Comments about Krups XP 2070 Programmable Espresso Machine:

Most combination machines (such as toaster/ovens) suffer from not excelling at any task, but the XP 2070 makes excellent espresso, coffee, and has a decent steamer. This is my first espresso machine, so it was surprising to have my first experiment turn out perfectly, as good as (no, better!) than my local coffee house. I understood home steaming to be chancy at best, but it, too, worked well.

Our main issue is that the unit's controls are difficult to use. We can't figure out how to turn off the beep signal, for example, even though it is briefly described in the instructions. We also can't turn the coffee maker from strong to normal mode, but that's a minor issue since we prefer strong coffee. We left a message on the Krups customer service site asking for instructions, but there has been no answer.

So as long as you like strong coffee and a unit that beeps every time you touch a control, this is a great unit for serious home espresso and coffee lovers.