Estro Barista

Pros: So easy to use, I can use it with great results.
Cons: Tempting to show off non-existent barista skills to friends.

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: Easy to use, superb espresso shots,Quality in every aspect! The REAL DEAL!
Cons: Expensive, No DVD for directions only VHS. Accessory kit not included in the price.

My wife purchased this for me for my Christmas gift this year. She has been dying for me to open it for the last month it has been sitting under the tree. She bought me the machine as well as the accessory kit which has the frothing pitcher and a ...

Pros: simple, reliable, beautiful, ergonomic, priced right (buy it on sale) portable, easy to get creative.
Cons: nothing really jumps out at me. Maybe it could use a cup warmer.

To begin with, I worked for Starbucks when (in the old days) we had no automatic espresso machines. Shots were pulled and tamped by hand and a subtle change in the weather was instantly noticed by the dramatic change in the tamp required to pull good ...

Pros: I can stay away from $3 lattes.
Cons: I now drink 5 a day.

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: Exceptional customer service, nice looking machine
Cons: Horrible quality control issues, too much prep required

First of all, I love Starbucks coffee. Second, they have some of the most exceptional customer service I've ever experienced. Unfortunately, I seem to have been a victim of quality control issues with the Barista. I've been drooling over the Candy ...

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).

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: This machine can pull the sweetest shot of espresso.
Cons: You MUST follow the priming directions for your machine to have a long life.

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: easy to use, consistently great espresso, plenty of steam
Cons: expensive when not on sale, but worth full price anyway

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, and the best milk steamer I've ever used.
Cons: LOTS of cleanup and it's expensive.

As I write this my wife and I have just bought our second Starbucks Barista. Our first gave us 5 years of impeccable service, right up until my lack of cleaning and priming caused the filter to clog and kill the pump through over-pressure. Obviously,...

Pros: Great Espresso and Extremely Hot and Frothy Steamed Milk
Cons: Requires manual filling of the reservior Filter will get blocked up with coffee resin.

Well, after 6 years of almost daily use with my Proteo Espresso machine, it was time to replace it with the same Starbucks Barista machine. These robust espresso machines are made in the same Italian factory only 6 years apart. Back then there were only...

Pros: Saves money. Looks cool. Tastes lovely.
Cons: Plenty of cleanup. Friends will ask for complicated drinks.

...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: Great Espresso, Looks Very Cool on the Kitchen Counter, No More $4.00 Mochas!
Cons: A Little Pricey, but So Worth It.

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: Quick to warm up, holds lots of water, makes lots of steam.
Cons: Just the usual mess that comes with making espresso.

I bought the Barista, watched the video, made a few shots, and that was it. I let it gather dust on my countertop for nearly two years.

Recently, I cleaned it up and gave it another try. And something about this time around grabbed me. Maybe...

Pros: Good quality, works well
Cons: expensive, but I couldn't find anything cheaper that actually worked.

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: Made wonderful espresso when it worked
Cons: Stopped working after approx 30 shots

I'm on my second machine which appears ready to quit on me at any time. The first machine worked for only three weeks and for only 30 shots or so. After working through the problem with "customer service" (oxymoronic, since they are only available...