This is a solid espresso machine that, while not filled with bells and whistles, still exceeds expectations for its price point.
Pros:
* All the critical points are stainless steel and solidly built, while the rest of the machine is constructed of high quality plastics. It does not look or feel cheap! The portafilter and steamer wand are solid and easy to work with and clean, and the weighted tamper that comes with the machine is excellent!
* The provided display is simple, but effective, displaying brewing temperature, brewing time, bars of pressure, and milliliters of water dispensed.
* The controls are simple to understand, if not necessarily "intuitive".
* There is an instruction book and cleaning tools included, as well as portafilters for both single and double shots, the afore-mentioned weighted tamper, as well as a plastic coffee scoop with a plastic tamper on the end.
* Produces nice shots with plenty of crema once you've adjusted your coffee and tamping appropriate to the machine (manual espresso production is as much a factor of the barista's ability with the tools as it is a function of the equipment, honestly).
* The steamer wand produces excellent microfoam!
Cons:
There aren't really much in the way of cons for this machine at this price point. If I wanted to be nitpicky, I could wish for a way to adjust the pressure other than the grind and tamp of the coffee, but that's a minor quibble.
Overall, if you're looking for a manual espresso machine that won't overwhelm your counter space and is perfectly capable of producing excellent espresso drinks without breaking the bank, I'm happy to recommend this device!
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