Very good Espresso from this machine, a great learning tool... Go for it!!
Positive Product Points
Very easy to repair & maintain! Anyone with this machine is fully capable of pulling a world class shot! Looks very cool. Fast heat up time for first shot in the morning. Small foot print in the kitchen. With a small mod, it froths very easilly (very very fine micro froth)
Negative Product Points
Mine was a painted base, big no no in the long run (my machine is coming up 20 years old). May be difficult to produce a consistent shot, well that is not the machines fault, its the users fault. The machine does the same thing every time, and so if you do also, there are no problems with consistency!
The BIG negative for me is the limited capacity to pour multiple shots.
Detailed Commentary
I really loved my Europiccola. I recently upgraded to an Isomac Millenium (HX machine). The Europiccola will teach you about the variables in espresso, you will learn with your own hands the relationship between grind and tamp. You will learn how very sensitive the coffee is to temp variables. You will pull shots with higher pressure and lower pressure, and you know very easilly what is going on and why.
This machine is a wonderfull learning tool, and you can produce some very very excellent coffee with it also. I wasted more coffee getting a handle on the isomac than i did with the europiccola. The Europiccola is more forgiving.
If you buy a used one, chances are you can sell it for the same or for little loss, so its not a very risky buy... pick one up and try it out for yourself!! I highly recomend it. All repairs to this machine can be done with simple tools by anyone, reducing ownership cost. I will own another one day, when my budget allows for two machines.
In hind sight, if i had of purchased a professional i would not have outgrown it as quickly... although the purchase price may have meant not getting one...
