Hamilton Beach 40729 Espresso/Cappuccino Maker with Pod Holder
| Brand: | Hamilton Beach | ||
| Average Rating |
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Making cafe-quality coffee drinks is quick and easy with this Italian-style espresso machine, which features 1100 watts of power and a 15-bar pump. The unit works with ground espresso or pre-measured pods and offers simple push-button operation. Its 2-cup removable water reservoir is easy to fill, and the adjustable steam/frothing dial allows for quickly steaming milk for cappuccinos and lattes. For added convenience, the appliance provides a cup-warming plate, an on/off switch, a power indicator light, a thermostat indicator light, a pressure safety valve, and a removable drip tray for easy cleanup. Accessories include a measuring scoop/tamper, two stainless-steel filters, an instructional video, and laminated recipe cards. The espresso machine measures 9 by 7-1/2 by 11-3/4 inches and carries a one-year warranty. more info
Can’t Get It To Work
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I’ve tried twice to brew esspresso using this machine and the Starbucks espresso pods. I’ve never been sucessful in producing anything but shots of light brown water! I will try it using regular espresso and I will update my review at that time.
worst espresso maker ever
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I recently bought this espresso maker. If you have never experience a true espresso, hot, rich and frothy with a nice crema on top you will be deceived into thinking this is a true espresso maker. The coffee comes out watery and cold no matter what I did. Tried 3 different types of coffee beans grinded to perfection for espresso and still this machine failed to produce a satisfactory cup of coffee. On a plus side the cappucino maker works better than average so I used it to heat up the coffee to the right temperature. Needless to say I was able to return this piece of bad equipment and got me a nice Italian espresso maker, 4x the price but worth every penny.
Piece O’Junk
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this machine because of its low price, and I got what I paid for. This thing lasted about five months before it ceased to work altogether. The quality of espresso deteriorated quickly. It started out good, although I had to add quite a bit of coffee for a decent cup. I liked the convenience of the measure and tamp combination and the easy storage (although the tamp was weak and I never did get a truly strong cup).
I am very disappointed.
Great value for the price for a pump machine, goodbye Starbucks
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This machine is not perfect but considering that it is a pump machine (superior to steam models)for this price it is a very good value. Overall,it is easy to clean (important for espresso machines which can clog both in the brewing and steaming sections of the unit) and makes very good drinks. The only drawbacks I’ve had are that the steam button needs to be pushed in multiple times for it to stay on (probably a defect in my machine) and that I wish the espresso brewed came out hotter. I use Starbucks “Espresso” roast coffee and I get good crema and coffee that tastes comparable to gourmet coffee shops. You need a pump machine to get decent crema, which this is, and while shopping around most pump machines cost significantly more. I recommend a metal pitcher or container to steam your milk in (Krups makes a great one) – refrigerate it before using and when it becomes hot to the touch while you’re steaming you’ll know your steamed milk is ready. You will need espresso glasses as a normal size cup will not fit in the unit (I use Bormioli). The tamper included works perfectly fine. If you want to duplicate the coffee drinks at places like Starbucks and Panera, Torani sells a huge selection of syrups that are not available in your grocery store on their website and Amazon has a lot of them. These syrups are the coffee shops’ “secret ingredient”. Hershey’s cocoa put in a spice shaker is great on the drinks, and they also make a dark chocolate syrup they recommend specifically for coffee that can be used on top or added to the esspresso before the steamed milk in your mocha. The best advantage to making your own instead of going to the coffee shop, besides the price, is that you can make your favorite drinks that were discontinued at the coffee shop, because Torani still offers those syrups even if your local Starbucks doesn’t keep them on hand anymore. Finally, I can have my Honey Latte again. One more thing I want to add about this machine – it comes with a video on DVD showing you step by step how to make coffee drinks with the machine, as well as how to clean it, in English and French. It is very helpful. Also included is a “recipe card” that tells you how to make a latte, cappucino, mocha, and hot chocolate in addition to a standard espresso. The recipes work great, although my suggestions above will turn your plain (but still great) latte into a Starbucks clone. To sum up, the machine is not perfect and there probably are better ones out there, but this is a fantastic machine for the price. I could not find another pump machine any cheaper, only significantly more expensive.
