A few weeks ago we shopped for a new expresso machine at the Bed, Bath and Beyond store. Take in your 20% discount coupon and you will get a great deal.
Overall, we give the Krups XP5220 machine 5 stars. It is a quality made machine and makes good creme (foam). The nicest feature is the automatic tapping and the push-button to pop out the used coffee puck, no longer need to bang the filter holder on the garbage can to get the grinds to fall out.
One word of warning: we found a number of unhappy amazon.com users who had broken the tabs off the steam wand. A customer may not realize that in order to remove the nozzle for cleaning you have to pull the slip ring down and pull straight off which requires a bit of force. If you pry one of the 3 tabs which are in a vulnerable position they will break and then the steam wand may not stay on under pressure. Once you understand the proper removal and installation, it''s not a problem. The manufacturer should review this design and make it a bit more robust. Otherwise it is a high quality machine and does a great job.
We benefitted from previous reviewers on the subject and were careful with our steam wand. Once you understand how to properly remove the nozzle it''s not a problem. Don''t overlook this machine, it is very nicely made and works well.
We''ve had this espresso machine for just over a month and it works wonderfully.
It''s a huge step up from our previous model (XP4030). For one thing, the previous machine was extremely loud and vibrated so badly that it couldn''t be left unattended. We expected a bit more noise, and did get used to it, but not being able to turn our back while the coffee was brewing wasn''t an option. This machine is much quieter, and there is no vibration. I can leave the room and come back to find the carafe or cup in the same spot I left it.
The coffee does pull slower, but that''s not an issue for us.
Secondly, this machine has an auto tamping system. At first I was dubious about that, but now I love it. No more worrying about how far to tamp the grind down, just put it in the holder, put the holder in place, turn it a click or two, and you''re ready to go.
If you click too far, not only will the holder be too tight, but the coffee won''t flow. If nothing happens after a second or two, simply shut the machine off, release the holder, then click it one turn back. At that point it should work without having to remove any of the grounds (though in the beginning I did have to take a bit out). It takes a little practice, but you do learn how much ground to put in the holder.
The third thing that this machine has over our previous one...NO THIN RUBBER GASKET!! That was a big draw. We had spent quite a bit of money replacing gaskets (from the six month point on), and every other machine that we looked at (and we looked at them all) had the same rubber gasket.
Fourth, Krups finally got wise and encased the metal that was behind the drip tray. No more exposed metal, no more rusting. And instead of a pull out drip tray, the entire piece lifts off for easy emptying.
All of these things made the machine more expensive than our previous one, but it''s less expensive than a lot of the brands/models we looked at. And though we''re serious about our espresso/Americano''s, we''re not ready to take the plunge into the machines that cost hundreds of dollars. This is a good alternative (for us anyway).
We''ve had no problems with the frothing wand. It seems as sturdy as any of the others we''ve seen.
I will say that with our old machine it was extremely difficult to develop a good froth. With this one, I expected about the same, but then we hadn''t purchased the machine for fancy drinks.
That said, this machine makes a fantastic froth and it''s very simple to use. I had given up even trying with our previous machine, and whenever I wanted a cappuccino my husband had to do it (with mixed results and never quite as good as our old steam espresso maker).
It''s nice to be able to make my own cappuccino''s now. :-)
Who knows. I may be back in a few months with some negative comments, but for right now we''re enjoying this machine.
*And here I am. Ten months in and we experienced the same problem with this machine as with the less expensive machine. The inner rubber gasket (which isn''t visible on this model) failed.
Our first order of business was to find out if replacement parts were available. With none found, and since the machine is still under warranty, we contacted Krups. They would not send a replacement part, but did pay for the machine to be sent to (and returned from) a service center for repair. A few weeks later the machine is back home and in good working condition. With any luck we''ll get ten more months of usage before the problem arises again (hopefully longer, but I won''t hold my breath). With even more luck, Krups will decide to make replacement parts available to the consumer by the time we need a new gasket. We certainly couldn''t afford to mail this machine off every time it needs a new part.
**July 2012
I can now add our machine to the list of those that have blown the foaming wand. Not too long ago I was steaming milk when the wand blew completely off of the machine. The wand ended up in the foaming cup, but the three plastic prongs that hold it in place blew apart and flew across the kitchen.
Thankfully I was only foaming a small amount of milk so had little mess to clean up in that respect.
We''ve used the foaming wand less than a dozen times.
The part is available through Krups, but seems to be permanently out-of-stock.
I''m getting fed up with home espresso machines.
October 2012
Here I am again, continuing the ongoing diary entries concerning this machine....Sigh.
Last month we noticed a crack in the handle of the grounds cup/holder. It nearly encompasses the entire handle (near the metal cup).
We have never cranked on this handle. Never forced it into place. There is absolutely no reason it should have cracked except for the fact that it''s a shoddy plastic part.
We had no problems with our previous Krups model aside from having to replace the rubber gaskets from the six month point on (every three months or so). That was becoming expensive, but seems like little irritation now. That was however why we took the plunge and shelled out more money for what we assumed was going to be a better machine overall. Silly us.
The grounds holder was listed at the Krups website a few days ago as "out-of-stock". When in-stock, it sets the consumer back $30. Today the part is no longer listed. This seems to be a fairly difficult machine to buy replacement parts for, if you can even find them (see the gasket issue above after ten months of ownership).
