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Back in 1994, a man by the name of Michael Kramm started Capresso with a single goal – to provide innovative coffee and espresso machines for those who want the best. And as the former president of Krups USA, he knew his vision could be obtained.
What makes Capresso such a quality product is that they combine innovative design with premium hardware. The result of which is a product that not only looks good, but is built to last and produce
consistent results.
When you work for a large multi-national company there are certain things you can’t do. Products have to appeal to many customers. So you aim more for the middle. Now we can concentrate on what I know is the best solution for the true coffee lover, not necessarily the most affordable.
That being said, we were recently sent a Capresso CoffeeTEAM Therm™ (Model #455) Coffee Maker for review. The CoffeeTEAM Therm™ Coffee Maker is to the best of our knowledge the only combination machine to offer both a conical burr grinder and a stainless steel thermal carafe.
Weighing in at ten pounds, this unit sits 16” high, is 12” wide and 11” long. Stainless steel accents on the front face compliment the stainless steel filter holder and carafe.
Controls have been kept to a minimum on this machine giving it a sleek European feel. The On/Off button, LCD display, Programming button and Auto-On button are all that adorns the front panel of the CoffeeTEAM Therm™ Coffee Maker.
You may experience a slight adjustment period when using the control system for the first time. There are numerous options that can be selected and having the manual close at hand will save you some time and potential confusion.
The “Programming button” as Capresso refers to it in the instructional material is more like a combination knob and button. It activates you’re choices when pushed, and toggles between functions and options when twisted from side to side.
All setup and configuration is done through the LCD screen. Now that I am comfortable with the unit and its functions the control system feel intuitive to me.
To the credit of Capresso, the manual is very detailed, and when words just don’t give the answer you are looking for, you can always turn to the DVD instructional video that is included. Should it be needed, Capresso support can be contacted via an included 1-800 number.
The CoffeeTEAM Therm™ has a 1000 Watt heating system which generates a brewing temperature of 200-205° F and up to 180° F in the carafe (note: if unit is situated under low hanging cabinets you may want to keep a close eye on condensation above the unit. Some steam does escape the top of the filter assembly and can cause condensation if your cabinets are low).
Since my prior coffee maker was a Krups that also featured a carafe, I was very interested in seeing how the heat retention in the Capresso carafe would compare to the Krups carafe.
To test this I made a fresh pot of coffee after pre-heating the carafe with warm water as suggested by Capresso. A pot of coffee was then made and left in a sealed state for later review. I have found that the carafe used with my Krups coffee maker can generally keep the coffee inside warm for 8-10 hours.
My intention was to check the Capresso carafe after 8-10 hours to compare the heat retention to the Krups. Unfortunately due to a scheduling issue, I was unable to check the Capresso carafe until the following morning (24 hours later).
Assuming that the coffee inside had long since gone cold, I began to pour the coffee out into my sink. You can imagine my surprise when I found the coffee to still be hot. Not tepid, not luke-warm, but hot! I was shocked to say the least.
The CoffeeTEAM Therm™ has an integrated conical burr grinder. The grinder has four different settings to give you several grinding options depending on the type of bean you are using. Burr grinders are preferred because they produce a minimal amount of heat when grinding the coffee beans. The lack of heat means that more of the aroma will be preserved compared to blade grinding which does produce heat during the grinding process. The bean reservoir on this unit holds approximately 90g of coffee beans – enough for two pots of coffee.
The CoffeeTEAM Therm™ can be programmed to grind beans for 4, 6, 8, or 10 cups of coffee. Three strength settings are available (mild, medium and strong). Another convenient feature is that different grind and strength options can be set for the immediate brewing button and the auto-on (scheduled) button.
Like most coffee makers the CoffeeTEAM Therm™ has a drip stop feature for mid-brew coffee refills. One thing to keep in mind is that the carafe lid must be in the closed position when brewing coffee to active this feature.
Don’t lose the carafe lid! If you lose the carafe lid, you cannot make coffee until it is replaced.
