EC155

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.

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.

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

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.

I bought this machine here four years ago Boxing Week. I have used it twice every day, and overtime when I have a dinner party. It takes me three minutes to generate a large latte every morning. I have no complaints about this machine. It’s dependable and easy to operate. The frother works well, although I prefer to use a separate frothing device, as I don’t like the kind of over-watery cappuccino foam that you get from forcing steam through milk. I clean the machine every three or four months, using CLR, followed by the tablets you can purchase on Amazon – it’s easy and works well, if you rinse out the machine thoroughly after running the cleaners through it. It's just a matter of running 5 or 6 cups of fresh water through it. If you want excellent coffee, purchase good coffee beans and a good grinder that can grind the beans to fine powder. Super-freshly-ground coffee will give you excellent results. Don’t blame the machine for lousy coffee if you insist on grinding a supply of coffee days in advance of using it, or prefer to use bargain basement beans. I'm impressed to see that this machine is still under a hundred dollars in this Christmas bargain time. This is the first espresso machine I’ve owned, and it has paid for itself in full. After four years I’m curious about what a more sophisticated machine might be like. In other words, I’ve had such a good experience with this machine that I can ook forward to what’s next.

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 :)

This is my first espresso machine. Before this I was using a stove-top espresso maker, which surprisingly was less labour intensive than the machine. Despite this, the machine works very well and I use it at least once a day. Depending on the quality of beans, it produces very good espresso. Notes on use: - Do not over-tamper or the pressure build-up when you release the handle the expansion with be violent (also, always release/twist handle slowly no matter what to release air pressure slowly) - for best results, make sure you allow the machine to heat up before use. Running hot water through a few times does not do the trick (according to my standards). I let it heat up for at least 10-15 min before use, unless you're not picky and don't care about decent crema and taste. - for quick and dirty americanos, use a wide-n-low mug and let it run water through spent grounds. you could just add boiled water separately, but this will destroy the crema layer. Buyer beware: - the drip on the handle is very low (<3") so make sure you have cups that will accommodate this limitation - built in tamper is useLESS. get a normal metal one. - milk frother is not as useful as hand-held. I do still use it to heat the milk, but I froth using my hand-held. Limitation of built-in is time and quality of froth.