I am a newbie when it comes to making espresso. The La Specialista Arte is very forgiving to new people like myself. The grinding and roasting guide helps me to adjust the settings to get the brew just right for my selection of coffee beans. The machine is compact and fits perfectly on our counter top. The water tank is in the back so it’s a little cumbersome to refill the water but not impossible. I’m impressed with the machine’s versatility to allow me to try and test different settings to get the brew I prefer. The resulting shot of espresso rivals that of one from a coffee shop. And the frother is ver easy to use. You can use any dairy substitute. We use coconut milk and it frothed perfectly.