Breville Cafe Roma ESP6

18+ years and still going strong – We have the original Cafe Roma ESP8 (Also called ESP6 in some places) and only yesterday had to replace the seal (which I was pleasantly surprised to still be available) but now back to making really good coffee. This machine cost us $150 at the time and is better many machines many fold that cost, That said if seems that since we purchased almost… Read more

20 years ago expresso machines have gone up considerably even a basic breville is now double the cost what we paid

Breville Roma ESP6 wont die – 5 Stars for this one! If you want a small no fuss value for money espresso machine that keeps on going after many years then you cant go wrong with the Breville Roma ESP6, they are heavy for there size & built strong, and because it uses a pressurized basket there's no need to dial in the grind size compared to the non pressurized machines. Its a great little machine for the novice espresso maker.  Show details

what a classic – What a fantastic machine, 6 years of faithful service, until the steam wand would only produce a stream of hot water. We just simply wore it out! Two days of bodum coffee (eew :() and off to the shop for the the dual boiler,BES 920! WOW! 10X what the ESP 6 cost, and worth every cent. took the resident barrista4 cups to get the hang of the totally… Read more

fabulous BES 920 with myself driving the grinder, 3 weeks in and neither of us begrudge one cent of our extravagance, My friend and I drink 2 cups each every weekday morning,and sometimes 3 on Saturday 'n Sunday

Really great! – I wanted an espresso maker of my own so I could save $ instead of going out for coffee, so I ended up buying a used Cafe Roma Classic from Gumtree. After cleaning it thoroughly and running water through both the brew head and steamer a few times, I set off to make my first homemade coffee ever. It turned out beautifully! I discovered that my… Read more

steamer was mostly just shooting out a stream of hot water at one point (heating up the milk, too, but it took ~10 minutes!), so I turned off the machine and stuck a pin in the hole. It must have cleared a blockage because now it steams beautifully and heats my milk up in just a couple of minutes.

When I purchased the machine it was missing the small (single cup) filter, but I was able to call Breville customer service and order a replacement ($13 for the filter + $10 for shipping). The customer service agent I spoke to was knowledgeable and efficient, and she processed my payment over the phone. I am a happy customer! :) Reliable, makes nice crema, steams milk quickly, easy to clean, great customer service

Still the best – This was the second one of these I bought, and I bought a third one for a friend, which is still going strong, after several years and only one repair. After retiring this 2 yrs ago to buy a (much) more expensive Breville machine, I recently had to get it out of the cupboard when the new one broke down. It definitely still makes better coffee… Read more

than the newer one (sorry, Breville) and just about any other machine I know.

Given that the newer one is sounding like it is about to blow again, I will be getting this one out again soon! Just makes the best coffee, inexpensive and easy to use.

Cafe Roma - simple but it works – This little simple coffee machine works everytime. You don't need all those fancy add ons that break down. This one works a treat, good crema, easy to clean, nice looking, what more do you want. I love this little machine. As long as you clean the machine regularly and prime with water after each use you will have no problems. Simple and easy to use. Ifyoudontclean filter sit will block up. Show 2 replies

Excellent Home Machine – I bought this model coffee machine second hand for $50 after checking out the reviews on this site. It was a great buy! This machine has the ability to make cafe quality coffee if you know what you're doing. I have found that the machine needs to be primed before use. By this I mean a shot of coffee needs to be put through the machine before you… Read more ·  3

make one for yourself. I say this as I've found the first shot I do after I turn the machine on is terrible!! It is like black water & there's no crema whatsoever. But the second shot is perfect! I'm assuming that the pressure builds up after one shot has gone through so there is more pressure for the second shot. I've also taken the black rubber thing OFF the steam wand as it creates horrible fluffy froth. Once removed the steam wand is brilliant & makes really fine creamy froth. Chea!. It's very basic & simple to use. Needs to be primed so you end up wasting a lot of coffee.

Makes an brilliant coffee at home every day – This is a great little unit and I just love it. I worked in hospitality for a while and did a very good coffee making course so I know how to make a good coffee and this makes a good coffee. Can I say good again?? We were given this as a wedding present 3 years ago and use it most days. During this time we've never had a problem. It froths… Read more

milk quite well and while it's not a cafe grade machine it makes a pretty spot on coffee.

I think people think making coffee at home takes ages but once you know what you're doing you'll find that instant coffee is only an option if you've ran out of beans. It doesn't take long to heat up either.

It looks nice in the kitchen and doesn't take up very much bench space like many others. As far as I know it wasn't real expensive. It always gives me a good coffee.

