Aerocinno Plus Milk Frother

Posted on April 10, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

Aerocinno Plus Milk Frother

The Aerocinno Plus milk frother is a fantastic milk frother from Nespresso for those espresso based drinks and more for quick and easy milk heating and frothing.

Ease of Use/Performance: 4/5
Convenience/Storage 5/5
Appearance/Design 4/5
How much I enjoy 5/5

Total: 4.5/5

Aerocinno Plus Milk Frother

The Aerocinno Plus milk frother from Nespresso is a great companion to the Nespresso single serve espresso machine for great espresso based drinks. The Aerocinno Plus is an easy to use and simple cleanup machine for frothing with a separate pitcher and base that has the electric cord.

Frothers come in two general styles with a heating unit as part of the pitcher or a simple whisk to froth the milk that has been heated prior to frothing. The Aerocinno Plus is a full frother that heats the milk as well as froths but you can also simply heat up milk without frothing.

The Aerocinno Plus has a base with a quick connect to the bottom of the pitcher that has the heating element and magnetic connected frother inside. The pitcher is a smooth nonstick surface inside with a small dent that fits the frother or heating whisks while the plastic lid that fits well on the pitcher stores the other disc.

Aerocinno Plus Whats in the Box

The Aerocinno Plus has indicators for milk levels inside for both the froth and heat settings which are selected using the front power button. The frother and heating whisks simply pull off and on with simple magnetics that hold them in place on the lid and inside the pitcher.

The Aerocinno Plus has a single control for both heating and frothing with a simple push of the front button turning on the heater and the frother. If you hold the front button down for several seconds the frother will turn on and indicate a blue light instead of red and only froth the milk without heating it.

The frother takes about a minute to heat and froth milk which gets up to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit for a decent enough temperature even if the ideal for cappuccino and lattes is 160 degrees. To simply heat milk you use the smaller paddle bladed whisk while the round whisk with the spring is for frothing milk which does a great job.

Check out my video for the Aerocinno Plus here.

Great Cappuccino w/ Aerocinno Plus

The frother can almost double the milk when frothed but you still get milk in the pitcher for your drink but not just espresso based drinks. The frother can be used with espresso for latte and cappuccino drinks but I have had hot chocolate with frothed milk for that extra special touch.

The Aerocinno Plus is a fast frother and can be used easily in a sale or craft show for quickly making single drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. The only issue I would have is repeated use in a noncommercial appliance that might cause the frother to become overused too quickly if you make drink after drink.

Using this for a show or sale as a commercial machine may be asking a bit much but for smaller events the machine would probably be no problem as long as you did not have to use it constantly. A little cooling off period between drinks would be best but the Aerocinno Plus would probably work well for a smaller event or venue.

Inside the Aerocinno Plus

I highly recommend the Aerocinno Plus as a great frother for espresso drinks and more and it would work well for smaller venues or shows for individual drinks.

Aeroccino Plus @ Nespresso

Aeroccino Plus @ Amazon.com

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Nespresso U Single Serve Espresso Machine

Posted on April 8, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

Shot of Espresso with the Nespresso U Single Serve Espresso Machine

The Nespresso U is a single serve espresso machine that uses aluminum capsules to pull the perfect shot of espresso every time with capsules available from Nespresso and other high end coffee distributors.

Shot of Espresso with the Nespresso U

Ease of Use, Performance:  4/5
Look & Feel:  5/5
Features  5/5
How much I enjoy 5/5

Recommendation:  5/5 Stars

The Nespresso U is a single serve espresso machine that uses aluminum capsules to brew the perfect espresso for at home use but this handy machine makes perfect espresso every time for more than just espresso drinks. The Nespresso U makes excellent espresso that is nearly identical every time so for recipes and baked goods beyond espresso based rinks this is an excellent machine.

Shot of Espresso with the Nespresso U

For use in baking for sales the Nespresso U makes an excellent choice with its capsules so that your recipe can be uniform batch to batch for great baking and cooking with espresso. From Tiramisu to cookies and anything requiring real shots of espresso the Nespresso U can make baking and cooking with espresso a real treat because fo the simplicity of the machine and its repeatable flavor from shot to shot.

The Nespresso U has a larger water tank that fits nicely on the machine and is adjustable for a varied countertop appliance so it fits nicely into corners of your counter but the main feature of the Nespresso U is that it is automatic. Simply drop a capsule of your choice intot the top and slide the door closed to pulla shot of espresso with the used capsule dropping into the tray for easy disposal.

