We make a lot of espresso and coffee, is the hopper removable and can you purchase an extra? Could have interchangeable hoppers?
296311
Pretty sure it's not removable. If you're grinding it pretty fine (>=5), you won't need any bigger. Unless you're using it commercially, which you'll need a mazzer or other professional model- at considerable expense ($2k+), the rancho is your best bet.
296312
No, the hopper is not removable. We have taken to putting just enough beans into the hopper to make a single cup, so we can switch beans (say, to make a decaf or have a different espresso). Would be nice, but no.
928869
I had similar issue when I first got my machine. Adjust the grind to finer, adjust the water volume. However, I also found the strength to be inconsistent which appears to be oily beans not sliding freeling through the hopper. I regularly push the beans toward the end of hopper to get better consistency. I also use the bypass quite often, which is much more consistent. This also gives me the ability to change beans cup by cup, but defeats the purpose of a fully automatic coffee maker.
1124771
I'm sorry you cannot. Most machines have their very own custom pod. Go to the website to get the best selection in coffee. I absolutely LOVE this machine and the coffee variations, especially the price! Makes coffee the way they do in Italy.
1958103
no! They have two lines of machines, and the pods aren't interchangeable. The VirtuoLine is the newer line of machines (which make coffee as well as espresso), and they now call the original machines the OriginalLine.
256486
There is no code on any of the plastic--hopper nor reservoir. I don't store any coffee in the hopper--I fill it daily with the amount of coffee beans I need to make however many cups for the morning---non issue that way.
2232003
Yes. It is an extra item you can buy online. We used the maker for about two year before it quit making coffee.
264876
Yes but manually. You can't put ground coffee in the hopper but for a single pot you can measure ground coffee into the filter basket then hit the "don't grind" button, fill with water and set the timer. The coffee will brew without grinding
1271846
There's a metal insert that you use in the espresso part of the machine. There's a one shot one and a two shot one so you can control how much espresso you make. There are no filters to buy. There's actually nothing extra to buy except the ingredients you'll need to make a coffee drink.
1824138
I'm looking for the same item because I have a small espresso machine that has a footprint much smaller than the smallest burner. Is there anything that's on the market for such an issue? Glass tops are a pain.
2117043
For me, absolutely. Yes, it is very expensive, and yes, you can probably get by with a less expensive model by giving up some features, but what sold me is the dual hopper system, so I can mix regular and decaf in 25% increments depending on the time of day, and of all the machines I have used, this by far makes the hottest coffee/cappuccino/lattes I have had to date.
606511
We haven't used it for espresso, but the grinder is metal. According to this site: http://cupandbrew.com/pages/buying-guide-coffee-and-espresso-grinders , you'd want a ceramic one.
783475
Same here Anita. Two makers, and that's the only issue I had with this, otherwise, perfect coffee maker. I hope that next time I purchase another one, that issue would have been resolved. For now we put a coffee mug to hold the lid down, so one of us would get a nice-and-hot mug for our coffee. Another little issue is that the grinder packs some of the coffee at the bottom of the filter... we remove the filter and loosen up the packed coffee with a spoon every time. Still beats having to use a separate grinder!
1273112
You CAN use your own coffee if you have the drawer for that. It only comes with one pod drawer though. There are separate drawers for K-cups, tea & ground coffee.
1475504
No built in grinder.But unlike another response, I have enjoyed this machine immensely. I'm not a daily user but it's definitely hot and the espresso quality depends a lot on your bean choice.
1624347
Can I use my bricks or does it only grind? Also, this is my first Espresso machine, I know almost nothing about them. Does it come with a good manual? Based on some reviews I read I feel I need to hold a doctorate to operate one. Tell me it aint so.
2057161
You are correct Espresso is fine ground. I use it all the time without any problems. Just make sure you clean the bottom of the pot (filter) carefully.
1895354
The hopper that holds the beam can be locked and lifted out of the grinder. You can then transfer the remaining beans in the hopper to another container. You don't have to finish all the beams in it. Just swap out the old one with any new beans you want to use.