A risky purchase, but maybe worth it to get the free Krups grinder? When it works, the machine makes great coffee and froth, but it will let you down when you are dying for a coffee!
Positive Product Points
The Krups XP4050 makes a mean cup of coffee considering it is at the cheaper end of the espresso machine market. The creme produced is very good, and the 15 bars of pressure works well with the frother. Easy to clean, compact size that doesn't take up the whole kitchen bench! Mine came wit a free Krups burr grinder, which is valued at AU$200.
Negative Product Points
Not exactly a reliable machine and certainly not up to the Krups reputation. I have had serveral replacements under warranty. As with other reviewers, I too have found that the frother tends to pop off all tooo easily after it is a few months old. Noisy operation. Smallish reservoir for water. Overflow tray warps with hot water and quickly becomes difficult to remove. The overflow tray has a small capacity and tends to spill over on the bench if not emptied regularly. Pumps a lot of water into the overflow at the end of steaming.
Detailed Commentary
Much like the other reviewer, this is my FOURTH replacement machine in Six months! The machine operates beautifully for up to two months, then suddenly and without warning, stops pumping water through the coffee cradle, instead diverting all hot water straight to the overflow tray. Of course, the heat of the water warps the plastic drip tray if you don't empty it immediately, and the emptying of a very full drip tray of boiling water leads to burns - d'oh! Note, I only put filtered water (to 1 micron or less) through the machine, so it can't be caused by the water supply here.
The frothing attachment is attached by rubber, for easy removal and cleaning I guess, but the rubber becomes loose over time and the frother will pop off mid frothing with catastrophic effects likened to a milky volcanoe erupting!
Krups service hotline is readily available, even down here in Australia, but they do not admit to any knowledge of these problems with the xp4050. Interestingly, the department store 'David Jones' tells me that their highest returned coffee maker is Krups brand.
I picked up the latest replacement machine yesterday. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Buying Experience
The store where i purchased the machine has been great all along. They are only too happy to support. Interestingly Krups do not want to refund my money....things that make you go hmmmm.