The used capsule tray holds up t ten capsules so you can repeat the espresso shots several times before having to worry about taking care of the machine itself and concentrate on your recipes. The only real downside of the Nespresso U is the cost with capsules from the Nespresso Club costing about 74 cents each and other places like Amazon and even other distributors costing more.

Shot of Espresso Nespresso U Whats in the Box

The Nespresso U would be quite capable to serve espresso to customers as long as you did allow it a bit of time to rest every so often, it is not a restaurant quality machine but Nespresso does sell those as well. I think the Nespresso U would be just fine at smaller venues to sell espressos to customers but be careful, you may find that your selling more than you expected with the flavorful espresso.

 

Check out my video of the Nespresso U here.

Nespresso offers a wide variety of flavors in their capsules with both short, medium and long or lungo shots and capsules form mild to intense flavors along with limited edition flavors available twice a year. The capsules come in packs of ten and through the Nespresso Club you are required to order at least fifty capsules but they do have the lowest cost per capsule that I could find for sale.

The Nespresso U comes alone or as a set with the Aerocinno Plus frother for a great set for both at home enjoyment and for those craft shows and bake sales for baked goods and other treats. The Nespresso U is a great single serve espresso machine and worth a look for at home use or for use in baking and cooking for those sales where you want excellent espresso with the consistency needed for baked goods.

I highly recommend the Nespresso U for an shot of espresso using a simple machine, check out my full review of the Aerocinno Plus which is also a great purchase.

Nespresso U @ Jeffs Reviews

Nespresso website

Nespresso U @ Amazon

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GoSmart Stylus 200 & 300 Series

Posted on March 29, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

GoSmart Stylus 200 & 300 Series

The GoSmart stylus is an unusual but well-designed stylus with a target tip that is Teflon coated to protect your tablet screen but the unique open design tip is where the GoSmart sets itself apart.

Ease of Use, Performance:  5/5
Look & Feel:  4/5
Features: 5/5
How much I enjoy:  5/5

Recommendation:  5/5 Stars

200300seriesstylus

The GoSmart stylus for both the 200 and 300 series are uniquely designed stylus that include an aluminum body with or without magnets to attach to your tablet or other metal surfaces but the tip is what really makes these different. The GoSmart stylus have a unique metal tip that is Teflon coated to protect your screen and is a circle and crosshair design for easily seeing where the exact tip rests on your tablet.

GoSmart 200 & 300 Series Stylus

The crosshair design means you see exactly where the tip of your stylus is at any moment instead of those big fat foam rubber tips that are not as precise for typing and other uses such as drawing and image editing. The tip is on a spring that inserts into the front of the stylus body for an easily replaceable tip that is also available from GoSmart for about $7 while the 200 and 300 series stylus cost about $24 without magnets and $25 with magnets.

The 200 series GoSmart stylus have a plain round body with a plastic colored cap while the 300 series is a tapered body with a rocket fin rubber cap that is also available in a small variety of colors. The caps come in blue, white, red and black while the aluminum body of both series have a nicely textured body for a smooth but comfortable grip on your stylus while using it.

The embedded magnets on the two stylus I received for review are handy for connecting to the side magnets on the iPad tablets to hold the pen or to stick them to steel surfaces like the side of a computer case. I can keep my stylus in handy reach at my desk on the side of the case while the 200 series has the clip on the cap for easy use to clip the stylus on a cover or a pocket.

The 300 series is more of a cute design but if you’re not worried about needing a clip the rocket design is a fun way to approach a stylus but both stylus work equally as well which is fantastic. The tip with its open design allows you to see more of your screen and ensure you are precise when using the stylus which works extremely well for all uses but especially for image editing and drawing.

Tip & Magnet Detail

The Teflon coating ensures you don’t scratch your screen but the GoSmart website does advise using a screen protector to prevent fine scratches which is a good idea to protect your investment. I had no problems using a variety of drawing, sketch and image editing programs like the new Adobe Photoshop Touch tablet image editing program as the stylus worked smoothly but precision is where the main difference can be seen.

Seeing exactly where the tip of the stylus is touching the screen makes image editing and drawing a real ease on your tablet using the precise GoSmart stylus tip design which is easily half the size as traditional foam rubber tips. I highly recommend the GoSmart stylus for precise touch screen use while the 200 or 300 series style is more a personal choice for a professional or a more fun style.

