I got this espresso machine on E-Bay for just under 60 bucks with shipping. It's worth a heck of a lot more so I feel very lucky to have gotten it for such a low price. Before this machine, I was using a Mr. Coffee steam espresso maker. The pump definitely makes a difference in the taste, appearance, and quality of the espresso. With a steam machine, there might be a hint of crema but it disappears after a minute. With the Krups 3000, it's a real thick layer of crema that lingers in the cup after the espresso is gone.
The steam wand was something that I had to alter a little. On the Krups 3000 FNC2 model, there is a rubber thing and a metal stick that attaches onto the steam wand. This is not really useful if you know how to steam milk already. The only thing the rubber attachment does is give you an extra thing to wash! So, I removed it and just use the bare steam wand. The steam is either on or off because it's controlled by the dial. I liked the control of the steam wand on my steam espresso machine because it was controlled with a knob that let out steam according to how much you turned it. With a dial, the steam just comes shooting out.
The machine comes with 3 filters, all of which are great. However, I like to use the double dose filter for a stronger brew or just a longer shot. The single dose filter is ok too if I want a "Cafe Americano" - just brew a long shot with it. The third filter is for pods. The kit came with 18 Ily pods, which tasted fine but I prefer a darker roast. It's a convenient thing to have because there is no tamping required.
Speaking of tamping, the flat side of the scoop that they give you is not really good enough for a nice espresso. It's only good for leveling out the top. I happened to have a jewelry box that is round and the perfect diameter for tamping. Use fresh finely ground coffee if possible and press the coffee down into the filter as hard as you can. That will make your espresso taste just like the expensive stuff you get at the coffee shops.
There are a couple of things to remember about this gadget though. The rubber gasket fell out once and I had to put it back in. It has not fallen out since then. If it happens to you, just push it back into the groove where the water comes out and it should be fine. The other thing is to remember to empty out the drip tray after every 7 or 8 espressos because the pump lets a little bit of water into the tray each time. The manual says this is normal. This is important when you run water through the machine the first time, as it says in the manual to do. The tray overflowed after I ran two containers of water through it and I thought it was leaking! It wasn't.
Overall, I am very happy with this machine and they're under $100 on E-bay and probably other places because there are new Krups models out already.
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