My second espresso machine. This one lasted six months
Positive Product Points
Reasonably priced retail.
Negative Product Points
While critical parts are metal, this does not necessarily mean they are going to last long. The handle snapped off the filter holder after only three weeks use, but Sears replaced the part on the spot, no questions asked. The ring underneath the tank which holds the filter holder also broke - see follow ups
Detailed Commentary
The original reviewer bought his on EBay for a much cheaper than retail price. But the design of the milk frother has changed recently from the illustration currently on the coffeegeek site. New models have an all metal version which works extremely well, producing a dense, even foam every time. This looks neater than the old plastic version and may well last longer.
The metal filters have a two level design. Water does get trapped between the two layers of the filter and needs to be shaken out each time if you want to avoid brown puddles on the counter top. There is a "pod" filter holder which I have never used.
A useful tool is supplied to poke holes clean in both the frother wand and the filters. Beware: it is VERY sharp. It also has the specially designed hole in it to undo the wand for cleaning. The wand is screwed in tightly and you must keep your fingers clear of the needle when undoing the frother tip. This is easier to type than achieve in practice.
Buying Experience
I bought mine in a department store (Sears). They only had a display model on the shelf and had to get one for me from the back. Service was friendly, but not expert coffee maker - as expected. YMMV.
Three Month Followup
Working well on a daily basis. I no longer knock out the spent grounds in case the handle is fragile: grounds are now washed out, which keeps the drains running on time
6 months follow up: this morning the plastic collar which holds the brewing head to the base of the tank split, spraying coffee grounds everywhere. It is still under warranty, so I have e-mailed AskUs@breville.ca to find out what they propose to do about it. I will let you know how it goes. After a month of waiting for a reply I call their 1-888 number and they told me I had to take the machine to their local agent. So now I am without - and the agent did not expect them to resolve the issue quickly - he says they are "very slow" to supply parts. Feb 29 I picked up the repaired machine. The replacement part is still plastic - perhaps it is designed to fail as a safety feature? The milk frother now has a nozzle cover which produces even better foam. I had to pay around $20 shipping to return it to Breville. I was very nervous when I switched it on for the first time that it would explode again - but it didn't and the coffee is fine.
