While my Gaggia went off to the shop for repairs (and hence a two month wait), I bought the Cafe Bistro as an interim backup, capable of making drip coffee on a timer, as well as espresso (not on a timer). I chose this model because it is one sold by Whole Latte Love, a most reliable source, for the serious price of $169. WLL lists the item as an "advanced thermoblock." I had a very good experience with an old Delonghi Cafe Treviso pump espresso machine (replaced by a Gaggia Baby) which listed itself as having a "stainless steel boiler" which I figured meant "thermoblock." So I went ahead and bought the Krups thinking it would be of similar quality. I am writing this review to save others the annoyance of making the mistake I made. Despite WLL's recommendation and despite its hefty price tag, the espresso half of the Krups Cafe Bistro is not pump driven, but is simply a steam toy. The portafilter is lame, thin, and lightweight, and one operates the unit by waiting for steam to build up, then, per the instructions, make half the amount of espresso you desire, then switch to steam, then back to finish the espresso. The results are an unacceptable amount of water in the steam, and, predictably, a thin black stream of burnt espresso coming through the portafilter. The drip coffee half of the machine is fine, and the timer and auto shut off are necessary features in my book, but I'd highly recommend avoiding this overpriced unit, and getting separate coffee and espresso machines. For little more than $169, one could buy a very cheap drip coffee unit and a Gaggia Carezza, or -- if you drink more coffee than espresso-- a very nice drip coffee maker and a Delonghi Cafe Treviso (or other pump driven espresso machine) on Ebay for $60 would come in under $169. |
