A User Review of the Tassimo Coffee Maker
By Richard DeBell
Over the last year I have used the Tassimo Coffee maker exclusively to fulfill all of my caffeine needs. My first time using the Tassimo hot beverage system was when I visited home and found my parents had recently purchased the original Braun Tassimo coffee maker system. I initially had a hard time believing my parents praises of the system, not thinking that the taste of the coffee would be even reasonably good, but I quickly found out after my first sip of the Gevalia Tassimo flavor t disk, that not only was I wrong, but this coffee was actually really good. The Tassimo Coffee maker hot beverage system is ahead of it’s time with its ability to quickly brew single serve cups of coffee that are of high quality. It’s never been so easy to brew a cup of Joe as it is now. Also with the newer version Bosch Tassimo coffee maker being available the system is even better than before.
Better brewing by design, Tassimo is a brewing system unlike any other. Remarkable in its ability to offer an exceptional combination of quality, convenience, consistency and versatility. Only tassimo offers a choice of coffee, cappuccinos and lattes made.
Fully automatic single-serve coffee brewer uses T-Discs with barcode technology
No measuring, no fuss, and virtually no cleanup; customizable size and strength
3.3 bars of pressure; LED user interface; height-adjustable cup stand; water-level indicator
Automatically reverts to stand-by mode to save on energy; flow-through water heater
Measures 13-1/5 by 8 by 11 inches
I love my machine
Review Date: December 3, 2009
Reviewer: Brenda Pink, Lethbridge, AB, CAN
I purchased this machine because I like to drink various drinks as the whim takes me. Tassimo allows you to do this. Also, most of the time I'm by myself, so don't need to make a large pot of coffee. Before I made the purchase, I was comparing Keurig with the Tassimo. The reason I chose the Tassimo was a) the price b) the T-discs were more available than the K-cups and the only K-cups the stores here carried were Van Houtte coffee, which I detest c) reviews said the Tassimo makes better lattes and cappuccinos. I'm extremely happy with the machine for the following reasons:
- absolutely no mess
- the availability of different brews, from very dark roasts to light roast, hot chocolate (which IS a bit sweet), teas, lattes (in particular my fave, chai latte), cappuccinos, espressos, cremas and even decafs - I like a darker roast but was even able to find t-disks that were too strong for me
- I like that I can have 4 friends over and give them their preference of hot brews
- the tank is big enough that I don't have to fill it for each cup
- the bar code reader means a perfect brew each time
- the size is relatively small, smaller than my old espresso machine and my regular drip coffee machine (both of which have now been sold off)
- you have a cup of coffee in a matter of minutes vs a drip coffee machine or even a french press
- using just the cleaner disk, you can also simply spit out hot water for your own tea bags
- most of the t-disks are a reasonable price, brewing a cuppa can be less than 50 cents a cup. The Starbucks disks are more expensive, taking you closer to a dollar a cup, but what the hey, what did you pay the last time you actually went into a Starbucks? :)
Cons - and yes, even though I LOVE this machine, there ARE some cons:
- most of the disks make a small cuppa (10 oz)unless you get the breakfast blends, which will make a bigger cup, or you can simply brew 2 disks.
- the cup stand doesn't have finite adjustment - you can fit a regular sized mug, the stand adjusts for smaller mugs, but then it's a big leap to a large mug. If you have a slightly bigger mug, you have to set it on the bottom and then you get some splashing
- the foam is not as stable as coffee shop foams, but then for $99, I didn't expect it to be. As well the foam stability depends on the t-disk manufacturer as well. Nabob cappuccino was quite firm foam that lasted the duration of the drink.
- t-disk storage takes up a bit of space - but I'm still in the "try all the varieties until I find my favourite brew" stage, so I have a lot of selections at the moment
In Dec 2009, Tassimo is coming out with packages of just the latte cream. You will then also be able to use it simply as a milk frother if you wish, or you can make any of your favourite brews into a latte.
Ideal for a single elderly coffee lover. Thanks, Amazon!
Review Date: September 13, 2009
Reviewer: JB, Redwood City, CA
I have to say this item has impressed me more than any other kitchen appliance I have purchased in the last fifteen years.
