Back to Basics CM300BR Cocoa-Latte Hot Drink Maker, Chrome Reviews

• Hot Chocolate, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  
  By A2HTPS0JV3Q8ZD on 2006-02-26
  I love a hot chocolate at the end of a cold day, but usually it is chore to make and when using instant mixes, it didn't always come out quite right. But this little wonder fixes all of that.
  
  You can use water or milk, add additional flavors (a touch of vanilla is my favorite) and let it mix and heat it for you. Now some have said this device was not hot enougth, but my tongue would disagree with that. I love the fact it will froth it up for you as you dispense it (a little extra sugar will make extra froth). Cleaning is no problem, as long as you clean it as you use it. Yes, if you wait till tomorow to clean it, you will need to scrub a little, but if you do it when you are done, no problem. Just run soapy water thru it and wipe away any choclate reisdue.
  
  I have yet to try out other drinks with it, I don't like coffee and will wait for summer to try out the teas, but I expect it will be just as good.
  
  

• This is a great item!

  
  By A3CFUPS615AR6 on 2005-11-19
  I can't believe all the bad reviews. I love this cocoa maker, and so have my friends that use it. We take it camping and make cocoa for the kids. The kids love to watch it swirl/warm up and to be able to dispense their own drinks. I don't think it is hard to clean at all. Same concept as an electric blender. I fill it up with warm soapy water, wash it, then I open the dispenser and run the hot water out of it to keep it clean. Just wipe the base off. The only reason I don't give it a 5 is because of the frothy mechnism. It doesn't work as well as I anticipated, but it serves it purpose well enough.
  
  

• Convenient - but very badly designed

  
  By A27M7TO539EPC7 on 2005-02-19
  Being one of those people who don't understand the popularity of coffee (how can anything that smells that good, taste that bad?), I'm a regular cocoa drinker. I was enthused about this product, since I like to make my own flavor blends, and the microwave just doesn't do a very good job.
  While this machine does a good job of heating and mixing, it's design flaws are numerous. Some of them are small, but they all add up.
  - The pitcher part has the mixing and heating base built into it, so it cannot be dishwashered, or even immersed for proper washing. For something that regularly has hot milk in it, this is a big sanitary issue. I end up just filling mine with bleach-water when I'm not using it.
  - After two months of use, the teflon at the bottom of the pitcher is flaking off.
  - Also, after two months of use, the On button is becoming flaky, and has to be pushed in and to the left to get it to engage. Sometimes it doesn't work at all.
  - The pour spout for the pitcher is directly over the dispenser nozzle, instead of to the side. The dispenser is in the way when trying to pour cups.
  - And, here's one that just amazes me: The lid has two long tabs that run down the inside of the pitcher to keep it in place. When the mixer is running, the liquid level rises because of the whirlpool effect. If the liquid touches these tabs, it will wick up and out of the pitcher, and all over the counter!
  - Also, the cord is only just over two feet long, so you'd better have an outlet right where you want to use it.
  Any one of these would have been annoying but forgivable, but they add up to a very poorly designed appliance that I cannot recommend.
  
  

• Not just for hot chocolate

  
  By A1M9BA7J07JEA6 on 2006-12-22
  My sister has a habit of buying me kitchen gadgets as gifts that when I first open them I'm skeptical, but after using it for a while I'm a fan. It was that way with the "Back to Basics CM300BR Cocoa-Latte Hot Drink Maker." When I saw it I said to myself, "How often am I going to make hot chocolate that I needed a dedicated device?" After all, you put milk in a saucepan, add some ingredients, heat it up and you're done. Oh, but I didn't realize what lay in store for me.
  
  First, as a hot chocolate maker, it's a real joy. Add the milk and the ingredients--either a mix or whatever recipe you like--and turn it on. Now walk away. That's it. For the next few minutes, the machine will get to work mixing the ingredients thoroughly and bringing it up to the perfect temperature--not too hot, but tepid. In this case it's about 180 degrees. When it hits that mark, the machine stops automatically.
  
  That's key because when you make hot chocolate on the stovetop, you have to keep an eagle-eye on the milk. If you turn your back for a moment, you have the dreaded boil over and a big mess to clean up. But with the Cocoa Maker--to steal an informercial slogan--you just set it and forget it. When it's done heating the cocoa, you place your mug under the spigot, press the dispense button and let it fill your mug. The button spins the mixer blade but leaves the heating element off and froths up the cocoa for you.
  
