KRUPS XP100050 Steam Espresso Machine with Frothing Nozzle for Cappuccino, Black

To be clear, this is my first espresso machine. For years I have toiled out much hard earned money for that savory sweet espresso from coffee shops but always assumed the mystical process was somehow beyond my reckoning. Thanks to the college where I work having installed a Starbucks recently, I suddenly found myself spending too much there and figured that I would give it a go. Picking out an espresso machine leaves you with little in between, there are 40-100$ range models, and then you start getting fancy and pricey exponentially quick from there. As this was an experiment, I wanted something in the under 100 category and finally settled on this model after browsing the variety. We have had the machine for a little under a week but it has already earned its keep; here’s my thoughts.Pros: Affordable, simple, nice looking, easy to clean, effective, quick.For the price, this machine is great, truly. It takes a little bit of practice to get the whole system down, but after about three or four uses I had it pretty much figured out. Now, after having made about a dozen drinks with it, from start to finish its takes under 10 minutes to make the drink and do a basic clean up. The instructions are a bit odd but with a little getting used to, it makes good and easy sense. A few things to keep in mind: only use as much water as you will use (don’t overfill) and always let the steam run out when you shut the machine down (letting steam stay in the line will kill a steam system – I’ve done it to a steam mop personally). When you are done making the drink, unplug it. The element in the tank is super hot and while it seems really sturdy , leaving an element on with no water is very dangerous. After everything cools down a bit disassembly and clean up is really easy and quick.Cons: Steam nozzle doesn’t swivel, very basic.The only real con I can see so far is the steam nozzle is a bit annoying to get to, particularly if you are using a tall cup. In such a case, I have to pull the machine close to the edge of the counter and turn it so I can squeeze the cup up to the nozzle. This is not a huge con and perhaps the lack of swivel action might make it sturdier in the long run, thus not a major complaint as it is easily overcome. Some might find this model just too basic, as it is essentially just the bare-bones model. However, I would rather have a basic model from a good name brand company (Krups has great customer service ratings) than a higher end model from a questionable company.All in all this unit is a 5 star no-brainer if for no other reason than it has literally already paid for itself. Now, every day that I go to work and I wave to the Starbucks folks without stopping in, I’m not spending another 4 or 5 bucks. Now I’m just drinking in the profit, so even if it doesn’t last forever, I can live with that; it’s earned its keep.