Ascaso Steel DUO PID, Programmable Espresso Machine w/ Volumetric Controls, Dual Thermoblock, 120V (Stainless Steel)

Absolutely outstanding quality and value. I received the black color model three days ago. And absolutely love the quietness, solid quality of all its parts, accurate temperature control, pressure, temperature of water coming out of the water spout and excellent steam pressure. The tank is easy to fill and the hoses inside the tank have screen filters to keep the water supply clean. Standby mode, timer, programming shots, all quick operations easy to learn on the spot. Water tray has good capacity and I love the 'maze' design in the tray to prevent the water from splattering as one carries the tray to the sink to empty it. Startup was a bit tricky when after 3 brewing sessions I ran into a problem related to water coming out from both the coffee headgroup and water dispensing spout simultaneously. Quickly and easily corrected (even contacted Ascaso support and received a very fast response. Very nice to see they stand by their product). Overall, I am very satisfied with the machine. It's straightforward simple, solid, brews beautiful espresso and has great steam pressure. Recommend 100%

I took a lot of time and consideration in purchasing my first Espresso machine. Ascaso won for two important reasons. First - the way it looks. Most machines have the appearance they fell off a rocket ship. This was polished... refined. Second - the features. Most PID, dual boiler (thermacoil in this case) machines were priced well into the $2000's. This was priced below. Some technical learning curves aside, the machine has performed better than expected. It's held up to 3 shots a day at a minimum with no issues. I will say (as Im sure its true with most espresso machines) make sure you're looking at a quality grinder. The Vario was not a great partner.