Hamilton Beach 40729 Espresso/Cappuccino Maker with Pod Holder

This machine is easy to use, easy to clean, and makes fantastic espresso. I can use it with loose ground espresso or premeasure pods. The steamer makes great foam and steamed milk.

I haven't used my regular coffee maker at all since getting this machine.

Should I say more ?? I can see that another reviewer raves about this but I dont have anything kind to say about this espresso machine except that it looks pretty good on a kitchen counter.

The specs say that it is a pump based machine but they dont mention about another crucial element of any espresso machine; a boiler. I dont think this machine has a boiler. This machine manages produce steam by flowing a tiny stream of water over the heating element and then to the pump; Not a pretty way to create steam and good espresso. Ofcourse, you can also forget to make steamed milk for cappuccinos or lattes.

At this price range I would excuse them for cutting corners on some features, but messing up the primary function is not excusable. That said, I am not one of those espresso nazi's who assume spending anything less than a thousand bucks on an espresso machine is the only way to get good espresso. My unit went back promptly and I am still searching for that elusive (and decent) espresso machine for a hundred bucks.

If you can't spend upwards of $200 and want quality espresso the Hamilton Beach machine is what you want. It's not a steam machine, it has a powerful pump. There's no boiler which many see as a drawback, but I don't notice a difference in temp of the resulting espresso. The espresso that comes out of it is great, I got crema even out of ESE pods. Can be used with pods (Surprisingly the Starbucks pods deliver a decent shot) or grounds. Easy to use and clean.

I've never made esspresso or steamed milk but after blowing the budget on Starbucks lattes I decided I better learn to make them at home or I might not make the mortgage payment. I had no problem getting started, the hardest part was playing with the amount of milk, esspresso and sugar-free vanilla. Of course, I use the Starbucks esspresso pods, which make it easier to get right. So, using coffee grounds may make it harder, I don't know. It has been a great machine for me, it was a great price and I actually ended up buying the same one for my parents. The only problems I've had are getting the drink hot enough and finding a stainless steel cup short enough to put under the steamer. I ultmately found a stainless steel camping cup in the camping section of Wal-Mart that has worked out great.

I have used mine for over a year now and it works perfectly every time. and what a great price!

Used to vacation (great) "oil dreg" Turkish, Itailian Ristretto, etc.. as well as using personally "dot.snot" $30k super m/c (better than commercial Starbucks).

For almost no dollars the quality of coffee is outstanding..wait for the lights or som e time for water temp/pressure to get right.

Feels and looks like 300 buck machine. Fantastic bang per buck.

I'm not sure what the below reviewer is complaining about with the machine's heating element. I've had this for two weeks now and have made many great tasting cappucinos with it (I don't like straight espresso).

The espresso shots come out perfectly hot (but not too hot) and the steamer froths and steams milk beautifully. My only gripe with the steamer is that I need to run it once, let it heat up again and then run it through a second time in order to get my desired results. The whole process is no more than a minute or so which is very tolerable considering the price.

I had read reviews on other sites that mentioned that this machine (actually an older model) did not produce decent crema. Well, I had no experience with making espresso in the past (I'm a home roaster for regular coffee) but my first try produced a great cup of espresso with a nice caramel colored froth on top. And this came from store bought, pre-ground espresso coffee!

Cleanup is very easy and the unit is small enough to store away when not in use. It comes with a measuring spoon that stores away in the unit and the machine accepts both ground espresso and pods (never used them). For the amateur and social drinker of espresso and cappucinos, this machine should suffice. I would not be able to justify spending any additional money on an expensive machine.


I liked this unit upon first receiving it. Nice design, easy to clean, etc. However, within one day (and 2 uses) hot water started coming out of everywhere but where it was supposed to. I'm new to espresso machines, but I'm pretty sure that isn't typical among them. Now I'm saddled with shipping costs to and from Hamilton Beach (plus weeks of waiting) for the warranty repair. I wouldn't recommend that to anybody else.

This is a great machine that doesn't disappoint. The price is great, too! The machine is easy to figure out and easy to clean (important so that nothing gets clogged). I am glad I decided on this model after going through the reviews for dozens of other machines.

i will save you time and money...believe me! i have owned a capresso c1000 at about 700.00 bucks...a jura capresso which i purchased in germany for about 1500.00 bucks which i operated here with a huge step up or step down transformer because of the european plug.....
my house burnt down this year and i have replaced only what i have found to be absolutely the best kitchen items i can find with the best use!!!
this was an experiment ..i admit! the price was so silly for 1100 watts and 15 bars at about 69.00...well i added to the basket and got 25.00 off the 125.00 order..that's 20% off!!!
this is where amazon is BOSS!!!
hint: if you find the price of an item lower elsewhere...do let them know and you will be amazed at the results..all of a sudden you are buying those items at silly cheap prices that smokes everyone in town especially if you can use that 25.00 off coupon and shipped free to your door too!!! it really does work!!!
this is a great buy!!!!! it makes great lattes...my favorite now because my stomache is sensitive to coffee oils the older i get..so the milk helps!!! i am a coffee fanatic......
this does not make a mess all over the counter and seems to be built quite well for the price! one thing that was rather strange..the grill that the cup sits on is plastic and not metal...however, i have no problem with it..it does'nt affect the look or flavor of the machine.
i have noticed that when i use the milk frother..i open the valve and have to wait a few seconds before it gets started!!!
i froth before i make the espresso..this just ensures the coffee is hot.....
i really think this is a 5 star for price!!! and the size of machine is great for the kitchen counter unlike the super automatics which are so HUGE!!
what great tasting coffee..you won't be disappointed...
this has a pod holder..e.s.e pods.....pods are pretty expensive but if you can save on the hardware maybe you can opt for the convenience.......great option though!

I just bought my first espresso maker; the 40729. I brought it home and tried my wife's espresso ground coffee. The results were very disappointing. The coffee was bitter and watery with no body at all. Again I tried another kind of ground coffee, with the same results. I also tried tap water and bottled water. After watching the video that came with the machine I said to myself I am going to make good espresso. So I went out and bought Starbucks box of pods; and on the first try I made awesome espresso. I could not believe how easy it was; and it was delicious.Then I tried a cappucino.Eureka. First I steamed and frothed the milk and then I made the espresso and timed it around 18 seconds. It looked and tasted like I was in a restaurant. I thought it was the machine that was the problem, but not so. It is easy to use and clean and all you have to do is experiment a bit and give it a chance and you will be very happy.

This is one GREAT machine. I was looking for an espresso machine that could substitute the local Starbucks in the morning. I really couldn't justify spending $7 everyday on a latte. So... I researched these espresso machines to find that the KitchenAid Proline is the highest rated, however, I just couldnt shell out $899.00. That to me sounded ridiculous. So, my search continued. Much of what I heard of other brands such as DeLonghi, Illy, Braun, and etc. was that the craftsmanship of the machine was poor. Gaskets broke, pumps burnt out, and etc. I was not about to spend $150 on a machine I would have to replace in a month or two. So... I then moved onto Hamilton Beach products and let me tell you, it was the SMARTEST move I have ever made. This machine is GREAT. Its easy to use, its sturdy, the water reservior is enough for what you need. Many people like larger water reserviors, however, I like *fresh* water in my coffees, so I change it each time rather than leaving it. Who would normally drink water that sits around? Not me. Plus, this pump is GREAT it really can press out some great espresso. Here is my tricks with the machine. Load your ground espresso or pod into the handle. Turn espresso shot on... wait until you see the stream. Count 10 seconds. Turn off. Then you want to get yourself a froth can AND thermometer (avail at Starbucks) and froth the milk to 160 degrees. Combine espresso shot with milk, scoop off the top of froth and VOILA! You can save yourself $7 a day. Therefore, after ten lattes the machine is already paid off. How can you lose? Don't look anywhere else.. this machine is the one. Other reviewers may have complained about this or that but keep in mind, this is no professional machine. Smart buy.

I purchased this espresso maker about one month ago and am very pleased with it thus far. I went with a lower end model to try out having an expresso maker before spending a lot of money, and I am not disappointed! It took a few attempts to get the lattes just right, but now they taste just as good as the coffee houses at a fraction of the cost! The machine is a good value for the money. It is quick and easy to use, with easy cleanup, especially when using the coffee pods. The water holder could be designed better, for easier viewing and easier handling, and the frother/steamer is quite noisy. I only wish it could make bigger size drinks at a time...but I consider that a small price to pay for the economic cost of the machine and the great taste!

I learned about this machine on Amazon and after reading all of the (mostly) glowing reviews decided to purchase one locally.

I currently have a $45 Krups mini espresso machine. It does an excellent job, steams milk beautifully and I can make great cappuccino or 12oz latte / mocha (my favorite) easily & pretty quickly with it.
I've had it over two years and have made approx 300 mochas in that time, it's still going strong Just a Dip-It cleaning every six months or so is all it takes. My espresso drinks are better (and hotter) than Starbucks and cost about 80 cents each using premium ingredients (bottled water, Starbucks fresh espresso[ground by them] hot cocoa mix, imported gourmet cinnamon) add 20 cents for fresh homemade whip cream from my ISI siphon.

I wanted something that would cut down the time involved in the process...specifically I wanted to eliminate the steps of having to measure the water for each use and fill the handle with ground espresso. I also want to be able to make multiple drinks without a lot of hassle. This Hamilton Beach pump machine has a good-sized water tank and can use either ground espresso beans OR ese pods. I THOUGHT it would be fast and easy!

So I got the machine, picked up a box of ese pods from Starbucks, reviewed the instructions, flushed the machine and got to work on my first shot. I quickly found out that I HATE this machine!

Here are my complaints:

1) When using pods, only one shot (1.5 oz) at a time can be drawn- you cannot pull a double shot without removing the handle, replacing the used pod with a fresh one, waiting for the machine to finish reheating and pushing the button again. What a pain! The second shot always comes out a little watery for some reason too.
2) When pulling a double shot using fresh ground espresso, the results are too thin, a LOT of espresso is being wasted.
3) You have to "time" the shot yourself during the brewing process and push the button to turn off at the correct time.
4) The steaming wand is ridiculous- it's MUCH too short to steam more than 4 or 5 oz of milk at a time- to do so you really need a VERY small container, even then it's awkward and messy to fit one under the nozzle especially at the wonky angle of the the wand. To steam enough milk for a 12 oz mocha or latte you have to do it in 2 batches, allowing for reheating time in-between. Even then, the steam could run out before the milk is hot enough OR it could water down your milk too much.
5) The water resevoir is clear and you can see the water level from the side of the machine BUT the "minimum fill" line for the water cannot be seen unless you pull the whole tank out. The minimum amt of water is about 1/3 of the tank size so you could easily let the water level get too low.
6) The machine drips quite a bit after each shot, the drip tray is plastic and fits awkwardly into place.

After going thru a box of 12 ese pods, I find the process to be too cumbersome and slow. I want to use pods to save time and effort and cut down on clean-up. While the flavor of the (Starbucks) pod espresso was very good, it was too much hassle to get a double.
Ditto the steaming issue, it takes way too long to steam the right amt of milk for a decent sized drink (12 oz = approx 8 oz milk)
I made several more double shots using fresh ground Starbucks beans- the flavor was mediocre, the strength was inconsistent and it was actually MORE work and cleanup than my old machine. I can make a better drink faster in my old Krups.

