Cheap Dreamfarm Grindenstein 4-Inch Espresso Stein

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List Price: $24.95
Sale Price: $23.52
Today's Bonus: 6% Off

I wish I hadn't waited so long to get this knockbox.

Compact and well-designed, the Grindenstein is a nice blend of form and function.

It fits conveniently under your espresso machine's group head when not in use, preserving valuable counter space.

Functionally, I was worried that it might be too small: not so.

I find it to be the ideal size for home use. Pucks from my 58mm portafilter fall perfectly into the bin.

While I do wish the bar were removable for cleaning and/or replacement, that is a minor quibble.

My only real concern? The $30 price -while competitive with metal and wood knockboxes -borders on absurd for a tiny receptacle made of plastic.

Given the high quality of its design and execution, though, I still consider this knockbox one of the better additions I've made to my espresso 'workflow'.

The Grindenstein merits serious consideration for any design-conscious home espresso lover concerned with preserving counter space.

UPDATE FROM SEPT 2011:

Well, apparently, my only reservation about the Grindenstein has been removed: I see that the price has dropped by 50% since I wrote my initial review, to just $15. At that price, it is a flat-out bargain.

Seven months of regular use have not diminished my appreciation for its design and utility. I am still very happy with it. The bar has proven extremely durable: no dents or gouges from striking it. This little knock box definitely deserves a 5-star rating!

UPDATE FROM APRIL 2013:

I am still loving this knock box! It has stood up admirably to years of regular use. My concern about the bar being non-removable has proved unfounded. I can recommend this knockbox unreservedly.

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It's just what we needed. After a major bill to a plumber who told us that coffee grounds collect like sand and clog pipes, we decided that $30 for a knock box was money well invested.

As many have said, the box is too small for commercial use but it's perfect for home and it even fits under the pour spout on the espresso machine for storage. The rubber feet and squat design hold it steady on the counter. The bar is wide, sturdy and rubber coated so it's not likely to dent your filter unit. And the low cut front edge insures that you don't accidentally hit the handle or your finger on the edge.

I think $30 is too high of a mark-up, but nothing cheaper looked nearly as functional. If ours was stolen by a coffe loving burglar (I don't expect it will break) I would buy another immediately.

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This is a good knock box if there is only one person in the house drinking espresso. Perfect for someone like myself who only has a double shot every morning. It holds about 8 double shot "pucks" comfortably. The color in this picture is accurate. The red definately stands out on the counter!

Honest reviews on Dreamfarm Grindenstein 4-Inch Espresso Stein

PROS: Good for those who need save space. It can even be stored under the group head. The small size makes it easy to empty and clean. A good knock bar no dents on my filter baskets so far. Good looking, nice design. Not expensive.

CONS: Somewhat to small. I would say, for home use only. Fills up quickly. Parts of the pucks occasionally fall over the edge. Requires a careful and precise knock. In this respect rectangular design might be better.

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A product shouldn't be given a poor rating because the buyer doesn't properly read what they are buying. This is a simple, very durable, smartly made knockbox that is the perfect size in that it can fit on most drip trays. There are plenty of larger options out there but this is just right if you're not pulling shots all day. It also comes with a little booklet about composting pucks and the company plants a tree for every product you buy (very cool incentive if you ask me).

Best CorningWare French White 1-1/2-Quart Round Dish Deals

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The original "French White" Corningware was made of Corning's famous pyroceramic glass, which could be used on the gas stove, put directly in the freezer, put under the broiler right from the freezer, and oh yes, also used in a microwave. And it was very unlikely to shatter if dropped. If you pounded on it with a hammer and nail you might have gotten it to break.

When World Kitchens bought the license from Corningback in the 90's, they decided to halt production of a line of cookware that would take anything and last forever, and dupe customers, especially brides, into thinking the stoneware "French White" was the same thing as the wonderful French White pyroceramic cookware previously available to their mothers and sisters.

The pattern is very attractive and can be used with any decor, and they do offer many sizes, but this stuff is not, repeat, really not, what people mean when they say "Corningware."

Le Creuset can do most of the above mentioned, but it being metal you cannot use it in the microwave. Stoneware cannot go on top of the stove, and repeated trips from the freezer to the oven will eventually cause it to craze and crack. And stoneware will also chip, and break if dropped, etc. Pyrex glassware cannot go on the gas stove although you can take it from the freezer to the oven, and also microwave it.

The only product which could do anything was pyroceramic, and World Kitchens has chosen to remove it from the market because it is "too good."

They have recently brought back a few of the old square shapes, with the Cornflower, or plain white, calling it "vintage," but the French White shape is not making a reappearance yet. If you want it, email them and ask for it!

