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Great Machine
I've had my Ariete Cafe Prestige for two years now. It's used every day -usually for at least two double espressos. I have not had any problems at all. About five times a year, I pour four or five cups of vinegar in and run the machine first on brew then on steam and then do the same with pure water - and that's it for maintenance. I used to grind my beans but now use Llave, Goya, or another of the Hispanic brands as they're just as good as those $9 p/lb beans! Heat some milk ( whole milk-it's worth the extra 25 calories here )in the micowave, steam it and you have the perfect Cafe Latte. If and when the machine does "go" I'd buy a replacement even with the price increase over the past two years.
[Monday, December 01, 2008]
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Excellent espresso machine
The lello ariete espresso maker seems to be an excellent entry level espresso machine for the coffee fanatic. The unit makes excellent espresso with no fuss at all and once the machine is warm, you can just make shot after shot. One important thing to note is that your coffee must not be powdered too fine. This means the pump will struggle to push the water through the coffee. The frother in addition works wonders, I drink a couple of lattes everyday and this baby will recoup its investment in 20 days especially with latte prices being 3.50 a pop at most coffee shops
[Sunday, November 30, 2008]
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Equivalent to the AEG EA 150
I have owned the AEG EA 150 for approximately 5 years. The Lello 1375 is pretty much equivalent to the AEG EA 150. This is a thermoblock, micro-switched, solidy-built machine which can compete easily with machines twice, even three times its price.
Pros:
1) 21 grams can fit into the double shot if you fill it right, thats techincally a triple shot, and will produce a very intense ristretto. Of course, use home-roasted beans if you really care about what you drink.
2) Thermoblock heats up extremely quick. If you need a strong and hot ristretto and want to be out the door within 5 minutes, this is your machine.
3) Heavy and solidly built. The drip tray and top are cast aluminum, the rest is stainless steel and hard plastic.
4) The water resevoir is huge and clear, with a spring loaded drain. Why cant Rancilio do this instead of their disgusting white plastic and double tubes setup on the Silvia?
Cons:
1) Pressurized baskets get clogged if you let them dry out while dirty. Keep the basket in the filter holder and attached to the machine after use. Blow water through them while heating up your cup to ensure they are free. Nothing is as bad as wasting good grounds.
2) The internal hose from the pump to the thermoblock is too long and chafes against the cast aluminum top. This will lead to a fine leak while pumping, which eventually will turn into a torrent of water leaking in the machine. This happened after 4 years of daily use. Replace with a shorter hose.
3) The filter holder mount is out of hard plastic which eventually breaks. This happened after 5 years. You will notice that the water will spray out the side of the basket instead of into your cup. With 15$ and 4 screws it is replaced. Definately not as solid as the Rancilio which seems to opt for cast brass.
This machine has the best bang for the buck.
[Wednesday, November 26, 2008]
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