  Of course, it doesn't just make cocoa. Now, I'm not sure about the latte bit--I think I'd still prefer a cappuccino machine for that--but it makes great hot spiced cider, mulled wine, or other hot drinks. You can also heat up chicken or beef broth. When you're making risotto you need to keep a pot of hot stock nearby to incorporate into the rice. Keep the cocoa maker full of broth and keep turning it on every few minutes and you can dispense hot broth right into your saute pan or a ladle.
  
  The mixing vessel detaches from the base for clean up, just remember to close the spigot before you start pouring in ingredients the next time you use it. I can't tell you how many times I've ended up with puddles of milk coming out the front of the machine.
  
  [...]especially if you're not hot cocoa fans like us, but if you are or if you can imagine using it for other uses as well, I recommend it.
  
  

• Makes the dog bark!

  
  By AMR7T2WFHHZJD on 2006-11-10
  I should have listened to the other reviews!
  
  Point 1. This machine is not only just "noisy", it CONTINUES to be loud, intermittently! Picture this: You are sipping your hot drink while reading the newspaper, relaxed, the house quiet, when like a knife cutting the silence, a loud grinding sound flies from the kitchen, your dog starts howling & barking, you jump and relaxation is out the window! It "recycles" as long as you leave it on.
  
  Point 2. It took me TWO cycles (20 minutes) before the stuff was hot enough for me. I like beverages to be as hot as coffee.
  
  Point 3. Take out your best scrubber & roll up your sleeves!! For every use, you have to scrub the thick coating off the bottom of the non-immersable pitcher PLUS totally take apart the spout, clean it & put it back together (it has 5 parts). Hope you have time for this!
  
  Point 4. Froth? What froth? That's froth?? Stirring my drink with a spoon makes it look like that.
  
  
  Final analysis: I can make the same thing in the microwave with less cleanup.
  
  
• It leaks
  By A21QCWAHGHF1E on 2004-10-14
  It's a good idea, but it has a fatal flaw. The spigot seal leaks.
  
  In order to clean it, you have to disassemble the spigot. After only a dozen or so such disassembly/reassembly, the spigot started leaking at the join to the main body. Even after torquing it beyond verticle past the stops, it still leaks, and makes the spigot useless.
  
  
• CM300BR Cocoa Latte Hot Beverage Mixer, Brushed Chrome
  By A3NGX3DWGNAE3S on 2005-04-29
  This was a very exciting Christmas gift to me from my mom,(who is on a fixed income)she knows how much I love cocoa & hot mochas. It worked great...for the first couple of months. Now, I feel bad that my mom wasted her money on it. After about 2 months, I would have to start the aggitater manually. Now it doesn't work at all. The foam feature never did work properly. I think its very poorly made. But great if you like disposable appliances. I would not recommend this unit to anyone, ever.
  
  
• Excellent Product
  By AJIIXOO4AG7VY on 2005-01-02
  This product is AWESOME! I love hot cocoa but hate heating the milk over the stove and standing there stirring it. This machine does it all. Just put in the milk and cocoa mix and press the on button. It mixes it together for you and heats it to the perfect temp. I got this as an xmas gift from my husband. The next day we had family up and they were playing out in the cold. This machine made it very quick and easy to make hot cocoa for everyone. I bought this for a friend for xmas and she is enjoying it too.
  
  
• spigot works great-no leaks
  By A26WPBZJCJHRCQ on 2004-11-29
  The previous review says you have to take the spigot apart to clean the machine. This is not true, simply run plain water through it to clear out the cocoa and you're good to go.
  
  
• Not worth the money
  By AEFN8U6LW2ABP on 2005-10-25
  My kids were very excited when I got this for a Christmas present and it worked great the first few times. After that it was hit or miss as to whether the agitator would work. I finally got the machine out today for the first bit of cool weather after a long hot summer. Much to my disappointment, and my kids, it doesn't work at all. The instruction booklet does not even give any hints as to what to do if the machine doesn't perform as to be expected. I would not recommend this product to anyone. I see Mr. Coffee has a similar product-I will go for a namebrand next time.
  
