DeLonghi EC155 15 Bar Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Black

This machine must be judged for what it is and for whom it's designed: it is an inexpensive, entry-level espresso/cappuccino maker made for beginners. If you want to control water temperature and pressure, and if you care about how long ago your beans were roasted and how the husk was removed, this is not your new machine. If you are like me--someone who enjoys the taste of cappuccino and likes making it for yourself and your spouse--then this machine is a darling. In my estimation, with this machine, and as a beginner, I make better cappuccino than any that I've had at an American coffee chain (that is not a grand claim if you include Starbucks, which in my estimation makes truly awful coffee), and on par with what I can get at my favorite mid-range restaurant. My wife and daughter agree, at least to my face. To see how to use it and some good (if somewhat goofy) explanations, see the "Crew Review: DeLonghi EC155" YouTube video. I have now owned the machine for four months or so, and this is what I have learned: 1. Keep the machine clean. 2. Before steaming your milk, run some steam through the steam arm to drive out the water that has condensed. If you do not, you will dilute your milk with water. 3. Contrary to other reviewers, I have found that the built-in tamper works just fine, since with this kind of machine you do not need to tamp with much pressure (see the video). 4. Twice I have ground my coffee too finely and the machine has "over-extracted" (I believe that is the correct term): the water spends too much time in contact with the grounds and the espresso drips out slowly, it is black with very little crema, and it tastes extremely strong and bitter. Both times I thought something was wrong with the machine, but it worked well when I changed how I ground. With my new burr grinder I find that I have to grind one or two notches coarser than the finest grind. 5. I make my espresso with Eight O'Clock Bean, whole bean, Colombian roast coffee, and I find it to be delicious. I have tried more expensive beans and others that are especially roasted for making espresso and cannot really tell the difference. If I were not adding the frothed milk, I probably could. 6. If you wish to use a tall mug or cup, you will need to remove the drip tray, which is easily done. 7. The steam arm is a bit low as well, but it works just fine if you have a low pitcher. Amazon sells one. 8. It may very well be that after some time will will begin desiring a more expensive and versatile machine as my taste begins to become more discerning. That will take some research, because DeLonghi makes more expensive machines than this one, but I have watched some YouTube videos about them, and as far as I can tell, they cost more because they are larger. Otherwise they operate nearly identically to the EC 155: they can brew one single or double shot at a time, and they brew in the same way, so I anticipate that the coffee would taste no differently. 9. I have nothing negative to say (that could change the longer I own the machine); I believe that many who have reviewed the machine negatively have not researched how to make espresso with this kind of machine and they have not followed directions (it is also possible that DeLonghi ships some lemons). Many who give the machine some cons are probably rating it in a classification in which it does not belong. I give the machine the highest recommendation, considering what you get for the money. Addendum 4/28/2013, five months after purchase. I still rate this machine with five stars. I add the following tips: 1. Allow the machine to heat for the full 15 minutes stated in the instructions. The green light will come on after just a minute or so, but the machine will produce much better steam when it is fully heated. I presume this also has an effect on the flavor of the coffee. 2. From some Youtube videos I have learned that high-end cappuccino makers produce what people call "dry" steam. This one does not. To get the steam as dry as possible, before frothing the milk I run the steam for awhile into a plastic cup, which I sometimes cover with a cloth, until the steam arm stops sputtering. 3. Different coffees behave differently in the machine. I noted earlier that I do not grind on the finest setting. That was because I was trying out a new coffee. I don't know what it is about that particular coffee, but I could not grind it as fine as I can others. 4. Skim milk froths just fine, but whole milk tastes much better. I have also learned that frothed milk should have the consistency of wet paint. To achieve this, I immerse the steam head about 1/4 inch into the milk and try to hold the milk pitcher at the same level as the volume of the milk increases, without allowing the plastic head to become completely immersed in the milk. It's possible to treble the volume of the milk, but you'll get better consistency if you double it or a little more. What you don't want is foam: large bubbles that you can make out with the naked eye. If you get them, swirl the milk around some and tap the pitcher on the counter top until they subside. You want milk with the same, thick consistency throughout 5. Froth the milk before you make the espresso. If it needs swirling, I swirl the milk while the espresso is brewing. If you allow the milk to sit, it will begin to separate with milk-consistency milk on the bottom and foam on the top. 6. I "pull" a double shot for about 20 seconds (I have yet to use the single shot filter that comes with the machine). A little more and the espresso is too weak to my taste, a little less and it's too strong. 7. The time you need for a good shot will also depend on the type of coffee you're using, how finely you grind it, and how firmly you tamp it. So you'll spend some time figuring out which variables you'll play with to get the coffee you like. 8. I'm about to purchase a coffee tamper that fits the filter. I believe it requires a 53 millimeter tamper. The tamper on the machine continues to work just fine, and I believe because of how the machine brews it does not require 30 pounds of pressure as some machines do.

