Expobar Office Control Espresso Machine

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Gordon Woodahl

After four years of excellent coffee, my Expobar Office Control flamed out. I called Whole Latte Love tech support and spoke to Cathy, who knew exactly what the problem was. The part that I ordered arrived within three days, and following Cathy's instructions I installed it and the machine is working great. It certainly was a lot easier and less expensive than shipping the machine off for repairs. I can't say enough for the dealings I've had with the technical support staff at Whole Latte Love. Cathy and Mike have both been extremely helpful.

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
James Marker

I originally reviewed this machine 8 years ago. It has worked perfectly for 8 years until this January. The pressure-stat started failing and the heating element would continuously cycle on/off. And the Teflon boiler feed tube from the pump was cooked solid by the heat from the uninsulated boiler. For whatever reason, my boiler was not insulated by the factory. You might check yours to see if it has a blanket of foil backed insulation around it. It was a great machine for 8 years and it was just replaced with an Office Lever, which I believe is a better machine and worth the extra $50. But I would not hesitate to recommend this machine to anyone.

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Brian Glance

I will update later but I have owned for four days now. I have the caffeine jitters from pulling several shots a day.... BUT machine is a tank. Stainless steel, very clean looking, super solid. No pressure gauge but can't say I've missed it. My first pull and steaming, well, awful. But uber quick learning curve. Fast heat up. Steam a plenty. It is a good sized piece of gear so be sure to have space for it, a grinder, knock box etc. Only knocks I have so far is the water tank is not visible, the brew head forces you to put the shot glasses at the edge of the drip tray, and an elbow on the steaming arm would have been nice but other than that it is everything that I hoped for. Love steaming and brewing at the same time. Pull shots as fast as me and my grinder can go, My 15-20 year old Estro Profi kicked the bucket and this is a more than worthy successor (and will hopefully last at least as long). I now get that using a non-pressure portafilter is a bit trickier in terms of consistency/grind/pull time/etc.. I by no means consider myself an expert but this machine definitely seems to shorten the learning curve. Mark on the sales team was great to talk to about what machine would best fit my needs.

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Stuart Craig

We've had two of these for over five years now. They are both in service at the moment, but mostly we've had one active and one in storage. They are solid, well constructed machines and have provided excellent service. The double-shot button on the older machine is getting a bit tired at this point - probably because that's the only button we use. If it does wear out, we'll just reprogram one of the other buttons to pour a double shot and switch to that one. Every problem we've had with either machine has turned out to be a result of user error or insufficient cleaning, and has been easily fixed.

Rated 4 out of 5

Posted By:
gadgetguy

I've used this machine for about 3 or 4 years now - not really sure. It has been trouble free and consistent with two exceptions: it runs hot after warming up. I replaced the thermosyphon flow restrictor in hopes that would solve it, but it didn't. In restrospect I should probably have done nothing to the internals, altough I learned a lot. I think the thermal drift is caused by the water reservoir heating up, so just pull out the tank, empty and refill with cold water if you want to keep it on for a long time. The water tank area simply gets too hot. The second thing is the drip tray - I had to glue shut the holes in the leaky drip pan twice -- cheap plastic. Otherwise the machine is solid.

