Nescafe KP210050 Dolce Gusto Single-Serve Coffee Machine, Black

Only had this a little over a week and I like it more and more. The 'unboxing' experience was excellent. I take it as a good sign that a company puts thought and effort into the details, even the packaging. This one did. (Apple is the best at this since it is a part of their business model. Acknowledging that you are spending your money on their products, it should be a complete experience.) It was easy to setup and use. Just wash a few parts. In the box is the coffee unit, a box of samples, a latte glass, a cup and saucer, and a black rectangular holder for your used coffee pods. I really like the fact that I control the strength of the coffee. Unlike other single serve coffee makers, this one doesn't use buttons that dispense a preset amount of water. For hot drinks, just shift the lever to the right and when you are happy with the amount dispensed and thus the strength, move the lever back to center. Cold drinks just require moving the lever to the left. I really like the heating technology in this. I believe that it heats the water as it passes through, doesn't keep heating it in a reservoir. I am guessing that is why it heats so quickly. It has auto-off. It does take a bit longer on the first heat up in the morning but it isn't that long, I guess 30 seconds or so? Normal drip coffee makers use way more electricity than people realize. I would like to think that this unit uses less based on the technology, which at this time I don't think anyone else has in a home machine. There is a crema layer and I think the temp is just right. You do feel more involved in the coffee making with this since you can control each cup's outcome. I certainly hope this product becomes adopted as I am really looking forward to more coffees being available. Once you invest in the machine, the cost of the coffee and lattes is much, much cheaper than buying any prepared coffee drinks.

This pretty little machine delivers a truly excellent Cappuccino. I was hesitant at first to order but with Amazon its just so simple to return if need be. The sample pack that comes with it helps a lot. You can see what flavors U like best (I am GLAD I ordered an extra 24 pack of cappuccino). The hot chocolate capsules are very nice and the espresso smells fantastic. The cappuccino is really the jewel in my opinion. The milk comes out frothy and creamy just as it would in a restaurant. I just made a cup this morning at 6:30am and the aroma that filled the kitchen were just sensational. There is something to be said about enjoying a great cappuccino in a restaurant setting that enhances the experience and taste but this machine replicates that aroma, flavor and great cup of cappuccino. I would truly recommend this machine to anyone wanting very hot very delicious restaurant quality hi end tasting brews. I also recommend the Luigi Bormioli Duo cups as they keep the coffees hot for a long time and looks fantastic thus enhancing the moment. Just treat them with extra care.

