Now only if they would work on their over-roasting problem...

As a little background, I had admired this machine for quite a few years as two of my friends own one.  The allure of having a super-automatic in my own home was just too much, so I finally broke down and decided to get it for myself, especially since our current espresso machine (a Delonghi) is on its last legs.  Some research and reviews shored up my confidence and I just went for it.

Only 3 days after placing the order, I was greeted by my new machine when I arrived back at the house one day.  I unpacked the machine, watched the instructional DVD, and went through the recommended steps, rinsing, de-dusting, and first use ritual as shown in the video and in the manual.  I went to bed all excited about the brew I would enjoy the next day!

Features & Operation

This machine has some really amazing settings.  You can brew a single shot at quantities ranging from 1oz all the way up to 8oz.  You can also make 2 shots at once with the "double shot" button, which would produce up to 2-8oz shots.

The bean hopper on the right side of the unit and grinder area are a little awkward.  You have to fill the beans carefully otherwise they spill out and there is no way to remove the beans gracefully once you've put them in.  What this means is that if you want to try a new roast, you have to either "tilt and scoop" the beans out (these were the words used by Capresso's customer service rep) or just use up all of the current beans prior to using new beans.  The grinder is also a little peculiar in that you can only change the grind's granularity while the grinder is in operation.  I'm not sure why that is but it was clearly expressed in the manual and video that the only way to adjust the grinder's grind is while it is in operation.  Fine tuning the grinds to one you like could take some adjusting and fine-tuning.

The water tank is on the left side seems ample at first.  I'm not exactly sure how many cups you can make in one fill but I ended up re-filling mine quite a few times (more on that later).  The tank can be fitted with a water filter and Capressos' Clearyl filter.  I used only filtered water so I chose to forgo this device.  The water holder is a skinny rectangle and I could see why some people complained about spills in some reviews that I read, but I was careful and had no problems.

The machine can also make tea, steamed milk, and other hot water based drinks via it's steaming/frothing wand.  I found the wand to be a little too "wishy-washy" for my taste and think that the machine didn't produce enough pressure for my liking.  One of the cool things about the steam feature is that you can dial in the amount of time you wish to use the steam, and steam can come out for up to 120 seconds.  The steam that did come out from the wand was always consistent and there was no drop in pressure while I used the machine, but the milk was always kind of runny and the wand never produced the micro foam that I was looking for.  Also, having to adjust the wand from the "up" position to warm the milk to the "down" position to create froth was a little awkward.

Ok, so let's get to the nitty gritty.  Once you turn on the machine, things heat up fairly quickly and this machine was ready to roll in around a minute.  After the heating procedure, you have to press the "rinse" button to initiate the machine's cleaning cycle.  This is a little let down because the machine does not require that you press the "rinse" button when it rinses itself when it shuts off.  After the rinse, the machine is ready to make espresso.  First select the size of shot that you would like (again, ranging from 1-8 ounces), then press the brew button and chose your strength ranging from mild to strong.  My findings were that one should never use anything other than the "strong" setting.  In fact, the machine's setup menu has another option for roast preference and the default was "robust", which is like telling the machine to grind even more beans.  On shots less than 3.5 ounces, the machine performed at an acceptable level.

The problems begins if someone wants not an espresso, but wishes to make a bigger drink like a cappuccino or latte.  The machine simply doesn't perform well.  I had read several reviews about the coffee not being strong enough, and now I know exactly what these people meant as any drink after 3.5 ounces turned out to be watered down coffee drinks that, invariably, ended up tasting just like water with a hint of coffee.  There were several things that one could try to make a stronger cup, but the solutions either didn't work or would be too inefficient to take advantage of.  One could just brew 2 3.5 ounce shots to make a nice 7 ounce drink.  That would work.  The issue I have with that is that for a machine at this price level, I shouldn't have to do that.  If I want a strong 7 ounce coffee drink, I should be able to dial in the 7 ounces, hit the brew button, and get the desired cup without having to go through these exercises.

After using the machine for about a week, I decided to send it back and get a refund.  It took up a lot of room on the counter and just didn't work as well as it should.

This machine received a 2/5 and I would not recommend it to anyone who really likes espresso drinks that.

They say that it'll ship from the manufacturer in up to 5 business days, but I received mine (as in it was at my door) at the end of the 3rd business day.

Get on this deal - not sure when the coupon will expire!

After reading this article from Serious Eats, I decided once and for all that maybe it's not me, but rather, my machine's fault!

However, I need to take a few cues from this article and try to be a steam ninja!

When it comes to milk aeration you must rely on your senses. Sight, sound, and touch are all key players when steaming milk.

Fortunately for me, I have the desire to have a great cup of coffee each morning and will, to the best of my ability, work on becoming a steam ninja!

