Capresso Updates 2012
I don’t know whether people are familiar with the Capresso brand, but it is a brand you should be aware of if you are a fan of coffee or tea. In 1994, Capresso was launched by Michael Kramm, former president of Krups USA, to serve a specific purpose: provide innovative coffee and espresso machines for those who want the best. After popularizing high-end coffee makers and the home espresso market for more than 20 years it was time to develop machines which cater to the sophisticated American coffee connoisseur.
In 2002, Jura AG, founded in 1931 in Switzerland, and Capresso Inc., joined forces to create Automatic Coffee Centers. These high-end machines bring cutting-edge and user friendly features to create machines capable of producing almost any type of coffee imaginable.
The Capresso brand has stayed true to its origins of being focused on American style coffee and tea. You won’t, as of this writing, find blenders or mixers or other kitchen appliances, only coffee or tea related, and the focus is evident in the quality of their products.
Froth Plus
The first item that is updated for this year is the frothPlus Automatic Milk Frother. This device has one purpose, to heat and froth milk for coffee or tea drinks. This newest version has some interesting upgrades including a sleek new design and a clear pitcher so you can more easily see what is happening as the milk froths. The pitcher, which will hold 8 ounces of liquid for frothing and 12 ounces for heating only, is made of BPA-free plastic and is dishwasher safe.
Click to buy
The machine also has 3 temperature settings, hot, warm and cold so you can achieve the desired results without guessing. Next time, instead of preparing traditional hot cocoa with a powdered mix, treat yourself to rich & creamy hot chocolate by grating a chocolate bar directly into the frothPLUS while the milk is heating up. You can even use the cold setting to mix chocolate milk, malted milk or other powdered mixed drinks. It comes with two frothing disks and one heating disk that can be stored magnetically under the base. It also has an automatic shut-off feature to prevent milk from being scalded.
For $59.95 you will be hard pressed to find a better stand alone milk frother. It is already available at Sur La Table stores and Amazon.com
teaC100 Electric Kettle
Another upgraded product is the Capresso teaC100 Temperature Controlled Water Kettle which, while it looks similar to the older style glass kettle by Capresso, has some new features. The 48-ounce (1.5-qt) capacity carafe is made of heat resistant German made Schott Duran borosilicate glass. The water kettle has a slip-resistant, textured handle and drip free pouring design. Like any of the better electric kettles, it has a concealed heating element and is covered in stainless steel to prevent the [direct] heat from creating calcification deposits. It shuts off when the kettle is removed from the base and also has an auto shut-off to provide dry boil protection. The cordless kettle lifts from the power base, making it easy to use anywhere and is accessible for either the right or left handed person.
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The 5 temperature settings on the dial are marked as:
Warming – 100°,
Green Tea – 160°,
White Tea – 175°,
Oolong Tea – 195°
Black Tea – 212°.
The water level indicator runs along the handle area in ounce and cup markings for easy filling.
It is also available at Amazon and will soon appear in more stores.
MT600 & MG600 PLUS Coffee Maker
The other products being shown at the Capresso table were the MT600 (Thermal Carafe) and the MG600 (glass carafe) Plus Coffee Makers. These drip style coffee makers brew a 10-cup maximum using a stainless steel lined heating system which eliminates the water contact with aluminum and reduces the need to decalcify. In addition to many standard programming features of an automated coffee machine like automatic safety shut off, it comes with a GoldTone filter and an electronic filter indicator that shows when to replace the charcoal filter. The machine assumes that it makes a pot of coffee each time the machine is turned on and after 60 pots of coffee the green indicator light starts blinking. When the light blinks, replace the charcoal filter then push and hold the filter button until the green light stops blinking and stays illuminated. If you choose to use filtered water and not the Capresso charcoal system, push the filter button and the green light will turn off.
The stainless steel thermal vacuum carafe keeps coffee drinkably hot for up to 4 hours. In reality you may get less time but this will depend on how often you pour coffee thus aerating the coffee and cooling it a bit.
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The glass carafe, like many others, is kept warm by a heating element below the pot itself. If carafe sits on the heating plate for a long time, it will continue to heat or cook the coffee resulting in a more astringent, bitter coffee. Glass carafes are best for those who drink the pot of coffee within 30 minutes or so.