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Jonathan83

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

Great and sitll going

Makes great espresso and lattes, but you need to learn how to do it. I got because my wife drinks regular and i drink decaf and the gaggias and other smaller semi auto and auto machines always made me wait between shots and had wait times once you foam and want to go for shots again. You can froth and brew at the same time and don't ever have to wait to go from one to the other, or do several shots in succession. Cleaning is a breeze as the screen comes out easily and backwashing is very easy. I suggest doing a water backwash after each brewing session. It's easy. change the disk in the brew arm, push a button, wait 10 seconds, push the button again, and remove the disk. once a week use cafiza to do a multi backwash and take out the screen and clean and soak well. The auto controls are not very worthwhile. Programming of singe or double shots isn't consistent b/c brew times depend on humidity, moisture in beans, grind type, etc. So it's not really worth programming. But the auto backwash and the one touch on and off are nice. Makes great froth, but you need to learn how to do it, as it has no fool proof auto froth plastic attachment. One thing to remember, it's hard to get parts. And every year we've needed to replace the drip tray because the heat makes it crack over time. That usually takes 3 months of back ordering, during which time we have to jury rig a solution or deal with leaks. Also, keep an extra brew gasket and froth wand gasket, and buy a long skinny brush to keep the froth wand clean. Also, buy a power timer (but it needs to be 20 amps). Also, you kitchen outlet needs to be 20 amps, as does your circuit breaker, so you have to make sure you have enough power to your outlet. It does not have a timed on/off, and it needs, really, 15 minutes to really warm up (they say 7, but if you do 7, you need to run water through the screen a few times). Also, make sure, before you froth, that you open the spout and let the excess condensation out, or you'll get watery froth. The hot water dispenser has always had a really metallic taste, so we don't use it for anything.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

You can brew and froth at the same time, you can make shot after shot, after shot, great frothing, easy to clean, easy one touch controls, great coffee, real conversation piece.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Keep a mid sized flathead screw driver for changing the double shot screen, otherwise your fingernails will be torn. At the end of each brewing session, do a water backwash. get a funnel for filling the tank. get a 20 amp timer from Home Depot so you can set it to go on before you wake up so as not to wait for warm up. If you warm up less than 15 minutes, run some water through the brew group to heat it. Need a 20 amp outlet and circuit breaker or you'll blow the breaker a lot.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Peets, Bobs Super Beans Kona Espresso, Fiddleheads Espresso, WLL Decaf espresso

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

It's noisy, it needs an internal timer for auto on / off, so that it's hot in the morning when you wake up, plastic drip tray should be replaced with aluminum so it doesn't have to be replaced every year when it cracks. Controls/programming could be more consistent. Water dispenser has strong metallic taste, so not very useful, and the water tank should be hard plastic b/c the current one is the plastic people don't want in there bottles.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Gaggia semi automatic, jura automatic

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Mazzer Mini, Capresso Infiniti

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Frank Lorch

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

Great entry machine

I've had this machine for about 2 years now and have never had a problem with it. It's still going strong and has been very reliable and turns out great espresso with beautiful creme as long as you keep it clean. The steamer works like a champ, as does the hot water dispenser. Great entry level machine and will do everything you ask of it.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

Heats up quickly; boiler system gives endless steam it seems; auto backflush for cleaning works great; plenty of flexibility w/ the programable buttons

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Counter Culture espresso blends

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Getting the brewgroup out for cleaning is not too easy and must be carefully pried out with a flat head screwdriver; the pump is a little noisy; a water level indicator

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Starbucks something or other, others at friends homes

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Pasquini

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Gordon Woodahl

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

We've had this machine for a little over a year

We've had this machine for a little over a year now and have withheld submitting a review until We'd used the machine for a sustained period of time. We love the machine. It's a beautiful beast, easy to use, easy to clean, and best of all it makes an excellent cup of coffee.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

Looks, ease of use, produces great coffee and great froth.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

If you've got room, get the taller "feet" for the machine. This allows you to reach under the machine to keep the counter wiped off.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Lavazza

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Gaggia, Francis Francis

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Rancilio Rocky

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
John Maesaka

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

I have had my Office Control for over 5 years

I have had my Office Control for over 5 years. During that time, I have had no problems except having to clean and lubricate the vaccuum relief valve 3-4 times. It makes consistently high quality espresso. I suspect that higher end machines with dual boilers and PID temperature controllers probably make more consistent shots, but at a much higher cost. This unit is great for the money. It is fairly quiet, which is also nice. I really like the automatic controls. They work well. The preinfusion on the short pull controls also work well. No grooves in the puck. Frothing is easy once you get used to the machine. The only nit pick I have is that it would be nice if the water reservoir was larger.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

consistent shot quality

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Definitely warm the machine up for at least 30 minutes.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Main Street Coffee(local roaster in IN), Illy, LaVazza, Hausbrandt, Kona

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Larger water reservoir

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Pasquini, Gaggia

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Mazzer Mini

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Francis Coila

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover

It has been great up to now.

