This espresso machine is pretty basic - you can pull a shot and froth some milk. But it does perform those functions pretty well. There is always a trick to doing espresso in any machine, and each machine is a little different, so once you get used to this one, you shouldn't have any real problems. The frothing nozzle is a little hard to clean, but I've seen worse (my first Krups model). You have to let the water heat several minutes if you are going to froth anything, and then, you have to choose between frothing or pulling a shot. I tried for a long time to figure out how I could do both with one water load and had limited success. The espresso shot does taste good, and it is nice and strong. The biggest complaint I have with the machine is the handle on the espresso wand. It's plastic, and pretty cheap feeling plastic at that. It hasn't broken, but I always feel I have to baby it. I've had the machine about 2 years and use it maybe 15 times a year. Brew Performance Espresso shot brews tasty and without a hitch. Ease of Cleaning Actually easier to clean than others I've seen. Design A metal handle on the espresso wand would be a HUGE improvement.

midwestOrganics

USA

The Delonghi Espresso/Cappuccino maker is one of the absolute best espresso makers I've ever had.  I've had mine for years while I've seen other people go through two or three units.  Mine just keeps pulling one great shot after another.  Some brands I've used have been sensitive with how find the grind of the beans is or been overly finicky about the tamping, but whatever the magic is in the Delonghi seems to give it the most consistent, forgiving, and delicious powers.  The unit is also pump driven rather than steam driven like a lot of cheaper espresso makers.  If you don't know anything about espresso makers know that you don't want a steam driven unit. The main downside is the water canister.  The canister feeds the water through hoses that are mounted at the top of the machine.  Refilling the canister requires pulling the hoses out of the canister to leave them dripping into the machine or onto the counter.  The sieve can be hard to clean sometimes, but I can always get it apart with a towel or firm grip.  The steamer is also difficult to clean, but I like my espresso with a little milk warmed in the microwave.  So, the hard to clean steamer doesn't bother me.  The unit also came with only one sieve, which is kind of a hassle when trying to make separate pulls quickly. Buy this if your a coffee snob who buys your beans with food stamps Buy something else if you need to make a lot of espresso fast or have no desire to learn what a perfect tamp looks like

Phorapples

Eugene, OR