Strange Looking, But Makes You Almost Think It's an Expresso Machine!!

WHY THE PHILLIPS SENSEO HD-7810 COFFEE MAKER?

Well, let's see, where do I begin? First off, I did not buy this machine. It was given to me through a promotional program that the manufacturer was running. I was about to enter a mall in Cambridge one day. Outside the mall stood a man who was giving out paper shopping bags.

On the bags read; "Drop the Drip", meaning that if you were to return back to that same location within the time specified on the bag with your old drip-style coffee maker in that same bag, then you would receive a brand spanking new Phillips Senseo HD-7810 Coffee Maker free of charge to you. Not one penny! This was the promotional campaign launched by the manufacturer to get people to stop using their old fashioned drip coffee makers in exchange for this new machine.

So I thought to myself; "What do I have to lose? If the machine doesn't work, then there's no money lost on my part." I then accepted the bag. But when I returned about a week later, according to the info on the bag, I was upset that the company had quickly ran out of the machines and that I was still too late getting over there for one of them!!

So they gave me a coupon instead that had a code number on it. More on that later.

WHAT THEN?

Upon actually getting the machine though, I was curious to try it out for the first time, which I did. And I DID find out that it's as good as they say it is! After taking several precautions in getting the machine set up, I proceeded to try it out. And the coffee it makes takes almost like a frothy expresso drink but without that constant aggravating overly strong overbearing acid taste that comes with expresso!

It's everything that I expected it to be! It saves you time over waiting for a whole or half pot of coffee to be brewed, as with the drip coffee makers. You only wait for anywhere from one or two cups or a large mug of coffee.

WHAT ABOUT THE COUPON?

With the coupon, there was a code number that was used to confirm that I was at the location where the machines were being given away. After getting home and going online to order the machine, the website was much too slow getting past the aggravating introduction! I ended up calling the toll-free number and spoke to one of the reps there.

After giving her the info required, she then placed the order for the machine. While on the phone though, I mentioned thew extremely slow response on the website, and that it should be improved on. I was told that the machine would come in about three to four weeks.

And while waiting for the machine to arrive, I was thinking and suspecting that this whole deal sounded like a scam and a whole bunch of hogwash! I thought that no one would send this machine out for free! There has to a catch! But I was totally surprised to find that the machine came Saturday via Fed Ex!!

SETUP PROCEDURES:

Before you can use the machine for the first time, you must follow the setup procedures, and you MUST flush ( prime ) the machine, or else you can't brew any coffee.

After setting out the machine, you first fill the reservoir to the MAX indicator mark, put the reservoir back on the machine, place a 1.5-liter cowl under the spouts, put one of the empty pod holders in the machine, close the lid & push the lever down to lock it in place, turn the unit on and finally press BOTH brew buttons simultaneously. The water will flush through the machine and any overflow will go into the bowl.

This important step is necessary to get water into the main tank, as the machine stores it there in preparation for the brewing cycles. Without doing this first, you can't make any coffee.

HOW DOES THE MACHINE WORK?

When you're done with that, the next step is brewing the coffee. You then decide which size pod holder you wish to use. For one cup of coffee, you'd use the one-pod holder. For two cups, you'd use the two-pod holder.

Place either a single cup, two cups or a large mug directly under the spouts, depending on whether you want a small or larger quantity of coffee.

You then turn the machine on ( center button ) and let it heat the water for the coffee. This takes up to ninety seconds. Then, if you want just one cup of brewed coffee, press the button to the extreme left. For two cups or a large mug, press the button to the far right.

The machine then begins the brewing cycle. It whips the coffee as it's being processed, sending it through the spouts and into the cup or cups. This process takes about thirty seconds.

MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR:

As I stated above, the machine is easy to operate once you follow the instruction manual to the letter. Once you've done that and keep those steps in mind, you'll be enjoying perfectly brewed cups of coffee every morning, afternoon or evening!

But you must use fresh new pods for each & every brewing cycle.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES & FEATURES OF THIS UNIT?

The advantages and features are many!

1. You make only the amount of coffee that you'd be drinking.

2. Reservoir holds enough water for up to five 4.0-oz. cups of coffee.

3. Comes with two pod holders - a 1-pod holder & a 2-pod holder.

3 Automatically shuts off after each brewing cycle.

4. Has removable drip tray under the cup area to catch any overflow.

5. Heater is only on during brewing cycle to save energy. No constant use as with energy-wasting drip-style coffee makers!

6. Safety thermostat helps prevent overheating by shutting off heater if it overheats from being on longer than necessary.

7. Coffee pods can be purchased at your local supermarket in your choice of multiple flavors just like regular coffee
( 16 pods in each bag ).

8. Available in your choice of blue or black.

9. Full 2-year repair / replacement warranty.

10. Choose between 1 cup, 2 cups or a large mug of brewed coffee.

11. Gives a rich frothy coffee layer in every cup.

12. Freshly brewed coffee within 30 seconds.

13. Heating cycle heats water in just 90 seconds.

14. Comes with a bag containing 18 pods to get you started.

15. No annoying coffee filters to put up with.

16. You get that famous expresso coffee taste without the added expense of an expresso machine!

17. Your cups of coffee are made fresh with every brewing, so you enjoy the freshest coffee there is. Not like the old-fashioned drip machines that have the coffee sitting there in the carafe while getting bitter or stale!

18. Instruction manual is easy to read and understand. in English only though.

19. UL-listed for safety.

20. Indicator ( red light around power button in center ) flashes slowly, telling you that the machine needs to be flushed, flashes rapidly when reservoir is empty.

21. Rubber feet on bottom of machine helps prevent movement.

22. Has overflow valve which sends excess water from reservoir into drip tray.

23. Removable parts are easy to clean.

CLEANUP:

Cleanup is a snap! Just remove the parts and wash & rinse them under running water. Dry completely and put back in the machine!

ARE THERE ANY SHORTCOMINGS AT ALL?

Yes. Coffee pods are expensive. you can't use the same pods twice, or your coffee will come out weak.

OVERALL?

Overall, I'd say that this is an excellent coffee machine!
It produces freshly brewed coffee with every cup.

FINAL THOUGHTS?

Yes! Get this machine either through the free give-away program or purchase it from a store. But in the stores, it costs about $75.00 or so.

WHERE TO BUY THEM?

You can buy this coffee machine at such fine stores as Best Buy, Sears, Target, Khol's, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond or Kmart.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS?

Call Customer Service at 1-866-4SENSEO. Or visit their website at http://www.senseo.com .


Thank you for reading this review.


~Daquan.