I've boxed this machine up and it goes back to the store today after 2 weeks of frustrating experimenting I've determined that this machine is NOT a time-saver and the drinks it makes are NOT worth the effort.

IF you like plain old espresso and the convenience of ese pods, I can see why you would rave about this machine. But if you like drinks that require 2 shots and steamed milk forget it!

After reading several reviews on this machine either you love it or hate it! There must be defective machines out there because all the bad reviews are having similar problems and totally describes my experience.

To start, the temperature of the espresso is not hot enough (lukewarm) and it takes 3-4 times to froth the milk (and by that time the espresso is definately cold). Water leaks out of the machine behind the filter holder!! The machine is a joke! I thought I was upgrading from my cheap $30.00 steam machine but the truth is steam machines work so much better. At least the espresso is hot!! Totally disappointed...

I've owned this machine now for nearly six months. I didn't use the milk frother for quite awhile because I was only making iced mochas (it was summertime in Phoenix when I got the machine). I pulled double shots that produced iced mochas better than any I'd had at Fourbucks.
When the weather cooled, I started making hot drinks with steamed milk. I use a cheap, instant read food thermometer to measure the temperature of the milk as I'm frothing. I get perfect milk and froth each time.
For the money, this is an excellent machine. When (and if) it ever dies, I'll probably upgrade, but there's really no need to otherwise. Only negatives are the size of the water resevoir...could be bigger. Also didn't come with a frothing pitcher.

If you want to save the time and money it takes to patronize overpriced coffee hang-outs or you are simply seeking the convenience of espresso, cappuccinos and lattes in your own home, the Hamilton Beach 40729 will do the job without taking up a lot of kitchen real estate or breaking the bank. Most espresso/cappuccino makers in this price range only produce steam from the contents of an insulated thermos-like water reservoir, which you cannot open and refill during operation without threat of serious burn. With the Hamilton Beach 40729, however, you will be able to refill the water reservoir without having to wait for the unit to completely cool, which makes it the right choice if you suspect you'll be called upon to make gourmet coffee drinks for social gatherings - and you will after your friends and family get a taste of the results! (Contrary to the editor's description, the water reservoir holds far more than two cups - nearly a liter, in fact.)

At 15-bars of pump-driven pressure, the HB 40729 rivals machines that cost four times as much (excluding the boiler - the documentation doesn't say whether this unit has a true boiler or a cheaper and less revered thermablock heat coil). I have only three gripes that are particular to this machine: 1) You can only steam about six ounces of milk at any one time due to the shallow stainless steel pouring pitcher you will need in order for the short steaming wand to reach the depths of your pitcher [try Bed, Bath & Beyond for such accessories], and 2) The steaming indicator light - which lights up to indicate that the unit's temperature needs to rise further to create adequate steam - tends to illuminate once or twice before you've brought the milk up to 150 -160 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point you may shut it off and wait 30 seconds or so for the light to go out or continue steaming and frothing at the risk that the milk may become diluted by water that is only partially steamed. 3) I had to return the first unit because the rubber gasket that holds the plastic sleeve over the steaming wand broke so that the sleeve, which is necessary for the steaming wand to function, would not stay attached. I hope this isn't a design flaw or the makings of a future recall. Regardless, for the reasons stated, I can only give this espresso maker four stars out of five.

I am not a coffee connoisseur, and only came to appreciate coffee when I discovered the mega-calorie, mega-pricey "coffee" concoctions at Starbucks when the chain began appearing in my area years ago (that's the other advantage of making your drinks at home - YOU control the cost and the caloric content). So it was with some amusement that I discovered that there is a whole art and science to making coffee. I used to wonder why Starbucks sends their new hires to "Starbucks School". Now I know. There IS a learning curve to gourmet coffee preparation. And this machine is no different. YOU time the length of the shot, which means that if you don't dispense exactly one or two ounces into your cup - or a shot glass specifically designed to measure out your espresso - you risk ruining the whole thing. Other factors that separate the look and feel of espresso from ordinary coffee include tamping pressure, a compaction process which ensures the grounds are evenly infiltrated by water, using a grind that is too coarse or too fine, and the relative freshness of your espresso beans. (Though I have yet to personally vouch for this, "stale" is apparently defined as coffee beans stored at room temperature for over a week, and grounds more than two days old!) In the coffee world, you don't acquire the name "barista" by accident. Gourmet coffee aficionados, in fact, take their pasttime as seriously as wine tasters.

Some tips if you purchase this machine: You want the components hot before you begin. Though the manual doesn't specifically require this step, it may be helpful to turn the unit on, without pressing the espresso or steam button, to preheat the internal components for about five minutes (this will also heat the cup warming tray on top - but good luck trying to fit both of your cups on top while you are busy preparing the espresso and milk; not only is it a tight fit but there's little to prevent them from being knocked off). If you don't want to wait for the machine to preheat, you may opt to run the porta filter and your serving under hot tap water. Alternately, if you typically add flavored syrup to your cappuccino or latte, add the desired quantity of syrup to your cup and microwave it to get the whole thing hot before you pull your shot of espresso and steam your milk. Additionally, it is helpful to buy an aluminum tamper. The plastic tamper that comes with the unit is adequate, but a weighted tamper is touted to make it easier to obtain the holy grail of espresso making: a layer of brown froth known as "crema." (To that end, you should also consider purchasing a temperature gauge to verify that the brew is hot enough to extract the flavors fully - roughly 150-160 degrees in the cup - as opposed to near boiling as the water infiltrates the espresso grounds). Naturally, the coffee has to be fresh, but of equal importance the grind most recommended for espresso should be achieved via a conical burr grinder. Since a quality burr grinder is going to run you two or three times the cost of the HB 40729, the next best alternative other than grinding your beans at the store, though it is hearsay to the coffee purist to suggest such, is to grind your espresso with a conventional blade grinder, such as the Hamilton Beach Custom Grind Deluxe, model 8384. (With respect to this particular grinder, it may be necessary to run the coffee beans on the "espresso" setting TWICE for the ultra fine sand-like texture that is necessary for proper maple-syrup colored espresso extraction.) Last but not least, cleaning the unit, including monthly or quarterly de-scaling depending on the hardness of the water in your municipality, is essential to consistent results over time. Regardless, for the sake of safety, don't forget to release the steam build up when you are finished frothing milk into an empty cup. (You might think this step is self-apparent, but Hamilton Beach recalled the prior model, 40714, after receiving a handful of reports of users scalding themselves when pressure blew dry, encrusted milk off of steam wands, which seemingly had not been properly maintained.)

With a little experimentation and a lot of practice, you will obtain results that are most pleasing to your palate. Better yet, this machine will pay for itself in no time - and you will be sure to wow your friends and family, too.

The first machine was defective. It leaked very badly around the filter unit. The second machine appeared to work correctly. However, I was very disappointed by the quality of espresso brewed by this unit. It was weak and barely hot.
The unit itself takes a while to heat and does not stay hot enough long enough to brew a double shot. The same goes for the steaming function. I could barely get my 8 oz pitcher under the nozzle. While steaming the milk, I had to stop every 10 seconds to let the unit reheat. When I released steam through the nozzle to clear it, it spit water instead of steam.
Thankfully, the retailer let us return it for a full refund.

I've used this machine for two years now, and would buy it again in an instant. I'll add these comments to those previously written:
* Crema varies with coffee bean; shiney fresh beans give more crema and have more (but subtle) flavors. I don't get the best crema with Starbucks beans. Peets is great though, so is Nicholas. Even the generic beans ($5/lb when on sale at the local grocer) work OK. Remember, these espresso machines extract more flavor from coffee beans (than perk or drip machines); it's the nature of the pressure (vs temperature) process.
* For a great double shot (actually, 4 oz), I fill the fresh-grounds filter to level (not heaping) with whole beans, grind them for 8 seconds in a cheapo spice grinder, and tamp them (not too hard, not too soft). The tamped grounds come up almost to the #2 line in the filter. I run the pump for 30 seconds after liquid starts coming out of the nozzel. The machine has been turned on and heating for only about 5-10 minutes prior to this.
* I've used Starbucks pods. It does takes two (at 15 seconds of pumping per) to make a double shot. It tastes good (but not as strong as when I use fresh-ground.) Pods are quicker, but more expensive, than using grounds. You do need to be careful to press the pod in the filter so all water goes through, not around, the pod. Be aware that this machine comes with two different stainless steel filters; one for grounds, and a smaller one for pre-packaged pods.
* These machines use ***PRESSURE*** not temperature to extract flavors. This results in smoother taste, but not scalding temperatures. If you want your espresso law-suit hot, nuke it afterward.
* The included plastic tamper is too flimsy for the tamping pressure I've found works best; get a sturdier one (I got an aluminum one from a local kitchen store.) If you don't tamp hard enough, grounds float up and coat the nozzel that high-pressure water comes out of. If you grind and tamp just right, the used grounds will maintain their hockey-puck shape when you shake them out of the filter.
* Coffee mugs don't fit under the spouts. Its not like this machine will make enough espresso in one batch to come close to filling a standard 10 oz mug. I just want to drink a strong brew from a manly mug ;-) I've had to resort to using the shorter, dainty, coffee cups from the fine china set. (Don't tell my buddies.)
* If you're the analytical type, check out "The Complexity of Coffee" in Scientific American June 2002, Vol 286 Issue 6 p86. It contains good info you can use to perfect your brew.
* Use some of that cafeine buzz to clean the machine after each use, and it will last for a long time. There was a recall (on the older 40714 version) because some people weren't cleaning milk off the frother, which resulted in scalding when the plug of old dried curdled milk suddenly erupted. Use common sense, keep this puppy clean, and it will make cup after cup of great brew.
* The frothing wand is not the easiest to use, due to the funny angle, short length, and low height above counter. I had to search for a stainless pitcher of just the right size; 10 oz to the brim. Disclaimer: I don't use the frother much so this doesn't detract from my rating of this machine.
* After years of use, hard water deposits build up on the nozzle just above where the coffee grounds sit. I noticed that water was spraying, rather than dripping, from here (during cleanup). There's no need to run special cleaners through the machine; I successfully remove deposits by rubbing the nozzel with a hand towel after every use. It's become part of the espresso-making ritual.
* I've been burned on other items when chosing the cheapest, but not on this one. It has some drawbacks, but for the price I can easily overlook them. It has kept my picky self satisfied!

After reading the alternately glowing and scathing reviews of this espresso-maker, I bought it with mediocre expectations, but I was surprised. The machine has produced nice, dark, hot espresso (with crema) everytime, and, using a thermometer, I can froth milk better than I could have dreamed.

In response to other reviewers' complaints of leaks, my machine leaked once (inside the port that holds the water resevoir), but the leak was my fault. As the video clearly states, you can't refill the water resevoir while the machine is heating, but I did so before viewing the video. While following the directions, I have not had any leaks.