***Update 10/2016 I have never written so many updates for a product, but this espresso machine just plain works and deserves it. So, we're just a few weeks away from having owned this for three years. It gets constant use as we generally work from home these days, and we often make cappuccinos for clients/guests who come by. I don't want to repeat too much of what I've said below, but I thought it was worth noting that this product has really stood up to the test of time. Absolutely everything still works as good as the day we bought it, and it still looks great too. Again, at least 3-4 drinks a day are made, and I've only once had it stop functioning properly, but once I cleaned it we were back as good as new (vinegar and water work great). If you're looking for a espresso machine (not a fancy press a button do nothing else one) this is a great buy. It'll last years and make great drinks. Also pretty impressed that the frother works well with almond milk. Got hooked on it, and I heard many machines wont foam almond milk well, but I haven't had a problem with that. Perhaps a bit less creamy than milk, but it's not milk so not surprising. 100% best purchase I've ever made on amazon. ***Update 1/2015 I thought it was time for an update! I bought this back in November 2013, and it's now January 2015. Today it actually stopped working for some reason, and I immediately freaked out because it has never done that before. I put it through a thorough cleaning with some vinegar and water, and it started working good as new again! We use this for a minimum of 2 cappuccinos every day, sometime more, and it still runs great and makes great coffee. Some of the minor issues mentioned above are still there, but I've gotten so used to everything, and we bought some nice cups that fit perfectly, and it's great. So after over 2 years, it's running outstanding still. It's nice to drink my coffee in the morning and think about how much money I've saved not going to starbucks everyday lol. Not bad for an espresso machine I paid under $100 for. *** Original Post 12/2014 This thing is amazing! This came in about a week ago, and I have used it at least twice a day everyday in the week. I bought a frothing pitcher and a tamper for it. I wish I had known that there was a tamper attached to the espresso machine, it may have prevented my purchase of the separate tamper. Still, I prefer using the tamper bought as apposed to the one attached to the machine as it's a little clumsy getting to the built in tamper in my opinion... So let's do pros and cons: Pros: -Amazing price! -Great espresso (We have a far more high end version at work, and I can't tell the difference in taste. This one is a bit more noisy than that one...) -Looks great. (I love the black and silver look of this thing) -Built in frother and tamper! -Did I mention the price? Cons: -Can't quite fit a normal cup in this so you'll need espresso cup (I use either shot glasses and fill a bigger cup, or I use tea cups. Probably my only big issue with it...) -Cups tend to vibrate around a bit when placed under the spout so you need to hold them in place (sorry, not sure the proper terminology...) -A little loud, but really, it's an espresso machine, it's gonna be loud... -Lastly is drips for a fairly long time compared to my other machine after you turn it off. Ok so summary time... This thing is great, and I love it. It works just about as well as the higher end version I have at work. The price is also amazing! I mean 80 bucks for an espresso machine that actually works is great! If I were paying in the $300+ range, I think I'd like a few things fixed, but this thing just plain works, and it pays for itself if you're a Starbucks junky like me, and you can save 5 bucks a pop everyday on your latte fix! Lastly, when I was researching the reviews prior to buying this, a few people mentioned the frother being oddly placed or hard to use. I really haven't seen any issue with that at all. I bought the recommended 12 ounce frother that was recommended, and it works for me without any problems.

