Category: 
July 14, 2010
Espresso: Ultimate Coffee, Second Edition
The popularity of espresso, coffee at its purest and most intense, has grown exponentially in the past decade. In this revised edition of his book on the ultimate coffee, Kenneth Davids provides a lucid, engaging examination of espresso’s lore, legend, and culture. A finalist for the James Beard Award upon its original publication. Espresso is the perfect introduction to the world of specialty coffee.
Rating: 
(out of 9 reviews)
List Price: $ 16.95
Price: $ 12.15
Capresso 121.01 Ultima Semi-Automatic Coffee and Espresso/Cappuccino Machine
- Measures 15 by 16 by 12-inch; 1-year limited warranty.
- Steaming wand froths milk for cappuccinos and caffe lattes
- Removable 53-ounce water tank; double brewing spout fills 2 cups at once
- No-mess, no-fuss: automatically tamps coffee and discards used grounds
- Brews from 1-1/2 to 12-ounce of espresso or regular coffee in seconds
The best of coffee culture in one convenient package. Eliminating all the strenuous steps of conventional espresso/cappuccino machines tamping, hot filters and stubborn sieves this all-in-one center lets you pour in the coffee, switch on the pump and enjoy! One-year warranty. Model 121.By eliminating the usual fuss and mess, this 1,200-watt machine makes it easy to brew espresso and make cappuccinos and lattes at home or in the office. It’s semiautomatic because all that’s required is to fill the water tank, place ground coffee into a receptacle, and pull a lever. Within seconds coffee flows from the double spout, which adjusts for different cup heights, into one or two cups. No tamping is required because the machine tamps the coffee precisely and automatically. Nor is it necessary to clean used coffee grounds out of a messy filter holder, because there is no filter holder, and the machine automatically discards grounds into a waste tray. The tray also catches overflows, and a light shows when it needs emptying.
For steaming and frothing milk to make cappuccinos, lattes, and hot chocolates and for delivering hot water for tea, there’s a wand that rotates out to fit inside a pitcher or cup. The coffee receptacle accepts 7 to 15 grams (one or two fillings of the included scoop), and the powerful pump supplies enough hot water each time to fill cups from 1-1/2 ounces to 12 ounces, which means it will make a big mug of regular coffee as well as an espresso. The 53-ounce water tank is transparent for water-level monitoring. Water heats quickly thanks to the 1,200-watt heating coil, and a thermostat light shows when the water is hottest. The machine has internal storage for the power cord and comes with clear instructions, drink recipes, and a one-year warranty against defects. –Fred Brack
Rating: (out of 145 reviews)
List Price: $ 440.00
Price: $ 287.48
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Horaayy..there are 17 comment(s) for me so far ;)
Review by John O. Morton for Espresso: Ultimate Coffee, Second Edition
Rating:
Kenneth Davids writes a lot of information on history and the art of making espresso coffee. The only thing that really bothered me was his method of writing. At times it was very clear, then it dropped off when it became more interesting, almost like “running out of room.” The section on machines and equipment was fairly good, but it didn’t give more details on each type of machine.The source section was very limited on where to buy machines or coffee. Could have been better at rating coffee and machines.
The book was a little hard to read with very small type, and the monotone brown color of the illustrations.
Review by for Espresso: Ultimate Coffee, Second Edition
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Kenneth Davids has written an excellent book about the history of coffee and espresso and its development into a western cultural phenomenon. He describes all phases of coffee and espresso production and refinement from cultivation to recipes for use. An excellent read for a beginner or coffee guru.
Review by Captain Latte for Espresso: Ultimate Coffee, Second Edition
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I found this book to have some valuable information, especially in regards to historical background on origins of the espresso machine. I must say that it did seem to be a bit outdated at times. I know the last published date was 2001, however, it felt like most of it was from the original 1993 edition. I live in Seattle now so even comments made back in 2001 are already outdated. The organization of the book is a little awkward at first and you will find some redundancy in content throughout the book (in particular information about types of machines).
If you are looking for a book heavy in skills that will help to make you a better barista, whether profession or even skilled amateur at home, you will find some good tips in this book. However, I would instead highly recommend David Schomer’s book Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques, which is regarded by many as the barista bible.
