Excellent Espresso Maker
340569
Not only is this machine excellent for the money, it's excellent at any price.  I was planning on buying two more as gifts, when I discovered that it's "being reviewed." Please bring it back soon, and don't change a thing.  I'm eager to buy more and I highly recommend it.  It makes great espresso (my husband's favorite) and excellent cappuccino (my personal favorite.)
304872
I just bought one of these machines to replace a nearly identical earlier model that I had had until a couple of years ago. That one had also worked very well, but had broken when the carousel was inadvertently turned the wrong way by someone unfamiliar with the machine. The Jura-Capresso company still features this machine on its website, but customers are informed that it is out of stock when adding it to their shopping carts, so it may have been discontinued. The one I bought was a display model that had not been used, but, in case any do become available, here is my review.

This machine makes excellent espresso, cappuccino, and crema coffee, but it is a bit temperamental, with several steps that must be followed in a particular order for it to work properly. That is perhaps why it is classified as a semi-automatic and is recommended for home use only. I can live with its quirks, however, for a machine that produces the same quality coffee, via auto-tamping, as a fully automatic machine for less than a third of the least expensive of those. It brews and dispenses coffee one cup at a time, without waste, without the expense of coffee pods, and without having to constantly clean and refill a lever-based coffee holder, as with my smaller manual espresso maker. With a turn of the carousel, the used coffee is dumped into a substantial holding container and the coffee hopper is ready for reloading, no dismantling and cleaning required, so that I can easily and quickly serve multiple guests their coffee of choice. It serves hot water, as well, heating it and then dispensing it through the steamer/frother spout, so, despite its size, it is a space saver for me, replacing my auto-drip coffeemaker, my other espresso maker, and my electric hot water kettle. I like also that, with the exception of a plate that is easily wiped clean, all of the parts that actually come into contact with the coffee are removable and easily washable.
4425489
This is a fantastic espresso machine!!
The pilot lounge where I work had an earlier model of this unit with a count of over 15,000 cups made without needing any repairs. That was a clue that DeLonghi had the formula!

This is REALLY a $1000 unit, and the price on Amazon is exceptionally great.  The unit came perfectly packed and included a hard water testing strip to determine how often the unit needs to be descaled.  Additionally, the instructions were concise and easy to follow, and once you have set your preferences, it will make you cup after cup after cup identically.

It is primarily for use with beans, but has the ability to use ground coffee as well. The steam/hot water spigot swings out for use with deeper cups.
Cleaning is a breeze with a pull out bottom for draining the waste water and removing expended coffee grounds that come out like a hockey puck.

