I bought the Francesconi (CMA) one-group espresso machine used for €600 in November 2001. It had been used for a few years in a café in Hamburg and was in good, used condition. That was almost 12 years ago. I have used it to make an average of 6 shots per day throughout those years, or approximately 26,000 shots in that time, the majority of which have been very good. Throughout the years I have used 8 different commercial grinders, all of which I have bought used on e-bay. I change grinders back and forth, often on a whim. I don't really have a favourite.

The external design on the machine is a matter of taste. I like it. I have enough other chrome and stainless steel equipment in my kitchen. The "burlwood" front looks impressive and the machine is easy to keep clean.

Before buying this machine I had owned a number of smaller "home" machines including La Pavoni lever machines and so-called "prosumer" machines. None of them had impressed me and I disliked their lightweight design. The Francesconi impressed me immediately as a heavy, well-built machine with no frills or unnecessary gadgets. It is a completely manual machine; fill the basket, turn on the pump, turn off the pump, enjoy your shot.

Temperature stability is excellent as a result of the design of the massive brass, pre-heated group. If the machine has been on and unused for more than an hour or so I pull a 20 sec cooling flush and can then pull as many shots as I need. The machine is on a digital timer with remote control so that it turns on automatically in the morning and off at about 7 PM as we do not drink coffee after that time in the evening. I have never given serious thought to the effect on the electric bill. The machine is not insulated and uses quite a bit of electricity, but our electric bill is not much higher than the neighbors. I don't have time or energy to worry about that. Compared to a dishwasher or clothes dryer the espresso machine isn't a heavy hitter.

In our old house I had a dedicated coffee room with sink and cabinets for all of my coffee gear. In our "new" home the machine lives and works in the kitchen next to the restaurant-style stainless steel sink.The machine is plumbed in via an 8L rechargeable ion-exchange resin softener that I have recharged every 12-24 months. Our water is moderately hard (65 mg/L - 3.72 dGH) and the boiler shows only very light scale buildup. I have never descaled the machine in 12 years. Inspection of the boiler and pipes shows no need for a major descaling.

I backflush the machine with espresso machine cleaner once per week, washing all of the removable parts (shower screen, diffusor, baskets, portafilters) in hot cleaner. Other than wiping down the machine regularly and cleaning the drip try and cup heating area the only regular maintenance I have performed is replacing the portafilter gasket every 6-9 months.

In 12 years I have replaced a minimum of parts. After about 4 years of use the vacuum breaker began to leak and I replaced it and the overpressure valve for a cost of about €20. Two years after that the vibratory pump quit and I replaced it for €35 including postage. I obtained these parts from an aftermarket shop via e-bay. I have experienced no other breakdowns or defects in the 12 years I have owned the machine.

In summary I can say that this machine has fulfilled all of my needs in an exemplary manner. I have occasionally wished that the pump was not as loud as it is, but not enough that I have considered exchanging it for a rotary pump. I have 2 other 2-group machines with rotary pumps and I see no advantage to that type of pump aside from the noise. I don't think this particular machine is special, but it is a good representative of this class of no-nonsense, reliable machines that make it possible to enjoy excellent coffee at a reasonable price.