illyCoffee Maker Machine X7.1, Iperespresso Capsule Pods Coffee Machine with Milk Steamer, Red

before buying this, i spent alot of time researching as i was very sceptical about it as it is a capsule machine. i consider myself to be quite a connoisseur, who overs the years has purchased manual espresso machines only. this time i wanted something easier and cleaner, but also the same great taste that i can get from a manual espresso machine.having read good reviews i took the plunge and i must say it is absolutely excellent. firstly and most importantly, it makes fantastic espresso with a perfect crema everytime. secondly it is very quick, easy to use and clean and thirdly it looks really nice in my kitchen. There is a very good choice of coffee capsules available, from brazil to ethiopia. Fantastic machine love it.

I bought my coffee machine in October 2013. First the positives. The coffee is lovely. The machine looks great. Just after the guarantee ran out the de scaler light started flashing. As per instructions I de scaled it. The light is still flashing to this day. I have now de scaled it 4 times in an attempt to fix this. In the last few months, the frothing action has become more and more of a " heat valve" so I now can get either espresso which I don't enjoy or Latte which I also don't want. My cappacino machine is now useless. Having emailed through Amazon to the supplier just for some guidance I have had nothing. I paid £130 for this and whilst I don't expect it to last a lifetime, 14 months of effective use is not acceptable . If you are thinking of buying one of these, make sure you read the reviews from buyers who report 12 month plus usage. Regularly they seem to fail. Such a shame as I agree with almost all reviewers about the quality of the coffee and the looks

Some of the reviews here say it might develop problems, but so far it's fantastic. I can really kid myself I'm making genuine Italian coffee by using a handle and group head, without the mess and inconsistency you usually get. Iperespresso (I prefer media tostatura) always makes an excellent coffee with a bar-quality crema. A coffee costs me $1AUD which is a lot more than Nespresso etc, but it is far superior.I really only drink ristretto so I can't really comment on the milk frothing ability, though it looks a bit slow and clumsy in videos.And the Italian design is an extra bonus. Be aware though, the machine is mainly plastic. And if you want your coffee really hot (I don't mind it a bit cooler) you need to heat the cups.

Does make excellent espresso. Longer drinks take a bit more practice in terms of your own preference for the balance of expressed volume plus hot water. Steam wand works well.The over-riding problem is the heavy cost of the special capsules. Illy should work to reduce this. Need to get a mixed selection of capsules and try different beans as there can be quite a difference in taste and suitability between long and short drinks. Five stars if capsules were cheaper!

I just received my coffee machine today.1. As you can see from the attached photo there is an expiry date of the box. The one I received today, already passed the expiry date. Initially, I didn't understand the reason then I realized that the machine comes with 14 coffee capsules so it is the coffee expiry date.2. Also, there is a tiny small leaflet (see attached) which says that you must have this paper stamped for a 24-month warranty. I received it without any stamp so I presume I have to chase up with an email to find out how I can register and activate my warranty.

What a fantastic piece of kit. I came across this machine when I was searching for a fool-proof little machine after having our baby. I am signed up to 'Which?' Online professional reviews platform.This was a highly rated little machine which tastes a hundred times better than your high street coffee stores. Trust me! And a milk wand which is a real bonus. Froths milk to perfect microbubbles like a true barrista.Simple to use, takes the Illy coffee pods, which one can now buy individually foil wrapped for freshness.Literally two parts to remove and hand wash with warm, soapy water in less than a minute.A quick wipe with a wet kitchen towel over the coffee pod piercer and milk wand.

Not quite sure how many stars to give. As far as capsule machines go the coffee tastes great but would like to be able to override the automatic function to suit individual tastes. Espresso itself is really good but the frother is too short which makes it awkward to use and the results are disappointing too much steam so instead of expanding the milk, it just ends up with bubbles which disappear almost immediately. Also, if the steam function is used the machine needs to be switched off for upto ten minutes before another espresso can be made.Overall I would say this machine would suit espresso but not cappuccino drinkers.

We have had our Francis X7.1 for 7 years , however it recently decided to switch itself on without us touching it - it was plugged in obviously. This was accompanied by a burning smell from the control panel. The only way to turn the machine off was to unplug it. Thank goodness we were in the house at the time - as I am sure that left to its own devices we would be in a very different situation.If you have one of these machines please unplug it when its not in use !!