Braun Tassimo Freshly Brewed Coffee, Cappuccino and Hot Drinks Machine (black)

---

---

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

If you like the taste of proper coffee but can't be bothered with all the hassle required to make it, then the Tassimo from Braun is probably, if you'll pardon the pun, just your cup of tea.

Tassimo is the result of a collaboration between experienced appliance manufacturer Braun and food-giant Kraft and the fact that they've worked together from the start has really paid off.

Rather than using traditional brewing methods to produce your drinks, the Tassimo exclusively uses special pods called T-DISCS to brew your drinks. These T-DISCS each contain precise amounts of coffee, tea, chocolate or concentrated milk and have been individually designed for each of the different beverages that the Tassimo machine can produce. Each disc features a barcode that is read by the Tassimo machine when inserted and gives instructions on exactly how much water should be used and how long the drink should be brewed as well as any other variables that are needed in preparing the perfect drink. This rather high-tech approach to drink-making really pays dividends and during Amazon.co.uk's tests we were particularly impressed by the high quality of the drinks that the machine produces. At the time of writing there are seven drinks available in the Tassimo range including Kenco Classic Blend, Kenco Classic Blend Decaffeinated, Kenco Cappucino, Kenco Espresso, Kenco Caffé Crema, Twinings English Breakfast Tea and Suchard Hot Chocolate. Even the resident Amazon.co.uk coffee buff was pleasantly surprised, in particular with the machine's ability to churn out a potent espresso with a decent crema - something that often proves to be the stumbling point for other coffee machines (the crema is the layer of thickly effervescent foam that is found on top of a well crafted espresso).

The Tassimo machine itself is a squat little device with stylish curves and a clean modern feel to it, something that will make it look at home in pretty much any kitchen, dining room or home office. It has a good solid feel to it and a relatively compact footprint that won't take up too much valuable worktop space. Water for the drinks is provided by a 1 litre water container that sits at the rear of the machine. A nice touch is the ease with which you can fill the water container - the whole thing simply lifts off, can be filled directly from the tap and then popped back on again - meaning that there's no messing around with jugs of water required. Operating the machine is simplicity itself. Once you have chosen which drink you want just lift the clamp above the brewing mechanism, insert the appropriate T-DISC and close the machine up again. Conveniently T-DISCs only fit in the machine one way round, so even the most ham-fisted of individuals shouldn't experience too many problems. After a brief pause (while the machine reads a barcode on the T-DISC to work out how your drink needs brewing) the Auto light pops on and you can operate the Tassimo's single control - an unmistakably large start/stop button - to dispense your drink.

If you want to make other drinks straight away then the Tassimo copes well with this too. All that is required is to pop in another T-DISC and follow the process straight through again, although if you're making a large round you may experience a pause after the second or third cup while the Tassimo machine heats additional water to cope with the demand. The fact that all brewing happens inside the T-DISCs is a real boon at this point as it means that flavours aren't transferred when you switch between different drinks. Other features of the Tassimo include a variable height cup stand and the ability to make drinks stronger or weaker than standard (depending on your tastes) by adding more or less water as you brew them. This latter feature can actually turn out to be quite important if you're a fan of big mugs as the standard cup sizes delivered by the Tassimo (approx. 75ml for espresso, 200ml for cappuccino and 280ml for coffee, café crema and tea) can be a little on the small size for many bigger cups.

Overall the Tassimo succeeds in doing exactly what it claims to do and produces exceptionally good tasting drinks with the minimum of fuss and will no doubt become a well-used appliance in the homes of those who desire a little more to their coffee than a teaspoon of instant coffee granules. Highly recommended.--Adi Himpson, Amazon.co.uk

---

Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-05-22 rating:
great coffee maker, lousy service
The first coffee maker delivered to me didn't work. I returned it and received another quickly enough which does work but more than 2 months later, I have still not received the promised vouchers for T discs. A minor point, I daresay in monetary terms, but indicative of a lack of after sales care or commitment. The company replied to my e-mails promptly enough but have done nothing else.

---

review by: iaveter date: 2008-04-11 rating:
Better than filter-coffee machine, but not a Starbucks standard
I have been using the machine for a week now. The machine was delivered very quickly by Shavers_uk. Setting up the machine is pretty simple, however make sure that you follow all the steps as described in the manual otherwise you might end up with a problem similar to mine - after the first drink was prepared the top clamp would not close and the machine stopped functioning. An instant replacement has been provided after I contacted Shavers_uk, and the new machine arrived two days later. This time I was very careful in following the manual instructions and the machine works perfectly now. The drinks are easy to make, however the quality of drinks is not great (though much better than from my old filter coffee machine). To get a nice froth on top you need to use the milk capsule, as adding milk does not produce the same effect. The price of pods is not too bad: watch out for deals from big supermarkets and you will get 4 packs of 16 pods in each for £10. Cleaning the machine is not a problem. Another point - some machines come with a larger water tank (like mine, which is a 2L one), which can save you the hassle of refilling the water every time. The drinks are really hot, which is an advantage compared to other coffee machines, which prepare terrible tepid drinks. You can also regulate manually the strength of your drink - very handy. Big mugs can easily fit under the nozzle if you remove the stand tray. Overall I am happy with the machine, though the Starbucks still remain on the agenda.

