my first machine lover!

HARDAC or Espresso Machine.

Is it possible to love metal and plastic?  If you would have asked me two weeks ago I probably would have said no, but NOW...yes yes yes, a thousand times yes!  Nespresso and their little coffee capsules of joy will change your life and your relationship with your local barista.  Soon that angst ridden
 art student barista will be wondering why your aren't shuffling half awake into their cafe every morning, instead they'll see you skipping to work with self satisfaction written all over your face.  Before this post turns into a  Cialis commercial lets jump right into the review SHALL we....

The machine itself looks like a modern day milkshake maker, or  HARDAC from batman the animate series. Or to put it another way,  Nespresso offers a modern take on the traditional espresso machine, feature art deco elements of strong lateral lines, and symmetrical design.  Overall, The Nespresso's simplistic and statement piece style begs that this appliance be on the counter top, not hidden away in your pantry. 

Espresso Machine or HARDAC

 The basic principal of Nespresso is easy, great coffee, and it definitely delivers.   Like so many coffee machines of today (and the future), Nespresso works from model of single serving capsules, but instead of delivering coffee, Nespresso perfectly dispenses espresso, HOW EUROPEAN!   That's just it, Nespresso have been in Europe for over 30 years (totally made that up) and is finally breaking into the mainstream in North America. 

ohh baby, come to papa! CREME, CHECK!

What makes Nespresso Machines so great is that you aren't limited to just espresso, you can make any milk based drinks as well.  Nespresso's Milk Frother is where the ingeniousness and practicality of the machine shines. You basically fill the milk up to either the cappuccino or latte line put the frother on the docking plate and press a button.  Nespresso literally couldn't have made it easier.   The thickness and consistency of milk foam is soooo good, I have yet to have a human mimic it.

Machines 1  Humans 0

Look
 at THIS(to the left)........a REAL cappuccino.  Traditional cappicinio's are supposed to be 1/3 foam, 1/3 milk, 1/3 espresso.... don't dare try and compare at your neighborhood cafe, I rarely ever get a real one, but don't blame your barista, he/she's only human.

Nespresso's capsules are only good for Nespresso machines, and your can't use any other coffee if your Nespresso machines, they say so "they can control the quality".  Their coffees are rated on a scale system of 1-10, 10 being the most intense (in my opinion, the best) and 1 for you light weights.  Nespresso also offers single origin coffee as well as their own version of fair  trade. And before you eco bunny's get all flustered, the capsules are fully recyclable!

 I do have some criticisms, even though the milk frother creates amazingly good foam, it does however lack in heating the milk to a temperature that I'd like.  I'll wish upon a lucky start  that one day Nespresso will incorporate a way in which you can regulate the milk temp.

 Another interesting lil qwark, is once you buy a Nespresso machine, you are indoctrinated (is this the right word usage) into a NESPRESSO CLUB!  what that meas is if you are ever in The Bay in downtown Vancouver and feel like a coffee, you can go to their Nespresso cafe and have a FREE COFFEE...that's right free coffee....  ANYTIME!    pinch me!  nothing beats a caffeine fueled spending spree if you ask me. I'm not sure if I can praise this machine enough, and if your still not convinced, see below photo.. YUM!

you know you want this!