The Tassimo One Cup Coffee Maker

The Tassimo One Cup Coffee Maker can make more than just a cup of steaming hot coffee. This coffee brewer is really a hot drink system, capable of concocting a real milk based latte, a cappuccino, café crema, hot cocoa or tea as well as coffee. The machine has an adjustable cup pedestal that lets you brew a different size drink, ranging from a demitasse cup to a travel mug.

The Tassimo Model TA1400 comes with a 68 ounce water reservoir. There is a water filter so fresh water goes into the brew and then your cup. The water reservoir is located on the back of the machine which is rather squat and rounded. Just under 14 inches high, it fits easily under most kitchen cupboards. However, it must be pulled out from its cozy spot to refill the water reservoir.

Grab handles are used to open the machine's brew head to insert the coffee contained in T-Discs. The machine has a micro-processor which manages the brew temperature and volume automatically by reading bar codes which are imprinted on each T-Disc of coffee. When inserted into the brew head, the brewer scans the bar code to determine the amount of water to deliver, the temperature of the water and the timing of the brew cycle. There is a variety of sizes and chocolate syrup for cocoa as well as dairy products that have a stable shelf life. There are various sized apertures on the T-Disc which allow the Tassimo to deliver either a stream of liquid to your cup or a textured, frothy foam. This one cup brewer can make a 2.5 ounce shot of espresso at 192° F or 6 ounces of frothed milk at 156° F to make a latte or cappuccino.

To brew a latte or cappuccino, you must follow 3 steps:

• Insert and brew an espresso T-Disc.
• Insert a cappuccino or latte disc and brew. Enjoy your hot beverage!
• Insert a cleaning disc and run a rinse cycle. If this is not done routinely, users have reported gobs of coagulated milk products appear in their beverages. The company has even recommended that the machine be flushed with water to 'keep the pipes clear'.New cleaning discs should be purchased periodically.

All single cup coffee machines use a pump to deliver water to the brew head. Some users complained that the Tassimo was noisy. This one step brewing system offers a coffee house beverage at far less the cost and there is a wide array of beverage types from coffees to cocoas. Some coffee purists are not enchanted with the Gevalia Café or Kraft's European brands, Café Norte, or KenCo blends packaged in the T- Discs.

There are several different types of one cup coffee machines available and if you're thinking of purchasing one, study the reviews and comparisons of each before buying.