How can you possibly go wrong when for the price of 2 to 3 frothy coffee drinks a day, you can make as many as you want, so you might as well reach in that pocket or purse and spend your coin a little more wisely!
Positive Product Points
The wifes comment: This machine is Spectacular! Heavy Duty Looks Awesome Steams in seconds Plumbed In! No more running the pump dry just cause u forgot to fill the tank! Programmable Shots Shipped in less than 4 days!!!
Negative Product Points
If I didnt live so far away, I would not have had to install and plumb it myself! Hmmmm.... I need to practice my frothing technique! Sylvia would forgive my bad habbits and techniques.... I guess I actually will have to pay attention to what it is I'm doing. If I happen to make a bad cup of "anything", I no longer have any excuses :(, only myself to blame. It is actually to convienent to have this good of a coffee at your beck and call. The wife and I went from 1 or 2 each a day to 4 or more each!!!
Detailed Commentary
Ordered: Monday 9AM CST. Completly Painless! :) Called Tuesday eve. (Tracking Number didnt work) Was informed it was enroute and was given the local number to gain more details on wednesday. Wednesday: Machine was in town just not ready for delivery untill the following morning.(Unless I wanted to drive the 10 miles and pick it up myself, as the shipper's docks are open 24x7) Well what the heck, I'll go for an evening drive. (Rainy and really ugly wheather ensued) 1.5 hours later I had returned with my new friend. We unpacked it and my my my! What a pretty machine it is! The pics on the sites are just, well, they arent even proportioned correctly. Aspect ratio or something but when you see it up close and personal. It's AWESOME. Having talked to Chris' coffee during the ordering process, they had asked some plumbing question's up front. I thought I answered correctly.:( I didnt! Back in the truck to Home Depot. 10 bucks and three fittings later I had some creation that would actually work for my plumbing misconception. Mind you the entire time I am with my good friend Angelo from Italy who currently has "espresso machine" envy :), and the wife is getting the wine, potatoes, and steaks ready for dinner. We got back after the kids were in bed and the steak was already staring to cool. We ate, drank and then commenced to get "Junior" up and ready! It was cold and rainy and we all wanted some coffee darn it!! We had already torn down Sylvia and moved everybody else out of the way, So what other choice was there? Plumed, Filtered , Primed and Powered on. I think it was around 10pm(ish). The sounds of water moving and the churning of the boiler, rolling the water...... A mere 25 minutes later it was hot enough to start pushing some water through for the first few throw aways! Man did it smell great!!!! It was like walking up or into a StarBucks or a LavAzza hut!!!!! But this is in your very own Kitchen!!! 11PM: First shot was dedicated to our friend Angelo who was actually the man behind the coffee addiction and the quest to get a machine that was upto par with his. (Note: He has some old krups pumper that no matter what kind of grinds we push through, it comes out at a descent temp and with more crema then you could possibly imagine.) I ground and dosed to a heaping basket full, packed, primed and ready..... Practice shots already performed..... Whay a sour face at the first taste.........Total disappointment. I was manually running the pump. I then remembered the buyers guide I read @ www.home-barista.com. I asked the wife to pull it up and walk us through the programming of the buttons as the actual direction's for this procedure, are 100% misleading. A few more wasted shots to set the volumes accordingly and we were ready for the "first" do-over! There was a definite difference now, and it wasnt just the drum roll I had in my head, but the look, sound and smell was almost more than I could handle, then to see the look of utter satisfaction on our Itailian friend was very satisfying. His comment: Quote: (first sip) "This is REALLY a good 'Cafe''" (He always calls esspreso 'Caf e' ". (Second Sip ) He only stares into the cup..... (Third and final Sip, as now it has evaporated) "This has to be THE best esspreso I have had scince I've lived here!"(He has been state side for just over 10 years) Me: I dont say anything, I just sigh, smile(BIG) and start the process over again as now it is time for my wife and I to enjoy our first cup!. Smiles Smiles Smiles and oh so satisfying that I (We) no longer have to support StarBucks!!!!!
Buying Experience
I read all the review's I could find. I then sent Chris @ Chris' Coffee an email with my specific dilema. He called me personally! After a very informitive discussion, he left me to chat with my wife and make some hard decisions.(What to buy!) Well after doing some math, we had a decision made and decided the extra money would be a good investment. Chris' Coffe(www.chriscoffee.com) made the whole package deal as easy as running out for a gallon of milk. So all I had to do was wait for the speedy delivery. The experience was, well, OUTSTANDING. I had never spent this much on any other appliance and NEVER this much over the phone or wire. NOT a single thing to worry about here. All questions and concerns addressed right up front! They even helped me track the air shippment as there normal tracking mode is UPS, so my purchase number didnt work. If I ever win a loto, Chris won't ever get a vacation:) Actually I have never written a review on anything and usually would never think twice about doing this but, it is on such rare occasion that you deal with a person or company, with such integrity, understanding of your needs, and are just out and out personable that I felt I had to say something to somebody besides my friends!( who buy the way tell me: why would I buy a new machine when I can come here whenever I want.) Thanks Chris for making what was a very nerve-racking decision very smooth and comfortable.
