Consistently great espresso, elegant machine and customer service that set the benchmark for the industry. Never been happier with a coffee-related purchase.
Positive Product Points
Consistently great espresso Beautiful craftsmanship Simple to use Gauges are very useful
Negative Product Points
I really have nothing to complain about!
Detailed Commentary
I love great espresso. I also love to make milk-based espresso drinks. This machine does both with such consistency it's scary.
In the last 7 years, I've owned a Silvia/Rocky combo, a Saeco Comfort Plus and, finally, a Tea/Mini Mazzer combo. I also roast my own beans (Espresso Monkey Blend from Sweet Marias). I'll make a double latte every morning and again in the afternoon on weekends. The difference between these machines is significant. I owned a Silvia/Rocky combo for 3 years. I was able to produce fairly consistent results, but was often discouraged and didn't know what I had done wrong. To simplify my life and reduce the time it took complete my morning coffe ritual, I purchased a Saeco Comfort Plus. Very consistent shots that were as good as my average Silvia shots, but never better. But, it was simple to use and easy to clean.
After a couple fo service issues in the first year with the Saeco and espresso quality that was never reeally great, I decided to move up to a better machine. After reading many reviews, I narrowed the list and began talking to different vendors. I was very impressed with the level of customer service and product knowledge from Chris' Coffee. I ordered the Tea and the Mini Mazzer. The Tea is a stunning machine. Very substantial. Extreemly well crafted. Most importantly, it is difficult to make a bad shot. My average shots are consistently better than my best shots with Silvia. It is simple to reproduce quality espresso with this machine.
A few other points: The sreaming is better than any machine I've owned - it's easy to get microfoam. Filling the water tank is also simple - remove the top and pour in the water. Cleaning is a breeze.
I've now owned this machine for about 8 months. I've found the gauges to be a very important factor. I was noticing my shots seemed weaker. I also noticed the bar pressure had dropped 1.5 bar. I called Chris and he walked me thru a few diagonistic steps. We determined the pressure needed to be adjusted. A few minutes later and the gauge once again read 10.5 bar and the espresso was once again full bodied. I was also able to determine that the boiler pressure was just a bit high and adjusted that also. Without the gauges I would not have known how to diagnose the problem. I will never own an espresso machine without gauges again. In fact, I don't see ever needing another machine!
Buying Experience
Simply fantastic. Chris is a customer service maniac. Plus, he and his staff are actually knowledgable about servicing the product - what a concept! His follow-up is outstanding. Machines of this quality will from time to time have problems - it's great to know I am dealing with a company that both understands the value of customer service, but also has the expertise to completely service the product when needed. I'm a customer for life.
