Steer clear of these machines, they break after a few months.
Positive Product Points
Very Reasonably priced Easy to setup and use Makes great espresso and Froths milk very well
Negative Product Points
Instructions limited, I had to find frothing techniques online at other sites
Detailed Commentary
Purchased this machine to replace and aging Krups steam unit. It is a dream to use, with the steam unit I had to stay near the machine because you only had a few seconds to froth the milk before the steam pressure ran out. With this unit you can select the keep it warm setting and re-froth the milk if needed. Since the XP 4000 has a dial you can also make several cups of espresso by simply repacking the filter unit and running the pump again. It is not much bigger than the steam unit, produces good crema. I can recommend this machine without hesitation. The old Krups machine is now at my office and is 12 years old and still works. There are a lot of fancier machines to choose from, however, they are much more pricey.
Buying Experience
I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond locally, they had only 2 machines to choose from. The price was fair, the sales staff was helpful.
Three Month Followup
Unfortunately, the machine already broke, was sent back for repairs. Krups did send me a newer XP 4050 machine to replace the XP 4000. Both machines make good espresso and cappuccino. The breakdown makes me question the quality of the Krups line. I have since replaced the machine with a Gaggia Classic and use the XP 4050 at work.
One Year Followup
One month after Krups sent me the replacement XP 4050 it quit working. These are very subpar machines. There are much better ones available like the lower priced Gaggias. I would not recommend a Krups