Review by John Foley for Espresso: Ultimate Coffee, Second Edition
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This is a classic, written by “The Godfather” of American espresso. Firmly “old school” in his approach to espresso and it’s milky progeny, he provides a solid base of clear standards for the barista art. I have been preparing my own lattes and cappuccino’s for over 15 years and still learned much from this book. If I have a criticism it is in his coverage of the home pump machine market, which needs updating. He does provide clear basic diagrams and details on the differences between steam, electric and hand pump machines and his chapters on the history and culture of Italian espresso is well balanced and clearly written.
Review by Ken Slanker for Espresso: Ultimate Coffee, Second Edition
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Pretty much tells history of coffee. Provides in depth information on how to buy Espresso blends (various characteristics). Also explains the history of how Espresso was developed along with the machines that make it the joy it is. The author has a subtle humor which makes the book fun to read while teaching you about Coffee.
Review by Bill Rhodes for Capresso 121.01 Ultima Semi-Automatic Coffee and Espresso/Cappuccino Machine
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About a year ago I wanted an espresso machine that was easy to use, however I was unwilling to pay 1k or more for a fully automatic machine. The Capresso turned out to be an excellent value, providing ease of use with semi-automatic ground disposal and a reasonably sized water container.In fact, we have experienced only two problems with the Capresso since we bought it: a torn o-ring and clogging. The o-ring tore because I did not clean the rotation mechanism for several months. The accumulated grounds eventually tore into the o-ring, breaking the pressure seal. However, when I called the Capresso help line to discuss our broken o-ring, the help desk agent immediately sent us two replacements in the mail with no questions asked. Total down time for the machine was a mere two days. The clogging was fixed with a complete cleaning, and if truth be told, it did say in the instruction booklet not to use very finely ground coffee.Our last espresso machine, besides breaking after two years, was so difficult to use and clean we only made espresso on special occasions. The Capresso is convenient enough that we use it all the time. In fact, we have used our Mr. Coffee only twice (note the broken o-ring comment above) since we bought the Capresso.After a year of use, I can still strongly recommend this product.
Review by for Capresso 121.01 Ultima Semi-Automatic Coffee and Espresso/Cappuccino Machine
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I bought this machine after looking around for the perfect one for quite some time. This Espressomaker is unique because of a clever semiautomatic mechanism that doesn’t require the usual, messy tampering and cleaning innate to traditional machines. This device comes at a fraction of the cost of the fully automated ones, but is almost as easy to use. The only little flaw I noted is that the frother will spill a relatively large amount of water (5cc or so) during the first couple of seconds before the full steam gets going. Usually no big deal, but if you froth a small amount of milk, you may want to “catch” these first cc’s first. Otherwise, this machine is perfect. The pump is very strong 18bar, I think) and the crema is excellent. Baseline: If you want a traditional machine, go for a Gaggia or something similar; if you are a (lazy) millionaire, consider one of the fully automated machines ($1000-2000). Otherwise, there is currently no alternative to the “Ultima”.
Review by for Capresso 121.01 Ultima Semi-Automatic Coffee and Espresso/Cappuccino Machine
Rating:
If the technical aspects of a cappuccino before the crack of dawn have you actually contemplating drip coffee again, check out this machine. You’ll have to re-learn how to make a cappuccino, but once you get the hang of it, you can break speed records. For double caps, two scoops of pre-ground espresso go in the coffee spout. Turn the bizarre looking top a quarter turn, push down the lever and turn the pump on. You’ll instantly get a perfect espresso with more crema than I was able to get with any kind of consistently from our many previous machines. And it takes less than a minute for the water to heat in the unit for making coffee or arming the frother with steam in this sturdy machine. The best part comes in the clean-up. When you’re ready to make the next cup, turn the lever on top a 3/4 turn and it will simultaneously dump your old grounds in a hidden bin and stage itself automatically for the next cup. That’s zero coffee grounds on the sink and the ability to crank out a cappuccino every two minutes.
