Krups Espresso Machine

I got the Krups Espresso Machine through an EBay auction. It is a godsend. When I was in law school, I became highly dependent upon Starbucks, but the Starbucks bill ended up to be really hefty. So, I purchased this machine and my caffeine needs were history. You probably get what you pay for, however. I am sure that the espresso that I brew with this machine would not be of the quality that I could buy from a Starbucks cafe. Even so, it is not bad.

The milk frothing thing -- at first, I loved it and used it, but I encountered some problems using it. Sometimes, I'd get it to froth; other times, it would not froth at all. It was also a bit cumbersome to use. I have since given up using it altogether and I just make flavored espresso (I flavor my espresso with Monin syrups -- excellent product) and soymilk.

Cleaning up is never a problem. I just have to dump out the coffee grinds from the metal container and clean out the container. I clean the insides of the machine once a week by dissolving 2 teaspoons of food grade citric acid in a carafe full of water and then turning on the machine, letting part of the water pass through, and then turning the machine off for 30 minutes. This really works wonders -- I learned the hard way that not cleaning the machine out often results in a bitter brew. (I got the citric acid from Netgrocer; but, from what I understand, this is available at grocery stores generally.)

One last thing: the machine did not come with a grinder, so I bought a Braun coffee grinder -- which I love -- really fast, efficient, powerful.