Why would losing the lid prevent one from making coffee? The lid of the carafe has a nipple that pushes up on a release under the filter. When this release is depressed, coffee is allowed to enter the carafe. Resist any urges you might have to try something McGyver-esque if you lose the lid. Spending $5 on a cup of coffee from a local coffee house is much better than risking a trip to the ER.
So what makes the CoffeeTEAM Therm™ unique?
The CoffeeTEAM Therm™ automatically grinds and brews coffee into a stainless steel carafe without human intervention. While other grind and brew makers do exist, none (to the best of my knowledge) have paired a burr grinder with a carafe.
Automated Grinding and Brewing is accomplished in four easy steps:
- Fill the unit with water.
- Fill the bean container with coffee beans.
- Move the filter assembly to its locked position under the grinder feed channel.
- Depress the top on/off button for immediate brewing, or the bottom auto-on button for timed brewing.
When initiated, the CoffeeTEAM Therm™ will grind the exact amount of beans needed and deposit the grounds into the filter housing. It then unlocks, and moves the filter housing back into position over the carafe, at which point brewing begins.
Why settle for a conventional coffee maker that you pre-fill with already ground coffee? Nothing beats the taste of freshly ground coffee. The last thing I want to do at 5:45 AM is get out a grinder to grind some beans and then make some coffee. I want to be able to wake up in the morning and head downstairs knowing I have the freshest pot of coffee possible waiting for me to consume with wanton abandon.
So far I have brewed around 12 pots of coffee in this unit, and each one has consistently given me excellent results. Prior to this unit I used a blade grinder to grind my beans. I have noticed a marked improvement in the way my coffee tastes. I believe the burr grinder and the heat at which this unit brews has given me a new appreciation for my current stock of coffee beans.
At a suggested retail price of $299.00 this unit is more expensive than most coffee makers. However, considering the integration of the burr grinder and the other high-end functions this unit includes, it would be very easy to spend more money on comparable individual products.
Capresso includes a GoldTone metal filter and measuring cup with this unit. The one year warranty includes free replacement and shipping of any broken part (carafe is excluded from the warranty), along with free repair (including free UPS shipping in both directions) should it be needed.
Certain activities will void your warranty protection. These activities are clearly spelled out in the manual. There are some things that you would not think of such as:
Never fill coated coffee beans into the bean container
It can be very tempting to ignore a product manual, I’ve done it may times myself. But in this situation, taking a few minutes to learn about what will void your warranty could save you money should you run into a problem.
In conclusion, I found the Capresso CoffeeTEAM Therm™ to be a well-designed and innovative product. And while its price point may not make it the perfect fit for those who have already invested money in a conical burr grinder, the features it incorporates and the service and support that Capresso includes all add up to make this a produce I would consider to be best in class.
I would like to thank Field & Associates for the opportunity to review this fine product.
July 31st, 2006 at 5:49 PM
We tried the cuisinart brew and grind and were really disappointed because the coffee was so weak — tasted like brown water. Does the grind control on the Capresso really make a difference ? Can you make a really strong cup of coffee??
July 31st, 2006 at 9:15 PM
I think the Capresso will give you finer control options, and what I like is how hot it brews the coffee at.
Let me type a small section from the user manual that might be of interest to you:
Q1: How much coffee should I use?
A. The grinder grinds approximately between 6 seconds (setting "4, mild"), and 30 seconds (setting "10, strong"). The maximum amount of coffee will be ground in the setting "10, strong" with the fineness selector in the coarsest position.
EXAMPLE: for 10 cups of coffee: Fill the water container with the maximum amount of water. Set the grinder to 10 cups, the strength indicator to mild, and the fineness selector to fine.
* IF THE COFFEE IS TOO STRONG: change the grind amount indicator to 8, the strength indicator to medium, and continue to use the same amount of water.
* IF THE COFFEE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGHT: leave the grind indicator at 10, change the strength indicator to strong, and set the fineness selector in the coarsest position (largest dot). If the coffee is still not strong enough, use a little less water.
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I personally feel like this gives me enough options but everyon is different. I like the fact that it brews at 200 degrees, at that temp I feel like it gets the most that the beans have to offer.
Buying a combination unit is a hard decision I know. Best best would be to find someplace local with a good return policy if you don't find you like it.
