fantastic machine purchased from a real gentleman.
Positive Product Points
superb build quality, gorgeous chrome appearance, solid portafilters, e-61 group head, ease of use, steaming capability, ease of use, service provided by dealer, excellent espresso is not hard to get
Negative Product Points
abysmal instruction manual, poor access to water reservoir, chrome is hard to keep perfectly shiny if you are a bit anal retentive, makes you very crtical of restaruant/cafe bought coffee drinks, sets you off on the search for the perfect espresso shot
Detailed Commentary
i have always been very fond of espresso and espresso based drinks and realized that i really wanted to be able to make my own. before getting the isomac i had no barista experience and was a little concerned that my investment in espresso machine and grinder would be one of those seldom used kitchen appliances. nothing could be further from the truth, since getting the machine, the quality of the shots has improved steadily and i have reached the point where i find it difficult to tolerate store bought coffee. the excellent steam capacity of the machine also makes it very easy to make great hot chocolates, lattes and cappucinos.
Buying Experience
i was steered towards this machine by chris nachtrieb at chris coffee at http://www.chriscoffee.com. he was very generous with his time and knowledge (and has continued to be so after my purchase) and since i was initially considering a pasquini livia 90 and had the extra cash to get the isomac, i chose to go with the isomac. i also purchased a mazzer mini grinder which has also performed flawlessly.
