Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine: A Quality Choice for Cafe-Quality Brews at Home

The Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro is an exceptional home espresso machine that produces smooth, rich espresso shots with thick crema just like your favorite coffee shop. With programmable cup sizes, fast heat-up, and easy-to-clean features, this machine simplifies brewing delicious espresso drinks at home.

Overview

The Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine is a semi-automatic pump espresso machine with a 15 bar pressure stainless steel-lined Thermoblock heating system. It has a black plastic housing with stainless steel accents and a compact footprint measuring 12” x 13” x 10”. The machine has a 34oz removable water tank and weighs 12 pounds.

Key Features

• Programmable cup sizes - Customize shot volumes for single or double shots
• Automatic tamping - Portafilter self-tamps for consistent extraction
• Fast heat-up - Ready in 5 seconds for espresso or steaming
• Removable water tank - 34oz capacity for multiple back-to-back shots
• Steam wand - Produces hot steam for frothing milk

Design

With its black plastic housing accented by stainless steel, the Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine has an attractive, minimalist look that fits any modern kitchen décor. The compact footprint takes up minimal counter space while still accommodating taller glasses.

Usability

The intuitive control panel with programmable buttons and pictorial guides makes the Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine very easy to use. The automatic tamping portafilter simplifies the brewing process. Users highlight the convenience of multiple back-to-back shots thanks to the large 34oz removable water tank.

Espresso Quality

Users report that the Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine produces rich, full-bodied espresso with superior crema. The machine’s programmable settings, including adjustable shot volumes and extraction times, allow for a tailored espresso experience. By fine-tuning these settings, users can achieve their preferred balance of strength and volume, ensuring each cup is brewed to their liking.

Understanding Espresso Pressure and Thermoblock Heating

The Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro features a 15 bar pressure pump, which is crucial for extracting espresso with a rich crema. The 15 bar pressure ensures that hot water is forced through the coffee grounds at the right speed, optimizing the extraction of flavors and aromas. Additionally, the machine’s Thermoblock heating system ensures rapid and consistent heating of water, essential for maintaining the optimal temperature throughout the brewing process. Understanding these technical aspects can help users appreciate the engineering behind their daily cup of espresso.

Temperature Control

The fast 5 second heat-up time allows the 15 bar Thermoblock heating system to quickly reach optimal brewing temperature for espresso extraction. The stainless steel-lined heating element also maintains consistent temperatures.

15 Bar Pump and ThermoBlock Heating System: The Heart of Your Espresso

The Capresso Ultima Pro’s 15 bar pump and ThermoBlock heating system work in tandem to deliver the perfect espresso. The 15 bar pump provides the ideal pressure to extract the full flavor and aroma from your coffee grounds, resulting in a rich and flavorful espresso. The ThermoBlock heating system ensures that the water reaches the optimal brewing temperature quickly and maintains it throughout the extraction process, ensuring consistent results with every cup.

The Thermoblock system, with its stainless steel lining, not only heats up quickly but also minimizes temperature fluctuations, a common issue with single boiler machines. This consistency in temperature is key to producing high-quality espresso with a thick, rich crema.

Self-Tamping Portafilter: Consistent Extraction Made Easy

The Capresso Ultima Pro’s self-tamping portafilter is a game-changer for home baristas. Tamping, the process of compressing the coffee grounds in the portafilter, is a crucial step in espresso making. It ensures that the hot water is evenly distributed through the grounds, resulting in a consistent and flavorful extraction. With the Ultima Pro’s self-tamping portafilter, this step is automated, eliminating the need for a separate tamper and ensuring that every shot is perfectly tamped. This not only simplifies the brewing process but also ensures consistent results every time.

Programmable Cup Sizes: Your Espresso, Your Way

One of the standout features of the Capresso Ultima Pro is its programmable cup sizes. This allows you to fine-tune the volume of your espresso or lungo shots, ensuring you get the perfect amount every time. Whether you prefer a short, intense ristretto or a larger, milder lungo, the Ultima Pro can cater to your taste.

To program your desired cup size, simply hold down the single or double cup button until the desired volume is reached. The machine will then remember this setting for future use, making your morning routine even easier.

Shot Timer

The programmable buttons can be set to customize shot volumes and timing for single and double shots based on user preference.

Hot Water Dispenser: More Than Just Espresso

The Capresso Ultima Pro’s hot water dispenser adds versatility to your coffee routine. With a simple press of a button, you can dispense hot water for Americanos, tea, or even instant soup. This feature eliminates the need for a separate kettle, saving you counter space and time.

The hot water dispenser is especially useful for those who enjoy Americanos. Simply brew a shot of espresso and then use the hot water dispenser to top it off with hot water, creating a larger, milder drink.

34oz Removable Water Tank: Brew More, Refill Less

The Capresso Ultima Pro’s generous 34oz removable water tank is a boon for households with multiple coffee drinkers or those who enjoy back-to-back espressos. This large capacity means you can brew several drinks before needing to refill, saving you time and effort.

The removable design makes refilling and cleaning a breeze. Simply detach the tank, fill it with fresh water, and reattach it to the machine. The tank also features a water level indicator, so you can easily monitor how much water is left.

High-Pressure Frothing: Unleash Your Inner Barista

The Capresso Ultima Pro’s high-pressure frothing wand allows you to create café-quality milk foam at home. With its powerful steam, it can transform milk into a velvety microfoam, perfect for topping your cappuccinos, lattes, and other espresso-based drinks.

