Summary: This is a sharp looking starter unit that can
makes good espresso. Its perfect for a nice Saturday morning Cappuccino. It's easy to use and keep clean. It works fine for light duty demands. However, if you're an aspiring Barista, this machine may not be powerful enough for you. The hot water does not get near boiling and the frother arm is too short for a some milk containers.

Summary: I've used Cafe il Duomo from Krups for three years. Because the steamer was too weak (and too short), I was not satisfied with that machine and purchased this one.
Well, it is powerful, I agree. I'm happy with the espresso part: No leaking steam and powerful pumping. But, while the frother itself is strong and easy to use, it just \"shoots\" the steam. The frother's length is still too short: when it starts to make froth, you'll get burned, or you cannot make. Neither case is desirable. I'm just wondering why DeLonghi made the frother so short. It would be a good espresso machine without this critical drawback.

Summary: This is the first pump-driven espresso machine that I bought. I have been using my $30 Mr. Coffee espresso machine for the past 5 years and decided to upgraded to a pump-driven one after it retired. Within the range of $100-$150, I decided to go with this DeLonghi one despite Delonghi's notorious product service. (1) This machine looks pretty to me. (2) The removable water tank is very convenient. (3) It does not take too long to warm up (around 1-2 min). However, it is very difficult to have coffee beans well ground for this machine. It is picky.