My previous espresso machine was the Breville Barista Express, which was fine for what it was, but I wanted to step it up, and this was the one I've been eyeing for awhile. It has lived up to my expectations. It is such a beautiful machine, and it's such a pleasure to use. Love the stainless steel finish and the walnut handles. Everything has a good quality feel. The main draw for me though was the flow control paddle, which I've been enjoying tinkering with. Turning this on is the first thing I do each morning. This was a big jump for me, but after a month of using it, I have zero regrets with jumping on this one.