This is a nice entry level machine which is generally available for well under $100 ( DeLonghi EC155 Espresso Maker ). I do not consider myself a barista, but I love coffee and usually drink plain espresso (no milk, cream, sugar, etc). I cringe at coffee drinks that take 5 minutes just to say the name of the drink. I've been using this machine for almost two months making anywhere from 2-8 espressos per day for my wife and I. EASY TO USE - It's not finicky about the grind of the coffee. This is due to the use of a pressurized portafilter. True baristas will cringe at the use of a pressurized portafilter because it limits a person's ability to make coffee that is optimized for a particular espresso machine, grinder, and coffee bean. The pressurized portafilter on the DeLonghi EC155 may limit my ability to really dial-in my coffee, but it also limits the number (and severity) of bad coffee I serve. Even though it's not finicky, I've found that the coffee will not come out right if you don't tamp properly or try to use an overly coarse grind of coffee. Even though this machine is easy to use, I still have to use decent coffee that is at least a little more finely ground than drip coffee and tamp it properly to get the best coffee. This machine just make it easier. SHORT HEATING TIME - The DeLonghi heats up quickly. When you first start it, the green "ready" light will come on after a couple of minutes. Although I've made some decent coffee at this time, I've found that it's best to wait until the machine warms up for around 10 minutes. The user manual basically suggests the same thing, but if I'm in a hurry I can usually short the warm-up time and get an acceptable coffee. COFFEE BASKET STAYS IN THE PORTAFILTER - When you're done making coffee, the "puck" (what's left in the portafilter) will be wet. This is normal for all inexpensive espresso machines which do not have a 3-way solenoid that is prevalent in much more expensive machines. The portafilter has a lever on the handle which does a decent job of keeping the coffee basket in the portafilter while I bang-out the coffee grounds. I've not had any issues with it. BUILT-IN TAMPER - Forget about using this. I could not get the hang of lifting the portafilter up into the plastic tamper. For well under 10$, you should get a separate tamper. STEAM - The steam works pretty well for an inexpensive machine but there's not a lot of "steam power" which I think is typical for inexpensive machines. I don't drink a lot of capuccino's and my wife doesn't drink anything with milk, so this isn't a big issue for me. I've had the best results waiting until the machine is fully warmed up (10-15 minutes) before making steam. My steaming skills are not that great but I've been able to increase the volume of the milk by 30-50%. I usually go through 2-3 steam cycles before the milk is at the right temperature and has enough foam. I steam until the temperature light goes off, turn the steam off and wait for it to come back on which usually takes about 15 seconds and then continue steaming. The end result is very acceptable steamed milk. In all, a nice little machine. UPDATE - Jan 12, 2012 The machine is still working but is finally starting to show some signs of age. I have probably made an average of 15-20 double espressos per week since I bought it. The machine is just starting to have trouble keeping temperature and can be a bit "drippy" but is still making acceptable coffee. I expect to replace it sometime this year but there's no doubt that I got my money's worth.

If you're shopping for this espresso machine, you're probably a newbie. No problem. The good news: this machine is perfect for you. It's easy, small, simple, and makes very good espresso. Here's what you'll need to go with it. First, you'll need some small espresso/cappuccino cups because this machine pours your espresso straight into a serving cup. Whatever you pick, they have to be low because there isn't much room under the spigot. 7 ounce cups are perfect. You may read reviews that tell you that you need a "tamper," a small tool for pressing the espresso down into the machine. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt, but you don't really need it. The machine has one built in that will do the trick. You shouldn't be mashing your ground coffee down anyway because then the steam can't get through the brick you've made. Next, if you plan on steaming milk - and you should - then you're going to need a steaming pitcher. This one is perfect: http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-EP-12-Stainless-Frothing/dp/B000MR6I9I/ref=pd_sim_k_2. The price is right and this one is suitably tiny, because there isn't much room under the steaming wand. Get this one and it won't be a problem. If you're going to grind your own coffee - and again, you should - then you'll also need a grinder. Yes, you can go cheap on this one. But believe it or not, your grinder is as important as the machine. Cheap grinders spin fast and that speed burns your beans. You want a slow grinder. This one is great: http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0043095WW/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1359610978&sr=1-1&keywords=bodum+coffee+grinder. Wait! What kind of crazy person spends more on the grinder than the coffee machine? The kind of person who wants a good cup of coffee. Speaking of coffee, you need beans. Any beans will do, but you're better off with an espresso roast with this machine. Here is a great espresso roast: http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Bean-Direct-Italian-Espresso/dp/B002GWFA1Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359611478&sr=8-1&keywords=coffee+beans+direct. Finally, don't be intimidated, but you're going to need to read the directions. It's simple, but there are a few steps involved. For example, yes, the machine needs to pre-heat for 15 minutes. No sweat. When you're ready to go, there are two trays for the grounds. The big one is for a double (two cups being filled at the same time) and the small one is for a single. You'll need to hold the cups while the machine is working because of some minor vibrations. The complaints about the vibrations in some reviews are way overblown; it's no big deal. For a cappuccino, you fill half your cup(s) with espresso. Then you rotate the dial to activate the frother. Wait until the light turns green, then release the steam and heat a few ounces of milk in your new pitcher for less than a minute. The lower the fat in the milk, the easier it froths. Then you pour your milk and spoon the foam into the cup(s). Easy and rather fun. Don't be intimidated. If you've gotten far enough to start shopping for espresso machines, it's totally worth taking these additional steps. You are going to be amazed by how good the coffee will be. It's a little more work than I am usually up for on a crazy work/school morning, but it is one of my favorite parts of the weekend routine.

