Slate's Espresso Machine Comparison

[cdh]

http://www.slate.com/id/2110848/

Interesting, but flawed from a coffeegeek point of view. No mention of which grinder the reviewer used, nor of the importance of the grind in the results.

Also interesting to find somebody who liked a FrancisFrancis machine... I remember only running across less than favorable reviews when I was last hunting for a machine.

I do agree that the NEspresso system is high quality, based on my few encounters with it.

[phaelon56]

I agree that it's flawed but for a non-coffee oriented publication, not too bad. I haven't tried or seen the Nespresso system but can advise that, according to a fairly recent write-up at CoffeeGeek, the Francis!Francis! machines have changed. The internals are now radically different and although light duty cast aluminum portafilter assembly is still in use, the innards are beefed up, temp control is much better and they're capable of producing good shots.

I'm puzzled that they left the Rancilio Silvia out of the equation and failed to mention that there's a wealth of greta machiens available at the $1,000 mark. When the Starbucks / indie coffeehouse habit is chewing up close to $1,500 per year out of your wallet..... $1,500 for a machien and grinder almost seems like a baragain. yes, one has the cost of milk, beans etc. but I calculated payback on my gear (at a cost of $1,380) to be about 18 months and I'm a single drinker household.

He also cited a "long warm-up time on the gaggia" as an issue. Duh. It actually has a shorter warm-up time than any of the competing machines (e.g. the Silvia) due to its small and unique boiler design but all the heavy duty brass used in the portafilter and brewhead assembly takes awhile to heat up. So be it. The heat makes good espresso.