---

review by: date: 2008-04-10 rating:
Greatest machine ever invented
The Tassimo is quite simply the greatest machine ever invented in the entire history of mankind. Chuck in a T Disc, wait a minute, press the button and there you have it - brilliant tasting coffee every time. I've tried all of the coffee varieties available, including the new Kenco Decaffeinated, and they are all superb - like having a coffee shop in your kitchen. One minor moan - I didn't receive the "free" pack of T Discs on offer when I bought it - I can live with that. Buy one of these today if you like coffee, you'll wonder how you lived so long without one !

---

review by: date: 2008-03-26 rating:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....
Oh, I just LOVE my Tassimo - I've had it 4 months and although my first drink was the smallest cappuccino in the world, I soon discovered the other delights that are on offer. At first I thought I would only use it as a special treat every now and again after the initial 4 cups a day (and lots of wide eyed nights...) but i haven't. I buy almost all the range instead of regular coffee and am especially fond of the Crema Intenso and the decaf Kenco - I won't buy the cappuccino anymore as with only 8 Espresso and 8 Creamers to a pack, and the fact that it doesn't fill the cup enough, I don't think they're worth it compared to 16 in the others (you could top up with water but who wants a weaker Cappucino?)

But I just love it, it looks neat and it makes me happy - I've also converted my coffee-snob husband....


review by: Steve McGuinness date: 2008-03-18 rating:
Tassimo review after having the machine for a year
It's interesting to read people's reviews on this machine. My view has actually changed over time. I have had this system for nearly a year now, and I couldn't sing its praises more in the beginning - I would have rated it 5 stars. So simple to use, you just push the button and leave it to do the rest.

For the pluses, there is a wide range of coffee, especially if you buy them online, and they usually arrive within a week. The coffees/teas are also available in most large supermarkets, but you will probably see just one or two drinks in the smaller stores. It only takes a few seconds to warm up, and once the cup is in position then it really is just the push of a button - the bar code on each capsule tells the machine how much water to release, and at what temperature.

As for the downsides, there are no chilled drinks available (as yet), it seems to have aged considerably in looks - I think it looks dated yet other machines still look stylish.

I bought my partner a Dolce Gusto for Christmas, and although it has a much smaller range of capsules, (and surprisingly no teas!) you only have to try a chococino or a lungo, and you will be converted.

I can't comment on the milk capsules, as I only drink black coffee, but I will be offloading this Tassimo at some point in the very near future and converting to the DG.

Tassimo seem to be increasing their capsule range a lot more than the DG, and the teas are all very good, and as for the coffees, the Crema Intenso is the best by far. Be careful, I ended up spending a ridiculous amount of money on trying out the coffees online, and as a result spent several weeks wide-eyed and fidgety!

Don't get me wrong, I have been more than happy with the system, and would recommend it, especially for the ranges of drinks - if you like both tea and coffee, then this is definitely the choice.

For me personally, from now on, I will be happy with just lungos and chocochinos from DG.

---

Similar products

Braun Tassimo Freshly Brewed Coffee, Cappuccino and Hot Drinks Machine (silver)
Nintendo DS Lite Handheld Console (White)
Yuraku 7" Digital Photo Frame
Wii 6-in-1 Sports Pack (Wii)
Dyson DC16 Root 6 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner - Steel & Yellow

---

Similar categories

Home & Garden . Home & Garden . Kitchen & Home . Categories . Kitchen & Dining . Coffee & Tea Preparation . Espresso & Cappuccino Machines
Home & Garden . Home & Garden . Kitchen & Home . Categories . Kitchen & Dining . Coffee & Tea Preparation . General AAS
Home & Garden . Home & Garden . Kitchen & Home . Substores . Custom Stores . Braun . Coffee Machines
Home & Garden . Home & Garden . Refinements . Browse-Refinements . Kitchen Tools, Gadgets & Textiles (3147491) . Theme (theme_browse-bin) . Coffee
Home & Garden . Home & Garden . Refinements . Browse-Refinements . Cookware (3147471) . Theme (theme_browse-bin) . Coffee

---

Accessories

Braun KSM2 Coffee Grinder
Braun WK300 AquaExpress Cordless Kettle Black 3000w
Braun WK600 Impression Brushed Stainless Steel Jug Kettle
Braun HT600 Impression Brushed Stainless Steel Toaster
Braun KF550 Aroma Passion Filter Coffee maker

---