My wife and I have enjoyed this model daily for the past six years. It has never failed to work well and is relatively easy to clean and maintain. Recently it has died however. I am hoping the good people on site can help me with that. Steamer works well, the hot water dispenser is a bit of a joke (due to the widely mentioned smallness of the 'plastic' water container).I tend to do quads almost to exclusion, but this machine has the option of one or two shots as well. If you are an environmental type you may want to remove the plastic water container or directly hook up water to the unit. It has a plastic tube that feeds the boiler and a moderate amount of deconstruction must occur to completely by pass it. It has handled all the breakfasts and parties we have had and kept up with the demand, except for that small plastic filler container.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

Its relative durability. I have taken this with us on many vacations due to the smallness of the machine.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Be handy or have a plumber.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Coffee Lover

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Pete's Coffee

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

The container and water input set up for permanent attachment.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Various

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr grinder

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Krups GVX2

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Patrick Staber

Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover

First HX machine

I've just started to use the machine but I love it so far. I love the always available steam for milk based drinks. The machine takes up a lot more space than my old Solis SL70 or a Miss Silvia but is acceptable. It's worth the money if you are making more than two drinks a day or you're always short on time in the morning. I disliked having to wait for my old machine to cycle between steaming and brewing. The 3 Way Solenoid Valve works like a charm. The puck is dry and knocks out easily right after brewing (I don't think I would ever buy a machine again with out this). The steam arm is my only complaint so far. It steams great but is a little hard to clean after steaming. It doesn't come away from the machine enough for easy cleanup. Overall the machine is nice and I'm happy my old machine finally started to act up so my wife would let me upgrade.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

Less than 1 month

What's Best About this Product?

Heavy duty and the HX aspect is great.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

The only tip I have so far is buy a digital timer. I have the machine turn on at least 30 minutes before I'm ready to use it in the morning so it's all warmed up and ready to go.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Coffee Lover

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

All types: Fresh locally roasted, Starbucks and Dunn Brothers

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

A curved steam arm would be nice to have. I think this would make the cleanup easier. A longer hot water wand would also be nice. The steam comes straight up where the knob is and gets really hot. The instructions are just funny but anyone looking at this kind of machine probably has an understanding or knows how to look up things on the internet.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Solis SL70 and Rancilio Miss Silvia

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Rancilio Rocky and Solis Maestro

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Sue Mirkin

Has owned for:
6 - 12 months
Ability Level:
Beginner

Bought this machine with the grinder as a wholelattelove special for use in the home. Love the machine; but, don't like the loud sound when it heats up and brews -- particularly when I awake first and want others to remain asleep. The enclosed cleaning instructions require more work than what is online so I'll try what's recommended online. Other than Krups (which is a waste of money), this is the first real espresso machine. I was at first intimidated, but the wholelatte team were VERY helpful. A burr grinder is a must (altho I didn't need one as I got).

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

6 - 12 months

What's Best About this Product?

The espresso turns out great and the machine is easy to use.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Beginner

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Pete's

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Wish it didn't make so much noise and the drip tray is not easy to pull out. So if there's too much accumulated water it'll spill out.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Krups

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Mazzer Luigi

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Reginald Bell

Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

I wanted a 2nd machine for our cabin - the Pasquini I have had for 7 years and it works great - the Expobar matches it in expresso quality wonderfully. The steaming is a bit slower than the Pasquini but maybe smoother. The feel of the Pasquini is nicer, but for over $500 less I can live with the Expobar.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

Less than 1 month

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Malabar Gold

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Pasquini Livia 90

Rated 4 out of 5

Posted By:
Gary Klopfer

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover

This machine has been used everyday and it makes excellent espresso, lattes and hot chocolate (so says my daughter). Far better than any machines we have used in the past.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

Being able to make espresso and steam milk at the same time. Great crema!

