Espresso Machine Reviews

This is the only super auto espresso machine I have had. It’s been running daily for four years and six weeks without a hitch. I’m estimating just at 6,000 cups of coffee. The water container holds 64 ounces, with a large removable lid, easy to fill from the top. The container also lifts right up and off the machine. The bean hopper has the same large lid and holds close to a pound of beans I estimate. The floor of the bean hopper has fairly shallow sloping sides and if you use very oily beans, they can fail to slide into the grinder. It’s no problem to just push them on down. There is a little plastic cover over the burr grinder to prevent beans from flying up, I removed it to allow me to push the oily beans down. You need a little Torx bit. The four controls are dead simple: There is a rotary knob to vary the amount of coffee you make. I believe the amount of grinds is the same no matter the cup size you select. Select a small cup size and you get espresso, select a larger cup size for coffee. There is a brew button; hit it once for one cup or twice in quick succession, it will grind twice the amount of coffee, and make two cups. There is a steam button, tap it to get steam. There is a steam/ hot water valve. Open it to get hot water for tea or soup, or if you pressed the steam button, steam for frothing. And boy does this thing make great coffee crema! It will absolutely ruin you for any coffee you get “on the outside.” The spout has two openings, you can put one or two cups under it. It slides up and down but not too high, you can’t fit really large mugs under there unless you tip them a little sideways. If you thought you could put a really large mug under the spout by removing the drip tray, you can’t. The machine won’t brew with the drip tray removed, there is a safety switch or interlock. It’s not a big issue, just use a mug that fits! The machine has a rotary base so you can swivel it around. You need to do a little maintenance now and then, take out the brew group and rinse it real well, and decalcify periodically. My sister ruined hers by not decalcifying, she uses rock hard San Antonio water. I use well water from a limestone aquifer, and run it through a water softener. The sodium doesn’t bother me or this machine! Empty out the drip tray every day, takes about thirty seconds. The used puck holder holds at least 12 pucks I would guess. I empty it daily no matter what, just because I don’t like the smell of used coffee grinds wafting around the kitchen. As far as the steam frothing wand , I can’t comment because I don’t use it. I just drink coffee and espresso. The crema on both is excellent. When I bought this it seemed really expensive at $575, but I see that it is truly a bargain compared to the price of so many other Jura, Delonghi, Saeco and others. Of course the price is no longer $575, but still it is less expensive than many. It’s all plastic, if you are concerned with that aesthetic, but the coffee quality is superb. I wouldn’t buy any other brand other than just out of curiousity! The thing has never failed and makes great tasting coffee and espresso.