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The most unique new feature of these two machines is the fingerprint-proof stainless steel housing, which provides superior strength and style, and eliminates fingerprints. I can say that after rubbing my hands all over the machine, it did not have any smudges or smears on the stainless steel. If you have owned a polished or brushed stainless steel appliance, you know that these little smudges can make the appliance look unattractive and if this is a concern, this is the machine for you. And it also makes a good cup of coffee.
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Fagor New For 2012
Fagor is not a name most Americans are familiar with, but one that we will no doubt continue to hear more about. The official company – Fagor Electrodomesticos – which is based in Spain, is the fifth largest appliance manufacturer in Europe, the leading appliance manufacturer in both Spain and France, and the #1 built-in induction cooktop producer in the world. Fagor products bring together European style with a focus on Eco-friendly living.
Fagor America Inc., headquartered in Lyndhurst, NJ is the US based subsidiary of Fagor Electrodomesticos. The Fagor North American line consists of pressure cookers, small electrics, specialty cookware, canning supplies, cooking accessories and major appliances.
Healthy Squeeze Slow Juicer
The newest offering for Fagor in 2012 is the Healthy Squeeze Slow Juicer. It is a vertical masticating juicer, a style that more and more companies are calling slow juicers. The idea is that the food is slowly and gently “chewed” to squeeze juice, preserving more of the natural vitamins and anti-oxidants for a more nutritious drink.
This machine uses 150 watts of energy and runs on a lower RPM than traditional high speed or centrifugal juicers. It is quieter in comparison to its predecessors. It is a fairly light weight machine and like others of this style, doesn’t have a big foot print.
It comes apart for easy cleaning which is as easy as rinsing the parts with water between juicing. The auger and filter use an FDA approved material called ULTEM, which is food safe & BPA-free.
IHHS 2012 Preview – Hamilton Beach
Every January, the good people at the International Housewares Association (IHA) hold a preview event for the press in New York City. This event serves as an appetizer to get us excited about the feast that is coming soon. For bloggers like me, it is a great opportunity to cover more products, making reporting from the main International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago a bit easier. This preview enables me to see what is new and improved now, freeing me up to see other companies in March. This year there were around 65 companies displaying their wares. These companies represent those who are showing new products or are new to the IHA show family.
Over the next few weeks, I will post information about the products from the companies I was able to visit with in New York. I will highlight one company in each post so that focus can be given to what is new for this year. Without further ado, what follows is a summary of the new offerings from Hamilton Beach.
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Bread Knife Brief
As an avid baker and bread consumer, I have tried many bread knives and can offer some advice on which style is best.
The first question that may come to mind is, “there are different types of bread knives?” And the answer is, “Yes, Virginia, there are several styles and each style has pros and cons.” This article will look at the key elements that come up when shopping for a bread knife. The models presented are good examples of each style and not specifically reviewed.
Serrated or Straight Edge?
One of the first decisions to make is whether you want a serrated edge on the bread knife. I believe you need the serrations, as the goal of a bread knife is to easily cut through the crusty exterior of a loaf of bread. Indeed, the whole purpose of serration, regardless of the style of knife, is to easily cut things which are tough on the outside but soft on the inside; like bread and thicker skinned foods like tomatoes. Theoretically, you could use a straight edge slicing knife to cut bread, but you will find it is not as effective. Even the sharpest straight edge slicing knife will push down and crush a loaf of bread long before it slices into it. A sharp slicing blade might be effective on very soft breads, but even then the serrated knife will do a much better job.
Serrations – Yes.
Click to buy Kuhn Rikon
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Bottle Scraper Spatula
I find myself using certain tools with some regularity and this week I was surprised by one tool in particular: that tool was a bottle scraper.
A bottle scraper is a thin, long handled device with a plastic or silicone end. Normally the end looks like a spatula but is small enough to fit into narrow top jars. The one I own, from GrastoMax which I purchased at Fantes Kitchen Shop in Philadelphia, is shaped like a half moon on the end instead of a traditional spatula. I did not go into Fantes to buy a scraper; it was a total impulse purchase, but I have gotten a lot mileage out of it.
Image from Fantes.com
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