This is a great espresso maker for the price. I bought this to replace a Mr. Coffee espresso maker that was quite similar to this one, and after many years of service and a lot of great espresso coffee, it finally gave out. I actually like this Krups espresso machine better. It's nicer looking, the knob and switches are easier to turn and the tank lid easier to remove. The lid on the Mr. Coffee Espresso machine is dome-shaped and hard to grasp while the lid on the Krups espresso machine is cylinder-shaped and easier to get a firm grip around. The only thing I don't like better than the Mr. Coffee version is the drip reservoir on the bottom is not a removable tray, therefore easy to empty. With the Krups espresso machine you have to lean it over the sink to empty the reservoir, but that's only a minor inconvenience and something I quickly got used to considering the other features are better by comparison.Automatic