Shopping stressing you out? With the holidays in full swing, we know that things can get pretty hectic, but don't worry, we're here to help. Last week we passed a little survey around the office asking people to jot down which items on our site they'd like to get as gifts. So, spare yourself the hassle of trying to find the perfect gift and take a look at some of the items we picked as our favorites!

	Lavazza Super Crema Whole Latte Love's Ashley had this to say about Super Crema: I absolutely love Super Crema! I've always liked coffee, but I never had a taste for espresso. That all changed when Mark Jackson brewed me a shot of it on the Expobar Brewtus IV we've got in the kitchen. Caffeinated bliss! I love it!
	The Gaggia Accademia Whole Latte Love's Tracy had this to say about the Gaggia Accademia: As a working mother of 3, I needed a machine that could keep up with me. Whether I'm brewing my first shot of the day, or entertaining 40 people, the Accademia never fails to get the job done.
	The Espro Calibrated Tamper Whole Latte Love's Mark Jackson had this to say about the Espro Calibrated Tamper: Leaping into the world of home espresso can certainly be intimidating. This tamper is a great tool to help make the transition a smooth one. Learning how to brew at home can be challenging, but if you treat brewing espresso like a science, this is something that can help you control one of the variables.
	The Expobar Brewtus IV Whole Latte Love's Shane had this to say about the Expobar Brewtus IV: It's never hard for me to recommend one of these machines. Expobar has really covered all the bases with the Brewtus IV, it's a solid machine with commercial quality components.
	The Teaposy Charme Gift Set Whole Latte Love's Kristen had this to say about the Teaposy Charme Gift Set: It's the perfect size! I love watching the teas bloom and this set came with a variety of teas to try. Perfect for someone just starting out with Teaposy.
	Saeco Vienna Plus Whole Latte Love's Andrew had this to say about the Saeco Vienna Plus: Awesomely simple machine! It's easy to use, reliable, and pulls a great shot with no fuss.
	Waechtersbach Coffee-Script-Collage 12oz Travel Mug Whole Latte Love's Mary Ann had this to say about the Waechtersbach Coffee-Script-Collage 12oz Travel Mug: I love the 4 colors it comes in and it's the perfect size to fit under a Gaggia Accademia (with the spout removed)!
	Gaggia Platinum Swing Up Whole Latte Love's Kathy had this to say about the Gaggia Platinum Swing Up: This is an easy to navigate Super-Automatic machine capable of making any kind of drink you'd want. It's also very easy to maintain.
	Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Whole Latte Love's Marc Buckman has this to say about the Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler: I've been consistently impressed with Breville's espresso machines, this one in particular. The stainless steel body, and dual boilers are big pluses in my book, but I also appreciate some of the simpler design features like the hidden accessories tray or drip tray float.
	DeLonghi kMix 5 cup Coffee Maker Whole Latte Love's Mylee had this to say about the DeLonghi kMix 5 cup Coffee Maker: I really can't express how happy I was to find a yellow coffee maker! I love its very sleek and modern appearance--and it brews a great cup of coffee!
	Gaggia Classic & MDF Brew-Ready Pack My favorite this season was the Gaggia Classic & MDF Brew-Ready Pack, here's why: To make quality espresso you need equipment. Off the top of my head and I can't think of a more reliable entry level machine or grinder, and even better is that we've paired them together!

Happy Holidays From Nespresso - a $100 Club Credit!

Nespresso Rewards 2012 Year End $100 Club Credit There are 3 things Nespresso requires of you to claim your $100 Nespresso Club Credit: A copy of your receipt. The serial number from the silver sticker on the machine drip tray. The online form filled out at: http://www.nespresso-us.com/rewards

The form has 3 regions:	1 - Your Info Fill in your current membership number if you are already a Club Member, or fill in the personal information you want to use to set up a new Club Membership. Tick the “I have read Terms & Conditions” box and go to region 2.
	2 - Choose Your Machine Here is where you will tick the box for your eligible machine model and then enter the serial number from the silver sticker on your new machine drip tray.
	3 - Store Info Select “Other” for name of store, tick the “Purchased online” box, and enter “Whole Latte Love” for store name, the city is “Rochester” and the State is “New York”. Finally enter your date of purchase as shown on your receipt and click on Continue.

