We love our single serve coffee and espresso, but we like it even more when it comes out of something very shiny. OTTO is a Stove Top Espresso Maker (and very shiny), combining classic Italian style with the standard stovetop functionality. OTTO is made almost completely of stainless steel promising a lifetime of satisfaction from this modern international design classic. OTTO comes with an OTTO tamper, the OTTO experience DVD providing a barista training session, two Italian designed latte glasses and a stainless milk jug, packaged in a robust premium travel case.

We recommend watching the video, because it contains some actually interesting facts about the OTTO. We really like how easy it is to stack up and add the water and espresso. Also - the milk frother seems to actually work well given it's a stovetop espresso maker. OTTO also reminds us of the Atomic Stovetop espresso and single serve coffee maker. We're not sure if OTTO is based on the Atomic design, but it sure does look like it.

Via Gizmodo at OTTO

Mastro Lorenzo embraces the Italian culture where fine espressos and crema coffees were born and are part of daily life. Unfortunately, a quick search on their French website did not yield any further information regarding the company's history. We've tried a few of their different T-Disc varieties over the past several months and have found that their aroma and flavor always seem superior to their competitors. Such is the case once again with their espresso T-Disc.

From the moment you first start brewing your first cup, you'll notice the intense scent of fine Italian espresso will soon fill the room. Close your eyes and you might think you're sitting at café instead of your kitchen. Give the cup a light swirl and let the nose develop… you'll smell the initial burst of acidic bitterness but you'll also notice slight notes of chocolate hiding underneath. Not surprising, these hints of chocolate are also present in the taste and the acid lends an almost citrus-like quality. Kraft describes this coffee as being 100% pure Arabica, but we can't help but wonder if they mixed-in a few Robusta beans without telling anyone.

You start off with a smooth texture but then your senses are slapped awake by the sheer intensity of the bold flavor. Push past that and you'll end up with a surprisingly neat, well-balanced finish that leaves barely any bitterness in the aftertaste. We're trying our best to describe the sensation, but it's truly something which one has to experience on their own. One word of caution: If you don't normally drink espressos, we recommend staying away from these T-Discs since you may find their acidity and flavor to be too overwhelming. This espresso is not meant for the casual coffee drinker.

As with most espresso T-Discs on the market, Mastro Lorenzo's espresso disc yields the average 1.5 to 2 ounce shot. Due to its strong acidity, adding an extra ounce of water will not dilute the taste too much. By now, you're probably wondering "Is there anything wrong with this T-Disc?" Well, it's not so much an issue with the disc but moreso with the Tassimo machine itself. As discussed in previous reviews, the new Bosch Tassimo model appears to have problems producing decent amounts of froth or crema depending on the style of drink you're making. Some drinks have decent amounts on top while others have none.

The biggest example of this problem is present here with this particular T-Disc. On the Bosch Tassimo, the crema layer is almost negligible… it barely exists and disappears within a few minutes. On the old Braun model however, you get one of the best crema layers we've seen on an espresso T-Disc so far. A solid, half-inch thick crema remains on top for several minutes & sugar takes 5 or 6 seconds to sink. We can't help but ask Bosch: "What's up with that?!?"… Let's hope they manage to set things straight with future generations of the Tassimo.

As far as intensity goes, we should give fair warning again that this is one STRONG espresso shot. It doesn't have the harsh acidity of the Gevalia espresso but it does have more overall kick than the Carte Noire espresso. Needless to say you should not be taking this at night or letting the kids take a sip anytime soon. On the plus side, this is perfect for people who are on the go each morning and want a quick kick in the pants to keep them wide awake as they head out the door.

• Aroma – 10 – A nice & hearty, deep, dark roast. Very intense Arabica scent which is on-par with any espresso shot you'd find your local coffee house. Excellent.
• Acidity – 9 –Surprisingly balanced. Characteristic bitterness gives way to a smooth finish.
• Body – 10 – Very dark body, crema cap is excellent on Braun Tassimo models but lacking on newer Bosch models, very dark & opaque black color. We were considering giving this an 8, but due to the results on the Braun, it gets a solid 10.
• Flavor – 9 – Extremely bold, but doesn't taste too "burnt". Hints of dark chocolate appear to be hiding in the background. Adding sugar or picking a good side-dish only compliments this espresso even further.
• Mouth Feel – 9 – Starts off smooth, then the bold taste hits you like a ton of bricks. If this doesn't wake you up, we suggest checking your pulse. We often find most espressos to be lacking the much needed "oomph" to get you going in the morning, but that's certainly not the case here.
• Coffee Drinker – Suited best for dark & extra bold coffee drinkers who want a good shot of Italian-style espresso. We're even betting that most espresso enthusiasts might favor this espresso over other offerings currently available on the Tassimo.