Like all new "concepts", you tend to raise your eyebrows a bit about a new method of preparing an age old food preparation, whether it be a blender, chopper, or in this case the traditional coffee maker. Frankly, my only real concern was the future availability of the Tassimo Coffee "T-discs" as without them, the system becomes useless of course.
But after my father passed away two years ago, my mom began to drink "instant coffee" after being a brewed coffee devotee for over 65 years. Brewing 8 cups of traditionally made coffee for a single elderly person just seemed to be a big waste of time, as well as unused coffee. She seemed to be, a perfect candidate for this unique individual cup coffee brewer. Having tried this item once in an upscale Resort Hotel on a business trip, I was convinced to give it a try as an answer to my Mom's particular situation.
The coffee was absolutely WONDERFUL! She has fell in love with Starbucks Columbian "pods", but I also purchased the Verona, Cappucino, as well as the Expresso Pods and will continue to purchase new blends as they beome available. As my tea drinking Sister lives nearby and visits often, I also purchased the Twinings Chai Latte as well as the Earl Grey Tea "T-Discs" so she could enjoy a hot beverage with our Mom while they are together.
Although I traditionally grind & brew my own Gevalia Coffee Beans here at home in a 8 cup brewer, I decided to purchase an additional Bosch Tassimo maker for my home as well; as the availability of Expresso and Cappuccino brews is something I can now enjoy as I desire. Now, my Sister's best friend who lost her husband recently has tried it at my Mom's home, and they purchased her a new Bosch Tassimo maker for her home for her recent birthday gift.
Incredibly easy to operate, my 87 year old mother has no problem in brewing the wonderfully fresh hot brewed coffee she had enjoyed for over 65 years.
I want to thank Amazon.com for once again searching out yet another unique and quality made kitchen appliance that has become a big winner for our entire family of coffee and tea lovers. I just received an Email from Amazon notifying me of a new shipment of Tassimo T-discs that has arrived at their central warehouse which is just another way this fine Internet Products purveyor does an outstanding job for their regular customers.
THANK YOU AMAZON!!!
Saving a fortune
Review Date: October 24, 2009
Reviewer: R Smith, Cincinnati, OH USA
Easy to use, great tasting latte and cappuccino, much cheaper than coffee house, what more could I ask for? The answer is: nothing. Okay, maybe a smaller unit I can buy as a 2nd unit to keep on my desk at work.
Instead of spending $4-$5 dollars everyday for a coffee house latte on the way to work; I just make a double or triple latte straight into my insulated travel mug and I'm all set for the morning.
I also enjoy the bolder brews such as the Starbucks Verona T-discs. The Twinning Chai Latte is also excellent as an alternative to the daily espresso. If you go more for hot chocolate, I definitely recommend the Milka over the Suchard (which is way too sweet for my taste). Either works well to make your latte into a mocha. For espresso and latte; I prefer the Gevalia.
Maintenance so far has consisted of a descale after 9 months.
LIFE IS GOOD BUT BETTER WITH BOSCH
Review Date: March 29, 2009
Reviewer: Gail Cooke, TX, USA
This is our first experience with a Tassimo coffee maker and we're delighted - almost feel as though we've emerged from the Stone Age to the 21st century!
We're very much of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thought, so we felt no need for a new coffee maker. But, curiosity and favorable reports got the best of us and we now have this Bosch. What a treat!
The printed directions accompanied by illustrations are easy to follow. The booklet holds directions in several languages as well as Troubleshooting pages. (To date, we've had no trouble - only great coffee). The cleaning process is simple and quick, and the piercing unit is easily rinsed under running water.
So far, our favorite T-discs are the Starbucks Caffe Verona and the Carte Noir Breakfast Blend. Life is good but better with this Bosch!
Recommended!