Terms and Conditions

1) Offer • $100 Nespresso® Club Credit on your Club account only with purchase of a Nespresso machine $199 or above made between 11/23/2012 and 01/21/2013, while supplies last. This is not an instant credit. Offer valid in the U.S. only and solely at participating stores. Upon receipt of supporting documents, $100 will be credited to the Nespresso® Club account specified and is valid towards the purchase of coffee, machines and accessories. • Offer is limited to one $100 credit per qualifying Nespresso® machine purchased. • Offer will not be processed without valid requested documents and cannot be used in conjunction with any other Nespresso® discount or promotion. • Not redeemable in-store. Void where prohibited or restricted. This offer may not be published without Nespresso® permission. • Fraudulent requests will be voided. Offer not valid for Professional account credit or products. • This is a Nespresso® promotion.

2) To receive Nespresso® Club Credit:
• Download and complete your voucher found available at http://www.nespresso-us.com/rewards • Submit your supporting documents via online or mail.

•If submitting supporting documents via online, scan and upload a copy of:
1. The store sales receipt onto www.nespresso-us.com/rewards. Gift receipts not valid.
2. THE ORIGINAL SILVER SERIAL NUMBER STICKER FROM THE MACHINE DRIP GRID.

• If submitting supporting documents via mail:
1. Make a copy of the store sales receipt. Gift receipts not valid.
2. REMOVE FROM MACHINE DRIP GRID, THE ORIGINAL SILVER SERIAL NUMBER STICKER.
3. Please send completed voucher, receipt copy, and requested serial number sticker to:

The Nespresso Year End Promotion
24-01 44th Road, 12th Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101

• Please note that the submitted documents will not be returned.
• SUBMITTED MATERIALS MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 4th, 2013.

$100.00 Nespresso® Club credit can only be used at Nespresso.com, Nespresso boutiques, and on Nespresso telephone orders.

3) Receipt of your Nespresso® Club Credit • Please allow 2-4 weeks for processing your credit upon receipt by Nespresso. This credit is not instant and the Nespresso® Club will confirm this credit via e-mail or phone once available. • Your credit will only be valid for one year from the date it is issued on your Nespresso® Club account.

Nespresso® is a registered trademark of Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.

For submission material inquiries, please call the Nespresso Club toll free at 877.776.6601

• 3oz of Espresso
• 2/3 of a Cup of Eggnog
• 1/3 of a Cup of Milk
• Whipped Cream and Other Garnishes

Watch us make this recipe!

Are you a coffee enthusiast looking for a place you can call home? You’re already a Coffee-Lover, now immerse yourself in the Whole Latte Love Coffee Community. Share your love of coffee, your opinions about our products and vote on the opinions of other members. Your knowledge and opinions mean a lot to us and you can earn Points and cool Badges as you share your Coffee Expertise and Culture. Join in the fun!

Everything starts with the all new My Account tab located right above the phone number in the top right corner of the screen:

From here you’ll be prompted to sign up or log in.

Once you’re logged in the My Account tab will take you to the Dashboard, the new hub for all of your activity.

From the Dashboard you’ll be able to manage your account and access information about your activity and your orders. Whether you’re a new or returning user, you’ll want to start by selecting the account settings tab and clicking on Edit Profile.

The Edit Profile page is where you’ll be able to customize your profile. Your profile is the page that other customers see. On the Edit Profile page you’ll be able to upload a picture to represent yourself on the site and you can change your username. You can also write a blurb about yourself in the About Me box. Please remember that all profiles created are initially set to private and can only be seen by other users if you select the Share My Profile option. Whenever you make changes to your profile you must click the Update Information button to save any changes you’ve made.

So you’ve got your profile set up, what now? Well, it’s probably about time that you got active and get yourself some points! Participation points are awarded for your activity on the site. Pretty much everything you do is rewarded with participation points, but here’s the complete list.

Participation points contribute to your reputation in the community: the more you have, the more "Coffee Clout" you’ve got! In addition to your reputation, you can be awarded badges by satisfying specific parameters. You can keep track of the badges you’ve earned on your dashboard and the most recent badges you earn will be displayed on your profile.