Here are the steps that I'll follow from here on:

1. I will start the process with cold milk and do what I can do make my pitcher cold too.
2. I will do my best to "feel the milk" in the pitcher so as to not over-heat nor under-steam it.
3. I will try to work on the rolling effect. "Tilt the pitcher and look for a swirling motion known at the rolling effect. This appears almost like water being pulled forcefully down a drain. The lowest point of this swirling motion is called the vortex. You should hear the low rumbling noise"

Are you driven to drink micro-foam from your morning coffee too?  Don't give up - we can do it!

Video from Serious Eats:

A Crash Course in Steaming Milk from Erin Hulbert on Vimeo.

Well written, it kept me interested and entertained throughout.

"Extraction" is what the water does when it fraternizes with its old pal ground coffee. When the two meet, the water pulls all kind of dissolvable stuff out of the coffee, like an old college buddy tapping you for $20 every time you see him. Some of what the water grabs on to is good. And some, well, not so much—which is part of what makes the truly great jolts so elusive."

If you've ever wondered what happens during the espresso extraction process, wonder no more.  From the coffee and the water's first encounter to the last drip of the process, this article leaves you wanting a shot of espresso.

[via Serious Eats]

Jack-in-the-Box, one of the nations biggest fast food restaurants, is no different.  They have recently announced that they will start serving real Kona coffee "blend" in their hot and cold drinks.

I'm not certain what portion of the "blend" will be Kona, but I'm guessing small.

Here's the press release:

SAN DIEGO, Apr 20, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Jack in the Box(R) restaurants are brewing a new premium blend of coffee made with real Kona coffee beans from Hawaii. The new Kona Classic(R) coffee blend is now being brewed for the chain's hot and iced coffee drinks.

"Kona coffee is renowned for its smooth, rich taste and is one of the world's most popular coffees," said Tammy Bailey, division vice president of menu marketing and promotions for Jack in the Box Inc. "Our new Kona Classic(R) blend is the perfect choice whether you're looking for a refreshing boost or complement to one of our many breakfast items, like the new Grilled Breakfast Sandwich we introduced last week at most of our restaurants."

Excluding tax, Kona Classic(R) is available at participating Jack in the Box restaurants for a suggested price of $1.39 and $1.59 for regular and large hot coffees, respectively, and $1.99 for a 24-ounce iced coffee.

NAIROBI (Reuters) - The top price for Kenya's benchmark grade AA coffee fell by more than $100 per 50-kg bag at this week's auction, auction authorities said.

The Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) said that grade AA sold between $437-$150 per bag compared with last week's price of $555-$250. In late March, the top price of AA coffee hit a high of $702 per bag.

Specialty Kenyan coffee often sells at premium prices, although it is a relatively small producer globally.

Grade AB sold for $431-$131 per bag from $485-$97 per bag at last week's auction.

The NCE said that 16,927 bags were offered with 8,378 bags sold for a total of $2.19 million. Last week, 16,143 bags were offered with 8,909 bags sold, fetching $2.7 million.

The average price for all the coffee was $214.66 per bag versus last week's $245.26.

source: reuters.com

Barista-Gear Coffee Market

	Senseo Kenya Blend Coffee, 16-Count Pods (Pack of 6) List Price: $41.76 Sale Price: $27.84 Average Rating:
	Composed primarily of slightly sweet beans with a soft finish and hints of fruit from the hills of Kenya.

	Green Mountain Kenyan Aa Blend (24 K-cups) Keurig Sale Price: $14.95
	Fruity blackberry aroma with a sparkling finish. Fruity and winey, with medium to heavy body and a rich blackberry finish. From the slopes of Mt. Kenya, through the Rift Valley, to the shores of Lake Victoria, the Kenyan coffee farmers patiently nurture coffee trees that produce some of the world's best coffee beans...

	Douwe Egberts Senseo Sunset Hills Kenya Blend Coffee Pods Sale Price: $5.95
	Sunset Hills Kenya Blend in a Senseo Coffee Pod is one of Douwe Egberts Finest Coffee Selections. You get 16 pods in the package. The Arabica beans, grown in Kenya in the fertile soils of Kenyan Hills Plantations, forms the base of this blend, the character of which is enhanced with other high quality Arabica beans from the finest coffee regions in the world.

