Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL Espresso Machine

We bought the Breville Cafe Roma in hopes that it would be more beautiful(which it was), than our old machine, faster(maybe a little), better tasting espresso (not)and we were disappointed. It did look good, all metal housing, the one we had was red and chrome - very stylish...however that is where the love affair ended! There is only one extrememly tiny hole in the filter, so it constantly gets clogged up with all the pressure pushing the water through the grinds and that one hole. They even supply a cleaning tool (a little pin thing) to clean out the one hole, but unfortunately by the time you find that it has clogged YET AGAIN you are in the middle of trying to make an espresso, and have to take it all apart, throw out the half used coffee grounds, and start all over again. No matter how the coffee is ground, unless of course you had it too coarse to begin with, it would ultimately clog at some point.
Also the so called "vibra pump" is just plain embarrassing! Switch it on to froth, and it starts to ka-thump ka-thump ka-thump loudly through the entire frothing process. The whole thing is a pain - espresso was fairly good tasting and froth was good, but not worth the money or the noise and the clogging.

I switched to this machine after some years of using a Krups steam pump machine. It has taken a while to figure out how get the best coffee out of it, but now that I have, the coffe quality is quite good and it is much easier and more convenient to use than the Krups. One advantage is that you can make multiple cups of coffee w/o having to reheat the machine.

The machine gives good coffee however I am dissapointed in the frothing ability. It does not have the power or motor to froth milk like I expected.
I also never recieved an instruction booklet like promised.

i saw this espresso machine at dillard's (for $300) and just couldn't see spending that much for a "jigged up" coffee machine, especially not knowing anything about which was the best machine for the money. i did my research on ebay, compared machines and prices, and got a fabulous machine for a really good price. it makes great espresso and cafe mochas (which is all i've made so far), and i'm very, very happy with the machine AND the seller i bought it from.

The problem with this seller is that I ask if the machine was a new product and he or she answered it was and them I received a udes machine. I don't have any problem buying a used machine, I have problems buying lies. Just tell the truth and it will be better.

I love the sleek modern design and how quickly it works...it is a little loud when the pressure is pumping but otherwise very impressive!

We have had one for 3 years now. they are not bad at all, though they take some getting used to. the single hole filter tends to plug, but once you figure out the grind to use, the problem disappears. not sure what all the criticism is about foam -- we have worked up over 1" of tight foam without a problem. the main problem we have identified is that the plastic ring that holds the filter holder and pushes it against the shower head cracks after a while. we have seen a few other reviews that mention this problem. replacements take forever to arrive. we ended up buying an aluminum one online at http://www.vancouverwireedm.com/caferomadiyt.htm. the fit was tighter than the original plastic piece, but it works fine. i would recommend this machine, just be careful about over filling the filter. also, do consider investing in a real grinder to avoid plugging that single filter hole.

very fast delivery and product works perfectly.
the perfect present for a coffee lover-froths milk wonderfully and creates the perfect espresso

Great value, simple to use, dislike that makes up to 2 shots of espresso instead of 4 shots like our old expresso machine.

quick heat up, lots of steam for frothing milk, can handle several double shots consecutively.....great buy and would buy again

Overall this is a great machine. Easy to use and coffee in an instant. We have never really managed to get the milk steamer to really work. Milk never seems to get hot. It is nice to have a good espresso at home!

I purchased the Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL Espresso Machine for design quality, size, and price. I am pleased with my purchase.... I have been wanting my own machine for quite some time and just couldn't see spending a fortune on one!! I think this machine is a great deal for the first time buyer. I tried it out.... ok lets go back many many years first, because I was a barista right out of high school; so I know what a good espresso is and the art of making one. I am usually a coffee person by day and espresso person by weekend... so I am ordering some PODS for ease of use and cleanup! Grinding the beans, measuring, tamping and producing that yummy crema can be time consuming!!! I am all about quick and convenient... thus the pod purchase!
I would recommend this product to any beginner that wants a very simple, easy to use machine!!!

So far I really like my new machine, the only thing I'm disappointed in is how long it takes to froth the milk, it's pretty slow. Other than that it's a great machine.

this unit seems to work just fine.it takes up to 30 min to preheat for the first cup.after that it seems to go pretty fast.the milk frother works good.i think this is a good product.

not very good for the price. The espresso maker I bought for forty doesn't look as nice but makes comparable espresso

Very easy to operate. I mastered making a perfect machiato by the third cup. Water reservoir is very easy to fill. I use the ESE pods from Starbucks and I feel like I'm there without leaving my home.

The Expresso Machine I purchased was a Great Buy and works wonderfully. By making my expresso at home prior to going to work, I figured I will save at least $15-$20 per week, therefore this machine will pay for itself in about 2 months or less. That's a Great Deal.