By now you’re probably wondering, what’s the best place to get active? From the Dashboard you’ll want to click on the Community tab, from there you’ll be able connect with us and with our other customers.To see what everyone else is talking about, you’ll want to select the Community News Feed option.

The Community News Feed collects posts from everyone with a shared profile and is a great place to get in on the conversation. On this page you can also follow other users by mousing over their names or profile photos and selecting the Follow option in the box that appears.

You’ll be able to view all community activity such as posted comments, questions and reviews from other members. Your own activity will also be shown here if your profile is shared so you’ll be able to see your own posted questions, comments and reviews here  too.

Now, every time you see this...feel free to post a question or a comment to the community.

You can also see who the most popular users are in the Top Talkers box...

... and you can see which tags are trending.

What are tags you ask? Well, tags are key words or phrases that can be attached to your posts. You can tag your posts by typing in words relevant to your post in the box within the gray area. A list will build from which you can choose a tag to attach to your post.

You can associate a tag to each of your posts. Subscribing to a tag is a lot like following somebody.

When you follow someone or subscribe to a tag, activity related to that person or tag will show up in the Community Activity window on your dashboard.

You can also check the tags you’re subscribed to, who you’re following, or who’s following you at any time by clicking the Community tab. Your activity, along with that of your tags and the people you follow will all appear in the News Feed section, located under the Community tab and the My Account tab.

If you’re going to shop wouldn’t you love to earn savings on future purchases??  Pretty much everyone does!  Today I want to introduce you to our brand new Latte Rewards Program!

So how do Latte Rewards work? 
Every time you purchase an item on the Whole Latte Love website we are going to give you points that equal the cost of that item; 1 Latte Point for every $1 that you spend. However, purchases for commercial products are excluded from the Latte Rewards program.
100 Latte Points will equal $2 in Latte Rewards. These Latte Rewards can be banked until you are ready to use them!  Latte Rewards can be redeemed for Whole Latte Love gift certificates. It's easy to get started. Simply make your purchase and we'll automatically calculate your points. It's our way of saying "thank you" for being part of the Whole Latte Love community.

Sign up!
The first step is to Sign up!  In order to start earning your Latte Points you need to have an Account. Go to the top of the Page you are on and click the My Account button to get started!

Go ahead and fill out the New Customers boxes and create a new account!

Once you create your account you will get zipped back to the page that you were last on!  That way if you were out browsing you won’t have to go hunting for that product again!

Check your Dashboard to see your points!
Now that you created an account you can access your Dashboard!  Click the My Account button at the top of any page to investigate your Dashboard!
Check out all these fun features! 

The Latte Rewards box will track all of your earned and pending Latte Rewards!

Example:
So if I have made a purchase for $300 then I earned myself 300 Latte Points! Yeah! With those 300 Latte points, in 60 days, I can redeem them for $6 in Latte Rewards certificates!  Now, I can take those $6 dollars in Latter Rewards certificates and apply them to my next purchase that is over $6! There is nothing better than being rewarded for shopping.  If you would like to read all the terms and conditions you can find them here at: http://www.wholelattelove.com/policy_landing.cfm#Rewards

If you remember back to when I posted a recipe for the Salted Caramel Espresso milkshake that used Monin’s new syrup, or if you watched the video, you probably noticed that there was another syrup that didn’t get quite as much attention, the all new French Vanilla. Well, we’re remedying that right now! This weekend, prepare yourself for the French Vanilla Iced Latte! Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 Shots of Espresso
• Cold Milk
• Ice Cubes
• 1 1/4oz of Monin French Vanilla Syrup
• A 16oz Glass

This recipe might go down as one of the easiest I’ve ever blogged about. Begin by filling your glass with ice, when that’s done, add your espresso and your syrup. Top off the rest of the glass with your milk and stir (or shake if you dig that sort of thing) to mix everything thoroughly. Garnish that bad boy with whipped cream and enjoy!

Watch the recipe video.