Don't be fooled by other customer reviews. The machine is as cheap as the price tag leads you to believe it is. I was pretty excited to order this thing. After reading several positive reviews, and considering the affordable price, I decided to give this puppy a whirl. I didn't have particularly high expectations, so it wouldn't have taken much for this machine to impress me . . . I hope you find the following review helpful: 1. The pump is probably defective on my machine. When I turn the machine on, it vibrates quite a bit--- it reminds me a great deal of a gas generator or my FoodSaver. It's loud, and it sounds like the pump is struggling. It also vibrates the espresso glasses so much that they move out of position. So, while the machine struggles to pump water, I have to carefully tend to the glasses to make sure they will catch the espresso when (and if) a shot is brewed. I guess that would be a minor inconvenience if it could pull a decent shot . . . 2. The thing can't pull a decent shot of espresso, and the machine is potentially dangerous. I have to tamp the grounds just right for the machine to even work, but the machine's "sweet spot" requires loosely packed grounds, which produces a watery shot of (something that doesn't resemble) espresso (and loose "pucks'). If you tamp the grounds at an appropriate level using a handheld tamper, the machine will back up and it will not produce a shot at all. When it's backed up, the pressure get built up behind the filter, and hot water squirts out when you remove the handle. It's potentially dangerous, and the espresso does not live up to its name. 3. The milk steamer is poorly designed, because (A) the steaming wand can only reach two inches into the steaming container, and (B) the wand does not have enough clearance between itself and the countertop. A. You have to fill up your steamer nearly full (no less than one inch from the top), because the wand is curved, which means the steaming wand can only extend a maximum of 2 inches from the lip of your steaming container toward the milk (because the curved arm hits the lip and prevents the wand from penetrating the milk). So, you can't just fill it less when you want a little milk, or to make cappuccino, or to avoid spilling. Nope. You have to fill it nearly full. B. The steamer has only 3.25 inches clearance from the counter top and about 1.75 inches from the machine's platform. That means, in order to get a standard (small) 3.5 to 4 inch steamer under the wand, you have to tip it a little bit. That's ok for getting it under, I suppose. But, once the milk is heated and air incorporated, the milk expands. So the 3/4 full steamer you were forced to start with is now full. When you tip your full steamer to get it out from under the wand, a little milk spills every time. I suppose a solution to this problem is to place the machine on a stand to give it an extra few inches of clearance under the wand. However, this is not an option for many with limited under-cabinent space (and this doesn't resolve the design defect that prevents you from sticking the wand more than two inches beyond the lip of the steamer container). Overall, this machine is probably not even worth the $80 or whatever I paid. I'm fairly diligent in researching something before I buy it, and I've never had to return something that I've purchased through Amazon. This machine couldn't hack it, and it's going back. Luckily, I'm an Amazon Prime member, so returning the item is going to be really easy--- I've already printed my pre-paid mailing label and just need to pack this sucker up. I hope you found this review helpful. I rarely write reviews, but I just can't believe how high this machine ranks on Amazon when it is clearly an inferior product. Take care. ~J