Meanwhile, don't buy this stuff. Get Le Creuset for cooking and roasting (yes it is expensive but it lasts forever and cooks beautifully), and reheat things in Pyrex in the microwave.

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My wife needed a larger Corning Ware dish after she broke hers. As it turned out, after measuring the holder, I order this size, then had to order the next size up. Today's product isn't made of the same material as those in the past and the bottom is a bit rough. However, since we used a holder for a hot dish anyway, the rough bottom wasn't a problem. Just realize that "they don't make 'em like they used to." Seems to hold up as well as the previous ones, but only time will tell.

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Fine product but Amazon packaging was poor and the original and its replacement arrived cracked. Save yourself the time and hassle and get it elsewhere.

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I use this all the time. They're good for microwaving. The grooves on the outside keep it from slipping from your hands. Highly recommend.

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This item was exactly as described, and was actually a newer version of the dish I replaced. No complaints here! :-)

Discount Kai Stainless Steel Cooking Chopsticks #6186

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Well, the ones I got from JapanBargain are not the same as the ones in the picture. They don't have the metal cuff around the plastic where it meets the metal, and the packaging is different. The plastic is not as nice either. It seems like the exact same type that those annoying white plastic coat hangers are made out of, with characteristic seam/flash down side. And the handles on these are longer and more rounded while the ones pictured are more square.

That said, these ARE actually by KAI, and they ARE made in Japan. Just not the style I wanted, and handles aren't good. They do have a good quality knurling on the steel for about an inch near the tip, so that is slightly redeeming. Overall, not too impressive though. I feel deceived from the picture, and would have expected better from KAI since I have their knives and they are really good.

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Best Chef's Choice Multi-Edge Diamond Hone Knife Sharpener Deals

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List Price: $35.00
Sale Price: $21.67
Today's Bonus: 38% Off

Bought one of these recently to replace an older model that had been well-used. (These do need replacing every once in a while, as the diamond grit wears down.) Thought I'd share some tips here.

First, let me point out that the turning wheels in the center are a guide to make you hold the knife upright. The wheels may not be turning throughout your "swipe" if you are using a thin-bladed knife.

Second, you should use a feather-light touch when "swiping." The cutting edge of the knife is very thin, and you do not want to push it down in the groove and damage it. Use a long, sweeping stroke, light and smooth.

Third, to get the best use of this sharpener, every so often you'll have to clean out the metal dust that collects in the grooves. If the bottom of the groove is silvery-shiny when you look down at it, take a small, stiff, clean brush and whisk the groove until the original gray appears again.

I believe that the two slots on this sharpener correspond to the last two (and most gentle) slots on the manufacturer's three slot electric sharpeners. Thus, the first slot sharpens and the second slot hones. The first slot won't be used as often as the second slot.

The edge you get with this gizmo probably won't be as nice as the edge you'd get from an expert hand on the whetstone, but it will keep the family kitchen knives cutting well for many years.

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I'm an avid semi-professional cook/chef and have an extensive collection of knives and sharpeners, including an electric Chef's Choice. I bought this sharpener as a gift and had to try it out first (against my wife's express order). I sharpened one serrated and one regular knife just to see if this would do a good job. Today, I'm ordering another one to send as a belated Christmas gift to my son since I kept the one I tried out. If you need a sharpener, buy this -you will not be disappointed. It's easy (fool-proof!) to use, doesn't take up space, and puts on a razor-like edge in seconds (OK, maybe a minute or two). If your knife has a decent edge already, it hones with just a few strokes. This is a winner.

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I'm hopeless at knife sharpening, so I was shopping for something idiot-proof. I decided to go with the model 460 because it can sharpen serrated knives. Although the logistics of this didn't make a lot of sense to me, I went with it on the general principle that more features must be better.

Now that I have it in hand, though, I'm fairly certain I will never use the serrated feature. So I'm left worrying--what's the difference with this model? If I'm only going to do straight blades, would I be better off with the 450? Does this model compromise in some way to accommodate both types of blades?

Even for straight blades, it's not as easy to use as I expected. I thought it would be a simple matter of drawing the blade smoothly through the slot a few times. In practice, though, the blade catches and doesn't pull smoothly at all (although it did get better after many passes--you should definitely practice with a cheap knife before working on the good stuff). It's also difficult to keep the blade in the proper position. Or, I THINK it's difficult--according to the instructions, when everything is working right the little wheels will turn as you pull the blade through. At best I get one to turn at once, and even then it's usually stop and start. The instructions are hazy on whether this is a problem.

