Features:

  • CAFE-QUALITY RESULTS: Indulge in espresso, cappuccinos and lattes right at home using either espresso pods or ground espresso
  • 15 BAR ITALIAN PUMP: Supplies the pressure necessary for excellent extraction and rich crema
  • EASY SETUP: No fiddling with brew heads in hard-to-access areas – just slide the patented Slide & Lock portafilter into place from the front of the machine and lock it on the side
  • SWIVELING STEAM WAND: Lets you steam and froth milk for cappuccinos and lattes
  • CUP WARMER: Keeps cups warm until serving time
This one works great! I love the pull down lever that locks ...

This one works great! I love the pull down lever that locks the coffee filter into place. Also, you can remove the bottom tray to get over-sized cups under it. It has a dimple that keeps the filter in place so you don't have to worry about losing it when you are tapping out grounds. I also appreciate the light indicator telling you it is on, the generously-sized water reservoir, and that the knob controlling coffee/steamer isn't chintzy. By the way, it makes great foam, and although I am not a barista, I believe this to be an exceptional machine for the price. Enjoy yours!

I'm in love, it's worth every penny!

I've only had this machine for a day so far, but I absolutely love it. It's user friendly, and in under 5 minutes, I made a mocha just as delicious as one I'd spend $5-$6 on. It makes me feel super fancy, but is actually pretty simple. This is my first espresso machine, so I have no other one to compare it to, but it's lovely. I'll update if something goes wrong, but so far, I'm in love, and it was worth every penny.

Better than Aeropress

Delicious. I am pretty picky about my coffee and very sensitive to taste difference. For example: - I always drink black americano so I can tell the slight differences/improvement in the taste. - I always keep my beans in vacuum sealed bags (got an electric vacuum device), fresh grind them right before brewing and discard the beans that are older than 2 weeks. I have been using Aeropress which has served me well, but I wanted a machine which requires less work for home use. This makes an amazing cup of Americano, and better compared to Aeropress, and so much better compared to drip coffee. Using and cleaning are also very easy, and 100 bucks is not much for the quality and considering how expensive espresso machines can get. I strongly recommend it. Update: One feature that I wish existed is that it currently allows you to start brewing even if the lever is not pulled down & secured, and when you do that it will splash all over making a huge mess. I think it would be very easy to detect whether the lever is securely closed, and not operate if it's not closed. I'm sure most people have made this mistake when they were new to it or while they are in a morning rush, having other things on their minds, etc.

Excellent instructions

The instructions are excellent. The product easy to use. I am still new to making espresso. I have a great Cuisinart grinder and I purchased a metal frothing mug and tamp. These are recommended extras. The tamp in the box is plastic; I don't recommend it. Making espresso is not that difficult; frothing is a bit more artsy and takes a while to master. I am still experimenting with the single and double filters and the timing of the pull. It is good espresso though. If there are any issues I will update the review.

Great Espresso Machine!

I've had this for about a month and really like it! I wouldn't say that I'm a super big coffee connoisseur, but I do enjoy a great cup of coffee! I decided to get my own espresso maker because I was tired of ordering a $5 latte or cappuccino at Starbucks and feeling like all I was drinking a hot cup of milk. So far I'm happy with my decision. This machine was easy to set up and easy to use. At first I felt the espresso was a little too weak, but upon reading other reviews found leaving it on for a few minutes before brewing really helped. The milk frother also works well; I ended up taking off the rubber safety piece because it was making large bubbles in the milk. This espresso maker is perfect for someone who appreciates a good cup of coffee and is not looking to spend a fortune.

Works Great!

VERY impressed with the quality of espresso this machine produces for the price. Thick layer of Crema on my first try! Very easy to use and clean. I definitely recommend this machine!

Love this machine!

The second of the older version of this machine died a few weeks ago. I saw the Mr. Coffee had good ratings here so I went downtown and bought one - big waste of money - bad taste, and almost no crema. Came back to Amazon and looked at other machines and after research and deciding it I wanted a third of the older version or try this new version, I went with this .. I love it! Great Crema, fast brewing, frothing is good, too... [was awful on the Mr. Coffee]....... this machine rates 5 stars for sure!!!!

Good coffee, great customer service.

This is our first espresso machine after years of using an aeropress. We like having the ability to make lattes. I impressed with the quality of coffee we get out of this machine at this price point. I don't have any experience with espresso machines, but I like the taste of the coffee that comes out of this one. We have tried a number of other ways of making coffee but we always returned to the aeropress, until now. We purchased a Hamilton Beach because we have other products of theirs that we are happy with. The locking lever on our machine did break after about a month of use. Hamilton Beach sent me a new machine, no questions asked (besides the ones on their website when you submit a warranty claim). Customer service counts for something.

Really fine coffee grind really helps this machine

This unit works very well for making late type drinks, although the espresso isn't quite a full extraction, but very close. Steam wand works well, but is kind of a pain to clean though, so I don't really use it. Really fine coffee grind really helps this machine, and a metal tamper helps get best results. This will see daily use. I'll update if there are any issues with durability.

So far, so good.

I bought this machine earlier this month and was quite impressed that it's as good as it is. I have two years of (slightly high-end) barista experience. I've been able to make quite velvety milk and some minimal latte art with it. I HIGHLY recommend removing the black plastic cover on the steam wand as it's much harder to stretch the milk properly with it on. The group head is a bit low, which limits the height of the mugs you can put below it, but that's not a big deal. My biggest complaint is that when you stop pulling a shot, it leaves water in the portafilter and makes the espresso puck more of a mush. Also, the steam wand is a bit under-powered and only has one hole, which limits the stretching quality, but it gets the job done relatively quickly, so it's not a big problem at all. As I said, you CAN make latte art with it so what more can you ask for? So far, everything has been good with the machine; I'll update if I have any issues. For the average at-home user, this machine should be all you need.The fact that it leaves water in the basket is a bit annoying as I said. For the price, I don't think you can beat it. (People I've talked to seem to think that $80 was an obscene amount of money (which is fair considering regular coffee makers can be $15) but in the fancy shmancy coffee world, where professional single-group head machines start at $1300, this is a real deal.

Full Reviews