Capresso 303.01 4-Cup Espresso and Cappuccino Machine

For the money this is an excellent machine for non-commericial use. My spouse is totally hooked on lattes. We usually make 2-20 ounce lattes at one time; although, we have made 3 sets of 2-20 ounce lattes back to back. The Capresso is fast. The espresso is flavorful and hot. The steamer quickly heats the milk to perfection and creates as little or as much froth as you prefer.

During the last 20 years, we have had 6 or 7 different espresso machines ranging from $40.00 to $180.00 in price. This one which retails for $105.00 (we paid less on Amazon)is the best. It is easy to use and creates exceptionally good coffee drinks.

A word of caution for any machine you purchase: READ the INSTRUCTIONS. The directions for each machine differ slighty. My caffeine addicted hubby overfilled the water chamber on a very expensive espresso/cappuccino machine and broke it.

The Capresso 303.01 is the machine I would recommend to friends and family. We are... Read more

I waited a few months before I submitted my review on this machine. The last machine I bought (a Mr. Coffee steam espresso machine) lasted only 3 months before it quit working. I'm happy to say that this machine makes perfect espresso every time. The steam wand works well for frothing and heating the milk, and you can also vary the strength of the espresso. To top it off, the whole unit is easy to clean. You can pop out the bottom shelf where the carafe sits and put it in the dishwasher.

So I bought this machine because of the price, expecting it to be a piece of junk or perhaps a surprise. As the directions in the box say, this is an entry level machine. After using it, I think they are correct, although that is not a bad thing at all.

The espresso is very good, although it does not create much crema. I have had better espresso in Italy, but I really bought this to make cappuccinos with and $59.99 is cheaper than a flight to Florence. It is also very dependent on the type of coffee you use (I purchased Illy's espresso ground in decaf - amazing! I was very, very surprised with the quality of the coffee - yum!).

I became very, very frustrated with the frother, even purchasing an aerolatte frother to see if I could live with that type of froth (btw - I can't. There's nothing like steamed froth). The frother seemed inconsistent at first. Most of that is my lack of experience frothing, which after reading online the various debates and... Read more