Poor Got to starbucks…it’s less expensive and thier coffee may last longer than this machine! – Vicki Barbaria –
Poor quality. Steamer sprays streams of hot water, and after just 3 1/2 months, the machines pump went out! DO NOT BUY this machine…You WILL be sorry! There are lots of good machines out there…don’t waist your money on this one unless you want frustraction, and a big hole in your pocket! I was thinnking of using it as a paper weight…

an espresso that does not produce espresso – Ayman Aboulezz – kennewick wa
this coffee machine more suited for making ice tea than espresso. the muddy water it produced was alot colder than it should

Not what I was expecting – Eydie – Kingsport, TN USA
After all the recommendations I read about this espresso machine, I was disappointed. I liked some of basic style of the machine, but it did not make as strong of espresso that I prefer for a latte. It had a manual on/off for pulling a shot and even doubling the volume still left it weak flavor. My old Sienna from Starbucks had an option for a double shot that was just a push of the button and it automatically shut off. Frother did not create a good amount of foam, it was barely frothy. My old Sienna had a manual knob where you could control the amount of steam but the Breville was either on or off for steam.

Also, beware of buying from Richmond Sales because if you need to return, in addition to return postage, they charge you the original shipping fee plus a 10% restocking fee. Ordering a refurbished 9 machine ended up costing me over a hundred dollars when I returned it. Being used to Amazon’s return policy and their excellent customer service, I did not read the fine print when buying from a different seller. Needles to say, I was shocked and learned a hard lesson to order only from Amazon.com.

Terrible product – Gib – California
I consider myself an experienced espresso maker, having purchased at least 5 machines over the last 15 years and made 100s of expressos.

This machine looked good after doing internet searches but was a huge disappointment and I returned it to Amazon.

The water pressure is way to low for making quality espresso. After spending hours changing the grind and the pack, I could not make a decent espresso. Somehow they do a great job of creating a good looking crema but the taste was not there. I also did not the “wet” and messy look of the grounds at the completion of pumping. It is soupy and easily spilled on its way to the sink.

The steamer was no better. Pressure way way to low. Plus it has a strange way of coming on. Completely unacceptable.

Initial Use – Skoutariotis – Bakersfield, CA USA
This review is FIRST USE ONLY, after few uses, I’ll post new review if necessary.
I just replaced my burned up Nuova Simonelli Oscar Pro.

Makes VERY good espresso, nice rich, I like it!
Froths real good and creammy, but takes time to heat up the milk.

You set the included cups on the drip tray, start the machine, and they vibrate out of place, losing some espresso if you’re not paying attention.
The biggest challenge w/this machine is the filter & basket.
Replacing filter basket, is a real &^%$#. The docs say they improved the basket w/the permanent spring to hold the filter. Well, that’s a sorry excuse for a spring. Falls in my used grind bucket every time. It’s too hot to hadnle, I’ll have to pick it up quickly and ‘drop’ it back on before I burn myself.
Overall, I’m happy w/this, so far. We’ll see how it acts after a few cups.

Not for the faint of heart – CJ – Chicago
If you are looking for a simple to use foolproof espresso machine, choose another. It is a challenge to learn to use this machine to create a good espresso drink. It is possible though. In fact, I have been able to make some of the best I’ve ever had. I have worked as a barista for nearly 4 years and never got as good a result on the commercial models.

If you are up for the challenge, there is one important thing to keep in mind: the filters are very unforgiving. It is crucial that your coffee is ground perfectly for espresso or you will spend hours trying to unclog the filter (a tedious process involving a device that amounts to a pin being poked one by one into dozens of holes). I had all but given up on this machine when I decided to try a prepackaged already ground espresso. Normally I would discourage pre-ground coffee in general (due to loss in flavor) but this completely solved the clogging problem. The espresso shots were amazing. It was the promise of that incredible crema that drew me to this brand in the first place. Finally, I got to enjoy it. You will need to experiment with the proper tamping to get the desired results. Too light and your shot will be weak. Too firm and it will clog.

Foaming the milk is also a challenge. It seems you must overfill the included pitcher so that some of the milk spills out while you’re foaming. If you do you will get the most velvety foam imaginable.

Is it worth it? Given the price I might have skipped it if I had known how challenging things would be. Now that I own it I am not sad since I am able to really impress my guests (and myself) with my barista skills by serving the best espresso drinks I (and hopefully they) have ever had.

not really cappuccino – Ral – Chicago
had the Cafe Roma for about 4 months….dumped it on ebay. Why?…tastes like coffee, not cappuccino. The machine looks nice but its all about the taste.

I wouldn’t buy another – Ken Walker –
I bought this to replace another bad designed espresso maker a KitchenAid that I paid over a thousand dollars including tax. This started out just like the previous one,worked fine for 3 or 4 months and it became a pretty stainless steel space filler for our counter. The main problem with these is clogging filter that cant be cleaned properly. I don’t think I will buy any more hi end makers.