Krups XP4050 1200-Watt 15-Bar-Pump Programmable Espresso Machine

I must start with saying that this is my second XP4050 in one month, the first suffering from two problems. One problem was the same that others have mentioned here, when water stops coming out of the filter head and instead just dumps into the drip tray from an apparent overflow-type valve in the bottom of the machine. This only happened once, corrected itself, and never happened again. The second problem was that I noticed a small amount of water occasionally leaking from the buttons on the front and the stainless portion on the front of the machine would also get VERY hot. I believe these were one problem, possibly the brewing portion leaking.

I contacted Amazon online and was shocked at the ease and speed of getting a replacement model. At no charge to me, including shipping, I had a brand new XP4050 within 3 days.

The new model works perfect. I am a somewhat new espresso afficienado, having been making my own at home for only about 2 years. This is my second machine, my first being a Krups Gusto that recently died. I decided on the XP4050 after a great deal of research and comparing features versus cost. The price I got this model through Amazon was literally half what I was looking at with other brands.

As far as use of the machine, it couldn't be easier. I use mostly pods but have tried grounds with equally easy and great tasting shots. The three different filter baskets for brewing are held in the handle firmly, which was an issue in my old Krups Gusto (I accidently threw away the single shot filter basket). The frother performs very well although I have not tried the attachment for pulling the milk from a separate container. As others have said, make sure you keep an eye on your drip tray, it does tend to fill quickly. I empty mine every 4-6 shots.

Overall, even considering my initial "problem" model, I am extremely happy with the XP4050. It's a great looking, inexpensive, easy to use machine that consistently puts out quality shots of espresso. I would recommend this model to either new beginners or someone looking to step up a little.

Ahh great coffee at home

Firstly I am just a wee amateur when it comes to coffee. I hate instant coffee and wanted quality coffee at home that was easy to make.

I just purchased this machine last night; it's our first pump espresso machine. It took me a couple of goes, messing around with the machine to produce a good coffee, but I seem to be getting quicker and better with each additional coffee I make.

It's fairly simple to use. The pre-programmed 1 or 2 cup buttons take all the guess work out of the coffee creation process. It is also very quick to fire up (become ready from power up to coffee creation) in comparison to some of my friends machines.

The autocappuccino (milk foamer) also works well, with surprisingly little mess or effort, but be sure to use very cold milk.

So far the machine seems to be very easy to clean after your perfect cup, no drips or mess which I have read about in other reviews.

I have not tried the ESE pods yet, but I am sure this eliminates any coffee ground mess.

I hope this helps, enjoy

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Last month I decided to replace my aging, 6-year old Krups espresso machine. It had provided great service but, thanks to a less-than-rigorous regimen of descaling over the years, was getting long in the tooth. Its pumping action was weakening, and the steamer would occasionally get rambunctious. I was happy with Krups, so I replaced it with another, the XP 4050. Bad choice.

The XP 4050 just didn't work as it should. On some mornings, after the machine heats up, it goes into a frantic blinking mode when I try to pump. And it didn't pump...its four blue lights just blinked furiously at me.

The machine's manual did not describe this behavior, so I called the Krups consumer help line from the manual. (Incidentally, kudos to Krups on that help line. I got to a human pretty quickly.) I described the symptoms, and they emailed me a UPS label to send the machine in. Four weeks later, a replacement arrived.

It does the same thing.

Another criticism: The steamer nozzle is useless. It's like a four-year-old blowing bubbles into a cup of milk. My old machine had a healthy steaming nozzle that was a whiz at frothing. The XP 4040 is no match. Adding to the aggravation, the steamer attachment has a little air-induction tube that keeps falling out.

I'm sorry, Krups, you've gone astray. The machine's going back to Amazon.

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I have owned the Krups XP4050 for over nine months now and have used it daily ever since it was purchased. I knew I was taking a risk when I bought the XP4050, as I had read the many negative reviews on Amazon. The primary reason why I took that risk was that I was able to get an extremely good deal getting well over $100 off the typical retail price. I feel fortunate not to have experienced any of the serious issues some of the other users have had.

There is a learning curve to the XP4500. That's for sure! Here are the things that I have learned in the time that I have owned the machine:

1. The water tank must be seated properly. Period!!! If it's not, you will get the flashing blue lights as others have pointed-out. When inserting the water tank, it should firmly stop when fully seated. You will feel a slight detent when it's seated properly. If it feels "squishy" and the tank pushes back up slightly, pull it out and start over again. I have noticed that the tank inserts easier the more the XP4050 is used.

2. Clean the inside of the brewing head frequently. It doesn't need to be after every espresso, but it should be done at least when you've finished for the day. I usually use a paper towel to do this after I have run a cycle without the filter holder. I also occasionally use a brush to remove grinds that accumulate in the brewing head.

3. Yes, the machine has a "rubbery" smell when it is new. It will go away after a while of usage.

4. Do not use the "auto cappuccino accessory." While the auto cappuccino accessory usually does an OK job if you want a latte, it suffers from three drawbacks: A) Results wildly vary. B) Milk does not get hot enough. C) There is only enough foam produced to top off a latte. It does not produce enough foam for a real cappuccino.

5. For a decent cappuccino, purchase a frothing pitcher and use the "perfect froth accessory." Oddly, the instructions for the XP4050 on the Krups website does not mention the perfect froth accessory, so I do not know if it was not included in the older units, or if it is no longer included in the newer units. Hopefully, it is still included. If you don't have it, you really need to get it if you want to make a decent cap. More importantly, you need to learn how to use it. This took me a long time to figure out because there are no decent instructions on how to use the attachment. Really, I should record a video on how to do this, but for now, I'll try to get the idea across here:

A) Remove the small stainless tube from the perfect froth accessory (PFA).

B) Attach the PFA to the steam nozzle so that the black rubber protrusion (that holds the small tube) points away from the machine.

C) Fill 1/3 to 1/2 of your frothing pitcher with cold milk (depending on how many caps you want to make).

D) Start steam process on the machine (I assume that users already know how to do this).

E) Once steam (not water) is coming out of the PFA, raise the frothing pitcher up to the bottom protrusion of the PFA so that the top of the milk is just barely over the hole in the protrusion. If the placement is correct, you will see the milk being sucked in to the hole along with a little air. If the hole is too high, you will get large air bubbles. If hole is too low, the quantity of foam will be significantly reduced. The foam will build upon itself if you are doing this correctly. Continue to create the foam until the milk has been heated to your liking.

Hope these tips help. Good luck with your XP4050.

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My husband purchased this espresso machine for me and I was thrilled at first. It worked well for just shy of 2 months, then broke. The water would no longer draw up into the filter it would only drain into the drip tray. We exchanged it for the exact same model and the new one was worse! We followed the instructions to prime it before the first use the night we received it and turned it off without making coffee. Luckily I smelled something funny before going to bed or else my house may have burned down! Internally the machine didn't turn off and it over-heated so badly that it scorched my counter and warped the plastic on the top and sides! The second machine never made a cup of coffee... We promptly returned that one as well and decided to purchase a different machine entirely! Please don't waste your money on this product!