This
is the third in our series of reviews about “pod” based
coffee makers. Pods have made a big impact on the home-brew
coffee market because of their convenience and ability
to deliver a very consistent cup of coffee.
Most of us love a cappuccino or latte.
If you invest in a conventional espresso machine for your
kitchen, you would soon discover that the whole process is
a messy one and despite the fact that you are getting a fabulous
fresh cup of coffee you will probably abandon the machine
after awhile.
This is where the Krups espresso machine
comes in. It is a high-end cappuccino maker that has the
ability to use both pods and fresh ground coffee.
We should start with the pods and then
describe the machine. Just like the other coffee makers,
the pods are small bags of perforated paper that contain
the exact amount of coffee for a single cup and are disposed
of once the cup is made. Of course in this case the pods
are an espresso blend designed for the machine.
If you have ever been to Starbucks or
another coffee shop, you will have seen the coffee maker
banging out the used grounds after making the coffee. That's
fine if you have special sink or disposal, but boy does it
make a mess of your trash bin if not. The pod system completely
solves this problem. Grab a pod, insert it into the coffee
holder and a few moments later you can throw away the used
pod with literally no mess or fuss – it's an amazing
improvement.
Included with the machine is a can of
pods by Illy. These are a medium-roast coffee and make a
fine starting point for you to try out. Pods can be ordered
from the Illy web site or you can purchase other types from
Starbucks or other vendors, if you fancy another blend. Most
of the coffee machine manufacturers are trying hard to stick
to an informal standard, so pods from other vendors do normally
work. It is definitely worth trying a few first before you
invest heavily in a particular brand. If they don't fit correctly,
then the machine can leak during the coffee brewing process.
The ones that come with the machine, of course work perfectly,
so you can always rely on them.
The Krup's machine is a high-end coffee
maker that has a number of excellent features. It is easy
to use and looks like it should last you for years.
The machine stands about 12” high
and fits easily on your counter top. At the back is a flap
that allows you access to the water reservoir. It has a handle
on it to make getting the reservoir out simple. Once it is
filled it slides right back into the machine, no fuss. The
Restaurant Review's test kitchen cabinets are a pretty standard
height, but we had to slide the machine out to remove the
reservoir. Not a problem, but you might want to allow room
on each side to grasp the sides of the Krups. The reservoir
is good for 6 or so cups. Basically, more than enough for
a busy morning.
On the top of the machine is a very handy
heating pad. This warms your coffee cups and makes for a
far better cup of coffee. Cappuccino is very sensitive to
temperature. Anything you can do to get everything warm beforehand
helps make for a better tasting cup.
The main control is a large selector for
the various functions located on the front. Alongside is
an on-off switch with a red power light and a temperature
indicator light.
Below the switch are the guts of the machine.
There is the coffee holder and to one side the steam pipe
for frothing the milk. The components are of a very high
quality. The design is well thought out, for example, if
there is any leakage from the coffee holder it runs down
a pipe into the reservoir under the cup stand so you can
easily dispose of the waste without mess.
One of the big issues used to be how to
froth the milk for a latte. Not any more with the Krups.
They have added a frothing head and breather pipe to the
regular steam outlet (if you are a frothing expert you can
always remove it). This makes creating mounds of creamy froth
a snap. You plunge the head into your cold milk and after
a few seconds of steaming it your froth is ready. It's an
odd fact that 1% milk makes the best foam. There is something
about the fat in full cream milk that inhibits the foaming
process.
To make a cappuccino take the following
steps:
1. Select a coffee pod
2. Insert it into the coffee holder and tighten.
3. When the machine is warm and the orange temperature light goes off, move
the selector to brew and watch a cup of beautifully creamed coffee appear.
4. Switch the selector to steam and wait a few seconds while it warms up.
5. When the light goes out, switch to steam and make your froth.
6. Open the coffee holder and toss the pod in the trash. |
