Post by MistayaI have seen an espresso maker in Woolworths, (their own brand)
for £40
reduced from £80.
Has anyone got any comments to make about the quality of the
machine
and the
coffee it makes?
OK ..picked one of these up, (the Woolworth's Elevation), last
29 June 2004, as a 'sale' item for 29.99gbp in our local Woolies
store... :))
The immediately attractive thing, (knowing nothing about espresso)
was the 'cup warmer' plate. Additionally, the weight, fit and
finish of the machine just exuded a certain, indefinable, 'quality'.
What else, in the evening of that auspicious date? Ah yes..
discovering The Alties for the first time.. ;)) ..since then,
almost a year a half later, no looking back ..the experience is
and remains increasingly enjoyable.
First impressions of the 'Elevation', (as remembered from that
time):
Constructed in a heavy-weight stainless/chromed steel with
tight fitting and well-molded plastic bits (top and base).
All fixtures and fittings seem very well engineered with all
parts locking well together and exuding an air of surprising
quality, almost regardless of price!
There is a removeable 1.2 litre water tank, with bottom valve
that has now stood the test of daily insertion without any
ensuing drips.
The weight of the machine, (around 12 kilo or so), makes an
impression as a hefty piece of stable kit - note that it is a
two handed (and armed) move if attempting to shuffle the beast
around a kitchen work surface.
The group has the expected seal and stainless screen held by
a single central screw. The screen is easy to remove and
equally as easy to brush and clean in situ. Removing the
water tank and tipping the machine sideways to help with more
major cleaning doesn't reveal any untoward leaks or dribbles
- (of course, remove the power connection first)..
The pf - with two provided stainless pressure baskets of which
one is a double - and holding 14/18 grammes of espresso ground
coffee ..the other being a single 'stepped' which will hold
either 7/9 grammes or an individual 'pod' of pre-prepared grounds.
The base pf itself is aluminium - bit much to hope for chromed
marine brass in such a value machine! However, I suspect it
works as well as any other, up to Gaggia's Cubika or similar...
Using a 15 bar thermoblock, there is a manually operated
three-way valve, turning one way for espresso, the other
temporarily increasing the heat for a more than adequate
'dry' jet of powerful steam from the steam wand.
(Beware spare fingers - the jet will probably strip skin from
flesh and bone quite happily).
The vibratory pump is noisy(ish), but not excessively so -
and so far has shown no signs of faltering.
Returning the manual control to the centre release position
enables the excess pressure/water to immediately discharge
internally into the easily removeable and cleanable drip
tray.
There are two lights - one showing that power is connected
and 'on' ..the other showing that the heating element,
(a dual 925/1250 watt), is operating. The advice is to
operate once heated to temperature - around 90degC or so,
switching the manual control to the centre off position
as soon as the light re-engages. This then stops the pump
and releases the pressure via the three-way valve, stopping
over extraction of the coffee essence..
Fiddling about with the timing here allows the User to
fine-tune the production ..at least, that's my excuse!
The steam wand supports a rubberised attachment designed
to enable the frothing of cappas - although in use I have
found it easier to do without. The production of a nice
creamy micro-foam with the quality mouth-feel of velvet
is easier to produce rapidly without the bubble-maker.
Only one thing to really watch out for is to ensure that
the group head is flush cooled immediately after using
steam, otherwise the head remains just a little too hot
for espresso production. Without the cooling flush, the
coffee is bitter and 'thin'...
OK: The really important bit ..the coffee itself...
Being, (at that time and probably still ;), entirely
ignorant of matters espresso and, more to the point,
being used to the mostly yucky, bitter, acidic and watery
espresso of GB Starbucks and local 'joints', I followed
the Elevation's Manual to the letter and produced a shot
with a solid, if slightly pale, crema.
Was indeed the first time I'd ever seen such an excellent
'head' other than on a Guiness! The taste - well.. perhaps
you can imagine it.. all I could think of was ummm... WOW!
It really was quite the best espresso I'd ever tasted.
Dashing to the house next door, grabbed my somewhat
surprised neighbour and tried a 'shot' on him. The look
in his eyes said it all ..he was off to find a coffee
machine for himself..
Since then there's been many failures, many near-misses
but an increasing number of entirely pleasureable shots.
Yes ..to the ensemble I've added a cheapy sale price
burr grinder - a Hitachi costing only 9.95gbp. OK ..not
the best by any means, but at least the espresso grind
at it's finest and with finger jammed on knurled wheel is
'coffier' and certainly better tasting than even Illy's
pre-ground.
Pointers to the future? I think the next purchase will
most certainly be the grinder ..looking to Rancillio Rocky
or even the Mazzer Mini - but both are difficult to source
locally. (I'm one of these 'trusting' oldies that likes
to see and feel the goods before I purchase.. ;))
One grinder that is immediately available (John Lewis or
House of Fraser) is the Gaggia MDF. I suppose I should
be impressed, but somehow it's plasticky finish doesn't
seem to have quite the cache of the Rocky - and nothing
like the Starbuck's old Mazzer's that they've recently
replaced with new super-autos ..and no, don't ask ..I've
already tried to pursuade Starbucks regional management
to part with these old, worn out and clearly useless Mazzers
to a good, caring home for a nominal charge! Unfortunately,
der Starbucks Management was a bit wiser than I thought
..they intend passing them on to other of their establishments..
OK.. final dribble. The Woolworths machine, (The Elevation),
is identical to one badged by Hitachi, but is possibly the
Breville or whatever. To look it at superficially, the base,
the drip tray, the steam wand and the overall quality steel
construction looks very, very similar to photographs of the
Silvia, rather than, for instance, any Gaggia. Apart from a
small Woolies label on the underside, the Elevation has no
other external identity markings.
As I doubt Woolworths make their own machine, I have wondered
if the machine is actually assembled by someone such as
Rancillio as a method of keeping their Factory operating
at a reasonable capacity - smoothing out seasonal differences
as it were. Like so many Euro (Italian!) fridges and freezers,
I daresay Thermoblocks and cast aluminium pfs are churned out
from some central cave in the Tuscan amphitheatre. Despite,
the quality of Woolworth's Elevation overshadows the 'cheapness',
or rather value, of it's purchase price.
All in all ..excellent value and a formidable machine on
which to learn the rudiments and, lets face it, many if not
most of the skills involved, before investing in additional
devices. (I rather guess that, with the addition of a
quality grinder, I'll still be using the Elevation a year
from now)...
Ease of operation: 6/10
Ease of cleaning: 7/10
Ease/comprehensive User Instructions: 9/10
Espresso (taste to a beginner): 8/10 like ..WOW***
Overall value: 10/10
..and many thanks to The Assembled Multitude of Alties for the
benefit of shared advice and shere informed knowledge without
which this journey into the World of Coffee would have been
not only poorer, but mostly impossible..
Thanks all.. :))
--
Bill ZFC
http://www.billsimpson.com/
