This machine is fantastic and makes wonderful espresso. I bought it for its styling, overall good reviews, and to replace a machine I had that uses pods. I’m over the pods and want genuine espresso. I’ve seen a review where the person said you can’t make a good espresso with this no matter how skilled you may be, and that almost put me off buying it. But then I saw the same exact review everywhere touting another machine so I have to wonder if it’s legit because I couldn’t disagree more. My espresso shots come out beautifully dark with a long-lasting, reddish-brown crema. I specifically use espresso roast coffee beans that I grind fresh. I bought a solid, metal tamper, too, and that helped get the perfect shot for me. The machine allows some pretty cool programmable functions like adjusting shot size. Just keep the book so you know how to program it. The factory settings are great out of the box though. The frother works like a charm but takes some practice to master. I like that part of it is removable to accommodate taller cups; not something I use much but it’s nice to have the option. And it’s one sharp looking machine on my counter. It has the character I wanted and works with the mid-century feel of my kitchen. For the price, it was perfect for me because I wanted something a little high end and stylish. But since I’m brewing at home and not a barista, I didn’t need something super expensive with bells and whistles galore. This was a splurge item, but well worth it. The cons are, in my opinion, vastly outweighed by the pros, and they’re not deal-breakers. The tamper they give you is plastic, flimsy, and not good. Just go ahead and invest in a good metal one. Yes, the machine exterior is plastic. It’d be great if it were metal— that would be my preference— but it does have some serious heft to it already and doesn’t feel really cheap in my opinion. If it were all metal it might weigh a ton and cost substantially more. And it shines all the same. The metal grate your cup sits on tends to get scratched easily. It’s not horrible, just something that annoys me some. Some people have commented the water reservoir is small. It’ll hold two standard sized water bottles worth of water. For me it’s fine. I don’t have to refill it too often. And seriously, I’m glad it does have a reservoir. I do wish it came with a frother that was just a half inch longer or so. It froths so well that it’d be nice to pull the frothing cup down some without the danger of spewing milk everywhere- which happened to me once. Blame it on operator error. Like I said it takes a little practice. Just be sure to keep the bottom of the frother submerged. This will use pods if you want. I just haven’t tested it out with the pods. You can buy espresso roast coffee that’s already ground. Have tried that and it’s fine. I just think freshly ground gives a better taste and crema. There’s something nice about preparing a great espresso from start to finish. If I get around to it, I’d like to post a video. The only English video I found was of this lady whose skills made me look like a barista king and she didn’t utilize it to its full potential. All the other videos I could find were in Dutch, French, Russian, or artsy adverts that said nothing on using it. I’ve had this machine for a month so I can’t comment on how long-lasting it is. Apparently, as with all espresso machines, users need to care for it and keep it clean to ensure it has a good life. But if it works well over an extended period of time then I would totally buy it again. Love it. Overall I rate it 5 stars because I can overlook its minor flaws and at the end of the day it brings me joy and makes a great espresso.