On sale now for Taylor & Ng Bellman CX-25 Stovetop Espresso Maker is now hitting the market. This cool item is now available, you might buy it right now for just
Product Information
30020 Features: -Expresso maker.-Gas or electric stovetops.-Portable.-Charming, classic appearance.-Safety valve and heat resistant bakelite.-Bakelite cool to touch handles.-Espresso using the steam pressure method.-Makes 3, 6, 9 cups. Construction: -Steel construction. Assembly Instructions: -Assembly required. Dimensions: -Overall dimensions: 7.5'' H x 5.5'' W x 11'' D.
Features
- A charming, classic appearance with heavy 18/8 Stainless Steel construction, safety valve, and heat resistant bakelite
- It was made for the household stovetop
- Makes authentic European espresso using the steam pressure method
- The espresso is prepared by forcing live steam and hot water
- The pressure of boiling water extracts pure flavor and aroma
User Reviews
J. Doe
After getting a Bialetti Moka Express moka pot (and loving the coffee brewed with it), I decided to experience some more and ended up purchasing this stove-top "espresso" maker.The CX-25 seems to "brew" slightly different tasting coffee (richer) with a bit thicker consistency than a moka pot. The physics behind this apparatus is pretty much like the moka pots, except you have control over how much pressure builds up before releasing the coffee. Whereas in a Bialetti Brikka, you are limited to however much pressure the release can withstand, with the CX-25, you can build up as much pressure as a 5 minute boil would produce (the manual suggests a 5 minute boil time for the steamer, not the coffee. Coffee, it says, can be boiled/steamed/pressurized for about 30-60 seconds before the user has to open up the valve and let the coffee drip out. I do not know if this is for safety, but the point is you CAN let the pressure build inside safely for upto 5 minutes, according to the manual). How much pressure a 5 minute boil results in, I do not know, as I purchased the one without the pressure gauge, but for coffee to be classified as true espresso, according to some espresso governing society...funny... it must be brewed/dripped under 10 bars of pressure, give or take.One core difference between this unit and a moka pot is that with the CX-25, it is instructed in the manual to "pack [the coffee] down and level it off" as you might do when using an actual espresso machine. In other words, you are to tamp it. This is the opposite of a moka pot (according to what I know from a fair amount of research), with which you are to just fill the funnel with coffee and NOT pack it down...perhaps the tamping is what's causing the difference in taste and consistency? Anyways, after trying a few different things, I've yet to produce crema with this, but I must say that the coffee definitely is good. NOTE: You cannot use a tamper due to the 3/4 inch cylinder that extends up in the center of the funnel.If I want a good, strong cup of black coffee, I would use the moka pot. If I wanted to make a __________ latte/cappuccino, I would use this, as the final product (after pouring the steamed milk) from this unit is a latte just as good, if not better than that of your typical coffee from that one place with all them green straws, granted you stock up on decent quality beans.The unit is quite ugly, kind of looks like a pressure deep-frier's bastard child, but you can always put it away in a cupboard when not in use, I guess. It is also pretty heavy and somewhat dangerous to use, since there's always some part you gotta touch, especially the handle and the bottom of the steamer valve knob, that gets exposed to flame/hot plate/coil, getting super hot. I suggest putting on an oven mitt on at least one of your hands that will be holding the handle. Also, make sure you have a wet rag handy to wipe off the steamer as soon as you finish steaming, otherwise the steamer gets so hot that it burns the milk foam that gets left on the outside of it.The Good:- Brews excellent tasting coffee, a lot closer to a shot of cafe espresso than what you may expect from a moka pot- The steamer works quite nicely, producing excellent cafe quality steamed milk & foam- Coffee brewed from it, in combination with the milk steamed with it results in an excellent tasting cup of latte or cappuccino. Add flavored syrup/powder/sauce to taste.- Fairly straight forward & easy to use BUT...The Bad- Difficult and cumbersome to handle. It is a lot heavier than a 6 cup moka pot.- The safety valve that releases steam when excess pressure has built up inside is located right where the handle meets the unit. You definitely would not want to have your hand on the handle if and when the valve releases the excess steam.