems to be the perfect grind for this machine, and I fill the water tank with filtered water from my Brita pitcher. The espresso has great flavor, the crema is rich and golden, and the easy cleanup means I have no excuse to buy coffee rather than making my own. Once a week, usually on the weekend, I empty the used grounds bin and clean all the removable parts, but between times there is basically no maintenance. Additionally, I live alone, and so the ability to make a single cup of coffee at a time is a big plus--it's what deterred me from daily use of my regular drip coffeepot, not to mention the cleanup factor. The machine is a little pricey, but when I consider how over the past month I have not been into Starbucks once, I've already made up a substantial percentage of the price. Overall, I am extremely happy with this purchase.
love it
Rating:
This machine makes *great* espresso and crema and is very easy to operate (after taking 5-10 minutes to review the directions). It is wonderful when making several cups at a time as the used grounds are automatically dumped into a hidden reservoir which reduces time and clean-up between brews.
I have only noticed problems with coffee temperature if I use the steamer first, then switch to coffee mode. Otherwise, coffee temps are perfect. I have not found a grind that is too fine for this machine, and it seems the finer the grind, the better the flavor.
My only real beef is that condensation collects in the coffee chute, so some of the grounds get stuck on the way to the brew chamber.