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

We use a 4 cup glass "Mr.Coffee" carafe for our steaming. You can see whats going on and it works far better than our stainless carafe.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Coffee Lover

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Starbucks, Costco

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

The electronics of the buttons. They do not hold their exact propotions each time. I reset them on a regular basis but they drift off the mark. As a result, most of the time we use the manual button. If it were not for this slight problem, the machine is a TEN in all respects.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Krups and Saeco

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Mazzer Mini Electronic

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
JamesfromMarshfield

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

Expobar Control

My pervious machines have not been this expensive but each purchase has gone up in price, coffe quality. I have no need to go any farther. This machine is great! The price value ratio is fantastic. This is one great machine that puts out consistent high quality steam and coffee each and every time.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

Brew group, water temp consistency, great steam, and easy cleaning.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

The single hole steam wand is a little challenging at first but once you have the hang of it, it is superior to the three hole competitive versions.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Lavazza, Cellini, Pete's

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Larger water capacity and or direct plumbing capibilities.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

three previous machines

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Rancello Rocky

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Martin Capurro

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

ExpoBar Office Control

I don't know why I've waited this long to write this but I've been an Expobar owner for 3 years now. All the reviews were accurate. Instruction booklet is a bit of a tranlation job. That's the only critique you can make. The machine is SOLID and put out great, consistant coffee. Great for entertaining. I can just pump out shot after shot in the time it takes to pack the next shot. Great power - steam has great consitancy. No problem with frothing while pulling a shot. Cleans easily. Maintanance is simple. Clean every month or two and replace groupo gasket about once a year. I've gone through the adjustments to tune it but I've found both times that it was right on putting out water at the exact right temperature. I put mine on a timer so it powers on and off EVERY Day. It's just solid.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

Solid construction. Quality build.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Order a couple of gaskets from wholelattelove.com when you buy your machine. You will eventually need them. After 8-9 mths of heavy use, the gasket will harden, crack and eventually leak. At the first sign of this, pull the existing gasket off (carefully and evenly as you need to remove the screen to do this) and put in a new gasket. As good as new!

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Lavazza, Illy

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Looks. Also the overflow tray is plastic. That's the only element that leaves you questioning build quality but after 3 years, no problems and it too seems to have held up very well.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Gaggia, Delonghi, Krups, Saeco

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Solis

Rated 4 out of 5

Posted By:
E. Hale

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

Expobar Office (and other variants - eg., pulsar)

I was a beginner before reading these reviews and buying the Expobar Office Control. The reviews I put the most faith in were those that were written by other than new owners. So take that for what it's worth here. Even after much research and reading, I was not certain that Expobar was the best deal for the money. However, at this stage, I'm sure it is. I simply cannot say enough good about the Expobar expresso machine. Today it's a bit more expensive than when I purchased but so is gas. Expobar was relatively new then (at least with WholeLatteLove) and was by far the most machine for the money. Seems like it still is. So again, before I go on, I'll be clear... You'd have to pry it from my dead hands to get it away from me. However, there is one thing to know about it... that after this much time, I would have hoped the manufacturer and/or WholeLatteLove (WWL) would address: The size of the water reservoir is a constant source of frustration. It's too damn small. Yet there is easily enough room in the area where the reservoir is stored in the machine to double the size of the reservoir and thus reduce the number of refills needed. For some reason though, this known useability issue doesn't want to be addressed. It's curious to me that it would be so hard to have a larger plastic reservoir made.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

It's reliable and it makes great coffee and steamed/frothed milk. There have been some normal maintenance functions I've had to perform (see helpful tips below) but after three years, it's still going strong and making fantastic coffee.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

