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I purchased this espresso maker because it was cheap and I was going broke buying lattes from Starbucks every day. For the price, it is a great machine. It is quite compact, it is easy to clean, with a little practice it is easy to use, and it definitely suits its purpose. I do not regret this purchase. It makes great cappuccino once you get used to using the steaming arm to get the right amount of foam. I worked in a restaurant where we had to made cappuccino at one point so I was familiar with it, but for those who have never done it before it definitely takes a little practice.
However, there are some downfalls. First of all, the fact that it is steam drive, rather than pump driven is a bit of a pain because you can only steam your milk as long as you are brewing espresso, once the water runs out, you are out of stream, and left with often luke-warm milk. I find it is easiest to heat the milk slightly before steaming. The only problem with heating the milk before steaming is that I shouldn't have to do that. The machine has a steamer, therefore it should steam my milk to a proper temperature. I should not have to take extra steps to ensure that my milk is at the temperature I desire. Often I just make iced lattes because then it does not matter if the milk is hot, it is actually better if it is not. Also, the arm does not move very much which causes quite a bit of milk to be spilled because it is hard to fit a cup under there, steam it, then get it back out without spilling. Oddly shaped mugs will not fit under the arm at all. It is a bit of an inconvenience. I actually bought a metal container that I steam my milk in like they do in coffee shops and I like it better that way.
Other than these few technical problems, I am pleased with my espresso maker. For the $40 I paid for it I really could not as for more. There are better products on the market, but for more money that I was not willing to spend. It saves me a bundle so for $40 I am happy.
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