KRUPS has long been known for their coffee brewers and its no wonder that they have gotten into the single-serve brewer race. The Nescafe Dolce Gusto is their single-serve brewer and allows you to brew up all of your favorite café drinks espresso, lungo coffee, lattes, cappuccino and hot chocolate right from the comfort of your home.
Only compatible with the Dolce Gusto smart capsules, you can currently buy from eight different categories of beverage, all for under $9 for a 16-count box. Innovative and easy to use, the smart capsule allows the high-pressure, hot water to pass through the grinds, giving you a fresh and delicious cup every time. And with milk concentrates included, you can get the frothy, foamy top to your latte macchiato, just like they do in your favorite coffee shop.
Its is an easy to use machine that has a single control lever to force hot pressurized water through pre-packaged coffee grounds to make an almost instant cup of coffee. There are lots of control, and currently 4 different models to choose from.
Dolce Gusto Melody II (av. price $129.99) - This is the Dolce Gusto most people are familiar with, as it was their original design when they first started making single-serve coffee makers. The round retro design makes it stand out, and you can get a Melody II in either red or black.
The round water tank holds 51 oz of water (just about 1 1/2 quarts) so you can make a lot of coffee before you have to refill. The top opens up for the capsule to be locked in place, and you control the water flow (hot or cold) with the lever on top. It's not automatic but it does allow you complete control over your drinks.
The Thermablock heater inside will have your water at optimum brewing temperature in seconds, for practically instant drinks. The 15 bars of pressure means a good crema layer every time.
Dolce Gusto Circolo - If you are looking for a model that stands out with modern and unique design, the Circolo is it. The entire machine is a round circle when you see it from the front. You'll have to see one to understand. You can get it in red and black, or silver and black, and it has the same basic functionality as the Melody II.
The water tank is a little smaller (44 oz) because the shape of the machine is so different. Your cup is also lit up with a blue LED light for a little more decorative flair.
Dolce Gusto Creativa (av. price $169.99) - This one is the most sophisticated of the bunch, and it has more automatic settings so you can let it brew your drinks without having to hold down the lever while the water flows. There is a digital LCD control panel, and you can control your preferred style of brewing for future cups. This is the only model that has the automated brewing capability.
You'll get the larger 51 oz water tank with this model, and it has all the same features as the others: the fast heating Thermablock, high water pressure and adjustable drip tray.
Dolce Gusto Piccolo (av. price $99.99) - The Piccolo is the smallest model, for when you don't need a huge brewing capacity or large machine. You can buy this little brewer in silver, black or red (all with black accents). The water tank is about half the size of the other models and so you can only brew 2 to 4 cups of coffee or tea before having to refill.
There is an automatic shut-off (they all have this feature, actually) and it operates with the same lever controls as the Circolo and the Melody II.
