Estro Barista

Pros: I can stay away from $3 lattes.

Cons: I now drink 5 a day.

The Bottom Line: If you have been intimidated by learning how to use an espresso machine, fear no more. And now we've used it for 3 years- still a workhorse.

Review: Tha good, tha bad and.... there's really no ugly in this story. We bought our Barista machine at a garage sale. For $5. Go ahead and kick me in the shins. I'm sure I deserve it. The nice lady assured us there was nothing wrong with it except a ...

Pros: easy to use, consistently great espresso, plenty of steam

Cons: expensive when not on sale, but worth full price anyway

The Bottom Line: If you want a great machine without spending a lot of money, get the Barista when it goes on sale for $249.

Review: Before You Begin

There's no reason to spring for the stainless steel or copper Barista espresso machines unless you are very concerned about your kitchen's aesthetics. Mine is black and looks great. All of the Barista machines are...

Pros: Great Espresso, Looks Very Cool on the Kitchen Counter, No More $4.00 Mochas!

Cons: A Little Pricey, but So Worth It.

The Bottom Line: A sturdy machine that makes a great shot. Toss the Krups, and make room for this one your kitchen counter! You won't regret the investment.

Review: Here's why I think the Starbucks Barista Espresso Machine is so similar to a Kate Spade Bag: 1) You know you want it, 2) The design is a great combination of classic/off-beat, 3) It is borderline prohibitively expensive, but 4)
You will use it (and...

Pros: This machine can pull the sweetest shot of espresso.

Cons: You MUST follow the priming directions for your machine to have a long life.

The Bottom Line: This lovely machine will hold twice the water of most machines. It is easy to use and makes perfect crema each time.

Review: I cannot tell anyone that spending $249.00 on an espresso maker is a practical purchase. Of course, if you are spending four dollars a day at Starbucks...this could be a practical purchase. I never dreamed that the best espresso machine would be from...

Pros: Saves money. Looks cool. Tastes lovely.

Cons: Plenty of cleanup. Friends will ask for complicated drinks.

The Bottom Line: Fantastic reliable performance for a reasonable price. One of my best purchases ever.

Review: ...the Barista is still going strong. Nary a problem. And the espresso seems to get more and more tasty. A friend tells me the Italians have a "10,000 cup rule" which says that an espresso machine doesn't make its best-tasting coffee until the...

Pros: Flawless operation, great drinks, great customer support, and simple to use.

Cons: Irregular pump sound (made learning a bit hard), and no auto-off (no apparent damage).

The Bottom Line: Shop all you want -- but you can see from what I and others say: this one is great.

Review: First machine for me -- didn't know what to expect and thought my payback would have to be 1-2 years...which is not a problem at Starbuck's pricing. I moved to the mountains in LA four years ago, where the local coffee shop reuses its grounds (I know no ...

Pros: Good quality, works well

Cons: expensive, but I couldn't find anything cheaper that actually worked.

The Bottom Line: If you are ready to commit to a real espresso machine this is the cheapest one I could find that actually worked.

Review: I bought this machine after trying cheaper Krups machines and I love it! Sure it's expensive but no more than any of the other high quality machines I looked at. I found that anything cheaper was a waste of money and time (I had to return two other...

Pros: Ease of use, never runs out of steam, large water capacity.

Cons: No automatic shut-off

Review: The lure of lattes and and cappucinos had always eluded me. I was NOT going to spend $3.50 or more to get an exotic caffeine fix when I could get a perfectly good fix for $2.00....that was before I tried them.

I got hooked one cold December...

Pros: So easy to use, I can use it with great results.

Cons: Tempting to show off non-existent barista skills to friends.

The Bottom Line: Make buying this machine your last trip to Starbuck's, and enjoy your espresso at home on the cheap.

Review: I like coffee; ocassionally a shot or two of espresso in the afternoon. I don't like waiting in line at Starbuck's behind half a dozen people who are ordering their wimp drinks, especially since I only want regular coffee or a shot of espresso (a ...

Pros: Simple to Use. Major Item to keep up in the adult toys race.

Cons: Pricey. You become addicted.

The Bottom Line: Those lines are only going to get longer. Buy this machine and get the Sunday Paper delivered.

Review: Do you watch HGTV? You know that show with that annoying Matt and Sherry? You know…the one where you have to have an INSPIRATION piece to start decorating a room? Well it’s not a crock dearies. Our inspiration piece for our basement renovation is...