If you only knew the agony I went through when trying to decide which coffee system to buy to replace my old one... I really am VERY picky when it comes to my coffee, and especially my morning coffee, but I have not been let down by this machine. What I love about it:It's beautiful. It's not a black hole of coffee sitting on the counter, it stands out. I have the creme colored machine. I think it's absolutely beautiful. Something I never thought I'd say about a coffee machine. Um. Ever. Plus it's cute. Reminds me of a duck.Ok. Serious coffee talk. I was looking specifically for a cup at a time coffee brewer that could make a crema coffee. (That's the layer of froth you get from a pressure brewed cup of coffee.) This system provides crema and then some. Brew it initially into the tall glass mug that is provided with the machine and you'll see, it serves like a beer: very thick crema running through to the bottom as it brews. When it's done brewing, and the coffee settles, it leaves a very nice yummy crema layer on the top. Absolutely essential, at least for me it is. What's important is that this is a 15 bar pressure system. So you're definitely getting the power to extract all the wonderful goodness from your coffee.Temp: the coffee is hot, but it's not overwhelmingly so. It's not hot enough to create a burned coffee taste, but it's hot enough to have to take a moment before you start drinking, or at least blow while you sip... Cold brew? Yes, this machine has it. Iced coffees are no longer the stuff of starchain's alone. They have specially formulated cold brew capsules (such as the iced cappuccino) but you could also cold brew any of their capsules & get the same nice, iced results. I love that. Because it's not using the heat to brew, it's using the pressure. This is nice for guests who like the iced varieties. You can cold brew it over ice and not whither your ice chunks to zero, ending up with a watery, gross beverage. Nice.Brew lever: this is solely the function of dolce gusto. So you can brew it for x seconds, thereby really customizing the drink for yourself, whether you like really strong coffee like I do or you like a much weaker coffee like my husband. I brew him cappuccinos into his extra large starchain mugs, simply add a teaspoon of sugar then a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. He's admittedly not a "fancy coffee" drinker, but I believe he is now! I've even got him drinking after-dinner espressos.Coffee capsules: The coffees are all very nice quality. The aforementioned espressos are extremely tasty, which is not easy to do when you're only brewing it for literally a couple seconds. Nice strong, nice crema, but not bitter, wonderful. The cappuccinos are great, too. They use a very nice fragrant coffee for that capsule, and the milk comes out very frothy & rich. There is a touch of sweetness to the milk capsules, so if you're not an overly sweet fan, you do not need to add any sugar at all. Which brings me to the Mocha capsules. Very rich, chocolaty, almost toward the dark chocolate end. It's not overly sweet like milk chocolate, but it's not bitter like some dark chocolates can be. I've tried the mochas both with and without the milk capsules added, and it's perfectly tasty without the milk capsule. It's a bit stronger coffee that way, and tastes a bit darker when you leave off the milk capsule. Why would you leave off the milk capsule? Because I have a problem with dairy. The casein in certain milk products (such as regular cream, half & half, cream pies...) literally makes me drunk. Ok, I know it's not a widespread problem and in fact is very rare, but if you have a dairy problem, you may not have a problem with these milk capsules. It's powdered milk, and apparently the powdering process takes out or eliminates or lessens the casein to the point where I have no ill effects whatsoever. When I finally got the guts to try the mochas with the milk capsule, I found it to add creaminess and a nice hint of sweetness but with no side effects. Result: I can drink mochas & drive, no problem! As for my regular morning coffees? The caffe lungo capsules are my favorite. They are a strong, slightly bitter coffee, which I like first thing in the morning. I have also used and like the Americano capsules, which are nice and bold, but not too strong or bitter at all. So it really depends on my mood. The only thing bad I have to say about the capsules is that they could be a little bit cheaper! Definitely. But I think you're still getting a pretty good value for your money when you consider the convenience. Each type of coffee is PERFECT for what it is. I drink more varieties of coffee throughout the day simply because I can. Wonderful.The only downside to this particular machine is that you can't just press the button and walk away. But I think the trade off for being able to control my beverage strength is more than worth that. I think they have some new models out that may be programmable. Not sure. But I actually like the interactiveness of this machine. I'm no barista, but I feel like one when I use it. You can also brew with the chamber empty. So if you want to brew with a tea bag, or need a little bit of hot water, you're good. That's nice, too.It came with the capsule waste try, which is supa nice, and a cup & saucer as well as a tall glass mug. They use these mugs to demonstrate how high you should fill the glass/mug with each capsule, though obviously the best thing is to experiment with each capsule to your own particular taste (and mugs). The waste tray is nice because there is no mess - I brew & toss into the tray. But you might like to know that the entire brewing process takes place inside the capsule, so there's no mess inside the machine at all, even though you're using some milk or chocolate products, which can get nasty. Neat & clean.I'd really recommend this system for someone who wants a cup at a time pressure brewed coffee.Update: Oct 27, 2010I've read some reviews where some people have had problems with the machine. Just for the record, I personally haven't had any mechanical problems.

UPDATED REVIEW:I would have changed the stars to 2 but the edit will not allow it.I previously reviewed this machine in January. At that time, I was totally infatuated with the convenience, the variety and taste of the drinks that this machine produced.In spite of the fact that I am the only coffee drinker in the house, the machine stopped working in less than two months. Since customer service was very good about replacing it,I continued to have a favorable impression.Now, approximately 7 months after receiving the replacement machine, the "new" machine is leaking horribly. Not just a minor leak but enough water to fill a cup. I tried descaling in hopes the leaking was caused by blockage, no such luck!That said, I am tired of having to send off my machine several times a year so I have purchased a Keurig. I'll let you know how this one holds up.