I''m guessing that translates into a. Krups isn''t manufacturing enough parts for the few who need them, or b. so many people are needing parts that they can''t keep up with demand. I''m thinking.....b?
No matter. We''ve repaired the handle with a hose clamp (available at the hardware store or Home Depot) $1.05 vs. $30. It may not be a permanent fix, then again, it may be. It seems sturdier than it did to begin with. The clamp will at least buy us some time until we figure out what to do next.
One thing is for certain, we are finished with Krups. This is one product I would strongly caution, ''buyer beware''.
My rating has been dropped to reflect the problems that we''ve had with our machine. It still hovers at 3 stars, just barely, and that''s only because it does make a great espresso/Americano when all of the parts are in working order.
Buy KRUPS XP5220 Pump Espresso Machine Now
We put this item on our wedding registry, and received it as a gift. The espresso that the machine makes is fantastic. The precise tamp system works very well, and we were super pleased with the espresso and lattes it makes.
HOWEVER, the steam wand is the most fragile, bad design I have ever seen. The steam wand is actually PLASTIC, NOT METAL. There is merely a thin, aluminum cover that surrounds the body of the steam wand, but underneath, and more importantly, at the top of the wand, it is ALL made of plastic. And soft, cheap plastic at that. It''s like Krups was trying to save a few bucks in manufacturing by making this part out of cheap plastic instead of steel, which is what it should be made out of.
The wand broke on its own, maybe 6 or 7 times after it was used. Not through some sort of force, or because we handled it too roughly; the wand literally split away from the rest of the machine due to the steam heat coming out of it while we were steaming milk. All of a sudden steam started coming out of the top of the wand, instead of the tip of it, and the milk would not steam. Then the wand fell off. The place where it broke clearly looked like it had partially melted, and just split away from the rest of it where the piece was supposed to be solid.
We took the unit back to the store where we bought it, thinking that this surely must have been due to a manufacturing defect in our unit, since the espresso maker was so well made otherwise. THAT WAS VERY NAIVE OF US. After receiving the replacement unit, we used it again, this time taking EXTRA care in being very gentle with the steam wand. This time, the steam wand worked fine for about 2 months, then all of a sudden the exact same thing happened again. It was CLEARLY the heat causing the plastic to split and separate at the top of the steam wand.
It''s a shame Krups got so cheap and decided to make it this way, because otherwise, we LOVED this machine, and we wish it didn''t have this problem. But BEWARE, DON''T BUY THIS CHEAPLY MADE MACHINE!
Read Best Reviews of KRUPS XP5220 Pump Espresso Machine Here
If you have read through the earlier customer reviews, you know that the easily broken milk frother has been the reason to avoid purchasing this product. That has changed. Krups redesigned the frother and is now manufacturing it using a more durable plastic. This new frother is available on all new machines. But it is also available free to those of us who already own one of the older machines.
Call the Krups customer service line, 800-526-5377, and request the replacement frother. The person I spoke with didn''t even request proof of purchase. In about ten days the new part arrived. Now I am back to making terrific espresso with this dependable entry-level machine.
Want KRUPS XP5220 Pump Espresso Machine Discount?
After our 10-yr old DeLonghi machine quit working, we wanted another sturdy semi-automatic machine and settled on this Krups model. It feels hefty and well-made compared to others at this price level. After using it for 2 weeks (4 espressos a day), we are very pleased with the design, mostly for how it simplifies working with the coffee grounds. First, you don''t need to tamp grounds into the holder the racheting design automatically tamps the grounds as you twist the holder into place. Secondly, after the grounds have been used, the pop-out button simplifies ejecting the used grounds (the "puck") without having to bang the holder on your counter or garbage can. If you want even MORE simplicity, it holds ESE pods, which are readily available (Starbucks 12 for $4.95). We actually use the ESE pods for our decaffeniated espresso. Now, let''s talk about that frother, which is the subject of most of these reviews. I experimented with the frother wand and had no problems. It worked well. However, most reviewers talk about the frother wand breaking down after months of use. So LISTEN UP I have a little frother secret to share with everyone. We microwave our milk 90 seconds in a tall container, and then use a Bodum battery-operated mini whisk to create foam Bodum Schiuma Battery-Operated Milk Frother and Salad Dressing Set. Using this method, our frothed milk and espresso are ready simultaneously in about 90 seconds, and we don''t have to worry about cleaning dried milk off that frother wand. I love the sturdy efficient Krups machine and feel it''s a great value for under $200.
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Up here in the deep north it is essential to have humidifier if you have musical instruments, or anything made out of nice wood. I have tried several different options, and evaporative humidifiers are the best. This one has enough nice features to warrent an excellent rating. The main great feature is that it is easy to add water to the system. The tanks remove easily, and can be filled from the kitchen sink (they are too tall for filling in a bathroom sink). In the dead of winter expect to fill it daily, but fortunately this is big enough to only need filling once per day. Other nice features include a fan speed control (pump humidity in fast because you were gone all weekend and its dry), or quiet. At low speed settings you barely know its on. I also like the optional air cleaning evaporator. It apparently slows down air flow, but that seems trivial since the fan can simply be turned up.