  
• Best thing since the latte
  By A2GJ03JZ2IVCWB on 2005-01-11
  I received this machine unexpectedly for Christmas and have enjoyed it IMMENSELY ever since! It is so easy to use (my 7 year old daughter can even use it) and clean up is a breeze. And portable - after bringing it to work one day I have probably made a few more sales for the company. Needless to say it was a HIT! If you enjoy lattes or great hot chocolate this is the machine for you.
  
  
• I am amazed
  By A2NB2IS3NOVRDZ on 2005-02-10
  For the price of this item compared to similar ones, this product ROCKS! I got it today and have already made Vanilla Steamed Milk(frothy like a Latte) and Hot cocoa. It comes with an instruction manual and 35 recipes. I have used two of the recipes, but have substitued a sweetner instead of sugar and I have used Powdered Milk instead of regular milk. It has turned out amazing and TASTY! 2 thumbs up!
  
  
• FANTASTIC PRODUCT
  By A26UNQU4NMNZDL on 2005-03-27
  ANY BODY THAT SEES THIS REVIEW LISTEN TO ME!GO AHEAD AND BUY IT!
  MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS JUST LOVED THIS APPLIANCE AND PLANNING TO BUY ONE FOR THEMSELVES. IT WAS THE TALK OF THE TOWN. IT MAKES THE BEST TASTING CAPUCCINO, LATTES, ANY INSTANT BEVERAGE YOU COULD THINK OFF! IT'S VERY EASY TO CLEAN JUST ADD SOAP AND WATER AND IT'S CLEAN!!GREAT MACHINE
  THE BACK TO BASICS GUYS MADE A WONDERFUL MACHINE!
  GUYS DON'T THINK TWICE, GO AHEAD AND BUY IT
  
  
• Yum...hot, frothy drinks!
  By A3OMXQU7LY05PR on 2004-12-28
  This was waiting for me under the Christmas tree and boy oh boy was I excited! I have already used it four times and it works great...so far.
  
  I mix 1 cup coffee, brewed strong with 1 cup skim milk and a GENEROUS helping of Bailey's...then just press 'on' and you are good to go. Leave out the Bailey's if you are on your way to work. Enjoy.
  
  
• EASY AND DELICIOUS!!!
  By on 2005-03-01
  My dad got this machine for my mom for her birthday. It comes with a recipe book and the recipes are really good. I make hot chocolate by myself it is so easy. All you have to do is plug it in, add the ingreidients,turn it on and you have really good hot chocolate. This machine is portable and great.
  
  
  
• Sweet item!
  By A2HLDJAXE9U9HI on 2006-01-16
  My husband and I bought one of these for both of his sisters' families for Christmas. I was jealous; budget constraints kept me from buying one for our home. Surprise! My brother and his wife got one for us.
  
  Sure, you can nuke your hot cocoa mix with milk or water but it's just not the same thing, I promise! I'm a coffee freak and have used the machine to make pseudo-cafe mochas using milk, hot cocoa mix with the mini-marshmallows (fear not, they melt and get frothy during the process) and freshly-brewed coffee. Caffeine heaven!
  
  Much easier to clean than I originally thought-the top portion easily unplugs from the base. I have yet to take apart the spout, thus far the hot-water-till-clear-and-then-some method has sufficed. It is a little easier than the Mr. Coffee Cocomotion in this department-I donated that machine to my just-starting-out daughter.
  
  Only four stars...the machine is rather noisy and can actually scare you from the other room when it begins to reheat/restir your drinks. Also, uhm, if you fill it to the top fill line with liquid THEN add an extraordinary amount of cocoa, the machine can and will overflow on the very person who said "instructions, insmucktions."
  
  
  
  
  
  
• I love it!
  By AHIVXJKESYELS on 2005-03-22
  I have been using my hot beverage mixer every other day for about four months and I love it. It works great, I have not had any problems with it. It mixes and heats everything well. I use it most of the time to make Chai tea latte's and cocoa once in a while. I have also used it to make coffee latte's and it is wonderful!
  
  While it is a bit difficult to clean because you cannot submerge the pitcher in water, it's not that bad. I just fill it with hot water and dish soap and it comes clean easily as long as you clean it right after use. For the price you can't beat it. Great product!
  
  
• Beware: The plastic in this mixer melts into your hot chocolate
  By A2A4TS5CCX7BY9 on 2007-09-24
  I loved this for a while, even though I had complaints.
  
