Hamilton Beach Pump Espresso & Cappuccino Maker

This machine rocks I mean it makes those expensive and exotic espresso machines seem like overachievers. My latte in particular tastes as good or better than any shop in my town and believe me they are on every street in seems .One thing is that it does not come with a frothing caraf so i use a regular coffe cup and it seems to work fine. Get this machine or you're crazy. The cost is unbelievable and the taste is mm mm good. enjoy!

This machine is a phenomenal value for the money. As a matter of fact...you'd spend $56 just to buy a replacement 41watt Ukla vibratory pump. So they basically give you the entire machine with accessories and dvd for the price of a pump.

I've read reviews that ask "where's the crema?"...

The crema is a product of fresh beans, proper grind, proper tamping, proper brewing temperature... If you're switching from a steam driven machine, or a pump machine with a "pressurized" portafilter...you're used to getting crema the easy way. With this machine...you've got to use the proper technique to get the crema.

I've read reviews that recommend not tamping too much, or your grounds will be wet...

Again...a steam driven machine drys the "puck" by blowing steam through it when the water is depleted, which drys the puck. Most high end espresso machines have a "three-way valve"...this valve opens when you stop the brew process...the excess water is ported off inside the machine down to the drip tray or drain. This allows the "puck" to dry. This machine does not have the "three-way valve". It will have a soupy looking "puck" of coffee grounds when you're done brewing. If you don't tamp your coffee --- in order to avoid having a soupy puck...you'll wind up with poor extraction...because the water will just flush right through without developing the proper amount of backpressure. Ideally, you'll develop at least 9 bar of back pressure by getting the grind and the tamping pressure just right. A common technique is to tamp your coffee by placing the filter handle on a scale. Tamp with enough force to register 30 lbs. Brew coffee for 25 seconds. If you're getting too little espresso...your grind is too fine. If you're getting too much espresso...your grind is too coarse. Adjust as necessary. You're trying to get 2 to 2.5 oz of espresso in 25 seconds using the double portafilter basket.

I have read reviews saying..."You can't fit a coffee mug under the portafilter" ...

Well...no fooling. It's not a coffee machine. It's designed to pull shots of espresso. You can fit shot glasses, espresso solo cups, espesso doppio cups, and capuccino cups under the portafilter with no problems.

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All-in-all...this is a fantastic little machine for the money. You can't expect to get a copper or brass boiler, or an E61 grouphead, or a three-way valve for the price. What you do get is a very capable machine.

You can google "temperature surfing" to learn a technique that will help you zero in on the best brewing temperature. This machine has a thermostat with approx. 22 degree wide temperature band. If you want to acheive more consistent results...you'll have to learn how to time your shot to get the optimal brewing temperature. Same thing that people do on machines costing $600 or more.

I've been using this machine for over a year now. I've pulled at least two doubles everyday. I just noticed a decline in the machine recently...which was remedied by descaling it with citric acid. It's back to it's old self again.

I wrote Hamilton Beach and asked for an order form for parts. They sell replacement parts such as water resevoirs, filter holders, filter baskets, etc..for very reasonable prices. I ordered two filter holders and an extra filter basket and it came to $18.57 with shipping. Filter holders alone on high end machines cost over $60...albeit made of chrome plated brass instead of aluminum.

If you want an espresso machine that makes great espesso...and doesn't break the bank. This machine is a fantastic buy!

It's not a pretty as the $600 - $2500 models...and the plastic steam wand, and plastic tamper is a drawback...but for the price??? C'mon!! It's crazy what a great price this is...

Never worked out of the box. Followed directions to a “T” multiple times. It doesn’t froth milk and there the design does not lend itself to being user friendly. Waste of money. I would have rated it a zero if that rating was available.

Guess you get what you pay for.

I purchased this machine and I agree with the comments “Good Machine + good price”. The best advice is to follow the manufacturers instructions word-for-word before you use this machine for the first, then review these instructions again after your second use to be sure it is etched into your memory. Just because you have experience with espresso makers doesn’t mean you can skip the instructions. The best advice for the inexperienced is to use pods. They’re cleaner and taste great. You will need to use two or three pods to fill a mug. And remember, a single pod is only supposed to make 1.5 ounces of espresso. If you allow it to run longer, you will always get a weak shot. I will probably invest in a small 2 ounce shot glass so I can get the perfect measure of espresso. I find that using a ceramic cup doesn’t allow you to visually see when to cut off the machine. The frother should be cleaned with every use to keep it functioning properly; you should remove the plastic tip as recommended and wash it; then wipe off the wand underneath. I always put clean water in a cup and let the frother blow into the clean water, then I remove the water and blow the frother into an empty cup to blow out any milk that could dry in the wand and create a problem later. This machine works great and will last a long time if you treat it right.

I read the comments and ended up buying this machine. After having a much higher end machine I could tell the difference right away. This machine is actually a drip coffee pot and does not pressurize the process and therefore does not get much more than colored water out of the pods. I've already purchased a different machine as I was very disappointed with this one. On the good side, the steamer wand on this machine is far superior to the one on my old machine, but I just can't get any coffee taste from my pods with this machine, just tasty milk!

I must say I took forever in deciding which espresso machine I was going to buy. After all I am a poor college student who couldnt afford to spend $3 - 4 on a drink everyday) I originally bought this product online based on how well it was reviewed and decided to take a chance on it. But to my delight when I was notified that my product was waiting at my walmart, I wandered around the store for a little bit and found the exact same machine I had paid $60 on clearance for $40. I quickly returned the one I had shipped and ended up buying the clearance one out.
PROS:
-the suction cups on the bottom are genius! Your espresso machine will not fly off the counter!
-very simple and easy to use
-they actually have a DVD that help u learn how to use the machine (and even make some drinks) so no confused looks at the instruction guides.
-very very good for its value.

CONS:
-you do need to have a small milk pitcher to make steamed milk. ( Using your cup is fine but i do recommend buying one.. I found mine from my coffee shop for $6 )
-Gotta clean it up after each use (shouldnt take more then 3-5 mins to clean up)

I guarantee u wont be disappointed with this machine.

Like it. Use it every day. Glad Ibought it. Do recomend it.

Made espresso just fine. I only had it a short time. The only real complaints I had are that the thermal block heater barely had enough heat to make a double shot espresso. Also, I couldn't keep the tank full of water like the Nespresso machines I've used because it would leak all over the counter. I took it back and bit the bullet and bought a Nespresso machine.

My first one purchased Online leaked and had to be replaced. I chose to exchange it at my local store and it was considerably more expensive. I believe it should have been a straight across exchange with no additional charges. This was my only disappointment relating to this product. Both the first machine and its replacement make awesome espressos and are worth purchasing. I highly recommend this product.