Halloween is next week! Can you believe it? Well, for those of you who’ll be celebrating a little early, we thought it might be nice if we could find a drink to help liven up whatever festivities you might have planned. The result? Batten down the hatches for the Kraken Cappuccino! This fearsome drink is something of our own spin on a traditional hot buttered rum. To make your own Kraken Cappuccino, you’re going to need:

• 12 fl.oz of Milk
• 4 fl.oz of Rum
• 1 tsp of Ground Cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp of Baker’s (ultra fine) sugar
• 6 Thin Slices of Butter
• 1 tsp of Ground Nutmeg
• 6 Shots of Espresso

Begin by combining your milk, rum, and cinnamon and sugar in a frothing pitcher and froth the milk as usual. Once your milk is frothed begin brewing your espresso. Add a shot to each cup and top with milk/rum mixture/ Take a thinly shaved slice of butter and place it on top of your drink. The butter will melt, creating a rich flavor. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg, and enjoy!

Follow this link here to watch Morgan make a Kraken Cappuccino with the new Breville Milk Cafe and click the button below to subscribe to our Youtube channel!

As the biggest shopping day in the US since 2005, Black Friday is kind of a big deal (no pun intended). However, for those of us who don’t feel like sleeping on sidewalks, waiting in line, or being pushed around by stampeding shoppers, there’s an easier way. I’d actually call it a better way. Here at Whole Latte Love, we’re of the opinion that those kind of savings shouldn’t be just one day of the year, we’re thinking more like 30 days.

With that said, it gives me great pleasure to announce that this year we’ll be kicking off this November with a month long sales event. Every day, a new item and a new way to save will be revealed on our site. Oh, did I also mention that we’ll be having this event IN ADDITION TO our regular Black Friday sale? Good deal indeed.

Keep up with all of the cool stuff we've got going on this November when you click the button below to subscribe to our Youtube channel!

When Mary-Ann and I come into work and see a new machine sitting on one of our desks, we get pretty excited. Getting to be the first people here at Whole Latte Love to unbox and test a new product is a pretty great thing. This morning, it happened again! As we downed our first cups of coffee, we were told that we would be testing the new Jura-Capresso EC50 espresso machine and telling all of you about it.

Aesthetically, the EC50 is simple and classic. It has no display, a single light, and a single knob. It is utilitarian (which I love). No frills, just solid and sleek with its stainless steel and black body.

Some people take issue with machines with pressurized portafilters but personally, Mary-Ann and I sort of like them. Being new to the business and not being the best at grind settings and tamping, it’s nice to be able to make a solid shot of espresso without having to factor in frequent human error! The EC50 does just that. Regardless of the lack of caffeine in our systems, and the fact that it wasn’t even 9am here yet, we were able to impress ourselves with the amount of crema that came from the shots.

As for the temperature of the shots, you should see the blister on Mary-Ann’s tongue. Despite her saying out loud “Wow, this glass is hot” her cloudy judgment allowed her to sip the piping hot shot which resulted in a pretty humorous dance around the kitchen. The thermo-block heating system (that warms up in less than a minute) made for a nice laugh first thing in the morning.

The EC50 measures up at a whopping (not really whopping at all, actually) 11.5x7.25x10.25 and weighs just 8 lbs. This is one of the smallest machines we have ever used, but still manages to carry an impressive 42 oz of water in its rear mounted reservoir. It lifts out easily for filling with a nifty built in handle to carry to the sink, or the top moves plenty to fill it with a pitcher of water.

Taking after its higher end siblings, the Jura-Capresso EC50 is equally compulsive about being clean. After every brew cycle, the EC50 produces steam to remove any water from the thermo-block water heater, meaning you only have to descale after between 200-300 shots depending on your water.

The powerful frothing wand produces an almost ridiculous amount of steam and pressure given its size. A pitcher of milk is quickly frothed before your shots even have a chance to cool down as the EC50 heats from brew to steam temperature in a matter of seconds. Unlike a typical Pannarello wand, in order to steam your milk you will have to remove the black plastic frothing sleeve and re submerge the metal wand. While it’s not optimal, it really wasn’t a big deal considering the sleeve does come off very easily, and has a small tab so that any heat from the frothing doesn’t bother you.

Just like the when I would beat my older brother in video games, hide and seek, and (later in life) police his grammar, the EC50 takes some of the best traits from its bigger siblings (like my family’s dashing good looks), and puts them into a smaller package (size isn’t everything).