A few things... First, I wanted an espresso machine that was not automatic. I have no idea if the full auto models that are of consumer or prosumer quality are as good and reliable as the commercial automatics. My feelings were that there's more going on in automatics that might be such that reliability would suffer and that that same dynamic might be less in play when comparing consumer to commercial manuals models. Plus, I like the control of a portafilter and a grinder with infinite settings. Second, in regard to the maintenance point made above, in addition to the addendum that WLL provided, they have also produced documents on certain maintenance activities that they will email to you for the asking. For example, there is a pressure valve thingy inside that over time needs cleaning. You'll know its time when the machine starts going through water faster than normal (it also starts hissing and refilling the boiler more frequently). You have to open the machine and unscrew this widget and unbolt that thing and so on, but it's not hard to do. With the alternative being ship it somewhere for periodic maintenance, I would much prefer instructions and my own hand on it. I would however like something that told me in advance of maintenance work to expect rather than to have to discover it on my own with calls to tech support when the machine started acting up. That said, I'm sure it's the same with all of the many manufacturers of these things. Basically, the people in tech support at WWL are superb. And they of course are full of tips. One of the best I got from someone there is well worth passing on. You'd never know otherwise. It's about frothing/steaming milk. So you have your milk in the stainless steel pitcher and you insert the steam wand into the milk and turn the knob to release steam and then watch the thermometer for the temp to raise to the right level, right? All of that's true. But first, before inserting the steam wand into the milk, put a kicthen towel under the wand, open the steam knob and let it blow the condensation out of the wand and into the towel - instead of into your milk. You'll be amazed how much water comes out on the towel -- instead of into your milk. Putting that water into the milk makes it more difficult to create froth. Note on the ratings below: Everything can be improved so I rarely give a top rating on anything. And the ease of use rating is less about day to day making of coffee and more about the quality of operation and maintenance requirements and documentation. Ease of use is directly impacted by documentation - one way or the other.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Locally roasted espresso blend (from Savannah Coffee Roasters)

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

In addition to the water reservoir size, the programmable buttons on the Office Control model (spend the extra bit to get the Office Control versus Pulsar) have become less precise. In-other-words, I have to press them harder and with more attention than when it was new. If you don't press them just right they either don't come on or shut off whichever the case. Also, the documentation is a joke. I've worked before for an international manufacturer where the primary language is not english. This is not an uncommon problem. However, WholeLatteLove provided their own internally produced addendum that was nothing pretty but at least had the basics. You can receive it from them by email and print it out on regular paper. Since WWL seems to be playing more than just a reseller role with Expobar, I would hope by now they've put a little more detail in and professional touches on their addendum.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

None

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Mazzer Mini

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
david schneider

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover

Exobar & Whole Latte Love A+++

This is my second review of the Exobar, but I thought my extended use of this product may be of interest. I've had the Exobar office control for 3 years now and it has worked flawlessly brewing coffee practially every day. This is a solidly built unit that won't let you down.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

ease of use and trouble free for 3 years!

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Buy a good tamper. The cheap tamper that comes with the unit is horrible.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Coffee Lover

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

dark roast

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

water reservour. A plumbing kit would be really nice!

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

cheap non-pump models

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Exobar Office Control

Rated 4 out of 5

Posted By:
Steve Dowler

Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover

Built like a tank, drives like a Porsche, rides like a Rolls, costs like a VW.