Actually, the instructions (and the company website) are hazy on a lot of things that seem like pretty reasonable questions. For instance, it says stage 1 and stage 2 sharpen at different angles, but nothing tells you WHAT angle, or says anything substantive the "arch-shaped" edge it creates. I'm left wondering if that's something I really want--it just seems to create a "fat" rather than razor edge, sacrificing maximum sharpness for durability.

It says that very dull knives may take many strokes in stage 1, but doesn't tell you how to know when it's ready for stage 2, other than it will be "sharp enough to cut through the skin of a tomato." I should keep tomatoes on hand for this?

Finally, the curved tip of the blade is extremely difficult to sharpen. At that point the rollers are no longer useful as a guide. The instructions offer no hints on how to deal with this.

It's definitely not the easy solution I was hoping for, and I still have a lot of questions about it. But, if you're not going to put in the time and effort to learn to use a whetstone properly (and I already know how much damage I can do with one of those), I'd say it's the best option.

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I bought one of these for my mother in law as a Christmas present. Her knives were so dull that you couldn't cut hot butter with them. After a few strokes, what a differece. Her knives sliced thru a ripe tomato with ease. She has trouble using the simplest of tools(she refuses to read or follow directions), but this was so easy, even she could sharpen her knives with ease. I was so impressed that I bought one for my self. I keep an edge on my good knives, but this helped with some of my old knives that were beyond using on a steel. I definitely recommend this product.

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Maybe this sharpener isn't as foolproof as I'd like it, and I admit readily to having two left hands, but my knives didn't come out razor-sharp, at all. They come out sharper, that's a fact, but I wanted more. Maybe my knives (a Japanese chef's knife, a Spyderco with half-serrated blade, a Herbertz with a 440 blade) were too dull to begin with.

The tool itself is nicely constructed. Even though it's made of really light plastic it's stable enough, and easy to work with.

But I wonder about the two rollers that supposedly guide your knife. After sharpening, it was pretty obvious that the blade was sharpened unevenly (certainly those of my pocketknives). The rollers, of course, are fixed, and thus don't allow for varying thicknesses. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong (although I'm following instructions to a T), and I'll keep trying, but so far I'm not wildly enthusiastic about this tool.

Discount Campeon Decorated Tortilla Warmer, 6-Inch

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I love this Tortilla warmer. I got it for my 5 de mayo celebration but now I use it alot, to keep our breakfast bread warm.

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I have always loved these tortilla warmers. They keep the tortillas warm longer. I really wanted the one in the picture, I got one with blue decorations. It's okay though, I still love it.

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I would suggest this to anyone. I have used this for 6 months, I serve dips at party and holds the ice and keep my dips fresh.

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The design work great. Really keeps your tortillas warm for a long time! However I liked the colorful paint job on this one. The one that arrived was just yellow flowers :(

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The tortilla warmer was nice but was not painted like i ordered that was the only problem with the product.

Best Breville The Infuser Espresso Machine Deals

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List Price: $799.99
Sale Price: $479.99
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Bottom line: I was expecting the Double Boiler to blow the BES840XL out of the water when it came to shot quality. That was not the case at all. While the milk texturing capability of the 840 is a pale shadow of the DB, and it lacks the multitude of convenience features of the DB, the 840 absolutely holds its own with regards to shot quality.

Full review:

I've been using the Breville Double Boiler espresso machine for nearly a year and have been very pleased with it. I was hesitant at first, but great shots and the many, many convenience features won me over. So, when the opportunity came up to compare their top of the line Double Boiler (DB) with their new machine (I'll call it the 840) I thought it wouldn't be a fair fight. Well, I was wrong.

I've never been a fan of thermoblock machines since the temperature stability is just not there. Breville seems to have solved that using two methods. First, the thermoblock is really a thermocoil -it's a solid block of metal that has two channels machined through it: one for water, the other for the heating element. Cold water enters at one end and emerges heated at the other. They also added a PID for temperature control. Collectively, these techniques produce excellent temperature stability for shots, and very fast recovery time.

The machine itself is classic Breville design -lots of stainless and high quality plastic. It has a small footprint, and looks much like the baby brother of the DB.

But it's the shots that count. I started with an easy test: Lavazza Super Crema. It's not a high-end bean, but tasty, and one that I've found is very forgiving of less than perfect prep. After a few test shots to get the new machine dialed in, I pulled a double shot from both machines. I could not taste the difference. Did it again and had others taste it, and they agreed with me -no appreciable difference in taste, mouth feel, crema, you name it.

The next test was a little more challenging -Lavazza Dek decaf. Decafs in general are (to my palette) more sensitive to temperature variations, and the Dek is especially sensitive. Again, both machines produced the same quality shot. The 840 seemed a just a bit less consistent when I did back-to-back shots quickly, but the difference was very minimal.