  Silly complaints:
  The milk would froth and spill out, so I quickly learned to only fill it a tad bit over half-way. It'd get too hot and burn the chocolate on the bottom so that it was nearly impossible to clean off completely. Also, the little spout would get clogged with the high percentage cacao I'd buy to melt in the mixer, and it was hard to clean without pipe-cleaners.
  
  Major, health-risk complaint:
  After a few months, I noticed the hot chocolate started tasting funny, kind of like plastic or burnt tires. Well, I noticed that every time I had to clean it, the bottom (of the mixer, not inside the tub where the hot chocolate would go) would have some gray liquid in it, but I just assumed that some milk was leaking through the screws that because it was new, some residue from manufacture was being cleaned off over time (so I'd tighten the screws and hope the problem would go away once it was all clean). Well, this continued and eventually got worse and worse. Eventually, I realized that the gray plastic spinner on the bottom that controlled the spinning motion inside of the mixer was melting because the hot chocolate mixer would get too hot. I like my hot chocolate hot, and I assumed others would, so I didn't think it was "too hot". Well, I guess leaving it on for the automated. set-in, standard time was "too hot" for the hot chocolate maker's little plastic mixer device, and it melted and was contaminating my beverages. I noticed one day when the hot chocolate I had made was too low---I saw little wisps of gray floating in the chocolate. I didn't think it was actually getting into my drink when I saw that stuff on the very bottom of the mixer... My logic was wrong.
  
  I'm buying a different brand and hope I will not poison myself the same way I have with this defective hot chocolate maker. The melted plastic did make me feel sick to my stomach every time I drank my drink, and after my discovery I am glad it wasn't the milk or the chocolate.
  
  
• Perfection!
  By A1QB8GTZ93C18L on 2005-12-30
  I have a family of 6. Three boys ages 17, 12, 10 and a girl who is 3. We all cannot get enough cocoa latte! We put our favorite mix (Ovaltine!) in with milk and it mixes it, heats it perfectly and froths it. Top it with whip cream for a extra touch. Can't get enough. We are glad Santa brought it!
  
  
• Almost Perfect
  By A3Y4EW80Y6WCV on 2006-04-01
  I as given this as a gift for xmas and use it everyday. I personally like the temperature of the drink as it is hot enought to require gentle blowing, but not so hot that you scald your tongue. I use it for cocoa, chai tea, and warm drinks. Like others said, it is supposed to hold 4 cups, but if you go above three it will spill over the top when it starts to foam. I tend to do 2 cups at a time, so this is not a huge issue for me. I like that it stays hot as long as it is plugged in so I can make one batch of tea and have some in the morning and then later in the day. I find that it is plenty frothy as well. I do agree with others that cleaning is an issue. With mine, the tea and cocoa tend to leave a residue on the bottom which is hard to clean since you can't submerge it. Not the best design in regard to that. It is loud, but I put my ingrediants in and then go and take a shower so I don't really hear it. You can do coffee, teac, cocoa, warm cider, hot toddy's etc in this little pot. Overall, I like having it and it for the price is a nice little appliance to have if you like hot drinks.
  
  
• Cocoa-Latte Hot Drink Maker
  By AW09B6CVT60CC on 2006-10-29
  A little hard to clean the bottom of the carafe as the hot milk tends to cake/bake onto it, but it keeps the milk very warm and foamy.
  
  
• No more 2.75 lattes from Dunkin Donuts for me!!
  By A1OFTAVTPKJBQB on 2006-11-16
  I have only used it 3 times so far but found it very easy to operate. I love the Caramel Swirl Lattes from DD but 2.75 is a bit expensive. Hershey's now makes a caramel flavored syrup so I use that to make my latte. The milk does stick a bit but nothing I can't handle. The convenience of making my own lattes at home sure beats having to go through the drive through at DD. I really didn't find it that hard to clean and mine is not that noisy. For a single serving it only took about 4 minutes for it to heat to a just right temperature. I'm going to get one for a friend for Christmas as she is the one who got me hooked on the lattes in the first place.
  
  
• Big disappointment!!!
  By A1CD3WI1GJCQZ3 on 2005-10-19
  If you want warm cocoa, this is your machine. Otherwise, for HOT cocoa enthusiasts like me, the machine is a total bust.
  