Great espresso – Delicious Latte – all at a excellent price!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Hamilton Beach 40729 Espresso/Cappuccino Maker with Pod Holder
I purchased this machine and I agree with the comments “Good Machine + good price”. The best advice is to follow the instructions word-for-word before you use this machine for the first, then review these instructions again after your second use to be sure it is etched into your memory. Just because you have experience with espresso makers doesn’t mean you can skip the instructions. The best advice for the inexperienced is to use pods. They’re cleaner and taste great. You will need to use two or three to fill a mug. And remember, a single pod is only supposed to make 1.5 ounces of espresso. If you allow it to run longer, you will always get a weak shot. I will probably invest in a small 2 ounce shot glass so I can get the perfect measure of espresso. I find that using a ceramic cup doesn’t allow you to visually see when to cut off the machine. The frother should be cleaned with every use to keep it functioning properly; you should remove the plastic tip as recommended and wash it; then wipe off the wand underneath. I always put clean water in a cup and let the frother blow into the clean water, then I remove the water and blow the frother into an empty cup to blow out any milk that could dry in the wand and create a problem later. This machine works great and will last a long time if you treat it right.
Great Bang for the buck
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The only drawback at all is that it takes a minute to reheat after about a 6 oz draw, but I have had a refurb unit for 2 years with no problems. I never use the frother/steam wand so I cannot speak to that. We love it!
Price Trumps Quality!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The machine affords a wonderful price and makes a great coffee however there is a fatal flaw….after brewing, when the “wasted coffee” handle is removed the filter jams in the machine and can not readily be removed until it cools down then yo must turn the machine upside down and use an instrument of some sort to dislodge the filter causing a mess of old coffee grounds spilling. I called the company and the graciously sent a new handle and filter immeidately but the new one does the same—for this price I will just learn to live with it rather then return it.
difficult
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
received this for a christmas gift had to watch video several times and it took 4 people to figure it out and to boot it wasn’t worth the effort!!!!
Bad Choice
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Within less than a month, the rubber gasket for the water reservior leaks water on the counters. Within two months, the steamer takes twice as long to steam milk. Not very impressed.
Great diversity
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
You can do alot of different coffee types with this. I love it and its
EASY!!!
didn’t last very long
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I’ve used mine for a little over a year (of course warranty is only 1 year long) and it just started leaking badly around the filter holder bracket. The holder was always somewhat difficult to insert fully, and now it seems like the seal around the bracket that the holder inserts (spins) into is broken, as when I turn on the pump water spews from around the bracket, and none is forced down through the coffee in the filter holder.
There doesn’t appear to be any easy way to take the machine apart and fix it, so I think mine is dead.
It was a nice machine while it lasted, I would have just expected a longer lifetime than 13 months.
Very good Espresso Maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
So long the Grounds are fresh and fine, you get very good espresso. I found the machine good for medium and light roasted beans when ground to espresso level. The crema that gets extracted from this machine is perfect for a machine that is not for professional Baristas. As the grounds get older, the espresso gets a but thinner. I dont have a grinder, but I buy fresh grounds from shops selecting espresso level while grinding the beans. There are three problems with the machin2.
1. The Frothing device is inconveniently located.
2. The switches whether on or off look almost the same.
3. The min and Max level of water in the reservoir cannot be seen from outside. I have made markings by myself.
the frothed milk has a serious plastic smell
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The frothed milk has a serious plastic smell.
It’s really disguesting and poisonous.
I googled it, and a lot of people have the same problem…
(key words: Hamilton espresso machine, plastic smell)
Don’t buy it!
No crema…
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I used a good Lavazza expresso coffee which on a Saeco machine I get plenty of crema. This machine… no crema… Crema remains in the portafilter with the rest of the coffee and you discard it with it, it doesn’t flow in the coffee cup… Also, compared with Saeco Aroma the coffee is burned and has way less flavor. So, thi machine doesn’t pull expresso, just a strong coffee… The good part? The milk is nicely frothed.
Great Machine….Minor Flaws
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The machine works great and fast. I use it everyday the coffee shop quality of espresso is impressive. The only flaw is removing the arm that holds the ground beans takes several tries and often gets stuck. Other than that minor pain the machine is well worth its price.