Capresso EC50 Stainless Steel Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine

I think this is likely the best espresso maker you can get for under $100. I just bought it about a month ago, so I can't speak to durability, but following fairly simple instructions for use, I have consistently made fantastic espresso with this machine and provides enough pressure to produce a very good crema as well. I have only used the steamer wand twice but it's worked well. Some Pro's and Con's

Pro's: I love this machine and highly recommend it for anyone who wants good espresso but doesn't / can't spend the many hundreds of dollars to get a real fancy one. Though, from an espresso quality standpoint, I don't notice any difference between this one and a starbucks, caribou, or local coffee house espresso quality (I'm not an expert but do drink 2 3 shots per day). It heats up fairly quick and the water reservoir holds a sufficient amount of water. The crema this machine produces is incredible. There is always a nice layer of it on top. Once the water is warm, you can toggle from making the coffee to steam without waiting.

Con's: The only real negative I have is that after making an espresso, the filter that holds the espresso grounds doesn't run all the water through, and rather than being a sort of hockey puck like formation of old beans, it's more like a soup. This to me isn't a big deal because the espresso is good but I've spilled this on the kitchen counter once and it was fairly messy. Only other con's I can think of is the amount of space between the tray and where the coffee comes out is fairly limited...you can't fit a big tall coffee cup in there.

One other thing to be aware of which I think is common amongst these machines is that to ensure max. temperature, you are supposed to run just water thru the machine each time b4 making the espresso. It says this heats up all component parts and adds 10 13 degrees to the actual espresso. I generally do this but have tried it without and it's still good, just not quite as hot.

This review is based on not having made a cup of espresso due to a problem I had with the machine.

The problem:

When attempting to flush out the machine for initial use, I was unable to get a clean run of water without a film of motor oil. The instructions tell you to run a cup or two of water through; I ran about two gallons of water through the machine, and it still came out smelling of the motor oil. The portafilter would feel greasy. So I'm shipping it back to Amazon. I'm hoping this was a bad one. I might order it again if I don't find a different one.

Barring that, I think I would have liked the machine very much. It appears to have a good thermoblock; it heats up to brewing temperature in about 15 seconds (although you should still run hot water through system once to warm all of the parts prior to brewing.) The pressure seemed good and the portafilter seemed sturdy enough even though it's more plasticky than I would prefer. There's only one filter so, you would need to measure and tamp for 1 or 2 cups in the same filter.

The machine is the smallest pump machine I've ever seen. It's about an inch or two narrower than most machines. Great for small kitchens. The stainless steel are thin panels covering the front and sides; it's really a lightweight plastic machine. But it still looks decent.

The front dial doesn't seem sturdy enough. I don't think it will last as long as my prior machine, which was 17 years.

The frothing wand produces a good amount of steam at high pressure. The plastic frothing cover doesn't produce small bubbles well, so I surface frothed without the plastic attachment, and that worked fine. Anyone can do it with some practice, but you can't start the frothing and walk away.

The water tank holds a good amount of water, but is very thin the inside is slightly more than an inch thick. I couldn't get my small hand inside to clean it, nor could I get any cleaning brush in it either. I would use a stick and a handi-wipe to clean it. Also the water tank cover hinges in a strange way which could easily break if you accidentally smack it with a pitcher of water, so be careful.

Features and convenience: ****1/2*

Value: *****

Durability: ***

Buy Capresso EC50 Stainless Steel Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine Now

I received this machine for Christmas and loved it out of the box. It made good espresso...for a little over 2 months. From the moment I used the machine, the front knob was difficult to turn a required more effort than I thought it should. After only two months, the front knob has stopped working all together. I use the machine to make espresso every morning and occasionally steamed milk, so the wear was nothing unusual.

Prosfits neatly in the space under cabinets, there is a water well in the back to prevent constant refilling, it heats and is ready for use quickly

Conspoor construction, you can only use shot glasses (a regular coffee cup won't fit), the water isn't forced all the way through the coffee so clean up is a bit messy

In this price range, I would say this machine is fair. I'm hoping the customer service process is pain-free.

Updatewhile the customer service process to return the machine was easy, after only 2 months the replacement machine did the exact same thing! They will be replacing it again, but ugh.

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Purchased this as a Christmas gift. I don't believe a day has gone by yet that they haven't used it. I received rave comments every day for at least the first week.

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Bought it for my GF as a gift and she is totally and completely over the moon with it. I can do no wrong for at least 8 months.

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