This may be the last machine you'll ever have to buy for the home or office, and Chris' Coffee is a great place to buy from.
Positive Product Points
Reliable output, very durable, easy to care for. My taste runs to thick, caramel shots that I prefer to drink without milk, which seems to me the best test of a machine's output, and this one is fantastic. My wife prefers hers with lots of foam and does that well, also. Maintenance is easy, and very easy to keep clean.
Negative Product Points
Foam not always as tight as I would like.
Detailed Commentary
Purchased from Chris' Coffee, used for about a year. This is my 3rd prosumer espresso machine and I figure this is probably the last one I'll ever need. It is sturdy, and appears to me that I should be able to do most service myself. It is easy to maintain, and Chris' Coffee provides fast, reliable help if you are stuck.
The coffee is great -- generates good pressures, forgiving for different grinds and packs.
The foam is not as tight as I would prefer. I probably need to experiment with a different wand.
It does take several minutes to warm up, but that is probably unavoidable with a boiler this size.
Buying Experience
I bought from Chris' Coffee on the recommendation of a friendly coffee fanatic who raved about the service. I was disappointed that when the machine arrived the foam wand had a slow drip but it wasn't a big deal. When I got around to emailing them about it I think it may have been a weekend, so I was shocked to get a call on my home phone about 5 minutes later with simple instructions that allowed me to fix the problem within just a couple of minutes. This guy really knew what he was doing. Their reputation is well deserved.
