In recent years, many alternatives to the once popular instant coffee have emerged. A variety of coffee machines come to the aid of lovers of this fragrant and invigorating drink. Today we are in a hurry to present you the latest development of NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto — the PICCOLO XS capsule coffee machine.
Appearance and general characteristics
To date, this device is one of the most compact on the market. Since our kitchen is not very large, this model seemed to us very suitable. It takes up almost no space, has a 1 meter power cable — it is not at all necessary to place it in the immediate vicinity of the outlet or use an extension cord.
The coffee machine is characterized by the presence of a high pressure system — up to 15 bar, which allows you to prepare almost any type of coffee. For her, special hermetically packed capsules are produced, thanks to which the freshness of ground coffee is preserved for a long time.
The device runs on household power and is not too sensitive to voltage fluctuations. The total power of the model is a maximum of 1600 watts. The engine speed is in the range of 50 to 60 rpm, which allows you to get a stable and tasty milk foam.
Piccolo XS coffee machine
It has an energy-saving function, thanks to which the product belongs to the energy efficiency class A, the highest possible. The coffee machine will automatically turn off exactly one minute after the completion of the preparation process. The case is made of high-quality plastic with a matte coating — no matter how hard we tried, we could not leave a single fingerprint on it.
What drinks can be prepared?
The manufacturer claims that in this machine it will be possible to obtain the following varieties of coffee:
- Ristretto;
- Espresso;
- Lungo;
- Americano;
- Cappuccino;
- Latte macchiato;
- Hot chocolate, etc.
NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto — PICCOLO XS capsule coffee machine
Proper use of the machine
First of all, I would like to note that the volume of the water tank in this machine is 0.8 liters. This seemed to us even too much for such a compact model. The instructions say that only water can be poured into the tank, the use of any other liquids is strictly prohibited. We did not dare to check the veracity of this statement for fear of breaking the car.
When using for the first time, the manufacturer recommends doing the following sequence of operations.
- Before switching on directly, it is necessary to fill the water tank and install it in place.
- After that, the coffee machine is connected to the network and wait until the indicator turns green.
- Before brewing coffee, the appliance must be thoroughly cleaned. To do this correctly, put a cup or other utensil under the spout, from where the finished drink should pour out. Then the handle is pulled to the left side (it is responsible for cold water) and they wait until the liquid from the reservoir flows into the cup. Once again, a similar operation is performed with the hot water mode.
- The tank is refilled, the capsule is placed in a special holder, cold or hot water is selected and the drink is prepared.
- If there is a need to prepare another portion of coffee, you will have to change the capsule and wait a few seconds until the indication again reports that the coffee machine is ready for use.
During testing, we were able to identify a few useful tricks that we want to share with you. The machine was created using the latest Dolce Gusto technology, which is responsible for ensuring the ideal temperature when brewing any drink. We wanted hotter coffee. To do this, we preheated the cup — an effective way, but not very convenient.
The manufacturer himself advises checking for scale, but since the machine turned out to be completely new, it was pointless to do this. If you decide to fully trust the automation of the device, then remember that the outlet temperature of the coffee will be over 70 degrees when using capsules with ground and roasted beans, or above 65 degrees if instant coffee is placed in the capsules.
It is easy to handle such a machine — even a child can handle it. The capsule with ground coffee is placed in a special compartment in the coffee machine, then the lever is pressed. According to the settings of the capsule, the device independently selects the temperature, water pressure. This allows you to maximize the taste and aromatic qualities of the drink. Brewing time depends on the type of coffee. For example, we noticed that an invigorating espresso is brewed in the car in just 30 seconds, a cappuccino (from two capsules) will have to wait a little longer — 1 minute. The same amount of latte macchiato and other varieties are being prepared. However, the water shut-off lever will have to be pressed manually — you should always remember this moment!
How to ensure proper care of the coffee machine?
The manufacturer recommends carefully monitoring the resulting scale and getting rid of it in a timely manner. The presence of a large amount of scale will lead not only to a decrease in the temperature of the drink, but also to a reduction in the period of operation of the device. It is advised to use a special tool that is produced by the company that manufactured this model. However, there are simpler recipes for getting rid of scale. You can take two tablespoons of citric acid and dissolve them in warm water. After that, the reservoir of the coffee machine is filled with the resulting solution and driven first through the cold and then through the hot supply system. It is recommended to clean the machine once every three months, and if the water is very hard, then more often.
The water tank itself should also be washed periodically, as sediment can accumulate at the bottom. If you regularly cook Nesquik and Chococino, you will notice that the capsule holder gets dirty much faster than when working with other varieties. This is due to the chocolate, sugar and milk contained in the capsules. This residue can cause an unpleasant odor, so the capsule holder should be rinsed under running water after each serving and wiped dry. It can even be washed in the dishwasher, but all other elements must be cleaned by hand.
Basic safety rules
In order for the use of the machine to be as safe as possible, a number of simple rules should be followed.
- The tank may only be filled with cold water; pouring hot or even boiling liquid is strictly prohibited.
- Do not open the capsule drawer while preparing coffee or any other beverage.
- After the cooking process is completed, the power indicator blinks red for a few seconds.
- When the capsule compartment is open, do not move the water selection and dispensing lever.
- It is forbidden to touch a freshly used capsule, as it is very hot — this can lead to painful burns.
NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto — PICCOLO XS capsule coffee machine
Our experience with the PICCOLO coffee machine
Now we want to tell you about what we liked and what we didn’t quite like while testing this device. I would like to start with positive things.
- Compact dimensions — can be installed absolutely anywhere.
- Original and stylish appearance (for testing, we got a white model — it fits perfectly into the interior of the kitchen).
- Elementary management.
- It works relatively quietly — you can brew coffee even in the early morning, when you need to go somewhere, and all the rest of the household is still sleeping.
- The use of capsules is not very original (today many manufacturers are developing and producing capsule coffee machines), but a very convenient solution, since you do not have to rinse this device too often.
NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto — PICCOLO XS capsule coffee machine
The device has no serious shortcomings, however, there are moments that seemed to us not very convenient during operation.
- It is not always clear how long it takes to turn off the cooking toggle switch. There is information about this moment on the capsules themselves, but we didn’t manage to finally figure it out, so we had to brew coffee, as they say, by eye, but this did not affect its taste at all.
- If you put a small cup (for example, a cup for children, although it has a standard height), then the device splashes the drink a little. As a result, after each preparation, it is necessary to wipe both the table and the coffee machine itself with a napkin. There are few drops, they are small in size, but this also takes extra time and leads to some inconvenience. The solution was found: we either used a taller glass, or placed a coaster under the cup.
- Well, the most significant point that we did not like: in the process of making coffee, you have to stand next to the machine in order to turn off the toggle switch at the right time, otherwise water will pour out instead of a drink.
capsule coffee machine PICCOLO XS
Summing up, I would like to say that after testing this coffee machine, we were very satisfied. Drinks taste and smell really excellent, as if they were prepared by a professional barista. There were some inconveniences, however, we recommend this device for purchase, especially since its cost is quite acceptable.