We carry a lot of amazing, top of the line machines here at Whole Latte Love. So it’s easy to be a little jaded when it comes to working with entry level, budget friendly machines. And just like waking up to a fresh snow fall or watching a lightning storm from afar, it’s exciting that there are some fantastic offerings for people who want to share in the joy of the espresso culture, but just aren’t sure that they’re ready to pull the trigger on a big ticket item just yet. Brewing consistently solid shots, giving you more than enough power to froth your milk, and fitting in any kitchen, the Jura-Capresso EC50 is an amazing value from a very well respected company.

Most of us have heard that a new car can lose up to 10% of its retail value the minute you drive it off the lot. Though the new-car smell and the allure of being the automobile's first owner does come with its own perks and advantages, increasingly value-conscious customers are flocking the used car lot in record numbers. Pre-owned shopping habits are trickling down to everything from electronics to clothing.

Here, at Whole Latte Love, we're noticing a lot of interest in refurbished machines. Just like buying a pre-owned vehicle, the decision to purchase an outlet or refurbished item comes with its own set of considerations. But, shop well and you'll reap the rewards of getting a great machine and saving much more than a couple of cents.

Birth of a Refurb
Every new espresso machine available through wholelattelove.com is backed by a hassle-free 30-day return policy. Within the first month of ownership, customers can return machines for any number of reasons, as detailed in our Terms and Conditions. We've had people change their minds about the type of machine they want or unpack the unit only to find it does not fit a predetermined space. One gentleman sent back a Gaggia super-automatic espresso machine because it was "too small" for his yacht! We never leave a good machine behind. When a customer returns a next-to-new machine, it is always welcomed back with open arms; thus, refurbs are born.

Machines that have major performance issues are sent straight back to the manufacturer. Likewise, products that show excessive wear-and-tear will never be resold. On the other hand, espresso machines that have a lot of life left in them and look next to new, will be discounted and have a second chance to find a good home...If they can make it past our gate keepers...

The Inspection
With the exception of Jura-Capresso and Cuisinart machines, which are refurbished by the manufacturer at their facilities, all outlet items refurbished by Whole Latte Love undergo a thorough inspection process in our tech shop. Our certified technicians start by checking the package to ensure that all included accessories are accounted for before doing a preliminary visual inspection of the machine. They'll look for things such as dents, large scratches, or broken components, which may significantly impact the aesthetic appearance of the machine. We do not accept the return of machines that have been customized, so you'll never get a model engraved with someone else's initials or plastered with bumper stickers.

After a machine has passed the "first impression" inspection, the real work begins. A technician will go through a detailed check list to ensure that the machine is working properly. Electrical components and wiring, monitors, Teflon lines, valves, connectors, nuts and bolts have to be accounted for and inspected. Any malfunctioning or underperforming parts will be replaced so that the machine can work like new. The boiler, solenoid valves, steam wand and controls are main points of focus for our techs. After the necessary components have been repaired or replaced, the machine gets put through the ringer before it is approved to be resold.

Passing the Tests
In order for a refurbished semi-automatic or super-automatic machine to earn the green light, it must be in perfect working condition. Our techs are responsible for complete diagnostics; they test every machine to ensure that it brews and steams at the correct temperatures, heats up within the proper time frames and dispenses hot water as needed. In the case of super-automatic machines, they'll inspect the grinder to ensure that it has been appropriately calibrated and the settings the yield the correct results. Clogs, leaks and loose parts are sure to get any machine tossed into the rejected pile.

Last, but not least, every machine gets a complete cleaning and polish before it's cleared for sale. Refurbished units will also get a steep discount, of up to 50% off the original retail price, once they're posted in the Outlet section of our Website. Not too shabby, for a machine that's all but new. Best of all, when you purchase a reconditioned espresso machine with us, you'll get the benefit of a 15-day return policy. Change your mind within 15 days of the shipment date? Send the machine right back to us; no harm, no foul. Our espresso machines even come with six-month warranties for your peace of mind. Next time you're in the market for a great deal, do yourself a favor and shop out Outlet section!