My final test was with one of my favorite beans Red Bird. This is where I did taste a difference between the 840 and the DB, but it was subtle. The shot from the DB was more creamy and full-bodied. But the 840 shot was quite good as well. The small differences became almost nil when I made Americanos from Red Bird.

For my tests I used my Baratza Vario grinder for both machines. While I have a Breville Smart Grinder it does not pair well with the DB (although it is excellent for any non-espresso use). I tried it with the 840 and got better results, but still much prefer the Vario to the Smart Grinder for espresso. Still, the 840 appears more tolerant of lower-level grinders. I also found I needed to go slighly coarser with the grind for the 840 than the DB.

The DB does pull ahead strongly in two areas -milk foaming and convenience. The thermocoil just can't match the steam production of a dedicated boiler. It did a decent job with milk (albeit with the annoying thump-thump-thump sound that every thermoblock design makes), but it was much slower than the DB and the steam was a lot wetter. Functional, but not at all impressive.

As expected given the price, many of the DB's convenience features are not found on the 840. However, the 840 does have a few of the DB features such as a dedicated hot water dispenser. This is operated with a knob (turn one way for steam, the other for hot water). It splatters more than the DB when dispensing, but the temperature is spot on: I got 197 with the 840 and 197.5 with the DB (same thermometer held in the water stream for 10 seconds).

The 840 also appears to have the same excellent quality head gasket as the DB. The portafilter is well made, although I was really disappointed to see that it was 54mm, which means I can't use my 58mm VST baskets, tamper or the bottomless portafilter I have for the DB. The included tamper is decent quality, and stores easily in the machine. The shot volume is programmable and can be overridden in manual mode. It has a three-way valve so you can backflush (plus it keeps the puck dry). It has an automated cleaning cycle and a "clean me" light, which is handy.

Misses are often related to convenience issues. I wish it was a bit heavier or had better gripping feet, since it's relatively easy to jar when you're putting on the portafilter. A bigger water tank would also be nice. The thing I missed the most was a water level indicator. I didn't expect it to have all the bells and whistles of the DB, but no water level indicator? That seems to be a basic feature that should have been included.

My concerns are two-fold. Breville does not seem to have mastered the reliability issue with their espresso machines. I'm on my second DB, and it is again starting to act up. The Breville customer service has been great in replacing machines, but I'd rather not have to deal with that at all. Plus, with only a one year warranty and no local service centers, I don't have the warm fuzzies about getting years of service out of either of these machines.

My second concern is about scale build-up. It's harmful in any machine, but truly deadly in a thermoblock/coil design. Breville includes their water filters (the same as with the DB) and recommends a descaling every month and a filter change every 2 months. The fact that they are taking such precautions tells me that they are concerned as well. If you get this, don't skimp on descaling!

But those concerns aside, I'm really impressed with the performance of this machine given the price. While it is not perfect, it holds its own where it counts: what's in the cup. This is definitely a machine that should be on your short list in the under $600 category don't let the thermocoil design scare you off in favor of a SBDU design. At this price point it's a 5-star machine. I'll update this should reliability issues warrant a revision in the score.

Sorry for such a long review, but feel free to post a question if there's something I didn't cover.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program If you can't decide between the two, maybe I can help. I've owned the Breville Barista Express BES860XL Machine with Grinder almost 2 years. Eleven months into my 1-year warranty, I woke up to find water all over the counter. Breville has superior customer service and replaced my leaking Barista Express within a week. Two weeks ago I woke up to the same thing with the warranty replacement. It turns out that the Barista Express has a 2 piece ThermoBLOCK heater and the gasket where the 2 pieces join together eventually leaks.

This new Infuser has a one-piece ThermoCOIL heater. Will this one last longer? Only time will tell and I will update this review if I have a leak with this model.

Where the new Infuser excels:

-Smaller footprint, the Infuser measures slightly over 10" wide

-Hotter espresso, 5 degrees hotter according to my thermometer

-Quieter pump

-Drip tray is easier to clean

-Instant hot water feature (The Barista Express has only a steam wand)

-Around $100 less expensive than the Express, but you are lacking a grinder

Of course, the new Infuser also has its shortcomings:

-No grinder either buy a separate grinder or use ground beans

-Smaller water tank (61 oz. vs. 67 oz)

-Not as "beefy" as the Barista Express, so you need to hold it stationary when inserting/removing the Portafilter or it slides across the counter

So which model has the better tasting coffee? I can't tell any difference both are/were just as good as what I used to pay for at the coffee shop.

My only complaint is for what these machines cost, a one-year warranty is almost a joke.

