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I bought in order to use when I visit my sons or when I go on vacation. I was using for one week and I do not have to many complains. Cons: It is not easy to find out the right temperature for the water. It does not fill a normal espresso cup. Good: the taste is great, a strong espresso. Easy to clean. Easy to prepare (except for the water temperature).
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
The Minipresso GR makes a great espresso with very little effort. The shots have great depth and are exceptionally smooth. A short note about milk drinks... Traditionally, 7g of coffee is used to produce a 21g espresso (30% brew ratio). However, I find many of the better cafes use double and triple baskets with 14-21g of coffee to pull their shots, producing 30g of espresso (56-70% brew ratio). These double and triple shots are great to cut through milk drinks. A flat white is normally 10oz (volume), to produce a flat white of comparable intensity with the Minipresso and 7g of coffee, I use 1/2 cup (4oz volume) of milk to produce a finished drink of 5-6oz (volume). Also, there is a significant increase in richness when the Minipresso is preheated by running a cycle hot water through, as defined in the instruction manual. Operation: Minipresso (with or without coffee) the plunger will require more force after about 7 to 10 pumps. I occasionally find that pressure will not increase if the filter end of the Minipresso is not screwed on tightly. Improper tightening resulted in delayed flow and then liquid would continue to flow in between pumps. This is not correct, with body and flavor of the shots suffering. With the Minipresso tightened to compress the o-rings, liquid flows out of the Minpresso only as the pump is pressed and the flow stops in between pumps. Much better flavor! Coffee: Starbucks Willow An excellent lighty roasted coffee (lightest that Starbucks offers in my area) and very consistent bag to bag. Slightly fruity with a deep bias on roasty caramels. *Produces respectable crema. Grinder: Cuisinart CMB-18N Conical Burr Grinder set on (1) for the finest grind. This is the same grind setting that I use for the AeroPress with Able Brewing Disk Fine Stainless filter. This grinder has some retention. Loading 1 Tbsp (heaping) of whole beans usually results in 7.2-8g of ground coffee due to retention. 7g of coffee is ground in 7 seconds at this setting Water: Carbon filtered water for preheating the Minipresso and the serving cup Water to draw the shot: 1/3 cup FIJI Artesian bottled water (TDS: 130ppm) Milk: Organic Valley Lactose Free Whole Milk 150-155F Heating beyond 160F will lose flavor. *Lactose free milk is considerably sweeter than regular milk, without any added sugars. Milk Frothinig Pitcher: Rattleware 12oz Macchiato Frothing Pitcher Water quality: The Minipresso reveals noticable changes in the flavor of the espresso depending on the water used for drawing the shot. The Minipresso holds about 1/3 cup of water and I heat this amount of water separately in the microwave until it reaches a boil. With the Minipresso I have a clear preference for two brands of water. Tasting: Shots were drawn with a stopwatch to help manage pumping speed and the extraction was stopped at a specific weight. Evian (TDS: 285ppm, average of three bottles) Flavors are significantly muted. Triple carbon filtered cold water from the tap (TDS: 280ppm) Indestinquishable from the Evian, with flavors muted. Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water (TDS: 93ppm; average of three bottles) Flavors are slightly muted, but more depth compared to Evian. Fiji Natural Artesian Water (TDS: 130ppm, average of three bottles) Greatest clarity in flavors of all other waters that were compared. Pausing before the first drops of espresso come out increases flavor. *The Minipresso makes a hissing sound durring the first 8 or so pumps, that will stop abruptly. Once the hissing stops, I pause for about 4-7 seconds) Pumping firmly (1 second per pump) will produce a rapid flow from the Minipresso. Pumping more slowly (2 seconds per pump) so that a stream just forms produces more flavorful shots. The Minipresso offers amazing control over the extraction of shots. Any brew ratio may be achieved by placing your demitasse cup on a gram scale and weighing the shot during extraction. Simply pump until the desired ratio is achieved. Drawing the shot until the water chamber is empty will produce a 38-42g shot, which is far beyond normal brew ratios, even for a lungo. The Minipresso holds enough water to push the shots well into the blonding phase, which really helps to balance flavors with light roasted coffees, such as the Starbucks Willow. With more heavily roasted coffees that are dark and oily, I reduce the number of pumps to prevent over extraction. With a freshly opened bag of light roasted beans, I find a great balance between 21.5 - 24g. As beans age (about a week after opening) 17-19g. To quickly find your pefect brew ratio, stop the shot at 17g and pump the rest into another cup. Add the excess back into the initial 17g with a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon (which holds about 1g of espresso). With each additional 1/4 tsp, the balance changes greatly. The Minipresso produces wonderful shots with layers of flavor!Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
This thing is incredible! Easy to use, eco friendly (no batteries and no wasteful pods), small lightweight, simple yet brilliant little device! Highly recommended for the avid espresso lover especially if they enjoy camping, are on the go or just want to avoid getting Starbucks at work. The device brews incredibly tasty espresso
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I didn't have an espresso machine and wasn't sure I wanted another countertop decoration so I got one of these thinking I'd use it occasionally. Boy was I wrong. I use it multiple times per day. I suppose if I were spoiled to an automatic machine I might be a bit less enthusiastic about the effort to prep & clean for a shot of espresso, but the effort really isn't all that bad for what you get...and you can get it pretty much anywhere you have access to boiling water.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
But you need to use very very hot water, because of you will need a Good expresso... Aldo, I recomended maintaint always in vertical possition after use in orden to avoud dearty problema in you bag!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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