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Breville Cafe Roma Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker ESP8XL | 
 enlarge | Brand: Breville
List Price: $299.00
Buy Used: $105.00
You Save: $194.00 (65%)
Rating:  5 reviews
MPN: BREVILLECAFEROMA
UPC: 833304003367
EAN: 0933304000387
ASIN: B000E46ITO
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The Cafe Roma Espresso/Cappuccino machine by Breville is for the style conscious coffee lover. It is ideal for making a variety of coffee drinks from espresso and cappuccino, to lattes and machiattos. This espresso machine features a 15 bar Italian Thermoblock pump system, an advanced crema system with a froth enhancer, a removable 1.2 litre water tank, a removable drip tray with a water level indicator, a cup warming plate, 2 stainless steel espresso cups and a frothing jug.
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| Customer Reviews:
 I wouldn't buy another November 21, 2008
Ken Walker
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this to replace another bad designed espresso maker a KitchenAid that I paid over a thousand dollars including tax. This started out just like the previous one,worked fine for 3 or 4 months and it became a pretty stainless steel space filler for our counter. The main problem with these is clogging filter that cant be cleaned properly. I don't think I will buy any more hi end makers.
 Worst espresso machine I've ever used... March 17, 2008
inframan (the lower depths)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've owned 4 machines over a period of 30 years, starting with an old(er)-fashion piston-pump Riviera, a now expensive classic (the kind with the big lever arm you pull down) that I had completely rebuilt twice until I retired it for a Briel Lido (cheap & plain but reliable).
I had high hopes for this unit. It looks elegant in style with a metal body & clean lines & seems to operate in a straightforward way. But in actual usage it verges on the nightmarish. A previous poster has already eloquently described 2 of the ESP8XL's biggest shortcomings: its spring-loaded filter holder & its redesigned foaming wand.
I always make multiple cups of espresso, be it for straight shots, cappucinos or lattes. Therefore I fill & use at least 2 filters every time I make espresso. I had even already purchased the extra filters from Breville before even trying the unit for the first time. Disappointment quickly turned to frustration then to anger when I discovered how difficult it was just to *fit* the filter full with grounds into the holder (force was more like it) so tight was the spring. After considerable struggling I managed to get it in & make a cup. But to remove the now-heated (& full of damp grounds) filter was a real nightmare. I wound up having to use a paring knife to pry the filter from the holder, holding it with a kitchen towel to keep from burning myself. What a mess!
I called customer support & explained my problem. The chap on the line, while friendly enough, never seemed to have used an espresso machine, to say nothing of this model, suggesting such things as taking hold of the (burning hot) filter rim at the 2 indentations (about 1/8") in the holder. When I pointed out that the image of the filter holder in the manual showed a latch release while mine had none, he said that Breville had discontinued that feature & replaced it with the spring, they just hadn't updated the manual. Great! What lunacy. What I wouldn't give for the ability to pop the filter using that latch. Sadists at work.
I received this unit as a gift several months ago so can not return it, but have solved the problem of the filter holder by prying off the spring. Now the filters go in & come out easily as they should.
I rarely use the Breville to make espresso, mostly just to foam milk for my wife who likes it in her coffee. I should add that the previous reviewer was also correct in his assessment of the foamer. It does need to be turned on initially to release stored up water in order to get well-pressured steam.
Next time back to a European espresso machine (preferably Italian-made)for me. No more falling for the blandishments of clever marketing.
 Excellent Value product May 6, 2007
Benjamin Dorman (Columbia, MD)
I have had this machine for a couple of months, upgrading from an inexpensive Krupps steam driven machine. [We have a tradition of cappuccino in the morning at my house, which means making two double expresso shots].After a little while of getting used to the differences I have to report that it works well, and produces thick crema every time. Buy decent whole bean espresso or french roast coffee, though, or no machine will give you what you crave.
The big adjustment is that the Krupps machine simply holds enough coffee to fill a 4-shot carafe. If you try to get 4 shots out of the coffee attachment on this machine you will get weak coffee! You simply have to do 2 at a time. The jug provided produces enough frothed milk for the way we use it, but then again you can alway froth two jugs.
A minor irritant is the difficulty in seeing how much water is left in the container. If you get into the habit of refilling after each use, you won't have to look.
On the price front unless the list has gone up recently, stores sell this machine for two hundred and fifty - and if you get one of those 20% discount coupons that major kitchen applicance retails send out through the mail you can get this for around two hundred.
I like my coffee but I'm not interested in paying over $2k for a coffee machine as some are. If you're looking for something that's equivalent to your local Starbucks or Seattle's Finest, this may well do the trick.
 Works Well April 16, 2007
A. Arnett (Madison, AL)
I've been using this model daily for 8 months now without a single hiccup. My only criticism is that you can only froth enough milk for one double shot tall latte at a time and that is a simple capacity issue. Steam pressure is good and does a good job frothing as well as producing good crema for each shot of espresso. I would certainly purchase again.
This machine doesn't froth March 13, 2007
Dr. Stephen M. Johnson (San Francisco, CA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've been making cappachino's for over 30 years with machines in this price range. I couldn't froth the milk with this particular machine and sent it back. I might have just gotten a lemon. But, if not, I hope this saves you the same trouble. The Gaggia machines and the Villa Ware machines work for me.
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