Delonghi EC155 Coffee Maker

This product does exactly what it needs to. If youre equipped with a coffee bean grinder, which usually comes as an attachment with any good blender, the world is your oyster (speaking coffee wise). My favourite bean at the moment is the "Peru" blend of coffee available at Starbucks. Knowing how to make good coffee is definitly something worth knowing and many resources for this can be found on the net, but anyway, to the machine and the specifics.Water reservior is a good size, can probably make 10-12 double shots of espresso with its capacityRemember its only as "espresso" machine so profile between base and coffee pump is only enough for a standard espresso cupMachine gives you a green "go" light when the pressure build up makes the machine ready to use, so no guessing.Machine is easy to use, twist dial is pretty straight forward.Making use of the "tamp" (the part connected to the machine used to press coffee grounds tight into the filter) is essential to get a good tasting coffee with a good creme.Milk steam arm is the main problem area, though the problems it brings can be overcome with a little bit of time, so unless youre trying to get hot frothy milk, perfect first time, on the go, this should be no problem.First of all, milk steam arm only moves left to right, and its only about a width of a hand, pinky to index (small "womanly" hands), from the counter it sits on. This makes the practice awkward, though if you can sit it so it protudes over the edge of a counter, it should be no problem. Though I just bought a small metallic milk jug and it pretty much nailed it.The pressure also runs out after 10-15 seconds so you have to wait for pressure to be restored. Steaming any milk twice should make it ready for a latte, three times for a good foam for a cappucino.So basically, if you enjoy a relaxed morning coffee and are looking for a good quality, cheap machine. Get this one, just give it some love.

I bought this machine after careful study of the alternatives. I was getting a bit desperate because they all seemed to have quite a few negative reviews on Amazon, but eventually I came across this one. What really convinced me was leilei’s very helpful review on Amazon.com.I've had it for only a couple of weeks but I've mastered the technique and I'm really pleased with it: authentic 'Italian' espresso, cappuccino or small latte. The coffee very good (if you use good quality coffee, finely ground) and very hot. It’s really quick to use once you’ve had a bit of practice. It warms up quickly and the water comes out very hot right from the start.A word of warning: this machine is for making coffee Italian style, espresso in tiny cups, or cappuccino with a small amount of milk. If you want a big mug of coffee, you will have to make it in a small cup and transfer it to the mug. To froth the milk, you need a small jug; it won’t take a big one. So you have to make one or two cups of coffee at a time.Also, I would advise everyone to read the instructions, and if you have a problem, read them again. It's all there (unless your machine really is broken, of course).

Makes excellent coffees for any expresso novice but, once you have got the hang of it, you will also find a few (not many) faults with the machine which would make the experience and coffee so much better.1. The gap between the drip tray and the coffee outlet is way too small. You will only get mini expresso cups or shot glasses under it.2. The milk frother really needs to have a metal tip not a cheap bulky plastic one.3. It would have been nice to have optional extra none pressurised baskets for the machine but you can easily remove the pressure gasket to really take control of your coffee.4. Dont bother using the built in tamper, it's flimsy and you can't get a good press since you need to force the coffee upwards into it. Buy a good 52mm stainless steel one.Other than them few niggles, the machine works perfectly and would recommend to anyone who wants to get into professional coffee making at home.At that price, it's worth every penny.

Having had negative experiences with 6 different coffee-makers, I finally can enjoy making my coffee,latte, cappuccino etc in my own little home. This is the best machine I've ever had and I hope that it will last a very long time.It is very helpful to look first on internet for an introduction "how to use this machine" or have a seller explain the setting up and use of the machine and from then on it is easy to use. The coffee-smell at breakfast and tea-time is very tempting to have a second helping. My daughter has used a Delonghi-coffee-machine (of the more expensive range) , for the past 8 years and | have enjoyed this luxury-coffee when visiting her home to the maximum. But this smaller, cheaper version makes the same espresso and latte manually.It is easy to use and does not take much place in a small kitchen. The price is reasonable for such a good product.

Sorry for leaving a low star rating, i just needed to grab your attention. I bought this product as a wedding present , so i bought it in advance around two months ago, it is now out of the return date. The product unfortunately is faulty and although the water warms up, as it should do, it won't outlet water via the group handle outlet, with or without the group handle. Please can someone email me, i do not know how to get hold of someone to be able to return it or preferably have it replaced with one that does work. The product itself seems of good quality so i do not know how to deal with this. i am under the understanding that Delonghi have a years warrantee, would i be able to use this, by using the invoice given by yourselves as a 'reciept'. I have a video that shows what (doesn't) happen that also gives you the awful sound that it makes. Please contact me regarding my problem. Thanks.

Es una cafetera de excelente costo beneficio. Funciona a la perfección, buena construcción, calidad, y diseño.Si te gusta dedicarle un poco de tiempo a preparar un café espresso superior, ésta es una buena opción de entrada.

