Microcasa Semiautomatica Commercial Espresso Machine Finish: Copper and Brass

After a bit of learning regarding the right techniques and grind fineness to use with this espresso machine, we are now making delicious cappuccinos at home. It takes about 15 minutes to heat up, but the wait is worth it for the quality of espresso that you get. The espresso is wonderful and the milk steamer works great as well. In addition, this lovely machine is an artistic and functional culinary piece adding to our home decor. I looked around but didn't find one that I considered more beautiful.My only complaint is that the instruction manual is the generic Elektra manual, including some basic instructions that apply to all of their machines in many languages, and as such is a bit of information overload. It's hard to find out what you need to know to operate the machine from the manual. I would also provide a cautionary word of advice to other purchasers that the entire body of this thing gets HOT (the rear cylinder encases the boiler) so be careful not to touch it when you are steaming milk.I recommend the CoffeeGeek review of this machine for more details for interested customers and for some great use/care instructions for other purchasers.

It tasted awful at first but my dog liked it after the 3rd try. I learned not to put too much ground dog food in the machine. He likes his soy, almond, vegan, lactose free, organic, and grass-fed milk around 104 degrees. Definitely recommend adding frothy bone broth to the cream.

Horrible product, looks fancy, broke down after 3 months, Amazon said too bad. Cafe repair rep knew all about this machine and said he had received several calls. It now sits in my garage

My Semiautomatica lasted for 13 years. It is still repairable but the cost of repair would be several hundred dollars. I elected not to replace it with another Semiautomatica due to other excellent options in its price range.It is an excellent machine, but you pay a premium for the design. Warm-up time of 15 minutes is good compared to the competition. Very good steaming power for small amounts of milk (like a cappuccino) but it slows down considerably with a larger pitcher of milk. The espresso quality itself is very good. The drip tray is irritatingly small. The area under the drip tray is prone to corrosion despite my best efforts. Over the years, some corrosion also developed in the copper base, which is a cosmetic issue. There was also some discoloration of the brass in parts, which could have been avoided with more meticulous cleaning after each use. If I were to buy another, I'd go with the chrome version to avoid these issues.If you want to use VST baskets, be aware that the grouphead is low and you won't be able to fit a full dose of coffee in the portafilter without the grouphead coming into contact with the puck. I was able to fit about 20.5 g in a 22 g VST basket.The P-Stat needs to be replaced every few years. The problem is that the P-stat is below the water level, but is designed to measure vapor pressure above the water. If you don't use soft water, scale will also develop at the P-stat which will cause it to fail even more quickly. This is not a difficult repair, however.What ended my machine was a burnt out heating element with a small leak. I think the leak occurred first because there was a lot of water and new corrosion in the base when I opened it up. Unlike the P-Stat, the heating element is not an easy repair.

This has been a big hit as a Christmas present. It looks nice, is solidly made, and makes a good cup of espresso or cappuccino. It is exactly what it looks like and what I hoped for. Also, it was quick and easy to set up.

The ferrari of coffee machine. Relatively easy to use and so beautiful in our kitchen. Plan 20 min for warm up

Best thing I ever bought!:)

Pricey but both a beautifully and excellently functional Expresso machine. I love it.