Product Features

• 15 bar pump pressure; brews 2 cups in about 35 seconds
• Jet frother produces robust steam, thick froth
• Large removable water reservoir; automatic shut-off
• Automatic shut-off adds safety
• Measures 14 by 11-1/2 by 10 inches

From the Editors

Become your own barista with coffee, lattes and espresso just a countertop away! This combo machine lets you enjoy your favorites and is great for entertaining, too. It features a 10-cup drip pot and 15-bar pump, a warming plate for heating cups and an attractive, European design to top it off. In addition, the Briel espresso/coffee maker offers an Auto Espresso Flow micro-chip that lets you pre-select amount produced, ESE-adaptability with pods or grounds, a Turbo Jet frother for plentiful steam, Crema Master filter for rich, genuine crema every time and a stainless boiler. More features include a large, 1.8 liter water reservoir and water filter on intake, two thermostats for coffee and steaming cycles plus a third for safety, the AquaStop No-Drip system to eliminate remnant water, push button operation, a 10-cup drip coffeemaker with pause feature, removable overflow tray for simple cleanup and a built-in coffee tamper with separate measuring spoon.
Product Description

Accessories for the Briel ED132AFB Sintra Espresso Machine with Drip Coffeemaker Model ES132AFB

Espressione Classic Espresso Coffee Pods, Box of 150
Espressione 100% Arabica Coffee Pods, Box of 150
Espressione Decaffeinated Coffee Pods, Box of 150
Briel CG5B Java Heavy-Duty Coffee Grinder

Customer Response

Low Quality - TERRIBLE service
After two months of good service the pressure for espresso and temperature of the drip coffee both dropped significantly. I called the New Jersey service department and was dismissed offhand, told only that I should clean the espresso screens. When I pressed the issue of cold coffee I was told that was not a problem. For me it is.

The service is poor enough that I would recommend not buying any Briel products.

Stopped Working after 1 Month
I was initially pleased with this maker. However, it stopped making steam a month into its use. Of course, when you are over the magic 30 days after purchase, no such thing as a full refund.
Major UNHAPPY.

I'm tossing my Sintra today
After reading good reviews, I bought this machine sight unseen. Big mistake. Filling the reservoirs was cumbersome and you couldn't see the water level on the coffee and trying to make a half pot was very difficult. The espresso coffee holder didn't fit easily on the machine and sometimes it took five minutes of fiddling to get it to seat.(doesn't help that you can't see what you are doing). So soon we stopped making espresso, thus getting around the fact that a coffee mug won't fit under the espresso head. The coffee maker was mediochre. The lid over the basket fit poorly and was difficult to seat. It easily clogs and leaks all over the sink, even right after a cleaning. Today I'm off to Zabars to buy myself a new coffee maker. And it won't be a Briel.

A wonderful mid-level machine
This is the fourth espresso machine I've owned and I couldn't be happier. The crema produced is SUPERB. The machine appears to be well-made (for its price range) and performs wonderfully. My previous machines were clunkers by comparison. I'm thrilled with the quality of espresso and the rapid steam. The Briel Sintra performs as if it were a far more expensive machine. The chrome front and chrome drip grate are impressive looking and add to the over-all appearance of my kitchen. It is a real space-saver in that both regular coffee and espresso, etc. are in one unit. I love this product.

You get what you pay for
I've been using this machine everyday for the last two years and although it's decent I wouldn't recommend it without any reservations. Overall I'm satisfied with the machine, taking into account how much money I've saved by not going to Starbucks, but I'm ready for an upgrade.

I agree with most reviewers that the espresso it produces is pretty good. Drip coffee is another story. There are some fundametal flaws with the design of the drip coffee compartment. Filling it up is an adventure. Half the water usually ends on the counter. There's no water level indicators inside the water tank, so you have to use the glass carafe to fill it with water. This usually results in a mess. In addition, you end up with less coffee than what you thought because some steam escapes from the top.

As far as the espresso compartment is concerned there are some problems too. First of all, the cup size selector is NOT consistent. The dial is pretty inaccurate, so you'll have to experiment until you get it right. Depending on the grind size you may have to change the setting a lot. So keep an eye on it!

Second of all, the heating element doesn't function very well. The green light (water temperature indicator) is erratic. It will be on, letting me know that the water is ready to make coffee, but it will then go off half way into making a serving. This usually happens if I want to make 2 servings, one after the other. To overcome this, I usually have to wait for the light to go off and come on again, which can add several minutes between espressos. Lately, this happens even if I'm only making one serving. Making coffee with tepid water? NOT NICE.

In conclusion, if you're tight on budget this is a decent choice. If you can spend a little bit more, skip it.

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