This is my third De'Longhi EC155 (if you count the warranty replacement on my first purchase). My first machine started developing "leaks" from the steam wand within the first year of purchase. In addition, I found that the machine had problems developing enough pressure to push water through some of the more finely ground coffees such as Illy. With a little extra effort on my side, De'Longhi eventually responded to my inquiries and replaced my machine with a new one. I had some of the same issues with the second machine, but learned to work around the short comings and only use the more coarsely ground espresso brands such as Cafe Bustello. After about a year or so of regular high volume use (at least two double shots a day) the pump finally gave out and was unable to create enough pressure for even the more coarse grinds. I shopped around for awhile, and eventually ended up buying another EC155 since I knew it made good coffee and was relatively inexpensive. I will summarize the Pros and Cons and a few observations: Pros: - This machine is easy to use and makes good espresso with a nice crema layer - The steam mechanism works well enough and with some practice makes a decent latte or cappuccino - You can get this machine for between $70 & $80 if you wait for a sale - The footprint of this machine is pretty small - does not consume much counter top space - The machine is easy to clean and maintain. - Once contacted, De'Longhi was good about replacing the machine. Cons: - As noted above, and in other reviews, the pumps on these machines seem to have a fairly limited life cycle - Although I don't have any leak issues with the current machine, it still seems to struggle if the grind is too fine, limiting me to using Bustello or LaLave - The machine seems to have a fairly limited life cycle. Putting all of these issues aside, I decided for now that this was still the best machine for me to purchase. From reading reviews on other more expensive machines it sounded like many of them had issues as well, especially with pump life (and were sometimes difficult or expensive to repair). I am also willing to admit that I may not have cleaned my machines as routinely as necessary to avoid the issue with the pump. With that said, I still recommend this machine but with some reservations. I would also recommend the Krups XS5020 SST Frothing Pitcher due to it's low profile in order to fit under the wand. You can also purchase inexpensive tampers and thermometers on Amazon that definitely do the job. Just be careful not to under tamp (too much crema) or over tamp (to much pressure required). I will update this review once I have more history with my current machine.

I'm coming up (or just passed) about the three year mark using one of my EC155 machines (one is used much more than the other) and I can say that I've just about reached the end of the machine's lifetime. For the first two years of use, I pulled 18g shots two to three times a day and this past year has been an average of one pull a day in the morning (16g of coffee). If I compare the performance of the machine I use much more often and the machine that has about half a year's worth of use on it, I can definitely say that my three years of heavy use have just about knocked my EC155 out of its full capacity. The power of the pumps in the two machines have a night and day difference - I have to be very careful with how much coffee I load in the portafilter in the machine I use more to make sure it can still push out anything. As a side note, I can still achieve proper crema and pour lattes in both. Seeing as it's time to replace the dying EC155 I've reached a crossroads that speaks to the quality the EC155 provides at its price point. A lot of the "higher-end" (~$100-$500 range) espresso machines have issues that are apparent in the EC155 such as unstable temperature control and poor steam generation. For a sub-$100 machine, the EC155 does a great job as long as you know a few important tricks! Here are a few I've picked up through refining my coffee rituals: 1. Toss aside the pressurizer that comes with the portafilter (the small black circular object that screws into the plate and the black plate). This pressurizer works via a spring loaded system that attempts to introduce artificial pressure into the grounds so that the water coming through the portafiler needs to achieve a certain pressure before coming out. I've found that if you load enough grounds in and tamp properly it isn't necessary at all for achieving a crema. In the end you should just have three pieces: the outside of the portafilter, the gasket, and the metal holder 2. Either take off the bottom half of the portafilter handle or cut off the plastic underneath the portafilter to get yourself a sort of bottomless portafilter system. You'll be able to watch your shots come out of the machine and I've found that a lot of coffee liquid gets stuck in this piece without there being any big benefit. Also this frees up some much needed room for a taller cup. 3. Put a book or something under the machine to have more clearance for a frothing cup. 4. My routine for preparing a latte is to preheat the machine for anywhere between 30 minutes to hours (I used to have a outlet timer that would automatically turn my machine on in the morning). The top of the machine should be hot to the touch by the time you're ready to go for it. There will be a few cycles of heating in this time (i.e. green light on/off/on). I first weigh out my coffee (I grind mine fresh but I have used pre-ground before and there is a bit of a difference) and fill the portafilter and tamp it down (I usually use 18 grams in the larger portafilter). You lock the portafilter in as much as you can - it won't be completely straight but you should feel the gasket get tighter as you turn it. In accordance with espresso theory of not leaving a shot for more than a short time out, I heat/froth my milk first before actually pulling my shot. Frothing the milk to proper latte consistency to be able to pour art was probably the most difficult thing for me to achieve. Any machine has a little bit of water come out of the frother once you turn the knob so its best to have a cup to just purge out some excess water before you froth your milk. Since the EC155 has an auto-frother (i.e. has those holes in the top of the frother), you don't need to pull the milk and listen to the clicking noise as if you had a "legitimate" machine. Simply stretch the milk a bit (introduce air to create micro bubbles - should increase volume of milk) before finding a sweet spot where the milk is able to whirl around from the frother's airstream. This should incorporate those bubbles into your milk to get that silky consistency. I learned from SeattleCoffeeGear to leave the steamer valve on all the way and turn the knob to the coffee pull setting (all the way to the right) to purge out one shots' worth of coffee from the reservoir (until the green light turns off) just so that the machine is forced to heat a fresh amount of water to try to get that ideal temperature. 20-28 seconds of a pull and a bit of milk swirling and pouring later and you have a latte! 5. I descaled my machine a few times which helped the performance out a lot back in around year 2 but it looks like at this point the machine is going to have to be retired :/. The EC155 is really a great machine (especially for someone in college/grad school who needs to justify the price). Theres a lot of little tricks you can pick up that give the machine all the more character. I'm not sure if I'll stick to getting another EC155 next, but for anyone who's shell shocked by the prices forums and websites list for their machines, the EC155 is that affordable alternative. Like any culinary activity, if you focus on the ingredients (fresh roasted coffee) and prepare appropriately (burr grinder to achieve a consistent grind), you leave more leeway for the machine to work well. FYI I would rate myself as a budding coffee enthusiast, buying fresh roasted beans (light to medium roast) and I use a burr grinder.

