Mark S.—December 26, 2019✓ Verified purchase
Been using for about a month now and totally pleased with both coffee maker and espresso/steam wand. Coffee maker is easy to use and makes a flavorful pot. Especially like the 1-4 cup setting feature which forces a slower drip. I use this even with larger pots and find I don't have to use as much coffee to get a strong, flavorful pot. Espresso maker and steam wand are not as good as commercial/professional models but considering the price are very good for an in-home machine. Pulling a good espresso shot does take some time to "dial in", but this is the case with any new espresso machine. Suggest if you are not gettiing the results you are looking for, you take some time to read up on grind, tamp and pour techniques (and be sure you start with fresh good quality beans). Frothing wand is very good. I've made great foams with both milk and non-dairy (coconut and oat milks). Just remember to clean after each use so nothing gets clogged. Some have complained about product not being hot but I haven't had an issue. Be sure to bleed the espresso and steaming wands for 2-3 seconds when using to release any cooler water in their systems. Another complaint I've seen is leaking water at the base and have to wonder if the users were emptying the drip tray. This fills slightly with back pressure water when using espresso and especially when using steam wand. Note: tray has a red float to help tell when close to full. I almost threw this away thinking it was some sort of packing material. Overall very pleased with the choice and recommend to anyone looking for a combo coffee/espresso machine. Read more
SH—March 1, 2020✓ Verified purchase
This is my first espresso machine, so I don't have much to compare by, but overall I'm not happy. Look, when it works it makes a pretty good latte. But my complaints would be, first it's quite noisy. Maybe this is how all machines are? Secondly, and probably my biggest complaint, is the heating mechanism. We follow directions and do a charge cup, meaning no coffee in the puck, to help heat up the water. But still the first espresso is always luke warm. That stupid green light that says the water is hot does NOT stay on. When the water is supposedly hot and ready, the green light comes on and you push the button to start the water flowing thru the puck. Well as soon as we push the button it goes off anywhere from 2-8 seconds, meaning hot water is no longer going thru the puck, so you have to push the button again to stop the flow so it can head up again. I'd say we have to push the button 3-4 times just for one espresso, which means waiting 30-40 seconds in between each time until the water heater up again. Next the steamer worked great for awhile, but after opening this for only a couple months it's barely frothing. We clean it after each use, taking the whole thing apart to make sure all milk is gone. Now the green light isn't staying on very long for the frother either, so we're having to wait again, then froth a second time again for one latte. I'm very frustrated. Again it tastes good, but it's way too much work to be worth it, and normally just luke warm. The drip portion is fine, although I wish it had a carafe setting so you can choose different levels of heat for the carafe like our old pot. Updated--our first unit stopped working about 11 months after purchasing. After a hassle working with the company, it took 5 weeks to get our replacement. Now the second replacement unit has ALSO stopped working. Super frustrating! Won't be ever buying this brand again. Read more
Avery Commons—August 20, 2021✓ Verified purchase
**Update- 10/16/21- Found the leak! It is not a leak lol It is indeed the drip tray being too full. Apparently the other members of the household have not been cleaning after use, and I hadn't had any in awhile prior to today. After filling the tank, I repositioned the machine back on the counter and saw water snaking and pooling from underneath. I. Freaked. Out. Then I pulled out the drip tray and it was more than full. Then I tilted the machine to clean underneath and saw more water coming out and noticed I could see my paper towel through a hole on the bottom (pictured). Once everything was cleaned fully, I tested this by putting the drip tray back and overfilling it with water and watched it start pooling the counter again. So! Not a leak, everything is still working perfectly; no worries here!!** Only used this for espresso so far and we've been using it a few weeks. I was super hesitant based on the other reviews and put off buying it for months but finally decided to when my schedule changed to earlier hours. I'm glad I did as it has been a literal lifesaver. We have not experienced any leaks or problems whatsoever. The espresso water tank comes out, nifty little handle too, and we only fill it up about halfway each time. There is a massively deep drip tray though, I have no idea how it fills up so fast, but possibly leaks can be attributed to that overflowing OR the tank not being removed to fill. Super simple and easy to use, even the frother works well (works great for fake creamer too). Only thing I would wish is for the price, the least they could do was include an espresso carafe- but we bought one separately. **Edit- Tried the regular coffee side and it's honestly the best cup of coffee I've ever had. 2 heaping scoops of whatever coffee for a half a pot. Our most recent machine was the Ninja CM305 hot and iced maker and that was an expensive disappointment, partially why I was hesitant here. But we love it and I'm upset with myself for not buying this sooner. Read more