GoSmart Website

GoSmart @ Amazon

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Bialetti I Caffe d Italia Mini Express Single Cup Espresso Machine

Posted on March 18, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

Bialetti I Caffe d Italia Mini Express Single Cup Espresso Machine

The Caffe dItalia Espresso System from Bialetti is a new single serve capsule espresso machine that serves up authentic espresso that tastes great but variety is lacking. The BIaletti Mini Express Single Serve would make a great home espresso machine for recipes as it is a quick and simple o use machine. The capsules are inexpensive relatively and are now available at Bed Bath & Beyond’s website so you can order them to keep on hand for both recipes like Tiramisu or Espresso Pound Cake as well as enjoying your favorite espresso drinks. The machine works quickly so using at a show to serve espresso would work as long as it is a smaller show because repeated use like a hundred or so shots one after the other might be a bit rough on any type of home appliance.

Espresso Machine Bialetti I Caffe dItalia Espresso System

Ease of Use/Performance: 4/5
Convenience/Storage 5/5
Appearance/Design 5/5
How much I enjoy 4/5
Total: 4/5

 

The Bialetti I Caffe dItalia Espresso System is a great espresso machine that makes espresso from capsules that are unique to Bialetti. The espresso machine comes with the compact pump designed system with a side water tank and pullout tray that collects the empty capsules and drips.

The machine from a retailer will comes with a small variety pack of 10 capsules with the new machine but this may not be enough to see which on you like. The capsules and espresso machine are starting to be available at websites such as Amazon and Bed Bath & Beyond as well as the Bialetti shopping website but not in local stores as yet.

Espresso Machine Parts of the Bialetti I Caffe dItalia

The Bialetti Espresso System uses a 20 bar pump to push the water through the capsules but the machine is a mechanical ejection with the top handle that moves the capsule into position when you close it. When you open it again to put the next capsule in the current capsule falls into the tray which is also an empty capsule container.

The Bialetti I Caffe dItalia has a rear power switch that turns the heater on and the front push button switch starts and stops brewing. When you have placed a capsule in the top capsule spot and have heated the machine you simply place a cup on the tray and push the small espresso cup indicator to start the brewing and again to stop the extraction.

I would consider the Bialetti single serve espresso machine a manual one because you have to manually insert and eject the capsules as well as manually start and stop the brewing process. To clean the machine you can add some scale remover to the tank and run this through the machine then rinse out well with the same brewing process without a capsule installed.

The capsule system works well and it’s very easy to put capsules into as well as ejecting them into the tray and the system is quick with only a minute or two to go from off to heated and steamy cup of espresso. The espresso is great with a very good amount of crema and flavor for all the varieties they have available but the choice of only 5 capsules is a bit limiting.

Capsule Lever and Capsule

The decaf or Italian Deca is a medium roast while the other four available capsules are a light roast called Milano, mild roast called Venezia, medium roast called Roma and a dark roast called Napoli. I prefer the Roma as the dark roast is a bit too bitter for me but the light roasts are also very good but more variety would be nice.

The variety is a bit of a disappointment and I am hoping that Bialetti will come out with more of a variety like Nespresso has as well as a possibility for refillable capsules. The capsules for the Bialetti I Caffe dItalia are available from Bialetti and Bed Bath & Beyond for 75 cents and 62 cents per capsule respectively.

This is a pretty good price per cup of espresso when you compare it to the other espresso machines that use capsules like Nespresso which I have found cost at least 75 cents per capsule. Comparing to the Nespresso for taste is also not very fair when you consider that Nespresso has a couple dozen flavors of capsules while Bialetti only has five currently.

The Bialetti I Caffe dItalia is a great machine and as easy to use as the current Nespresso manual machine and costs about the same for the machine which is $150. The capsules are where you save money and the Bialetti espresso machine can make a better machine for the home with a savings of at least 10 cents per espresso capsule.

Brewing an Espresso

While 10 cents may not seem like much over time it could change your mind when comparing the cost for 30 cents per day for three espressos a day means saving about $100 a year. This can be a significant savings if you have frequent espressos and the Bialetti machine does a great job of giving you one after the other of great tasting espresso.

I had no problems taking the machine to a hotel during a conference and using this for a few days and brewing eight shots in a row before checking out of my hotel room. I wanted to have a few shots of espresso for the trip home and ran eight espressos one after the other to put into a small thermos and had no problems.

The Bialetti single serve espresso machine does work well and the only thing holding me back from making a top rating is the lack of variety for capsules which I hope Bialetti will solve soon. I highly recommend the Bialetti I Caffe dItalia as a great single serve espresso machine but you are limited to the current five capsule choices at the time of this review.