Perfect No Fuss Coffee Every Time! – We must have had our Breville Cafe Roma Classic for at least 5 years and it is still going strong! We originally purchased it from The Good Guys for a great price and have been using it virtually non stop since without a hitch. Our family are very fussy about good coffee and the Cafe Roma hits the spot every time without any fuss and a cup of… Read more

coffee made in my house is as good if not better than what you would get in most cafes. I descale my machine about once a year, really as a precaution as it has never shown any signs of breaking down (fingers crossed). The only part of the machine I am not happy with is the steam wand, as the thread seems to be out of whack and can leak when steaming milk, but this is a minor thing and does not affect the quality of the coffee. We are otherwise very happy with our coffee maker and would definitely buy another Breville when this one eventually bites the dust. Efficient and reliable no fuss functionality, makes great coffee. Steam wand design could and may well have been improved since we purchased our machine.

I can live without it! – I bought this machine around 5 years ago and it is still going strong, even after being worked around 5-6 times every day. In fact it actually won't break down even though I'd like it to so I can upgrade! I have found this unit to be sturdy, very easy to use, well priced and most importantly makes a nice cup, however I won't buy another one the… Read more

same.

It is so unbelievably noisy, it echoes around the entire house so badly that my husband complains and the kids wake up (and no coffee is worth that!). Everything around it when in use vibrates making even more noise.

If you like a decent size mug like me good luck fitting it under and/or making two at a time. This is made for small cups only. Sturdy and long lasting. Inexpensive, makes a nice cup Far too noisy, only designed for small cups.

Magic Machine – I've had the Cafe Roma for six years and it has never missed a beat! Bought after eading several Choice reviews and so glad I did, it was inexpensive and has consistently made a brilliant cup of coffee with beautiful crema. It comes everywhere with us and has already been around Australia once. Thanks Breville! Reliable, makes great coffee

Bad quality – I brought it a few years ago and it was great. Then it broke down - the steamer stopped working. By then it was out of warranty so I didn't bother to have it fixed. So bought a second one. It too broke down within 6 months. I am very disappointed. I will get a new machine for x'mas and it won't be Breville. Simple, easy to use Bad quality

Life would be bad without one – Have had machine for over 6 years and has given me a great coffee every time, not one problem, it was a great price and makes coffee every bit as good as machines costing much much more, my brother has one that is used even more than mine and just keeps on working, have never had to think will it work today it just does a great machine simple to use not expensive and makes great coffee

Pay more and get something better – I got given this one - it's a very basic machine - mine clogged up after 6 months of use, and I only have 1-2 coffee's per day. The milk nozzle is fixed and doesn't swing around which is really annoying. Really loud when drawing coffee as well.. I ended up buying a Sunbeam because this one annoyed me so much. Price was good As above - loud, clogged... annoying

It was great for the price!!! – My machine died after 5 years service. I bought this machine after a recommendation from choice. IT lived up to the recommendation and made great coffee for a few years. This is a nice and simple machine and that is its secret. I am a real coffee lover and it has served me well. After 5 years the seals went in the machine and it kept leaking. I… Read more

have buried it and have been pondering whether to trade up or go for round 2. Still undecided. I was interested in the nespresso range as my mate has one. It makes a great consistant coffee but he is having dramas with his. not all the capsules can be used. Will think about that one.

For the money you cannot get better. I am keen to get a really expensive machine because I love coffee but you will not be disappointed with this little one. INEXPENSIVE, EASY TO USE, RELIABLE FOR 5 YEARS I no longer have it!!!! it died after 5 years of hard service

Terrible – cheap and nasty is the only way to describe this unit. Do not waste your money. If you're after a good coffee, do not buy this unit, spend the extra $200-300 and get a decent one. mildly easy to use (for a manual machine) noisy, disgusting taste, cheap & nasty

Excellent – My wife bought this coffee machine for me over 7 years ago and I use it religiously 2 or 3 times a day. When my wife brought it home for the first time, she dropped it lifting it out of the wagon and it rolled down the driveway, so it passes the durability test. It has only now started to develop a crack on the front above the turn knob. I don't… Read more

know if this is because of the drop it suffered several years ago or if the pump is slowly giving way under pressure and age. Not sure why but I tend to use it with my head tilted to one side just incase she blows. The little cup warmer tray and the water container lid on top rattle insanely when in use to. So I put one hand on the cup warmer (good in winter) and employ the help of the little chocolate shaker that I leave on top. It came with the machine. This seems to keep it all battened down up there. You can also tell when the chocolate shaker is almost empty too, cause the rattling gets worse. I only once had a blockage problem with the steam wand; the machine sits beside the kitchen sink beside the dirty dishes. So when this one and only blockage cleared itself it blew half the dishes into the sink, filled the kitchen with steam and sent me looking for cover. Cause you know that’s the side I tilt my head to avoid staring at that crack in the front. Here’s a good tip for young players too, tilt your head to the other side, saves you from getting down on the ground with the dog. My dog just stared at me with it’s head on a tilt. They know. This little machine is not the best one out there, but what it lacks in qualities it makes up for in character. Scores top marks in my book. Durable, compact and very easy to use. Makes great coffee when you get to know its quirks. So long as you don't grind your own beans. When I grind my own beans the taste is a little less than that of bought ground coffee, maybe it's my technique that's the problem. When the milk frother is in use, the pump often speeds up and down erratically, doesn’t stop it from frothing the milk though. Just takes a little longer to heat up the milk. It’s only been happening for about a year and the machine is 7 years old. Everything seems to rattle when in use, getting worse with age.

