Another look at Breville 800ESXL

I found a lightly used 800ESXL on Craigslist, and visited the owner (Seattle, don't you know). I fell in love with the elegant design and all the solid metal surfaces. It looks great on the counter, and it makes consistently good espresso, so why am I not thrilled with it? No matter what I do to change the character of the pull, it always comes out the same. I know, that's supposed to be an ADVANTAGE, right? I'm just one of those people who like to fiddle, and this is not a fiddler's machine. I tried grinding the beans very fine, only to succeed in plugging the portafilter screen. Seems like the only thing that changes the character of the press is if I change beans, which is what I've taken to doing. Around Seattle, roasters are popping up quicker than I can use a bag of beans, so I'll be busy for a while.

My only real complaint is the wimpy steamer. And then, maybe I should try de-scaling the machine. Haven't heard any specific complaints about it online. There is plenty of room for latte-sized mugs under the portafilter, so much so that you can add foam and sugar while you're still brewing.

For now, it's pretty, and makes a better espresso than Starbucks these days.