We've been using the Nespresso Essenza Touch in black and grey for over two weeks now, and find the texture and finish of this Nespresso to be very special. The Nespresso Essenza Touch is basically a Nespresso C100T (you can read our review of the C100T here), but it has a super smooth coating. This may be the first single serve coffee maker we've every used, where sliding your hand over it seems the thing to do each morning we make a cup of single serve coffee.
So, the big difference really is the coating. The Nespresso Touch features are the same as the C100T (which is an updated C90 - you can read our review of the C90 here).
Overall features are:
High-pressure pump (19 bars)
Thermoblock heating element
Programmable and automatic control of the amount of coffee in the cup
Functional handle allows for easy coffee preparation
Automatic ejection of used capsules on lifting the handle
Collection container for used capsules
Removable water tank (1L capacity)
Special Smooth Coating - feels like an iPod case or silicone
It's also good to note you can only use Nespresso coffee capsules with the Nespresso C100T Essenza. This is by design, and you'll also need to sign up for the Nespresso club to do you ordering or stop by a Nespresso boutique to get some new ones.
We're very excited to announce Clover has landed at Starbucks. Our local Starbucks on Mass. Ave in Cambridge near Harvard Square has a Clover and tasting menu now, and we've recently had an amazing cup of single serve coffee from their Clover. If you're not familiar with the Clover (read our earlier review here) it's really the ultimate cafe single serve coffee machine, allowing for small batches and a tasting menu of coffees because each cup of coffee matched with a unique coffee can be made one cup at a time.
We sampled the Burundi. A cup of coffee from the Clover is about
2x the price of a regular cup of Starbucks coffee.
Clover is basically a reverse-french press that allows for the input of the coffee you've chosen, volume of water, and the temperature and time of brew for the cup of single serve coffee. We've never had a bad cup of coffee from a Clover, and think if you're local Starbucks has one you'll need to treat yourself to a cup or two.
September has been another amazing month for single serve coffee sales across the web, and offline too. We've seen the launch and introduction of the Keurig Mini B30, and the new Tassimo by Bosch. These single serve coffee makers are not showing up on the Top 10 yet, but we expect them to make it in the October/November time frame. Tassimo has risen this month due to price cuts on the TA1400 model, with some prices seen as low as $89 on the model. We've also noticed the Breville BKC600XL Gourmet K Cup Brewer has re-appeared on the list.
Do you think these coffee makers represent the best selling or the best? What single serve coffee makers do you think should make a best of list regardless of sales? Sound off in the comments and let us know.
We've been using the European version of the Nescafe Dolce Gusto for the past month, and we're pleased to announce the final US version of this amazing single serve coffee maker has arrived for review. What are differences between the US and European version? One thing is the smart capsule chamber which is now contained in the brew head, and of course the power switch location. Another key difference is the US version comes with a set of coffee, lattes, and other goodness.
We've received the latest generation of the Nespresso Essenza machine line, the Essenza Touch. The Essenza Touch blends silky-soft finishes with intriguing modern shapes in the Nesspresso Essenza design. Both the soft-touch case and coffee ring defining the coffee nozzle are coated in a smooth, silky finish that so far we're finding really unique in the single serve coffee world. The Essenza Touch comes in two new soothing colors, the Essenza Touch Soft Red and Soft Gray.
Essenza models are available in two styles: a pure, slightly curved design (C-range) and a more curvaceous body shape (D-range). The Essenza Touch Collection 2008 (SRP $249) will be available in September exclusively in Nespresso boutiques, including Nespresso’s U.S. flagship boutique at 761 Madison Avenue in New York City, as well as boutiques in Bloomingdale’s in SoHo (New York), Chevy Chase, Md., Costa Mesa, Calif., and Chicago, and the Bay in Toronto and Vancouver, and through the Nespresso Club (1.800.562.1465 or www.nespresso.com).
We'll have our full review and thoughts soon. In the mean time, you can read our full review of the Nespresso Essenza C100 T.
The Tassimo Hot beverage system has been out in the US for the past two years, and when it launched was made by Braun. Last year Tassimo decided they needed to update the system, and went with a new partner - Bosch. Even though we really liked the older Braun model, we're glad Bosch got the job. The new Bosch Tassimo is completely redesigned, and the design changes are far reaching. Gone is the annoying loud brewing, the spill back of water after brewing a cup, and the unit heats and brews much faster.
The Bosch Tassimo Suprema Hot Beverage system.
Two models of the TASSIMO hot beverage system by Bosch are now available in the U.S. For this review, we tested the TAS4511UC model with an MSRP of $139.99. The TAS4511UC Bosch Tassimo is now available in select specialty and department stores as well as online. There is also a $99.99 Bosch Tassimo that will be available in select grocery and mass merchandise stores. The main difference in the two models is the water reservoir filtration, and aesthetics.
