Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
i'm rationalizing the price...
By Stresspuppy
it's expensive but this is a great machine and i would probably spend this much at a place like starbucks over the course of a year or so.
the interface is straight forward, the video tape runs through the operations clearly, it looks really nice on the counter, it's easy to clean, it's easy to maintain (for the past two months that i've had it anyway) and it makes about as good a cup of espresso or coffee as i've ever had. not much i can say further about the espresso and coffee, it produces nice crema, is quick and just does an excellent job -- if there is any opportunity to taste it a friend's or neighbor's, you'll know its worth.
the c1500 makes coffee from regular to x-strong for either one or two cups at a time. the size setting goes in 0.5oz increments from 1oz to 7.5oz. per cup and the burr grinder can be adjusted from fine to corse (have to do it while it's grinding, though and i believe the dial has 7 increments) and there is a separate intake for pre-ground so you can easily brew decaf (yuck) instead. there are adjustments for water hardness, alerts for decalcifying based on this, an included claris filter (which negates the need to decalcify) and a decent frother.
the control panel will alert you when the water tank (64 oz removable tank) needs refilling, when you need to refill coffee beans, when you need to decalc or change filter, when it needs to do a self purge or rinse (it always requires a rinse at startup) -- and there is a little cheat sheet in a the hidden panel where you set the little use options -- water hardness, language, coffee temp, etc.
a wonderful machine that will get a lot of use in anyone's kitchen, simple to use and a pleasure to own.
35 of 38 people found the following review helpful.
TOO BIG...okay machine
By G. Larson
First of all, I would like to point out that the only Saeco that isn't likely to break within its first two years is the Saeco Royal Proffesional, otherwise the Capresso will surely outlast the Saeco.
First of all, the dials on this thing are wonderful and very easy to understand, it is just not as convenient as pressing a button, but it is close. THE MACHINE IS TOO BIG. All if the Jura Capresso machines are plagued with monstronsity that is very unappealing. There are many super automatic machines that aren't plagued with the huge construction.
The froth Express is wonderful, and that can be a large motivation for buying the machine. Although you can't get the same quality as with a commercial style steamer, you get steamed milk very easily and if that is what is important, then this really is the machine for you.
One major thing that bites me about all the Capressos is if anything, anything at all goes wrong with the internal parts of the machine, you must send it in. Going off in a tangent, because the only access you have to the inside of the machine is to the dump box, you can't clean the brew group yourself. This can either be a good thing or a bad thing. It is good for you only have to put in one of Capresso's tablets in the bypass doser every two to four weeks. That bad thing is that the pills are expensive, you can only use their pills, and you must use their pills if you want the machine to last.
I again stress that the coffee from this machine is NOWHERE as good as the espresso that you get from a semi automatic machine. And I remind you that there are machines like the nespresso, and Francis Francis where you can use pods which make the extraction process easier. You can also get a specialized filter basket for the Gaggia's and the Rancilios so you can use pods. Pods allow you to use the convenience of a super automatic, but with a higher flavor, aroma and smoothness. All the shots that I pull from my Rancillio Silvia are much better than those from the Capressos (and super automatics in general).
In conclusion.... this is a good machine, it is about 400 dollars too expensive, and there are other machines (like the Syncrony series from Gaggia, and if you want to go with Saeco, saeco has a few machines with a double boiler, which allows you to go from steaming to brewing with no weight time at a fraction of the cost). Remember, all super automatics can give you the same quality coffee as long as they are about 500 and up. The reason why they differ in price is all about the features.
Keep in mind:
1. You can get better coffee from semi automatics. To make an espresso with a super automatic generally takes 3 minutes when espressos take 5 minutes on a semi automatic. So the tradeoff is quality for ease of use.
2. Although this machine is well made, like all super automatics, it has more parts and is much more likely to break than a semi automatic. Lives on super automatics are generally around 5-7 years depending on the use and care and semi's boast 10-15 years. So remember, no matter how much money you spend on a machine, inevitably, you will have to replace it in 7 years at max.
3. Finally price. This machine is overpriced and there are machines cheaper. So it all comes down to the features. I would look elsewhere before setting your mind on this one. If this one looks the best out of all of them, this is for you, otherwise continue researching.
4. MOST IMPORTANT - selection of a machine generally takes people 3-6 months, so do some research. There is a lot of information out there which will further assist you in your decision.
Too expensiveNice featuresGood BUT NOT great coffeemediocre frothing quality
GOOD BUT KEEP LOOKING!
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
C1500 - after 800 cups - it has problems!
By brian brown
I'm on my second C1500. My mother has the same unit and is getting ready to return it to the store after a bad customer support experience with Capresso Phone Support. She's on #2 going to #3! A store manager where I bought my unit has the same problem...
After about 800 cups, the whole bean coffee comes out very weak. The tamper quits working.The only thing that works is the "pre-ground" method. Very disappointing. Funny that we all have had the same bad experience.
Nice overall look and simple controls. But one must question the mechanics of this system. Not reliable.
See all 14 customer reviews...
It was sitting on my shelf unopened....
Frother mystery
