#1 Does it have hot water spout for tea or to make americano on occasion?
Yes it does. Right next to where it pours the shot, there is a spout for hot water. Just to note, the water that comes out of it is near-boiling. (~200° F). Perfect for Americanos or to get some hot water to clean an espresso cup or something. It will of course work for tea, but just keep in mind that you can't control the water temp. It comes out at the same temperature that it uses for pulling the espresso, which is near-boiling. If you are a tea connoisseur then you probably know that some tea like green tea should actually be steeped at lower temps like 170° or 180° to prevent burning. This water is around 200° which is good for herbal and black teas, but might burn more delicate teas like green and white teas. It works fast, essentially on demand (1-3 second warmup). But one of the many tea kettles that Breville makes would be better if you are making tea frequently. I have the Breville IQ Kettle next to this espresso machine and use the two interchangeably. Both this espresso machine and the IQ Kettle are amazing products made by Breville. The IQ Kettle will make water to the exact temp you set it to and hold it at that temp (between 130° and 220° F by 5° increments). Both appliances compliment a drink bar nicely.
