Taylor & Ng CX-25P Bellman Stovetop Espresso Maker w Pressure Gauge

Before I start, I want to be clear: this machine makes the best coffee I have ever drank.I have been using this machine for about four years now, and I am pleased to report that it holds up greatly. I don't follow its instructions to start making coffee around 2 bar of pressure, but instead do 4-4.5 bar. The coffee is good and foamy - while the "true" espresso has to be made at 10+ bar pressure, it seems that the 4.5 bar this machine delivers do the trick. Some pros and cons follow.Pros:- good coffee, good foaming- very solid, quality build- made of stainless steel so if you care about aluminum, this is great- gauge allows you to try a variety of strength/taste for your coffee- very hands-on and takes a bit to clean; this is good for me for if it was easy (like with a pod machine), I would drink coffee continuouslyCons:- hands-on, so not easy to clean. While this is a plus for me it may be a minus for others.- must take a bit of care when you operate. For example, if you open the valves but left it on the stove, the water will evaporate completely and the silicon gaskets will burn. Or, if you do not close the lid tight, the pressure may push the gasket on top and the water will "explode" out. This happened to me - the good thing about it is that by the time it hit my face the water was cool already.- the shape is not beautiful (but the construction is solid), so this machine does not look like a great Italian art piece that some other espresso machines do)- plastic on the handle, faucets (OK, bakelite, a bit more heat-resistant), and worse of all on the pressure gauge! If you use this over a gas fire, it's very easy for the heat to effectively melt the "glass" of the pressure gauge, so be careful.-cannot control water temperature AND pressure easily - you can however by adding more or less water in the pot (and by applying Boyle's/Charles' laws).UPDATE (after 5 years of use): The pressure gauge broke after 5 years, indicating zero pressure. Instead of ordering the part I simply bought an Omega gauge and installed it myself (very easy process). Still using the machine every day.