Added on 1/4/2013: This ground espresso is VERY good: Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ground Coffee, Italian Espresso, 8.8-Ounce Brick

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First and foremost, this is an absolutely fantastic home espresso machine for the price. It definitely takes some practice to learn how to get the most out of and find the sweet spot (which i've learned always differs depending on the type of beans & grinder you are using). But now after 3 months and a LOT of researching/learning/practice/more practice, I am now consistently making absolutely fantastic espresso drinks.

If you are new to the world of espresso, or have some knowledge, I wanted to write about my experience buying this machine 3 months ago knowing little to nothing about espresso, to now consistently pulling absolutely delicious espresso drinks on a daily basis with this machine. Here we go:

I waited 3 months after purchasing this unit to write a proper review, and I wanted to give a lot of information I have learned and discovered to help others looking into buying a home espresso setup. I honestly knew little to nothing about espresso before purchasing this machine, and have done A LOT of research, reading, testing, and barista questioning in order to learn how the art of making quality espresso is done. I now make 2-3 espresso drinks a day with the Infuser and am EXTREMELY satisfied with its performance. It's not easy to make a high quality espresso by any means, but once you figure out how to manage all the important espresso variables (type of beans, grind coarseness, dose, tamp pressure), this machine produces truly remarkable results that any professional barista will be highly impressed with (yes I did receive this feedback).

The most important aspects of making this machine work well (and any espresso machine for that matter) are having a quality grinder and fresh, quality beans.

When I first got this machine, I was under the impression you wanted to grind as fine as possible for making espresso. I set my Infinity Burr Grinder to its finest setting, using some peet's espresso beans, and immediately the machine clogged up, not producing any espresso. I tried again, dialing the grind a little coarser, and again the machine clogged up. Same thing with the third time, although this time I was able to produce a few drops of espresso. After about 5 tries I was able to pull an actual shot of espresso which tasted incredibly strong to me but good (at this point in time I didnt really know what to look for in a quality shot of espresso).

Long story short I realized the beans I was using were INCREDIBLY oily and played a huge factor in easily clogging up my machine. Next I purchased some Blue Bottle espresso beans, which got along with my machine MUCH better. Now I was making some great progress, tasting more like espresso, but still not close to what the baristas at Blue Bottle were serving.

I went through a lot of beans & brands playing with the grind coarseness, and soon became familiar of the "sweet spot" settings on my grinder where the espresso came out tasting best. I was now becoming more familiar with what a good shot of espresso was supposed to taste like after spending a bunch of time at Four Barrel & Blue Bottle cafes in San Francisco. I also learned to start timing my shot times and that also helped me immensely improve the quality of my espresso (typically between 24-30 seconds depending on the type of beans you are using).

So now I soon learned my Capressa Infinity burr grinder did not have nearly the adjustability I would need to lock in the perfect grind setting for espresso, so I decided to upgrade to the Breville Smart Grinder. The Smart grinder ended up being a much better grinder, but again long story short, it also seemed to lack the real "fine tuning" ability that I was learning is truly needed with espresso. After using the Smart Grinder for 3 weeks, I decided to pull the trigger on a much higher quality grinder, the very highly recommended Baratza Vario. After getting familiar with the Vario by some trial & error, I must say this was the ultimate step (and proved to be most important) towards producing amazing quality espresso. I've also ground for drip coffee with it a few times and the taste was truly amazing compared to both of the other grinders I had tried.

So, back to the Infuser. After much more research into the art of espresso, I purchased a gram scale in order to weigh my doses of coffee & amount of liquid being extracted from my shots, which also have helped a LOT in improving the quality of my shots.

Now after a couple solid months with all of the above in my home espresso setup, I believe I have dialed in this machine to its maximum potential, and it is really producing fantastic results which I get excited about drinking every morning as soon as I wake up.

Some notes I would like to share which I have discovered that may or may not relate directly to this machine, or to every espresso machine:

-The type of beans used almost always require a different coarseness setting in order to pull the perfect shot. For example, beans like Four Barrel & Blue Bottle always require much more fine grind settings, where beans like Stumptown & Barefoot require much coarser grinds. This seems to be hard to get used to, but now that I have tried many different quality espresso roasts and have narrowed down my favorites (Sightglass is #1, Stumptown #2, Barefoot #3) I know what setting to use ahead of time and I can almost always nail a perfect shot on command.

