Dolce Gusto Piccolo

The technology behind Dolce Gusto coffee machines deliver a 15-bar pressure system and Thermoblock. This ensures that your espresso dose is delivered with high quality and a foamy froth, rich crema and luxurious flavor.

The Dolce Gusto Piccolo has a custom control lever that lets you decide and customize customize your coffee’s strength and mixture. Also use the lever to alternate between hot and cold beverages.

Technical Specification

• White, Red, and Black stylish design
• High 15 bar pressure with Thermoblock Boiler
• Stainless Steel and height adjustable drip tray
• Dishwasher safe capsule holder
• 0.62 Liter removable water tank
• Machine Size 11.3(H) x 6.26(W) x 8.66(L) in

Related posts:

1. Dolce Gusto – Coffee is Not Just BLACK
2. Dolce Gusto – Nescafe Dolce Gusto
3. Nescafé Dolce Gusto Circolo

• The Nescafé Dolce Gusto System
• Nescafé Dolce Gusto Circolo
• Nescafé Dolce Gusto Capsules Roundup

Related posts:

1. Dolce Gusto Piccolo
2. Dolce Gusto – Nescafe Dolce Gusto
3. Nescafé Dolce Gusto Capsules Roundup

Kitchen Craft Le’Xpress Coffee Capsule Holder and Dispenser (KCLX40POD)

Chrome plated rack with wooden base designed to hold 40 single serve coffee capsules. Taking up little space on kitchen worktops it is ideal for keeping coffee pods readily available for use. Price from £11.99

Kitchen Craft Le'Xpress Capsule Holder

Brabantia Coffee Capsule Dispenser

The Brabantia Nespresso capsules holder with matt steel finish, stores up to 30 capsules (6 X 5). Very easy to take out or refill, this holder also has a central container for either coffee spoons or empty capsules. The central unit can go in the dishwasher so it’s easy to clean. Price from £28.60

Brabantia Coffee Capsule Dispenser

Brabantia Wall Dispenser for Nespresso Coffee Capsules

This is Brabantia’s solution for Nespresso capsules storage on the wall. Capsules are loaded from the top and ejected from the bottom. The rack holds 21 (3X7) capsules. Price from £13.05

Brabantia Wall Dispenser

Tavola Swiss Capstore Vista Coffee Capsule Stand

The Capstore Vista hold up to 40 Nespresso capsules. It has a revolving base for easy browsing, and capsules can be ejected from both the top and bottom. Price from £19.26

Tavola Swiss Capstore Vista

Tavola Swiss Capstore Fila

The Tavola swiss Capstore Fila holds 40 capsules or 60 capsules (depends on the model), and is meant to be mounted to either your cupboards door, or wall. Price from £16.00 / £40.45 respectively

Tavola Swiss Capstore Fila 40 Capsules

Tavola Swiss Capstore Fila 60 Capsules

Tavola Swiss Capstore Nobile

This Nespresso capsules holder also holds 40 capsules (4X10) in a very sharp design. The base revolves same as the Vista holder. Price from £42.36

Tavola Swiss Capstore Nobile

Tavola Swiss Capstore Bamboo

If you are more into wood type design, Tavola Swiss has two beautiful Nespresso Capsules holders for you. Both hold 40 capsules so just choose according to your preferation in the flat or round display. Prices from £25.00

Tavola Swiss Bamboo Round

Tavola Swiss Capstore Bamboo Flat

Tavola Swiss Capstore Swing

This steel stand holds 40 capsules (4X10). Prices from £25.00

Tavola Swiss Capstore Swing

Related posts:

1. Best Nespresso Capsules
2. Nescafé Dolce Gusto Capsules Roundup
3. Nespresso Capsules – Where to Buy

Please add your comments based on your experience as to the different blends offered by Nespresso.

You can also get more information about Nespresso Capsules on my Nespresso Capsules – Where to Buy post, or about Nespresso capsule holders.

Best Nespresso Capsules

• Ristretto - Strength 10/10, best for espresso or cappuccino
• Indriya - Strength 10/10, best for espresso or cappuccino
• Arpeggio - Strength 9/10, best for espresso or cappuccino
• Roma - Strength 8/10, best for espresso
• Fortissio Lungo - Strength 7/10, best for lungo
• Decaffeinato Inteso - Strength 7/10, best for espresso
• Livanto - Strength 6/10, best for espresso
• Rosabaya - Strength 6/10, best for espresso
• Capriccio - Strength 5/10, best for espresso
• Dulsão - Strength 5/10, best for espresso
• Volluto - Strength 4/10, best for espresso
• Vivalto Lungo – Strength 4/10, best for lungo
• Cosi - Strength 3/10, best for espresso
• Finezzo Lungo - Strength 3/10, best for lungo
• Decaffeinato Lungo - Strength 3/10, best for lungo
• Decaffeinato - Strength 2/10, best for espresso

Related posts:

1. Nescafé Dolce Gusto Capsules Roundup
2. Nespresso Coffee Machines Video Gallery
3. Nespresso Citiz – Krups VS. Magimix

Lavazza A Modo Mio

So what does Lavazza A Modo Mio offer the coffee enthusiast?