While some users have reported that pre-steaming the milk before frothing yields better results, the overall performance of the frothing wand is praised for its ability to create thick, creamy foam. A tip for beginners is to immerse the wand just below the surface of the milk and use a swirling motion to incorporate air and create the desired texture.

Removable Drip Tray with Float: A Clean Machine is a Happy Machine

The Capresso Ultima Pro features a removable drip tray with a float indicator, making cleanup quick and easy. The drip tray collects any spills or drips, keeping your countertop clean. The float indicator rises as the tray fills, alerting you when it’s time to empty it.

This simple yet thoughtful feature ensures that your espresso machine stays clean and hygienic, which is essential for maintaining the quality and taste of your coffee. Regular cleaning also helps to prevent any buildup that could affect the machine’s performance over time.

Cup Warming Tray: The Perfect Temperature for Your Espresso

The Capresso Ultima Pro’s cup warming tray is a feature often overlooked but highly appreciated by coffee aficionados. It ensures that your cups are pre-warmed before your espresso is poured, which helps to maintain the optimal temperature of your drink. This is especially important for espresso, as the ideal serving temperature is crucial for experiencing the full range of flavors and aromas.

The warming tray is spacious enough to accommodate several cups, making it perfect for entertaining guests or brewing multiple drinks at once. The integrated storage compartment under the lid keeps your extra accessories organized and within reach.

Importance of Maintenance

Regular cleaning and maintenance are crucial for extending the lifespan of any espresso machine. Keeping the machine clean ensures that coffee flavors remain fresh and that the device operates efficiently. Proper maintenance can also prevent common issues such as clogging and mineral buildup, which can affect the taste of your coffee and the functionality of the machine.

Cleaning

The removable, dishwasher-safe parts including the water tank, drip tray, portafilter, and milk frothing attachment simplify cleaning. Backflushing the grouphead and wiping the steam wand after use is also recommended.

Noise level

The pump and heating system produce noise levels typical of home pump espresso machines. The brewing process itself is reasonably quiet.

Safety Features: Brew with Peace of Mind

Safety is a priority with the Capresso Ultima Pro. The machine is equipped with an automatic shut-off feature that kicks in after a period of inactivity, preventing overheating and saving energy. Additionally, the machine has a built-in overheat protection system that shuts it down if it detects abnormally high temperatures.

These safety features provide peace of mind, allowing you to focus on enjoying your delicious espresso without worrying about the machine.

Power

The 1450 watt power rating delivers sufficient power for quick heating, pressure, and steaming milk.

Use Cases

The Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine is ideal for home brewing of espresso-based drinks like cappuccinos, lattes, americanos, and more. It’s perfect for espresso lovers who want the convenience of cafe-style coffee without leaving the house. The programmable features allow customization of shot volumes for experimenting with different beans and grind sizes. With its fast heat-up and ease of use, this machine simplifies the entire espresso-making process for beginners and experts alike. The Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine brings full-flavored espresso drinks from the cafe to your home counter.

User Feedback Analysis

Overall, customer feedback for the Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine trends positively, with many home baristas singing praises for this espresso machine’s performance, ease of use, and value.

The majority of reviews applaud the quality of espresso produced by this machine. Its 15-bar pressure extraction consistently delivers rich, full-bodied coffee topped with a scrumptious, tiger-striped crema that users call “supreme”, “perfect”, and “espresso-shop worthy”. The programmable one- and two-shot buttons make it a cinch to pull flavorsome caffeine shots, allowing even novice home brewers to concoct café-caliber drinks with velvety froth.

In terms of convenience, reviews tout the machine’s swift 5-second heat up time and large 34oz removable water tank that enables brewing multiple drinks without refilling. The integrated automatic tamping function eliminates extra steps in the espresso-making process while the intuitive interface with pictographic guides makes this “easy enough for anyone to use right out of the box”.

Its solidly-built, compact construction also wins praise for being a “sturdy yet stylish” addition to countertops that takes up minimal real estate. Several customers mentioned placing it in recreational vehicles and small kitchens with equally stellar results.

On the flip side, a handful of users faced issues with water leakage and dripping from the steam wand and group head, especially with prolonged use over time. Some also found the frothing attachment to underperform unless milk was pre-steamed prior to frothing. However, many discovered workarounds like regularly wiping down the machine and fine-tuning grind size.

Considering its reasonable price point compared to commercial-grade models, most agreed the Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine punches far above its weight when it comes to making barista-quality espresso drinks at home. As one user summed it, this machine is an “inexpensive way to get excellent results” – a sure win for espresso enthusiasts.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Quick 5 second heat-up time
• Programmable shot volumes
• Automatic tamping for convenience
• Large removable water tank
• Excellent espresso extraction and crema

Cons

• Can be messy with splattering water
• Frothing attachment has mixed performance

Value

With excellent espresso shot quality rivaling coffee shops and convenient customizable features, the Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine provides outstanding value. For a fraction of the cost of professional models, home baristas can brew cafe-style drinks conveniently in their own kitchen.

Conclusion

With outstanding espresso extraction, flexible customization, and convenient everyday use, the Capresso 124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine is highly recommended for brewing cafe-style drinks at home. This quality espresso machine delivers an exceptional experience and great value for the price.

Specifications

• Product Dimensions: 12 x 13 x 10 inches
• Weight: 12 pounds
• Material: Plastic housing
• Power: 1450 watts
• Water Tank Capacity: 34 oz removable
• Pressure: 15 bar pump
• Color: Black and stainless steel

Box Contains

• Espresso machine
• Portafilter
• Filter baskets (single and double shot)
• Measuring spoon
• Tamper
• Water tank
• Instructions manual