The BEST THING Ever!

[decodelighted]

This sweet little baby has changed my life. I can't TELL you how much I am LOVING IT. But first -- a little story.

Hilariously, I've had this thing for over six years & never ever used it. I bought it as kitchen sculpture I swear. I just loved the LOOK - thought it was so super groovy. Also, I was craving a VW Bug when the first came out -- and this was my compromise with myself ... a candy-coated espresso-making sculpture.

When my DH moved in a year ago he started asking about it. He was all "But you *like* cappucinos & lattes ... how come you're not using it?" And I'm all "I don't have a frothing pitcher or little cups etc - and I don't have the special coffee pods that go in it". Well -- he takes this on as his project .. he doesn't even DRINK COFFEE (but is always good at brewing me some before I wake up - such a sweetie). Anyway - we were at the grocery & he found the elusive pods .. they were SO MUCH MONEY but he bought them anyway. Then we were at a kitchen store and he found the frothing pitcher & I found little cups ....AND that store actually had DISPLAY models of my exact machine ... so the owner gave us an in person demo/lesson.

And then I came home & looked up ratios for capp & lattes on the computer and VOILA ... I am the happiest girl EVER. I've been bribing myself to do icky chores with the promise of a Low Fat Double Capp!!! I made DH frothy hot chocolate with it!! I no longer brew six cups of coffee & drink two big mugs -- now I just have a morning cap & an afternoon (bribery) cap ... getting WAY more lowfat milk than I ever drank as I loathe drinking milk ... but this thick frothy cinnamon sprinkled goodness is more like DESSERT!

*SWOON*

I will say that I paid about 50% less than the current cost of these puppies for mine -- prices have really gone up lately, but there are other versions to choose from too. Just had to share with my pscope peeps.

 

[monarch64]

Deco, that is too darn cute. I can''t believe you''ve had it for like 6 years and never used it, wow! Although i do have various small kitchen appliances myself which have maybe been used once....

 

[CrownJewel]

aw Deco that was a cute story. I''m totally craving a cappuccino now.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Deco, I LOVE this thing!!! And I *especially* love that you USE it!

I once had a coffe/espresso/cappucino combo monster that took up my whole counter and I think I used the thing exactly one time. Perhaps two. And then I said, screw this, there's a Starbucks 20 feet outside my front door! Then my happy hubby got us this cool retro looking dualit percolator, which HE does use, but I just can't be bothered to pick the grinds out of my teeth after each cup of coffee, LOL

BTW, do you use the Illy pods because you like them the best or because they're the only ones that you can find? I like Illy coffee the best but since I only ever get coffee out I rarely have it.

 

[gail013]

Deco-

I have always loved the look of that machine. Have you ever tried to make coffee without the pods-I mean can you improvise and try to make your own pods somehow-that does seem very spendy! Also, is it messy to clean up if you do frothed milk?

 

[gail013]

Deco-

Now you have me hooked! Where did you find those darling cups?

 

[Mara]

deco that is sooo pretty!!

we have a little espresso machine that we use sometimes when guests are over and we are having dessert at home or something. greg has had it FOREVER! i used to have one but i gave it to an ex who used it more than me. greg has had his like 10 years! the funny thing is that we both prefer regular brewed coffee in the mornings so we only ever use the espresso machine at night and randomly then.

we have a pair of friends who got the $2k model at Williams Sonoma...absolute craziness!! greg was like 'for that it better wash the dishes too'...but they love it and i guess they use it every day. he's a total coffee fiend.

 

[decodelighted]

DEE*JAY: The Illy pods are the only ones I've seen locally here. (the country - ha!) I've seen them at one luxe grocery store and the cool kitchen boutique (Blue Cashew) that carried the machines themselves (a SHOCKER in this neck of the woods) and other accessories. We also bought a pot rack there -- I am so loving that store!

GAIL: I haven't tried grinding my own beans yet, but my machine did come with a different attachment dealie for that. I think it is less expensive to grind & tamp down little shots of coffee yourself but, honestly, I'm a spaz! I's skeeeerd of that. My baby sister has been moonlighting at a coffee bar in VA & promised to show me "advanced techniques" next time she comes for a visit. Maybe then I'll take the plunge. I may end up buying the pods in 10 box bulk from Illy online if my consumption keeps up. They're much less that way (I calculated .55 per espresso shot, .69 if you buy individual boxes ... as opposed to the .50 cents A DAY I spend now on 6 cups of Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla ... yes I AM that NERDY & THRIFTY to do the math ... hee)

Oh ... and the cups ... the were also at that cool kitchen store. I'd looked for some online & hadn't seen anything that tickled me. But these did! Just found those online somewhere to get the pix ... lemmie look for you. Here's the page ... never ordered from this place though. Maybe Froogle search for "Paula espresso cups"?? OOOOHHHH wait ... here they are at Macy's

 

[larussel03]

I LOVE it!! FI loves his cappucino and all that stuff, maybe I can convince him we need a cute coffee machine!

 

[decodelighted]

Here''s a pix of the cups ... these are espresso size ... i use my regular tea cups for cappucinos.

 

[gail013]

Thanks Deco

Were you originally a big coffee drinker then that converted to the espresso? I have been doing my version of a cappucino with regular coffee, and then whipping up lowfat milk with a frother I bought for $10 at the kitchen store, and I add no-cal flavor shots, and top the whole thing off with a sprinkle of cinnamon. But I love the idea of hot frothed milk and I really love the bright green machine. How cute is that?

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 2/1/2007 11:57:11 AM
Author: gail013
Were you originally a big coffee drinker then that converted to the espresso?

I''d say I''ve always been a coffee drinker but not a coffee "snob" ... not meant negatively -- I just can''t spell connoiseur

.

For instance ... I drink coffee every day ... I''m picky about the brand (cheesy Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla) ... I get into fads about creamers (Gingerbread Fat Free Coffee Mate has been a recent choice) ... only use Demerera or Raw sugars if I possibly can ... & have tried to dress things up in the past by microwaving some milk & making fauxcachinos. Also I love having coffee drinks when i''m out & often order caps at dessert time ... or lattes when shopping/doing errands etc.

BUT ... I don''t grind coffee beans ... get "fancy" coffees ... never even got that whipper thing you have ... and, most notably, have owned the coolest espresso maker on the face of the earth for several years and never USED THE DARN THING!

Now: I am obsessed!

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 2/1/2007 11:57:11 AM
Author: gail013
I really love the bright green machine. How cute is that?

Forgot to mention ... they come in TONS of amazing colors & STAINLESS ... I''ll try to get some more pix. I think their colors are limited editions though - at least that''s what the guy at the store told me. He asked me what color I had and then was all "Oooohhhh -- I think they stopped making that!" But the chartreuse green one is still on Illy''s site so ???. Maybe they have some left?? *shrug*

p.s. -- this orange one was the one I first noticed on the Will & Grace set, like 8 years ago. Am I the only one that shops off of sitcom sets?

 

[decodelighted]

And just for fun ICY PINK ... hey, they''re cheaper than B-Bags!

But they do take up more counter space ...

 

[gail013]

I want the shiny green one on the site. Very cool looking!

 

[Skippy123]

It looks way groooovy!