Capresso124.01 Ultima Pro Programmable Pump Espresso Machine, Black/Stainless Steel

[Update after nearly a year's daily use:] My Capresso is holding up fine, and I've bought a second copy as a backup. I remain amazed at how much this modestly priced machine automates for you:(1) It's self-stopping. But you can override that (just hit a button) to stop the pump early. Also, you can easily touch-reprogram the machine to stop at whatever water volume you consider to be a tasty single shot and double shot. (Two separate settings.)(2) It's self-tamping. I didn't know that was even a thing. But it is, it's clever, and it works. The brew head above the portafilter is shaped like a parabolic disc, so it tamps down the coffee when you lock in the portafilter.(3) It's self-draining. A few seconds after the pump shuts off, a solenoid draws excess water out of the portafilter. So the grounds come out relatively dry, making them easy to dump out with minimal mess.(4) Its front-panel LEDs turn off after several minutes of inactivity, to save energy. But press any button and they all snap back on. Also, the whole machine shuts down after 20–30 minutes of inactivity. But from even a cold shutdown (like overnight), it takes less than a minute to heat back up to brewing temperature.These features used to cost hundreds of dollars. But apparently, parent company Jura let technology from its fancy, $1,000+ automated Swiss machines trickle down (sorry) into this price range. I actually bought this Capresso, refurbished, for just $6 more than my little starter DeLonghi espresso machine cost 15 years ago. (Second copy, lightly used, cost $16 LESS than my DeLonghi.)And the very first double shot I pulled on this Capresso had more crema than any cup I've extracted in 15 years of wrestling with pump machines from less–solid brands. I'm amazed and pleased at the the apparent quality and value here.One other interesting thing: This is hoseless. Water gets sucked from the tank into the pump by some mysterious process involving magic. Still haven't figured out how that works.So...we'll see how it holds up. Two tips for avoiding/resolving trouble:* If your espresso tastes weak or watery, keep reprogramming the machine to pull progressively shorter (more-"ristretto") shots. This machine generates so much crema that watching the stream of coffee out of the portafilter can fool you about when your shot has begun turning weak. Since I'm used to machines with less-effective pumps, it took me weeks to realize this. What looked to still be a nice dark-amber stream had actually become the weak, yellowy stuff you don't want in your cup. I've just resolved the shot time, and now I'm getting nice, rich, bitter/sweet espresso.* If the machine is struggling to pump even a slow trickle of water through its portafilter: STOP! Abandon this shot, and switch to a coarser coffee grind. You can destroy almost any espresso machine (over time) by blocking the portafilter with an excessively fine grind. If the pump's pressure can't escape through its intended route – namely, into your cup – it will escape through the next-weakest points, by weakening and destroying the machine's internal seals. Any decently-made machine will give you tolerance for a certain number of errors while you adjust your grind...but don't push it.

I was a barista for ten years and I have made a million espresso drinks on many a fancy machine. I spent a really long time looking for a little machine for my home that would do all the same, especially without waiting ages for it to heat up, or having to refill it with water after every pulled shot or steamed milk. This machine is phenomenal! I LOVE IT. Pros:1. It looks great. Sleek, simple, clean.2. Easy to use. It's all right there on the front, in pictures. Can't get any easier.3. Beautiful and delicious shots of espresso pulled. Bold, smooth, gorgeous crema.4. You don't need to buy a separate tamper. The machine tamps the shot when you insert the portafilter. This could also be considered a con if you enjoy the whole experience, and tamping your own shots (which I do, but I got used to not doing it really quickly).5. Heats up in under ten seconds (more like five), for everything - just pulling shots or even steaming milk. Super fast. Also, you are able to pull several double shots of espresso before having to refill the water compartment. I know because I pulled them over and over when I first got the machine, while adjusting the grind on my beans.6. If you quick rinse your machine after each espresso-making session - use a damp cloth to clean the steam wand (soon after makes it much easier), rinse the portafilter and then re-insert it and run a couple of empties to clean out the residual coffee in the machine, keep the water compartment full, etc. - you will have no issues.Cons:I haven't found any yet. I will update this post as I use the machine. I don't normally review anything, but I am so impressed with this machine and the ease of using it, I had to write a review.

This is a solid product that makes very good espresso. It's a big step up from the cheaper (under $100) model that I had before.Pros:Easy to use. You have to read the directions carefully, but once you have it down, it's a piece of cake.Makes tasty espresso. I like what I make as well as or better than what I get at coffee shops.Works quickly. It has a short warm-up time and brews quickly.Cons:Messy. No matter how careful I am, there's just a lot of water to clean up after, both on the machine and on the table around it. easy to wipe up, but a little annoying.Frother. The steam wand has a frother attachment. The steam wand works great, but if you put the frother on, the milk gets frothed to the point of overflowing the pitcher before it ever gets warm. Who wants cold froth? I find that I have to steam the milk warm, turn the steamer off, add the frother attachment carefully (the wand is hot!), wait for the steamer to warm up again and then froth the steamed milk. Not a deal breaker, but it adds a minute or two to the preparation process.An oddity for me as well: I have trouble with the single shot basket. Since I almost always make double shots, it hasn't been an issue, but I'm not sure why the single shot is less consistent. I just drink two and leave happy.Overall (assuming it lasts longer than my old cheap machine) I thinks it's a great value for the price. I use it daily for my wife and me. At 14 double shots a week, it's more than paid for itself in just the first two months.

coffee it makes is actually great, but the machine emptied its tank on the piece of furniture it was sitting on. Just sitting. It just leaks, by itself. No thanks. Bought this as an amazon deal, it was 100$ or more cheaper than if I had bought it new. But what a waste of time. Someone must have returned it for the same reason I will return it, but it was sold again I suppose.

Una máquina muy práctica, siempre saca la cantidad exacta de agua. Muy fácil de manejar y con el molido adecuado la extracción es excelente

La máquina llegó en excelentes condiciones. No ha fallado ni una vez, fácil de usar y limpiar.

El vapor realmente no calienta la leche a tope pero si calienta, fuera de eso me satisface mucho

La cafetera esta linda y tiene una apariencia de buena calidad... Pero al usarla filtra y gotea agua por el espumador de leche sin estar activado, solo con encenderla comienza a emitir vapor con gotas de agua dejando un desastre... Lei tarde las opiniones, me di cuenta después de comprarla que este modelo tiene ese problema... El fabricante debiera retirar este modelo y no vender problemas a los consumidores, también Amazon debiera ponerse las pilas, es una lata comprar para tener que regresar productos de los cuales saben que están defectuosos... Muchas gracias