- Gail Cooke
Bridget's Review
Review Date: January 1, 2010
Reviewer: bridget3420, KY
It's winter time and where I live, it can get really, really cold. One of my favorite things about the cold weather is sitting down with a hot beverage. When I was told that I had the opportunity to review the Tassimo T45 Hot Beverage Machine, I immediately thought "Merry Christmas to me!" This fancy little machine allows you to make whatever type of hot beverage has your mouth watering. This machine uses Tassimo Discs (or T Discs) so you can make hot chocolate, coffee, cappuccino, latte and more. The T Discs tell the machine how much water is necessary, what temperature to use and how long it takes to make the perfect cup of that particular drink. All you have to do is place the T Disc in it's proper place and then press a button. And viola! You are ready to drink. Plus, if you like your coffee stronger, you can customize it by taking advantage of the manual function. One of the best things about this machine, besides making yummy drinks, is that most of the movable parts can be washed in the dishwasher.
Overall, this is one of the best machines in my house currently. It's right up there with the dishwasher, yes, it's that awesome.
Finally a great cup of coffee!
Review Date: April 25, 2010
Reviewer: C. Simons,
I have purchased single-serve brewers in the past, and I've never been satisfied with the weak coffee they brewed. Not so with my Tassimo! It's fast, remarkably quiet, and fabulous at producing a strong (not bitter!) cup of coffee. I've tried several brands of the discs, and they're all delicious. Clean-up consists of pulling out the disc and throwing it away. I love it, and I think it was well worth the money. I'm so glad a friend recommended it to me.
Absolutely the best
Review Date: February 26, 2010
Reviewer: L. Jenkins,
This machine was for my daughter. She reviewed and talked with a lot of her friends before getting me to buy this machine for her. The t-discs are available at a lot of stores (not wal-mart) and she says she is extremely happy with it.
Great Machine But Needs Improvements
Review Date: September 25, 2009
Reviewer: O. Rawcliffe, Florida
I have been using the Tassimo Machine since the first edition was put on the market. Overall, this is a terrific idea and makes having every day cappucino a breeze. However, enough time has elapsed for the company to adress much needed improvements. I have upgraded each time a new machine arrives on the market only to find the same faults inherent in the original. The rubber on the piercing unit for all models tends to deteriorate too quickly and a replacement is in the range of $10.00. A much need tiny (and most probably inexpensive) clening brush for the piercing unit would make clean-up easier. I have tried baby bottle brushes but they are to thick to get into the nooks and crannies of the piercing unit. The t-discs(especially those used for specialty milks) need to be recycleable. This company needs to become more conscious of how much plastic their product leaves behind on the planet. Otherwise, this is a great addition to any kitchen. Does it make the BEST Cappucino or Latte I've ever tasted? No. But it makes a pretty great cup (minus a bit of the foam we're accustomed to) as well as many different terrific cups of coffee. The hot chocolate available is a bit too sweet for adult taste and something more sophisticated would be greatly appreciated. As a cappucino lover who hated the complicated and messy expresso machines of the past, I love this machine. I have two at home and one in my office. If the company made some improvements and went green on their t-discs I'd give them five stars easily.
Good buy for a specific customer.
Review Date: March 16, 2010
Reviewer: Sarah E. Schultz, Seattle
I purchased the Bosch after trying Senseo and Keurig coffee makers and yes, it makes the best tasting cup of coffee of all of the single cup makers in my opinion (if you use the Starbucks T-disk). Because the disks are not recyclable, this is incredibly environmentally unfriendly, also much more expensive than brewing a pot of coffee. The disks are hard to find other than online, the only place I have found them is Macy's. Because I really only want one cup of coffee a day and no one else in my house drinks coffee, this works for me. I would not recommend this for a normal coffee drinker. The instant gratification in the morning is a nice bonus however.
Disappointed
Review Date: September 18, 2009
Reviewer: Meltem Asli Narter, USA
When my regular coffee maker broke, I started searching for a replacement. I am addicted to lattes, and on occasions I enjoy cappuccinos. I had one coffee machine that could fix those, the difficulty of making my favorite drinks and the cleaning afterward made me spent lots of money per cup at my local coffee shop and get tempted by Starbucks on more occasions than I like to admit.
Then I hear about this marvelous machine that is supposed to make coffee and my favorite drinks. Initial investment and t-discs afterwards are steep compared to just getting a regular coffee maker and having access to incredibly rich coffee market, a bag of which might last you a month and cost you as little as a single t-disc.
I knew my choices of coffee would be more limited and my t-disc investment would be costlier than coffee. Then I looked at how much I spent on my latte addiction and how much a cup of cappuccino cost.
