Great Starter Machine

Author's Rating:

Pros: Economical, Makes good Espresso, Uses Pods, Does not require plumbing

Cons: Loud, Could be easier to clean

The Bottom Line: 
On a budget? New to espresso making? This is the machine for you!!! I love mine!

Author's Review
I used to barista years ago and grew to appreciate a 'good' shot of espresso. I was constantly running around to Starbucks, Caffe a Via and other establishments to get espresso and espresso based drinks. In an effort to conserve money I did some research and ended up with the Carezza by Gaggia. $200 was my limit for a machine as I knew I would still have to purchase a burr grinder and all the other items I would need. This is absolutely a great buy at this price and after a bit of getting used to it...it makes a nice shot of espresso. It took me a couple of weeks to get the feel of the machine so don't give up on it. It seemed a bit drippy and hard to use at first, but I do not notice it being drippy any more (so it must have been me!).It can also use pods which is a nice feature while I save up for my grinder. On the down side it is a bit of a chore cleaning it up after a pull. I now have a routine of using a wet paper towel to run around the rim of the brewing head and then pull two blank shots and wipe again. It is also very noisy, but this is easy to forget when you are sipping a nice cappuccino! The frothing wand is AMAZING! It literally does all the work of frothing for you. I use my machine 4-6 times per week. I would recommend this machine as a great, economical starter machine.