NGL bought this solely for aesthetic reasons because I wanted a more visually pleasing espresso maker to go with my Talavera mugs. I’m not an espresso expert but I am a coffee enthusiast and drink daily. I’m enough of a coffee snob to know that any “pod” espresso maker is never a match for freshly ground and brewed but unfortunately I can’t afford these $600-1000 barista espresso machines so I decided to look for something that would meet both my needs halfway at least. I was more than pleasantly surprised by this purchase. The machine is cute and the espresso quality is legit. I’ve had it for a few months now and I have stopped spending money at coffee houses entirely! I much prefer making my own to my taste, at home! I make perfect iced lattes in the comfort of my own home now. I got some quality flavored syrups and and sauces, super extra crema Lavazza beans, plus some glass coffee tumblers and the experience gives me all of the dopamine! I was worried to order because y’know it’s Amazon so it’s hit or miss. Luckily, so far it’s been a hit. It’s not as noisy as some say. I mean it’s a a machine so it makes noise when it pulls the espresso and steams milk but I don’t plan on operating it in the middle of the night or around sleeping babies so the noise isn’t an issue for me. Hopefully it doesn’t stop working after a few months the like everything else you buy on Amazon. But if lasts me at least 2 years, it was worth it!The only real con is the milk steamer. It’s not the best by any means but I have a separate milk frother so it’s fine. I also prefer shots over ice so I don’t need to use it as much. When it does work, it works ok. Mainly it waters down the milk so much which I’m not a fan of and it squirts everywhere which can be dangerous!