If you tinker long enough, and you don't mind having a wet counter top, it'll make a pretty decent drink.
Positive Product Points
It took a while to figure out how to use this machine and get around it's faults, but when I did I was able to consistantly make a better cappuccino than you'd buy at the local FiveBucks. Good steam ability if you cheat the machine.
Negative Product Points
The holes in the filter basket are too big. The filter just jams if you use a fine enough grind for good crema.. No dispersion screen. The group head, steam wand, and internals all started leaking shortly after purchase.
Detailed Commentary
I bought this machine as a factory reconitioned unit at a large blowout retailer that specializes in such goods. Out of the box it worked ok, but I had to tweek alot to get any kind of real performance out of it. The lack of dispersion screen will just bore a hole through the grounds, and on this basis alone I would recommend against this machine. I ended up putting a filter screen from a 1 cup stove top machine on top of the grounds and that worked much better than the useless rubber puck supplied to do the job. The steam valve began leaking within a week of purchase, and I know how to treat a valve, so it wasn't me. I actually took it apart and reground the needle and the seat because it got so bad it would leak more out the wand than it would pump throught the grounds. The pump got progressively weaker over the 2 years I used the machine, and it may have been my fault to the point that I only descaled it when it stopped pumping water, and I used vinegar, which I have since found is not such a good idea.
The steam is quite good on this machine if you don't let the thermostat kick in, ie: you turn the steam switch on and immediately open the valve and clear the wand. If you wait for the steam ok light to come on, there is no way this machine will produce adequate steam. I also found that removing the plastic foam assist on the wand made it better for foam as well.
Buying Experience
The sale that I bought this at was a special event where the retailer "xcess cargo" rents space in a convention center. It took me 2 hours to purchase the machine. I wouldn't go there ever again for anything!
