Capresso 455 CoffeeTEAM Therm Stainless Coffeemaker/Burr Grinder Combination
by Capresso
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: CapressoBrand: Capresso
Release Date: 2006-05-15
Model: 455
Color: Stainless
Product features:
- Stainless coffeemaker with solid-steel conical burr grinder
- Program 4, 6, 8, or 10 cups in mild, medium, or strong strength
- Stainless-steel vacuum thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours
- Clock/timer; drip stop; brew pause; black-on-white illuminated display
- Measures 11 by 12 by 16 inches; 1-year limited warranty
- Capresso 4455 10-Cup Stainless Steel Vacuum Carafe with Lid for Capresso CoffeeTeam Therm
- Capresso 750.09 Size-4 Cone GoldTone Filter
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Capresso 455 CoffeeTEAM Therm Stainless Coffeemaker/Burr Grinder Combination
Customer Review: Good and Bad - Expensive imperfection
Summary: 3 Stars
I have had my eye on this machine for a long time. This year, with some Christmas money, I finally went ahead and took the plunge and bought it, stubbornness winning out, and despite having read numerous consumer reviews, most of which are primarily negative, and most of which all seem to say the same thing. Well, not that I assumed MINE would be any different, which is good, because it isn't. I am experiencing some of the most common reported problems, the most concerning and disappointing of which is that this machine will not brew a full 10-cup pot of STRONG coffee, as stated by virtually everyone who owns this pot and whose review of same I have read. It can be achieved but not by using the methods outlined in the owner's manual.
Thank goodness I read a what another owner was doing to make the coffee stronger, which is to grind twice before brewing. This does work but, of course, defeats the purpose of convenience and cannot be done if you need or want to set your coffeemaker to auto.
I also use Peet's coffees exclusively, so bean quality is not the issue here. I have been using a mild to medium roast Peet's bean so far during my "getting acquainted" phase with this machine. I dread the day I want to put Peet's French roast in there, as I fear I am going to have the same problems others have reported with oily beans not feeding through the grinder chute. I bumped it up today with a darker roast, which did fine, but I have not attempted the darkest/oilier roasts yet. I also used a paper filter for the first time instead of the gold tone, which probably also helped the outcome some.
I have owned this machine for about a week and have brewed 1 to 2 pots in it per day with adjustments made each time or at least every other time in an attempt to get it "just right" and to try to determine if I am going to keep the machine. The good news is that I don't need to set my coffee to brew automatically and also that I normally make an 8-cup pot and would (before this machine) pour my coffee into a prewarmed thermos to keep it hot for the next 4 to 6 hours that I wanted to drink it. I also must have strong coffee. Yes, you can set it to grind/brew 10 cups strong and only put 6 cups of water in there, but what if you need/want 8 cups strong? You can't get it, not with 1 grind. The only way to get 8 cups of STRONG coffee is to grind beans twice, set to 8 to 10 cups strong, and fill with 8 cups of water. This is an easy process to flip the filter basket back over under the grinder and turn it on again for another grind, but, come on. For $300 bucks, this machine ought to pour the coffee into a prewarmed mug for me and bring it to me, too.
The small bean hopper is a problem if you are brewing full pots of "strong" coffee and/or double grinding. I did a double grind set to 8 cups strong, started out with a full hopper, and ended up with a few beans left in the hopper after it was done. By using this method, I will have to fill the bean hopper every day to brew one 8-cup pot of adequately strong coffee. I am not talking motor oil here, I am talking just your basic garden-variety STRONG COFFEE, the kind where you can't still taste plain water in your coffee cup. If you need to put your machine under a standard cabinet/counter, the bean extender will not work.
I also tend to believe SOME of the mechanical problems others have mentioned are due to user error or not reading/understanding/following instructions. I only say this because I had a problem with the filter basket not swinging over to the brew position ONCE. It was the only time I didn't wipe down the "anti-static" filter cover with a damp cloth after a brew cycle, which the instructions say must be done after EACH BREW. When I have done this every other time, I have not had a single problem with the basket not swinging over or getting stuck. I'm not saying this machine doesn't, can't, or won't have true mechanical problems, only that this was my experience so far.
Yes, the filter basket/filter/filter cover are VERY finicky. You must have them aligned/seated exactly right, which does take some doing, but I assume the process must get easier after you've done it numerous times. I have not had any overflows, brew failures, or any crises because of this because it is easy to see if they are not sitting flush and snugly. You must simply just rotate/push until they fall in flush and are seated properly. This is a minor annoyance for me, however. If everything else on this machine worked like magic, which it doesn't, I would probably not even mention it.
The thermal carafe keeps the coffee piping hot for at least 4 hours (if you preheat it). It keeps it drinkably warm for an hour or two after that. I also remove the lid entirely to quickly stir my pot before the first cup is poured, so I am no doubt losing some heat/warmth retention by doing that.
