For the price the grinder does a decent coarse grind. I haven't used any other settings beyond the French Press grind. The timer is somewhat fidgety, there is a static problem with the cannister, and the bean reservoir should have a tighter seal. In the end, it grinds better that the industrial grinders that supermarkets never maintain well enough and it's easy and quick to use. It's part of my morning routine and for the price I couldn't find a better electric burr grinder.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

I just got this machine from amazon. The pump works well and fairly quiet. It produced perfect crema and the lavazza espresso tasted better. I had the
Gaggia 35008 Carezza Espresso Machine, it is noisy, no crema, except you have to insert a special device. Even so, no acceptable crema and the espresso tasted not as good as this machine.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

I've had this bowl for about a year now and I love it. People that come over always look in it, lol. I have a modern kitchen and it fits in perfectly.

It's remained rust free as I hand wash it and immediately dry it. It did get a bit dull a few months ago but it's easily fixed with stainless steel polish.

It's quite small so make sure to pay attention to the size. I've put many different things in it besides sugar (spices..etc) and none of them stained the inside.

I highly recommend this product.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

I have bought several brands of coffee mills over many years, including Braun, Krups and Starbucks.
This is the second La Pavoni I have purchased, and I find its operation and grind results superior to any of the others.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

I knew I had to have an espresso machine after using a friends Starbucks Barrista but that machine proved hard to find... guess it's discontinued, so I opted for a Starbucks Serena which was a huge disappointment!! I promptly returned the Serena and ordered the Napolitana instead.

I went out to meet the UPS truck, and as I signed for my new machine, the UPS lady let the box tumble down the stairs of her truck and onto the ground..urgh!!

I eagerly unpacked the new machine, plugged it in, followed the directions to prime it, got steam...but no pump!! I was so disappointed!! I started to fill out the Amazon return form, but decided to sleep on it. The next morning I pulled out a screw driver, thinking that something had jiggled loose from the poor UPS handling, and after removing 2 screws and carefully prying the top off, I found that the wiring harness had slid off the pump. I pushed it back on, marveled at the simplicity of the parts inside, and had it put back together and brewing great espresso in 5 minutes (I don't know that I would recommend doing this, as I probably voided the warranty, but who's going to know :) ).

I brewed a great espresso the first time I used the machine, and am getting a little better with each one. I like the fact that I can make adjustments with the grinder, and adjust how much pressure I use with the tamper, and thereby have control over the quality of my crema, and the strength of the coffee. Even though I am a novice barrista, I like the fact that this machine allows me to learn and get better.

The quality of the machine seems excellent. The stainless steel looks great and is easy to clean. The portafilter is heavy and stays hot for a long time. The steam frother works great. The grinder is noisy, but I've never used one that wasn't. I look forward to using this machine for years and years.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

I knew I had to have an espresso machine after using a friends Starbucks Barrista but that machine proved hard to find... guess it's discontinued, so I opted for a Starbucks Serena which was a huge disappointment!! I promptly returned the Serena and ordered the Napolitana instead.

I went out to meet the UPS truck, and as I signed for my new machine, the UPS lady let the box tumble down the stairs of her truck and onto the ground..urgh!!

I eagerly unpacked the new machine, plugged it in, followed the directions to prime it, got steam...but no pump!! I was so disappointed!! I started to fill out the Amazon return form, but decided to sleep on it. The next morning I pulled out a screw driver, thinking that something had jiggled loose from the poor UPS handling, and after removing 2 screws and carefully prying the top off, I found that the wiring harness had slid off the pump. I pushed it back on, marveled at the simplicity of the parts inside, and had it put back together and brewing great espresso in 5 minutes (I don't know that I would recommend doing this, as I probably voided the warranty, but who's going to know :) ).

I brewed a great espresso the first time I used the machine, and am getting a little better with each one. I like the fact that I can make adjustments with the grinder, and adjust how much pressure I use with the tamper, and thereby have control over the quality of my crema, and the strength of the coffee. Even though I am a novice barrista, I like the fact that this machine allows me to learn and get better.

The quality of the machine seems excellent. The stainless steel looks great and is easy to clean. The portafilter is heavy and stays hot for a long time. The steam frother works great. The grinder is noisy, but I've never used one that wasn't. I look forward to using this machine for years and years.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

I have owned this machine (in chrome) for over ten years and everyday when I make my morning cappuccino I love it more. You can spend more for a machine that measures the coffee, tamps it, pulls the water through and steams the milk for you, but you can tip the kids behind the counter at Starbucks and they'll do the same thing. Making espresso should be a little art and a little science and this machine an impeccable balance of the two. If you aren't the kind of person who takes joy in mixing the perfect martini, making a risotto that whispers with flavor, or whipping a meringue to impossibly tall peaks, this probably isn't the machine for you.

The La Pavoni is for the person who will find tremendous joy in going to the lengths required to make a perfect cappuccino by hand everyday. (And don't bother using anything less than Illy Cafe coffee in it.)

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

I have owned this machine (in chrome) for over ten years and everyday when I make my morning cappuccino I love it more. You can spend more for a machine that measures the coffee, tamps it, pulls the water through and steams the milk for you, but you can tip the kids behind the counter at Starbucks and they'll do the same thing. Making espresso should be a little art and a little science and this machine an impeccable balance of the two. If you aren't the kind of person who takes joy in mixing the perfect martini, making a risotto that whispers with flavor, or whipping a meringue to impossibly tall peaks, this probably isn't the machine for you.

The La Pavoni is for the person who will find tremendous joy in going to the lengths required to make a perfect cappuccino by hand everyday. (And don't bother using anything less than Illy Cafe coffee in it.)

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

Fabulous device. Makes really great espresso! It does not leak at all. Easy to use and easy to clean, I have recommended this espresso maker to my friends and family. I highly recommend this device.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section

This is my fourth espresso machine. I bought it after the La Pavoni "Carina" (that I bought from Zabars) started to get unreliable, and I decided I'd rather replace it than to put more money into the Carina ... and still face a week or two of drip coffee.

While it is amusing how very little different the Professional and the 'Toy' models look, there is a big difference in performance. The Carina takes a very long time to heat up; this Carina Grande (which is what La Pavoni calls this black-base Professional model) takes five minutes. The Carina generates more steam pressure than a cheap automatic espresso machine, but the Carina Grande generates more steam pressure than the Carina. The result is that I get a better cup of espresso, with less need to plan ahead.

The machine is a little quirky. When you turn it on, it vents a bit of steam from the over-pressure valve before it makes a thtip sound and the pressure starts mounting. It's not very consistent about how long it will vent. If the water level is much below half-full, it may keep venting and not start building pressure.

I think the bottom line with La Pavoni is you get a really gorgeous Chrome Peacock that makes truly great espresso, but the workmanship is a bit uneven and you certainly shouldn't expect Japanese-car levels of reliability.

Want the Best Kitchen Appliances? Then Don't Miss Our:
Kitchen Appliance Reviews & Tips Section