Eye catching. Semi-Automatic (you can change the amount of water programmed). Simple operation.
Negative Product Points
Funny little frother attachment. Steam wand doesn't fit the overall look of the machine. Portafilter has a plastic insert.
Detailed Commentary
At first glance, you really don't know that you are looking at an espresso machine. The style is off the chart compared to all but a few other machines. I wanted something off the beaten path, not just some silver or black box.
I read the first look review on this site and felt that I would have a reasonable machine, if I could get it at a good price. I found this for $320 (no longer available at this price).
The portafilter baskets are a tight fit. If you switch from double to single to pod a lot, then keep a butter knife or screwdriver handy to remove the basket. The baskets are all pressurized, meaning that there is one very small hole for the liquid to flow through. I thought that this might be a problem, but it isn't. For ground coffee tamp hard and you will get a shot with good crema.
I have a friend with a Silvia (who doesn't) and yes it is great, but you have to get very technical to pull a good shot with it. What I like about the Granos is that once it is loaded you push the double shot button and you have your shot. If you want more or less water, you can reprogram it.
Frothing is easy. Open to full steam by giving the large knob on the right a quarter turn. There is no in-between, you are either on or off. Microfoam is possible, but don't use the frother attachment. Like the Silvia the steam wand is not very large, so the milk will scald to the outside. Keep a wet paper towel handy for cleanup.
Buying Experience
Excellent. I think that I got a deal or word of mouth has made this very popular.
