I've been very happy with this espresso machine. By far this has to be the best bang for the buck out there for true espresso. I haven't had a bad cup of coffee with this machine. I'm using a Cuisinart burr grinder and have used a few different coffee beans with it. The basket is not too difficult to insert or remove for cleaning. The filter basket attaches very securely to the brew head. The pressure and temperature seem to be spot on for great results. The only thing I've found slightly annoying is that the water heater doesn't seem to keep much water in its reservoir. So, I find myself running a 2 shot extraction for about 10 seconds and then the heating light comes on and I stop it to wait for it to heat the incoming water before running it for another 10-15 seconds. If I'm brewing 4 shots that can be a little bit tedious to achieve the right temperature. I usually pre-heat my water for about 2 minutes, since I use filtered water out of the refrigerator. If I don't pre-heat the water, the machine appears to be in a state of constantly running the heater. The last thing I want is lukewarm coffee.

This espresso machine has the sturdiness we were expecting in parts and assembly, as well as the steam pressure required for a good coffee with cream. It is easy to clean, goodlooking, does not take a lot of space, and it is easy to use. We have had it for around 2 months now, and the only thing we have not yet figured out completely is the time it takes for it to warm up at its start in the morning, for sometimes it produces a light infusion instead of the darkened espresso we are expecting. For the pricepoint it is no doubt the best option.

I have had some struggles with this unit. I used the Cafe Venetian model for many years and it finally died. This unit seems to be very finicky about the fineness of the grind. It was clogging and I had to unscrew and clean the water supply to the basket. I have now found a grind it seems to like and things are better. It makes a fine tasting expresso and or latte.

Got this one as "Used-Like New" for bout $80 less, a year later still working great.. We have has just about every coffee pot and coffee made. Been thinking bout expresso type machine for long time, while reading a review of another brand I noticed the reviewer said that it was not as good as Breville so read about this machine and all the positive reviews.. After getting my grind down and a couple other procedural matters sorted out it been great coffee.. I make a couple of 3 oz cups so not super strong, but wonderful flavor and crema. Everything been working as it should so far..
Our local WinGo sells beans @$7 lb and they are just as good as any other we have tried.. Have used burr grinder in the past, but just too messy for me so now use wife's Magic Bullet to grind the beans--works great (I know some say it burns the beans!).... Oh, Breville told me no guarantee for used machines, think Amazon covers for 30 days..

Had this machine in our office for about half a year and so far very satisfied with the results. It's good for the price but not professional grade. There are ways to compensate and still get a robust espresso.

My tips for getting the most out of this machine: Because this machine can't quite extract as much as a professional grade unit, it's best to start with a dark roast espresso bean to compensate for some loss of flavor. Grind using your preferred method, but I go for 30-35 seconds in a cheap blade grinder. Grinding finer might start clogging the filter, but can lead to better extraction. Whether making a single or double shot, I fill the large filter basket to the top. Then I apply a fairly large amount of force (>50lb) onto the tamper three times, spinning the tamper in between. The next thing to watch is the color of the espresso coming out. It starts out dark, then brown, and finally turns tan. You want to stop the machine before it gets tan because the tan portion is basically murky water. If you want to go one step further, you can pre-heat the portafilter and cup by running it without coffee for a few seconds.

Overall I'm satisfied with this purchase. Once I adjusted my technique, the machine has reliably produced good espresso for the entire office over the past few months.