2021 update: it’s 10 years and this machine still works and I use it daily. I’m thinking of upgrading to a fancier DeLonghi but you can’t beat the simplicity of this one. I am Italian, born and raised. Moved to US at 30 yrs old. Moved to an area where there's no Italian-American influence, no chance of going out for an espresso. Only Starbucks... no thanks. Thought I could go by without espresso for 6 years (what was I thinking??? I don't know). Then sudden espresso cravings made me buy this espresso machine. De Longhi is a very common brand in Italy for any type of home appliances. I've had this machine for 6 months now, using it every day. It's awesome. Like the espresso cup you'd get in Italy "al bar". It gives a thick layer of "crema" on top of each cup. Here some answers to other reviewers' cons: * somebody wrote the water was not coming out and returned the machine: you need to bang the water tank real hard in position, otherwise it doesn't connect. It happened to me first time using it... I thought machine was defective too because coffee was not coming out. My husband banged it in there and started working right away. * ground basket is soupy: with espresso machines you have to fill the basket to its fullest, nothing like drip machines. You need to have coffee heaping out like an upside-down cone and then gently press it down with the tamper. Don't press too hard otherwise the water doesn't make it through. * built-it tamper sucks: this puzzles me. A tamper is whatever flat surface you have handy. In Italy people don't use tampers, considered a fancy thing for coffee shops. People just uses the back of a spoon to tamper the coffee down. The spoon that comes with this machine is perfect for that by the way. You just need a flat round surface of same diameter to have a great tamper. The built-in one works great. You only need a minor pressure otherwise you compact coffee too much. * takes long to heat up: maybe older version? Not sure about this. Mine is ready in one minute or less. * no cup warmer: in the manual says the top metal part is the cup warmer. It is warm if you let it warm up. I personally live in warm climate so don't need cup warmer, plus the coffee comes out very hot. True that there's no railing so cups can fall off easily (done that...). * frothing wand placement/length: I can't say much about it because I don't make cappuccino, I just drink straight espresso, black. One thing I'd say is that cappuccino in Italy is not what you know as cappuccino here, size wise. This may explain the wand dimensions. In Italy cappuccino is a single shot of espresso, with some frothed milk on top. When I say some, I mean really a little bit. The total output is less than one cup size for your cappuccino. That is very small. So when you need to heat up your milk, in theory you'd use a very small and short brick. If you'd see one of these you wouldn't believe it probably. * bitter coffee: this is very important. Espresso is supposed to be a very sweet cup of coffee. I never got used to the drip coffee or store bought cup of coffee just because it's too bitter. Not used to it. The difference is in the roast and grind. You cannot use coffee you'd use in the drip machine for the espresso machine. For your first espresso, just buy Illy ground espresso coffee. I recommend the black label. Just try it and that is your standard to compare other coffee to. That is the sweet taste you should get. I also recommend to buy pre-ground coffee, because the grind for espresso requires a serious (expensive) burr grinder, professional level to obtain a fine and homogeneous coffee suitable for these type of machines. To buy ground coffee, a cheaper option (cheaper than Illy) is Lavazza. I recommend "Crema e Gusto". This is the most commonly used brand in Italian families, that's all I drank in my family for instance. The "Crema e Gusto" variety gives a nice espresso. I think I covered all the points I wanted. I will add if realize I forgot something worth mentioning :-) Enjoy your coffee! April 2015 Update: we have been using this machine daily since our purchase in 2011 and it hasn't had a single issue so far.

