Estro Barista

Pros: I can stay away from $3 lattes.
Cons: I now drink 5 a day.

Tha good, tha bad and.... there's really no ugly in this story. We bought our Barista machine at a garage sale. For $5. Go ahead and kick me in the shins. I'm sure I deserve it. The nice lady assured us there was nothing wrong with it except a ...

Pros: easy to use, consistently great espresso, plenty of steam
Cons: expensive when not on sale, but worth full price anyway

Before You Begin

There's no reason to spring for the stainless steel or copper Barista espresso machines unless you are very concerned about your kitchen's aesthetics. Mine is black and looks great. All of the Barista machines are...

Pros: Great Espresso, Looks Very Cool on the Kitchen Counter, No More $4.00 Mochas!
Cons: A Little Pricey, but So Worth It.

Here's why I think the Starbucks Barista Espresso Machine is so similar to a Kate Spade Bag: 1) You know you want it, 2) The design is a great combination of classic/off-beat, 3) It is borderline prohibitively expensive, but 4)
You will use it (and...

Pros: Great Espresso and Extremely Hot and Frothy Steamed Milk
Cons: Requires manual filling of the reservior Filter will get blocked up with coffee resin.

Well, after 6 years of almost daily use with my Proteo Espresso machine, it was time to replace it with the same Starbucks Barista machine. These robust espresso machines are made in the same Italian factory only 6 years apart. Back then there were only...

Pros: This machine can pull the sweetest shot of espresso.
Cons: You MUST follow the priming directions for your machine to have a long life.

I cannot tell anyone that spending $249.00 on an espresso maker is a practical purchase. Of course, if you are spending four dollars a day at Starbucks...this could be a practical purchase. I never dreamed that the best espresso machine would be from...

Pros: Ease of use, never runs out of steam, large water capacity.
Cons: No automatic shut-off

The lure of lattes and and cappucinos had always eluded me. I was NOT going to spend $3.50 or more to get an exotic caffeine fix when I could get a perfectly good fix for $2.00....that was before I tried them.

I got hooked one cold December...

Pros: So easy to use, I can use it with great results.
Cons: Tempting to show off non-existent barista skills to friends.

I like coffee; ocassionally a shot or two of espresso in the afternoon. I don't like waiting in line at Starbuck's behind half a dozen people who are ordering their wimp drinks, especially since I only want regular coffee or a shot of espresso (a ...

Pros: Simple to Use. Major Item to keep up in the adult toys race.
Cons: Pricey. You become addicted.

Do you watch HGTV? You know that show with that annoying Matt and Sherry? You know…the one where you have to have an INSPIRATION piece to start decorating a room? Well it’s not a crock dearies. Our inspiration piece for our basement renovation is...

Pros: Easy to use. Always there when I want a latte. Great crema
Cons: A little expensive, but worth it.

We got a Delongi espresso maker for our wedding. Although it was convenient when I din't want to make the trek to Starbucks, I never felt I was getting the quality that I could get at the local Starbucks. Wanting an alternative to paying $3.00 per...

Pros: great cup of coffee without paying Starbucks prices
Cons: Very expensive. Have to drink a lot of coffee to make up for the price

I spent a few days with my brother and his wife, and they owned the Barista. I absolutely loved the coffee they made for me every morning, and I am not much of a coffee lover. In fact, I can't stand Starbucks coffee, and I can't stand Starbucks. I...

Pros: A high quality cuppa, and a lot of ritual
Cons: A little more difficult to use than many espresso makers

If you're anything like me, you spend a lot of time thinking about, brewing, sipping, gulping, sniffing, grinding or procuring some kind of coffee beverage. Until I obtained the Starbucks Barista, I also spent a lot of money on the more expensive of...

Pros: Sturdy, made to last.
Cons: A bit pricey when not on sale.

I once worked in an office with an espresso machine for the use of the employees. The machine was used by roughly 60 to 100 people every day. Get in line. This machine took a beating as well as being easy to use. It performed flawlessly day after day.(I...

Pros: Easy to use, very sturdy
Cons: Frothing mechanism is on the left, most righties would probably prefer it on the right

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who took the time to write reviews. Based on those rave reviews and the information from the lady that was helping us out at Starbucks, we decided to buy this machine. We absolutely love it. It makes great...

Pros: robust, easy-to-use, and reliable
Cons: slightly short steaming wand

The Starbucks Barista is the perfect home machine for the espresso lover. It's a pump-driven machine that's strong enough to take regular brewings with flair, and consistently brews great espresso with lovely crema. I got mine as a gift a few years ago...

Pros: Saves money. Looks cool. Tastes lovely.
Cons: Plenty of cleanup. Friends will ask for complicated drinks.

...the Barista is still going strong. Nary a problem. And the espresso seems to get more and more tasty. A friend tells me the Italians have a "10,000 cup rule" which says that an espresso machine doesn't make its best-tasting coffee until the...