While I do need to froth my milk 2 - 3 times to reach the correct temperature (160 F), I'm frothing a fairly large portion of milk (8 - 12 oz), and waiting a few seconds for the machine to heat up is better than spending $5 or more per day at Starbucks.

i bought this machine from amazon with the 'free shipping'. it came in about 3 days. i just set this thing up in my new place and loved it. i UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM THE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINGING ABOUT (with the HEATER)...they are simply not waiting the extra min. you push on and you should push the steam button (with the dial set to off). this will make the machine up to hot, the red light will turn off in about 45 seconds (but you must wait for about 60 seconds more!!!!). if you don't wait the coffee comes out lukewarm. 60 seconds later it's steaming hot. then the red light will come on again and it needs another ~minute and a half to be ready to turn the dial and steam the milk. as far as weak coffee goes, the reviewer is probably comparing to starbucks (which they need to watch them). Starbucks uses a full coffee holder -not a little scoop like the one this company provides. fill the sucker up and it will be nice and strong. i used coffee from the grocery store the first time. i ground it up there (using the super fine espresso setting) and spent a little money. i've made several coffees already and this thing will pay for itself in about 10 days versus sixbucks. ;) A coffee lover will love this thing! I researched everywhere..it's the cheapest pump-driven espresso machine on the market and still works perfectly, i'm honestly shocked.

It creates fluffy delicate foam of stream milk. Also, easy to do and easy to clean (at least, easy for me).

However, for espresso, I found nearly no crema at all. And I expected it. I've change 3 fresh ground coffee brands including Starbucks but that didn't help. A notice on this issue is that I usually make a cup of espresso coffee while the filter was made for 2 cups. So, there is space in the filter and may reduce stream pressure through ground coffee. Anyhow, it's able to create a good body coffee. (I recommend to use very fine ground coffee and according to my trial, some fresh ground coffee in a grocery store works better than Starbucks.)

Before using this machine, I had experiences on 3 or 4 home-espresso machine before (in Thailand). I can say that with this price, this little coffee boy performs so well. At least, I enjoy every morning coffee.

I've had this machine for about 8 months and I make about 10 single shots a week.

First 4 - 5 months it did pretty well. I mostly use Starbucks pods and it made great espresso. Over the last 2 months it has started leaking increasing amounts of water at the filter - pushing very little through the pod itself, becoming essentially useless for making espresso anymore. I am back in the market looking for another one.

Very easy to use! Frother works great! The only drawback is when using ground espresso instead of the pods ,cleaning all of the used coffee grounds out of the machine is a little time consuming. Other than that our experience has been very positive.

This is my first espresso maker. When I use great coffee, it makes great espresso. However, sometimes I think the water doesn't get hot enough, and the steam for the frother doesn't last long enough for me to get the milk up to the proper temperature that my frothing thermometer says it should be.

Regardless of those problems, the price is right, it is easy to use, and I am able to make a pretty good espresso, cappuccino, or latte....probably better than what you would get at many coffee shops.

I use the starbucks pods with this machine and get a perfect shot of espresso with a beautiful crema every time. Be sure to not Overtighten the handle on the filter or it will leak. Mine leaked the first time until I figured out the problem. Froths and steams milk wonderfully. That, too, is a learned thing but the key is holding the cup at an angle so the milk can move freely. This is the best machine for the money out there!

I've owned this product for about 3 months and I have to say that it makes a pretty good drink. The machine is easy to use, easy to clean, and seems to be sturdily built.
This is the second unit I've owned. I sent the first one back due to what I thought was a "defect", but the new one does the same thing: grounds in the portafilter are always "soupy" instead of "pick-like" regardless of how the espresso is ground or how hard or lightly it is tamped. It is impossible to get it right.
The only other gripe I have is there is no water level indicator on the water reservoir visible from the outside. It's often difficult to tell when the water is down to the "min" level without removing the reservoir.
Overall, a good buy for the money. A 15 bar pump for close to the price of a steam machine--enough said. Oh yeah, the frother is the best I've used.

I bought this for my boyfriend and he LOVES it. He knows nothing about coffee, but doesn't have to to be able to use this. The instructions were easy to follow and the machine is even easier to use. Its a great gift and so far has been reliable and delicious.

I purchased this item two weeks ago and am quite happy with it's performance. It heats up quickly, and makes a nice cup of espresso.

A few points to consider before buying.

1- The drip clearance is barely 3". You will need a cafe style espresso/cappucino cup.

2- The drip is somewhat wide. A tiny espresso cup will likely result in spillage. We just pour into a larger cup to enjoy.

3- The steamer takes a minute to steam cold milk- try microwaving before frothing- you'll save a lot of time.

All in all, I love this espresso maker, and would heartily recommend it to any budget conscious consumer looking for a small espresso maker.



Having read the reviews, you will either love or hate this machine. Put me in the hate it category. No problems with steaming milk, but it makes a weak, lukewarm, poor excuse for a shot of espresso. I don't know whether there is a great deal of variation in the quality of the machines Hamilton Beach produces or just a great deal of variation in the expectations of espresso drinkers. If you buy this one, save the box and packing materials. Like me, you may send it right back.

I've had this for about 3 months, and have used it and figured it out enough know what works, and what doesn't. If you are an espresso snob, then this machine prob isn't for you. But if you're an habitual Starbucks $4.00 a latte drinker, then this will save you a considerable amount of money, and give you excellent results if you have the patience to get used to it a b it.

First of all, the espresso beans. The way they are ground in combination with how much you pack them into the filter takes a little practice and trial and error, but once you get the right combo, you can get thick, strong, muddy espresso with a beautiful head of crema every time. Or if you like it a bit weaker, you can make the grind a bit more coarse and not pack it in as much. The notion that the machine doesn't produce crema just isn't true, I've pulled the same crema-laden espresso that a $500.00 machine can pull time and time again. I actually just buy the grocery store beans and grind them there and get great results.

The steamer is powerful enough to make nice foam, it might take a little longer than most people like, or it may not. I don't know. I generally open the valve for about 30 sec after the red temp light goes out before I steam my milk, to make sure I'm not getting any excess water in there. Then it takes a min or two I supppose, it certainly doesn't seem very long to me. Now, it's true that the espresso might not be hot by the time the milk is done, but the milk is hot, so the whole drink is hot once I mix it.

Afterwards, clean the following:

The Filter.
The area of the machine where you hook the filter up.
After you turn the machine off, open the steam valve slightly (let it release into a cup or in the sink) to release any excess, I find that also keeps the steam valve clean.

Drawbacks:

The unit is small, so you have to find the right cup/glass to fit under the filter when it's hooked up.

The steam valve could be a bit longer, and the opening could be further away from the unit. The way it is set up, you need to get a container and kind of tilt it to get it to work, but it still works fine.

These are minor issues, considering the unit is sturdy overall, and will save the Starbucks latte users a ton of dough! Highly recommended for the frugal person who doesn't mind a bit of a learning curve in the effort to save money.



It never warms water to appropriate temperature. The water was actually coming out almost cold. I drank cowboy coffee from expensive machine! Maybe it works well with pods, but not with ground coffee. I watched video to see if I missed something. Nope. It is just bad product. It also takes forever to just warm up in comparison with my old simple Krups cappucino maker.
Do not buy.

Ok, so here was my conundrum. I'm a soldier deployed to Iraq and during midtour leave visited Italy and became addicted to espresso. I drank it over there many times a day and really liked the effects. The bad news is that I had to come back to Iraq for 7 more months and I'm too lazy to walk to the Greenbeans Coffee Shop (yep, we have one) and I didn't really want to pay .75*6=4.50 every day. So, I knew I had to get a machine.

Now, given that I am in Iraq, the main things that I wanted were convenience and easy to clean. Given that I'm too lazy to walk to 50 or so yards to the bathroom to clean the thing, pretty much I have to rely mostly on water bottles.

I'm not a huge coffee snob and I just learned about crema, so quality might not be a consideration.

I bought this model, paid the exorbitant shipping costs and I've had it about a week. I seriously don't see any negatives. I am surprised to read other reviews about the temperature because my shots come out extremely HOT. There must be quite a lot of variation on models, wonder if Hamilton Beach is aware of this? It's convenient, cleans up nicely. I hate that I have to dump the grate at the bottom but that's just because I'm ...lazy.

I will say that it takes some experimentation. I read about the crema so I worked to achieve this perfection. Let's just say that it's a work in progress. I don't have much access to coffee, so I have some Starbucks and some other Italian brand. Pre-grind because I don't have access to a grinder. My last pull which is sitting on my desk as we speak did have a nice crema head that I achieved by 2 scoops of coffee jammed down into the filter using that great plastic tool that they provide (tamper). Unfortunately...or maybe fortunately...I'll have to have an operation later to uncurl my toes.

I haven't had any problems with leakage and I'm going to take the advice to use a black marker to mark the water lines on the tank. I don't really use the frother except to warm the cafe au laits that I sometimes make.

The only other problems that I have are that I shake constantly, am jittery, can't sleep. But that's just because of the addiction. haha.

I would highly recommend this machine to the average coffee drinker. It's cheap, easy to use and clean, and FAST. It might not be for the coffee snob who might benefit from a little more upscale model.



I had been using a $13 stove top moka pot and a stove top frother and they worked great. I received this machine as a gift and decided to give it a good try. The espresso comes out lukewarm and the frother is inconsistent. Sometimes the milk froths great, other times it spews all over the counter and comes out hot but no froth. I could do better in the microwave. Speaking of which, I've read reviews where people suggest to heat the espresso in a microwave and heat up the milk first in the microwave. No thanks, this machine should not need that kind of effort. As far as clean up goes, I think it's a mess. This is way too much work for me, AND I have to give up counter space for this thing. I'm going back to my little stove top gadgets. They work great, clean up is easy, and they store in a cabinet. And when I make coffee, the whole kitchen smells so good.

For me, this is a top-notch home espresso/cappuccino maker. There are a couple of minor draw-backs for me which bring the rating down to 4-stars ... but they're very minor.

First off, I LOVE espresso and cappuccino and, well coffee in general. I'm not a huge snob about it, but I pretty much only drink top-notch coffee. If it comes in a can (or from a grocery store) I give it a complete pass. Star-bluch's is okay, but the beans I buy are roasted locally and are VERY fresh and much more to my liking.

Anyway, about the Hamilton Beach machine - I am only using fresh-ground coffee beans (a medium roast espresso blend). I have not tried (and do not intend to try) using the "pods". I grind my own beans using an inexpensive electric blade-type grinder and I let it grind for about 15 to 17 seconds. This seems to give a fairly uniform, fine grind which is working extremely well for me.

When I fill the filter (I always pull double-shots), I use the included scoop/tamper. I use 2 rounded scoops (do not level off, nor use heaping scoops) then press it firmly down to the "2" level. I get perfect espresso with beautiful crema every time, right from the start. I've seen a couple of reviews on other sites that say the tamper isn't very good, but I have no problem with it. One has to remember, though, that the "handle" of the tamper is plastic - so press down with your fingers on the flat part rather than holding the measuring scoop end and pressing down.

I love the steaming wand as well ... the very first time I tried using it I got perfectly steamed milk with nice thick froth. Yes, it is a bit short, but I picked up a small stainless steel pitcher which fits nicely under the wand.

The cups I use fit fine under the filter. I use a 6-oz tea cup and it is wide enough to catch both streams of espresso. I just let the machine run till the cup is 1/2 full - a perfect double shot (3 oz). Then just pour in the milk, top with froth and sprinkle with cinnamon... can't beat it.

