De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker
|
List Price: Our Price: $58.90 You Save: $81.10 (58%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker
Customer Review: Be patient for the best capuccino
Summary: 5 Stars
I have owned this machine for about a month. Reading the different reviews were a big help in figuring out how to get the best out of this machine. It is important to use very cold milk to froth. I put it in glass jar to get it really cold. I use whole milk for the richest taste. Make sure the machine is very hot before use, turn it on about 15 minutes for the best results. I use a plain cup to releDe'Longhi EC155 Espresso Machine Ec155ase some steam into the cup. It is usually watery so that clears the nozzle for pure steam. Then I make the espresso. I fill the the filter holder and tamp it with about 30 pounds of pressure, while giving it a slight twist at the end. Then pull the espresso for about 20 seconds or until the color becomes light. Let the machine heat for a minute to froth the milk. Fill the frothing cup about a third full of cold milk. Do not immerse the frothing tip in the cup as shown in the instruction book. This will overheat the milk and NOT ctreate the delicious foam. Instead insert the tip just under the top of the milk and turn the steam knob to 12 o'clock. Skim the tip over the milk and lower the cup as the milk begins to foam up so that the tip does not end up deep in the foam. I ended up with alot of hot milk and little foam before I figured this out.
Meticulous cleaning of the machine is so important. Run water with vinegar through the machine once a month. Then run plenty of water though it to remove the vinegar. Seven parts water to one part vinegar is what I used. Run this though the espresso maker and the foaming tip. Clean the plastic tip with a pin frequently as milk will plug it even if you soak it.
I was frustrated with the intruction booklet, but I read alot of reviews for ideas and I now make a drink to rival a good coffee shop. It is a learning curve that has been alot of fun. This has been a very rewarding purchase, literally at the price of a latte!
Customer Review: Makes good espresso, a few design flaws
Summary: 4 Stars
I have been using this machine for 3 months now and I still use it often. It makes very good espresso, but I'm still trying to refine my technique. The only other espresso machine I have owned is a steam driven machine, but I never used it because it was tough to use and it just made strong coffee. This machine makes a nice espresso and you can get a good crema.
Other reviews have noted that the steam wand is too close to the counter. It is close to the counter, but I don't think it is all that tough to use. Get a steaming pitcher that is not too tall and it will work just fine.
The machine has a built in plastic tamper that is nearly impossible to use. I don't find I can put the 40 or 50 lbs of pressure on my puck by pushing upwards, while also pushing down on the machine. When you push down on the machine, you push down on the cup warmer. If you always have cold hands, you might enjoy this aspect of the machine. I bought a metal tamper from an Amazon reseller, the 2" size works wonderfully.
The grounds basket is poorest of all designs on the machine. The basket is too easy to remove from the handle, so when you try to dispose of the puck, many times the basket goes right into the garbage with the grounds. Now, you have a basket that just had 190 degree water run through it in the garbage and you are trying to fish it out. Many times, I just run water over the puck and send it down the drain. Ugh!
I find the water reservoir size to be adequate for my coffee drinking needs. It is also very easy to remove from the machine and fill up.
The basket issue is the only design flaw I haven't found a work around for. I give this a machine a thumbs up based on the price and quality of espresso that comes out. If you would use this machine every day, I recommend spending a little more money on a better designed machine. I use this on the weekends and I find the flaws acceptable for paying so much less than other machines.
Customer Review: Great machine for years to come
Summary: 5 Stars
I happened to stumble back on this page and noticed it said I bought the machine on May 30, 2007. It is now November 12, 2010 and this machine is still putting out a great cup of espresso. I do clean it with the Durgol Swiss Espresso Decalcifier. I'm not sure if it is every 200 cups (as recommended). After a few months their is a slight odd taste and I know it's time for a clean. The outside of the machine easily wipes down and the only difference between mine and new is a couple of faint scratches around the base.
Prior to this DeLonghi, I used various low to medium-grade machines that made espresso good for the first few months, but didn't hold up in the long run. I splurged to upgrade to this machine and was amazed at how awesome an espresso I can make myself. I've had worse espresso in european cafes than I get out of this little machine. I like it so much, I have even brought this machine on vacations with me because the thought of a couple of weeks without my awesome morning espresso was unbearable.