I Caffe dItalia @ Bialetti

I Caffe dItalia @ Amazon

I Caffe dItalia Capsules @ Bed Bath & Beyond

I Caffe dItalia @ Cerini Coffee & Gifts

Posted in Espresso and Espresso Machines | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Demarle Silpat Entremet Silicone Baking Pan

Posted on March 15, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

Demarle Silpat Entremet Silicone Baking Pan

The Silpat Entremet is a silicone baking pan that has revolutionized the baking industry according to chefs because it simply makes baking and handling sheet goods quicker and easier.

Ease of Use/Performance: 5/5
Convenience/Storage 5/5
Appearance/Design 5/5
How much I enjoy 5/5

Total: 5/5

Demarle Silpat Entremet Baking Pan

I was beginning the review for the Demarle Silpat Entremet and I came across an interesting quote about the Silpat Entremet saying it has revolutionized baking for chefs and other professionals. While this may be overstating the fact that it is just a pan it does make baking much easier and with simple cleanup that it can secure its place in many kitchens.

The Silpat Entremet is made by Demarle, a French company that has made baking and cooking products since 1965 and has a new take on the traditional baking sheet for cakes and other goodies. The Demarle Silpat Entremet is a silicone baking pan that uses food grade silicone for its superior nonstick cooking and high temperature resistance.

Entremet Baking Pan Top & Bottom

The shiny cooking side allows for almost nonstick cooking but a thin layer of cake or other baked goods will stick to it but no cooking spray or greasing is necessary. The Entremet Pan is 10 by 13.8 inches so it fits on any regular sized cookie sheet and has .8 inch high sides for baking sheet cakes and other desserts.

The molded design allows for flexibility when removing your cakes and other goods so using the Entremet for baking is far superior to non-flexible cake sheets and pans. The flexible nature of the silicone allows you to bake with the pan on a cookie sheet for the rigidity needed for cooking while removing and working with the baked good is easier with the flexible silicone pan.

The Entremet pan allows home cooks to use the same professional quality tools that are used by chefs to make your own desserts and goodies. While the pan may not seem like the biggest thing to hit your kitchen it does make a convincing argument to have a variety of pans and other cooking gadgets in the kitchen for things like cakes, brownies and much more.

Brownies in the Entremet Baking Pan

A main feature is the quick cleanup where the pan does not have much stuck to it after baking even if you over cook your baked goods. The silicone pan will have a thin layer of crumbs or baked goods attached to it but this is easily wiped out and cleaned off using mild soapy water.

I did not find any instructions that say the Entremet is not dishwasher safe but it is also not mentioned in the included instructions that it is so a simple washing in the sink is what I would do. Cleanup is easy and those corners are easy to clean out with the flexible silicone but storage is also easy with the foldable and flexible pan.

You can store the silicone pan with your other cookie sheets and the flexible design allows you to fold the pan for storing in drawers that would not fit the pan full sized. Easy cleanup and storage makes for some good features but handling those large baked goods as sheets is where the Entremet excels.

Dealing with a full sized sheet of cake and flipping it over while still getting it out of the pan in one piece is fantastic for both cake type baking and thicker recipes like brownies. The Entremet makes handling and working with sheet goods so much easier than rigid pans which is why chefs are praising the newer pans from Demarle.

Baking a Sponge Cake

I have used the Entremet for cakes creating layered desserts that not only look good but taste great as well as other more traditional home recipes like brownies. The Entremet is great for easy cleanup as well as easily getting the baked goods out of the pan but for some desserts like layered cakes and lady fingers the entremets really is fantastic.

I have worked on desserts like Tiramisu using Lady Fingers which is actually a sponge cake and used them in various desserts like Strawberry Shortcake. The Entremet pan makes handling the finished baked goods so much easier when trying to remove the layered cake from the pan that it has become a staple in my baking.

I highly recommend the Demarle Silpat Entremet as a must have baking and cooking pan that will surely revolutionize your own cooing. The Demarle Silpat Entremet is available at many cooking and baking sites as well as Amazon for about $55 for the 10 by 13 inch pan.

Demarle USA Website

Silpat Entremet @ Amazon

Pastry Chef working with Silpat Entremet

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Bowdabra Hair Bow Tool & how to make bows

Posted on March 14, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

 How to Make Bows using the Bowdabra Hair Bow Tool

The Bowdabra is a unique bow and crafting tool that helps crafters in how to make bows and other craft decorations for hair pieces, gift decorations and so much more.

How to Make Bows using the Bowdabra Hair Bow Tool

Using the Bowdabra is easy and you can find out more about this simple crafting tool from my article about it here and at the Bowdabra website for more on how to make bows.