  
• Great item!
  By A2R430CU543CW3 on 2005-12-28
  We just received this as a gift for Christmas. I was hesitant to use it, but I am so glad I tried it! The recipes in the booklet are incredible! There is a recipe for Minty Cocoa that tastes just like the peppermint cocoa from a major coffee chain. The machine is a bit noisy, and I've found the dispensing to be a bit messy, but overall I'm very glad we got the machine! I'm addicted to the mochaccino!
  
  
• Fun for kids of all ages
  By A3CZHZAH62GY22 on 2005-12-29
  My husband and I bought this machine for our kids as a fun Christmas present and its been getting rave reviews from the entire family.
  Unlike some of the other machines out there, this one does not require milk. It can do instant cocoa with water in just minutes but it also comes with a recipe booklet that covers teas, coffees, cocoas, and other hot drinks such as hot carmel cider.
  Yes, it is a bit loud but makes a hot drink safe and fast without having to boil water. I also dont happen to find it that hard to clean because it easily comes apart.
  
  
• Performs, but be aware of clean-up effort
  By A2TF8GCSY1R348 on 2006-01-08
  As the other reviews testify, the Cocoa Latte does indeed do what it is sold to do, and it does it very well. And an added bonus is the included recipes for novel and very tasty non-cocoa drinks. However, for those of us who have long been used to putting appliance parts into the dishwasher for easy, sanitary, and thorough cleaning, the hand process of cleaning this device is off-putting. Since the electrical heating unit and container are one inseparable unit, the container is not dishwasher safe, nor can it be immersed for hand washing. And it needs to be cleaned very soon after use to keep cocoa and milk or other products from hardening and really being difficult to clean. Secondly, while the spigot does not always need to be disassembled for cleaning, it should be taken apart periodically as just rinsing soapy and then clear water through it does not do as thorough a job; you notice why when you ultimately do take it apart. As to leaks, so far I've experienced none.
  
  Overall, this is a handy appliance that does what it says it does, but I find I use it less than I'd like because I know I'm going to have to carefully clean it. Obviously from the other reviews, this is a bigger issue for me than most.
  
  
• Starbucks quality hot chocolate @ home
  By A3D7SK2JYITELG on 2006-09-15
  I received this item as a gift and it was the best present anyone could have given me! Not an item I would typically buy for myself, this hot cocoa maker has changed the way I feel about hot chocolate and other warm beverages. It is so easy to use allowing anyone to make Starbucks quality hot chocolate (and other beverages) out of store-bought powders at home. It's AMAZING!!! And every time it heats it to the perfect temperature making sure that even the youngest don't burn their tongues.
  
  This appliance, like the Back to Basics Smoothie Maker, is the perfect gift for that someone who has everything and for anyone who loves a the perfect cup of hot chocolate after a long day.
  
  
• YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  By A3V3IPY9HF69D6 on 2006-01-18
  I purchased the Cocoa-Latte machine the day after a visit to a friend's home. She had received the machine as a Christmas present and made me a chai latte to die for! I have used it on a daily basis and am thrilled with it. So much so, that I in turn purchased one for my mother's birthday. She also loves the drink maker. The cleaning is relatively easy, just run hot soapy water inside and wipe clean. Fantastic and well worth the $29.99 cost.
  
  
• Cheaply Made Item
  By A1O8OO7ERAUH3Z on 2006-01-29
  I was excited when I got this product, but upon opening the box and using it for the first time I became highly disappointed. It is evident the cheapest materials were used in making this item. The buttons don't work well, you often have to push them hard to get them to work. In addition, the extremely short cord means your placement options are limited. Also, the poor design of the cannister prevents you from washing it well, for fear of getting the electrical component directly on the bottom wet. If these design flaws were not enough, the function of the machine also has serious flaws. The operation is extremely loud and while it mixes the drink well, it takes a long time to finish, and the drink is NOT hot when finished, it is hardly even warm. If you like to drink lukewarm cocoa or coffee you might like this glorified mixer, but otherwise stay away!!!
  
  
• Convenient but not stellular
  By AS39MLYV0KZNZ on 2006-01-31
  This machine does a good job of blending a variety of ingrediants, warming them to a good drinking temperature (especially milk without scalding), but does not add as much foam as I had originally expected. This is good for hot chocolate and some coffee drinks but does not a great Latte make.
  
  

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