Overall Rating: 97 - Excellent

Until now, our favorite espresso T-Discs were Carte Noire's variety, but Mastro Lorenzo outshines them in many ways. We feel this is currently the best espresso disc available for the Tassimo and until something better comes along, this is our top pick. We already like Mastro Lorenzo's Crema Coffee T-Discs and had high hopes for this espresso, so it's nice to see we weren't disappointed.

When compared to traditional Italian espressos made with manual espresso machines (our favorite Lavazza comes to mind), this T-Disc is a very good substitute. As noted earlier, the Bosch Tassimo model's inability to produce as good a crema layer as the Braun is rather annoying but seeing as how the taste is not affected, it's an acceptable loss. If you love bold, robust espressos, you should definitely give this T-Disc a try.

The Mastro Lorenzo Espresso T-Discs will work in your Braun Tassimo Tassimo TA1200 or TA1400 models as well as the Bosch Tassimo. These T-Discs can be found at TassimoDirect.com.

Read how we review and rate single serve coffee and other single serve coffee beverages here.

This mug allows you to print the profile pictures of the Twitter friends you follow across it's surface. It also makes a great gift at only $14.

If you didn't know Single Serve Coffee has a twitter account, and we post our news and views there daily as well. We challenge you to follow us, and we'll print out a mug for everyone here at the Single Serve Coffee after we follow you.

At CrowdedInk

Jim Evans over at CoffeeWhiz.com found this factory tour of Green Mountain Coffee over at YouTube. We have visited and seen these coffee machines in actions ourselves, and can say it's quite a single serve coffee show. Mid way through the video there's a really cool little showing coffee being put into K-Cups.

At first glance this quirky vessel looks like a regular glass jug, but take a closer look and you’ll notice it features an internal chamber shaped like a cow’s udder. Hand-crafted from double-walled glass, the Calf and Half jug holds up to 150ml of milk/cream making it ideal to use when having your cup of single serve coffee or tea. The Calf and Half Jug can be yours for £14.95.

Via Foolish Gadgets at Firebox

Nespresso has just introduced the seasonal flavors for the Nespresso Variations 2008 - Mandarin, Caramel, and Crystallized Ginger. We should have a lightning review of these when we receive early next week, but don't wait for us to tell you to order because these will go fast.

The Nespresso Variations 2008 coffee capsules will work in your Nespresso D90, Nespresso Le Cube, Nespresso Romeo, Nespresso Lattissima, Nespresso C100T, and other Nespresso single serve coffee and espresso makers.

At Nespresso Variations 2008

Up until recently the only other automatic milk frothers were from Nespresso - the Aeroccino and Aeroccino Plus. We love our Aeroccino, but we're also ready to have some more alternatives to milk frothing companions for our single serve coffee. The Keurig Milk Frother is another stand alone frother that you can use with any single serve coffee system, but will make an amazing companion for your Keurig Mini B30, Keurig Elite B40 Brewer, Keurig B50, Keurig Special Edition Ultra Elite B60, Keurig B70 Brewer, Breville BKC600XL Gourmet Single Cup Brewer, and any other Keurig brewer.

How does it work? Just pour in milk, turn it on and the Keurig Milk Frother heats and stirs the milk in under 90 seconds. The addition of the Keurig Milk Frother to your single serve coffee arsenal will give you the ability to take the darker K-Cup roasts, and make some home brewed lattes and cappuccinos. Also you can now buy it online for just $69.95 making it a great gift this holiday season. We'll have a full review of the Keurig Milk Frother soon.

At Keurig

Keurig has introduced an at work brewer available now to directly purchase from their web site, instead of having to purchase the brewer from a Keurig sales person or authorized reseller. This gives small to medium sized companies an option to buy a Keurig system that isn't as large as the B3000 or other Keurig systems and direct from Keurig.

The OfficePRO includes a drainable internal water reservoir for transport or storage (a feature not available on home brewers) and comes with an 18-pack of K-Cups. Keurig Commercial Grade brewers are engineered to stand up to the toughest demands of commercial/office use. Commercial Keurig brewers are UL Approved for Commercial Use, and include special construction/materials required for such approval.

• Brew Sizes: 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz*
• Drainable Internal Water Reservoir
• Travel Mug Friendly with
• Removable Drip Tray
• Removable Reservoir
• Auto Off Feature

We'll have one of these brewers to review soon here at the Single Serve Coffee offices, and we'll give you our first impressions as well.

At Keurig At Work

Simply the coolest coffee table we've seen, and it was inspired by a previous reader-made iPod coffee table over at iLounge. iLounge readers Tuan Nguyen, Ken Thomas and their associates have created an iPhone coffee table. According to Nguyen, the table is "completely made of corrugate and glued together with white glue," and features removable, usable coasters built-in. Imagine the iPhone coffee table in your living room or den, and then imagine it actually working.

Via iLounge News