Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse product reviews

Having previously owned a coffee machine several years back and having not given it much use due to the crazy amount of time that went into setting up and cleaning up the machine, I was relieved to find just how easy the Eclipse was to use, I couldn't believe the simplicity involved and the very few steps required to make a restaurant or cafe quality hot (or cold) drink at home, in my opinion it was so quick that it would take me double the time to prepare any sort of hot drink in a mug - by the time I would've added in spoonfuls of sugar, and coffee, some milk and waited for the water to boil in the jug before pouring it in to the mug and stirring it in. This is exactly why since owning my Eclipse I have used this and only this to prepare any drinks I possibly can with the machine. Why settle for second best when you can have the very best at home?

The design of the machine itself is stylish and sleek and I absolutely love it! The colours match the decor of my kitchen perfectly with the gloss black finish in the middle of the machine (which is known in our house as the donut, as this is exactly what it looks like) and with the brushed dark grey/black style finish on the top. Though at first glance the machine looks rather big, it really doesn't take up a lot of bench space at all which is a bonus, as I can sometimes end up with far too many appliances on my kitchen bench!

After being shown once how to use the machine, I didn't need to bother with looking at the operating manual that comes with the machine, as it is a very easy machine to operate, however the instructions in the manual do appear very clear and easy to follow and my partner managed to operate the machine on his own by using these as a guide, as I refused to show him what to do. To operate the machine you simply fill up the water container to the maximum water level (clearly shown on the container), place a cup on top of the drip tray, insert your desired pod into the easy to open pod dispenser and then select whether you need hot or cold water, and then adjust the water level to suit (the recommended water level can be found on the top of each pod), and all at the touch of a button your drink is being prepared. Some drinks use 2 pods but the machine which means swapping to another pod to complete your drink making process, if this step is required it is clearly mentioned on the box of your pods.

I loved that the Eclipse has a feature which lets you know that you are out of water so that you are not left wondering if there is something wrong with the machine! The little rubbish bin it comes with is very handy and I love the convenience of having this alongside me when I am making my drinks as it means no drips of liquid on the ground as I try and dispose of the empty pod, just be careful when you go to tip the pods into the rubbish bin from the little bin as it has a plastic liner inside which I have had to retrieve from the bin several times! The only issue I have with this machine is the red power cord; I just find it odd as it would look so much better being a dark grey or black like the machine.

All in all an absolutely awesome machine which I can't recommend enough, this is something I will continue to use for a very, very long time to make delicious cafe style drinks!

I have lots of family members and friends who own coffee machines, and over the last few years the highlight of my visits to them have been that magic moment when I am asked "Would you like a coffee?" which they know full well does not need a response. Of course I want a coffee! Why else would I visit them? At the same time, returning home to my several-years-old-Womad-souvenir plunger is not the same. It makes coffee but only just. And now the world is my limit as I realise I am my own barista and can make gourmet coffees and other drinks whenever I please. The empowerment!

First impressions were that it is a stylish piece of machinery. It was suggested to me that instead of keeping it in the kitchen I could put it on the bedside table as it would not look out of place - and would be rather more upmarket than an old-fashioned Teasmade. I thought about that, but I am an early riser and would prefer to have my morning coffee in the kitchen. Besides, the idea of dozens of people journeying to my bedroom when they come to visit just so they can be offered a designer coffee seems rather bizarre.

Although the machine is quite big, it fits nicely on the shelf I have commandeered for it. I love the fact that the water tank is on one end rather than at the back (as with some models) because it means I don't have to move the whole appliance when a refill is needed; I can just unclip the tank. I also like the coloured power cord because I have three appliances plugged in on that wall and it means I can immediately see which one is attached to each socket. The design itself is quirky; I look at it and see a tyre inner tube and that makes me think of summer days at the beach or in the pool - appropriate since the machine makes cold drinks as well as hot. I have already tried the peach tea and look forward to plenty more of that variety.

Working the machine is a breeze. I am fanatical about reading the user manual from start to finish before I so much as unpack a new product, but in this case I was able to use it immediately I had watched two other people make a brew. The controls are foolproof; when it ran out of water half way through making a drink, it just stopped and started flashing - clearly signalling that help was needed. In the meantime, all processes were paused. The fact that the machine comes with a two year warranty would indicate that the manufacturers are confident that their product is expected to last well.

The bar light "count down" is a good way to monitor the progress of the drink. The bars can be altered easily if the wrong setting has been selected. The hot drinks are really hot, not just warm as they can be with other machines I have experienced. The capsules are easy to remove and the supplied disposal container does a great job of draining them prior to being recycled. I was impressed that the supplied paperwork includes an invitation to sign up for pod recycling; it is good to see the manufacturers of the machine and the capsules working together to preserve the environment.

