Back to Basics CM300BR Cocoa-Latte Chrome 32-Ounce Hot-Drink Maker
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List Price: Our Price: $30.80 You Save: $14.19 (32%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $12.95 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Back to Basics CM300BR Cocoa-Latte Chrome 32-Ounce Hot-Drink Maker
Customer Review: Love it
Summary: 5 Stars
My whole family loves this hot drink machine. Our expectations were not super high, just looking for a better way to mix packets and milk together, and serve hot chocolate to more than one person at a time. It does a great job mixing ingredients! On cold afternoons I "fire it up" and serve small cups of hot chocolate to quite a few neighbor children! They get the biggest kick out of it and run home to tell their parents. For just our family of four it's perfect for our small mugs. For me personally, I like my drinks SUPER hot and it's not quite there for me but for my husband and children who do NOT like super hot or waiting a long time for it to cool, it's perfect. It does tend to cool very quickly, and the nozzle dribbles a bit so I always work with a napkin under the spout when a mug isn't there. Another reviewer recommended putting a little dishwash liquid in with pure water and running the machine to clean it. That was an excellent suggestion and I do it every time. There always seems to be a tough film of perhaps burned chocolate ringing around half the inside bottom every time I use it, perhaps it the type of hot chocolate I'm using or it's just normal use. Not enough to bother me, I just have to use a scrubby sponge on it to remove it, takes about five additional seconds. Again, our expectations were not high and this machine is not terribly expensive. Overall a great purchase for our family!Customer Review: MAGNIFIQUE
Summary: 5 Stars
I received this for Christmas after seeing it displayed at a craft show booth. I absolutely love this machine. I don't mind having to spend the extra little bit of time cleaning it by hand. After all, what did we do before dishwashers anyway. I find that doing the bleach water actually cuts the residue left behind pretty quickly.
I don't think that it is all that noisy to begin with. I put my cappuccino, cocoa or spiced tea on and go about doing what I need to until it is ready. If I'm in the other room and forget about it, I hear it after it starts back up to heat up. Reminds me that it is still on.
I personally think the 2 feet of cord length is perfect. Any longer and there could be hazards in the kitchen. I also like the fact that my cord winds up underneath the base and doesn't show. I wish my coffee pot did that.
I fill mine to the 32 ounce line every time and it has not overflowed once.
I do have to say that I'm very surprised at the comments about the liquid not getting very hot. I have actually tried mine half way through the initial cycle (to see if I got enough ingredients in for taste) and found it to be extremely hot.
I loved one of the earlier reviews about keeping beef or chicken broth hot. Never would have thought of that one.
I love this machine and love my homemade cappucino's. Sorry Starbucks.
Customer Review: Sitting here sipping a green tea latte.....ohhhhsoooo good!
Summary: 5 Stars
I thought since I use this everyday, I should write a review on it. Literally my husband and I use is several times a day. He like his green tea lattes (we used matcha powder like starbucks and milk plus vanilla flavor), and I like my green tea lattes with chocoate. And of course my kids like their hot chocolate. We have used it over and over for a year, and it's still going strong. ALthough I do want a stainless one... We have the white one.
You have to use a green scubby to clean the bottom, but it's not that hard. My kids have submerged the pitcher several times in water for long periods of time, and it's still going strong. You can't overfill... or get spills... but just don't overfill it... stop at the line marked!
The one think I really like it that it really mixed everything really well. You can't mix by hand matcha powerder to it balls up..... so it's really great to throw everything in and let it mix for you. I will make 4 cups of a flavored latte/steamer/ or coco in the morning and keep it going all day going back until it's gone.
When i got it for christmas from my sister I don't like, it was in my pile of returns. But, when i was gone my oldest kid pulled it out and mixed some coco..... I am glad she did. We love it.... no off to get more green tea latte.
Customer Review: Luvin' it so far!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought mine used from a thrift store; it had barely been out of the box and the instructions were with it. I dropped it on the way out of the store and now something in the base rattles, but it still works. I've used it several times over the last couple of days, and so far, I'm impressed. I've made a mocha latte, spiced cider and chai, and while I normally hate instant coffee and tea, these have been very good. The spigot does drip but it's not a huge problem; I only make enough for 2 cups so the liquid level never gets high enough while whipping to leak out around the lid. And it gets those 2 cups plenty hot! I will keep an eye out for melting plastic or flaking Teflon, as some of the worst reviews noted, but as someone else stated, if you clean it right away, there seems to be no problem with the spigot getting nasty. And it's NOT dishwasher safe, but most of life isn't, eh? I haven't had the spigot apart yet so I can't attest to leaking AROUND the spigot. I think it does a fine job of frothing; no, it doesn't give froth like an espresso steamer, so don't be disappointed if you don't have a head like a freshly-pulled beer on your cappuccino. But it makes enough froth to give you a moustache! And for what I paid for it and what I'll save in lattes alone, it's worth the short time I may have it.Customer Review: Every improvement I ever wanted
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a "Cocoa Motion" machine for some time until the non-stick coating started to come off the bottom. That's unhealthy, so I trashed it. The Cocoa-Latte was a gift, then, from my wife. I thought "oh, brother, another cheesy hot cocoa maker."
Boy, was I wrong.
First, this concept is not as cheesy as it seems. It really is a convenient, less-messy way to make hot cocoa and other drinks.
Second, the Cocoa-Latte improves on every component I ever complained about with the old machine. Namely:
1. The pitcher is removable for easy cleaning.
2. The pitcher has a spigot for easier dispensing of the drink.
3. The unit can have the stirrer-only turned on while you are dispensing the drink from the spigot, so has more frothy texture.
4. If you leave the unit on, it will mix until it gets to the best temperature, then it will stop. But, if you're busy changing diapers or whatever... and your drink cools off... the unit will turn back on to mix and heat your drink until you finally get to pour it.
5. The bottom of the pitcher is not a non-stick coating that can come off and be hazardous to your health. It is "non-stick," but I think it is stainless steel or something.
There is nothing I can think of that would make this unit better.