The Bowdabra Mini is a smaller version of the larger tool that is handy for smaller projects like bows for small gifts, hair pieces and even table arrangements. The Bowdabra Mini has short two inch upright posts that hold your material so that working with multiple pieces is easy.

Creating projects like a bow for your pet’s collar is easy and the hair bow tool makes this work even easier for near perfect sized bow ends. The Bowdabra works with spring pressure on the two upright posts or blades of the tool pressing toward the center where your material is held in place.

Whats in the Box Bowdabra Hair Bow Tool

You first put a wire to tie off your project along the groove in the middle of the posts opposite the material slot and push your material into the middle slot. You can use the included tool or wand to scrunch the material down and use the wire to tie of your project when you’re done pushing material down.

The Hair Bow Tool lies flat on the base of the tool over the two posts to give you an accurate ruler guide all across the surface you’re working on so you can easily measure loops or ends of material. The Hair Bow Tool is simply a large guide that fits over the Bowdabra Mini and has both metric and standard measurements to guide your crafting.

The guide has measurements along the middle and on both ends as well as on both sides of the plate so you have plenty of ruler guides to use. The tool is a handy way to measure out the loops or ends of a bow or other projects and makes perfect bows that look professionally made.

How to Make Bows Using the Hair Bow Tool

The included CD contains an interactive e-Book that guides you through using the tool, how to make over 70 different bows and a few other useful tips for the Hair Bow Tool and the Bowdabra and Mini Bowdabra. The Hair Bow Tool is only for use on the Mini Bowdabra so you need the shorter crafting tool for this very useful accessory.

The Bowdabra Mini Tool and the Hair Bow Tool make a great crafters set for creating professional looking projects like hair bows, pet accessories, table decorations and of course gift decorations. The Bowdabra, Mini Bowdabra and Hair Bow Tool is available at local craft and other stores like Wal-Mart or form their website for only $13.

Cute Bow on Struggling Cat

Bowdabra Website

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Golden Digital Grounds

Posted on March 14, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

Golden Digital Grounds

Golden Digital Grounds are a medium for coating a material then printing on the material using an ink-jet printer for a unique and different way to create art and broaden your creative horizons.

Ease of Use, Performance: 20/25
Look & Feel: 24/25
Features 24/25
How much I enjoy 24/25

Total: 92/100

golden digital grounds sml

Golden is a professional art supply company specializing in artist colors including acrylic paints and a wide range of gesso’s and other painting products for artists. Golden has been in the artist supply business as a company since 1980 but has a history going back to 1950.

Sam Golden created some of the first acrylic paints including a product called Aquatec and continued to produce fine acrylic paints for years. After a brief attempt at retirement he continued creating artists paints and now the company sells a wide range of paints and mediums.

Golden Digital Grounds are a paintable medium that covers porous and nonporous surfaces for ink-jet printing using either the Non Porous, Gloss or White(matte). The mediums cover the material but you will have to use the correct medium according to the surface you want to print on as well as ensure a complete coverage using two or more coats.

Golden Digital Grounds work with thin materials like paper, fabrics, foils and very thin woods but it needs to be thin enough to run through your printer. Examples I could think of or found on the internet are fabric like silks and canvas, watercolor paper, rice paper, leather and wallpaper.

Your imagination is about the limit but you have to be able to fit the material and the backing paper if needed through your printer. When you decide to start experimenting with a Golden Digital Ground you need to take a good look at your printer and how the paper feeds through it as well as the general design of the printer.

The Golden website has a great explanation for all this on their website in a product information sheet and instructions but the main points you need to worry about is a feed from the back ink jet printer and flatness. Your printer needs to allow your material to feed through the printer as easily as possible and this mainly means a printer that feeds the paper from the back or top and not the front.

If the paper has to be fed from the front and go around a roller that is about an inch in diameter this means your paper or material is turning a pretty tight corner. For some things like a rice paper or other paper like material this may not be a problem but for most things, especially anything you tape to a carrier sheet it may not work.

I found several models of Epson, Canon and HP printers that feed from the back and would work well for this use, my Epson Stylus Photo R280 worked just fine. Other models that feed from the back or through the top would probably work well but I would not even try any that have a front feed or turn sharp corner using rollers.

Once you have your printer and Digital Grounds you need to choose an appropriate material and this is where the fun and imagination can take place. I used a couple of different cloths and fabrics, paper that worked well and also tried a thin sheet of balsa wood that did not work.

