Review on ☕ Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine: Create Perfect Lattes and Cappuccinos with 15 Bar Pump Pressure and Manual Milk Frother Steam Wand in Black/Stainless, EC260BK by Darby Perkins

I got this espresso machine for Christmas because I moved to town without Starbucks :( I used to have a bit researched I bought this particular one but I wish I had known a few details beforehand, all I knew about espresso before buying it was how to order the drink I wanted so I definitely didn't want a crazy crowd Spending money but also knew I wasn't interested in something that would make a less authentic drink like a capsule machine (Nespresso) So I used it for the first time today It takes a little time not a big deal to set up , but also more time than I expected to actually make a shot of espresso.okay I can live with that.any day but now i think it might be unrealistic for example. i took some (desh ev) cafe-bustelo in the shop to auto try, i understand that there are much better espresso out there. Anyway my husband and I made a cappucino and it was really great for my first time, we were very impressed! It was actually like you would order it at a coffee shop, I think I was lucky to get the milk to espresso ratio right. It wasn't too difficult to use or understand. BUT a few things to note. Firstly, the machine has a spare water tank and to take a shot you either insert a filter meant for one or two shots, simply measure out a scoop or two of espresso and turn the knob, pretty easy. BUT you have to manually decide when to turn the handle back or it won't stop (like a coffee pot) after your shots are fired. So basically the entire reserve water tank is skipped unless you turn the knob back and I had no idea how to figure out when to do this as a first time user just had to guess based on how much water was in a glass was. Which brings me to my next point: there are no espresso glasses included, which would be useful to measure and better decide when to turn it off. I just used a coffee mug that was almost too big to fit under the nozzle, not ideal. In any case, I did not understand something that you need to buy separately. In addition, cleaning is no small matter. It's not the same as brewing coffee where you just throw away the basket and filter when you're done. Since the filters in this machine are reusable you have to take this whole piece apart to wash it and I'm talking about taking it out of the machine, scooping out the bottom and pouring it out, unscrewing the bottom and taking 4 separate pieces out of the Take filters, wash them individually, dry them and put them back together. I just don't know if I was willing to do all of that every single day when I was in a hurry to get out of the house. If you plan to use the milk frother daily, you'll need to clean it even more - you'll need to run hot water through it, then take it apart and rinse it out after each use. This reminded me that I would also need to buy a milk frother glass because it wasn't included and I needed something that could be measured for me, otherwise I'm just guessing. All in all, even the cheap espresso I used at first tasted great. I know it takes some practice to get used to, I was just hoping it would be an easier substitute for my morning cup of coffee or $5 a day at Starbucks. I'm now considering buying ESE capsules, which can also be used in this machine instead of ground espresso. I didn't factor in that cost, it's around $35-$50 for 150 bills, which isn't ideal, but might be worth it if it saves cleaning time and I can have an iced coffee every day.