[Dunerunner]

I have owned three espresso machines in the past 10 years.

The first one was a nice machine, a Rotel. Swiss made and lasted 6 years. A great machine, it would push water through concrete!! I still have it, although some of the plastic bits have broken it still works!

The second was French Made, a FrancisFrancis. All stainless, $900, wouldn't push water through the coffee unless it was drip grind. I found it useless and I gave it away to a friend who sold it at a garage sale for $20.

The last, and recent is a Breville Cafe Roma machine. Does the job but doesn't hold a candle to the Rotel. It is prettier though!!

What have you owned and tossed or owned and loved?

[snowed]

On the other end of the spectrum, I had a Black and Decker that cost around $20 several years ago. It worked, but I would not call it either easy or good.

[shelly_belly]

I've only had 1 for 14 years. It's a Mr. Coffee steam type. I've enjoyed the cappuccinos almost every day since purchasing. But I guess the steam type is at the lower end of the spectrum. I don't know any better. That's why I'm here. Someone educate me please!

[Dunerunner]

I've found only two with a pump that I can recommend. The first is my old Rotel that is no longer manufactured, the other is my new Breville. Right after I bought my new machine, they came out with an articulating frothing wand...mine is fixed and creates some issues.

Water is stored in a reservoir, heated to steam and froth your milk then switched to the pump to move heated water through the compressed coffee and into your cup.

It's the only way to go!!

[bigmike787]

I started off with a Starbucks barrista machine. It's a rebadged Seco of some sort. It had a pressurized portafilter, which I replaced. It pulled okay espresso, but I got rid of it and got a Gaggia Evolution. That was okay, but the tank was too small, so I sold it and got an Expobar office Pulsar. That was a very nice machine. It had an E61 grouphead and everything, but the Expobar machines are known to have temperature stability issues. I had to insert a pressure reducing washer, to keep the temps down. I liked that machine, but I wanted a direct plumb machine. So I sold it for about $550 and got a Bezzera BZ99. It's basically a Pasquini Livia 90. Bezzera makes the Livia and puts the Pasquini logo on it. My machine is grind finicky, but once it's zeroed in, it makes GREAT espresso. I have a Mahlkonig K30 with my machine though, so my grinder is no slouch either. I'd trade in my Bezzera for a double boiler machine with a PID.

[slatetank]

I was gifted with a Mr Coffee by my wife before we were engaged. It was a b-day gift so I didn't want to seem ungrateful -I was looking at spending a good deal more. it just stopped working in the middle of making a shot- the light was on and it was hot, but nothing but hot water came out. I don't know if it can be fixed or what.

[bryce_wes]

I have owned two Mr. Coffee Steam machines in the loosest interpretation of espresso machine. Not worth anything. I had a great deal of luck in finding a Nespresso D290 at Bed Bath and Beyond clearance for 30 dollars. The pods are high, and as far as lattes or cappuccino it lacks. But I like the way the espresso turns out. That is what I am using at the time being!

[divingfroggy]

I've had a Saeco Gran Crema for the last 6 years, a couple of descaler a year and everything is top shape, nice crema but a bit finicky on the grind, my only complaint with it is the size of the reservoir(1.5l is not enough)

[RNDDUDE]

My first was a Superautomatic, a Gaggia Titanium, which lasted about 6 weeks before it started leaking profusely. Returned it and got another Superautomatic, a Jura Ena 5, which I have had for 6 months and it has operated perfectly and produces outstanding quality expresso for an automatic machine. It is a compact design, and as such it has smallish bean and water capacity, but other than that, I would highly recommend it.

[Austin]

The Gaggia sprung leek? Did the factory say what happened?