Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #119843 in Kitchen & Housewares
- Brand: Francis Francis by illy
- Model: X1-Almond
- Dimensions: 12.90" h x
13.00" w x
18.50" l,
Product Description
FrancisFrancis X1 New 2010 Model New Brewing group for ground coffee OR for Single Serving PODS. Beautiful,stylish and retro-futuristic looking Espresso Coffee Machine from Italian designer Luca Trazzi. ,Luca's first espresso coffee machine is widely admired not only ,for its looks but as a fantastic pump action espresso coffee maker FrancisFrancis X1 Specifications Dimensions Width 26cm x Depth 25cm x Height 33cm ,Water Reservoir 1.55 litres (about 15 cups) ,Weight 7Kg ,Pump pressure 18 bar ,Max electrical power 1100 Watts NEW Features -18 Bar Pump ,-Automatic Boiler Priming ,-Audible Beep when at brewing temperature ,-Audible Beep when steam is ready ,-1 Handle with single and double insert ,-New temperature guage ,-Green light when machine is ready to use. ,-Shut off and audible beep if pump is left running for 70 seconds ,-Audible beep when water tank is empty ,-All steel bodies - powder coated painted finish -Accessories included with the machine: (ground coffee version) ,- ground coffee kit(1 cup+2 cup filter,spoon,tamper) ,- pack of descaler ,- knock out box br ,- 2 year warranty ,- Group Head Cleaning KIT
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 30 people found the following review helpful.
A bit expensive but great coffee
By anon
I did not purchase my Francis Francis from Amazon as it is possible to get this product cheaper from other online retailers. Keep an eye on the prices of coffee machines because apparently due to the credit crunch, we are drinking more coffee at home and the prices have gone through the roof. If you search the net, it is still possible to source a bargain.Initially, I was not impressed but this machine needs some getting used to. Firstly, when you make your coffee, you have to ensure that the filter housing is in place correctly. You may think that it is but if you have coffee gushing over the top making your drink taste gritty and bitter then you are doing something wrong. You have to push the filter holder to the right, keep pushing (to the point where you think you might break the machine - don't worry you won't). That way, a seal is created and the coffee will not gush over the sides from the pressure of the pump.One of the other reviewers mentioned the plastic spouts. I do not use mine at all as I make coffee for one. It is possible to use the machine without using them.Make sure you have a jug which is 0.50 litres in size as this is the perfect size for the nozzle along with a temperature gauge for frothing the milk.The nozzle could be a bit longer but it does the job.Overall, I would say that the machine is a bit expensive but if you drink coffee or cappucinos every day it is worth it. It makes great coffee and once you get the hang of it, it will just get better.Something to bear in mind is that with this machine you get a 2 year warranty. If your machine breaks down or it needs to be serviced, they will collect it, do the necessary and deliver it back - all free of charge. At least you have peace of mind for 2 years which is saying something.Remember, with these reviews that sometimes people only review when their experience is bad.If I were pushed I would recommend purchasing a Francis Francis. If, however, money is a bit tight, go for a Gagggia or a Kenwood Retro. Also check out the Dualit expresso machine which could be a contender as well.
43 of 45 people found the following review helpful.
Lovely retro look but not as good as it should be
By Caramac girl
I wanted one of these machines for a while before finally buying this one. I wanted to go for the Kitchenaid one (over 500 pounds!)but my husband persuaded me this one was fine. I have now discovered a couple of annoying glitches the first one being that the one and two cup spouts supplied with the machine are plastic (not metal like those with other machines) and they don't fit under the filter properly and fall off. This means that we can't use them and have to make single cups every time - which is a faff if you have 3 or 4 coffees to make - either that or fiddle around pouring coffee from one cup into another or use a small jug etc.....Which brings me onto the other frustrating thing which is that there isn't much 'headroom' for a cup under the filter (even less with the spout attached) - only short espresso cups fit and so if you wanted cappucino you have to pour the espresso into a bigger cup to give room for the steamed milk. I now know that the Kitchenaid is higher and so would take taller cups and mugs.I guess the X1 is made this way so that it's not too tall to fit on the kitchen worktop where there is a wall cupboard above but it does compromise it's function.I have to say despite these frustrations it looks lovely, I use it every day, it works very well, has a good sized water reservoir, heats up in good time, it makes great coffee, (but I'm drinking too much!)Overall 325 pounds feels too much to pay for something that isn't quite what it should be.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Love it!
By butchersboy
This is our first "proper" coffee machine having relied on the good old stove top espresso maker for years. We now drink more coffee than ever before!Having read reviews for this and other machines we settled on this one as most reviewers praised the quality of the coffee it produces. They were right, the quality is superb. We have used Illy coffee and other types including one our relatives in Italy bring over from a coffee merchant in their town and all have passed the test. It is easy to use and looks really good in the kitchen.One or two reviewers were of the opinion that there is not much room between the spout and the base but we can quite happily get espresso cups and large cappuccino cups underneath. If you want to drink espresso from a tall mug then it ain't going to fit! The steam nozzle could do with a little more room but we soon learnt the knack of using it and it does not present a problem.We purchased the 0.71 litre stainless steel jug at the same time and this holds enough milk for two large cappuccinos and the froth without overflowing. A milk frothing thermometer was added to the order on the "don't spoil the ship for...." basis and it has proved invaluable. It takes all the guesswork away and eliminates the swearing from the traditional temperature testing methods!If you like the look of the machine and enjoy great coffee then this may be the one for you.
See all 9 customer reviews...
disappointed