I have been very impressed with Capresso. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask I'll try to answer to the best of my abilities.
November 19th, 2006 at 7:37 PM
I don’t suppose you were grinding French Roast were you? Just wondering if gooey oily coffee will gum up the bur grinder.
November 19th, 2006 at 8:04 PM
Hey Rick, the only thing they warn against is flavored coffee. They do mention that darker roasts may require the inside to be wiped out from time to time, but aside from that all they warn against are flavored coffees.
November 19th, 2006 at 8:05 PM
One other comment I’ll make, since this maker brews coffee really hot, there is a *lot* of steam put off from this during the brewing process.
November 22nd, 2006 at 12:57 PM
Just starting to research a new maker to take the place of our old Capresso Elegance Therm. This sounds fabulous but I worry about gimmicks that might be just one more thing to go wrong. What about the mechanism by which the filter basket automatically returns to the proper position when the grinding ends? Also, I have MS and have lost some dexterity/strength in my hand - how ergonomically friendly is the carafe lid? Tanx.
November 23rd, 2006 at 7:59 AM
Hey Jim, great questions. I too wondered about the mechanism for the return of the basket when I initially started using this unit. I believe its a spring mechanism that is used and so far 6+ months later, it hasn’t had a problem to date.
The carafe lid while easy on might unfortunately give you some trouble. Its rather low profile and the nubs if you will to open it are small and on the top.
I can see where it might give a person a hard time if they had some trouble with their hands.
November 26th, 2006 at 8:27 PM
I have had a Capresso coffee maker with burr grinder for around 10 years. Capresso has made some great improvements to their design including being able to access the ground coffee channel and a water filter. The only thing wrong, so far, with my Capresso is that it never breaks and so we never get the opportunity to take advantage of the improvements. We will be buying a 455 and will bequest our old machine to our favorite nephew as an heirloom. The cost may be high, but consider how many coffee makers of other brands I would have gone through in the time I have had this one.
November 28th, 2006 at 6:42 PM
They really do make a quality product. I for one like to buy something I will have around for years. I have known people that seem to go through lesser expensive coffee makers every few years — sometimes investing a little more in a maker is a worthwhile investment in the long run.
January 6th, 2007 at 12:02 PM
BotB correctly quotes the manual above, but does it make any sense that you get stronger coffee on the coarsest grinder setting? I would have thought tha the finer the grind and all other factors unchanged, that one would get a stronger coffee. Also, do I understand correctly that the grinder settings for cups and strength just vary the amount of beans and grind time, and do not change the fineness of the grind? thanks for any insight!
January 6th, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Hey Dan, thanks for your comment. I believe they recommend you use a coarser grind because that will in effect add even more coffee to the hopper. You are correct that the fineness of the grind is user set.
February 26th, 2007 at 6:22 AM
I’ve used the original CoffeeTEAM for going on 10 years. In my experience, all things being equal, setting the grind coarser results in a weaker brew. I usually increase the cup/strength setting to achieve a stronger brew.
Also, a prior commenter asked about the sturdiness of the mechanism that returns the basked to the carafe after grinding. I’ve never had any problems with any of the three CoffeeTEAMs I’ve owned. The mechanism is essentially a spring — you swing it over and it locks, then after grinding the lock releases and the spring causes the basket to pop to the right.
August 6th, 2007 at 4:31 PM
Hey,
I have the cuisinart grind and brew and ABSOLUTELY HATE IT because the grinding section is directly connected to the brewing section, ie. the steam from the brewing area is released straight into the grinding area. this results in ground coffee EVERYWHERE, because it sticks to every surface of the machine. subsequently, i have to clean the machine for 30+ minutes EVERY TIME I USE IT!!!!
Is the capresso set up in the same fashion, or is the grinding area completely separate from the brewing section? thanks a lot.
August 6th, 2007 at 4:51 PM
Hey Tommy! Thanks for the comment. To answer your question, no the grinding area is not connected to the brewing area. The brewing are is locked into place under the grinder, when it has finished it swings over to the right under the brewing section, works great!
August 12th, 2008 at 4:26 PM
I’m ready to buy. Whom do you recommend as the best and most responsive company to purchase from?