-The milk steamer does a great job, but now after trying so many quality cappuccinos & lattes through the area, I feel like this steamer does the milk more on the creamy side. I believe I understand the technique for creating quality microfoam to use for cappuccinos & latte's, and im using the same Clover Organic whole milk that almost all cafe's use, and mine always seems to turn out a bit sweeter & creamier. It seems hard to get the microfoam as velvety thin as Sightglass/Four Barrel/Blue Bottle does, and because of this, my cappuccinos dont have quite the "intense coffee bite" but its getting pretty close. I believe this is as good as I can ask for again using a $500 home espresso machine.

-The hot water dispenser is great. One trick I figured out a while back was when I pulled OK shots and didnt want to waste them, I would just instantly make them into Americano's, since its a bit harder to taste a bad shot in an Americano than it is in a Cappuccino or Latte.

And thus has been my experience with the Breville Infuser since purchasing about 3 months ago. I'm sure I will be updating this review further as time goes on, but so far it has been an incredibly positive experience and I would HIGHLY recommend this machine to anyone looking for a semi-automatic machine in this price range. Hopefully this was helpful and not just me rambling.

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I have this machine for more than 8 months now. What can I say..? I wake up to drink espresso, rather than drink espresso to wake up!

I am a guy that comes from Greece, a place where coffee drinking is a culture and not a morning routine. I have also been many times to Italy and tried almost every coffee blend (Brazilian, Colombian, Guatemalan, Kenyan, Ethiopian, Nicaraguan you name it...) Staying in Chicago, IL for the last 5 years, I couldn't stand going to a coffee shop and watch the barista having no clue on how to pull an espresso shot or "expresso" as they most call it for Christ sake. With that, I decided to "invest" on a good coffee machine and give myself a break.

My friends reaction when they saw the piece was like I bought a Lamborghini!

It is indeed a fantastic machine with very elegant design.

Long story short,

Pros:

a) magnetic tamper (keeps it in place and you 'll never lose it)

b) hot water dispenser (very useful to warm up the portafilter and the coffee cup prior pulling shots)

c) 4 different filters (2 x single wall + 2 x double wall)

d) pressure gauge (very helpful especially in the beginning when you experiment a lot)

e) warms up quickly (less than 5 mins!)

f) look the price again! You will never find a professional machine in this price.

h) espresso shot flavor is exactly like you are drinking it in Italy! (buy Lavazza Gold Selection ground coffee and you can start a business!)

Cons:

a) shots are indeed not as warm as they suppose to be (but this can be easily fixed if you let the machine warm up for little longer, or pull a shot of water before you actually make your coffee)

b) frothing jug is big and useless (except if you want to make 4 lattes at the same time, you ll not use the jug. If you want to make one or two cappuccino or latte, simply go and buy a Motta Europa no matter the bucks and you 'll see the difference in frothing milk quality right away)

c) comes with one water filter and two cleaning tablets (that means that you have to be prepared to spend some extra bucks in few months when the "clean me" button will flash on..)

d) lacks grinder (if you really want to see the power of this machine, do yourself a favor and buy the Breville Smart Grinder. No matter what you do with your previous $20 grinder, you haven't seen anything yet)

e) yes, you might have to hold the machine a bit once you try to turn the portafilter in place, but this is not a reason not to buy this machine.

If you are not convinced yet, stop reading reviews cuz you will never be!

I highly recommend this product. End of story.-

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Got this machine from Amazon about two weeks ago now. Setup was a breeze and the machine works very well. Overall very satisfied.

Pros:

-Looks great

-Pressure gauge is very helpful though good shots are usually pulled on the high end of the pressure range

-Pre-infusion has generated good results

-Pre-programmed shot amounts are really helpful

-Machine prepares quickly

-Quiet operation

-Steam arm is long and on a great ball joint

-hot water dispenser is nice

-Great tamper holder built into machine

-large water tank

-Includes both pressurized and non-pressurized baskets

-Uses a thermocoil instead of a thermoblock

-Easy cleaning cycle

Cons:

-Shots pull fine, but come out not as hot as expected (when pulled stand alone). I haven't measured temp on them but if cups and porta-filter are warmed as suggested in instructions i'm sure I would have better results.

-In-spite of built in feature to cool water down to make a shot after steaming, the water stays too hot for a good shot. You have to wait a min or run a bit of water through it first to get the right temperature for the shot. This makes it difficult for latte art purposes because you can't swirl your milk forever. I usually just pull my shots first and then steam last. Shot looses a little but when drinking the latte you couldn't tell the difference if you tried. This problem is not as much of a problem as it is just the limitation of single boiler machine. I just didn't like how it was advertised as being able to pull a shot very quickly after steaming. I mean...you can pull one....just not a good one.

