mmmm starbucks at home.... (Bosch Tassimo TAS4011GB)

Member Name: fayp

Product:	Bosch Tassimo TAS4011GB
Date:	25/01/09 (443 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: massive range of hot drinks to suit all tastes.

Disadvantages: no longer want to go to coffee shops as mine is nicer!

My old Braun Tassimo died after 10 month use so happily we were able to get the new Bosch Tassimo as a replacement! Bosch seem to have ironed out many teething problems with the Tassimo and hopefully this one will be more reliable too!

The machine arrives well packed in a box, it is fairly light and easy to unpack and looks very sleek in a corner of the kitchen. It comes in black, silver or red, and I think they all look nice. You have to wash, then fill up a water tank, which clips on the back, after that I fill it via a jug rather than lift up the tank each time. You get a yellow cleaning disc, which lives in a slot in the back of the machine, and need to insert this and wash the machine out 4 times before you can make coffee. So within 5 minutes you are ready to make your first drink.

The machine does not contain any free samples of drinks, which I feel is a bit mean, and bad marketing. This means if it was a present you need to rush out and buy discs! However you do get a coupon for 1 free pack if you register the machine, but I recall this took 6 weeks to arrive!

All the major supermarkets now stock T disc, they are in packs of 18 for apx £2.99-£3.29. There is a wider range of T discs online from Tassimo with free P+P if you order over £25 worth. The range of drinks is massive with something to suit every taste. There are two espressos, Kenco which I find weak, and Maestro Lorenzo which really packs and punch! Endless ground coffee from Kenco medium, rainforest alliance, Colombian, star bucks, a maestro Lorenzo crema, Jacobs mild and strong etc. Some make half mugs therefore stronger, others full size mugs. There are a few decaff coffees, voluptuous, short and strong, café hag, and Kenco decaff. Twining produce a range of teas, English breakfast, earl grey, camomile, green tea with mint and fruit of the forest. I find the tea handy as each one is sealed so they keep fresh if like me, you don't drink tea! There are two hot chocs a rich suchards and a milkier Milka. Some T discs have milk discs too, and make cappo or latte, I find the milk plasticy and horrid so don't use them, but they certainly look pretty and are handy if you are prone to run out of fresh milk, as again they keep fresh and sealed!

You can put the machine on and leave it on in standby mode, or just switch it on when you need it, the new bosch heats up very quickly, one of the changes they made. You then put a disc upside down and close the lid. The clever machine reads the barcode and automatically knows how much water, and what temp to put in! The brewing takes a moment as the water enters the disc then seems to stop, while it brews inside the disc! A light at the end allows you to press and add more water if you like weaker drinks, similarly you can hit the start button during the cycle to stop more water, for a stronger drink.

You need to place a cup or mug on the cup stand, the packets of coffee tell you apx what size you need, but you soon get used to it. The stand can be adjusted for taller or shorter mugs or even removed for travel mugs! You don't need special mugs with this system, which is handy!

The old Braun used to pee into its cup stand, often lots of hot water, the new Bosch doesn't do this, which is nice! I do find that means the steam instead builds up in the lid, so you need to leave the t disc a moment after brewing or face a hissing steam filled lid when you open it.

Cleaning is so simple, you can rinse the machine out with the cleaning disc, or remove the piercing spike for a dishwasher clean. I find a quick wipe is usually Ok unless you've made hot choc when I do wash it out. If you don't wipe the barcode reader it gets blocked so won't work.

I'm delighted with the system and no longer keep instant coffee in the house as it just goes stale! I know find myself coming home for coffee when out, as I prefer mine to many cafes and coffee shops!

Summary: a great system that I love!

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