You Get What You Pay For
Turned out that I enjoyed espresso more than I thought I might and after a couple weeks of daily use, the Stilosa was just not cutting it. It is not a bad product for $50 or $60 if all you want is an occasional shot. It has a small portafilter that is mostly plastic, you can get about 2 ounces of espresso at a time. IMO, the water heater and pump are both underpowered, however, the steam wand works surprisingly well.
I went onto Facebook Marketplace and found a gently used Gaggia Classic Pro for $350 that included lots of expensive accessories. I am within the Stilosa return period, but it is not ethical to return a machine that I used and learned from. Instead, I put it back in the box and will give it to a relative. For me, the Stilosa was a purgatory (so to speak) that was NECESSARY for me to reach 'coffee nirvana' delivered effortlessly by the Gaggia. The difference is night and day.
Bestätigter Kauf: JaArtikelzustand: Gebraucht