The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and
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| 1.
Choice.com.au
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Manual and Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines
Editors of Choice.com.au
Dec. 2006
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Editors at Australia's Choice magazine are the most routine and thorough testers of espresso machines, testing each machine against a standard set of criteria. Ten manual and semi-automatic espresso machines and nine fully automatic machines are tested for espresso taste, ease of use, frothing ability and temperature. Editors preferred espresso brewed in manual and semi-automatic machines to that brewed in automatic machines. Two of the three top-rated semi-automatic machines are unavailable in the United States, however. The third-place finisher, the DeLonghi Le Cube, is marketed here under the Nespresso brand. Two Saeco espresso machines, the Incanto and the Saeco Magic Deluxe, earn the highest overall ratings in the automatic category.
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| 2.
CoffeeGeek.com
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Espresso machine ratings
Contributors to CoffeeGeek.com
As of Sept. 2007
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In addition to in-depth editorial reviews, Coffeegeek.com publishes "first looks" at new-to-market espresso machines, owner ratings and guides to roasting your own beans, frothing milk and using equipment. The sheer number of reviews can be overwhelming, so it's best to check here once you've narrowed your choice to a few models. There's a definite bias toward top-tier espresso machines, so this isn't the best place to look for reviews of steam-driven machines. We like the fact that members rate each other's ratings, so you can easily cherry-pick among dozens of reviews. The top-rated machines here (among those garnering more than five owner-written reviews) include the Isomac Zaffiro, Rancilio Silvia, Breville 800ESXL and Saeco Classico.
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Consumer.org.nz
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Espresso Machines
Catherine Hutton
Mar. 4, 2007
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Editors at this New Zealand-based Consumer magazine test eight manual and semi-automatic espresso machines. They rate the machines on taste, frothing ability, coffee temperature and ease of use. They also pulled four shots of espresso in succession to measure temperature consistency. Editors include ratings for four other machines they tested in 2006 using different guidelines. The Sunbeam Café Latte, which is not sold in the U.S., won the taste test and earned respectable scores for frothing and ease of use. The number-two Breville Café Roma earned high scores in the 2006 taste test. Although it excels at frothing milk, it has a small water tank and takes a long time to generate steam.
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| 4.
The Coffee Crew
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Gear Reviews
Editors of CoffeeCrew.com
July 7, 2004
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CoffeeCrew.com, a Canadian site for coffee enthusiasts, publishes tutorials, editorial reviews and reviews of cafes. Members of the forum discuss entry-level and high-end espresso machines in depth. Editorial reviews are numerous and detailed, but this site is more difficult to navigate than CoffeeGeek.com, and some models reviewed are unavailable in the United States. Editors recommend the Gaggia Classic and Baby, the Solis Crema SL70, Solis Master 5000 and Rancilio Silvia.
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Espresso Machines Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
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| 5.
Consumer Reports
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Espresso Makers
Editors of Consumer Reports
Mar. 2007
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Editors at Consumer Reports test seven pump-driven espresso machines ranging in price from $230 to $1000. Interestingly, two pod-only espresso machines receive high marks. We're not sure why editors focused on so few machines and left Solis, Gaggia and Rancilio machines out of their testing. Editors recommend pod models because they take the guesswork out of brewing espresso, but cost is an important drawback.
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Slate.com
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Totally Wired
Alex Abramovich
Dec. 10, 2004
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This older review takes a practical approach. Alex Abramovich is an espresso-making amateur, so machines are tested from that point of view. Coming in first is the Nespresso D290, a pod machine that, despite the drawbacks of buying prepackaged pods, makes consistently great espresso.
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Food & Wine Magazine
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An Obsessive's Guide to Coffee
Ray Isle and Lily Barberio
Mar. 2006
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Although editors say that they spent 410 hours testing 67 coffee makers, they don't describe their methodology, and they don't list the machines that didn't make the grade. The machines that do make the cut only get a one-sentence write-up. The Saeco Incanto Sirius is cited for its "easy-to-use" touchscreen, and the Breville Die Cast's "sturdy construction and simple controls" are also noted. They call the latter the "best value in quality espresso makers." Editors also like the Nespresso D290, which uses pods.
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| 8.
Whole Latte Love
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Espresso Machines
Contributors to WholeLatteLove.com
As of Aug. 2007
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This site offers owner-written ratings and product-demonstration videos. Unfortunately, there is no ultimate ratings system, and you can only search by specific model, which limits this site's usefulness unless you’ve already narrowed down your choices. Top-rated machines here include the Gaggia Espresso, Rancilio Silvia, and Pasquini Livia 90.
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Espresso Machines Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
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| 9.
GQ Magazine
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Espresso Machines: Five Ways to Caffeinate Yourself with Style
Editors of GQ Magazine
Not Dated
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Editors select five espresso machines in such categories as "splurge" (Capresso Jura F9), "style statement" (FrancisFrancis! X1), "workhorse" (Dualit 84024), "purist pick" (La Pavoni PN Professional) and "bargain" (Alessi Sapper 9090). Models are neither compared nor rated, and editors don't discuss their methodology. They have included a helpful FAQ, however.
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Sweet Maria's
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Espresso Machines
Editors of SweetMarias.com
Not Dated
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Although Sweet Maria's is mainly of a purveyor of green coffee beans and home-roasting equipment, experts here do recommend a handful of espresso machines, including the Andreja Premium, Pasquini Livia 90, Gaggia Coffee and Rancilio Silvia. While there's no comparative testing here, the authors of each article do dissect each model's construction and performance.
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| 11.
Epinions
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Top-Rated Espresso Machines
Contributors to Epinions
As of Aug. 2007
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There are some owner-written reviews on Epinions, and this site is a good place to check once you have your choice narrowed to a few moderately-priced models. If you're in the market for an expensive automatic machine, look elsewhere. The Rancilio Silvia, Nespresso D150 and Breville 800ESXL get great ratings from owners. Most other espresso machines get fewer than six reviews each.
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Amazon.com
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Espresso Machines
Editors of Amazon.com
As of Aug.2007
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As at Epinions, owners are invited to rate their own espresso machines. Although you can easily see the average user rating for each machine, Amazon.com doesn't immediately let you see how many people have written reviews, which makes it difficult to know at a glance how many people have rated a particular model. The top-rated machines include the Bialetti Moka Express, Nespresso D290, Gaggia Classic and Solis Crema SL-90.
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