The only drawbacks? The reservoir does need to be refilled if I make myself 2 cappuccino's. The espresso, then the steaming, use up most of the water. But, all I have to do is remember to pour a little bit of water in before I start the second batch. I've also read a complaint that there's no "minimum level" mark on the outside of the reservoir where you can see it. This was easy to fix though ... a straight edge laid along the mark on the side, then a permanent marker to mark the front.

I've been using this machine for a couple of weeks now and these are the only drawbacks I've noticed. It's easy to use, develops great pressure (not one leak, by the way), makes great espresso ... and ... clean up is a breaze! If you're in the market for a very good espresso machine and don't want to spend mega-bucks ... this one is right up your alley.

I've written a full review on a dedicated review site, which pertains to how the Hamilton Beach Cappuccino Plus Espresso Machine performs when it works. Unfortunately, most consumer reviews are written after a few days or weeks and do not indicate how a product holds up over time. This review will answer that question, at least where my experience is concerned. Suffice it to say, that while the Hamilton Beach Cappuccino Plus Espresso Machine is a "best value" for the money, I have owned two units and I've experienced two warranty issues to date.

I returned the first espresso machine less than two weeks after purchase because the rubber O-ring that holds the plastic safety cap over the steaming wand broke, such that the cap would not remain in place and the steamer could not be used. Fortunately, the O-ring fell off when the unit was off -- otherwise it could have produced some nasty burns had the steaming guide flown off while in use.

The second unit seemed to work well until today; unfortunately, it developed what would seem to be a clogged brew head. The pump motor sounds as if it is working and the steaming wand continues to steam, yet water will not dispense through brew head, whether or not the filter/basket assembly is on or off. Though it strikes me as a straightforward case of hard-water deposits, what was surprising is the lack of warning. It was working just fine last time it was used, and the water was not spraying out randomly as you might expect from a partially clogged brew head (or shower head, to cite a more familiar example).

Surprisingly, HB has no advice for this situation and NO descaling instructions in the user manual, not even in the troubleshooting section under the heading "Espresso will not flow out". By contrast, after consulting competing product manuals, I discovered that much like coffeemakers, these machines need to be delimed, otherwise hard water deposits begin to impede function. Yet all the HB manual has to say on the topic is to use only "cold water" in the machine and that warm water or "other liquids" -- perhaps to include acidic liquids, such as vinegar -- will "damage the unit". Despite HB's silence on the subject of descaling -- and their nebulous warning not to circulate other liquids -- warranty service is out of state and I doubt they would cover hard water deposits anyway, so I gave vinegar a try figuring I had nothing much to lose. Unfortunately, it is apparently too late.

When it works, the HB Cappuccino Plus Espresso Machine is a great little machine, whose best asset other than its 15-bars of pump-driven pressure is probably how little space it takes on the countertop. Unfortunately, even if you follow ALL the instructions in the HB user manual as I did -- cleaning and wiping down all the outer parts for a spotless machine and opening the valve so that the steam pressure is permitted to escape when finished -- the internal water circulating mechanisms are unreachable and there is no way to get them to function again once they seemingly clog.

Bottom line?

Those who buy the cheap $30 thermos-style espresso machine imitations are probably better off -- having less money to lose if it breaks, greater milk steaming capacity and easier maintenance. For those seeking a genuine pump-driven machine, however, I recommend saving your money for a professional grade machine. Better yet, perhaps a commercial-grade espresso machine will come with a USEFUL user manual that will actually tell you how to maintain the unit's INNER workings, rather than leaving critical maintenance information OUT entirely.

I have had this machine for 1 month. I love it. Also LOVE that it can take the standard E.S.E. pod and freshly ground beans. I have tried several espresso blends in my KitchenAid Pro grinder with good results. Have also used Starbucks and Illy pods when making several cappucinos for a party. Good results each time after an initial day of experimentation. Make sure you run some hot water thru the machine before inserting the pod holder.Had been considering a $500 machine when I read a user review of the HB on a coffeegeek.com forum. Found best whole bean coffees thru reviews at coffeereview.com Took a chance for $70. Lovely frothy skim milk. Rich crema. FAB!

This coffee machine is a great value. The coffee tastes the same as a coffee made on an expensive machine. No burnt taste. It heats up quickly, has a neat place to store the coffee scoop between uses (I hate having to fish it out of the coffee grinds). I do not use the frother function at all, but odered the small "Froth Au Lait" for that, so i froth milk and prepare coffee in parallel. Gets me my coffee fix in no time!

I've had this machine for 24 hours and have gone through a pound of coffee learning how to make espresso for the first time. So far I am very impressed with this machine. It really is as good as machines many times the price. However, the advice you hear everywhere is true: The grind and your technique matter much, much, more than the machine.

I did a lot of research online and talked to friends with home espresso machines. It seemed as if you had to pay $200-$500 dollars to get a good machine. I wasn't sure I wanted to pay that much. I ran across some postings about this machine and it sounded worth a shot, especially for the price.

I started with good fresh roasted coffee ground in the store on the "2" setting which is supposed to be the standard espresso grind. I went through 3/4 of a pound trying to get a good cup and couldn't. Light tamp, hard tamp, medium tamp, nothing worked. It was soupy in the portafilter, tasted bad, and even exploded over the counter several times.

Next I went to a coffee shop to buy more beans and asked the barista for some advice. They said a "3" grind might be more forgiving. They said to tamp it *very* hard. Also, the coffee left in the portafilter after brewing should be very dry and "brick-like". When you scrape a spoon across the used grounds, they should cake into clumps. The advice about the stream to look for was the classic "the tail of a mouse with the stripes of a tiger", which sounded strange at the time but was right on when I got my best cups.

I went home and tried again. I filled the portafilter and made an improvised tamper out of a 1/4 cup measuring cup. I pressed down hard with most of my weight. After the tamp the coffee came up to the double shot line. I started the pump and counted 25 seconds from the point where the stream started to flow and then shut it off. The stream looked just like it was supposed to and the coffee tasted great with a lot of crema! I then made half a dozen cups and they were all great. I made straight shots, lattes, and cappuccinos. The machine has plenty of steam to make good frothed milk. Once again, a beginner should expect some practice to get good. The steam alone doesn't make good froth.

This is a great machine for someone looking to give espresso at home a try. In my research I found that it uses the same pump as popular $500+ machines. As long as you don't mind plastic housings, I don't think moving up to a more expensive machine will give you better coffee.

All in all, a great machine. Here are my tips:

1) Start with the coarsest espresso grind and a heavy tamp. The "3" setting worked everytime for me. The "2" setting never worked.

2) Get a good tamper. I think the portafilter is the standard 58mm size so it should be easy to get a different tamper. Given the heavy tamp needed, the included tamper is worthless.

3) Practice. There is a lot of technique involved. I couldn't believe the variation possible when I tried different grinds, tamp pressures, and brew times.

I have used a $150 Delonghi and $200 Krups machine. All including this machine are/were very temperamental and finicky but for the money this machine is outstanding. I still cannot produce the expresso crema but I am confident if I can get the coffee grind just right and tamp it just right I will have success. "A word of warning" Delonghi's customer service is pathetic. The pump went out on my Delonghi machine and the authorized repair center wanted $125 to replace just the pump; hence I am now the proud owner of the Hamilton Beach. I have made a dozen cappucinos with it and all were as good as purchased anywhere. You might just have to steam the milk a couple times to get a good froth but like I said I had to also do this with the other machines above. Hope this helps.

I have to rescind my previous review. This product is horrible, it worked well (with tinkering) for a few months then the heat pump went bonzo either frying the espresso or not quite getting hot enough. Then one day it decided to leak all over the place. It now sits in the corner of my basement in shame. coughed up the cash and got myself a Francis Francis x5 which is a beautiful machine. I know its tempting to by a cheap espresso machine but that is exactly what you get a CHEAP machine or now known as a door stop. Just save up what you would have spent on this machine plus what you would spend at the coffee shop replacing the nasty coffee you made with the HB machine and buy yourself a machine that can actually make espresso... Sorry for the crap advice before.

OLD REVIEW BELOW - before it crapped out.

Ok, it's not the swankest machine on the market - but I got it for my birthday and I have to admit it does a good job. I worked in a coffee shop as a barista all the way through college and have used some beautiful Italian machines. This isn't one of those - but it makes a good shot of espresso from both the ground coffee and the pod with a decent crema (make sure to tamp it down really well). To all of those out there who are complaining about the temp, remember this is a pump driven machine not a boiler so if you want it hotter, hit the froth button for a few moments to increase the temp, but remember that can also scorch the coffee.

There are two major drawbacks to the machine - one is that clearance for the cup - its really tight requiring a smaller cup (not a big deal).

The other is the frother arm is pretty short! I have to admit I had to buy a new frother cup that was shallower. Also not a big deal, just a little messy. Just keep the water res. full, tamp nice and hard, make sure you clamp everything tight before using and you should have a good experience with it -

I have to admit I am a coffee snob and this is an OK machine that gives GOOD results. More really depends on your coffee and your timing with the machine. Anyone can mess up an espresso if they don't know what they are doing. But over all I have had good luck with this machine, like I said it's not my dream machine but it's a champ for the price.

I have had this machine now for about 7.5 months and it is just beginning to show signs of breakdown BUT it still functions adequately and with the proper amount of finagling produces almost the same espresso it made when I first purchased the machine. But let me preface the following review with the fact that I ran this machine ragged.

In the 7 month time frame my DAILY USE WAS AND IS: three times a day, each time I made a double espresso using Lavazza pods. I have used ground beans but found the pods to be unbelievably consistent having a fair amount of crème with each cup not to mention the most cost effective (one pod = one espresso at 62.00 for a 150 Lavazza Pods).

TO REPEAT, I HAVE ONLY USED PODS WITH THIS MACHINE, so please keep this in mind when you are perusing the following review. Also I only drink espresso with a pinch of cane sugar, rarely do I make cappuccino or drinks requiring milk.

To get the best espresso possible, you need to brew the espresso at "steam" temperature. This means you need to keep the steam button pressed in all the time to get a hotter espresso. This is the only way. All other strategies are simply a compromise of this approach. This also means to not leave the hand press (the thing that holds the coffee) in the machine like the insructions recommend, preheating is the quickest way to scold and burn the pod. Not to mention it is counter intuitive to espresso: i.e. you need steam from the hot water hitting the roomtemprature hand press and pod, not an equally hot handpress and pod. Also make sure the hand press is firmly placed in the machine to get the pressure needed to get a good solid pull (espresso shot). When the shot is done, remove the hand press with a gradual motion so the steam releases, if you do not slowly twist out the hand press the pod has a tendency to explode from the pressure, littering the table and floor with espresso shrapnel. Trust me it blows.

Draw backs: I agree with the "jess" review, the cup clearance is very small, and the steam arm is an abbreviated version.

