KRUPS XP344C51 Professional Coffee Maker Calvi Steam and Pump Compact Espresso Machine, 1-Liter, Black

I've had a Krups for 20+ years and it finally went out. I preface this review with the fact that I did not want to spend over $200 for an espresso maker. We only drink 1-3 cups per day.I like the newer slimness of this model. That was a requirement for me, too. The steaming/frothing part does turn off after xx minutes but you simply wait a few seconds and turn it back on to continue (I make a large cup of milk). Otherwise, the coffee tastes great and does the job. Nothing fancy but those were my needs. Recommended.

Got this little guy today because our last and first machine broke ( was not a Krups). I've done a lot of research and have been told that the bigger machines just are not worth the price and the smaller machines are much better. This machine serves its purpose and works great! Easy to use and is not loud like most. I love that it has a storage place for the scoop and the additional cup. The steamer heats up quickly and does a great job. Super impressed so far and you cannot beat the price.Make sure you buy fresh espresso.

Here’s my 90 day review:I haven’t had a good Cappuccino from this machine in 90 days ! The pressure from this machine is so strong that half comes out as foam, which is not necessarily bad but I believe it extracts the worst flavors out of the best coffees. We have previously used Bustelo and it was usually pretty good. Since buying this machine we have used Lilly and now onto some real expensive espresso but still the taste is not acceptable. I have finally found a part for our old Krups and hopefully get that fixed so I can put this machine out of my misery. The machine works great and is easy to use And cheap relatively speaking, but if I can’t get a good tasting espresso or cappuccino out of it than it’s worthless.

I have been a avid coffee and espresso drinker for the last 20 years. I have had everything from Kcups to the competitors (n3spr3sso, etc).I am a diehard “brew your own”. My work has nice machines that spoil me and my home setup needed espresso. For drip I have a solid mochamaster unit for five years now that is my drip champion.I have had a few espresso home units and NONE have been good. I had a few decent systems but majority of them had issues, slow, no pressure, huge size, etc. I have been impressed with this unit so far, the biggest item that drew it to me was the heat and water pump design using a heat block. When you use this unit it will remind you of a one cup machine (noise level and concept) but you get pure espresso out of it.The performance and pulls have been solid, no issues after 4 weeks of use. If I get one year of use out of this it will have been a solid five star, we will see, a unit like this for this price lasting a year is all I can ask for. The milk frother seems solid and works well.A few gotchas for first timers, the bottom plate where your cup goes does have a purpose. It’s used for overflow/pressure overflow and frother steam overflow. When your done making 2-3 drinks empty it. I don’t think it’s an issue, it’s functional and that’s all that matters. Water temperature is solid and no issues heating up and making strong pulls with awesome coffee crema, the real deal with no pods!!!

I’m Italian and I’m very particular about my espresso coffee, and buying this machine has been the best investment in my taste buds that I ever made, it makes a cup of espresso that even the professional bar machine would envy, it’s just as good as the one I would buy in an Italian bar in Italy, I’m not joking I was very surprised when I made the first cup, it creates such a creamy frothy espresso.I have a capsule espresso machine and beside being very expensive in buying the capsules it doesn’t come close to the taste and appearance to the coffee that this KRUP machine makes. I use ground espresso coffee that sells in a 250 gr package in most supermarkets the one and only that I’ve used so far is “Lavazza Crema e gusto”

We have owned Krups espresso makers since we got our first one 30 years ago as a wedding gift. For us, they have lasted around 7-10 years which I think is amazing because we use it 4x everyday in the morning to make our cappuccinos. It saves us a ton of money on going out for coffee and it is so worth it to have your coffee how and when you want it. This machine is much different than the ones we have owned in the past and I think the design changes are for the better. There is a separate espresso making mode vs. steaming the milk. The steamer works great! We are very happy with this product. It also shipped quickly.

I had a Krups espresso machine for almost 9 years that started acting up recently and needed replacing. I trust this brand so I went on the hunt for the latest model. Did some research and read reviews on this model. I was very surprised by the low quality of the machine - no auto tamper (or any tamper), poorly designed basket/handle (no easy way to empty the basket - just falls out of handle and there’s usually a pool of water sitting on top of the puck) and parts are mostly plastic. The tamper is a big deal because you need to press the coffee down in order to ensure brew quality. The model I’m replacing had an auto tamper which ensured consistent brew quality (just had to replace the handle a couple times in 9 yrs which was very reasonable). Even with a tamper, it just seems like the quality would still be below average and I’m worried about the longevity of the machine with mostly plastic parts. We brewed a couple cups and the quality wasn’t great in comparison to the machine we are replacing. The crema isn’t real - it seems like an aerated layer caused by the fast pour. Definitely not creamy and rich as it should be. I’m really disappointed in Krups. The machine I replaced was in this price range (maybe slightly higher towards $200). This is the only semi-automatic they offer nowadays - the next model up is over $500. I ended up ordering a Breville in the $350 range - hoping that works out.