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Editorial Review :
This seasoned and ready to use round grill press is good for keeping bacon from curling, also chicken breasts, pork chops, steaks. Nice and heavy to do the job right. Holds heat in grilled sandwiches and "presses" out unwanted fats. Cool grip spiral handle gives it that "Americana" look.
Customer Review :
adequate but
Received Logic cast iron grill press today. Has adequate weight and snugly fits inside my 9" frying pan. The spiral handle is not bright finished as shown in the product illustration. The coating on the handle appears similar to Japan Black and the washers intended for placement under the 3/8" acorn nuts are skimpy. Because of painted? handle, have doubts about using this product anywhere but in frying pan or on griddle.
Rating : 
Too Hot To Handle
This press does what it's supposed to, but make sure to wear an oven glove with the handle during use.
Rating :
Good press with a terrible handle.
The press functions well enough, but as other reviews have mentioned the handle is shotty. It's held on with bolts which get gunked-up with grease and crud. I have to disassemble the handle (with tools) to clean the press thoroughly. The coiled handle doesn't stay cool enough to touch anyway, so why not use a one-piece design like the Lodge panini press? One good bonus this press offers is I can use it as a lid for the Lodge 6.5" skillet, which doesn't have an available lid.
Rating :
Good press for sandwiches
To make a grilled cheese sandwich (or any other hot sandwich), I get this press good and hot while preheating the pan, then just put in the sandwich with this on top. No need to flip and the sandwich comes out perfectly browned on both sides!
Only improvement would be had it come pre-assembled with hardware that fit flush. The screws are in deep indentations that collect food and require extra effort to clean. Also, the fit of the nuts is kind of poor for the screws. I actually had to use pliers to put them on (not to tighten, mind you, just to get them onto the screws). Hence the 4-star rating.
One other thing -- they claim it is pre-seasoned, but the screws definitely are not and I found that even the cast iron portion stuck to food the first couple uses, so you may want to season it yourself before use.
Rating :
DISAPPOINTED
IDN'T ORDER IT FOR THE GRILL WOULD PROBALLY MAKE SOME ONE A LOT HAPPIER TO HAVE IT FOR THE GRILL BUT DID NOT TURN OUT TO BE WHAT I WANTED FOR INDOORS ON THE STOVE TOP
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Editorial Review :
The DeLonghi Esclusivo Magnifica Super-Automatic Machine brews perfect coffee, espresso, latte, and cappuccino. The compact and patented Direct-to-Brew System with Thermo Block technology provides excellent heat distribution, and it's removable for easy cleaning. The beans are ground instantly to ensure the freshest espresso or coffee brewed under 15 bars of pressure. Professional-quality integrated burr grinder produces consistent, fresh, and aromatic espresso or coffee. Grind settings allow you to adjust the fineness for all types of beans. The instant reheat function heats the core of the machine, ensuring that Magnifica maintains an ideal temperature for brewing. The patented cappuccino system frother includes a special chamber that mixes steam and milk to create a rich, creamy froth. It's perfect for making the ideal cappuccino, latte, or any other frothy milk coffee beverage. Automatic decalcification indicator lights let you know when it's time to clean the machine. Removable 60-ounce water tank with water-level indicator allows for convenient filling and easy cleaning. Removable used coffee container and drip tray for convenient cleaning and easy disposal of coffee waste. Two separate, easy-to-use control dials allow you to make adjustments to coffee strength and brewed amounts. Choose the one-cup option for a large mug or small espresso, or choose the two-cup option for two large mugs or two small espressos. Three-hour automatic shutoff for safe operation. Adjustable spouts let you brew directly into espresso, demitasse, or 12-ounce cups.
Customer Review :
It does the job, and does it well
I'm at the six month mark for using this machine. First, for context: I do not sip coffee out of a mug in the morning looking out over San Francisco Bay as I contemplate life's wonders. Instead, I want my mocha latte in the morning (and just about every morning) before I go to work. In addition, I am not a frustrated barrista faling back on my Starbuck's training; I don't even use the frothing wand because it is too much of a pain in the rear to deal with. Instead, I bought something that does it automatically, which kind of fits the theme of this machine.
I used a Gaggia Classic until it died. I was happy with it, but in a sense, I think this machine has it beat for one very important reason: consistency. You get the same cup of coffee every morning with good crema. And that is, to me, the only upside that matters. Is it noisy? It is quieter than my burr grinder. Do you have to clean it? Sure, about once a week, but it takes about 30 seconds. Do you have to decalcify it? I only use distilled water, and I haven't had to yet. Does it break down? Not mine, but I don't leave it on all the time. I turn it on, it takes about a minute to get ready, I make my coffee, then I turn it off. No problems. Is it super hot? I use a double-walled Bodum cup, and it stays hot for 20-25 minutes with the foam on top. The trick is to either make the coffee right away, or pre-warm the dispenser (it can be done).