It would be worth it, I convinced myself. Besides, I read all reviews, they spoke so highly of Tasimo's ability to fix those specialty coffees.
Well, my Tasimo arrives. I immediately fix myself Cappuccinos and Lattes. Now I am disappointed. Well, I like those drinks not only because of their rich espresso base, I like them due to the texture of their creamer. Lattes are supposed to have a very foamy texture. One sip of it, when you keep it resting on your tongue melts away as air bubbles trapped in the foam escapes. What's left gives you an increased perception of taste. Well based on high reviews I had ordered Maxwell House latte t-disks. They produced no foam at all. I was so disappointed. The taste of the resulting coffee+2%hotmilk drink was good, it was not a latte.
Based on high reviews, I had ordered Maxwell House Cappucino t-discs as well. Again the taste was good. It only managed to generate a frothy texture on top of my cup. However at my local coffee shops, that frothy texture lasts throughout the cup which I love.
I am lactose intolerant, therefore I ask for soy lattes, cappuccinos, when I go to my local coffee shop. Or on rare occasion when I made them in my hard to use,hard to clean latte machine. As of now t-disc technology is too new, to have such variety in creamers, soy versions or lactose free organic dairy versions.
After playing with my Tasimo for 2 days, I have generated so much plastic waste that I am overwhelmed. I was very disappointed not to see recyclable symbol on the little t-discs.
Pros:
- They are really easy to use, easy clean after all
- They seem to use less electricity to make one cup. Plug in , turn it on, stick in your tdisk, press on, valla it is ready. Don't forget to turn ir off and plug it off after wards.
Cons:
- The lattes and cappuccinos they fix are okay in taste, they don't have the correct texture, so in my estimation they are not acceptable. Now I am disappointed.
- You can't find the same variety of coffee and creamer yet
- Coffee-wise t-disc coffee drinking is more expensive than coffee bean drip coffee drinking. Considering only coffee expense. Energy, electricity savings might somewhat balance it.
- They generate too much plastic waste products, each t-disc for now is unrecyclable plastic.
Let me break down some of the wonderful features that make the Tassimo coffee maker so great.
1. Small sleek design. Can be stored away easily or kept on your counter permanently.
2. Brews coffee quietly and quickly
3. Many varieties of hot beverages in the form of T disks. These include many types of coffee such as Gevalia, Nabob and Suchard. Also there is delicious Tassimo hot chocolate, cappuccino, espresso and tea.
4. Though perhaps not at cafe quality, the coffee is all very good.
In the interest of being totally fair here are some drawbacks to the Tassimo coffee maker system.
1. The system is more expensive brand new then a standard coffee brewing system.
2. The cost per cup of coffee is higher then when compared to brewing a large pot of coffee, but cheaper then buying coffee at a cafe or convenience store.
3. Though there is a nice selection there still is a limited amount of coffee flavor variety when compared to purchasing standard ground coffee beans at the grocery store or going to a cafe.
4. The T Disks typically cannot be purchased at your local grocery story, though they are very easy to order online.
My typical day starts with me making a cup of Tassimo coffee first thing in the morning before I get going for the day. Then I’ll make another cup within my travel mug that I’ll take to work with me. Lastly, I’m a bit of an espresso junkie, so on many occasions I’ll make a nice quick cup of Tassimo espresso when I get home from work. This gives me the energy boost I need to play with the kids and exercise after a long day. Before purchasing the Tassimo coffee maker I would typically just buy a cup of coffee at the local convenience story when I headed out to work, because my wife doesn’t drink coffee, and I didn’t feel like making and cleaning a pot just for one or two cups of coffee. It’s so much easier now for me to enjoy coffee without the extra hassle that comes with cleaning pots and filters.
In conclusion, if you are like myself and enjoy/need coffee I would strongly suggest purchasing the Tassimo Coffee maker hot beverage system. It’s affordable, easy to operate, easy to clean, and provides a good variety of very good coffee and other hot beverages. I’m a busy person and I take great enjoyment when I find a new product that makes my life a little easier, and Tassimo definitely does that for me.
The Tassimo Coffee Maker is the best hot beverage system available on the market.
I love my machine
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