I've used mine an average of twice per day for 3 years (purchased Sept. 2022). It has been durable and I've had zero problems as long as I keep up basic maintenance, which is VERY easy.The cleaning tool can be used as a wrench to remove the steam nozzle. It takes less than 2 minutes to remove it, poke the holes with the pin, blow it out backwards to eject any debris, rinse it in a cup of water, and reinstall. I do that about once a week or whenever flow seems restricted. Then it's good to go!I use tap water through a Brita pitcher (charcoal filter removes chlorine for taste) and then through a resin filter in the Breville tank (resin removes minerals to reduce scale). I run the Flush cycle when it asks for one, and I run a Descale cycle with vinegar or Dezcal every 2 months when I change both filters.The result is delicious coffee whenever I want it. It's pretty easy to dial in good espresso. I make sure I don't overload the basket (between 18 and 20 grams depending on the beans) and then dial in the grind size to get a shot that takes about 30 seconds to get a 2:1 ratio. I use a 0.1g scale to measure dosing so it's consistent every time. It may sound like a lot, but the effort is really minimal and it's absolutely worth it!
