Re: Starbuck's new espresso machine! $599

Marshall wrote:
On Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:03:46 -0800 (PST), "Don C."
<DonRCummings@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Nov 21, 9:44 pm, Hacienda de Ville <concertgra...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Interesting looking:

http://www.starbucksstore.com/products/sirena.asp
I think it should be a crime to advertise espresso machines without
giving the specs which actually mean something to the user.
Manufacturers always mention the reservoir size but neglect to mention
the boiler size. This ad gives nothing at all. It is a new low.
Watts? PF material and size? Boiler size? etc.

They give two clues. They still feel it is necessary to incude
something to help with crema since they are assuming you will be using
crap, stale coffee. They feel that it maches appropriately with a POS
grinder. Tells me they think the two are on par.

The educated consumer is their worst nightmare.

I guess they've lost the alt.coffee market. That only leaves them with
a few million people who would appreciate a beautiful $600 machine
that is easy to use. The nightmares must be unbearable.

Marshall

I saw the machine when I stopped in to a $-bux in Bridgehampton to use the bathroom. $-bux is real nice about that, bathrooms are open to all who come to pee even in NYC. Don't try that in McD's. Anyway, the machine is a cool retro design reminiscent of Francis Francis so I wonder if there's any connection.

Of more interest along the lines of cheap espresso machines is the GE pump machine I saw a few weeks ago in Wal-Mart for $89.95. It had a pressurized PF, single and double baskets and a blind filter. Does an $89 machine have a 3-way valve? Another oddity is that the filter baskets and blind filters appear to be double walled, 2 layers of metal. Undoubtedly Chinese made at that price but it looked pretty good compared to the competition in low end pump machines. If anybody gets one of these an report would be interesting.

R "not ready for an upgrade yet." TF
.