I have actually found that SPEGA yogurt jars fit perfectly and can either hold two long pull shots of espresso or three regular espresso shots. I only drink espresso straight but if your making cappuccino I suggest steaming your "sugar and or milk in one cup first" then place the same cup under the press and brew the espresso right into the same cup. It isn't pretty, but it makes for the hottest drink with out compromising the brew (i.e. scolding the pods and You can tell when you have scolded the pods because the machine makes an ungodly stuttering spitting sound, and the brew is a watery murky brown. this is usually the consequence of the hand press being to hot. I actually run some cool water over the hand press for about 3 seconds after each shot because you can only do one pod at a time and by the second pod for a double espress the hand press is sometimes to hot).

Like every cheap domestic kitchen appliance making big claims, this one provides you with adequate espresso, not great but not undrinkable. Also since it isn't a boiler, it will never produce the richness and body that commercial or high end coffee shops regularly do (those machines are 20 - 30 thousand a pop), but it does provide you with adequate to good espresso. Its main selling point is the effect it has on drastically reducing your expenses when it comes to daily espresso consumption. I do not drink drip brew coffee and purchasing double espresso at 1.60 three times a day at Starbucks or Coffee Been is simply not an option for a student on a budget.

I bought this machine about 6 weeks ago from Target for $69 plus tax. I had some mixed results experimenting with this machine. But this morning, I had my best results yet.

1) used fresh whole beans that I grinded VERY FINE (almost like powder)Forget about the course thing! Used a manual Braun grinder($20) & just held the button down until coffee was very fine. (less than 1 minute)

2) Bought a metal tamper for about $5 from bed bath & beyond.
Tamped very firm(with all your might!)

3) ran alittle shot of hot water through the portafilter before puting coffee in it, just to warm it a bit.

4) when your ready to brew, make sure the portafilter is screwed on as tight as possible.

5) Great espresso! with great crema

note: if your doing a single shot, make sure you shut it at about 1.5 oz of coffee, & a double at about 3 oz.

I will have to say I absolutely loved this machine when I first purchased it; I even purchased one for other family members. It was so easy to use and made pretty good lattes.
Four months and 2 days later, the machine is broken - what a waste of money. Now I have to deal with the manufacturer, the warranty (1yr), and no machine...


I wanted to enter the world of espresso at home without spending a bundle. I figured if I used it a lot, I'd upgrade to a better maker later. I decided on this model after reading reviews here and elsewhere. I've had this model for about a month now and I love it. It is simple to use and simple to clean and makes good espresso.
Here are some tips I've gathered from various places on the net and from personal experience.

1) The steamer works well if you do it right. I don't use it often since I like straight espresso. However, I do like the occasional Mocha. Get a good stainless pitcher (the Krups 20oz fits this maker perfectly) and store it in the freezer for a few minutes before adding the milk and steaming. For frothing, hold the steaming head near the edge of the pitcher just barely under the surface of the milk until it gains volume. Then plunge the steaming head deeper to finish steaming and heating the milk. This gives me great results.

2) Preheat the maker and run a "blank shot" of just water through the system before making your first shot. This gets everything heated properly and will help ensure you get that nice crema head (see #5).

3) Make sure you have a proper grind. This maker likes a very fine grind. The manual says if you're having your coffee ground at the coffee shop, have it ground a couple marks coarser than the espresso grind. I don't know why they say this. If you do, you're shot will pull too fast and be week and bitter. Finer is better. Don't buy a cheap grinder or you're just wasting your money. If you don't want to spend a bundle on a grinder, just buy 1/4 or 1/2 pound at a time from your local roaster and have them grind it. Store it sealed air tight in the dark. It keeps about a week.

4) Tamp your grounds down properly. The standard says tamp to 30 pounds of pressure. Put your filter on a towel on your bathroom scale if you need to see what 30# feels like. You may not be able to achieve this pressure with the plastic tamper that comes with this model. If not, get a stainless tamper. I bought a stainless tamper with a slightly convex bottom and it helps a lot. If you shop around, you can get one for under $20. Fill the filter to just above the 1 or 2 shot line, tap the filter a couple times to settle the grounds, and then press straight down hard with your tamper. Just before you lift it back up, twist it slightly so that none of the grounds stick to the tamper when you remove it. Remove any loose grounds from the filter rim or inside above the compaction line.

5) And now, for my #1 tip - if you want to get that nice head of crema on top of your shot, USE FRESH ROASTED, FRESH GROUND espresso roast beans. I was never able to get crema on my shots until I bought some fresh roasted espresso beans from a local coffee shop. The shots tasted Ok without the crema, but didn't have that coffee-shop texture or visual appeal. Now they look and taste just like espresso from a real coffee shop.

Well, I won't be upgrading my espresso maker. There's no need to spend $200 (or $800!) when I'm getting the results I want from this model for much less.

I have a huge dependence on coffee/espresso. I average about 2-6 cups per day. This espresso maker was great for the first 3-4 months and then the water pump kept getting clogged up. We would have to take the pump apart each time, which was a 30 minute task! Definitely not what you want to be doing at 7am before work.
Then the coffee started getting a metallic taste to it.
I finally gave up the espresso/cappuccino and went back to my good, old "Mr. Coffee" coffee maker (which has endured my out-of-control coffee addiction for the last 5 years!).

We bought this machine and initially loved the espresso it produced. Less than 10 uses later it started producing a watery brew that is completely unrecognizable as espresso.

PLUS, water started to stagnate in the coffee holder attachment, making a mess every time we tried to remove it. Hamilton Beach customer service did not respond to email and could not be reached on the phone.

Do NOT buy this product if you intend to make more than 8 good lattes with it.

This is definitely a budget-minded, entry level machine. The first espresso maker I've owned is a reliable, basic Braun steam maker. (It's serving as a back-up until the new DeLonghi arrives.) As my tastes matured, and reading about 15 bar expresso makers, it gave me the longing to experience the joys of crema, better frothing abilities, and hopefully a superior cup of espresso and cappuccino. So my quest began. Wanting to save on countertop space I purchased a reconditioned Krups combination espresso coffee maker from a local retailer. When it worked it was wonderful! Beautiful, caramel crema and effortless frothing with perfect body! Unfortunately the espresso maker was very inconsistent and frequently only dripped, very temperamental. It was exchanged but the next one performed even worse, back it went. So I read the positive reviews on Amazon about the Hamilton Beach and with some doubts bought one at Target. My doubts were confirmed, no crema, mediocre frothing, and just OK espresso. If you've never had great crema or beautiful froth you'll never know what your missing, this machine will perform adequately for you but don't expect coffeehouse results. In this case you get what you pay for.

Let me start by saying this machine make a hell of a good coffee for the price it costs, the only thing is that it's made out of plastic and the only way you can put a large glass is by taking out the plastic bottom tray.
But when you taste the coffee it compensate for all the above.


When our Mr. Coffee cappucino machine unexpectedly died one day, I wanted to replace it immediately - I am a cappucino addict! This machine has lived up to its great reviews on Amazon. It makes very good cappucino, froths milk well and is easy to use and to clean. It comes with a video with funny, porno-sounding music to get you "in the mood" for making fancy coffee drinks. I highly recommend this machine. It is reasonably priced and really works well.

I bought one of these about two weeks ago when my cheapy steam espresso maker died. The difference between this and the old one is like night and day. This is real espresso. It's every bit as good as what you would get in a Starbucks. We use this about four times a day, so it's been getting a workout.

I have only one significant gripe. The coffee grounds expand during the brew process which forces them up against the screen where the water comes out. This is true even though the ground coffee level is no higher than the mark for 2 cups after I tamp it down. I do admit that I compress it pretty hard. I'm surprised no one else mentioned this. I don't want to reduce the amount of coffee I put in, so I now put a little round filter ABOVE the ground coffee to prevent this from happening. I cut the filter out of regular coffee filters using an exacto knife using the tamper as a template. It takes about a minute. You can get about six little filters per regular drip style coffee filter.

Aside from that detail I love it. The used grounds pop out in a lump so you don't scatter grounds all over when you're trying to dump them in the garbage. It would be nice to have the MIN water level mark on the outside where you can see it without having to remove the reservoir.

It makes a very nice crema with a nice rich swirly color. While it's not necessary, I turn the pump off a couple times during the brew process to allow the water to soak into the coffee a bit more. I think that makes it slightly stronger and increases the crema. In my case, I use a freshly ground (fairly fine) dark roast coffee.

It would be nice if it came with cups, since I didn't have any that would fit under the spigot, but that's pretty trivial. Hopefully it will last longer than some the ones owned by some of the other reviewers.

After having read all the user reviews I decided to give this espresso maker a try. I've been using it for 4 months and I'm thrilled. When this machine dies I'll probably upgrade, but it is serving me well and confirmed my love of a good homemade latte. I bet that many of the negative reviews are due to user error and/or machine quarks. I recommend reading the reviews for tips and proper techniques. Here are my tips...

1) Let the machine warm up for at least 30 minutes - at least! Leave the portafilter in as it warms up. Expensive machines require a similar warm up time.

2) Run a blank shot to further warm up the components.

3) Use the proper grind. This is a least as important as using fresh coffee. The grind should be very fine. Off-the-shelf Starbucks won't cut it. I use pre-ground Illy fine grind, which I buy here from Amazon (notably, I've also had great luck with the Illy espresso pods).

4) Use the proper tamper with the proper pressure. The tamper include doesn't work well. Replace it with a sturdier one or improvise with some else (I use a inverted bottle of multivitamens). Now press HARD -- with all your might. Force that fine grind into a small brick. Now consider placing a piece of paper towel or cut coffee filter over the grind to keep the grounds from moving around and easing clean-up. (If you tamped hard enough, the spent grounds should knock out as a small brick when you're all done.)

5) Start the shot and watch the stream. A good shot should last 25 seconds or so, from when the stream starts. The stream should look a dark black to rich maple color all the way through -- not watery.

Have fun practicing and don't give up. Expensive machines require just as much finessing. Note: I've never tried the frother since I use stovetop frother.

I read all the negative and positive reviews before deciding to try my luck with this machine and I have to say, I have no problems with it since I started using it 7 months ago. There wasn't a leakage problem, there wasn't a cold coffee problem but I do agree that the milk frother do not work as well as I would like it too. What I discovered is that if you use any grounded coffee that is not grounded as fine as it should be, you will get bad coffee. So far, my best experience is with Illy's fine grind coffee. With the right tamping, the espresso comes out aromatic with thick crema. However, if the coffee is not tamp well or if too little coffee is used (I always make 2 shots simultaneously) then the coffee will come out weak or over brewed.

By looking at the price I thought that this most likely would not be a quality machine but decided to give it a shot - $70 at Target and 30 day return policy, no questions asked - why not give it a shot, I might be surprised. Well, I was not...

I've had a small Krups machine that has been working well for several years. I wanted to upgrade it because it makes good coffee only if you go 2 cups and above and it doesn't have the "crema" or creme that is usually seen on espresso in quality coffee houses and not always at Starbucks. The reason I wanted to try this machine was because the pump is rates as pretty much all the other non-commercial machines at 15bar (only Capresso at $300 has 18bar), so this and a $250 - $300 machine had the same type of pump or so I thought.

Well, did this machine deliver? A definite no. I wasted bunch of Illy Espresso grind coffee, almost half of a $13 can and tried everything by instructions and nothing ever worked. No crema ever!

I tried the cappuccino function and it steams and froths milk well. Still with the coffee having a burned taste the cappuccino was ok but nothing exceptional considering I am using the most expensive esspresso blend out there.