I did have two small issues with the machine. First, the insertion and removal of the capsule holder, as well as the operation of the soft touch opening and manual closing mechanisms, are designed for people who are right-handed. This may be an issue for some left-handed users. My daughter is left-handed but has been able to improve the functionality of her right hand to the point where she is almost ambidextrous. However, she did comment that some might find this a drawback. The other puzzle was where to put the pod recycling container. We thought it might clip on somewhere, but the only place it seemed to fit was alongside the machine with the curved edge fitted into the angle of the main machine.

Those are minor drawbacks, however, and when considered as part of the wider picture, they would certainly not deter me from recommending it. The sleekness of the design means that it will fit in with any modern decor. There is enough sound when a pod is being processed to confirm that there is something happening, but it is not very loud so would not disturb people if, for example, somebody decided to make a cuppa in the middle of the night. And you don't need to be a technical genius to be able to work it.

Finally, there is a large range of products available so that everyone in the family is catered for. There are non-coffee alternatives, cold drinks, and (my favourite) soy-based milk drinks. The strength of each drink can be customised to suit each person. Because of the way the boiling water is forced through each pod under pressure, there is no cross-contamination of flavours: each is self-contained in its own pod. And - best of all - the quality of the drinks is consistently equal to that you would find in the best cafes, but at around a quarter of the price per drink. You can't ask for much more than that!

I don't drink tea or coffee - never acquired the taste for them due to a low tolerance for tanins. However, I do love my hot chocolate drinks, so when this machine arrived for review, and with two options open to me - Chocoletto and Nesquick - I was quick to jump in and give it a try.

First impressions were positive - it looked clean and stylish, but while it has a small base, it takes up a bit of extra room on your bench in terms of width. This is somewhat offset by how slim it is, so if you placed it near the back of your bench, it wouldn't take up much room on a day-to-day basis really. Because of the way it pops open - the left side pivoting forwards over the drip-tray - you could actually leave it up against the back wall of the bench quite happily. You can still get at the water tank easily enough, but the controls may be a little hard to see depending on the exact position you leave it in.

The only thing that irks me about this machine is the bright red power cord. While this does make it immediately identifiable at the power-board, it's garish and detracts from the otherwise sleek style this machine has. If you need something to identify it at the plug-end, there are better, more discrete ways of doing that. Think "bread bag clips and a vivid marker" for something highly effective, extremely affordable and high on the recycle-karma scale.

The machine itself operates exactly as one would expect from a quality brand like this, and it carries itself well. However, only time will tell how well the spring-loaded opening mechanism will fare from continued use. Since it isn't motorised in any way, it should do fairly well but as any engineer will know - moving parts are the highest fail-points in any mechanism. Thankfully, that burden of worry isn't mine since I was not assigned one of these to keep - only to participate in a group testing session. I'm very happy with my "Melody" machine, but I can't help but be a little envious of the people who got one of these to keep after the event.

Overall, this is a machine I'd love to own, just for the sake of having it... and I am sure it's worth every cent of the purchase price to those who want style, sophistication and a little jazz in their kitchen's coffee nook. I am also a HUGE fan of the water-level meter on this unit, as it is discrete but very effective. For those of us who don't drink a lot of hot drinks, the 5-cup water tank is also a fair compromise between style and space.

I was introduced to Nescafe's Dolce Gusto Eclipse at a recent product meeting with KIWIreviews. When I was offered the chance to take one home I declined thinking as a household of non-coffee drinkers it wouldn't get much use. I was convinced to take the machine home for a week to try the non-coffee varieties and then pass it on to another reviewer to keep. I am now reluctant to part with it. We have used the machine several times a day. My daughters (6.5 and 8 years) both make their own hot chocolates with very little risk of getting burnt. They will also make me a drink if they are feeling extra kind.

The Eclipse is referred to in our house as the doughnut machine. It looks like a doughnut! When you turn it on it automatically opens so you can insert your pod and fill the water canister. You place your cup on the drip tray and use the touch screen to select the strength and temperature of the water and it makes your drink. It is so simple to use.

I love how automated it is. I can set it going and go off to do one of the many tasks a mum has to do and come back to a cafe quality drink. If the water runs out part way through making your drink the lights flash and once you have refilled the water you just press the water button and it continues where it left off. There is no risk of an overflowing cup or ruining the machine.

I have used this machine for chai tea lattes, iced tea and hot chocolates using the pods. It is certainly more than a coffee machine. I have also used it without a pod to produce a cup of hot water for me to put my tea bag in. I have not used my kettle since I got this machine.

The little rubbish bin that comes with it is very handy. It has a basket inside to collect the pods and allows the water to drip through. This means you are not carrying a dripping pod across the floor to your rubbish bin. It holds about 10 pods so you can empty it when it suits. The water canister makes about 5 drinks before it needs to be refilled so it great for a family or small office.