Couldn't be happier with this purchase, and after long research, I could not find a better machine under $1000.  HIGHLY recommended!!!
3990997
No frills, makes excellent espresso with the best crema I have ever gotten from a machine around this price, and makes excellent microfoam.  I am very glad I didn't bother to spend $100 to $200 more for a machine with more "bells and whistles".
672135
For the money, you just won't find a better unit than this.  You could easily pay twice the price and not get an espresso maker as good as this one.
2615239
I love espresso but I don't have the counter space for one of those big electric makers or have the desire to spend $$$$ for one.  This is exactly the same as one I had years ago, and it makes excellent espresso with freshly milled French Roast beans.  It's inexpensive, makes great espresso, is simple to clean, and takes no storage space.  You cannot go wrong with one of these, and there are 3 sizes to choose from.  I selected the 6-cup middle size.
4733630
I use this little coffee maker several times a day. Once you get used to it, it makes THE best coffee. It's very easy to clean and does not take up counter space. I use a finely ground dark roast coffee (e.g. Cafe Bustelo) and fill the basket level, tamping the coffee lightly. It makes a superb little pot of espresso that is just as good if not better than the expensive machines. It does not froth milk nor do infusions. But if you like it straight-up, this is historically the traditional method of making Espresso!
2402615
Great espresso maker! Quality product and enjoy making espresso and americano in 30-60 seconds in the morning. Love it!
2315378
Excellent.  The espresso does draw out in a single stream when the grounds are packed right.  Definitely a must-have for an espresso lover.
2537081
Not only was the price great for this espresso machine, but it makes great coffee.  I have used 6 different machines in past years, and this is user friendly.  I like the movable foaming wand.  You have to unscrew the black attachment to clean underneath it.  This wand is not shaped like most I've used under the black attachment but it foams just fine.  Turn knob for frothing milk on top of the machine is a nice feature.  Dial on front is good, I've found I don't need to let it warm up for 30 minutes like the directions suggest.  Ready to use in a couple minutes.  Easy to clean.  Wish the water tank were a little bigger but can handle multiple drinks.  I have made 6 lattes in a row with this machine and it handled it just fine.  A good buy for the regular espresso drinker.
3996326
Ordered the Bodum espresso maker after trying 2 other brands. I have had various Bodum teapots thru the years so I was certain of the quality. I was right. This espresso maker makes a great espresso with no dripping, splattering or other general mess that I experienced with other espresso makers. I also like that I got the larger size for those times when I want to make more than one latte. This was a perfect purchase for me and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a simple yet very good quality espresso maker.
1419395
I purchased this machine for my coffee loving husband.  I bought it as a Christmas gift based after considering the reviews and prices for other machines and am very happy with the purchase.  It has been five months and we have had no problems with this espresso maker.  Many other, more expensive machines experienced problems (based on the reviews) and I spent extensive time trying to find a machine that was reasonably priced, well functioning, and made a good coffee.  I am pleased to report that this is an excellent value for the price.  The espresso is hot, the machine is easy to clean, and my husband has officially replaced his morning Starbucks with this machine, to everyone (but Starbuck's) satisfaction.  We highly recommend this machine.

**Product Update-  2 years later, and this espresso maker is still working great!
4188299
Love the Nespresso Inissia espresso machine. It doesn't take up to much counter space and is extremely easy to use. Loved that it came with a sample of the different pods to try before having to order more. The milk frother is awesome and simple.  Just pour in some milk and hit the button. It doesn't take long to make a delicious latte, just a couple of minutes and you're done.  I would highly recommend this machine.
2687342
Fantastic espresso maker. It is very easy to use. Separate milk container with frothing tube makes it safe. Go for it.
2253670
I've had a couple of low-end steam-based espresso makers in the past.  When I saw this reasonably priced pump-type unit I bought it knowing that this is the best way to make espresso.

I've been very happy with the machine.  I have been using Illy ESE espresso pods that I also bought on Amazon; these are very convenient.

The frother works well though as others have mentioned, the distance between the frother and the bend of the steam pipe is too short, but it's workable.

I found cleanup to be very easy...  I just take everything apart, wash the pieces in parts in the upper rack of the dishwasher and wipe down the machine.

Overall this is a fine espresso machine at a great value.  If you have had the cheap steam-based units in the past, try this machine and you will be very happy with the results.
3694163
The Rancilio Silvia is makes very good espresso--even my first try was successful. I purchased this machine 6 months ago to replace my latest, very expensive, automatic machine which died in less than a year. The Silvia is manual, so there is less to break, but more to learn about making a good espresso. After a few days, however, one can become "unconsiously competent" just like the baristas at Starbucks. The only complaint I have is that if the machine is left on by accident, after a few hours an internal high temperature switch may shut down the boiler, requiring removing the cover and finding a tiny, well hidden reset switch. There is nothing about this in the manual, and required some searching on the internet in order to get my machine running again. I don't grind my own coffee, preferring to use the excellent Lavazza inblu ground for espresso, in 250g cans.
1278853
I bought this DeLonghi to replace a Gaggia machine I used for a very long time. I was able to make wonderful espressos pretty much right from the start with this new one. It heats up fast, controls pressure perfectly and automatically, and the crema is picture perfect every time...something I was rarely able to achieve with the Gaggia. I have also found the wand on this machine to be near foolproof in frothing milk and it is really easy to clean. I've been using this machine daily for about a month now and am really happy with it.
My only criticisms have to do with some plastic parts that I wish were a more durable metal.