20 Bar Espresso Machine with Milk Frother - Stainless Steel Coffee Maker with Fast Heating Thermo Block & Detachable Tank - Perfect for Home Baristas & Coffee Shops

To be fair, I am still learning how to properly use this machine. I had issues of not getting any crema, and it was my fault - I was not using coffee that was ground finely enough. I used the lowest setting on the Kaffe burr grinder, and it still wasn't fine enough for this machine. As soon as I switched to the famous pre-ground yellow packet, I had zero issues getting crema. Machine came up to pressure, and no issues going forward.The milk steamer wand is a real learning curve. If you don't do it right, it doesn't taste right. The steam has to purge for a few seconds before you can froth your milk... otherwise you're injecting hot water pockets right in there.You cannot froth your milk first and brew your shots on top without waiting. The machine gets too hot and doesn't allow you to do anything until it cools. The fastest way to do that is to actually run the steam wand again (which didn't make sense to me, but it worked). If you do it the way it is intended, shots first then steamed milk, no issues. I just like to try to do it all in one to save on dishes in the morning.The tamper is excellent. My brother who is a bit of an espresso machine snob really loved this - better than the one that came with a more high end machine.I have an issue with the double shot filter being almost impossible to remove from the portafilter. It does come out, but I can't do it while it is hot. Honestly, a non-issue for me since I never see myself actually using the single shot. For reference though, the single shot fits perfectly and is easy to remove.The machine is beginner friendly, but you have to want to learn how to actually make espresso. It's not like one of the pod machines or drip. It's harder to use than French press, pour over, or a moka pot... But once you get it, you will feel so accomplished. I'm not there yet, though. If you want convenience and ease with espresso style beverages, you want a pod machine or a moka pot - it's not quite the same, but it will get what you need. If you truly want to learn how to really make barista style beverages, this is worth a shot.