The major reasons I bought this unit were because it is very inexpensive and it is pump driven. You don't have to worry about it breaking. If it does, you are out 90-ish $$$, not 100's or 1000's of $$$. Makes perfect espresso too! My wife agrees :) Here's how I do it;Use whole bean espresso roast and have it ground at a coffee shop (espresso grind). Do not buy pre-ground. Buy whole bean and have the shop grind it. That saves time and you get the perfect grind without sacrificing flavor. Then store in a quality sealed container (preferably glass). I use to be the person who wanted the coffee ground right before I drink it. I have found that coffee tastes just as good ground at the shop - if stored properly. No need to refrigerate. Do not freeze. Keep away from heat. Use within a few weeks.Use shot glasses or espresso cups. I think the Mini Measure ® Mini Measuring Shot Glass Measures 1oz, 6 Tsp, 2 Tbs, 30ml work the best. This machine does not have the clearance to fit regular coffee cups under the extractor. About 2 3/8". There are two issues you have to overcome when using shot glasses. One, espresso usually comes out of the extraction ports unevenly. You have to split the volume difference when determining 2 oz's of espresso. Two, the vibration of the machine will cause the shot glass to skid across the drip tray. Solution, trim and apply Shepherd 3603 1.5" Round Anti Skid Pads to the bottom of the shot glasses. You know, the ones you put under your couch. The little flat vinyl/rubber ones work the best. I even put them on my frothing picture. No skidding anymore. None. Whatsoever. period.Run two 2 oz blanks of water through the machine before extracting (water only, no coffee). Like the directions state, just two and the machine should be hot enough. You don't need to wait 15 min or 1/2 an hour. After you run the two blanks, wait for the green light to come back on and you are good to go.Its optimum extraction is 2 oz's. The issue, I usually make 3 oz's per drink with 6 oz's of milk or water or whatever. However, that is not a huge issue because that is actually perfect for making two espresso drinks, which takes three extractions. Don't worry, the process is easy to get down and becomes quicker with time.A good drink I like to make consists of 3 oz's espresso, 2 oz's Coffee-mate French Vanilla creamer, and 4 oz's water. I call it a French Vanilla Café Americano. Do not buy any of the syrups - Yuck! Use flavored creamers instead - Much Much better. At least 10 times better. Seriously. Follow that recipe and you will not be switching back to drip coffee any time soon. Plus, you probably already have an addiction (like I have) to a particular creamer. You can keep using it :)The tamp - I only tamp the coffee with about 5 lbs of pressure. No need to kill it, just flatten it out.If you are making more than one drink, make all your espresso at one time. That will save time when switching back and forth from the steam and extraction mode. The steam wand will fill with water during extraction (not a design flaw). You need to clear it before steaming or you will add lots of hot water to you milk or whatever you are steaming. That may bother some, but it actually works out perfectly. I use that stored water to preheat my coffee cups. As stated in the directions, setting the machine to the extraction mode and opening the steam valve shoots hot water out of the steam wand which can be used for hot tea among other things.If you are a rapid fire espresso maker, be patient and allow the pressure to subside in the extractor (a minute or two) before removing. Nothing serious, but you will hear a hissing sound and spent coffee grounds will shoot upwards onto the water port. If that happens wipe the water port down with a paper towel. That should be regular maintenance anyway.This machine DOES produce a dry puck of coffee, but that is not necessarily a good thing. A dry puck of coffee is hard to remove from the extractor. To avoid this, remove the extractor and empty the spent grounds within 5 minutes (there abouts) after extraction. Careful not to remove to quickly as noted above. If done right, you will have wet grounds in your extractor. I just dump them in the sink. I don't even have to run the disposal because the grounds are fine and wash out easily. I realize some may cringe at this, but I'd rather do that than beat the side of my trash can with the extractor. You start to look like a crazy person, banging and banging and banging.Use the Update International EP-12 Stainless Steel Frothing Pitcher, 12-Ounce and only fill it half way. This picture fits perfectly on the drip tray with the steam wand swiveled into the picture, which makes for a nearly hands free operation when used with the anti-skid pad. The steam wand is only submerged a 1/2 in or so. Works perfectly. I used to think I had to stick the steam wand at the bottom of the frothing picture. I have found that I get decent foam if the wand is submerged only partially. This technique will produce about 1/8 to 1/4 of foam with skim milk. If you want more foam (not suggested), use an electric milk frother.Use the Rattleware 5-Inch Easy Steam Thermometer and attach it to the frothing picture. It is a little long, but it works out very well when you position the clip so that it is angled inside the picture handle (I wish I had a diagram). It is very quick and is easy to read. I usually heat to about 170 deg F. Any hotter and you will burn your milk.If you pour the frothed milk first (espresso second), you can make espresso art with the drips from the remaining espresso in the shot glasses.Update 3/19/2014 : I found a little measuring glass that looks like it will fit and work perfectly for the espresso extraction. Eliminating the need for two shot glasses. I ordered it last night while writing this review. I will update with results. Accessories RWSHOT Rattleware 3oz. Shot Pitcher. It is only 2" tall.

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).