This espresso machine was a present for my boyfriend for Christmas. He loved it and makes espresso's and cappucino's everyday of the week. The machine is stainless steel finish and is beautiful, it just takes a few minutes to make and robust cup of espresso and the milk frother is wonderful for my cappucinos. I've priced all kinds of espresso machines and this one beats all the more expensive models and had better reviews as well and I feel I got more than my moneys worth on this machine and would highly recommend it!

I have always wanted an espresso machine and decided that it was time to buy one after realizing that I was spending over $60.00 a month on lattes from *Starbucks. I had read reviews on all different brands of machines but you can never find a solid positive review, so I decided to buy an espresso machine that was sold at my favorite kitchen store *William Sonoma. They did not carry the Breville Cafe Roma but they did carry other Brevilles, so I decided that this was the brand that I wanted. After I received my espresso machine, I read over the instructions and then tried it out. IT IS SO EASY!!! You add your water, turn it on and wait for it to heat up (which takes mere moments). Once it is heated, you add your fine ground coffee to the single or double shot filter, place your cup or cups under the filter and turn the dial to the espresso setting and out comes hot espresso. If you desire steamed milk in your drink, you turn the dial back to the center and allow the machine to reheat (which takes seconds) and then you just add your milk to the steaming cup, place the steaming wand inside the cup and turn the dial to steam and you get perfectly steamed milk everytime. It is also a snap to froth the milk just by lowering the cup until the very tip of the frothing/steaming wand is right on top of the milk. In just one month, this espresso machine paid for itself in the money that I saved from having to go to a coffee shop for a good latte. I recommend this for anyone who loves a good latte but hates spending $4.00 or more for a good latte or espresso drink.

This compact machine is very easy to use (and clean), and takes up very little space on my counter. iFor a "basic" machine, it heats up in a short time and makes a robust espresso with an excellent crema. The foaming wand produces a nice, thick foam (I use skim milk)in less than two minutes. My cappuccinos rival ones made in popular coffee houses!

This is my first cappuccino machine and all I can say is that I am no expert but for the price I paid it is worth every penny, so far I had it for several months and no complaints or problems. I recommend it to anyone looking to acquire an expresso machine.

Machine heats up fast and produces a beautiful creme della creme with no bitter after taste. Assuming you are using a quality bean with the right room temperature and grind one can produce wonderful straight up espressos, americanos and other mixed coffee drinks.

Easy clean up makes this machine a part of my daily routine each morning.

Only drawback is the wand which moves side to side but is affixed to the machine and will not rotate up and down - makes it more difficult to produce consistent foaming without have to tilt foam cup to get the right amount of depth in the milk.

I BOUGHT THIS ESPRESSO MACHINE BECAUSE MY OLD ONE FINALLY DIED, I DIN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A $ 125.00 MACHINE AND BEING ITALIAN I LOVE MY ESPRESSO, I MUST SAY THAT I WAS SURPRISED, THE ESPRESSO IT,S GREAT, BUT I USED ESPRESSO BEANS FROM ITALY AND NOT THE CHEAP COFFEE YOU BUY AT THE SUPERMARKET, THE MACHINE WARMS UP QUICKLY AND IT DOESN,T TAKE MUCH SPACE ON MY KITCHEN COUNTER, DON'T ASK ME ABOUT THE STEAMER BECAUSE I ONLY USE IT FOR ESPRESSO AND THE ESPRESSO IS REALLY GOOD.
I READ SOMEONE ELSE'S REVIEW AND THEY SAY THE FILTER ONLY HAS ONE HOLE AND IT KEEPS CLOGGING, THEY ARE USING THE WRONG FILTER TO BEGIN WITH AND I DON,T KNOW WHAT COFFEE THEY WERE USING, BUT I KNOW THAT IF YOU DON'T USE THE MACHINE PROPERLY YOU WON'T GET GOOD RESULTS, DON'T HATE THE MACHINE, LEARN IT.

I've purchased the Breville Cafe Roma about a year ago and I love it! It works great it ground expresso roast or with the pods. It froths the milk without any problems and the latte tastes great. I like the style and for the price it is worth while buying. I can definately recommend this product.

This item is a MUST have for all of you esresso lovers out there! If you are like I once was, then you are sick and tired of paying almost five bucks at the local corporate coffee house for a cup of warm milk. I simply lost my patience and decided to purchase my own espresso maker. Now my drinks turn out perfect...EVERY time.

Since purchasing on Ebay I paid about half of retail. The unit works flawlessly. It has paid for itself tenfold and I have only had it for about a month. So, if you are tired of paying five bucks for hot milk (BLAHH), Be your own barista. Not only is it cost effective, but it's alot of fun too.

For those of you who are having clogging problems, you may not be packing the coffe tight enough. You need to pack with about 60lbs of pressure. Also, if you are using tap water, you should switch to conditioned water (reverse osmosis), or a clean bottled water. Hard water will leave deposits (rocks) that will clog every appliance in your home. Your showerhead is a good indicator of how hard your water is...check it out. Cheers!