I originally got this machine as a gift, and was very excited to start using it. It was my first machine, so I really didn't know what I was doing at first, but eventually I learned how to pull some really great, though not quite professional-quality shots. After getting used to the machine, I was able to make some really great shots with lots of really thick crema and a full body. Because of how easy it was to use, I eventually got into the habit of making espresso almost daily. I cleaned it and took care of it regularly, and continued to get some great espresso out of it. However, one day, after about 6 months of owning it, I went to pull a shot, only to notice that it had absolutely no crema, and produced really thin, watery shots. I thought it was the grind, so I used a coarser grind and gave it another good cleaning, only to find that it still was failing to produce espresso like it used to. I did some research and called Starbucks, and they were happy to replace the machine. So I happy rushed home with my new machine, and once again, it produced some great espresso. However, after another 6 months I had the exact same problem, really thin, tasteless espresso. So again I gave it another thorough cleaning and this time descaled it, neither of which solved the problem. So I guess if you are a casual user, the machine will be great for you, but if you want a machine to use on a regular basis, then buy something more durable. |
