Espresso Machine, 20 Bar Semi-Automatic Espresso Maker with Pressure Gauge, Steam Wand, Stainless Steel Expresso Coffee Machine for Espresso/Latte/Cappuccino, Touch Screen,Home Barista Plus

I came from another machine that was not a good experience. The only negative with this machine was my fault - I should have bought the barista plus which has the pressure gauge. But now I get to learn how to produce espresso with good taste, crema, and visually appealing. This machine continually amazes me: 1. The manual actually reads well and has good information. 2. I can EASILY insert/remove the portafilter basket. 3. I use a puck screen, so cleaning the machine after brewing a double shot is a breeze! 4. I can use a fine grind espresso bean and produce a very good shot! The pressurized basket continually produces a shot that's rich in color, taste and appearance. It is very "forgiving" in the amount of coffee used, the actual grind used, and the amount of coffee used. The taste continually amazes me! 5. The non-pressurized basket just blew my mind! The machine I came from would not work at all with a non-pressurized basket. I had to have a bit of help from the support staff, and now am producing shots that have excellent crema, superb taste and rich color. I have learned to use a scale (I use 15 grams of coffee per double-shot, a shot time of 31 seconds - and I can reproduce these results every time! 6. I can produce superb silky frothed mike. The frothing wand REALLY works well! 7. And last but not least - the support staff are excellent! They went above and beyond helping me to learn how to use a bottomless portafilter. I have high respect for the team. Thank you! I use a scale, timer, dozer, 30lb tamper, good burr grinder, WDT distributor, milk frothing pitcher (I like gadgets!). And even though I don't have a pressure gauge I am learning how to produce excellent expresso and frothed milk (I use Italian sweet creme, but I can use practically anything to froth). The company is good, the staff superb, and the product is awesome. It would be fun to use the bean-to-cup model, but I don't feel I have to. This machine allows me to have a good cup of espresso and have fun while doing it!

For an entry level machine this is a SUPERB value and will pull exceptionally good shots if you read the directions and follow a few simple universal truths about making espresso. No machine instantly produces great espresso by just pressing a button. Preparation is key, and thats the same whether it's a $100 or $1000 machine. The courseness/fineness of the coffee grounds matter. The amount of coffee you cram into the portafilter matters. Tamping pressure matters. So if you are an absolute beginner, then check out the million videos out there to learn about all the do's/don'ts/variables that go into pulling the perfect espresso shot. But if this is not your first rodeo, you understand the art of making espresso, and you are just looking for a solid espresso machine for home at a great value, this is the one. I don't need to go into much detail on all the positive aspects noted in the description and in other reviews. It's awesomely slim/compact, heats up quickly, has a large removable water reservoir and very capable steaming wand. However, a common negative aspect I've seen in a few other reviews relates to experiencing excessive wait times between functions, most notably between ability to pull shots after using the steaming wand. I can say with confidence this is not an issue when armed with a basic understanding of how the machine works and possibly incorporating a small change to the production process. I believe this noted drawback is squarely related to the temperature/heating capacity of the machine. And for this machine, at this price point, what you don't get is an adjustable water temperature setting. Love it or hate it, the machine comes preset for only two temperature levels, one for making espresso, one for making steam via the frothing wand. So if you pull a shot, then steam some milk, then try to immediately go back to pull another shot, you will more than likely encounter the frustration of the "blinking lights" while it tries to cool itself back down to the lower espresso brewing temperature. By itself, this cooling process is exceptionally long, but if you are impatient like me, while all the lights are blinking, you can simply just eject hot water out of the wand (not steam, just hot water...like you're making an americano) and the temperature will quickly lower to enable another shot to be pulled within a few seconds. A few ounces of hot water will be wasted, but thats the tradeoff for saving time. I have had absolutely no issues pulling two espressos back-to-back, then hitting the steam button (i.e., raising the water temp) and frothing milk for both drinks. As for taking too long to heat up, I've never experienced that yet and would certainly recommend returning the machine if that happens to you. The 1450W thermo-block heater in this Wirsh product literally takes 15 seconds or less to be ready to extract. So for me, this is an exceptionally good espresso maker that sits comfortably on my limited counter space next to my regular drip coffee maker and bean grinder. It looks great, cleans up easily, and consistently delivers a few tasty latte's or cappuccinos a day. I love this machine, especially under $150.

Got this yesterday, and fired it up this morning. Easy to operate, not too noisy (after my De Longhi Stilosa that I had to junk because it started leaking all over the place), and a lot more compact—I have limited counter space, but I actually have room to leave this one on the counter instead of storing it underneath. Plus, the base has four little suction cups that keep it stationary while it’s running, instead of the vibrations sending it galloping all over the counter. Not too long to warm up, makes a good cup of espresso, and a good latte….a plus is that the steamer actually makes a good froth from oat milk. Stainless steel—no plastic parts touch any food ingredients except the tank, and it is BPA free, in case you’re worried about that. The price is also right—I am not a coffee snob, and I have no intention of spending $800-1000 for a gadget I may not use every day. Comes with a stainless steel tamper, and an instruction booklet, quite clear in spite of its broken English (one of the situations on the troubleshooting list is “less grease,” and I’m still scratching my head over that one). Easy to clean, if you’re consistent about it. So far, I think it’s a great little machine for the money!