Great, if you're lucky

Author's Rating:

Pros: Great, if you can find a deal

Cons: mediocre machine for the normal selling price

The Bottom Line: 
*If* you get it at a marked down price, it's an excellent machine to have. Otherwise, save your pennies for something more high-end.

Author's Review
Now, this review comes with a definite catch, so be sure to note it.

I think I had a situation that others could identify with. I enjoy espresso, but getting a machine presented a problem: the "steam toys" sold by companies like Mr. Coffee can't make true espresso, while the quality home machines such as those made by Gaggia and Rancilio are rather pricey. Just a note about the steam toys: the cheaper machines being marketed as espresso machines are actually NOT really espresso machines: they create steam to pressurize the water, thereby overheating the water and only achieving about 1/4 to 1/3 of the pressure necessary to make espresso. Look for a machine that used a pump to pressurize the water.

Some time ago, a regular poster to alt.coffee; alerted readers to a steal: Damark was selling the Melitta Cafe Express for about $50. Now, a little background knowledge was necessary: this Melitta model was actually the Saeco Via Veneto, rebadged and sold by Melitta. Other than the name on front, the machine is identical. Normally, this machine sells for $180. There was a rush on it by the newsgroup's readers, and Damark quickly sold out.

So how's the machine? Pretty good, as starter machines go. I have since acquired a Gaggia Baby to compare it to.

Fit and Finish: Eh. Seems to be put together competently, but the fit is more Chevy than Lexus (apologies to anyone offended by this analogy). For example, the front section into which the switches fit curves back slightly, but the switch assemblies are straight, so there are gaps at the tops and bottoms. On mine, the left-hand grouping of switches seems rotated about 5-10 degrees clockwise out of true. The unit doesn't seem very substantial: it weighs a heck of a lot less than my Gaggia.

Use: I've read reports from other users who've had trouble first using the Saeco/Melitta--they literally had to give it a whack (just one time)--but mine started up with no problem.
This unit comes with a pressurized portafilter with a crema-enhancing disk (in a nutshell, a portafilter is where the ground coffee goes). This makes things simple for the beginner, but will limit the quality of the shot--i.e., it will be somewhat bitter. This can actually be a good thing if you're making a milk-based drink (cappuccino, et al), as the bitterness cuts through the milk. If you want the ultimate espresso shot, you will be disappointed. You CAN order a nonpressurized portafilter (about $20, if I recall)--I was on my way to do so before I received my Gaggia--and this will help you progress further. You'll have to improve your grinding and tamping, though. Another concern: portafilters are usually very simple devices--pieces of metal welded or bolted together, with no moving parts. The stock portafilter is pretty complex, with springs and plastic pieces. I wonder how long it will last.
Note about pressurized portafilters: again, portafilters are usually simple: the only obstruction between the top and the bottom (the spout) is the ground coffee and the filter basket the coffee sits in. The properly ground and tamped coffee provides resistance and maintains pressure. A pressurized portafilter tries to make things more foolproof by closing off the spout until pressure builds up, causing a spring-loaded valve to open.

Similarly, it comes with a frothing aid--a plastic device attached to the frothing wand. This too is made to simplify the process for the neophyte, but you'll get better results if you learn how to froth milk. Fortunately, it is removable. The wand is a bit short to be convenient.

The machine has a rather small boiler, so it's difficult to make a full-sized double shot (3 oz), and you can run out of steam while frothing milk.

Ultimately, whether you buy this machine should depend upon whether a deal like this ($50) comes along again. If it does, GET IT. It's a fantastic bargain, especially if you're not sure if you want to dedicate yourself to the expense and learning curve of a higher-end machine. If you are a cappuccino junkie, and don't really drink espresso (i.e., you prefer milk-based drinks), this is a great little machine. But at the prices it normally sells for, I'd be much more hesitant to recommend it.