Skip the super-automatics, get this monster. With a little bit of care and attention to detail (and a lot of trial shots down the sink at first) and a fair sized buzz on after finally getting the hang of it, I'm making great crema and smooth rich flavor and there's no turning back. Start by using the asterisk (*) button (far right) to make shots and keep a log on what you did. The log should have: dose (how many 7gm doses), duration of brew (how long to get 2.5ozs for a double), burr grind setting (9, 10, 10.5, 12), results (how does it taste). Try longer times for a double, I run a double for about 28secs to get about 3ozs on a 10.5 grind setting. The 3ozs includes the head of crema just reaching the 3oz line on the shot glass. Get a clear glass shot glass, not those 2oz jobs but something about 4 to 5 ozs so that you can try different runs and have room for the crema head (it really builds up a head!). I got mine at an antique (junk) store from somebody's collection of whiskey shot glasses for $3.00 (there are some weird shot glass types out there). Try different grind settings - 20 is 'way too coarse, 5 is 'way too fine, 10 seems about right but 9 also makes great crema but takes longer. The longer the brew takes, the more the grounds stay in contact with the steam and pressure which can burn the grounds and yield a burned bitter taste. With a little finer grind and a little longer brew you can get a wonderful nutty component to the taste of the shot. Go ahead, figure to blow the better part of a day getting your chops down on this thing and then the next day make a couple shots and just sit back and enjoy. As for negatives, the manual is not actually that bad, you just have to learn how to read between the lines, get the drift of what the writer is saying, fill in the blanks, use the Force Luke. WLL's attachment is very good and covers quite well those times when your eyes have glazed over and you're saying "Huhh?". Forget the default times for the 4 brew buttons (1 single, 2 single, 1 double, 2 double). Just do your homework, keep the log and when you're done, use the grind and duration for the double you like best and put it on the 2 double button (just left of the manual (*) button). Program the 1 double for someone who likes a less robust taste but wants the double and do the same for the 1 single and 2 single so you have a set of 4 programmed shots for yourself, your partner (spouse, wife, significant other) and 2 of your best friends. For everybody else, just make the 2 double and if they gag then toss it and make the 1 single and sing out "Ta Da!". Cheers and enjoy.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

Less than 1 month

What's Best About this Product?

It's heavy enough that when I crank on the brew basket, I don't shove the machine off the counter.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Get up in the morning, turn on the machine, feed the dogs, get the paper and by then it should be warmed up enough. Make a double and just knock it back straight. Then make one of those foamy, milky things in a really big cup with a double shot, read the Molly Ivins column and have a good laugh.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Coffee Lover

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Peet's, Durango Coffee Company, Jitters Java, New Mexico Pinon

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Give us a three-hole foam tip, PLEASE!

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Drip and French Press

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Pasquini Moka with doser

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
JamesfromMarshfield

Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover

Expobar Control

Spending the money on a machine such as the Expobar was a big decision for me, would the quality of the coffee justify the expense? The answer is YES! The Expobar is relatively easy to program and once done, you never have to worry about monitoring the volume dose of your espresso. Frothing is a bit of an art, but high quality froth is a snap. I have only owned the machine for a month or so, but I am impressed. This is a great machine for the money!

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

Less than 1 month

What's Best About this Product?

Programed volume dosing, preheated brew group for high flavor extraction, automatic cleaning, overall quality.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Coffee Lover

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Lavazza, Peets, Illy

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Increased water storage, but then again that might decrease the freshness of the brew.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Braun, Capresso

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Rancillo doserless Rocky

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Expobar Control

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Daniel Hinkle

Has owned for:
6 - 12 months
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover

Expobar Control

The Expobar is unbelievable! Very easy to use and requires little maintenance. The biggest problem I have now is my neighbors think that I am the local cafe on Saturday and Sunday. I think I've cut into Starbucks business! This was the best gift my wife ever bought me she did most of her research on the wholelattelove website which is a terrific website. The staff was great to deal with and any questions I have had they have the answers. If you decide to purchase another machine don't buy it anywhere else. If you do decide to purchase another machine your making a huge mistake! The Expobar is without a doubt the best value of any machine on the market.

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

6 - 12 months

What's Best About this Product?

The ability to froth and make espresso at the same time. My kids love the instant hot chocolate. We leave it on all the time.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

BUY THIS MACHINE!

