DeLonghi EC702 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Maker, Stainless

From Delonghi
	Price: $350.00
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Features - Espresso machine with stainless-steel boiler and 15 bars of pump pressure - Dual-function filter holder accommodates Sempre Crema Filter and ESE Filter - Self-priming system; 2 thermostats for brewing and steaming; adjustable frother - 44-ounce water tank; cup warmer; removable drip tray ensures quick clean-up - Measures 12 by 8-1/5 by 12-4/5 inches; 1-year limited warranty Product Description DeLonghi EC702 Esclusivo Espresso Maker is a 15 bar pump-driven machine with the patented dual function filter holder, accommodating two separate attachments - the patented Sempre Crema Filter and the ESE Filter. This espresso maker includes the adjustable patented Cappuccino System Frother, which has a special chamber that mixes steam and milk to create a rich creamy froth for the ideal beverage. With this machine is a cup storage tray, removable 1.3-liter (44oz) water tank, and large removable drip tray. The self-priming operation prepares a favorite beverage quickly and easily with no annoying start-up preparation. Other features offered is the stainless steel boiler, an on/off switch with indicator light, anti-drip design, and two separate thermostats which control the water and steam pressure separately to enable the ability to make espresso or cappuccino at the perfect temperature. Customer Reviews Excellent machine Date: 2009-04-13 | Rating: 5 I bought it for my son and have one ourselves, great machine, just make sure you buy good coffee and grind it for espresso and not for a drip machine. By the way, the machine is MADE IN ITALY, not in China. Excellent Machine Date: 2009-06-05 | Rating: 5 A great machine, very simple to use, makes excellent coffee, as long, of course, you buy real coffee ground for espresso and if you have never used one please read the instructions. Looks really nice too. Excellent Espresso and Crema Date: 2009-12-29 | Rating: 5 So far, this has been a terrific espresso maker. The best of 3 or 4 I've had over many years. Very well designed. I was really surprised. It does not take 15 minutes to preheat, despite what the manual states; it's ready in less than 10 minutes, usually less than 5, and then almost instantly when you want a second or third cup. The coffee is hot with a thick crema, the unit is easy to use, fill and empty. It comes with a bottle of decalcifier, to use after 200 cups. Then the cleaning might get trickier - you need to unscrew some parts; we'll see. It's been just 2 weeks and so far, so good. Great Machine for this price Date: 2010-01-10 | Rating: 5 I've had this machine for over a year, and use it every day. Yes, you do have to take it apart once a year or so to clean it really well, but the maintenance is worth it because the machine is a workhorse. We had an au pair from Italy who had brought her own small stove-top espresso maker, but never used it after the first week because she proclaimed the shots from this machine excellent(whether we packed them ourselves or used the pods.) The one reviewer is right in that you have to watch the machine until your shot is done, but if it takes you more than 30 seconds to run your shot you are probably making it too weak anyway, so I haven't found this to be a big deal. We make the lattes sometimes too, and the foaming function works pretty well; - I have nothing to compare it with, but it makes a decent latte. Buy something else Date: 2009-07-31 | Rating: 3 In a nutshell - look at another machine, don't buy this one. I am an espresso drinker, the kind who drinks coffee from Robusto with very little Arabica. I don't do lattes, cappuccinos etc. so I cannot say anything about the frothing function, I will probably never use that part of the machine. But I do like my espresso and this DeLonghi does deliver in this department - the coffee is good with plenty of crema (I drink Lavazza Crema e Gusto) and generally I have no compaints in this department. The machine also runs very quiet and it's very light-weight. But, here are the reasons one should look at a different machine in this price range. 1. There is no automatic cut-off when making espresso - you must stop the machine yourself! I have owned some cheap espresso makers in the past and even those would stop after one or two cups are filled. This machine has no such option - if you don't stop it, it will continue running water until it's all gone from the tank. For $250 the lack of this function just boggles me. 2. Preheating - the manual recommends at least 15min of preheating. Most of the espresso drinkers don't have the time/patience for such a long period of preheating. When I get up in the morning the first thing I do is make coffee, 15min of waiting before you even start is unacceptable. You can start making coffee in about 2-3 min (which is fine, since it takes that long to get the coffee ready), but if you make 2 small cups, the second one comes barely warm. If I paid around $100 for this machine, there would be no reason for any of the comapints above. But at $250 - it should have been made much better (MSRP is shown as $350, according to Amazon). Again, the espresso is great, but I have little doubt that all the machines in this price range would make good coffee. If you don't mind the couple of things I've noted above, you may want to buy it, I will certainly keep the machine. But if I had to buy again or recommend - I wouldn't. Update: I just thought I should stress again the fact that there is no safety cut off feature either. What I mean is that If you fill up the water tank and start the machine it will run until all the water is gone. I know this may sound a bit stretched, but if you start the machine and for example your kid starts crying in the living room, you go to see what's going on - you may come back to one messy kitchen :) not to mention that it could be a fire hazard, considering the majority of us will keep the machine on the counter, among other small appliances.