Illy Caffe Y1.1 216623 Touch Espresso Machine, Red

The best home espresso machine at any price. So easy to use and maintain. Small footprint is kind to limited counter space. Am using this several months for single shot espressos and Loungo espressos. Very reliable. The aroma, the quality of the cream, the overall consistency of the liquid excellent.

It's difficult to separate the machine from the coffee because, essentially, buying this machine means you are committed to only ever drinking Illy coffee. I'll try to give comments on both the coffee and the machine. The machine: It's a showpiece for sure. It's heavy, nice quality and seems to justify its price. I've only had it for a couple weeks so I can't comment on durability. That being said, you do sacrifice some function for the sake of form. As others have said, the water tank is limited and the used pod tray fills fast. Not only does it fill fast, but if you wait until it's completely full, it can jam and be hard to wiggle out. The cup warmer is a novelty and really doesn't do much unless you leave the machine on and use it constantly throughout the day. The coffee: This is where I was most let down. I have tried Nespresso, Keurig, Dolce Gusto and now Illy (in addition to trying a conventional espresso machine). I travel to Italy twice a year and spend a total of 4-6 weeks there and I keep trying to reproduce the coffee at home. It seems like I'm chasing an unattainable dream at this point. I bought EVERY SINGLE POD that Illy sells in the US: the dark, medium and lungo. I bought all the monoarabica pods: India, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica and Brazil. I tried them as lungo and ristretto; I played with the water levels and used bottled water. Nothing I could do could make me like this coffee with the exception of actually adding cream and sugar: a huge NO NO for espresso! The problem is that they all, in varying levels, have a sourness and unacceptable acidity. The dark roast is probably the closest to drinkable out of them all. I have the same issue with Nespresso: sour sour sour.... blah! Obviously taste is subjective and for some people this may be delicious. Then again, some people find Keurig heaven-on-earth and I think it's absolutely disgusting (no matter which pod). Admittedly I have set a high bar, but for this kind of money (not just the machine, but the cost of pods), I really expected more. A note about the pods... Illy brags about their two stage process for brewing, but I've found that this works maybe 60% of the time. The result is sometimes you get more or less water depending on the quality of manufacture of the pod. Sometimes the pressure releases too early and too much water comes out and sometimes the pressure valve doesn't break at all until the second stage and you get less coffee in the cup and the taste is off. I'm afraid that I will have to return this machine and continue my quest for the perfect espresso.

This item broke 22 days after the return policy expired. I'm so disappointed in this product. Before it broke, I was not that happy with it. I love Illy coffee, but I did not like how wasteful they were with the plastic packaging of the pods and the large tins. The machine itself is a decent size that doesn't take up too much counter space, but therein lies the problem. We were constantly filling up the water reservoir and emptying the large plastic pods. The machine would only dispense a small amount of espresso, so we were also having to use two pods for a decent sized drink. The machine was an expense and then the pods were getting expensive with the need for two at a time. I regret buying this machine and advise others against it, too. It was an expensive mistake!

Machine starting having mechanic issues (used capsule jump out instead of falling into used capsule container) after nine months' used. Then is the electronic problems, sometime the machine will start brewing when touching the surface (not on the touch button area). Three weeks ago there's one case when the machine start brewing (dispensing) water when one one is close by. Call illy service line today and been confirmed that the machine is not in warranty as it expired two weeks ago. I am a little bit disappointed that no grace period was offered. However, I still think it's a fair game since it's my fault for not paying attention on warranty date and call earlier. (But I do expect better customer service from illy though). The machine has great construction material, but quality seems not to be able to withhold testing though time.

The Illy Y1.1 makes a lovely and versatile espresso, and is great for making lattes (with a separate frother) and equally lovely for an Americano or simple shot. Plus, it looks stunning! I have a home with a midcentury modern aesthetic and a simple white kitchen, and somehow this fits the style beautifully. After seeing it in-person, I suspect it would look equally fetching in a modern, clean-line, high-design kitchen. Plus, it's smaller and takes up less counter space than you'd think from the photo. I call it my mini overhead projector, because that's the only other thing I've seen that has a similar shape. I've now made about two dozen shots with this machine, and it performs consistently, and well, each and every time. Once turned on, I find it takes a little longer to prepare for brewing (heating the water, I believe) than I expected or hoped. It can take a little longer than a minute, but does make a very pleasant sound when ready, so you can wander around and do something while you wait. "Pulling the shot" only takes about 10 seconds or less. I enjoy using the machine so much, I have to find excuses not to make too many cups in one sitting. I waited over a year to buy this thinking I'd be disappointed, but now I wish I'd taken the plunge sooner.

Best damn espresso make I've ever owned. high quality Crema with every cup. the taste is smooth, rich and silky without any burnt taste. reminds me of the espresso's we enjoyed all over Italy. Convenient, sleek design....gotta love!

Love my coffee machine.