Update: Tassimo is now calling this system a "brewbot". What's a brew bot? The Brewbot (BROO·bot) is an advanced brewing machine programmed to make over seven different varieties of beverages. Brewbots can create coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, hot chocolates and coffee cremas all at the touch of a button. a.k.a. Roboticus Brewtus. The machines are the same as earlier Tassimo Bosch models above but being marketed as brewbots.
That's right - you can now order the Tassimo designed by Bosch, and expect delivery of the new system in early September from several online merchants. Some readers are claiming delivery may be as soon as this week if you order from Amazon.
We've also gotten word that several Single Serve Coffee readers have spotted the new Bosch designed Tassimo Hot Beverage system in the wild:
From Henry:
They had the new Tassimo at the Bloomingdales, King of Prussia, PA store. I couldn't believe it when I saw it because it's so tiny. As short as the Keurig B30, but it was long. (probably as long as the current Keurig. The parts don't feel as nice as the Keurig, but it is a piece of art.
The only downside was they had it priced at $175 retail. They said it's going on Friday for $139.
We'd wait until Friday to get the lower price. Currently, we've found the best pre-order price at Amazon for $139. We'll also have a full review of the Tassimo Bosch Hot Beverage system very soon as our review unit should be arriving this week.
You can read more about the features of this Bosch Tassimo single serve coffee system here.
We admit it - we simply didn't provide this data in July. But with that admission out of the way, it's time to sound off the 10 best selling single serve coffee makers here at Single Serve Coffee for August 2008. You can see the Aeropress with all it's manual pressing is still a big seller, followed by Keurig, taking over the 2-3 spots this month. Tassimo has grabbed the 7th and 8th spots, and Senseo has snuck up into 4th place. A new single serve coffee maker to our list of top ten is the Breville BKC600XL Gourmet K Cup Brewer.
Do you think these coffee makers represent the best selling or the best? What single serve coffee makers do you think should make a best of list regardless of sales? Sound off in the comments and let us know.
As we're testing the Nescafe Dolce Gusto, we thought we'd share making a lungo cup of coffee with this new machine. The Dolce Gusto featured in the video is the European version of the Dolce Gusto - the US version will have a different puncture mechanism to pierce the Smart Capsule all contained in the brew head. The Dolce Gusto heats very quickly, and you can see the resulting lungo cup of single serve coffee is very "Nespresso" like - with a high quality crema on top.
We've received the European version of the NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto to review here at Single Serve Coffee. We'll receive the US version of the NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto soon as well. Just looking at the pictures of the US version compared to the European version, it looks like the location of the power switch is in front and towards the middle of the water reservoir on the US Dolce Gusto - a nice improvement. We'll note the differences as we find out more, and for now - we're going to sit back and make a Caffé Lungo or two with our NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto, or perhaps even an iced Cappuccino. NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto single serve coffee, espresso, and hot beverage maker details are below.
Includes free starter kit: white cappuccino cup and saucer set; tall latte macchiato glass; variety pack of drink flavors and a helpful guide containing recipe cards and instructions
Caffé Lungo (Dark Roast, Mild and Decaf): black coffee capsule (4 oz. drink); 100% roast and ground Arabica coffee -
Espresso: black coffee capsule (2 oz. drink); 100% roast and ground Arabica coffee
Café Mocha: white milk capsule and black coffee capsule (8 oz. drink); 100% roast and - ground Arabica coffee, delicious chocolate, whole milk powder and sugar
Cappuccino: white milk capsule and black coffee capsule (8 oz. drink); 100% roast and ground Arabica coffee, whole milk powder and sugar
Chococino®: white milk capsule and black chocolate capsule (7 oz drink); Hot Chocolate, whole milk powder and sugar
Iced Cappuccino: white milk capsule and black coffee capsule (8 oz. drink); 100% roast and ground Arabica coffee, whole milk powder and sugar - just add ice!
Latte Macchiato: white milk capsule and black coffee capsule (8 oz. drink); 100% roast and ground Arabica coffee, whole milk powder and sugar
MACHINE SPECIFICATIONS
Pressure: 15 bars static pressure
Weight: 6.61 lbs.
Water tank: .34 gallons
Heating: Stainless steel heater/water interface
Available in three colors: red, black and white
ACCESSORIES
Cups, saucers, glasses and spoons available though the NESCAFÉ® Dolce GustoTM Online
betty: we just bought the t47 after returning our 3rd machine read more cas lencheski rn: What a terrible product...I bought this at our local food read more Izepp: Which single serve Nespresso machine can take refillable pods? What read more Rik Crosby: $2/cup is hardly "a few cents more" than other kcups. read more Edward: This coffee is great. It's rich, dark, and brews a read more
Review: Nespresso Essenza Touch Single Serve Coffee and Espresso Maker
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