All in all, it does what it is supposed to do. What more can you ask?
Rating :
Magnificant!
I waited until I had my machine 1 year to write this review. I chose it because, based on reviews, it appeared to be the best low price fully-automatic espresso machine. I am really happy with it.
I use a frothing thermometer to tell how long to steam the milk for. This results in perfect cappucino every time!
Pros:
- Makes great coffee
- Fool-proof milk frother
- Easy to clean - don't need any special cleaning tablets
Cons:
- Manual controls for bean and water quantity
- My machine jams once every couple of months. However, the jams always clear themselves - no service has ever been needed
Rating :
Great Machine
This machine works very well. I have had it for about 2 months now without any problems. The only thing that I'm not overly thrilled with is the prep & clean up needed after each time you use the machine. Other than that it works very well. Oh, I also wish it had a larger water tank.
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Was A Nice Machine, But Look Out If It Stops Working--Out of Warranty Nightmare
I purchased the Delonghi Magnifica Automatic Espresso Coffee Machine from Amazon in November 2006. It just died one month ago, out of warranty of course. When I called Delonghi to inquire as to how I could get it repaired, they informed me that they have only two places in the US that fix them. One on the east coast, and one on the west coast. So you have to ship it at your expense and insured to the appliance repair shop. I shipped mine the same day it broke to the east coast location; it went to Cross-Bay Appliance in Howard Beach, NY. It took them an entire month to look at the machine and they have a very casual, unconcerned approach. They will say, "I'll try" to look at it for weeks until you start to get a little heated in your tone, then they will take a look at it. Well, after waiting the entire month, they looked at it only to tell me it will cost almost as much as it would to purchase a new one to repair it. I asked them to ship it back and not to bother adding the cost to insure it since, now, it's nothing but piece of junk. Well, they insist on charging over twice as much as it would cost to resend it back to me.
Delonghi apparently does not care in the least about your out of warranty repair needs. Even if you have a small problem, you better give your beloved espresso machine a long kiss goodbye because you won't see if for a while. In my case, it's junk. I've heard of others having mechanical failures with these machines, but if they are out of warranty, which is only one year, you are screwed. I searched and searched for a appliance repair shop locally, there is NO ONE who knows about these machines but Delonghi knows and they will send you to this operation which does not have to try to get business, could care less about the customers and you can tell they know the drill. I'm tempted to let them keep it, but then realized that probably many people do that and they end up probably refurbishing them and then selling them, which I will not allow.
So, as much as I loved the machine, I would never purchase another one from Delonghi simply because there is no way to reasonably get it repaired in a decent amount of time and for a fair cost. So, your machine, once something goes wrong with it, will end up in the garage until you or someone else you know decides to go to the Espresso Machine Repair School for broke down Delonghi Machines.
I was shocked that this was my ONLY option, and the repair shop Delonghi sent me to has unprofessional and callous morons running it. They know you either pay what they ask for or pay whatever they want to ship it back regardless of the actual cost to ship it back to you, which further aggravates you because you have no choice. It's abusive. I will be filing a BBB complaint for this repair shop and giving Delonghi two thumbs down. Your purchase will be short lived. I'm looking into the Pasquini Espresso machine now, but I will find out what process I will have to go through if it needs any type of repairs in the future--post-warranty. These machines are not cheap. At first I loved Delonghi, but now that I know I'm buying their products only to put them in the garbage later because of outrageous repair costs and inconvenience by the morons Delonghi sends you too, I will never buy another one.
Rating :
Go see one first
I drink a lot of coffee. Roast my own beans, etc. The idea of just pushing a button is very appealing. But... For the cost of a upper-mid range major appliance (washer, dryer, dishwasher, stove, etc.) I think I should be able to expect a device with at least some degree of quality. Not so this machine. It is, well, just cheaply made. Cheap plastic. Cheap controls. Cheap, cheap, cheap. Ok, I guess $800 in plastic junk is what the market will bear. $800 will buy a pretty decent stainless steel range, with a life expectancy of 10s of years. Lucky if you get a few years out of one of these coffee makers, and other reviews seem to highlight that fact. Many talk of how great their previous machine of a "few years" was and now they're onto buying another one...
Go look at one first. Don't reward manufacturers that have neither shame, nor pride, in their work.
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