Semi-automatic machine B15 for espresso coffee, by Briel. The coffee supply is made with ground espresso, at the grind size you desire. This way, you determine the amount of coffee placed in the portafilter of the specially designed handle, and press the start button to begin the extraction process. Naturally, every time you make coffee, you should also clean the portafilter so that it is always ready for the next use. It is a suitable choice for individuals who are interested in experimenting to achieve the taste and texture they desire.
It has 1000 Watt power, and it takes a little time for the water to heat up to create the coffee. Usually, from around 1100 Watts and above, it is a device that heats the water quickly. The water tank is detachable, thus offering easy filling and cleaning, and has a capacity of 1.5 liters. This means it can make up to approximately 25 single cups of hot espresso coffee before needing to be refilled. Additionally, thanks to the milk frother, you can manually mix steam and milk to create foam with the ideal density for the milk-based beverage you prefer, such as cappuccino or latte. Finally, the pressure exerted by the boiler on the coffee to achieve extraction corresponds to 20 bar. The usual recommended values for a rich and creamy espresso are from 9 bar and above.
Specifications are collected from official manufacturer websites. Please verify the specifications before proceeding with your final purchase. If you notice any problem you can
report it here.
The machine is quite small and the noise it makes is significant, but I don't care because I wanted quality in the coffee and not in the sound.. plastic construction and lightweight, heats up very quickly and makes very good coffee but also frothed milk, something I didn't expect at all, it requires well-ground coffee and everything else is fine...
I have had it for 3 years and I had to send it for repair to the company more than 4 times. I had no complaints about the service, even though I was tired of sending it. However, now that the 2 years have passed for additional service, the company directs you to an email abroad and as you can understand, there is no patience to deal with it. It's a shame, it made good coffee but it needed work in terms of construction.
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From the beginning, it had a problem with the on-off button. Sometimes it would turn off, sometimes it wouldn't, and sometimes it would try to close unsuccessfully. After 6 months, it started leaking water while making coffee from the steam production spout, and with a very small container, it resulted in flooding the countertop with water.
I took it to the store where I bought it, they kept it for 15 days for a technical check after sending it to one of their technicians.
Upon return, they informed me that the boiler was cleaned and the machine is okay.
I asked if they noticed the problem with the back button, and they informed me that the machine does not have a system to close itself (as if the manufacturer had nothing else to do and added 2 on-off buttons) and that the machine is okay.
I took it home and indeed, I noticed that it stopped leaking water while making coffee. However, the back button continues to act up and most of the time it tries to close without success. Speaking directly this time with the technician who examined it and explaining the problem with the button, he told me that I should bother and take it back again. I am really considering running back and forth and not having a machine for 15 days. I prefer to manually close both switches every time. If any other problem arises, I will send it back for the button as well.
The main issue I noticed throughout this return and repair process (and I believe I should point it out for anyone who wants to buy BRIEL espresso machines) is the warranty.
ATTENTION, BRIEL espresso machines that I have seen are sold with a 2-year or 10-year warranty. I assumed that the store provides a 2-year warranty and the rest of the years are provided by the distributor, but that is not the case. The machines with a 10-year warranty are imported and resold by a distributor in Greece, and the others (I assume) are imported directly by the respective store, resulting in no coverage beyond the 2 years.
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I would like to add to the faults of the manufacturing company (https://briel.pt/):
1) The website is only in Spanish and Portuguese (it's hard to understand).
There are no instructions for their products on the website, only some basic technical specifications for some new products. They should know that once a product is sold in the EU, there should be instructions and manuals for their technical specifications in Greek (or at least English, which many people know).
2) There is no mention of representatives for the countries where their products are available on the website, and of course, not even for Greece.
I would choose it only for the quality of the coffee it makes, it needs significant improvement in other aspects, I believe.
I will try to contact the manufacturing company via email (in English) to see if the 10-year warranty is provided by BRIEL itself or by a distributor in Greece. If the company provides a 10-year warranty from the manufacturing, there will be a problem with those offering 2 years (at least for my product purchase, in case it presents a problem).
My first coffee and my last... quite excited about the first coffee, but what stuck in my mind was how unreliable the power switch at the back was. Today, when I tried to make my second coffee, it turned on and immediately turned off. Since then, no matter how many attempts I made, it never turned on again... I am waiting for a response from the store where I purchased it.
I bought it a month and a half ago. The coffee was burning and water was running from the filter. I couldn't make two or three coffees in a row because it was overheating. I returned it after only three uses and since then... Nothing new. Don't buy it.
Let it go.. after so much research, it's ultimately a matter of luck.. so I took it out of the box, with a broken rubber band, okay, maybe insignificant, but why? The noise it makes is comparable to a military helicopter, unbelievable! They have designed it with so much thought, convenient opening on the top for easy filling with water.. and you end up collecting all the water from your countertop, because the geniuses didn't think about how it would escape from the gap between the bin and the body.. to turn it on, besides the on/off button (the buttons look ready to fall off), it has another one at the back.. until it starts to produce coffee, drop by drop, it makes that eerie noise for about half a minute.. yes, it makes foam, but the taste of the coffee is awful.. the previous one I had was the cheapest available on the market, and I enjoyed it, but this one, which I bought for something better, turned out to be a disappointment.. IT'S NOT WORTH IT!
Well, I've had it for 2 days and since this is the third espresso machine I've bought, I recommend it 100% FOR 100€. Presurized portafilter, stainless steel boiler, water return system, small but very powerful nozzle for frothing milk, chocolate, Nescafe, etc. Buy a grinder for 40€ when you can, to grind the coffee yourselves and get even better results. *Not coffee from the supermarket.* Grind the coffee to about level 3, generally not too fine. That's all from me and I think it's the best one for its price and it's so small that you think it will be rubbish, but it's not. Let's see how long it will last, 4-5 coffees per day.
Edit: The machine already broke, guys, unacceptable because it seems it was already a repaired one... I sent it back.
It makes good coffee if you also get a grinder, nice design, small in size. I give it 4 stars because at first it came defective, but the customer service is indeed valid, although it is in Thessaloniki, so there is a slight inconvenience because the coffee maker first goes to the store where it was purchased and then to Thessaloniki, and there is indeed the possibility of replacement or refund. Maybe I would choose a store in northern Greece to buy it for less waiting time. But overall, I have had it since late July and I make amazing coffee every morning!
It has a 10-year warranty, so you understand that it is particularly high quality. Excellent frother and strong steam with which you can easily make frothy milk. It is easy to use. I highly recommend it!
Very good machine for its price. It was recommended to me by a friend because I was lost in the options available. Initially, it won me over because it has a 10-year warranty. The coffee machine is excellent and the taste of the coffee is very good. I was also impressed by the steam, it easily makes frothed milk. It is small and easy to use. It is worth its money