The coffee that it does make when you get it close to the strength you like is excellent. It is piping hot, rich, and smooth. I hate grinding coffee beans, having to transfer ground beans to the basket, and ending up with coffee grounds all over my countertop. This machine eliminates all of that hassle/inconvenience. However, it brings its own hassle/inconvenience to the table, which I also believe is ridiculous to have to "live with," work around, or settle for in a $300 "high-end" coffeemaker.
Aesthetically, the machine is beautiful and sophisticated. The controls are simple, straightforward, and easy to use. Changing your strength/cup settings is a 3-second snap, which is good, because you should expect to have to do it A LOT, especially in the initial phase of owning this machine and getting your coffee the way you like it, if you can.
For me, it is livable, but I am still not sure if I'm going to keep it. It has its good points and bad points. I don't need or want a 10-cup pot. I can get an 8-cup pot in a coffee strength and taste I love, but I have to double grind to get it. If I did want a 10-cup pot of STRONG coffee, I could still get it, but I would still have to double grind set at 10 cups strong, and I'm not entirely sure the standard bean hopper would be adequate to even do this. I don't have to manually grind and transfer coffee beans. If I wanted to set it to auto brew, I would NOT be able to get a full pot of coffee that suits my strength preferences. It would be hot and ready when I wanted it, but it would be unsatisfactorily weak for me. I'm not sure if any of these are tradeoffs I'm willing to live with for what I paid for this machine.
If you are someone who likes or can live with a mild- to medium-strength coffee without having to do manual manipulations, this would be a great coffeemaker for you. I have not so far had any of the mechanical problems reported, but I am still in the early stages of ownership. I also wonder what manually stopping the brew cycle to flip the basket back over to grind again is going to do to durability and functionality long-term. It makes delicious HOT coffee if you don't need perfection, total automation, strong coffee, or to actually get what you paid for and what Capresso claims to deliver in this coffeemaker. The bottom line for me and my $300 is, "Does it do ALL of what it says it will do?" For me, the answer is a resounding, "No!"
Update: After further consideration, I decided that I just wasn't happy enough with it to justify the expense. After numerous manipulations, I was able to obtain fairly consistently good coffee with a minimum amount of fuss. Using a paper filter did help make the coffee stronger without having to trick the machine. However, I am also concerned about the life expectancy of a machine with only a 1-year warranty which contains 2 separate "high-end" appliances, the loss of either of which would render this a fairly useless expensive piece of countertop eye candy. (At least the treadmill collecting dust in the corner can be used as an auxiliary clothes storage/hanging facility. This coffeemaker would just be taking up precious space if I couldn't use a component of it). I returned mine for a full refund and purchased instead the Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder and the CoffeeTEC. If the other reviews don't "lie," I have no doubt that I will never have one minute of regret in my change of heart and acquiring these 2 new machines. Any product can have several negative reviews for various reasons, but when dozens of reviews, both positive and negative, all seem to be saying the same thing, it is hard, for me at least, not to give them some credibility. Both these appliances come very highly recommended, so I feel confident I made the right decision, albeit after some trial and error. I will be able to control the freshness of ALL the ground coffee that goes into each pot, will be able to control HOW MUCH ground coffee gets in there, have more grind settings, and have all the other comforts of high-end, fresh, delicious, hot coffee making-ness, the ability to only have to replace one appliance at a time as the need may arise, AND the ability to make a nice latte from time to time. Pretty spiffy. Yes, alas, I know real lattes start with espresso. Don't get technical on me! I'm by far and away more a coffee person than a coffee "drink" person, but do enjoy a nice latte from time to time, so this will work out nicely. The two new products respectively will be reviewed on this site upon their arrival after we have a sufficient "getting to know you" acquaintance period.
More Capresso 455 CoffeeTEAM Therm Stainless Coffeemaker/Burr Grinder Combination reviews:
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Description of Capresso 455 CoffeeTEAM Therm Stainless Coffeemaker/Burr Grinder Combination
The Capresso CoffeeTEAM Therm is the only Coffee Maker/Grinder combination with a Thermal Carafe and Conical Burr Grinder. The completely new CoffeeTEAM Therm features a stainless steel thermal carafe to keep you coffee perfectly fresh, aromatic and hot for hours, without reheating. A stainless steel housing and simple on-button programming design with a new black-on-white illuminated display make this the most sophisticated Coffee Maker/Burr Grinder combination. With patented technology the CoffeeTEAM Therm grinds a programmed amount of beans directly into filter, then automatically swings forward and starts the brewing process. Simple, one-button programming design allows programmable coffee amounts for 4, 6, 6, 8 and 10 cups in mild, medium and strong strength.Drip Coffee Machines
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