My Experience With Using This Product:

Coffee Lover

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Cafe' Du Monde Coffee and Chicory - Peetes Coffee French Roast

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Having an outside gage to read the water level. This could be done with a simple scale that measure the weight of the water.

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Krups, Saeco, Cuisinart

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

unfortunately a Krups, it doesn't work very well. My inexpensive cuisinart does a much better job.

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Krups

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Peter Krogh

Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Professional

Oh! Oh! Read my review! Read mine!

Having once led a life as a café owning espresso snob (in Europe, even!), I found my knowledge of modern hardware no deeper than reality TV re-runs. A quick web search helped me zero-in on WLL, a company that seemed to know their solenoid valve from a hole in the ground. My wife’s 40th birthday approaching and her fifteen year old, $40 espresso machine having already been rescued once from the recycling bin due to the over-zealous yet well-meaning intentions of an out-of-town relative, I swiftly concluded that a three or four month credit card contusion was in order. Due to an unhealthy fixation on shiny objects, I was originally attracted to the higher-design manual machines, but was overcome by the knowledge that my wife, like those in power anywhere, prefers the corrupting influence of a simple button press which in turn causes much industry, commotion, and possible revolution. I considered a super-automatic for two or three minutes before I was overcome with the shame and embarrassment of a grown man caught playing with G.I Joes. Which I don’t know anything about. So I did an AspHTTP scrape of WLL’s site, dumped all the data into a SQL db, wrote a quick C# app using the variables price/value/design/reviews, coded a proprietary formula to give me what I want, then wrote a VoiceXML front-end running on Nuance’s latest ASR, to which I posed the question, “Computer! Which espresso machine and grinder shall I buy my wife!” Less than a second later, I got the monotone yet lifeless TTS answer, “expobar office control espresso machine and pasquini moka grinder combination,” which I purchased 15 minutes later. Her birthday on a Sunday, and the machine still not having arrived by Friday morning, I received my initiation to WLL’s level of customer service. I could not satisfy myself with looking out the office window every 5 minutes for the FedEx truck, so I started calling WLL, asking where my machine was, with the exact tone and frequency that my children use when they ask, “Are we there yet?” Just before 5pm, the FedEx man came bounding out of his truck in that slow-motion, golden-light effect of a Happy Ending. Like many other reviewers have mentioned, the machine looks significantly better in person than it does in photos. Kind of like me. My machine (sorry, “Her” machine) was built in Sep. 2004, and did not have the water level indicator or the plastic top-cover described in earlier reviews and in WLL’s own manual. Speaking of manuals, the manufacturer’s version is itself worth several hundred dollars as a cultural artifact of extreme interest to the comparative linguist. “Do not leave the kids, touch the machine,” (But I can’t let them see me TOUCH it!) “All the body truck could be cleaned with a damp cloth,” (I prefer to hose mine off, first.) “Secondly we should strangle the suction tube and open the steam knob…” (I had a suspicion that Expobar’s manufacturer was a member of the E.E.E. [Euthanasia Enthusiasts of Espana], and now I know for sure.)

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

Less than 1 month

What's Best About this Product?

It's mine. I mean it's hers. Okay, it's ours. Main thing is, it's here.

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Look both ways before wiping a gift horse front to back keeps the doctors away.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Professional

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Torrefazioni, SBC, Sue's Java, Peet's

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

1) The machine comes shrink wrapped in plastic that was applied before assembly was complete, meaning the plastic will get caught under the group and the “EXPOBAR” on the front. 2) The machine does not warm up in the optimistic 8-10 minutes described in the manual; give it a good 20-30. 3) I don’t mind plastic, but I do mind cheap, flimsy plastic, which the catch tray is made of. It is impossible to remove the tray when it’s over half full without dumping part of your load on the counter. I will be making a drain-hose modification. 4) I would prefer a curve in my wand. :-)

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

La Cimbali, La Pavoni, Suzuki, Volvo, John Deere

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Stephanie down at Centerfolds

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Pasquini Moka