Espresso Machines

Ive been very pleased with the espresso this machine produces and with the steamerfrother unit. Its also quite easy to use and to clean. I have, however, two relatively minor quibbles. First, the manufacturer used cheap, smelly plastic for the water tank, so to avoid having espresso with a chemical taste you need to fill the tank just before starting the brewing process. Second, the stalactite-style tamper attached to the machine is essentially useless, because you cant tamp with the appropriate pressure without simultaneously lifting up on the filter holder with one hand and holding the machine down with the other. If you buy this machine, youll probably want to invest in a 52 mm tamper, which is available online from various retailers. Despite these quibbles, Im quite happy with my purchase and would recommend this machine to others. I would have been willing, however, to pay a bit more for the machine and have it come with a decent tamper and a water tank made from odor-free material."..."  Read more

I bought this espresso machine for use at my office. Approximately 15 people use the machine, requiring a total of about 30 shots per day. The machine has held up nicely so far (bought in June 2010). We clean the brew unit weekly and the shot size seems to change based on the time between cleaning. Meaning, the shot size is very large just after cleaning and reduces as the week progresses. Overall a great espresso machine. Niza schooma, good flavour, reliable (so far)."..."  Read more

Yes it is expensive, but we use the machine to make cappucino & lattes and think it is just great. We can make both decaf & regular. The machine is very user friendly & comes with a video as well as the manual. Although it would fit on the counter beneath overhead cabinets, you would not be able to access everything. It really needs an open (no overhead cabinets) section of countertop to be functional."..."  Read more

I bought this as a present for my husband and we love it. I agree with the comments that the foaming takes practice, but after a couple of tries you get it down. using a mixture of 1/2 & 1/2 and milk seems to produce a nice creamy froth. Taking the handle off to empty it or putting it back on is a little tricky - it fits tightly to the machine and can move the machine when you are removing it. The machine shut off the heating element the third morning we had it, I called the US offices tech support and within 5 minutes it was up and running again, I then received follow up e-mails checking in from the Rancilio to make sure it solved the problem - GREAT company and EXCELLENT customer service."..."  Read more