Sehr gute und günstige Espressomaschine. Leicht zu reinigen. Kafe schmeckt sehr gut. Ich bin sehr mir Qualität und Geschmack der Kafe zufrieden.

I've been using the machine for about a month, and I'm really happy with it. It's not perfect, but for the price it seems great. I owned a Philips pump espresso machine for many years, and this one is better - though it remains to be seen whether it will last as long. Previous reviewers have complained about the small space for the cup and for the milk jug. The space is a bit less than other machines, but this isn't really a problem for me. Likewise vibration and noise (which some reviewers have complained about) haven't been an issue for me. The only issue I have experienced is that the holder is quite hard to get into place. The first few times it seemed like I was going to break the machine to get it in, but with time it has got easier. I read a helpful review that suggested putting it into place as far as possible, turning the pressure on until coffee just starts to flow, and then tighten the holder. This seemed to help a bit - though I don't need to do it now that I've used the machine for a while. I find that this machine makes a good crema - even with cheap coarse grind coffee. The steam wand works great - it seems almost impossible to not create a good foam (I use cold 1% milk and a stainless steel jug). I haven't used the tamper - it looks a bit useless because it is attached to the machine - I use the hand-held plastic one that I had from my old machine. All in, I'm really happy with this purchase. (And the Amazon purchase and delivery was faultless as well).

Actualización: super confiable, solo hago espresso, siempre sale bueno. Lo único que realmente "no le gusta" es que se te olvide ponerle agua (obviamente), luego cuesta trabajo para que vuelva a funcionar: hay que limpiar con vinagre diluido. Solo nos tardamos en encontrar tazas chaparritas pero anchas que quepan para hacer espresso lungo con dos cargas. Reseña original: Después que la vieja cafetera Krups empezó a sacar agua por todas partes, ya era hora de cambiar; busqué una cafetera para espresso lo más sencillo posible, ésta hace espresso o espresso doble con las dos canastillas incluidas, y saca vapor para capuccino, punto. Como ventaja adicional, ocupa poco espacio. Cuando llegó no quería funcionar, dos sugerencias que lo resolvieron: 1. Verificar que el tanque de agua saque burbujas de aire al sentarlo; lo verifiqué varias veces la primera vez. 2. Sacar vapor con la perilla superior, aunque no vayas a hacer un capuccino. Después de esto, no ha vuelto a dar lata, usandolo 2 a 4 veces diario. La primera vez también tardó un poco en calentarse, después de pasar dos tanques completos de agua como se recomienda, se calienta mucho más rápido; un poco de paciencia puede hacer mucha diferencia.

Es fácil de usar, la compré para hacerme café americano más concentrado y cremoso, queda súper rico, solo agrego la mitad de agua caliente. El espacio donde se coloca la taza es muy pequeño, así que necesitas tener taza para espresso o una jarrita. Es una cafetera pequeña y práctica, la recomiendo mucho :)

As manually operated Espresso machines go this is a good machine. So long as you remember to put it on at least 15-20 mins before you use it and follow the guidelines, its great. It's great to be able to offer an espresso, cappuccino, americano, and Latte to myself, my family, or guests when we entertain or just for the heck of it anytime day or night. Costs one fraction to prepare at home, when compared to any coffee shop. If you are a coffee freak, I'd say get it! Milk frother , is also easy to use.