I thought I had stumbled upon a mass grave of snowmen yesterday....... turns out it was just a field...
I thought I had stumbled upon a mass grave of snowmen yesterday....... turns out it was just a field of carrots.
Member since:05.03.2005
Reviews:80
Members who trust:313
Us Brits drink in the region of seventy million cups of coffee every day, and while this can only be good news for Starbucks et al we are increasingly enjoying top quality filter coffee, cappuccino or espresso in the comfort of our own homes. Once the reserve of the dinner party or other special occasions the advance in reliability coupled with a lowering of prices mean that most homes count a filter coffee machine amongst their must have kitchen equipment nowadays. When my tried and trusted coffee machine finally went to the giant appliance store in the sky I decided to upgrade in style - and while the recently deceased machine made filter coffee and nothing else I decided to go the whole hog and invest in an all singing, all dancing cappuccino, espresso and coffee machine.
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What's in the box? ●
Well, first and foremost, you get the coffee machine itself, and by anyone's standards it is a beast of a machine - roughly the size of a microwave. Because of this it is advised the machine should be permanently positioned on the worktop, rather than moved unnecessarily - not least because it weighs a lot! Finished in matt black with stainless steal trim it is safe to say the café rico won't win any beauty contests, but neither will it look out of place alongside other kitchen equipment. Next out of the box come several jugs, measuring devices, drip trays and filter paraphernalia - all easily put into place on the main machine thanks to the concise instruction booklet. A two year guarantee leaflet needs to be completed and returned to insure prompt help should the machine fail in any way.
● Key Features ●
● Integrated heated milk frother: - A small metal jug sits on the hotplate where milk is gently warmed. When it reaches the required temperature simply raise it to the frothing whisk and push the frothing button. After a couple of minutes you have a jug of hot frothy milk which can be used as a top for cappuccinos.
● Makes filter coffee, espresso, cappuccino, as well as latte: - Depending on your mood you can have your drink of choice. All delicious in there own way, and simple to make. There are also several recipes included in the instruction booklet.
● Fast brew system: - Brews a jug of coffee in eight minutes and keeps it warm thanks to the thermostatic hotplate. The machine is surprisingly quiet during use and does not give off too much steam so the only real indicator that the coffee is filtering through is the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
● Espresso strength selector: - So you can enjoy an espresso as strong or as a weak as you like. Whether you like your espresso to resemble engine oil or just a strong cup of filter coffee this dial can be manipulated until you find your perfect strength.
● Easy fill water reservoirs: - Offering good access with wide openings when adding cold water. There are also lever indicators on both sides of the machine to help prevent overfilling.
● Large jugs: - The main filter coffee jug holds ten cups of dinner party quantity coffee or around four large mugs. The espresso jug delivers around four small cups while the stainless steal milk frother jug holds a goodly amount of, um, froth!
Using the Café Rico really is simplicity itself; simply fill the water reservoirs to the desired level using the supplied jugs. If making a filter coffee you simply spoon coffee into the permanent filter and close the lid, if espresso is your beverage of choice you simply fill the espresso filter holder and slot it into place. Then it's just a matter of placing the jugs under the filters, pressing the on button and waiting - it really is as simple as that! Care should be taken as the espresso section is pressurized to force the water through the coffee, but other than that it is all very safe, clean and uncomplicated.
● My Thoughts ●
Little doubt that this is a fine coffee machine even if it is the size of a small house! The filters are easy to clean, and the reservoirs are easy to fill with water. The filter coffee section makes approximately two pints (one litre) of fresh hot coffee in around eight minutes, while the espresso section delivers a pungent espresso or a lighter variety depending on how you use the strength indicator. In use the machine is quiet and gives off a limited steam, meaning it is quite safe to be left alone. One criticism would be that you cannot remove the milk frothing whisk to clean it, however this is easily solved by placing a jug of soapy water onto it and operating it, although it would be much easier to simply pull it off.
The machine is currently available for about £45, which considering the variety of tasks it undertakes is not a bad price. All of the removable parts such as filters, jugs and drip trays are dishwasher proof making cleaning even easier. Another small criticism would be that the filter coffee is not delivered piping hot; don't get me wrong, it is still hot enough but if you demand your coffee scalding hot perhaps this is not the filter machine for you. Operation is easy, simple button pushes carry out each and every operation and common sense seems to have been applied when putting the machine together - which is not always the case nowadays!
Four out of five stars from me then, if the filter coffee arrived slightly hotter then it would be the full five stars. But make no mistake; this is a very capable, multipurpose coffee machine at a reasonable price.
Advantages: Does all types of coffee for a small price compared to other combination coffee makers. Disadvantages: Water reservoir on filter coffee maker not very accessible.
Advantages: Has everything you need, makes excellent coffee and is affordable to buy. Disadvantages: The water reservoir on the filter coffee is at an unconvenient position.
Advantages: Does all types of coffee for a small price compared to other combination coffee makers. Disadvantages: Water reservoir on filter coffee maker not very accessible.
Advantages: Has everything you need, makes excellent coffee and is affordable to buy. Disadvantages: The water reservoir on the filter coffee is at an unconvenient position.
exceptional by (4%):
very helpful by (96%):
