Time will have the final say, but first impression - can't go wrong with the Cafe Roma!
Positive Product Points
I ran my first Breville espresso this afternoon and it was perfect. Warm up time was good, and temp was OK, too. I got about a 20 second pull, with lots of light caramel crema. The machine was heavier than I expected and the quality seems to be such that I should expect many years of service. The price was definitely a +++ point for me. The on/off and Selector Control were positive and feel substantial. The brushed stainless steel is very attractive and it looks good on my espresso bar.
Negative Product Points
Would be nice to have an adjustable/movable steam wand. Seems to take too long to get the milk up to 165*. That may be due to the fact that I was out of milk when I pulled, and turned the machine on 30 minutes later for the frothing only. Storage for the extra filter would be nice as well. Hard to see the water level. I am not much on plastic scoops - stainless would have been a nice addition.
Detailed Commentary
I did a lot of research/reading reviews before I purchased, including here. Length of production/in the marketplace figured into my decision as well. I don't tend to buy the newest model - wait to read the reviews. The reviews web wide were sufficient for me to make the purchase. This had been an open box/unused machine. It produced a cup that was far superior to my 6+ year old Krups 863. Have I ever been missing out on flavor. Some of the Negative Product Points are more feature oriented than related to performance or quality. We run an average of three doubles a day, and only time will tell if the Cafe Roma is up to it. Will be interesting to see how fast the unit recovers on multiple runs.
I roast my own beans - Santa Elena from El Salvador, Peaberry from PNG, and Las Nubes Traditional Washed from El Salvador. The first is my wife's espresso, the second our coffee, and the third is my espresso. Have not run the Santa Elena yet, but if it does as well as the Las Nubes I will be pleased.
I had only one glitch in the set-up - I forgot to take the product sticker off the side of the machine before I made my espresso. I had to use Goof Off to remove the paper and glue.
Buying Experience
It was a perfect transaction from payment, to delivery, to a Latte in hand!