Excellent – We bought this based on a recommendation from the sales guy that it was top of the choice magazine for the year. So glad we did. In our opinion it's heaps better than the other more expensive types. We stopped using the frother a while back, but if you are looking for a no frills machine that just makes good coffee you can't go past this one! Have… Read more

had this machine in use almost 2 times a day for 6 years. Makes fantastic coffee. Lovely crema and flavour. It's just Gold! It's best (as with any machine) to ask at the coffeehouse to grind your beans to the correct type for your brand of machine. Designed for 2 cups at a time, tricky when the house is full of fellow coffee lovers. Cups vibrate off the metal grille and needs to be held under the machine to hold the delicious brew. (It is worth it though)

Still going 6+ years on! – This machine was on our Bridal registry, didnt know what to expect as was cheapest on the market. Have had no problems whatsoever with the machine. Makes pretty good coffee for the price! Cheap! Easy to use and wouldn't have thought they were made to last 6 years, but it has - with 2+ coffees per day!

Excellent – Great value for money. Makes better coffee than a lot of machines in cafes IMO, or they're just poor baristas. I've had one of these for about five years. It makes excellent coffee with thick and dense crema. The steamer stopped working a long time ago, but I only drink long blacks. I removed all the external metal parts and use a rubber mat under… Read more

my cup/mug. Unnecessary metal parts. Vibration makes cups move out of alignment, hence the use of a mat. My steamer stopped working.

Excellent – Unbeatable value and reliability at this price point. We have had ours for more than 7 years with the only problem being the hinge on the water reservoir lid broke on one side. The other minor issue is that it can sometimes be difficult to see the water level through the little window on the front - however this can be rectified by cleaning the… Read more

inside of the window.

I would recommend this too anyone. Don't pay more for a more expensive machine. Save your money to buy more coffee. Extremely reliable - almost bullet proof.

Easy to use.

Makes a decent cup of coffee. Flip top cover on water reservoir is subject to weakening and failure with repeated use.

Drip tray needs frequent cleaning to prevent build-up in crevices.

Noisier than other similar sized units.

Takes a while to heat up.

Cup warmer only works after the machine has been in use for a while.

A bit narrow and a bit too low to fit two normal sized mugs underneath.

Excellent – Overall I love this coffee machine. I myself am not a coffee drinker, my husband is, and I use it for frothing milk for chai latte's and hot chocolates for the kids. My husband loves it for his coffee - it's perfect for what we need. Froths milk quickly. Easy to clean. Makes a great hot drink! Stores a lot of water. Bit noisy

Excellent – We have owned our machine for about 3 years after other previous more expensive machines. Coffee quality is genuinely superb. We've found Lavazza to best suit our machine with firm compaction, while very finely ground coffee such as Ille can overtax the machine unless compacted very lightly. Cremma and milk foam are both better than any other… Read more

home machine we have experienced. It is hard to imagine ever justifying a higher spend on a coffee machine other than to achieve higher production - a dinner party is a bit of a slog, but for coffee for 2, the machine is hard to better. Excellent quality coffee, as good or better than most cafes, providing the right coffee grind is used. Punches way above its weight. Noisy steamer, vibration can cause cups to vibrate off the machine, fairly slow production rates.

Good – We got our machine several years ago and were blown away by the quality of the coffee which it produced. We have used it constantly since and nothing has gone wrong with the machine. The only thing we don't like about it is that to make a coffee in a large mug, it requires one jug of milk per cup as we cannot fit anything large under the steam… Read more

pipe. If you use bigger mugs, it can take a while to make several cups but if they are small cups, the system can cope well. We love our machine and believe it is better than friends more expensive coffee machines which break costantly. makes cafe quality coffee at home. Great price. Steaming is noisy, cannot steam a big jug due to the nozzle being to low, vibrations can make cup vibrate from under the machine.

Excellent – Overall a fabulous machine for the price. Available at so many stores and also lasts a long time with no problems. Only not suitable if you need to make a lot of cups of coffee at one time. Lasts such a long time, i use this in an office using it to make 20 cups per day on average and never had a problem with it at all. Price is very reasonable… Read more

for a coffee machine. Coffee used must be good quality or it just tastes very watery. The steam pressure isnt very high so it takes a long time for the milk to heat.