Krups Reviews

I've owned this machine for 5 years and use it a lot. It's a great little machine for this price range. I've owned 6 various machines and this one stands up to them all, even those costing 3 times the price.

+ The steaming wand is extremely strong. It froths milk easily and can steam a cup and a half of milk to 180 degrees in under 3 minutes. I don't bother with the easy-froth attachment, that just makes more cleanup. Just hold the tip of the frother just above the surface of the milk to whip the air in and it will froth up fine. Clean the wand carefully of all milk immediately after you stop steaming and blow some steam thru it to blow out any milk. The steam is nice and dry.

+ The machine is the quietest I've heard.

+ The espresso comes out great with crema.

+ The cup heating try gets very warm and works well.

+ The pod is easy to use and comes apart for cleaning.

+ The machine is simplistic without many features and no timer or computer. That's great. It just works and not a bunch of fancy stuff to pay for or break down.

- Mine makes an annoying clicking sound as the thermostat regulates the heating element when the machine is on but not in use. It's bad enough to make me get up from the TV, make my day's cappuccino and turn the machine off.

- The serving area is small. I like to pour my espresso directly from the machine into the cup from which I will be drinking, but only my smallest cups will fit under the pod. That often forces me to use a shot glass, which cools my coffee some and makes more to clean up.

- The steam wand also is small and rigidly attached, limiting how much milk I can steam at once.

Regarding buying a refurbished product: I've done a lot of that and in general it has worked out for me, but I have often had to send the products back for warranty repair. So my advice is to make sure you get a decently long warranty, prefer the warranty from the manufacturer, and test the machine extensively during the warranty period and be quick and assertive about getting the required service.

Overall, a great machine.

I have owned this machine for about 4 years and it is superior to any of the previous machines I have owned. I love the cup warming feature, the removable water tank and the removable perfect froth attachment (makes it so much easier to clean!). I have never had any problem with it leaking, in fact I've never had any problem with it at all. As long as I make sure to preheat the filter basket and espresso cups, the coffee comes out hot and delicious every time.

I have owned several automatic cappuccino/espresso machines and this one is by far superior to all the rest. You really have to read the manual and use the machine a few times before you can say if you like it or not. First of all, I see that in many of the reviews of several of these espresso machines many people really don't even know what true espresso is. Espresso coffee is not at all like regular coffee. Some people have said that the espresso is not hot enough and that is because none of the Krups pump machines boil the water before it is passed through the coffee, this results in a bitter taste. Therefore you should heat the cups with hot water first. And NEVER put cold milk in espresso! As for making cappuccino, with the perfect froth attachment you get, well, perfect froth every time! I recommend using bottled or filtered water only. Your machine will rarely need to be decalcified.

I have owned my machine for about 5 years now and with the proper care it should last many years. Be careful to check the steam nozzle and make sure that it is not clogged. If it does get clogged make sure to clean it right away, I didn't and had a slight problem. The great thing about this machine, as compared to the Krups mini espresso, is that the steam nozzle is removable.

The design of this machine is somewhat cumbersome. The cup that holds the coffee in place is hard to attach, and the frothing attachment could be the most frustrating thing I have ever tried to work with. With the dial on the left side of the machine, it is hard to turn (if you are right handed) and you must stand by at the ready w/your pitcher of milk. It isn't clear what way is "on" (although you learn that after a couple of times) and I yet to succeed on making a good pitcher of froth. It is quite annoying. Nonetheless, for the money it does it's job...don't buy unless you have lots of patience!!!!

I've only had my machine a few days and so far, so good. It's a very good looking and good performing machine. I like the one machine instead of two different colored appliances on my counter. It's lightweight. The cap to the expresso part is "hidden" beneath another lid, so it is less temptation for a curious or inexperienced person. My only complaint is that when I pull out my coffee carafe, sometimes the filter holder comes open with it. Other than that, I've been enjoying my coffee and expresso daily. I would recommend.