Review by New York Gal for Capresso 121.01 Ultima Semi-Automatic Coffee and Espresso/Cappuccino Machine
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Wow, so this machine makes GREAT cappuccinos! Just a few points from a non expert who loves to have her morning cappuccino:
1. The coffee/espresso is really good! There is a good crema layer and it comes out very strong (not too strong) in my opinion. I haven’t alwys found it to be 100% consistent, but, nonetheless, over 95% of the time it has been great.
2. The unit is kinda…. ugly! I’m sorry, but this is the truth. It’s not like soemthing you would display in a very nice kitchen – it’s a bit cheap looking. It doesn’t even look like a traditional espresso machine. Also, what is up with the blue strip on the tray? That really makes it look cheap. Nonetheless, because I am so plesed with this product, I am willing to overlook this flaw.
3. When they said semi-automatic, I thought I would have to do a lot of work. Not true! This is the EASIEST espresso/cappuccino to make – even over my sister’s semi-automatic that she paid a lot more money for (not to mention the espresso/cappuccinos taste the same, except hers is much better looking!) All you have to do is rotate the handle on top, put in coffee, rotate it 90 degrees counterclockwise, push the knob down and turn on the espresso switch. When done, you turn the knob 270 degrees and it dumps the coffee. VOILA! No coffee cleanup today or tomorrow… or for a while (this is my FAVORITE part).
4. A few annoying things Whoever it was that says when you froth milk, there is first a spurt of water is correct. However, when you have frothed an entire cup of milk, you can’t tell the water was added. Also, when pushing the know down to make espresso, sometimes it has been a crap shoot and no espresso came out. I had to repress the knob down and try again.
All in all, I give this a B+ because it is ugly and a bit cheap looking. However, if I rated it on taste, it would be an A. If I rated it considering that I got a great price on it and relative to other units and prices, A+!
Review by for Capresso 121.01 Ultima Semi-Automatic Coffee and Espresso/Cappuccino Machine
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My wife and I are extremely pleased with this machine from Capresso. It makes excellent espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes, boils water for tea faster than any microwave, and is generally a breeze to operate and maintain. The speed of the unit is quite amazing; I can froth milk and prepare a large cappucino in less time than it takes to make my toast in the morning. And if you just want a really great cup of “American-style” coffe, this machine will do that too — topped off with a substantial layer of “crema” and no bitter-tasting oils. Warning: After using this machine for a few weeks, you’ll never be able to drink drip or percolated coffee again.The overall design and construction of the unit is first-rate for a consumer product. If Hewlett-Packard decided to start making cappucino machines in addition to their printers, I imagine they would be of similar quality and design to Capresso’s. I have two minor quibbles with the steamer/frother tube — it’s a bit short for frothing in a deep container but this also means the overall height of the machine is less, and I’m okay with that trade off, since the machine fits comfortably under most overhead kitchen cabinets. The insulating grip on the tube is quite small, however, and since it must be slid up and down to change from frothing to steaming, it’s easy to ‘sting’ a finger or two — though I’ve yet to actually burn myself.As other reviewers have noted, I also wish there was an interlock on the pump switch to disable it if the tamping lever is not depressed. It’s very easy to forget this step for the first week or two of ownership, especially in the morning… This is no longer a problem for my wife or I, but it does mean that guests need supervision if they want to try the machine (and they will) — otherwise they’ll blissfully stand there with an expectant look on their face as they pump water into the grounds discard bin (which unfortunately looks like it has a smaller capacity than the water supply tank — I hope never to find out for sure).The water tank is extremely well-designed; remove the cover, grab the handle, lift the tank out, refill, and replace. I’ve yet to spill a drop of water. Daily cleanup involves removing the upper carousel and hand cleaning/rinsing in the sink (forget to do this for a day or two and you’ll notice a deterioration in the quality of the coffee). The bottom front of the unit slides forward to expose the grounds bin and the overflow sump — these need emptying every few days, depending on usage (a red-light comes on when the bin needs emptying).I’ve used Customer Service to order some of Capresso’s coffee and an extra frother tube and was quite satisifed with the service — everything shipped within 48 hours. The coffee was very smooth, but a bit pricey.
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