- Difficult to clean. During brewing, liquid coffee (obviously) and a bit of the coffee grind gets into the nozzle. If you want to clean it CLEAN, you need to boil and "steam out" the water through the nozzle, at which point you will see that it wasn't fully clean...although this build up COULD, I guess, add to the flavor later on...or not (if you don't use it on a regular day-to-day basis- Takes a little while, on average of 7-10 minutes or so, to make a couple of cups of latte. Not for your morning cup of joe if you are like me and are always rushing out the door in a hurry in the morning. Good for after-dinner leisurely desserts.- As of right now, I wouldn't drink the "espresso" straight. I will keep practicing until I get it right.I would definitely recommend this unit. It is an excellent substitute for a proper, couple thousand dollar espresso machine. Definitely tastes better than any espresso machines under the $1,000 mark that I've tried, although recently I've been hearing a lot of good things about those capsule-based units. It will serve me well until I am able to afford a real, proper machine though.P.S. Don't bother wasting $80 for the model with the pressure gauge, unless you are super curious as to how much pressure actually builds up inside; the same amount of pressure will build in the two different models before the safety valve goes off.
Klak
I've been using one of these stainless stovetop Cappuccino style makers with a steamer valve for more than 15 years now; using various Peet's Coffee beans (mixing Italian Espresso & Colombian, Viennese & French Roast, Aged Java, etc., all roasted with a German method exclusively for them) and would say J.Doe's description of the nature and use of the maker and coffee's resulting taste is an accurate critique. In short, this maker works just fine, given it's cost.Over the years and pretty much with few exceptions, those who've tasted the coffee brewed from this device -family, friends, co-workers and neighbors- have commented as to it's great, strong taste (with creamer or just straight black). As a result, I've been known to utter, "I have this thing 'down to a science.'"The ferryman's comment are true as to some grounds being found at the bottom of the cup (and/or thermos), and floating oil (actually, the caffeine atop the coffee), but he's simply wrong when it comes to the resulting taste of the coffee with use of appropriate beans and the right grinder setting.I'd say two things are key to success using this particular maker: 1) experimentation to get just the right grinder setting for maximum flavor extraction from the bean (the high end of "very fine espresso" setting works best on my Breville grinder), and 2) hold back the flow of coffee an additional one minute beyond it's initial dripping. These and appropriate beans make all the difference between a great, strong Cup 'o Joe and not.Just thought this might supplement the existing couple of posts here...Klak
Pescador
I think some of the reviewers have spent too much time at their local Starbucks and think a $150 cooker is going to do the same thing as some expensive expresso machine costing $500 or above. I bought one of these machines 20 years ago to use in the camper where I had no electricity and have used it almost daily since. I just bought another for the house in Mexico and may have to purchase another real soon as the line outside my kitchen door is getting longer each and every day for those people who just happen to stop by in hopes of a great latte in the mornings. I lost the top of the steamer basket when someone was helping me do dishes and tried unsucessfully to purchase another one. Perhaps that is the real secret of how to make killer espresso. I cut small squares from a sheet of paper towel and put a small sheet in the top of the basket by folding it or stuffing it in around the edges. This sort of acts like a paper filter and changes the makeup of the "creme" everyone is looking for but keeps out the grounds. So when I bought a new one, I got rid of the basket top and use the little squares of paper towel. I get 12 squares out of one sheet of paper towel. Since I live in a small village in Baja Mexico, and there is no Starbucks within 500 miles, this machine is the closest thing to heaven I have ever found. I do buy their beans from Costco when I am north and grind them fresh in the morning. So, perhaps the reviewer who is so negative about his machine would like to make me a really good deal on his (especially since he is not using it anyway).
Lookup: Taylor Ng Bellman