Mainly if the material can travel through the printer it probably will print on but for things that get thicker than about 1/32 on an inch it may not feed. You can find birch sheets in 1/64 inch thick pieces at hobby stores and craft stores which may go through your printer.

The balsa wood I tried did not make it through, the printer actually stopped the balsa wood but the paper carrier did start to make it through. Other materials are simple to just tape down to a plain piece of paper around the edges then paint a couple times with the Digital Ground.

All you need to do for taping is ensure the tape in on the three sides you are feeding into the printer so the head does not catch on edges as it prints. Once on a carrier piece of paper you simply paint side to side and let dry then paint top to bottom to ensure complete coverage.

Printing is as simple as printing a regular photo or image from your computer or printer and using the common glossy or premium paper settings for the best image you can get on your new material. I had great results on canvas and fabrics but for common canvas it may be cheaper to just purchase the print on canvas you can buy.

I saw a demonstration of the Golden Digital Grounds by a representative of Golden at an art store, which is how I found out about the product. She printed on wall paper, several different papers like rice paper and specialty papers used for calligraphy as well as fabrics.

You can use the Golden Digital Grounds for a wide range of crafts and photography projects and even scrapbooking and photo albums. Printing on a variety of surfaces and creating a unique set of pictures like a wedding or graduation collage would be one idea and there are so many different things that this really does make your imagination the only limit.

Printing on aluminum foil and a canvas as well as a nice paper and a regular glossy printer paper would make a fantastic collage for a wedding, family portrait or graduation set. There really is no limits but your imagination for printing on a wide variety of mediums and Golden allows you the chance with Digital Grounds.

You can find the Golden Digital Grounds at some art supply stores in 8, 16, 32 and 128 ounce bottles as well as a kit with two or three of the varieties. To give an idea of price I found the Digital Grounds kit of three 2 ounce bottles and two Gel topcoats for finishing your project at a local art supply store called ArtMaterials for $27.

An 8 ounce bottle costs about $17 for any of the three types and can be found at local and internet stores as well as the Golden website. Golden has a great variety of ideas and instructions so check out the Golden website for more information, dealer locations near you of the Digital Grounds products and more.

Golden Digital Grounds Webpage

Digital Grounds Information Sheet

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Capresso Coffee a la Carte Coffee and Tea Maker

Posted on March 14, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

Capresso Coffee a la Carte Coffee Maker and Tea Maker

The Capresso Coffee a la Carte is a handy cup or carafe coffee maker and tea maker that includes a quick heat and pump brew system that makes great coffee and tea by the cup of carafe.

Capresso Coffee a la Carte Coffee and Team Maker

Ease of Use/Performance: 4/5
Convenience/Storage 5/5
Appearance/Design 5/5
How much I enjoy 5/5

Total: 5/5

The Capresso Coffee a la Cart Cup-to-Carafe Coffee and Tea Maker is a fantastic coffee maker and tea maker that includes the quick heat and pump system for faster brewing. The Capresso a la Carte comes with the coffee maker, removable water reservoir,  brewing unit, glass carafe, two filter assemblies, drip tray and a scoop along with the instructions.

Whats in the Box Coffee a la Carte

The Capresso Coffee a la Carte has a unique filter assembly that is different for tea and coffee with the pull out brewing unit that has the filters snap into the bottom. The brewing unit has a rubber sealed tube that passes the water through the unit and into the brewing filter then down into the glass carafe or the cup.

The brewing unit has a shower head that pushes upward with spring pressure so that the shower head can be used to tamp down coffee grounds. The coffee filter has no tabs inside that allow the shower head to push the coffee grounds for tamping them while the tea filter does not tamp the leaves.

The tea filter will push the water dispenser upward so the tea leaves or whatever you’re using for tea is not tamped down for better brewing of tea. The brewing unit has two clips that attach the filters to the brewing unit so you have two distinct brewing methods depending on the filter attached.

a la Carte for Carafe

The glass carafe fits into the coffee maker with a switch to make sure the brewer does not brew without either the carafe or the drip tray in place. The drip tray allows you to place cups under the brewing unit but taller mugs will not fit very well, you can remove the stainless steel plate for some extra room.

Using a varied amount of coffee grounds or tea leaves you can change the strength of your brew which is pretty much the same for any drip coffee makers but the tamping and quick brew makes a difference. The Coffee a la Carte uses a fast heating system and the pump passes water through the brewing unit quickly for coffee and tea.

Check out my video of the Capresso Coffee a la Carte here.

