Dave Smith wrote:

> You have a choice between a steam driven or a pump driven machine, and
> the latter are more expensive. I have tried several reasonably priced
> home machines that didn't last, but have had pretty good luck with my
> Krupps pump driven machine.
> Having been to the repair shop many times with machines, I was advised
> that they all break down and parts are hard to get, so if you treat
> yourself to a deluxe machine you may find yourself with an expensive
> piece of garbage in a year or two.

I've had both steam-driven and pump-driven espresso machines. I bought the
pump-driven one because the steam-driven one makes HORRIBLE espresso. It
forces superheated water through the grounds, which brings out all the
bitterness. My pump-driven machine (a Starbucks "Barista") heats the water
to a lower temperature for making espresso, then uses a pump to push it
through the grounds. It uses a separate compartment to generate steam for
the steam tube.

http://www.directbuyimporters.com/pr..._id=4428833168 shows a
picture of the unit I have, though it cost less when I bought it several
years ago. I haven't had any problems with it breaking down; maybe I'm just
lucky in that respect.

Bob