After several days the pump assembly into the reservoir started to leak so I took it back to Target and have since upgraded to Breville that pushes great crema.

I bought this a couple weeks ago. Nice looking machine. Pod holder for pods works good, nice extracted coffee, just make sure you really tighten the lever to the right or water might leak out the back of the filter or the handle and get into your pulled shots. Also when using the ground filter it often gets stuck up in the until which makes it a pain to try and remove. Just put the lever holder pack over the filter and kinda jiggle back and forth until the filter drops back into the lever. Makes it really annoying. I contacted Hamilton beach and this is the first call for this problem. But I've read this same thing happening on other reviews elsewhere. Other than that nice machine, works far better than the Delonghi bar32 that I had for 2 weeks and sold.

I bought mine a few months ago, so have now had a good opportunity to try it out. Overall, I like it a lot and use it often. There are, however, a few problems:
1) Mine arrived with a small scratch on the front face (minor, but annoying)
2) It took a while to get the steaming technique down...
3) This problem is the worst, and the reason for the low rating: it works terribly with pods. At first the espresso comes out diluted. What you then have to do is remove the pod holder, throw out the excess water, and then do it again. The second, or sometimes the third time, it usually works with the pod, but you have to be careful to put your cup in the front section of the machine as while the espresso is flowing, the machine leaks streams of hot water from the back, and that can get into your cup if you're not careful. Pods are supposed to be easy. This machine makes it painful.

Also, I find that I get one shot rather than two from the machine, before it starts getting watery (that's with filling the filter to the 2 cup level-usually Illy- and tamping).

Overall, I do like the machine. It's small which is good for my small counter space, and has a nice look to it,has a functional design with the storage space in the top of it for scoops and such...and since I read many reviews before hand, I bought a good tamper right from the start and am careful to always tamp beforehand, and to make sure there is no loose coffee dust around the filter.

Also, it's a good idea to let the unit heat for longer than the lights indicate to ensure proper espresso brewing or milk steaming. I still need to try out what others said about running some hot water through the filter first - that might help...but i never expected this much hassle...

Next time round, I'll probably get a better machine, but for the size and the price, I've definitely already gotten my money's worth out of it.

Don't buy this machine if you want to use pods.

I bought this machine after reading all the good reviews here. But it turned out to be a big disappointment. I have a stove-top espresso maker that gives me good flavor espresso all the time. And the so-called "espresso" coming out of this machine doesn't even come close to the stove-top one. It tastes no better than the stuff coming out of a cheap coffee machine. Tried a few times and couldn't get any better results. So I returned it and stick with my stove-top espresso maker.

I purchased this espresso/cappuccino machine about a month ago and it has worked very well. It makes very nice coffee and the steamer workes well. One word of advise...heat the milk in the microwave before using the steamer. I guess the steaming capacity is on the smaller size and I had to steam - wait - steam - wait a few times because the steam ran out. If you heat the milk first, you will be able to froth the milk in one shot. Other than that, the machine is great and I have no problems with it and enjoy it a lot. I have made cappuccino's every night for about a month and have had no problems. Very nice machine for the price.

I have owned over 5 espresso machines, in the past, but most have been 4 bar pressure machines. This time I wanted to upgrade to a 15 bar machine and came across the Hamilton Beach 40729 and given its price and reviews, there was no looking back. Only one review (about the machine not producing any crema) caused a little bit of hesitation in my mind before ordering. But after reading the other reviews, I bought a "Cuisi Pro" coffee tamper. After adequate tamping, the machine produces a rich, thick, frothy, dark red, creamy layer of "Crema". By the way, I use Illy's fine grind dark roast espresso coffee. I tried another Columbian organic decaf espresso fine grind coffee, but it didn't taste any good on this machine nor did it produce any crema, so came back to Illy.

Word of caution: The pod holder on this machine doesn't work well. While closing the pod holder, the pod always slips from its place and causes steam to leak on the sides, making the coffee potion diluted. But the machine works perfectly well with Premium "ground" coffee like Illy.

Bought this for my husband for Christmas and he loves it - you can use ground espresso or the pods which is perfect since he loves to try different coffees. The directions are a bit hard to understand and you must follow them very closely to get that perfect cup of espresso. Not as big in price or size as some of the other ones but it sure is the perfect gift for someone that loves espresso!

I bought one of these for my office when I want an afternoon shot or have to come in early and don't have time at home for my morning ritual. Though the machine is cheap, it has features you normally can't find for this price. First off, and there's been a lot of confusion on this point in earlier reviews here and elsewhere, this is definitely a true single-boiler pump-driven machine. It is NOT a thermoblock machine. Like most manual single boiler machines, it's simple to operate, with 3 switches: power on/off, pump on/off for actually pouring espresso shots, and steam heating on/off.

While the shell is cheap plastic (remember it's a cheap machine), the guts are really quite capable. It has an aluminum boiler that's pretty decent size -- no markings so I can't tell if it's Chinese or European in origin. The boiler is bolted to a cast aluminum grouphead. The portafilter has a plastic handle mated to a cast aluminum filter holder and stainless steel basket. The filter holder is plated, likely with either chrome or nickel. The pump is a standard 15-bar Italian-made Ulka Model E, standard on many models in the $300 range, and surprising to find in this inexpensive of a machine. All of the internal plumbing is made of soft plastic tubing (not so surprising).

There are three indicator lights, again standard for this type of machine. One is a power on light. Another indicates when the boiler heating element is on. The light comes on when the boiler is heating, so essentially this is a "not-ready" light. When the light goes out, it's ready to brew espresso, or steam, based on which mode you're in. The third light indicates that the steam switch is depressed. Finally, it has a fairly small water reservoir that is removed from the side for filling.

So how does it work? I was surprised at the results I get from it. I generally stick to cappucino, so I can't rate the straight shots for you hard core drinkers out there. But the cappucino is every bit as good as I get at home from my Star$$ Barista (by Saeco) machine. One complaint I have about brewing is that it will continue to drip once I've shut the pump off and switch to steam mode. That stops once done steaming and I release the remaining steam pressure. Cleanup is easy with a solid puck that easily knocks loose from the filter.

Steaming is fairly impressive as well. Expect to clear some water from the steam wand initially, but that's common with all single boiler manual machines like this. After that, this machine provides plenty of dry hi-powered steam -- testament to the size of the boiler. Frothing is a cake walk. I have removed the froth attachment and steam straight from the wand, and I can't *not* froth the milk well.

One item to note -- I originally purchased the very first model they shipped, and that model was recalled. Hamilton Beach made it simple to get an updated version, and didn't even require return of the original. The reason for the recall was that internal components would burst under certain conditions, specifically if the user pressed the brew switch while the machine was in steam mode. You really shouldn't be doing that anyway, but I did notice that a couple earlier reviewers suggest doing just that to increase the temp of your brew. The hazard's been fixed in all current models, but I still wouldn't recommend doing that "trick".

BOTTOM LINE: You actually get more than you pay for in functionality with this machine. It'll never win any style awards, and your coffee snob friends may look down your nose at you, but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you got such a good price on such a capable machine.

It is OK for the price. But not fantastic. I used to have a SAECO. It is still the best! But too bad my SAECO doesnt work with 110V, hence I have to get a new one.
Problems with Hamilton
1) it doesnt produce the "creme" with ground coffee.
2) it takes an awful long time to start up
3) finer powders escape thru seive.
The milk steamer works fime though.


It is OK for the price. But not fantastic. I used to have a SAECO. It is still the best! But too bad my SAECO doesnt work with 110V, hence I have to get a new one.
Problems with Hamilton
1) it doesnt produce the "creme" with ground coffee.
2) it takes an awful long time to start up
3) finer powders escape thru seive.
The milk steamer works fime though.


I bought this a couple weeks ago. Nice looking machine. Pod holder for pods works good, nice extracted coffee, just make sure you really tighten the lever to the right or water might leak out the back of the filter or the handle and get into your pulled shots. Also when using the ground filter it often gets stuck up in the until which makes it a pain to try and remove. Just put the lever holder pack over the filter and kinda jiggle back and forth until the filter drops back into the lever. Makes it really annoying. I contacted Hamilton beach and this is the first call for this problem. But I've read this same thing happening on other reviews elsewhere. Other than that nice machine, works far better than the Delonghi bar32 that I had for 2 weeks and sold.

I bought mine a few months ago, so have now had a good opportunity to try it out. Overall, I like it a lot and use it often. There are, however, a few problems:
1) Mine arrived with a small scratch on the front face (minor, but annoying)
2) It took a while to get the steaming technique down...
3) This problem is the worst, and the reason for the low rating: it works terribly with pods. At first the espresso comes out diluted. What you then have to do is remove the pod holder, throw out the excess water, and then do it again. The second, or sometimes the third time, it usually works with the pod, but you have to be careful to put your cup in the front section of the machine as while the espresso is flowing, the machine leaks streams of hot water from the back, and that can get into your cup if you're not careful. Pods are supposed to be easy. This machine makes it painful.

Also, I find that I get one shot rather than two from the machine, before it starts getting watery (that's with filling the filter to the 2 cup level-usually Illy- and tamping).

Overall, I do like the machine. It's small which is good for my small counter space, and has a nice look to it,has a functional design with the storage space in the top of it for scoops and such...and since I read many reviews before hand, I bought a good tamper right from the start and am careful to always tamp beforehand, and to make sure there is no loose coffee dust around the filter.

Also, it's a good idea to let the unit heat for longer than the lights indicate to ensure proper espresso brewing or milk steaming. I still need to try out what others said about running some hot water through the filter first - that might help...but i never expected this much hassle...

Next time round, I'll probably get a better machine, but for the size and the price, I've definitely already gotten my money's worth out of it.

Don't buy this machine if you want to use pods.

I bought this machine after reading all the good reviews here. But it turned out to be a big disappointment. I have a stove-top espresso maker that gives me good flavor espresso all the time. And the so-called "espresso" coming out of this machine doesn't even come close to the stove-top one. It tastes no better than the stuff coming out of a cheap coffee machine. Tried a few times and couldn't get any better results. So I returned it and stick with my stove-top espresso maker.

I purchased this espresso/cappuccino machine about a month ago and it has worked very well. It makes very nice coffee and the steamer workes well. One word of advise...heat the milk in the microwave before using the steamer. I guess the steaming capacity is on the smaller size and I had to steam - wait - steam - wait a few times because the steam ran out. If you heat the milk first, you will be able to froth the milk in one shot. Other than that, the machine is great and I have no problems with it and enjoy it a lot. I have made cappuccino's every night for about a month and have had no problems. Very nice machine for the price.

I have owned over 5 espresso machines, in the past, but most have been 4 bar pressure machines. This time I wanted to upgrade to a 15 bar machine and came across the Hamilton Beach 40729 and given its price and reviews, there was no looking back. Only one review (about the machine not producing any crema) caused a little bit of hesitation in my mind before ordering. But after reading the other reviews, I bought a "Cuisi Pro" coffee tamper. After adequate tamping, the machine produces a rich, thick, frothy, dark red, creamy layer of "Crema". By the way, I use Illy's fine grind dark roast espresso coffee. I tried another Columbian organic decaf espresso fine grind coffee, but it didn't taste any good on this machine nor did it produce any crema, so came back to Illy.

