I love stovetop espresso makers and have owned several. This one is neither the best nor the worst.

The aluminum looks nice and has the "classic" stovetop espresso maker look. It's less shiny than a stainless steel model, which adds a sort of charm to it. It's nice enough looking that I can leave it on the stove even when I'm not using it.

The device is very easy to use, with only four parts. It comes apart in seconds and is very easy to clean. The construction is sturdy and simple, with fairly heavy aluminum which will not dent or stain. However, the material is extremely prone to water spots and needs to be thoroughly dried and polished after washing to get rid of unsightly white spots.

The bottom of the espresso maker is an odd size, not quite the size of any normal pots. I think on an electric burner this wouldn't be a problem. However, on my gas range, none of the burners are quite the right size. Either the flame is too small under the bottom or it's too big and has to be turned down so far that it takes over fifteen minutes to brew six cups of espresso.

The very worst thing about this device is the gasket sealing the bottom water holder from the top chamber which holds the espresso. The gasket works fine. But it smells awful. It's not far from the scent drifting from a petrochemical refinery. Not only does it smell, straight out of the box and even after a harsh washing in vinegar, but it taints the espresso until your morning coffee goes down like liquified rubber bands. Luckily, I was able to replace this piece for a very small price. However, have I not been able to do so, this coffee maker would have been unusable.