Waited a while before writing a review.
I’m a big fan of coffees and used to buy a take away one everyday. (I know – terrible waste of money!) I just couldn’t find a home machine that was within a reasonable price range that tasted the same as the ones I’d get out.
This machine was a game changer. Just like a barista coffee (I buy the beans from the coffee shop I used to go to.) easy to use and clean. Great instruction manual that shows exactly what you need to do to make the perfect coffee. It’s quite too.
– make sure you buy the right grinder to give the beans the best chance but can’t fault the machine in anyway.

I’m delighted

The take away – get it

I love an underdog – It has temp control, pre infusion, and as a pro barista I reckon I can make a better coffee than many would make with a 600 machine, shows you don’t need to spend too much and it’s size gives you surface space back!

I’d like to try the mini variant of this machine as I reckon it’s basically the same components..

It’s simple too, you don’t need rows of buttons and a screen, just a little practice. My pro machine has one button, on and off! It’s all eye, feel, taste, set up and experience

This machine works well in every respect for home use – I bought the single wall porta filter basket direct and can now pull a very decent espresso. Using the really nice coffee I use professionally and freshly espresso ground. It may lack a bit of depth compared to my pro machine but it’s extremely good for the cash, decent crema, and a good exercise to see how it compares. Using my specialist coffee I buy for home it’s excellent

Single wall single shot basket also available direct

Can actually fit two espresso cups under and pull two shots at once

Supplied double wall baskets are for pre ground shop bought coffee – that’s usually dry, been in the bag for ages and also Omni ground for filter machines etc, and for this purpose they do the job, it’s more of a false crema, but fine if that’s what you buy – but buy the above baskets and treat yourself to a more specialist espresso ground coffee – per cup its still a going to be very inexpensive but you will tell the difference…but do some basic free training vids to get up to speed. Better still invest in a burr grinder but understand not everyone can be bothered with all of this – but with a tiny bit of practice it will be so much better than a pod machine could ever be, and you can experiment with different types of coffee much easier, hopefully you really get into it, it’s a rabbit hole but a fun journey!

Steam wand – better then my last machine by a mile (kitchen aid) which also died after three months

I can create perfect milk with this, it’s a pro style wand rather than panerello and pretty quick too (tip – stream milk first, let it rest and make the espresso, then combine.

It’s matte finish really is very clever, not a finger print magnet like most, metal face plate is easy to clean

Porta filter handle – still the budget style with plastic insert, not a true handle but for this price works very well

Pre infusion not bad either – and can get some nice dry coffee pucks that knock out easily from this

Tamp is ok… Better than the super cheap plastic ones with a scoop so a good improvement for the price (I use one I already had)

Jugs fine, can always invest in slightly bigger

Always worth investing in scales to add the correct amount of coffee if not using a grinder – and don’t over tamp!!

Well that review was longer than I intended, hope it’s useful though

Worth it, build is nice and makes good coffee, water capacity good enough to make 4 to 6 cups.