We recently finished renovating our kitchen, and thought it would be great to upgrade the coffee machine as well. We've been using the Cuisinart Thermal Grind & Brew, and while it's pretty good, it had a few drawbacks. Mostly, you have to clean the damn thing constantly, because the steam from brewing turns a certain percentage of the ground coffee to sludge in the grinder and the chute. So basically you clean everything every day. It's also fairly tall, and you can't fill it if it is under the cabinet.
So we figure we'd go for the super fancy super automatic Jura-Capresso Impressa F7. The salesperson assured us that it would make up to 16 oz of fabulous coffee. First, I should note that this is a marvel of a machine. It is truly automatic, and will crank out cup after cup of really good espresso (not that I'm an expert or anything) with no fuss, and very little cleaning to do. If you're an espresso/cappuccino/latte drinker, definitely consider this unit. This isn't meant to be a review, but it makes a nice espresso, up to about 4-5 oz.
The problem starts when what you really want is a cup of coffee, or more realistically, a big friggin' mug of coffee on the way to work. While they tout this machine as making "cafe crema" up to 8 oz, or 16 oz if you use the two cup setting, in reality you're just getting a watered down espresso, that is increasingly watered down as you go above about 6 oz. An 8 oz cup was not great, and a 16 oz mug was pathetic.
So, lesson learned. Even spending $1300 on a fancy machine isn't going to turn an espresso machine into a coffee maker. Definitely consider the F7 if you want espresso drinks. Don't consider it if you think you can use it as your mug 'o joe maker in the morning and make dainty cappuccinos for after dinner. Get yourself two separate machines if you want both and have the room!
I bought a Jura Impressa F7 and sometimes enjoy the cup of coffee that I get. I have sent the machine back for repair after the first month. The machine is a lemon or they are all this way. I have read other blogs that express the same concerns.
The machine makes great expresso at 2oz to 4oz. Forget about making and 8oz cup of coffee that has a consistent flavor or strength. The 8oz setting will give you anywhere from 4oz to 8oz of a varying strength of coffee. The two cup setting will also give you anywhere from 4oz to 16oz of scared water to a cup of coffee.
The service people have told me to run more cleaning tablets though it than the coffee would cost. They also suggest that I don’t use any beans that may be oily on the outside. They also suggest that I clean the grounds chute frequently.
The service is not acceptable and neither is the machine. Can anyone recommend a machine that makes a good cup of coffee?
Posted by: Harold Buchanan | September 10, 2007 at 08:59 AM
After returning the F7, we decided on the Capresso CoffeeTeam Therm. It had all the features we wanted: burr grinder, grind & brew, fully programmable so the coffee is ready when we get up in the morning, and a thermal carafe. It's a bit expensive, but the burr grinder alone is a big chunk of the cost. Details here: http://www.capresso.com/prod_makers_team.html
Despite a few glitches, we're happy, and like it better than our Cuisinart Grind & Brew. It makes really great coffee, and is easy to clean. The biggest issue, and one that is somewhat inherent in this type of product I think, is that the burr grinder doesn't like oily beans. They tend to create clogs in the chute on occasion, and you get a pot of water. Fortunately we've found that Peet's Major Dickason's Blend works quite well, and we like that and similar roasts. When you do get a clog it's very easy to clear the chute, and it takes just a few minutes to make a fresh pot of coffee. The machine has completely separate settings for automatic and manual brewing, so you can make coffee any time without affecting the programming.
Posted by: Jeff Weitzman | September 10, 2007 at 04:10 PM
Well, I have an F7. Cleaning is a constant issue. I purchased mine at an estate sale and it was incredibly difficult to get the thing clean. It is one of those hi-tech deals that is essentially sealed up - and you really cannot get to anything to clean it - other than using the tablet, but if it gets dirty, even that doesn't really get it clean. A bean grinder really needs to be cleaned periodically and it is impossible to do that without a service manual (not the operators manual) and it is proprietary and finding one is not possible unless someone has gotten one and would be willing to make it available to scofflaw such as me who really don't want to pay $250 bucks for a cleaning. Anyone have any thoughts. jgrimes227@aol.com
Posted by: John B. Grimes | March 22, 2008 at 07:25 PM
About 70 countries grow coffee beans in a band from the Equator to about 25° north or 25° south. Plantations are found in Africa, the Middle East, South America, the Caribbean and even Hawaii. It is the barista's job to decide which region supplies the best beans as influenced by their customers.
Due to varied climates, altitudes, machinery and techniques, each country's beans have different qualities. Each plantation will also have individual variants of the two main types of beans, robusta and arabica. Robusta is the bean of choice due to lower caffeine levels. It is used for the best coffees, supplying better flavor and aroma.
Arabica beans are best grown at above 3000ft. Brazilian arabica beans are less preferred, being grown at lower levels. Ultimately, the final decision is down to if you are roasting your own beans or getting pre-roasted beans. Green beans normally smell like vegetables and are soft. Choose them if you are doing your own roasting. If you want roasted beans, the varieties are seemingly endless
Posted by: coffee maker | May 21, 2008 at 10:26 PM