• A sharp looking coffee machine with a choice of classic colors such as black or white, and more outrageous ones like Extra Green, for as low as £99.95
• 7 espresso blends in capsules to give you the freedom to pick your favorite flavor!
• Easy one-click preparation of delicious espresso.
• Milk frothing nozzle, to prepare the perfect cappuccino.
• An adjustable dosing system to set the amount of coffee you like in your espresso (in the premium models).
• Coffee capsules are competitively priced at around £3.95 per 16 capsule pack. That about 25p per capsule!

Lavazza A Modo Mio Capsules

Lavazza A Modo Mio has 3 lines of coffee machines: A Modo Mio Extra, A Modo Mio Limited Edition, and A Modo Mio Premium. Only the latter is actually different with the adjustable dosing system to set the volume and temperature of each espresso dose. That would cost you an additional £40-£60.

Check out price comparisons and user reviews on the Lavazza A Modo Mio.

Lavazza A Modo Mio Coffee Machine Summary

• Lavazza A Modo Mio Capsules System Coffee Machine
• 1 Click Operation
• Milk Frother Nozzle
• 15 Bar Pressure
• Power Consumption: 1050W/230 V – 50Hz
• Package Weight: approx. 6.70KG
• Dimensions: 235x330x305 mm

Related posts:

1. Capsule System Coffee Machines
2. Best Nespresso Capsules
3. Francis Francis X7

Check them out:

Pickwick Big Set

Pickwick Gift Set

The Big Set includes:

• Senseo Pickwick tea pod holder (compatible with Philips Senseo Quadrante HD 7860)
• 60 x Pickwick tea pods (3 varieties with 20 pods each: Earl Grey, Tempting Red and Fruity Forest).

The Gift Set includes:

• Senseo Pickwick tea pod holder (compatible with Philips Senseo Quadrante HD 7860)
• 1 x Senseo Pickwick tea pod can
• 1 x Senseo Pickwick tea glass (200ml)
• 60 x Pickwick tea pods (3 varieties with 20 pods each: Earl Grey, Tempting Red and Fruity Forest).

Related posts:

1. Philips Senseo Quadrante HD7860 Coffee Machine Review
2. Philips to Acquire Saeco and Gaggia

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the new Senseo Quadrante HD7860 by Philips today. This is a brand new machine by Philips and it is being launched these days (Sept. 2009) in Europe and is available in major retail stores and online. So here is my review and initial impression of this slick very sharp looking coffee machine.

Senseo Quadrante

The Senseo Quadrante joins the Senseo Latte Select which was launched exactly one year ago – to the range of Senseo pod system coffee machines. The Quadrante has a very clean square shape design, and is currently sold in two colors – Black or white.

Philips Senseo Quadrante HD7860

Philips Senseo Latte Select HD7852

Senseo Pod System

For those who aren’t familiar with the Senseo pod system – It is a single serve coffee machine system that combines uniquely designed coffee pods which hold fresh ground coffee in pre-dosed filter packs with compatible coffee machines. The special pods are available in various flavors offered by Philips & Douwe Egberts. What’s nice about the Senseo pod system, is that unlike some capsule systems such as Nespresso or Tassimo, you are not restricted to only Douwe & Egberts products. So can actually buy empty pods designed for the Senseo system, and fill them with your favorite blend. However, most of us will be more than content with the wide range of coffee blends offered by Douwe & Egberts, including decaffeinated coffee, and even hot chocolate!

Senseo Pods

Senseo Quadrante First Impression

My first impression after taking the machine out of the box was – It is EASY! There is no assembling necessary. A simple and easy to follow flushing process to get the machine ready for brewing your first cup of coffee and I was ready. And this is all you have to do to make 1 or 2 cups of coffee in less than a minute:

• Fill the 1.2 Liter water tank with cold water. This will be enough for up to 8 cups so no need to do this every time. The tank tilts out and slides back in very naturally and easily.

• Turn the machine ON – You don’t need to worry about turning it off when you are done thanks to an automatic off feature which I really liked.

• Open the lid by pulling the lever up.

• Place your selected coffee pod in the pod holder – The pod holder will already be place in the center of the machine. If you want to prepare two cups at the same time, replace the single dose pod holder with the double dose pod holder, and place 2 pods instead of 1.

Senseo Quadrante Single Pod Holder

Senseo Quadrante Pod in Machine

• Lock the lid by pulling the lever back down till you hear the ‘click’.

• Place one or two cups in the cup tray – You can adjust the height of the tray to fit the cup you are using.

• Press the 1-cup or 2-cup button to brew 1 or 2 cups.

Philips Senseo Quadrante HD7860

That’s it! Now just watch the machine brew the perfect dose in to your cup/s. Don’t worry about stopping the brewing. Thanks to the auto-dose system, this process is completely automatic so all you have to do is dispose of the used pod once the beverage is ready.