There are only two things I don't like about this machine. Firstly it is bigger than the other machines so takes up more bench space. The other is the red power cord. A black or silver one would have looked nicer and suited the style of the machine. As you can see I am being not-picky. It really is a very handy appliance to have.

I was lucky enough to be the winner of the Bonus Prize for the KIWIreviews "12 days of KIWImas" promotion. This included the Nescafe Dolce Gusto 'Eclipse' coffee pod machine. So having received a machine to the value of over $350, I decided the least I could do is do my own review of the product, as an extra thanks to the companies involved.

Unboxing the machine, it comes with a small drip tray (also ensures you put your coffee cup in the right place), a sampler tray of 6 pods, and a small waste bin for your pods (which actually drains your pods too, so no liquids to leak into and out of your rubbish bag!). The machine itself looks like a donut (does anyone have a Simpsons donut decal sticker? The touchpad shape even helps as it looks like a bite was taken out of it! haha), and when you turn it on, it twists open to reveal the pod depositing area, and the drink dispenser. Strangely, the first time I turned it on, it didn't actually open, which was a little concerning. Giving it a gentle push I can see it's just a spring-loaded clip. So it must have just jammed while it was stored away. I closed and opened it several times and had no further issues with it (note: you do have to push it closed. There is no mechanism to pull it shut. So automatic open, manual shut).

On the front of the machine, is a well disguised water container. Apart from the thin tinted plastic water gauge, it would blend in perfectly with the rest of the machine, which helps a lot with the aesthetics. It doesn't seem to hold too much volume of water however, averaging maybe 5-6 drinks per fill (that's if you follow the pod directions for 150-250ml drinks. Personally that's on the small side for me).

The machine is very simple to use; Turn it on, add water, insert pod, touch the screen to raise or lower the amount of water needed, and pick hot or cold water. A very simple system. You can hear the machine piercing the pod, which is something I am a little bit hesitant over. While I think the automatic piercer is very fancy, I can't help but feel that it is one more thing that could go wrong. On my older machine (Nescafe Dolce Gusto - Jovia) I would lift a tab to insert the pods, and the act of closing the tab would pierce the pods. But now as it is all internalised, I can't help but wonder if the piercing mechanism got stuck, I wouldn't be able to remove the pods without breaking it. Let's be honest, I don't know the likelihood of the piercing mechanism failing, but it was just something that popped into my head.

The main reason I thought about the piercer was the time factor involved. The whole waiting for it to pierce and retract does take time (significantly longer than doing it manually on the older machines. So it could lead to damage if someone was in a rush, wasn't paying attention, and attempted to remove the pod too early. This is exacerbated by another function of the machine, where it pauses if the water runs dry. A great safety feature, as you don't want the elements heating empty water pipes, but at the same time, if you weren't paying attention, and didn't notice the flashing lights on the control panel, you could again try to remove the pod and potentially damage the piercing mechanism.

The piercing mechanism aside, I very much enjoy the machine. I like how much it does for you. I don't have to manually decide how much water to use, the 'Eclipse' measures it all for me, I just have to push the start button and walk away; so it's getting closer to feeling like someone else is making a coffee for you. It does take up a bit more space than my old machine. Granted, it is thinner when closed, but the stand is wider, and obviously I can't use up the airspace, or I won't have enough room to open the machine when I need to use it.

Ultimately it's a great machine. It's sleek, dark, and I love the look. It's a little bit slower than my old Jovia, but the main appeal is the automatic water measuring, which means I don't have to pay attention to it while it works. Just a few more moments in the morning that I can spend on something else.

I bought one of these for myself after seeing them at a show. They looked pretty clever, simple and they had them at a good price. I chose this one because it seemed to have a higher pressure rating than the budget model and I wanted something that didn't have sharp corners in case I bumped into it at night in the caravan.

After trying it out for a few months now I have to admit I am sold on pod machines. I used to have to drive into the nearest town and take a gamble that they had a cafe that made decent coffee. There is no such thing as a good coffee on a road works site. Instant or bad plunger coffee is about the limit of the options, but I like a really nice smooth coffee that has some real flavour in it so cafe coffee is about the only one I will drink and have a chance of enjoying. Until now.

Now I can make cafe standard coffee anywhere I go, and I can pick and choose a style and flavour to suit my needs and moods, whether I want a creamy latte to help me unwind at the end of the day or a rich dark espresso to get me fired up and ready to face a day of lunatic drivers trying to run me over or give me a concusion with stones they flick up from their wheels as they speed through at double the speed limit.

I have even packed this up and taken it home with me on my rare visits to see my family, and they have all enjoyed the variety and ease of making seriously good drinks with this. I have tried a couple of the older, cheaper designs a while ago and they were good, but this is better. I would have liked to have seen a bigger water tank on it, but you can't fit more into the same space so I am still satisfied I got the right machine for me.