Instructions are easy to follow. I have used this coffe maker now to make espresso, cappuccino, and americano coffees. I have also used it to heat water forr a cup of tea. I personally prefer the espresso and cappuccino. You do need to rememberto clean off the part that the coffee ground holder screws onto in-between each cup as it does have some coffeegrinds left behind and it will be difficult to remount for the second cup. Its a safety feature. The milk frother is the best one we have. My husband says it's as good as the coffees he got while living in Italy. I do suggest you use espresso beans for the best flavor. We have strarted using this 2 to 3 times a week. It's a lot easier to use than the stove top espresso pot and the espresso maker my husband got while in Italy.