http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/home-espresso-equipment/ Rants and Raves on Espresso Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:01:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/home-espresso-equipment/#comment-2658 Espresso News and Reviews - TheShot.coffeeratings.com » The Home Espresso Machine Blues: Rating today’s state of consumer espresso machines Mon, 28 May 2007 23:22:47 +0000 http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/?p=340#comment-2658 [...] I’ve written both here and elsewhere on how the state of home espresso has both improved and become worse at the same time. While home espresso is mostly out of the Krups Dark Ages, its future is uncertain: [...] [...] I’ve written both here and elsewhere on how the state of home espresso has both improved and become worse at the same time. While home espresso is mostly out of the Krups Dark Ages, its future is uncertain: [...]

]]> http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/home-espresso-equipment/#comment-1407 Espresso News and Reviews - TheShot.coffeeratings.com » Upscale Coffee Makers Drive Segment But Overall It’s Flat Wed, 21 Mar 2007 19:18:11 +0000 http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/?p=340#comment-1407 [...] But the U.S. isn’t Portugal. According to a recent NPD report, the machines are primarily gift purchases — which should be a warning alarm for the technology right there (remind anyone of Krups circa 1990?). Given that these single serving coffee pod machines use stale, pre-ground beans, these days the home espresso drinker generally has increasingly better quality options among nearby cafés and coffeehouses. Which is why I generally believe the survival of the coffee pod format depends more on the bargain end of the coffee consumer market: it can’t sustain itself in a high-end market, because the quality will always be inferior despite the machine conveniences. UPDATE: March 21, 2007 When you’re living in England and have been conditioned to drink instant coffee for most of your life, even the downmarket home machine marks a real improvement: Sales of espresso machines soar as Brits turn their backs on instant coffee | the Daily Mail. [...] [...] But the U.S. isn’t Portugal. According to a recent NPD report, the machines are primarily gift purchases — which should be a warning alarm for the technology right there (remind anyone of Krups circa 1990?). Given that these single serving coffee pod machines use stale, pre-ground beans, these days the home espresso drinker generally has increasingly better quality options among nearby cafés and coffeehouses. Which is why I generally believe the survival of the coffee pod format depends more on the bargain end of the coffee consumer market: it can’t sustain itself in a high-end market, because the quality will always be inferior despite the machine conveniences. UPDATE: March 21, 2007 When you’re living in England and have been conditioned to drink instant coffee for most of your life, even the downmarket home machine marks a real improvement: Sales of espresso machines soar as Brits turn their backs on instant coffee | the Daily Mail. [...]

]]> http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/home-espresso-equipment/#comment-1382 Espresso News and Reviews - TheShot.coffeeratings.com » Consumer Delusion: ConsumerReports.org’s buyer’s guide to espresso makers Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:49:10 +0000 http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/?p=340#comment-1382 [...] It gets dicier, with the article emphasizing the the ever-popular-and-delusional cost savings benefits of these home espresso machines. And when it comes to the taste test, they treat espresso machines as if they were self-contained, standalone appliances that pump out uniform cups of espresso, regardless of the grinder and the beans used. [...] [...] It gets dicier, with the article emphasizing the the ever-popular-and-delusional cost savings benefits of these home espresso machines. And when it comes to the taste test, they treat espresso machines as if they were self-contained, standalone appliances that pump out uniform cups of espresso, regardless of the grinder and the beans used. [...]

]]>