Pros.Came well packed with easily identifiable parts.Instructions are straightforward easily understood.Height of the machine means I can pull shots directly into my regular mugs even 16oz to go cups.Height also makes it very easy to froth the milk without having to tilt the cup to get it under the wandCons.The Portafilter is really tough- it takes more effort than I would like to fit the Portafilter in place. Could be that it just needs more uses? As it stands, I have to hold the opposite side of the machine when trying toninster the Portafilter, to keep the machine in place. While doing that, I hit the water reservoir button (minor annoyance).Bottom less Portafilters aren't for newbies. This is not really a "con" so much as a fact that I wasn't aware of when ordering. If you are new to espresso and/or are the type of person who just wants a quick but quality cup of coffee without a lot of fuss or science, you should probably not get a bottom less Portafilter. It require more baristw know edge than i care to learn. To be clear the espresso is NOT bad, it's just not as good as my dual spout Portafilter. I am very aware that this is almost certainly due to lack of experience.Final notes5 stars for espresso professionals4 stars for espresso newbies that are trying to refine their skillsPass if you're a newbie who isn't interested in refining those skills and just wants to press a button or two for their espresso. Look for one with the dual spouts if you're in this boat.Note for Cuisinart - maybe make an optional Portafilter that has the dual spouts? A Portafilter with training wheels so to speak.