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This machine is everything I thought it was going to be and more. My milk texturing is already 10 fold better. Whilst it does take a bit of time to dial in grind settings, tamping and shot length etc the results are well worth it.
Now disclosure, I have only had this for 3 days so this is in no means a full review of life with the Barista Express. Cleaning is easy but it does need careful care and attention. I found the instructions decent but I'm not sure how much I trust the guage for dialing in my shot. I found my best shot came in whilst the guage showed over extraction. This could be down to the bean or just how I am used to that bean tasting from my previous machine and experience.
I have a new artisan roast arriving that I have never tried so will see how easy that is to get dialed in.
Now for a couple of not negatives but things I felt could be better. First off is the portafilter being non standard in size this not allowing for customisation. It's not a biggy as given the price point I still feel you get value for money.
Second is the dip tray. I feel the empty me sign should appear a bit earlier than it does as it does fill quickly and seems quite shallow. It will need emptied after every use which you should do anyway to keep clean.
Third is related to the portafilter and that is the tamper. It's nice and handy with the magnetic handle but feels a bit light and cheap for the rest of the machine. With the non standard size I can see getting a separate one being a little more frustrating.
Overall I am delighted with my purchase. The build quality is impressive and for me the steam wand is a dream.
It can be tricky to get that perfect brew dialed in but this is not a machine for the hands off type. This is for the closet barista or like me the coffee hobbiest.
It's not just the result that is great but the feeling of accomplishment when you get it all right.
If anything changes in my opinion in the next few months I will update accordingly.
Barney