monica, flygirl and PJI recommended that machine in earlier posts. I'm wondering how it works and particularly how it handles the milk. I'd love to get a good espresso/cappacino machine for Christmas!

Hi

you can get one MUCH cheaper than 90 bucks. I got mine at a corner Italian grocery store and deli (which also sold Deruta pottery - all things Italian) for 15 bucks as I recall. It's the "real thing" and not foofy. Mine only makes a few cups though.

it doesn't do anything with the milk (nor does the Crate and Barrel one pictured). for milk, my suggestion isn't elegant, but try steaming it in a pan and using a small battery operated whisk which you could get at Crate and Barrel to make the foam. It was good enough for an old boyfriend's Italian father so it should be good for anyone! his parents oohed and ahhed over it and I definitely made points with the coffee stuff! :)

Old Italian exes of mine who owned an Italian restaurant finally gave in to progress and foam up the milk in the microwave. Pull out the cup just as the milk bubbles up to the brim then pour in the coffee.

I stand corrected! I didn't read the description, just looked at the picture. it DOES steam milk too. NOW I am intrigued...

No, but we did run across a store in Venice selling gelato-making supplies for businesses. Boy, did that get our brains thinking!!!!

I'm interested in an espresso maker too. flygirl and PJI recommended the Bialetti. Has any else tried this one?

And do we need to go to Italy to get one? I'm sure they will make better coffee than one purchased in the US, right? :-d

I know flygirl, I hope someone posts who owns a Bialetti stove top model. I spotted this a week or two ago in the Crate and Barrel catalog and was intrigued.

We went through numerous electric espresso makers before the one we have now, which is definitely the best so far. As I posted above, we returned a Gaggia that we bought online. Then we got one from Bed Bath & Beyond -- I forget the brand right now, but it cost about $200. It might have been a high-end Krups. Well, it was also a disaster -- broke after about 3 weeks.

The one we have now is a Saeco, which we got from costco.com. Costco doesn't sell them in the stores, at least not around here. But it is very well made, and makes great espresso. The total cost with shipping and tax was about $250. I am really happy with it.

As for frothing milk, I use one of the hand-held pumps and then heat the milk in the microwave. We got the pump gizmo at BBB I think -- cost only about $10 - $15.

I used to froth milk with the attachments on various previous espresso makers, but I decided that hastened their demise. The microwave technique is easier, too, I think, and really makes very nice froth.

>>>>>
And do we need to go to Italy to get one?
>>>>

they are everywhere. just about as easy as buying a pair of socks. you can even get the same thing that's made in china for about £1.50. the original italian one is quite cheap also though.

they work pretty well and are very popular all over europe. just about every holiday house or flat that i rented had one (as it is just about the cheapest way to equip a let with a "coffee maker").

It looks like the Bialetti Cappuccino Maker was released on the US market in August. It was released earlier in Europe. I wonder what they cost in Milano?

>>>>
t looks like the Bialetti Cappuccino Maker was released on the US market in August. It was released earlier in Europe. I wonder what they cost in Milano?
>>>>
really??? these things have been around forever and cost next to nothing. are we talking about the same thing...the stove top two part light metal thing.

my parents had one when i was a child..many many years ago. we used to take it on walks and heat it with a gas burner. this is nothing new or intriguing.

A couple of tips:
For reviews of every coffee maker imaginable, check out:
http://www.coffeegeek.com/

When posting really long URLs, please consider using:
http://tinyurl.com/

walkinaround - this is a different device, really. It is not an espresso thing, (we have one of those, too) but it is a cool cappuccino and espresso and latte maker. See a video demo at this site: http://www.bialettishop.com/

Hey, this thing looks fun to me.

G Hopper, the coffeegeek site only has the release info about the stovetop cappuccino maker, and no reviews. That is the sight that I found the Pasquini users group, though. You are right about the reviews there. If anyone wants to find out about espresso machines before they buy, check there first.

viaggio sempre,
I aplologize for not responding to you sooner butI have been away from this thread (as you know) and hard at work finalizing my plans for the trip to Italy (in less than 3 weeks)With regard to this issue, I have decided that it is crazy to buy an espresso maker in Italy for all of the very good reasons pointed to here, but have still not purchased a replacement. I have been using a small Krups that I had and it is adequate, but not nearly as good as the dead Pasquini. I checked the stats on many of the other models mentioned, and none seemed to heat as quickly (for multiple cups) or have the features that I loved about the dearly departed. The bottom line is that we are going to see if the Pasquini dealer here in LA will give us something on the old model towards a trade-in on a newer model because it really is what we want. It was just our anniversary and we are justifying this ridiculous expense as an anniversary/Christmas gift. Really we so loved the Pasquini that nothing else has caught our eye.

Question -- the Bialetti that works on the stovetop, that is available in the USA? People appear to be talking about two models by that name.

Thanks!

I've had various pricey expresso machines over the years (including one that ground the beans and dumped the grinds). All made magnificent expresso. All had mechanical problems within months (one I had replaced three times under warranty). All were messy. We never used any over the summer and would have to watch the video again to fire it up in the fall.

I almost bought a Nespresso after having one of those in an apartment in Paris. The "manual" is only $200 (and quite inconvenient), and the coffee is quite expensive. Coffee is absolutely magnificent.

But, after spending some time on singleservecoffee.com (looking for reviews), I was convinced, instead, to get a Senseo.

I love the Senseo! (Though I use the Maxwell House pods.) For sure, the results are not the same as with the pricier machines, but they are darned close. The "crema" (sp?) is described as "faux" by the "experts", but it's just fine to me! I've had this for more than a year with no problems whatsoever. No milk steamer, but I just use half & half anyway.

Best, I bought a second one for my office (along with a travel fridge for under my desk for the half & half), so I can enjoy the same wonderful coffee anytime during the day at work (even make one for the long drive home).

Hi Sharkmom:

After months of searching and analyzing the Italian coffee sites, I've just purchased a Mukka Baletti Cappuccino Maker based on the reviews on this site from www.baletticafe.com They will not ship outside the USA, we are in Canada, but thank goodness my son is in Vermont. He's my mule.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load...031235769.html

I can't wait. Will post the results when I've made a pot or two.

Denise

Hi Sharkmom:

Did you ever find a new coffee maker? I promised to post once I had my Bialetti Mukka Cappuccino Maker. It was a long wait as my son decided to make it a Christmas present but the coffee is great. Yes it is a stovetop and makes only two cups at a time, but if you follow the directions you'll have near perfect cappuccino every morning. I think the price was $89.99 on the Bialetti website plus shipping and handling. Yum!!

I am using a Krups as an "interim" solution, and still holding out for the Pasquini. We just got back from our trip to Italy, where thanks to all the advice we did not purchase a replacement. However, I did manage to drop a bundle on the ceramics so I am trying to get back on even footing before I splurge on the Paquini. Ion the meantime, the Krups is getting my daily fix.

Hi there!
My husband and I have a Rancilio Sylvia and LOVE IT. For reviews on various espresso machines, try
www.coffeegeek.com
They truely are coffee geeks, and have great reviews as to which machines are best for your intended use.
Bye for now!