I bought a model 1375 espresso machine a year ago and use it 3-4 times each week. While I haven't had any major problems like those described in some reviews, I do have some complaints:

1) Before using it for the first time, I read the written instruction sheet very carefully. Only later did I find the small, separate piece of paper which says "BEFORE making espresso the first time, you MUST prime the pump!" (I'm using their caps & exclamation point.) Why not include advice that on the large multilingual sheet of basic instructions??
2) The first cup of the day never has a thin layer of tan foam on the surface, no matter how long I let the machine heat up. Only when you make the next cup does that normal foam appear.
3) I bought the machine because it's made of stainless steel, not plastic, and it looks attractive. However I learned that the drip tray isn't stainless steel. Pieces of metal continue to peel off one area of the tray, as if acid were eating into it. I now wash and dry the drip tray every single time I use the machine. When that metal began peeling, I sent email to Ariete customer service, requesting that they send me a new drip tray to replace the one that's slowly deteriorating. That was about 6-8 months ago and they NEVER responded.
4) Recently the Ariete label glued to the bottom of the front of the machine began peeling off. It had never been exposed to water or rough treatment. Now it's starting to look tacky...

In conclusion, I would never buy another espresso maker made by Ariete because of complaint #3.

I purchased this machine based on recommendations from Amazon customers and am very happy.
I spent WAY too much money on a Starbucks Sirena at Christmas. Must have been in the throws of caffeine withdrawal DTs or something. The Sirena worked great until it's death after only 6 months of use. We make 4 lattes or mochas a day, took care of it per manufacturer's instructions, didn't beat it with a hammer, etc.
The Lello 1375 Areiete Cafe Prestige machine has the same number of bars-so the power is the same so it heats up the milk just as fast as the Sirena. You do need to get the little espresso cups so you know when to shut off the machine ( the Sirena has an automatic shut-off). You need to tamp your own grounds (big deal-the machine comes with a tamper).
We are very happy so far, have had it for 2 months. No need to spend big money on one of these things. It's cute, seems well made.

The Lello 1375 is well-assembled and functions appropriately (the majority of the time). It's easily paid for itself in saving in just a few months and I'm quite pleased with the product espresso that results from this machine. For my purposes, I never use the steam wand, only producing espresso shots.

There are a few shortcomings, as others have mentioned. 1) The "wet cake" issue is treatable by strongly compressing the grounds, but this compaction can lead to slowing of the espresso flow; for me, it's easiest just to wash out the wet cake. 2) Corrosion of the drip tray was immediate following use. From the rate of spread of the corrosion spots (>10 of them now), I expect the corrosion to migrate from the hidden part of the tray to the visible in a year or so. 3) The biggest issue is the occasionally erratic steaming of the espresso grounds. Rather than producing a nice stream of rich, creamy espresso, about 10% of the time, the machine will eject steam and a watery coffee-looking substances.

Overall, if this machine lasts as long as others here have found - and it appears to be built that way - it's *easily* worth the cost, even with the imperfections.

I just purchased my second machine. I make a quad espresso every day and find this coffee maker to be highly reliable and durable. After 2 years of daily use, my first machine still works fine. Since I'm not sure how much more life is left in it, I took it down to my vacation home and bought a new one for everyday use. Operationally, you just have to make sure that you don't pack the coffee too tight and make sure that you tighten the portafilter all the way - about 30 degrees past the center point to the right. I have read a number of complaints about this product anomoly, but that's just the design. (it doesn't help that the picture shows the portafilter centered on the machine) However, it's not tight unless you turn it all the way to the right. The steamer works fine as long as you use cold low fat or non fat milk in a reasonable quantity. I steam about a cup to a cup and a half of 1 pct milk at a time and it works just fine. For the money, this is a very good machine.

After reading all of the reviews we decided to take the plunge on this unit.
Love it - very happy with the purchase.
NOthing negative to say about it at all.
The final product is fabulous whether or not you do the milk froth.
YUM!