Well designed machine.  Pulls great double shots using ground espresso and a little bit of practise. It is easy to clean and use.  Comes with a an informative video and manual about the machine.  Decent foam after lots of practise.

Steaming power lacks.  
Prime, Steam, Prime, Brew, Clean can be a hassle but it's worth it when it comes to preventing any problem.
No microfoaming.  
The water tank can be clumsy to remove.

I bought my machine on e-bay and paid $250.(which is great)the suggested retail price is $399 and can be found for about $350.  It took some time to arrive to my house, but when it did I found it came with a helpful instructional video and manuel.  I've been satisfied with the Starbucks Barista each time I pull a shot.  I'm strill working with grind and tamp (after five months and a new Solis Maestro Plus Grinder; perfect grind and virtually no tamp).  For me the water tank has more than enough capacity.  I never fill the tank halfway.  Usually just to the top of the Starbucks name on the tank. All around its a great machine for starters, but more steaming pressure would be nice and the instructional video could be better. But hey, most machine don't even come with an instructional video, so way complain.  I'm also not a big fan of the pressurized portafilter because it makes shots more difficult to judge.  But, with practise shots can be great! More detailed information about the features and size of the Barista can be found on starbucks.com

Bought it on e-bay.  Saved a lot of money, and it arrived when expected.