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Recommendations for automatic coffee machines ?

I'm hoping that you guys can help me figure out which coffee machines I should be looking at buying. Right now I think I'm looking for a machine that:

(a) Is fully automatic (b) Has a decent rinse/purge cycle so I don't have to clean the brew cup every few days (c) Has a bypass so that I can put decaf beans in the side (d) Is of quality construction (needn't be pretty, but shouldn't break down) (e) Has decent warranty repair/replacement for US customers

I don't especially need a high degree of configurability, fancy LCD displays, lots of metal parts, inbuilt water filtering (I can always use distilled water when I care), quietness or speed. I don't object to such things, but it's really convenience that most attracts me: that the thing will stay working, be easy to get fixed when it doesn't work, will grind beans and make a cup of coffee at the push of a button, and will not need lots of tender loving care in cleaning, etc.

I'm curious about (c) - might there still be enough trace caffeinated beans in the internal grinder that it's hard to use the same automatic machine for decaf too?

There seem to be a few machines in the $500-$600 sort of range that do well on the earlier points, but I'm having trouble finding any good reports of (e) - everyone seems to have complaints ranging from extreme rudeness to non-existence.

So, your thoughts would certainly be appreciated, as would any confidence of high reliability or, at least, good customer service reports of any attempts at warranty claims.

-- Mark

Reply to
Mark Carroll
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I now own a Capresso S9 and a Capresso Z5 which I've had since April/May that I've found work wonderfully. But, I have to admit that although I'm entirely capable of geeking out completely on anything I get interested in I feel like I've catapulted over all the time-sucking, money-wasting on the way to figuring this question out. I feel as if I have arrived. I wake up in the morning and press a button and I get the greatest-tasting espresso anywhere on earth. I know there are cheaper, better, faster, more custom-modifiable and easily tune able machines out there in the world. For my money though - I vote for the Capresso line - and in particular the Z5 because if you like impeccably frothed milk for your cappuccino you can't beat this system. As far as cleaning it's done automatically and you are alerted by the machine when it's necessary - after about 200 espresso's are drawn. Filter - you can go with or without - I'm with you - I thought I'd just used distilled water, but with my Capresso it's so easy to just stick the filter in there and not worry about calcium build-up I just do it and don't worry about it anymore. And my wife drinks decaf, so we needed the Bypass thing - got that. The machines come with a standard warranty of 1 year or 6000 brewings (whichever comes first) and you can pay more for an extended warranty. I don't know the rules with posting here, but if you can't tell already, I sell the things now too. Along with about 5 other lines of products, but in my own defense I was a hobby roaster and coffee geek since the early 70's and to my credit I didn't start selling beans or machines until it was easy to recommend something I would use myself. Good luck in your pursuit in any case.

Reply to
karl.seidel

Mark,

I am not familiar of any machines with feature (c). Bosch and Saeco both advertise the pre-ground coffee bypass selection to make a decaf drink. Good luck finding a machine that allows you to bypass with whole beans.

Jason

Reply to
UpNorthCoffee

Argh. I saw one once in a friend of a friend's house. It was excellent. I'll have to try to find out what it was. Thanks!

-- Mark

Reply to
Mark T.B. Carroll

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