Tassimo

Tassimo logo (2010-present)

Tassimo logo (2004-2010)

The Tassimo Hot Beverage System is a consumer coffee machine that prepares one-cup servings of espresso, regular coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and various other coffee drinks, notably those including milk such as latte or cappuccino.

It was first introduced in France in 2004 and is now also available in Andorra, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The machines were developed by Kraft Foods Inc.. The original machines were manufactured by Saeco and distributed by Braun. In early 2008, Proctor & Gamble, the parent company of Braun, began phasing out sales of Braun kitchen appliances in North America. In August 2008, it was announced the new generation of Tassimo machines would be manufactured by Bosch. At the same time, Kraft announced double-digit growth for the second quarter in a row for its Tassimo coffee T-Disc sales.

All machines operate with the Tassimo-labeled coffee pod, called T-Discs. The beverages range in price from $0.31 to $1.12 per drink depending on the product.

Most Tassimo T-Disc coffee brands are owned by Kraft, and include: Gevalia, Maxwell House, Jacobs, Carte Noire, Twinings, Suchard, Milka, Cadbury, Kenco, and Nabob. Coffee from non-Kraft brands have also been available. Most notably, a series of T-Discs used to be marketed under the Starbucks brand. Additionally, Tassimo has agreements to sell T-Discs in Canada from supermarket store brand President's Choice, and coffee shops Second Cup and Tim Hortons. In the United Kingdom, T-Discs with the Costa Coffee brand are on sale as of September 2012.

Current Machines

Tassimo offers 4 models of single cup coffee maker. They all utilize the T DISC (Tassimo coffee pods). The three different models are the TASSIMO Intermediate, the TASSIMO Suprema (which comes with Red or Silver highlights) and the TASSIMO Premium which comes in 'Twilight Titanium'.

In North America, the Models are the T20, T45 (in 4 side colour panels), T55 which is their newest model, and the T65 - which includes an LCD multilingual display and an LED light over the dispenser to illuminate the cup.

All domestic machines have similar features, however the Intermediate and Suprema models are not suitable for use above altitudes of 6,500 feet.

There is also a Tassimo Professional model designed for office and trade use. T DISCs designed for use in this model can't be used in domestic Tassimo machines.

Technology

The system utilizes proprietary non-reusable plastic beverage pods called Tassimo discs (T-Discs), which are produced and distributed by Kraft. Each has a bar code printed on its label. Once inserted, the Tassimo machine reads the bar code to calculate the amount of water, brewing time, and temperature for the specific beverage. The brewing process takes between 30–60 seconds. Discs containing milk use UHT milk, not powdered milk.

Tassimo T-Discs

Recall

On February 9, 2012 about 835,000 coffee makers were recalled in the United States and another 90,000 in Canada after reports of the brewers spraying hot liquid, coffee grounds or tea leaves onto people. Reports from the Consumer Product Safety Commission say that there have been 140 reports on the maker, 37 of those cases involve second degree burns. The Commission has also recalled 4 million T-Discs over reports that they can burst while brewing.

Customers who participate in the coffee maker recall are shipped a replacement component which will help prevent the contents of a defective T-Disc from spraying if the T-Disc bursts. The component is shipped free of charge, including instructions to allow customers to install the new component themselves.

See also

A Tassimo promotion in an American shop.

• T-Discs
• Coffee pods and capsules
• Caffitaly
• Flavia
• Keurig
• Lavazza
• Nespresso
• Saeco
• Senseo
• Singles capsules
• Coffee portal

External links

• Official Tassimo web site
• Shop for Tassimo coffee discs and machines