Word of caution: The pod holder on this machine doesn't work well. While closing the pod holder, the pod always slips from its place and causes steam to leak on the sides, making the coffee potion diluted. But the machine works perfectly well with Premium "ground" coffee like Illy.

Bought this for my husband for Christmas and he loves it - you can use ground espresso or the pods which is perfect since he loves to try different coffees. The directions are a bit hard to understand and you must follow them very closely to get that perfect cup of espresso. Not as big in price or size as some of the other ones but it sure is the perfect gift for someone that loves espresso!

I bought one of these for my office when I want an afternoon shot or have to come in early and don't have time at home for my morning ritual. Though the machine is cheap, it has features you normally can't find for this price. First off, and there's been a lot of confusion on this point in earlier reviews here and elsewhere, this is definitely a true single-boiler pump-driven machine. It is NOT a thermoblock machine. Like most manual single boiler machines, it's simple to operate, with 3 switches: power on/off, pump on/off for actually pouring espresso shots, and steam heating on/off.

While the shell is cheap plastic (remember it's a cheap machine), the guts are really quite capable. It has an aluminum boiler that's pretty decent size -- no markings so I can't tell if it's Chinese or European in origin. The boiler is bolted to a cast aluminum grouphead. The portafilter has a plastic handle mated to a cast aluminum filter holder and stainless steel basket. The filter holder is plated, likely with either chrome or nickel. The pump is a standard 15-bar Italian-made Ulka Model E, standard on many models in the $300 range, and surprising to find in this inexpensive of a machine. All of the internal plumbing is made of soft plastic tubing (not so surprising).

There are three indicator lights, again standard for this type of machine. One is a power on light. Another indicates when the boiler heating element is on. The light comes on when the boiler is heating, so essentially this is a "not-ready" light. When the light goes out, it's ready to brew espresso, or steam, based on which mode you're in. The third light indicates that the steam switch is depressed. Finally, it has a fairly small water reservoir that is removed from the side for filling.

So how does it work? I was surprised at the results I get from it. I generally stick to cappucino, so I can't rate the straight shots for you hard core drinkers out there. But the cappucino is every bit as good as I get at home from my Star$$ Barista (by Saeco) machine. One complaint I have about brewing is that it will continue to drip once I've shut the pump off and switch to steam mode. That stops once done steaming and I release the remaining steam pressure. Cleanup is easy with a solid puck that easily knocks loose from the filter.

Steaming is fairly impressive as well. Expect to clear some water from the steam wand initially, but that's common with all single boiler manual machines like this. After that, this machine provides plenty of dry hi-powered steam -- testament to the size of the boiler. Frothing is a cake walk. I have removed the froth attachment and steam straight from the wand, and I can't *not* froth the milk well.

One item to note -- I originally purchased the very first model they shipped, and that model was recalled. Hamilton Beach made it simple to get an updated version, and didn't even require return of the original. The reason for the recall was that internal components would burst under certain conditions, specifically if the user pressed the brew switch while the machine was in steam mode. You really shouldn't be doing that anyway, but I did notice that a couple earlier reviewers suggest doing just that to increase the temp of your brew. The hazard's been fixed in all current models, but I still wouldn't recommend doing that "trick".

BOTTOM LINE: You actually get more than you pay for in functionality with this machine. It'll never win any style awards, and your coffee snob friends may look down your nose at you, but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you got such a good price on such a capable machine.

By looking at the price I thought that this most likely would not be a quality machine but decided to give it a shot - $70 at Target and 30 day return policy, no questions asked - why not give it a shot, I might be surprised. Well, I was not...

I've had a small Krups machine that has been working well for several years. I wanted to upgrade it because it makes good coffee only if you go 2 cups and above and it doesn't have the "crema" or creme that is usually seen on espresso in quality coffee houses and not always at Starbucks. The reason I wanted to try this machine was because the pump is rates as pretty much all the other non-commercial machines at 15bar (only Capresso at $300 has 18bar), so this and a $250 - $300 machine had the same type of pump or so I thought.

Well, did this machine deliver? A definite no. I wasted bunch of Illy Espresso grind coffee, almost half of a $13 can and tried everything by instructions and nothing ever worked. No crema ever!

I tried the cappuccino function and it steams and froths milk well. Still with the coffee having a burned taste the cappuccino was ok but nothing exceptional considering I am using the most expensive esspresso blend out there.

After several days the pump assembly into the reservoir started to leak so I took it back to Target and have since upgraded to Breville that pushes great crema.

After having read all the user reviews I decided to give this espresso maker a try. I've been using it for 4 months and I'm thrilled. When this machine dies I'll probably upgrade, but it is serving me well and confirmed my love of a good homemade latte. I bet that many of the negative reviews are due to user error and/or machine quarks. I recommend reading the reviews for tips and proper techniques. Here are my tips...

1) Let the machine warm up for at least 30 minutes - at least! Leave the portafilter in as it warms up. Expensive machines require a similar warm up time.

2) Run a blank shot to further warm up the components.

3) Use the proper grind. This is a least as important as using fresh coffee. The grind should be very fine. Off-the-shelf Starbucks won't cut it. I use pre-ground Illy fine grind, which I buy here from Amazon (notably, I've also had great luck with the Illy espresso pods).

4) Use the proper tamper with the proper pressure. The tamper include doesn't work well. Replace it with a sturdier one or improvise with some else (I use a inverted bottle of multivitamens). Now press HARD -- with all your might. Force that fine grind into a small brick. Now consider placing a piece of paper towel or cut coffee filter over the grind to keep the grounds from moving around and easing clean-up. (If you tamped hard enough, the spent grounds should knock out as a small brick when you're all done.)

5) Start the shot and watch the stream. A good shot should last 25 seconds or so, from when the stream starts. The stream should look a dark black to rich maple color all the way through -- not watery.

Have fun practicing and don't give up. Expensive machines require just as much finessing. Note: I've never tried the frother since I use stovetop frother.

I read all the negative and positive reviews before deciding to try my luck with this machine and I have to say, I have no problems with it since I started using it 7 months ago. There wasn't a leakage problem, there wasn't a cold coffee problem but I do agree that the milk frother do not work as well as I would like it too. What I discovered is that if you use any grounded coffee that is not grounded as fine as it should be, you will get bad coffee. So far, my best experience is with Illy's fine grind coffee. With the right tamping, the espresso comes out aromatic with thick crema. However, if the coffee is not tamp well or if too little coffee is used (I always make 2 shots simultaneously) then the coffee will come out weak or over brewed.

This is definitely a budget-minded, entry level machine. The first espresso maker I've owned is a reliable, basic Braun steam maker. (It's serving as a back-up until the new DeLonghi arrives.) As my tastes matured, and reading about 15 bar expresso makers, it gave me the longing to experience the joys of crema, better frothing abilities, and hopefully a superior cup of espresso and cappuccino. So my quest began. Wanting to save on countertop space I purchased a reconditioned Krups combination espresso coffee maker from a local retailer. When it worked it was wonderful! Beautiful, caramel crema and effortless frothing with perfect body! Unfortunately the espresso maker was very inconsistent and frequently only dripped, very temperamental. It was exchanged but the next one performed even worse, back it went. So I read the positive reviews on Amazon about the Hamilton Beach and with some doubts bought one at Target. My doubts were confirmed, no crema, mediocre frothing, and just OK espresso. If you've never had great crema or beautiful froth you'll never know what your missing, this machine will perform adequately for you but don't expect coffeehouse results. In this case you get what you pay for.

Let me start by saying this machine make a hell of a good coffee for the price it costs, the only thing is that it's made out of plastic and the only way you can put a large glass is by taking out the plastic bottom tray.
But when you taste the coffee it compensate for all the above.


When our Mr. Coffee cappucino machine unexpectedly died one day, I wanted to replace it immediately - I am a cappucino addict! This machine has lived up to its great reviews on Amazon. It makes very good cappucino, froths milk well and is easy to use and to clean. It comes with a video with funny, porno-sounding music to get you "in the mood" for making fancy coffee drinks. I highly recommend this machine. It is reasonably priced and really works well.

I bought one of these about two weeks ago when my cheapy steam espresso maker died. The difference between this and the old one is like night and day. This is real espresso. It's every bit as good as what you would get in a Starbucks. We use this about four times a day, so it's been getting a workout.

I have only one significant gripe. The coffee grounds expand during the brew process which forces them up against the screen where the water comes out. This is true even though the ground coffee level is no higher than the mark for 2 cups after I tamp it down. I do admit that I compress it pretty hard. I'm surprised no one else mentioned this. I don't want to reduce the amount of coffee I put in, so I now put a little round filter ABOVE the ground coffee to prevent this from happening. I cut the filter out of regular coffee filters using an exacto knife using the tamper as a template. It takes about a minute. You can get about six little filters per regular drip style coffee filter.

Aside from that detail I love it. The used grounds pop out in a lump so you don't scatter grounds all over when you're trying to dump them in the garbage. It would be nice to have the MIN water level mark on the outside where you can see it without having to remove the reservoir.

It makes a very nice crema with a nice rich swirly color. While it's not necessary, I turn the pump off a couple times during the brew process to allow the water to soak into the coffee a bit more. I think that makes it slightly stronger and increases the crema. In my case, I use a freshly ground (fairly fine) dark roast coffee.

It would be nice if it came with cups, since I didn't have any that would fit under the spigot, but that's pretty trivial. Hopefully it will last longer than some the ones owned by some of the other reviewers.

I have had this machine for 1 month. I love it. Also LOVE that it can take the standard E.S.E. pod and freshly ground beans. I have tried several espresso blends in my KitchenAid Pro grinder with good results. Have also used Starbucks and Illy pods when making several cappucinos for a party. Good results each time after an initial day of experimentation. Make sure you run some hot water thru the machine before inserting the pod holder.Had been considering a $500 machine when I read a user review of the HB on a coffeegeek.com forum. Found best whole bean coffees thru reviews at coffeereview.com Took a chance for $70. Lovely frothy skim milk. Rich crema. FAB!

I've written a full review on a dedicated review site, which pertains to how the Hamilton Beach Cappuccino Plus Espresso Machine performs when it works. Unfortunately, most consumer reviews are written after a few days or weeks and do not indicate how a product holds up over time. This review will answer that question, at least where my experience is concerned. Suffice it to say, that while the Hamilton Beach Cappuccino Plus Espresso Machine is a "best value" for the money, I have owned two units and I've experienced two warranty issues to date.

I returned the first espresso machine less than two weeks after purchase because the rubber O-ring that holds the plastic safety cap over the steaming wand broke, such that the cap would not remain in place and the steamer could not be used. Fortunately, the O-ring fell off when the unit was off -- otherwise it could have produced some nasty burns had the steaming guide flown off while in use.

The second unit seemed to work well until today; unfortunately, it developed what would seem to be a clogged brew head. The pump motor sounds as if it is working and the steaming wand continues to steam, yet water will not dispense through brew head, whether or not the filter/basket assembly is on or off. Though it strikes me as a straightforward case of hard-water deposits, what was surprising is the lack of warning. It was working just fine last time it was used, and the water was not spraying out randomly as you might expect from a partially clogged brew head (or shower head, to cite a more familiar example).