	Green Mountain Coffee Kenyan Aa (Extra Bold), K-cups For Keurig Brewers, 24-count, Boxes (Pack of 2) List Price: $33.00 Sale Price: $35.95 Average Rating:
	Green Mountain Coffee Kenyan Aa (Extra Bold), K-cups For Keurig Brewers, 24-count, Boxes (Pack of 2) * Includes 48 k-cups

Kahawa; Kenya's Black Gold; The Story of Kenya Coffee Sale Price: $22.00

Kenya's Black Gold tells how coffee came to Kenya, how the unique Kenyan varieties were developed and how a washing process second to none was created. If you have ever wondered where your morning cup of coffee comes from and what it takes to deliver it to your table, Kahawa: Kenya's Black Gold tells the story with an eloquent text and spectacular photos that show why Kenyan coffee is so highly valued around the world.

As part of Starbucks(TM) Shared Planet(TM) commitment to environmental stewardship, the company's goal is to ensure 100 percent of its cups are reusable or recyclable by 2015. In Starbucks latest Global Responsibility Report, now available at starbucks.com/responsibility, the company discloses that in fiscal 2009, more than 26 million beverages were served in reusable cups in its company-owned stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. This simple shift in behavior kept approximately 1.2 million pounds of paper from ending up in landfills.

While our cup has become an integral part of the coffeehouse experience over the years, it has also become an environmental concern," said Ben Packard, Starbucks vice president of Global Responsibility. "As a result, we've set aggressive goals to minimize cup waste through recycling and reusable options, and are collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to drive meaningful change. In addition to working with cup manufacturers, municipalities and recyclers to make our cups more broadly recyclable, we're encouraging customers to think about reusable cups the way they think about reusable grocery bags.

We're excited Starbucks is joining forces with customers to reduce cup waste in such a public way. It's through this kind of collective action that we'll be able to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time," said Julie Blackwell, Director of Conservation International's Team Earth. "People can make positive choices without making sacrifices -- they can still enjoy their coffee ritual, but by using a reusable cup, they reduce energy, water and CO2 from the cup production process as well as keep waste out of landfills.

(CNN) -- Times are tough, which is why most Americans are taking their coffee with two tablespoons of cheap. Inexpensive coffee is being poured by the bucketload at fast food restaurants like McDonalds, with its successful McCafe line, and Burger King, which is planning a nationwide Seattle's Best roll-out this summer.

Even slightly swankier Starbucks is offering totally credible coffee that's no more than a buck and change. So what could possibly make a cup of joe worth $13?

According to Jay Caragay, speaking to The Baltimore Sun, it's "very fruity, juicy, good mouth feel, [and] full bodied." And Caragay should know, because it's his Baltimore coffee ship Spro that's selling a 12-ounce cup for $13. Apparently, even during lean times there are fat cats prowling for novel luxuries.

For that much money, one might expect the coffee to be served in a Swarovski crystal goblet, or brewed in an expensive brass machine with dozens of tubes and loud, steam-spewing valves.

But how you brew isn't as important as what you brew, according to Alan Kaiser of the National Coffee Association. He claims the quality and flavor of your coffee is as dependent on the type of coffee you select, as it is the brewing process. So it's all about the bean.

For instance, Spro uses Aida Grand Reserve, which is grown in El Salvador by Aida Battle. Once brewed, this bean is almost worth $1 an ounce. The most expensive coffee bean in the world is the legendary Kopi Luwak, a bean that is eaten, partially digested, and excreted by the rodent-like Common palm civet. These legendary beans are worth $600 a pound, or $50 a brewed cup.

So what does a pricey quaff of coffee taste like?

Caroline Bell is the co-owner of high-end coffee shop, Cafe Grumpy, in Brooklyn, New York. It's sold a $9 cup of coffee -- Panama Hacienda Esmeralda -- that was high in demand, in limited supply, and therefore, expensive. Expensive, but special.

"The cup was very balanced, with slight orange notes. It had a clean finish," says Bell. Bell adds that a great cup of coffee is "dynamic." "In the start and through the finish, in the aroma and in the taste, you can identify many different notes."

To the uninitiated, a fancy cup of coffee should taste bright, and balanced. It changes as it cools; in some instances the coffee can become sweeter. An experienced coffee palette is able to discern various pronounced flavor characteristics.

And milk and cream are a no-no. Unless, according to Bell, you're drinking the instant stuff. Which is good in a pinch if you need a caffeine fix ... or just love the taste of saving money.

Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets) by Jean-Leon Gerome circa 1870

I often wonder how coffee was tied to culture in ancient times. This painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme, subtitled "Casting Bullets" painted around the 1870's shows a scene, in a coffee house, of people relaxing and talking in the background while the people in front are, supposedly, casting bullets. I imagine the people have had their brew or are awaiting a serving in this scene. I imagine that coffee in those days coffee's culture wasn't all too dissimilar to that of today. Granted there were many less "fru fru" fancy drinks like mocha lattes or cappuccino's, but the fact remains that people congregated in order to share a drink from this amazing bean.