The Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL Espresso Machine

An objective product review from somebody who has owned and used the Breville Cafe Roma espresso machine on an almost daily basis for a full year. There isn't a lot to complain about with this machine. Find out why this machine makes some of the best quality espresso I've ever had at home and just what makes the Cafe Roma so reliable.The Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL Espresso Machine is a very good mid-range machine for home espresso enthusiasts. The machine means business and will stand up to regular daily use. This is immediately evident when you see the machine with its substantial stainless steel body housing. You can count on a very high quality espresso each and every time without a lot of confusing settings and controls. I use mine (yes I own one and have for approximately one year) around 5 times a week. The Cafe Roma has taken its place as my "go-to" machine and it has yet to disappoint.

The Cafe Roma's pump maintains 15 bar pressure, which is more than enough for authentic espresso. Breville's says their dual wall portafilter enhances the crema production and the espresso's flavor. Breville's thermo block heating system maintains the water temperature at the correct level. You can't make great espresso without adequately controlled pressure and water temperature, so while there is little in the way of technical data on these two systems they appear to be doing the job well based on the results.

There are three separate inserts included for the portafilter. These inserts allow you to make either a double shot or single shot or as an alternative to use a coffee pod. Having the choice to use a pod is a feature I appreciate. I don't use them often, but I appreciate having the ability for certain times when I discover a really good pod product or if I am in a hurry. I've had good results when I have used them in this machine, and it takes standard ESE pods. It is easy to tell the inserts apart from each other because they are all clearly marked on the bottom.

Operating this machine is very simple and the controls are efficient and understated. Brew time and volume are managed by the operator, as they are on all semi-automatics. The front panel of the machine has 2 very simple controls and the whole process can be completed one handed. The red power light and orange heating light both illuminate when you flip the power button. Once the machine is ready, the heating signal goes out and you just turn the large knob to either the left for steaming/frothing, or to the right for brewing. I can't think of a way they could have made this machine any easier to operate.

When first turning the machine on, it needs about 2 minutes to heat up. There are machines in the Roma's price range that heat in half that time. This is not what I would consider a real problem however. I just fire the Cafe Roma up first and by the time I'm finished grinding, dosing and tamping, it's ready to go.

The warming tray on top is of generous size and will easily hold four or five demitasse espresso cups. The warming tray doesn't heat up sufficiently to warm cups by the time the machine is ready to brew. This means that you'll have to pre-warm the cups for several minutes before you begin the brew process. However. this shouldn't be a real problem because it just takes 3 minutes or so, and only on the first round. If you find this inconvenient you can always give the cups a quick blast with the steaming wand. I should also note that this is the case with all other home espresso machines I've used. If I have one annoyance over this espresso machine, it is a minor one. The lid for accessing the removable water tank is incorporated into the top deck of the machine and it seems a little clumsy if you tend to store your cups up there when the machine is not in use. I got over this after a few days though.

The water tank holds 44 ounces, which is plenty big enough for even the most high volume home use. The tank and the opening it slides into are both shaped in an asymmetrical fashion so there is no danger of inserting it incorrectly. Once it reaches the bottom, a gentle push seals it securely in its connection. The Cafe Roma has a clear window that runs up the side which allows you to monitor the water level. In certain low lighting the window can be difficult to see through.

Just in front of the window on the right is the steaming wand. The wand swivels to the left and right but it doesn't move up and down as is the case on some other machines. You can count on properly steamed milk compliments of the thermo block heating system I mentioned earlier. The frothing action on this machine is substantial and you can easily over do it. Given the choice, I'll take this quirk any day over the weak frothing action of some machines. It just takes a little getting used to. If the nozzle ever clogs, the tip screws off for easy cleaning.

In the box are several nice extras including a cool little cleaning tool for the steaming wand and inserts, a combination scoop and tamper, a stainless steel milk pitcher and 2 stainless steel espresso cups and the aforementioned portafilter inserts. I recommend that anyone looking for a dependable and easy to use semi-automatic check out the Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL espresso machine.

See the [http://homegourmetcoffee.com/breville-cafe-roma-esp8xl-espresso-machine/]Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL espresso machine and hundreds more, plus french press, stove top espresso and gourmet beans for every taste.

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By Sidney Brill