Muy bonita y prácticaPero el espumeador es corto y no termina de convencerme para espúmese la leche tal vez es falta De prácticaY también es muy corto el espacio para poner la taza caben tazas como las de la foto más grande solo quitando la rejilla de metal para que te de 2 cm de más aproximadamentePero me ha gustado bastante y por el precio no me puedo quejar llego muy rápido! Y el envío era de Estados Unidos :) contenta :)

As a former professional barista, this has been my machine of choice for the entire five years I've been making espresso at home. I've had several opportunities to upgrade, and haven't been able to justify doing so. I'd have to spend a LOT more money to get better results.Right out of the box, its performance is only OKAY. You're not going to get coffee-shop results from pressurized filter baskets and plastic frothing aids, period. It's important to understand that. But if you're a skilled barista with enough technical know-how to remove the "idiot-proofing" mechanisms, this machine can deliver an amazing double-shot of espresso and small quantities of perfectly frothed milk for a fraction of the price of other machines - and it's built simply enough that this is fairly easy. There are lots of tutorials out there with detailed instructions, for anyone interested in trying this out.I modified my setup by replacing the stock steam wand with the Rancilio #10049046 (around $25, plus a couple bucks at most for hose clamps), and by sawing off the bottom of the portafilter and filing down the screw socket to fit a DeLonghi #607706 filter basket (around $20). I also bought a 51mm heavy steel tamper (around $15, with removable/customizable handle) because the little built-in plastic tamper is useless (in fact I removed the built-in tamper to re-route the steam wand to the right side of the machine, which I like better).It sounds like a lot of work and investment, but the trick is that because the stock performance isn't great, you can find these machines in excellent used condition REALLY CHEAP. The total cost of my first machine after all modifications was only $125 or so. I've since managed to snag a couple at thrift stores for $15 each - which appear to have only been used once or twice. All-told, I've spent less than $350 on TWO fully-functional modified machines (so I always have a backup), plus enough spare parts to keep both of them tip-top for at least a couple of decades by my reckoning.I'd say these machines have good longevity. With proper care, they seem to keep on trucking pretty well through daily use (usually 2-3 cups per day, but sometimes a lot more). I dealt some heat damage to the wiring in the first unit I bought by forgetfully leaving it on for long stretches (entirely too often), but it was still functional (just smelled of hot plastic) when I replaced it after about 2.5 years of regular use. Boiler and pump were fine, so I kept them as spares.The biggest innate limiting factor is capacity. This isn't a problem for me, since my go-to drink is very "short" - a double-shot with only 4-6 oz of half-and-half. If you're looking to bring your "Venti" drink habit home with you, this machine might be underwhelming. Even if you raise the machine up to accommodate a taller pitcher, it doesn't build up enough steam to properly froth more than 8-10 oz of milk at a time.Speed and timing is also a factor. I get best results by steaming the milk right before pulling the shot (single boiler means you can't do both at once), then swirling/conditioning the milk while the shot is pulling (do it the other way around and the shot will go flat before the milk is ready). The machine also needs a moment to rest between shots for best results and mess-reduction. Trying to remove the portafilter immediately after pulling a shot often lets out a little burst of pressurized water and grounds. If you pick up an extra filter basket, you can make two drinks fairly quickly back-to-back by filling and tamping both baskets before you start, then leaving the spent puck from the first drink in the machine while you steam the milk for the second one; this usually eliminates excess pressure and moisture from the used basket and makes it quick and clean to swap out for the fresh one.The biggest external limiting factor is your grinder. A decent grinder is critical. I've been using a Capresso Infinity burr grinder since I bought my first machine, and I find it adequate - though I'll definitely upgrade my grinder before I ever dream of buying a different espresso machine. Most of the negative reviews I've read for this machine are from people using pre-ground or improperly ground coffee beans. Even with a pressurized basket, an unsuitable grind will yield poor results. With a modified/de-pressurized basket, the quality of the shot absolutely depends on the grind being fine enough and consistent enough (and tamped properly) to provide the resistance/pressure necessary for optimal extraction.One annoying little thing about this setup is that there's no tensioning spring/clip to hold the filter basket in the portafilter handle. You have to use the little flip-up holder to keep it in place while knocking the spent puck of grounds out (whether you're using the stock version or the modified version). Not ideal for a typical box or chute with a knock-bar. Easiest method seems to be knocking horizontally against the inside wall of a large receptacle while firmly holding the little flipper/stopper in place with my thumb. This is not a dealbreaker for me, but is a fussy step.BOTTOM LINE: this isn't the best machine to buy if you want straight-outta-the-box plug-and-play convenience. But if you're looking for good espresso on a budget, are willing to do a little tinkering, and know how to properly control your variables, I'd say this is the best bang for your buck. No bells and whistles, but it can easily outperform machines that cost hundreds of dollars more. I've worked on a couple of big commercial machines (Nuova Simonelli) over a handful of years, and while this little machine requires more finesse, the quality it delivers (albeit on a smaller scale) is just as good.With the abundance of mediocre and poorly-trained baristas out there, it's VERY rare to get a better shot/latte from a coffee shop than what I can make with this machine at home.