Definitely recommended for the price. Just make sure you get a decent grinder!
Positive Product Points
Easy to use and maintain. Consistently decent espresso. Pressurized portafilter.
Negative Product Points
Pressurized portafilter.
Detailed Commentary
I've been very happy with my machine. I consistently pull better espressos than most coffee shops. I use a Solis Maestro grinder, which certainly improved the espresso quality and consistency. The pressurized portafilter is nice for learning and for older beans as well as decaf. I recently started roasting my own beans and the pressurized portafilter now creates way too much crema. There's so much that pulls have been underextracted. I just purchased a non-pressurized portafilter direct from Saeco and it's excellent. With my superfresh home-roasted beans, I now get a perfect amount of NATURAL crema and an excellent tasting espresso.
