It took a summer trip to Seattle, a holiday trip to Europe and a review of the old budget to convince me I could make espresso at home. That I needed to learn to make espresso at home. I was spending at least $40 a week buying coffee out.  And while there is something wonderful about sitting in my local coffee shop with or without friends and sipping on a perfectly brewed espresso, I knew it was too much to be spending. So I started investigating what my options were for home brewing espresso.

First I knew I would never appreciate the art or the time it takes to make espresso the way my friend Max does. He has a Rocket Espresso Machine that is as much about art as it is about producing a great cup of coffee. The technique required as well as the cost of the machine was prohibitive, at least for me.

So it was on to the "instant" espresso machines that are flooding the market these days. Nespresso and Illy are well-known coffee makers with a full line of instant espresso makers and coffees. I decided to go with Illy, mainly because I love Italian style espresso because of its deep intense flavor and the fact that their "club" offered deep discounts on several machines.

I purchased the Francis Francis X8. I paid $175 for the $400 plus machine and under $13 shipping. I was automatically signed up for the coffee club deliveries of my selected varieties of coffee on the interval I chose. Faithfully, my coffee has arrived at my doorstep and when I have needed to adjust the delivery schedule, customer service was immediately responsive. (This is a big bonus, at least for me, I had interaction with an actual person who adjusted my delivery schedule.)

What I love:

- sleek and compact design

- cup warmer built in

- "pod" concept is no mess, no measuring, easy clean-up and affordable with a club membership

-  delicious straight espresso

What I dislike:

- steamer wand/ function is difficult to learn and easily waters down the milk making espresso drinks such as cappuccino and lattes hard to produce

- adjustable cup shelf sticks

- small water tank means frequent refills

- brewing cycle is noisy

- can easily over-brew

- limited kinds of coffee available and the coffee is only availble through the club, not in reatilers such as Williams Sonoma, etc.

Summary: I'd probably not buy this machine again. But since I have it, I'll enjoy it as much as possible. I still brew "regular" coffee and yes, I still go out for coffee with friends. But I limit myself to no more than $5 a week on coffee out. Since I purchased it last January, I have more than paid for it with the money I have saved on my coffee shop coffee. Tell me what you think about at-home espresso makers.

Do you own an at-home espresso maker? If so, share your review in the comments below.