Great crema, decent espresso, good built-in grinder and easy-to-access water reservoir.
Negative Product Points
So far, very few, if any. I guess it's a pain in the butt to have to buy distilled water for it, but it's a labour of love really- and it'll help keep it alive for much longer than it otherwise would.
Detailed Commentary
I'm sure that this isn't the best fully automatic espresso maker out there, but it's a hell of a great starter machine for someone new to espresso machines. It might not make coffee as good as a Rancilio Silvia, but for the price I got it for, it's amazing. So convenient to just press two buttons in the morning and get a nice expresso shot. The one and two-cup options are great, and being able to adjust the quantity of grind and amount of water makes it a very versatile machine for what I need. I only ask for a quick & easy espresso shot or two before I head off to the office in the morning during the week, and a nice cappuccino on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and this machine delivers- big time!
Buying Experience
Bought new, but from a private seller who received it as a gift and didn't use it at all, so buying experience was spectacular.
Three Month Followup
Still going really strong. Everything is working as it should. Been using only distilled water and I've had to descale it twice since the initial descaling operation.
The only negatives I can think of are minor and easy to overlook given the positives of this machine. For one, the hot water dispenser is quite slow and only puts out a little bit of hot water in what I would call 'spurts'. I'm sure this is par for the course with these types of machines though. Also, the frother takes quite a while (I'm guestimating about 2 minutes) to heat up 14 oz (enough for two cappuccinos) of milk. Again, easily overlooked, for my money at least.
The coffee is as good as the day I first used it (better actually). I love the customization options regarding the water to grind ratio, and the decaf override is pure money (I'm sipping a decaf as I type this). Again, while not for the hard-core espresso nuts, if you are looking for a good no-hassle espresso maker that provides good crema, good flavour and ease of use, I would still highly recommend this machine.
One Year Followup
Continues to impress. I swear the coffee quality hasn't changed since day one.
As with the three-month follow up, I have of course been using only distilled water and have been descaling within days of the descaling warning.
Just generally really, really pleased with what was a paltry up-front investment in the consistent quality of great coffee I am able to enjoy every single morning (I only don't use the machine if I'm not at home!)
