Hey there, My name is Ben and I am 18 currently living in Cornwall, England.
Hey there, My name is Ben and I am 18 currently living in Cornwall, England.
Member since:08.10.2005
Reviews:8
Members who trust:2
So, coffee machines have been around since pretty much the dawn of time, but in the last couple of years 'pod' based machines have been filling the kitchen counters of coffee lovers all across the country.
There's a reason for that, not only do you not have to worry about the mess of filter papers and granules flying every-ware, but these machines have become almost ridiculously cheap.
If you buy a coffee machine such as this you'll think you've got a real bargin, but you'll soon see that the cost of the pods is where the companies really make their money - it's commonly called the Razor and Blades model - you can't use the machine without the pods, so you're forced to pay the insane prices, something a lot of people are not aware of when they buy this machine.
Now, away from my rant about prices, this little maker really is a godsend for the coffee lover.
-Appearance The Philips HD7810/60 comes in silver and black colours, both well finished and a great addition to any kitchen. It includes a metallic drip tray. The machine is curvy with no jagged edges and will fit into just about any kitchen style.
-Use and Features The machine has a removable jug for water which is labeled for single and double cup use, and will require refilling after each cup, although this is a bit of an annoyance, it does save on the bills by only boiling as much water as it needs. I have found however that this can start to leak with repeated use.
The machine comes with 2 removable 'pod' holders which clip into the machine securely, these of course are dishwasher safe and with save your fingers from being burnt trying to remove the pod.
At the front of the machine there are only 3 buttons, the centre button 'quickboil' heats the water, with a flashing light. When the water has boiled the light becomes solid. The two other buttons allow the user to select one or two cups of coffee.
I have found that a normal sized mug will require the 'two cup' option, i've yet to find cups small enough for the 'one cup' setting.
Another important thing that should be mentioned is the water heating. In my experience i have found that the finished drink is not as hot as from a kettle, even if the drink is brewed immediately after boiling. This is the machines main downfall. I have found however that heating the cup beforehand can alleviate this - though this is quite an inconvenience.
-Buying pods The machine has a recommended pod brand, but i've found that any similar looking coffee pods work totally fine, i've also experimented with teabags, though the outcome is a rather strong drink or 'turbo tea'. As i stated earlier these are really rather expensive, there are some cheaper pods available, but they're still much more expensive than standard coffee. Quality varies with both 'standard' and 'gormet' coffee's available. Prices vary from about £2 to £3 for 18 pods, it should be noted that sometimes 2 pods are required for larger cups of coffee.
-Conclusion To conclude this is a great little machine, but it's maintaining costs are very high. The machine makes a delicious cup of coffee but in my opinion it does not heat water to a high enough temperature, resulting in a drink not nearly as hot as i would like. The machine is easy to maintain, with removable and washable drip tray and pod holders.
One should think carefully when buying this and not be fooled by the low machine price, this really is more of a special occasion drink maker due to the high pod costs. If you're a real coffee nut i'd suggest a granule based coffee machine.
Thanks for reading and happy coffee making!
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Good review. I do love good espresso. Helps me write more reviews!
Susanimber 26.08.2007 15:34
I have had the blue version of this for just over 3 years and it now needs replacing, water leaking out, lid not closing properly, not much water for a cup of coffee, but I have used it 3 to 4 times a day and they only seem to guarantee them for 3 years so perhaps that is how long they are supposed to last, I have worn mine out but at least it has not sat at the back of a cupboard
thingus 22.08.2007 00:54
Very informative, and you make an important point about the running costs of the pods - they are quite a drawback to this sort of coffee maker.
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Aug 10th, 2007
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