Senseo Quadrante Video

I have made a short video that shows the brewing process:

Senseo Quadrante Summary

To summarize, I really liked the Quadrante and most importantly – The coffee was good. If you fancy espressos and lungos this is a very reasonable option to consider priced at £100. If your main beverage is cappuccino, then the Quadrante will not handle the milk frothing for you. For that you can use any of the available standalone automatic milk frothers, or go for the Senseo Latte Select.

A technical specification of the Philips Senseo Quadrante HD7860:

• Uses the patented Senseo coffee brewing system (pods)
• Power: 1,450 W; Voltage: 220-240 V
• 1.2 Liter water tank (8 cups)
• Auto-off 30 minute feature
• Brew volume (per cup): 120 ml
• Height adjustable drip tray
• Price: ~ £100

Related posts:

1. Philips Senseo Quadrante HD7860 Pickwick Tea Gift Set
2. Philips to Acquire Saeco and Gaggia
3. Caffitaly Nautilus Coffee Machine Review

Coffee Capsules

Capsule systems for making coffee are a newer method than the traditional coffee handle machines, and are well fitted for home or small office uses. They offer a simpler, cleaner way for producing quality espresso and other coffee and tea beverages. Essentially, capsules which contain premeasured amount of sealed ground coffee are inserted in the compatible capsule system machines. The machines then pierce the top part of the capsule to allow the water to flow through. Following that, hot water is forced through the capsule with high pressure, extracting the beverage to the cup. Each capsule is used once and then disposed of.

Several capsule systems exist in the market, and each of them has a unique capsule technology which means the capsules have a unique shape and structure. For each capsule system, a limited variety of coffee machine, that are compatible with the system’s unique capsules, are available. For example, a Magimix Nespresso M100 coffee machine is made by Magimix for the Nespresso capsule system. This coffee maker may be a very good one, but it will not be able to handle a capsule from the Caffitaly capsule system.

So capsules are sold in many shapes and flavors. You can buy them in stores, or online. I wanted to put together this article, to make some things a little clearer for those of you who are thinking about buying a coffee machine for your home. Here is a summary of some of the most popular capsule systems available:

Caffitaly System

Caffitaly System

The Caffitaly System (or Caffita System) is a capsule system for making espresso and other coffee, and tea drinks in home espresso machines designed for the Caffitaly system. The system was developed by the Italian company Gaggia. The Caffitaly capsule has two small filters. The coffee is extracted as the high pressure water passes through the grounded coffee and the filters in the capsule. Caffitaly capsules are found in the world though different manufacturers, which brand the capsules in a different ways, but the capsules are always the same.

Among the Gaggia coffee machines which use the Caffitaly system you can find the K111d Gaggia Caffitaly, L’Amante Gaggia Caffitaly and the new Nautilus.

Read in more detail about the Caffitaly system here…

Nespresso System

Magimix M100

The Nespresso System‘s capsules are made of pressed aluminum foil. The top and sides are made of a thick layer, and the base is covered with a thinner layer. After the top is pierced and the machine activated, pressurized hot water runs into the top of the capsule, which in turn causes the bottom of the capsule (thinner layer) to bow out, and finally be pierced by the machine. This way the brewed coffee can flow into the cup.

Among the popular coffee makers which use the Nespresso system are the Magimix Nespresso M100, Krups Le Cube and many more.

Read in more detail about the Nespresso system here…

Tassimo System

The Tassimo System’s capsules have drinks that include milk, such as cappuccino. The capsules are called T-Discs and have a bar code printed on their label. The Tassimo machine read the bar code to calculate the amount of water, brewing time, and temperature for the specific beverage. The brewing process takes between 30-60 seconds. Discs containing milk use UHT milk, not powdered milk.

The newer coffee makers which use the Tassimo system include the Bosch Tassimo TAS4011GB Multi-Beverage Machine and other models by Bosch.

Pod Systems

There are more capsule systems, like the Keurig system with it’s K-Cup portion cups, and even more pod systems. Pods are tightly packed filter bags filled with coffee grounds (sometimes called pads). These pods fit in special machines for their system, or on special adaptors fitted in traditional coffee handles, so you can place the pods instead of actual coffee grounds. One of these pod systems is the Senseo system that makes pods for coffee makers made by Philips and Douwe Egberts. Models that utilize this system include among others the Philips Senseo HD7816/50.

Philips Senseo 7816/50

I hope this gives you some useful information about the capsule systems available. Follow the links to get more information about the different systems, and the relevant coffee makers.

Related posts:

1. Magimix M200 vs. Krups xn4050 Nespresso Capsule System Coffee Machines Review
2. Magimix M100 vs. Krups Nespresso xn2001 Nespresso Capsule System Coffee Machines Review
3. Magimix Le Cube M220 vs. Krups xn5000 Le Cube Nespresso Capsule System Coffee Machines Review