Overall very good machine and I'm very happy with it. I would recommend it. I use it in conjunction with the Breville Smart Grinder which has also been a great product. 1 year warranty on all Breville products

Onigiri Mold Shaper (Flower & Bear Shape) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

These are so cute! A little smaller than i expected but a great size! Kiddos love it when i make them the bear shaped rice! :) Thanks!

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These were much smaller than I expected them to be. I can eat about 5 or 6 of them for lunch. Other than that they are wonderful! I love putting them in my lunch. The bear doubles as a frog if you put the pupils of his eyes on the bears ear.

Discount Bakers & Chefs 10" Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan (2 Pack)

Customer Ratings:

I had been researching 10" non-stick pans on Amazon. The next day I was in a big box store and came across the Bakers & Chefs 10" pan that I'd never heard of before. I am so pleased I took a chance with it as its performance is superb. After 6+ months of use the non-stick surface is like new and nothing sticks to it. From what I read you should not use aerisol spray oil on the pan as it can ruin the non-stick surface. I have used only olive oil or butter on ocassion, but usually don't use anything. Easy cleanup with a soapy sponge. Don't think you can go wrong with this purchase.

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wife says that it is an excellent nonstick fry pan; uses it every day and is happy, happy, happy with item.

Best Deals for Bakers & Chefs 10" Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan (2 Pack)

I've had one of these skillets for several months, now, got it from Amazon. Before buying, I did some research on the Eclipse non-stick coating. Standard industry Lab tests indicate that Eclipse is orders of magnitude better than previous non-stick coatings. I have to agree; this is the best skillet I've ever used; nothing sticks to it, it cooks evenly, eggs slide around as if they were on ice skates. It cleans up like new. I wipe it out with a paper towel, then rinse it out with hot water, and a dishrag (no soap, ever), even the raw aluminum outside surface. The pan is a good weight, good balance, it feels good in your hands, you can flip things easily, even things, like pancakes, that stick to some other pans.

I bought these two, one for each of my daughters; they tell me that they love the pans...and me. I give Bakers & Chefs an A+ for the design (sides are sloped, so you can easily flip the contents), construction (three burly rivets hold the cast Stainless Steel handle in place, and the slide on / off silicone handle cover ensures that you won't burn your hands. This is my favorite skillet.

Ecolution Eggsactly 6-Egg Poacher with Silicone Egg Cups, Yellow Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $24.50
Today's Bonus: 39% Off

Clean, convenient, easy way to poach. Not as tender as the real thing. (because they cooked longer?) con: clean up

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this is the best egg poacher ever. my dog & I have our eggs every Monday. cooked to perfection at 7 1/2 minutes

Discount Royal Albert Old Country Roses Open Vegetable Dish

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List Price: $172.00
Sale Price: $74.23
Today's Bonus: 57% Off

I purchased this dish as a gift for my wife, thinking that it would be a decent sized round vegetable dish. It is not. Although you cannot tell it from the description and there is no picture on the "product description" page, this bowl is actually what I would call an oval vegetable dish, which is somewhat smaller than the a round vegetable dish.

The quality of the china is fine and it arrived undamaged, although later than I was orignally told. I would give the china 5 stars as an oval vegetable dish and the description 2 stars for being far too vague.

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It is for a present for someone who has these dishes but did not have any servings peices to go with the dishes. Better prices than anywhere else I checked.

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I purchased these vegetable dishes for my grandmother. The price was excellent and she plans on giving them to my cousin as a wedding gift to flush out her china set.

The price was very good for Royal Albert and the shipping was faster than I expected.

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This is falsely advertised. These are cereal bowls. I had them replace and they sent cereal bowls again. DO NOT BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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This is a perfect dish to hold your side dishes in.

Holds 5 pounds of Mashed Potatoe's (I know this personally)

Great style, Class & Elegance.

The correct name for this piece is the Royal Albert Old Coutry Rose Oval Open Vegetable Bowl.

You will love this bowl!

Best Le Creuset Stainless-Steel Measuring Pan Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.00
Sale Price: $29.95
Today's Bonus: 23% Off

I make a lot of single servings of oatmeal due to the caffeine addiction of the other people in my house. I looked for a good pot for single servings. My existing All-Clad 1 liter pots are too big (diameter).

First I bought the All Clad 1/2 Quart Butter Warmer All-Clad Stainless Butter Warmer with Pour Spouts, which is just a mini version of a normal All Clad saucepan. I like the All Clad, but it's too small in case I want to throw someting else in like a banana.

Then I bought the 3 cup Le Creuset pan. It's the perfect size. The bottom is heavy and looks to be three ply, although the sides are thin. That plus the size are the real difference between the All Clad and Le Creuset. The bottom and sides on the All Clad are three ply (although it's twice the price).

