These do not have the pressure, temp control nor proper puck to produce proper espresso so if that's what you're after you'll be disappointed.

Built-ins aren't fun when they stop working. Anecdotally some people will say that theirs have worked well for 20 years and that's great but too many others have had them fail after a year or two.

There are a number of super automatics that produce good espresso and are push-button easy to use. My favorite is the Breville Oracle or Touch. I can get a slightly better cup from Junior Casa and on a good day from PID'd Silvia but Breville is good and consistent w/ both espresso and steaming/frothing - and guests can be taught to use it in about 5 minutes.

We've had the Miele for 7 years now and we are very happy with it.

"Joseph Shwarz" is a spammer. Please flag.

the coffee from a Miele is actually quite tasty and hot. Works well. You can adjust the coffee parameters in 1/2 dozen ways to get it to where you want it. I won't say ignore the coffee aficionados commenting on puck size et al, but they are like wine experts that have a very specific track and that is it. I have plenty of different people drink coffee from our built in Miele and love it

there is a maintenance schedule with the Miele that has to be followed - and the machine reminds you of it. Not onerous, but there is something to do every week that takes 15 minutes. The milk path is the bugaboo with any milk system as the milk fat will clog the lines if not rinsed - mean no foam.

Countertops are fine, but they also have all the maintenance requirements that built ins have. They also aren't "one touch" for milk drinks and require multiple steps (espresso, then frothing milk to make it cumbersome"

I considered a Miele built-in coffee maker, but like this poster, my husband doesn't drink coffee (she said hers drinks occasionally and perhaps a daughter will in HS). It just seems too expensive and requires more space on a wall than a portable coffee maker to warrant for one coffee drinker. I have a Nespresso machine that makes decent espresso with their separate milk frother. After adding up what all my new Miele appliances (and a Sub Zero fridge) will cost, the coffee maker just isn't remaining on the list.