10 replies to this topic

[andiesenji]

The OTTO Stove Top Espresso Maker was featured in today's Gear Patrol email.
The price is mind-numbing.

I happen to have one of the vintage Atomic Espresso Machines, ca. 1952 and it works but is a bit fiddly and I really can't be bothered to use it, so it is just a collectible.

Apparently it took from 2008 until late last year to get this into production and on the market and I wonder just how well it will fare at this price.
Of course there are fanatics who will pay anything to have the new and different but I fear this isn't for me.

Anyone have an opinion?

[cdh]

Not a kitchen appliance. A work of stainless steel sculpture. Unfortunately a La Pavoni is equally artistic, makes better coffee, and is cheaper. This is meant to go in kitchens sporting the Starck steel spider citrus juicer.

[jrshaul]

I've done a little metalsmithing, and part of me is staggered at the complexity and perfection of construction. Producing an object with that many compound curves in the required degree of fit and finish is borderline impossible, and the quality should be applauded.

The majority, however, was thinking "This is just a $50 espresso maker without the heating element."

It's luxury for luxury's sake, much in the same way that an Acura is just a Japanese econobox in a nice suit. However, unlike a Hobart mixer or Robot Coupe, it has no particular emphasis on function.

[andiesenji]

Not a kitchen appliance. A work of stainless steel sculpture. Unfortunately a La Pavoni is equally artistic, makes better coffee, and is cheaper. This is meant to go in kitchens sporting the Starck steel spider citrus juicer.

I do have one of the latter gadgets, but I'm not going to spring for the OTTO!

This is the limited, gold-plated and numbered, edition, 209 of 10,000. I ordered it in advance at a discount.



It's a fun conversation piece - the OTTO probably would be also, but that price is a bit steep.

[weinoo]

And I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that it makes crappy espresso.

[andiesenji]

And I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that it makes crappy espresso.

I was never impressed with the output from the "Atomic" espresso maker but some people think they are wonderful.
Too fiddly for me.

[Kerry Beal]

Picked up a little Vesuviana electric espresso maker at the reuse center yesterday. Needs a good clean - but cost me less than $1.

[andiesenji]

Picked up a little Vesuviana electric espresso maker at the reuse center yesterday. Needs a good clean - but cost me less than $1.

Awesome find. You are so lucky - the thrift stores here never seem to have anything worthwhile. I suspect some is being diverted and sold on ebay.

[jrshaul]

Picked up a little Vesuviana electric espresso maker at the reuse center yesterday. Needs a good clean - but cost me less than $1.

You can get aluminum polishing kits with buffing wheels that fit to power drills. It's a tedious job, but you can get quite a shine on pitted metal.

[slkinsey]

This is just an extremely expensive mokka. Any contraption that purports to make "espresso" needs to have a pressure pump, either mechanical or manual. You can't make espresso using naturally-produced steam to provide all the pressure. First of all, the temperature will be to hot when it starts, and second the pressure will not be consistent through the extraction. The Otto has some superficial features of an espresso machine, but it's still a mokka.

[weinoo]

This is just an extremely expensive mokka.

Exactly.