Even though they call this a Measuring Pan, it works very well as a standard saucepan (but in miniature).

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It is difficult to find small pans for my induction cooktop and was pleased to see these I ordered both the 2 cup and 3 cup. They are good quality pans, fairly heavy with a rounded-over lip, and I like the measurement markings on the inside of the pan both cups and ml. The problem is that they don't work on my induction cooktop. They're nice pans so I'm giving them to my kids instead of returning them.

Best Deals for Le Creuset Stainless-Steel Measuring Pan

I bought this to heat milk. Since it's 3 ply I assumed easy cleanup (like my other 3 ply pans). This one's of poor quality. The milk quickly burned on the bottom of pan and was very difficult to clean.

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I've been using this little pan constantly since I got it. It's a handy size for lots of cooking tasks. I think it's a great value for a very useful pan.

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This sturdy, well-built pan is perfect for small amounts needing heating or cooking. The measuring cup aspect wasn't important to me but rather the overall size. It's hard to find.

Winware Professional Aluminum Stock Pots Reviews

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List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $47.02
Today's Bonus: 41% Off

I used this bad boy for the first time 4 weeks ago on a homebrew kit from Northern Brewer. The size was more than enough for a 5 gallon batch of beer (obviously), but it is always always always a good idea to overshoot your size requirement. This thing is beastly, and very very heavy duty. The handles absolutely will require mitts as they have no integrated wooden handle or anything. I do not have a very high tech kitchen, and this still fit on my stove and beneath my shelves.

IMPORTANT!!!!! When using this for the first time, fill it completely with water and boil the heck out of it! No matter how hard you clean it, you will not get the metallic taste out of the inside of this pot unless you boil it first! Yes it is hard to boil that much water, but do it. Otherwise I guarantee it will taste metallic. Once boiled, you will even see the difference on the inside of the pot. This is not an issue with the pot, just something you must know, whether you're brewing beer or cooking lobsters or whatever. You have been warned!

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Seriously, it's a pot. It is a very NICE pot, great price, thick walled, handles seem sturdy...ummm...aluminum...errrr...pot.

I use it for home brewing and am very happy with it. Got some jealous looks from my brewing buddies. A five-gallon batch (starting with 6 gallons of water) leaves plenty of head space for your boil.

I do wish it included a cover, or at least that covers didn't add another 25% onto the overall cost, but I won't dock it a star for that.

It arrived very well packaged with no dents or scratches.

So there you go. Have at it.

Best Deals for Winware Professional Aluminum Stock Pots

I brew beer and need to boil 7 gallons at a time. This allows me to do so with ample head space. This kettle saved me a ton over a comparable steel one, and is very heavy-gauged aluminum with sturdy handles. I move this around with 6 gallons in it after my boil, and there is never a buckle or wiggle. There has been some discoloration which can be expected with aluminum but is not harmful. -1 star for not having a lid included.

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i needed a pot large enough to boil 5 gallons of liquid and still have room to spare. this pot did the job perfectly.

the pot has two heavy duty handles on each side of the pot. the handles are large so that you would have no problem handling this pot with gloves on.

this pot is thick and heavy duty and worked flawlessly for what i needed it for. it sat on my propane burner nice and level with no wobble. great quality at a great price.

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Purchased for home brewing. It's a pot that works fine for this purpose. I used it with an open flame propane cooker and it worked very well.

Cheap Bialetti Collection 12 Inch Saute Pan

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $25.99
Sale Price: $24.24
Today's Bonus: 7% Off

I have had this pan and a smaller one for approximately 3 weeks. All told, for the price, it does a decent job. It is very light weight and as a result, heats up quickly. The result is that food can burn easily if not monitored. This product is made in Asia even though the brand implies Italian-made. The non-stick surface is as advertised, but I'll have to see how well it holds up with more use. A good buy if you're looking for a utensil with good utility and realize that it may not last a lifetime.

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Had one that I bought in 2007, made in Italy and a very sturdy and solid finish. Held up very well through years of use and finally discarded it today as the non-stick coating had worn off. Highly recommended for its durability.

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We love to cook and have several fry pans of each size. Tried many brands and found that Bialetti pans are the best of all. Even cooking and non-stick. We needed to replace after many years of use and couldn't remember wher we bought them. Found them on Amazon at a very resonable price for the quality they are. We highly recommend this product.

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I love the Bialetti collection of saute pans. I have used them for about 5 years (maybe more). They are well made and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a great saute pan. They are easy to clean and to handle. I would even give a set of the pans as a gift.

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the receivers of this gift have never stopped wowing over it. its light weight, handle design non-stick surface and durability are the plusses, and there are no negatives. bravo! bialetti, whoever you are!