I generally grind my own fresh roasted coffee. I have tried the ESE pods on a couple of occasions. When illy coffee is on a great sale, I pick up a can of their pre-ground for espresso machines. All brew equally well. If you are using fresh grounds, I do recommend picking up a stand-alone metal tamper because oily grounds tend to stick to the built in plastic one on the machine.
The only problem some people may have is the distance between the spout and the drip tray. When I first got it, I took out the drip tray so there was room for my favorite cup. Eventually, I put the drip tray back in and bought a cheap set of demitasses to use like a coffee carafe. I'm still using the same demitasse in this way.
Can't say much about the frother function as I have only tried it twice for guests.
In the end, when the day comes that my wonderful machine needs to be put to pasture, I hope I can still purchase an identical machine.
Customer Review: delonghi EC155
Summary: 4 Stars
We purchased exact same machine 1.5 yrs ago. Eventually it stopped working due to the residue thanx to the hard water (our mistake, should have cleaned it more often, I know).
I used to have Krups machines (which are AWESOME - I 've had my last one for 7+ years and my sister is still enjoying it - the only reason I had to give it to her is because I was moving to the US from Europe).
We have just ordered a new one. I have to say that a lot of ppl seem to be unhappy with the milk frother size: well, what we used to do is froth the milk right in the espresso/cappuccino cup. Works fine. Somebody mentioned it should be making cappuccino, so the frother should be bigger, well yeah, cappuccino=1/3 espresso + 1/3 hot milk + 1/3 milk froth so its enough if you froth the milk in the cup and then make a shot of espresso in the same cup :)
Another concern is the filter size? Eh-em :) Its supposed to make 1oz max 2 oz cup. Its an espresso machine, guys :) I havent seen a single (real) espresso machine made for mugs-unless its a coffee shop :D I wouldnt drink espresso in 'mug' quantities if I were you for your health's sake :D it's hard, I know, coz its reaaaaaalllyyy good :yum:
It did work fine for me (we used to make at least 4 cups a day, every single day). The only thing I didnt like is that it started leaking (coffee filter) guess the gaskets went bad or smthng. So the tray used to fillup pretty quickly, which was pretty annoying.
Well, its not SAECO, not even KRUPS, but it is a good one as a starter and I think its worth it. For $80? Yeah, I'll grab another one (will use bottled water though :) before I will be able to afford a serious espresso maker.
A little hint for coffee lovers: try honey instead of sugar. And yeah, even made of regular coffee brand (like one from a grociery store, not even ground for espresso) - it makes a good tasting cup of coffee).
Enjoy!
Customer Review: Great Espresso Maker @ a reasonable price!
Summary: 4 Stars
After my close friends received an expensive espresso maker for Christmas, I was dying to have one of my own (although a less expensive model/brand). I wanted to create the feeling of being in a cafe while really being right in my own home. I have been known to frequent Dunkin Donuts each morning before work and Starbucks each night after work. As you can imagine, this became a costly little caffeine addiction! That mostly justified shelling out 80 bucks for my DeLonghi and additional money for ESE pods. As for the machine, I read mixed reviews prior to purchasing. More were on the positive side but a few left me wondering if ordering the machine were the right choice and now I know it was the right choice! The frothing wand is a dream. It took me two attempts to master the art of perfectly frothed milk! As for the espresso pod handle, its easy to use. Simply put your ESE pod in the handle and lock it in place. You then turn on the machine to allow the water to brew with the espresso. My only one complaint would be that the water flow isn't timed. This means you have to stay near the machine and stop the water when you have reached the desired amount of espresso you want. I guess there are pluses to this since you can alter how strong or weak you desire your coffee to be but on the other hand, if you walk away for more than 30-45 seconds, your little espresso cup will be over flowing! Another slight issue with the machine, which I had previously read, is that there is little room for a cup between where the mechanism brews and the warming plate. This means you really need little espresso mugs or a shallow shallow mug, which I happened to have only one. Other than that, I have enjoyed many a latte, cappuccino, and espressos. My family is always astonished I have the machine and they enjoy the product greatly. If you're looking for an above average machine with an average to low cost, this is the machine for you!