The Capresso Coffee a la Carte makes some great coffee and tea and with the tea making ability really makes this brewing unit a fantastic deal. The filters, carafe and drip tray are all dishwasher safe for easy cleanup but the brewer unit should be cleaned up in the sink.

The brewing unit is easy to rinse off and can be scrubbed but should not be washed in the dishwasher due to the internal workings of the unit. The removable water reservoir holds up to 52 ounces of water but removes from the coffee maker for easy filling.Brewing a Cup Capresso Coffee Maker

I have been using the Coffee a la Carte for my daily fix and it works great for all the uses and ways to make both coffee and tea. The Coffee a la Carte makes great coffee and can even make really strong coffee that makes a serviceable replacement for espresso in drinks like latte’s and cappuccinos.

The fantastic feature of being able to brew both coffee and tea for both cups and a full carafe means you can brew teas for those pitchers of refreshing iced tea. In the summer I drink more iced drinks such as iced tea and with the Capresso Coffee a la Carte I can easily make pitchers of tea and coffee with the same machine.

The handy feature of being able to make tea without using tea bags in a coffee machine really means this machine a dual purpose one for all kinds of tea varieties. I can use all sorts of loose leaf teas which I much prefer over bags with the Coffee a la Carte as well as good coffee which is the best feature.

Brewing a Pot in the Capresso Coffee Maker

The Capresso Coffee a la Carte makes great coffee and tea for a machine that really is a fantastic appliance for both coffee and tea. Whether you’re a coffee or tea fanatic I highly recommend the Capresso Coffee a la Carte Coffee and Tea Maker for the best of both worlds in one machine.

 

Coffee a la Carte @ Capresso

Coffee a la Carte @ Amazon

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Dymo Rhino 4200 Label Printer for Labeling

Posted on March 9, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

 Dymo Rhino 4200 Industrial Label Printer for Labeling

The Dymo Rhino 4200 is an industrial quality label printer for professional quality labeling using nylon and polyester labels along with specialty printing on heat shrink tubing. This would make an excellent label printer for craft shows and vendors for both at home labeling of craft items and inventory control as well as at shows to quickly create labels while selling.

dymorhino4200

Ease of Use/Performance: 5/5
Convenience/Storage 5/5
Appearance/Design 5/5

How much I enjoy 4/5

recommendation: 4/5

The Dymo Rhino line of printers is the professional quality labeling printers from a leader in handheld printing that prints on nylon and polyester tapes as well as heat shrink tubing. The Dymo Rhino is your professional quality industrial printer for labeling that uses specialty tapes along with heat shrink tubing for quality labels.

Whats in the Box Dymo Rhino 4200

The Dymo Rhino 4200 has a full QWERTY keyboard along with quite a few specialty keys on the front with a line of keys for labeling circuit breakers, cables, bar codes and varying the printing alignment. The Rhino 4200 prints on 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch, and 3/4 inch labels but they need to be the Rhino specialty cartridges or heat shrink cartridges.

 

The labeling printer has a Favorites and symbols library along with quite a few specialty functions that allow for easy and quick creation of labels for a wide variety of applications. The Rhino 4200 has rubber bumpers for protection and runs on six AA batteries or you can purchase a lithium Ion battery pack as well as an AC power adapter for your Rhino printer.

The various labels in both polyester and nylon allow for permanent printing for a wide variety of applications like labeling circuit breakers or other home building applications. You can print on heat shrink tubing and multi lined tags for easier cable identification in industrial or even home use for networks or telephone lines.

Rhino Cartridge Install

Bar code printing makes for a convenient way to quickly print bar codes for inventory or point of sale use in both Code 39 and Code 128 systems. The printer is quite handy for all kinds of uses and works well for the quick trials I put it through at home but the cartridges are a bit more expensive than paper label cartridges.

The regular nylon and polyester tape costs about $15 to $22 while the heat shrink tubes cost about $27 to $35 not including shipping costs from CableOrganizer.com. I received the Dymo Rhino 4200 from Cable Organizer and their prices are the same as I could find anywhere for both the printer and cartridges with low shipping costs at about $2 for the first cartridge and a little more per item to ship.

I really like the Cable Organizer website and shopping cart system that includes a quick shipping calculator on your items pop up cart as well as their shipping rates that are not inflated. CableOrganizer.com only adds a smaller additional fee for each additional item shipped and does not as some sites often do double the price of shipping for each additional item.