Surprisingly, HB has no advice for this situation and NO descaling instructions in the user manual, not even in the troubleshooting section under the heading "Espresso will not flow out". By contrast, after consulting competing product manuals, I discovered that much like coffeemakers, these machines need to be delimed, otherwise hard water deposits begin to impede function. Yet all the HB manual has to say on the topic is to use only "cold water" in the machine and that warm water or "other liquids" -- perhaps to include acidic liquids, such as vinegar -- will "damage the unit". Despite HB's silence on the subject of descaling -- and their nebulous warning not to circulate other liquids -- warranty service is out of state and I doubt they would cover hard water deposits anyway, so I gave vinegar a try figuring I had nothing much to lose. Unfortunately, it is apparently too late.

When it works, the HB Cappuccino Plus Espresso Machine is a great little machine, whose best asset other than its 15-bars of pump-driven pressure is probably how little space it takes on the countertop. Unfortunately, even if you follow ALL the instructions in the HB user manual as I did -- cleaning and wiping down all the outer parts for a spotless machine and opening the valve so that the steam pressure is permitted to escape when finished -- the internal water circulating mechanisms are unreachable and there is no way to get them to function again once they seemingly clog.

Bottom line?

Those who buy the cheap $30 thermos-style espresso machine imitations are probably better off -- having less money to lose if it breaks, greater milk steaming capacity and easier maintenance. For those seeking a genuine pump-driven machine, however, I recommend saving your money for a professional grade machine. Better yet, perhaps a commercial-grade espresso machine will come with a USEFUL user manual that will actually tell you how to maintain the unit's INNER workings, rather than leaving critical maintenance information OUT entirely.

Ok, so here was my conundrum. I'm a soldier deployed to Iraq and during midtour leave visited Italy and became addicted to espresso. I drank it over there many times a day and really liked the effects. The bad news is that I had to come back to Iraq for 7 more months and I'm too lazy to walk to the Greenbeans Coffee Shop (yep, we have one) and I didn't really want to pay .75*6=4.50 every day. So, I knew I had to get a machine.

Now, given that I am in Iraq, the main things that I wanted were convenience and easy to clean. Given that I'm too lazy to walk to 50 or so yards to the bathroom to clean the thing, pretty much I have to rely mostly on water bottles.

I'm not a huge coffee snob and I just learned about crema, so quality might not be a consideration.

I bought this model, paid the exorbitant shipping costs and I've had it about a week. I seriously don't see any negatives. I am surprised to read other reviews about the temperature because my shots come out extremely HOT. There must be quite a lot of variation on models, wonder if Hamilton Beach is aware of this? It's convenient, cleans up nicely. I hate that I have to dump the grate at the bottom but that's just because I'm ...lazy.

I will say that it takes some experimentation. I read about the crema so I worked to achieve this perfection. Let's just say that it's a work in progress. I don't have much access to coffee, so I have some Starbucks and some other Italian brand. Pre-grind because I don't have access to a grinder. My last pull which is sitting on my desk as we speak did have a nice crema head that I achieved by 2 scoops of coffee jammed down into the filter using that great plastic tool that they provide (tamper). Unfortunately...or maybe fortunately...I'll have to have an operation later to uncurl my toes.

I haven't had any problems with leakage and I'm going to take the advice to use a black marker to mark the water lines on the tank. I don't really use the frother except to warm the cafe au laits that I sometimes make.

The only other problems that I have are that I shake constantly, am jittery, can't sleep. But that's just because of the addiction. haha.

I would highly recommend this machine to the average coffee drinker. It's cheap, easy to use and clean, and FAST. It might not be for the coffee snob who might benefit from a little more upscale model.



I had been using a $13 stove top moka pot and a stove top frother and they worked great. I received this machine as a gift and decided to give it a good try. The espresso comes out lukewarm and the frother is inconsistent. Sometimes the milk froths great, other times it spews all over the counter and comes out hot but no froth. I could do better in the microwave. Speaking of which, I've read reviews where people suggest to heat the espresso in a microwave and heat up the milk first in the microwave. No thanks, this machine should not need that kind of effort. As far as clean up goes, I think it's a mess. This is way too much work for me, AND I have to give up counter space for this thing. I'm going back to my little stove top gadgets. They work great, clean up is easy, and they store in a cabinet. And when I make coffee, the whole kitchen smells so good.

It never warms water to appropriate temperature. The water was actually coming out almost cold. I drank cowboy coffee from expensive machine! Maybe it works well with pods, but not with ground coffee. I watched video to see if I missed something. Nope. It is just bad product. It also takes forever to just warm up in comparison with my old simple Krups cappucino maker.
Do not buy.

For me, this is a top-notch home espresso/cappuccino maker. There are a couple of minor draw-backs for me which bring the rating down to 4-stars ... but they're very minor.

First off, I LOVE espresso and cappuccino and, well coffee in general. I'm not a huge snob about it, but I pretty much only drink top-notch coffee. If it comes in a can (or from a grocery store) I give it a complete pass. Star-bluch's is okay, but the beans I buy are roasted locally and are VERY fresh and much more to my liking.

Anyway, about the Hamilton Beach machine - I am only using fresh-ground coffee beans (a medium roast espresso blend). I have not tried (and do not intend to try) using the "pods". I grind my own beans using an inexpensive electric blade-type grinder and I let it grind for about 15 to 17 seconds. This seems to give a fairly uniform, fine grind which is working extremely well for me.

When I fill the filter (I always pull double-shots), I use the included scoop/tamper. I use 2 rounded scoops (do not level off, nor use heaping scoops) then press it firmly down to the "2" level. I get perfect espresso with beautiful crema every time, right from the start. I've seen a couple of reviews on other sites that say the tamper isn't very good, but I have no problem with it. One has to remember, though, that the "handle" of the tamper is plastic - so press down with your fingers on the flat part rather than holding the measuring scoop end and pressing down.

I love the steaming wand as well ... the very first time I tried using it I got perfectly steamed milk with nice thick froth. Yes, it is a bit short, but I picked up a small stainless steel pitcher which fits nicely under the wand.

The cups I use fit fine under the filter. I use a 6-oz tea cup and it is wide enough to catch both streams of espresso. I just let the machine run till the cup is 1/2 full - a perfect double shot (3 oz). Then just pour in the milk, top with froth and sprinkle with cinnamon... can't beat it.

The only drawbacks? The reservoir does need to be refilled if I make myself 2 cappuccino's. The espresso, then the steaming, use up most of the water. But, all I have to do is remember to pour a little bit of water in before I start the second batch. I've also read a complaint that there's no "minimum level" mark on the outside of the reservoir where you can see it. This was easy to fix though ... a straight edge laid along the mark on the side, then a permanent marker to mark the front.

I've been using this machine for a couple of weeks now and these are the only drawbacks I've noticed. It's easy to use, develops great pressure (not one leak, by the way), makes great espresso ... and ... clean up is a breaze! If you're in the market for a very good espresso machine and don't want to spend mega-bucks ... this one is right up your alley.

I purchased this item two weeks ago and am quite happy with it's performance. It heats up quickly, and makes a nice cup of espresso.

A few points to consider before buying.

1- The drip clearance is barely 3". You will need a cafe style espresso/cappucino cup.

2- The drip is somewhat wide. A tiny espresso cup will likely result in spillage. We just pour into a larger cup to enjoy.

3- The steamer takes a minute to steam cold milk- try microwaving before frothing- you'll save a lot of time.

All in all, I love this espresso maker, and would heartily recommend it to any budget conscious consumer looking for a small espresso maker.



Having read the reviews, you will either love or hate this machine. Put me in the hate it category. No problems with steaming milk, but it makes a weak, lukewarm, poor excuse for a shot of espresso. I don't know whether there is a great deal of variation in the quality of the machines Hamilton Beach produces or just a great deal of variation in the expectations of espresso drinkers. If you buy this one, save the box and packing materials. Like me, you may send it right back.

I've had this for about 3 months, and have used it and figured it out enough know what works, and what doesn't. If you are an espresso snob, then this machine prob isn't for you. But if you're an habitual Starbucks $4.00 a latte drinker, then this will save you a considerable amount of money, and give you excellent results if you have the patience to get used to it a b it.

First of all, the espresso beans. The way they are ground in combination with how much you pack them into the filter takes a little practice and trial and error, but once you get the right combo, you can get thick, strong, muddy espresso with a beautiful head of crema every time. Or if you like it a bit weaker, you can make the grind a bit more coarse and not pack it in as much. The notion that the machine doesn't produce crema just isn't true, I've pulled the same crema-laden espresso that a $500.00 machine can pull time and time again. I actually just buy the grocery store beans and grind them there and get great results.

The steamer is powerful enough to make nice foam, it might take a little longer than most people like, or it may not. I don't know. I generally open the valve for about 30 sec after the red temp light goes out before I steam my milk, to make sure I'm not getting any excess water in there. Then it takes a min or two I supppose, it certainly doesn't seem very long to me. Now, it's true that the espresso might not be hot by the time the milk is done, but the milk is hot, so the whole drink is hot once I mix it.

Afterwards, clean the following:

The Filter.
The area of the machine where you hook the filter up.
After you turn the machine off, open the steam valve slightly (let it release into a cup or in the sink) to release any excess, I find that also keeps the steam valve clean.

Drawbacks:

The unit is small, so you have to find the right cup/glass to fit under the filter when it's hooked up.

The steam valve could be a bit longer, and the opening could be further away from the unit. The way it is set up, you need to get a container and kind of tilt it to get it to work, but it still works fine.

These are minor issues, considering the unit is sturdy overall, and will save the Starbucks latte users a ton of dough! Highly recommended for the frugal person who doesn't mind a bit of a learning curve in the effort to save money.



I bought this for my boyfriend and he LOVES it. He knows nothing about coffee, but doesn't have to to be able to use this. The instructions were easy to follow and the machine is even easier to use. Its a great gift and so far has been reliable and delicious.

I use the starbucks pods with this machine and get a perfect shot of espresso with a beautiful crema every time. Be sure to not Overtighten the handle on the filter or it will leak. Mine leaked the first time until I figured out the problem. Froths and steams milk wonderfully. That, too, is a learned thing but the key is holding the cup at an angle so the milk can move freely. This is the best machine for the money out there!

I've owned this product for about 3 months and I have to say that it makes a pretty good drink. The machine is easy to use, easy to clean, and seems to be sturdily built.
This is the second unit I've owned. I sent the first one back due to what I thought was a "defect", but the new one does the same thing: grounds in the portafilter are always "soupy" instead of "pick-like" regardless of how the espresso is ground or how hard or lightly it is tamped. It is impossible to get it right.
The only other gripe I have is there is no water level indicator on the water reservoir visible from the outside. It's often difficult to tell when the water is down to the "min" level without removing the reservoir.
Overall, a good buy for the money. A 15 bar pump for close to the price of a steam machine--enough said. Oh yeah, the frother is the best I've used.

Very easy to use! Frother works great! The only drawback is when using ground espresso instead of the pods ,cleaning all of the used coffee grounds out of the machine is a little time consuming. Other than that our experience has been very positive.

This is my first espresso maker. When I use great coffee, it makes great esp