Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Update: It's been a year since my review and as someone asked me a question about the frother last week, I thought I'd update it. The Secura is a work horse. I have used it for just over a year now, usually twice a day, and I continue to love it. The performance hasn't diminished at all, and the quality of the steamed milk remains perfect. I am noticing that the non stick coating on the bottom is getting a bit ragged in one small area, but I think it's to be expected with non stick coatings. It hasn't affected the milk or the unit, and, so far, does not seem to be getting worse. I estimate I've used it easily over 600 times, so I think I got my money's worth. ******** I used the CBTL frother for most of 2012, and liked it very much, until it began acting up and I spent the fall babying it so it would work. I finally got frustrated enough to search for another frother and I chose the Secura. I have had it for one month now, and use it twice a day to make chai lattes. So far, it's worked great. After all the trial and error with the CBTL, I learned enough about properly caring for these types of pots so that I believe this one will last a good long while. The frothers that contain electrical components in their bottoms have to be cleaned carefully. They cannot be submerged or put under running water. Each time I use the pot, I carefully fill it up with water and dump it, 5-6 times. I use a paper towel to thoroughly wipe it out and dry it. Be sure to get the area around the frother and steamer paddles dry so it does not get sticky. Once a week I fill it the max line with water and run it through a steamer cycle, drying it thoroughly when it's finished. The best thing about the Secura is that it takes just under 2 minutes for perfectly steamed milk, with a little bit of froth to it, to be ready. The worst thing about, and the reason I took off one star, is the light film of cooked milk on the bottom that has to be wiped out each time. It's not difficult to do, it's just annoying. I have not used the frother paddle, so I can't comment to that. If this one starts to act up, I'll update my review.