BrevilleESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker, 9x9x12, Silver

I have been using this espresso maker for about a week and so far I am very pleased with its performance. I have been visiting the local espresso shops for the past couple years without a espresso budget in mind, i was just buying when I felt the urge. I didn't realize how much I was spending on espressos weekly. The machine has a beautiful stainless steel design looks much better in person. It pours out the espresso perfectly based on reviews and videos I have used to compare with other high end machines. The taste is consistent not watery or strong. I matched it up with the Breville smart grinder and that too does excellent work. The milk steamer is powerful and heats up the milk quickly. I usually put my milk in the metal milk container and stick it in the freezer for about 5-10 min prior to making the espresso this helps with the frothing. Very easy to clean. I will get back in time with an update after a few months of use. So far I saved $40 on espresso this includes making a few cups for co-workers. So far 5 stars and I recommend.10/16/13 updateOK I had an issue with espresso machine the other day. Here is what happened; I thought I blew a gasket or something. I was so irritated. I switch to a new bean Ethiopia from Starbucks and used the same grind as the previous bean. I ran the espresso machine and the coffee was coming in slow drips. I thought for a moment and decided to clean the portafilter. I ground some the same coffee and ran the espresso again. I hear a pop and water and coffee was squirting around the area. I stopped the machine and thought about the reviews I read about leaky espresso machines and blown gaskets and I thougt...That was mine and I will need to send this back or get a new gasket. I also read reviews about coffee being too fine and clogging the portafilter. So I tried it again. I gave the smart grinder a couple of clicks to the left and ran the espresso again and man the coffee came out fine. I was so relieved and glad that I took the time to read and learn about espresso makers before I purchased one.That experience has taught me a lot about espressos makers, grinders and beans. It has become apparent to me that some beans can grind finer than other brands of beans and some espresso machines cannot handle too fine of a grind. The bean well I think its because how they are grown, the locations and elevations.I see why some may have issues with espresso machines. I would say take the time to read or view some youtube videos on espresso machines. They are very insightful.UPDATE 2/08/14my espresso machine is doing great and it's been five months.It still puts out great creama and has been doing great on a variety of beans as if it has gotten better every time i use it. No clogging and it is still performing well. At this price, which is cheaper than what i bought st, I highly recommend this product. you will not be disappointed.The machine is doing great and my coffee still taste great. Still a five star.UPDATE 10/2/15It's been a 3.5 years since I purchased the Breville espresso maker. I stopped using the steam wand over a year ago because it added water to the milk, but this was a blessing because I purchased the Breville milk cafe frother and I am so glad I did. The frother does an excellent job frothing. No more holding the container under the steam wand waiting for the steam to do it's job. I now just have to press a button on the frother and it's in it's own but not only that, I can add ingredients to the frother while it's frothing and also add the espresso shot for a perfect stir. So now I can froth and pull my espresso shots without having to wait for one to be done before the other. No matter what espresso machine you have of this type you may want to look into an external frother so it'll save you time. The Breville milk cafe is highly rated.UPDATE 06/12/16Ok I am blessed and happy to say that the expresso machine has been doing great in my opinion. It still perfoms and pulls shots like new. Has had no issues what so ever. This machine is great for the money. Breville makes some great products. I still make espressos for co-workers and they love it always ask when I will bring in espressos. I maintain it like recommended.Last comment 11/2021This cafe roma is about 8 years old and still running like a champ. I may purchase another for my cabin up north.

I have to say, I absolutely love this machine! This is a preliminary review since I just got it today -- I will try to remember to do a follow-up review in about a month concerning the issues that others have brought up that seem to mainly appear only over a few weeks of use (i.e.: clogging filters). For now, these are my first impressions after having pulled 3 shots with frothed milk.Up-front, this is not my first espresso machine; this one replaced my old, small, a little beat-up (but still functional!) Krups. It made a decent cup -- but the Breville puts my Krups to shame! I also tried another couple brands from some big-box outlets and took them all back, unsatisfied. So I am familiar with brewing espresso, even if I'm not a full-fledged barista. :)These comparisons are mainly made as opposed to my Krups.1) The warming plate gets noticeably hotter2) The crema extracted is noticeably thicker and richer looking2a) In order to achieve this result, I don't have to grind as finely nor tamp nearly as hard -- indeed, I haven't had to tamp with much pressure at all3) The crema extracted stays a LOT warmer for longer4) The shot is noticeably less bitter (ie: not bitter at all)5) The frothed milk is absolutely better. My Krups required 2-3 frothing cycles per batch in order to get anything close to acceptable. This machine accomplishes MUCH BETTER... and in only 1 frothing cycle6) The drip tray is WONDERFUL... 2 holes for the grouphead to drip it's excess into without dirtying the tray-top and an overflow indicator to warn you before you create a mess7) With the exception of the measuring spoon/tamper, all of the other accessories were AWESOME. I love the double-walled espresso cups (2 included), and though I probably won't use the matching saucers, they are nice too. The included cleaning tool is SUPERB as it contains (all in one piece) the right sized tool to clean the froth-hole, a smaller tool to clean the pores of the filter-baskets should they become clogged, and a wrench to remove the frother-tip for periodic cleaning. The included spoon/tamper is "OK" -- it's certainly more durable than my Krups one, but it's still just plastic... I would have liked a nice stainless one to match the machine.8) The water reservoir is a bit larger... and easier to read the fill-level (still not ideal, though, it really should have had a small LED light shining out from inside... but it can be read with a little care... my Krups one pretty much I couldn't ever see the water-level.This machine is easy to use, easy to clean, and consists overall of less work than my Krups. It's obvious from just a few uses that when it comes time to give it a thorough cleaning (I usually do that about once/month) this one will be MUCH EASIER and the results will be superior.But in the end what matters most are the results: the product I produced from this machine tastes JUST AS GOOD (if not better) AS MY LOCAL BARISTA. I am *VERY* satisfied! :)All of that being said, let me emphasize that I am not comparing this to my old Krups as a way of suggesting that NEWER Krups's wouldn't also fare better; I'm sure they would. But my old Krups is what I have to compare this new machine to.Also, I am sure many of the complaints of other reviewers are probably somewhat valid; however, it should be remembered that this is NOT a $1000 machine... it's not going to do everything for you. You are still going to have to do much of the work, especially clean-up & maintenance. But you are going to get a FANTASTIC product if you are just willing to put forth a little effort... and all for a reasonable price!I am absolutely satisfied. I'll post my thoughts again in about a month.