This is a real beast of a machine and is very well made. I got a sliding tray to put under it so I can move it out easily to add more beans (the compartment is in the rear-top area) and clean behind it more easily. I kind of recommend that because the machine is on the heavy side so cleaning behind it can be a challenge without something to let you slide it out more easily. Anyway, when I first got it, I washed the removable bits (water container, milk container, etc) and ran two of the cleaning cycles. Not a problem at all.
There are several very thoughtful designs which I really like. One is that I don't need to slide out the water compartment completely to fill it. There is a small funnel-type area at the very front where I can pour water into the system and it is clearly marked for the minimum and maximum water levels. There is also a silicone gasket around the lid of the coffee bean compartment to keep beans fresher longer and make sure the lid stays in place. The tray for overflow and coffee grounds slips out without having to remove the milk frother attachment so it's super easy for me to dump out the coffee grounds (into my compost container), rinse everything, and slip it back into the machine.
As far as coffee–I've found that I needed to play with the fineness of the bean grinder to get it the way I wanted it. If I was making something with milk then the fine ground was good, but if I wanted straight black coffee (Americano) or espresso, I found that I preferred a less-fine grind to keep it from becoming bitter. So you may have to play with that to find your perfect settings.
I also wish that I could adjust how much coffee is made at one time since I usually like a full mug. But I just run the Americano setting twice to get a fuller mug and it's not a big deal. But again, I wish I could change the number of ounces produced at one time.
Also: I find that the machine takes a minute or two to wake up since it goes through a test/check routine every time I turn it on. So I usually check the water and bean levels (add if necessary), turn it on, and then do something else for a minute or two until it fully wakes up so I can get my coffee. Once it wakes up, it grinds the beans and brews quickly–no complaints there. Everything works well and it turns itself off after a few minutes (I haven't timed it but it seems like it's about 5 or 10 minutes) of no use.
One last thing: it does make some minor, periodic noises when not in use. The noise level while in use isn't bad and is about what you'd expect. Just be aware of that if your bedroom is nearby and someone else is sleeping while you make coffee. Shutting any connecting door may be sufficient (or not if they are a very light sleeper).
All-in-all, this is an impressive machine and I'm pleased with the coffee I'm getting from it.
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