Miho CM-01A Espresso Machine 3.5 Bar Steam Cappuccino and Latte Maker with Milk Frother

This little $40 machine does the trick just fine. The great thing is that these little machines DO actually make a great cup of espresso (and they do it quick too). However, please have reasonable expectations for your little <$50 espresso machine...Keep in mind, quality espresso machines can cost hundreds of dollars. If you plan on using it several times a day, these little cheapo espresso machines won't hold up forever. That being said, even if you DO use it several times a day (like we do) it's still worth the purchase considering that after making about 15 cups, it's pretty much paid for itself. Then, when it breaks after 350+ cups just buy another one. You're still getting your money's worth given that, at $3 a cup (and that's being generous) you would pay well over $1000 for that at the coffee house.It's perfect if you really just want some espresso and don't want to commit to a $300+ machine because honestly, there is NO benefit in upgrading to a $100 all-in-one type. Sure, those do more (make coffee, espresso, cappuccino, etc) but they have more problems than they're worth. Cleaning the milk reservoirs for example, is much more time consuming than rinsing out a frothing cup and that must be done after each use. That includes breaking down several parts and hand-washing then reassembling several times a day and ESPECIALLY first thing in the morning...Um... no thanks...That alone made them not worth it for me. But most importantly, they won't make a better cup of coffee and will, most likely, still break in a few months. I personally went through two $100 machines in a year before I decided to downgrade. I am very glad that I did.You would probably have to get a very nice professional-quality machine in order to get a commercial quality/long-lasting unit so I suggest just sticking with this type until you are ready to pay a lot more all at once.

I'm updating my review now that I have gotten acquainted with this machine. I actually really do like it and i have an expensive machine at home that I really like. I learned with this one that you need to make sure you have the fine ground espresso beans otherwise it just shoots through. Also, make sure to pack it with the other end of the spoon they give you. When you do that, it actually does make a really nice espresso and the milk foamer works really well. I like this a lot because it takes up very little room on my desk at work. I do recommend buying this despite what other say. Maybe they were having the same issues as me when they first tried it.

I've had several single espresso machines over the years. This is a perfect machine. It's a compact size for my counter top. Replacing my Krups Espresso that did the job for the last 3 years but recently conked out. I am not looking for bells and whistles, just want a great cup of espresso with steamed half and half in the morning. Mihos machine makes a great cup of coffee. The steamer for Cappuccino is outstanding! Better than what I had before. You cannot beat the price. If it lasts 3 years it has served me well. Looks good too :) plus Amazon delivered same day Prime; didn't even go 1 day without. Would highly recommend.

For the first year and a half of using this espresso maker, I was extremely satisfied. Easy to use and maintain. My only two qualms with this machine were that the knob didn't click with each setting - so you just had to be careful that you ended up on the right setting when rotating the knob - and that there was no automatic shut off feature. Other than those nit-picky things, I loved this espresso maker!However, after 1.5 years of using this machine about once a week (to make 2-4 shots of espresso, never used the frothing wand), it exploded out of nowhere. I was making 4 shots of espresso as I had done (successfully) many times before, but this time the espresso cup filter holder was blown off the machine, smashing the glass carafe which had about 3 shots worth of hot espresso already in it. Glass shards shot everywhere, along with hot espresso, espresso grounds, and parts of the machine. I was standing just 1 foot away while it was brewing and am incredibly lucky to have not gotten seriously hurt.I will contact Amazon and the vendor directly about a refund because this is absolutely unacceptable.This espresso machine is a safety hazard. Do not buy.

This little machine is a value for the money in my opinion. Yes, it is an expensive but it certainly does the job. If you take care of it I think it will serve you for a while. I am happy with the quality of coffees that I have made so far. I know that it says to use medium ground coffee but I have had good results with finer ground coffee so far. My froth is not as thick as I like it, but I was using plant based and almond milk. Tasted lovely, nonetheless!!!I'm updating this because I have been doing a lot of research and found that this machine is also sold under a couple of other names. One is Bestek and the prices vary just a few dollars. I am still using the Miho brand that I purchased and have had a touch time getting froth. I am finding that it is best to use less milk for a better froth. I am still working on getting the espresso right where it has that bit of froth on it as well, but so far the flavor has been good, depending upon how much coffee (finely ground) that you put in the container. The plastic or alloy smell is still around a bit, but mostly I have just a lovely aroma of coffee after every use. I have read some reviews that running straight vinegar (assuming that it is white vinegar, of course) eventually takes the smell of the unit away. Someone also stated that the vinegar helped with getting the temperature up to par. I will try the vinegar, but so far has definitely been worth the little bit of money that I spent. :) I'll update.

Yes I followed the instructions but twice now - two different machines and both make the espresso very watery. Milk frothing tube gets easily clogged as well. I run it steam only after every use to unclog anything and it is still very dirty.