Rhino 4200 Battery Compartment

Too often when looking up shipping costs online sites charge an outrageous price for small items and often negate the lower cost of the items you can find online. CableOragnier.com has a nice online sales system and up front tells you how much shipping is when adding items to your cart for easy purchase decisions.

The Dymo Rhino 4200 industrial thermal printer does work well for both around the home use labeling recipe bottles and network cables, bins for parts and even those toy cubbies for kids. The labels are waterproof and tough with both the polyester and nylon tape being made for industrial applications so they won’t wear quickly like paper labels will.

Dymo Rhino Labeling

The printer is quick and easy to use with its full QWERTY keyboard that also has the full set of number keys and the labeling types are clearly listed on special keys. The Dymo Rhino is a great all around label printer that is handy for both around the home and workshop labeling as well as industrial use.

I have found the Rhino 4200 and some cartridges locally at office supply stores and home improvement stores but for the specialty heat shrink tubing you are probably going to have to order it. The Rhino line is a newer line of label printers and supplies for it will be limited at stores until it has been out for a while so ordering cartridges will probably be necessary.

I highly recommend the Dymo Rhino 4200 as an all around label printer that comes in handy for a wide variety of uses at home and work and is available at CableOrganizer.com.

Rhino 4200 @ CableOrganizer.com

Rhino 4200 @ Dymo

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Mr Coffee Cafe Latte

Posted on March 6, 2013 by jeff gedgaud

Mr Coffee Cafe Latte

The Mr Coffee Cafe Latte makes great tasting latte’s with an easy all in one machine that brews strong coffee and whips the milk to a froth as the coffee is drip brewing into the pitcher. The Cafe Latte would be nice for home use but not for use at a trade show or craft show unless it was a smaller one. You could only brew a couple of lattes or hot chocolates at a time and it takes a few minutes even though it is nice.

mrcoffeecafelatte

Ease of Use/Performance: 4/5
Convenience/Storage 4/5
Appearance/Design 4/5
How much I enjoy 5/5

Total: 4/5

The Mr Coffee Cafe Latte does a great job of making a quick latte using regular milk and coffee in one machine that is easy to use and clean. The Cafe Latte has a coffee brewing system that drips into the pitcher which has a frother motor and attachment built in.

The Mr Coffee Cafe Latte comes with the machine that includes the pitcher, pitcher lid, basket and instructions along with a couple of 4 cup coffee filters. The Cafe Latte makes a great latte or you can make other hot drinks like hot chocolate with the pitcher in the froth & heat mode.

Whats in the Box Cafe Latte

The Cafe Latte maker has the pitcher which includes a heating element in the base of the glass pitcher along with the frother pitcher lid that has a motor in the lid assembly. The brewing area has a small brew basket that holds the 4 cup paper filter but you can also use a metal mesh filter basket which is sold separately.

To make a latte you put three or four tablespoons of ground coffee in the basket for a single latte or six to eight for two lattes and fill the water reservoir with the appropriate amount of water. The reservoir has a white bar with indicators for water level while the pitcher has marks on it for indications for milk or water level.

Fill the pitcher with 2% milk and any other ingredients you like such as sugar or syrup, twist the top on the pitcher which locks into place. Place the pitcher on the base and ensure the latte/froth only switch is in the latte position to brew the coffee as well as froth the milk.

Working Parts of Cafe Latte

The brewer takes about three and a half minutes to brew the coffee and to froth and heat the milk which is pretty quick for a great tasting latte. The brewing does not make real espresso but strong coffee which works well for a simple machine but this does not make a true latte that uses espresso.

You can make hot chocolate or other hot drinks like instant chai tea or instant cappuccino using water or milk and a powdered mix. The frother has the wire whisk type frothing end and mixes well while the heating element in the base of the pitcher heats the milk or water to make a great hot drink.

I have made several different kinds of hot chocolate and hot drinks with great tasting results that is also easy to clean up. The pitcher and the lid need to be hand washed in the sink but with a little soap and water along with a foam bottle brush you can quickly wash out the pitcher and lid.

Making Hot Chocolate

The Mr Coffee Cafe Latte makes a great latte even if it is not a true latte made from espresso or real steamed milk but you can also try other drinks. The recipe guide that comes with the maker contains several recipes ideas for lattes and even some lattes made with teas.

The Mr Coffee Café Latte works well and with its simple to use and easy cleanup I find I really like using it for great drinks whether a nightly treat or a morning pick me up. I highly recommend the Mr Coffee Cafe Latte for an easy to use and simple machine for lattes and other hot drinks that costs about $80.

Cafe Latte @ Mr Coffee

Cafe Latte @ Amazon

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