Lasts forever, great fun to use, makes great expresso and a joy to look at.
Positive Product Points
It's incredibly durable and reliable, a conversation piece and produces great expresso.
Negative Product Points
Low capacity boiler (about 4 shots), long heat up time (about 10-15 minutes). You must be careful to insert the group head properly or you'll have a mess and you should cool the group head after each shot.
Detailed Commentary
I've had the Elektra Micro Casa for about 15 years. It's great fun to use. I've hooked it to a water supply line so the water supply is renewed with the push of a button. It is very picky. To coax it into producing the best you need to grind, fill and tamp it just right, but I've found that with the pump machines as well. To do 2 shots, you should pull the lever down, hold it until you see the drip start, release and then pull down again, but only half way. All motions are gradual. Great for small groups but supplying larger parties just requires too much time. This is a lever machine, by its very nature it is very intimate, requiring a personal touch. It's just not intended for large groups.
Buying Experience
Don't remember, it was a long time ago. I bought it from a little shop in Little Italy, New York City.
