|
Overall I would highly recommend this machine for any home or office. Coffee and the the cappaccino taste fantastic, much better than our last machine. This is a quality machine with sleek lines. Very nice looking and small, fits on the couter nicely. The only issue I have is pouring the water into the back of the coffee machine, the lid gets in the way and spills a little bit.
I've owned two other machines prior to this one. No need to spend any more money. I rate this machine very highly. Pressure is good and will make two shots nicely. Keep in mind, most problems arise from user error.
If you know how to grind the beans and pack the espresso, then this is a great machine for the money. My family uses our Briel Sintra an average of four times a day. Iced latte way better than the bucks. Make sure you practice and learn how to make a perfect shot of espresso. It takes time to learn how to make good espresso.
If you want more then two shots you must re-load. I've had my Briel about one year.
I called the New Jersey service department and was dismissed offhand, told only that I should clean the espresso screens. For me it is.The service is poor enough that I would recommend not buying any Briel products. After two months of good service the pressure for espresso and temperature of the drip coffee both dropped significantly. When I pressed the issue of cold coffee I was told that was not a problem.
However, it stopped making steam a month into its use. Major UNHAPPY. I was initially pleased with this maker. Of course, when you are over the magic 30 days after purchase, no such thing as a full refund.
The coffee maker was mediochre. The espresso coffee holder didn't fit easily on the machine and sometimes it took five minutes of fiddling to get it to seat.(doesn't help that you can't see what you are doing). It easily clogs and leaks all over the sink, even right after a cleaning. Big mistake. And it won't be a Briel. So soon we stopped making espresso, thus getting around the fact that a coffee mug won't fit under the espresso head.
Today I'm off to Zabars to buy myself a new coffee maker. After reading good reviews, I bought this machine sight unseen. Filling the reservoirs was cumbersome and you couldn't see the water level on the coffee and trying to make a half pot was very difficult. The lid over the basket fit poorly and was difficult to seat.
|
