Friday, June 06, 2008
Product Review: DeLonghi EC155 Espresso/Cappuccino Maker
Here's another entry in my quest for the perfect - well, at least better - espresso experience. DeLonghi sent one of its EC155 espresso makers, with steam wand, for me to test. Overall, not bad - some inconveniences, but a pretty good option, at least for the beginner or person who doesn't want a lot of fuss. The machine is pump driven with 15 bar of pressure, which probably gets cut down to 9 bar when the water hits the grounds.
The one-liter water tank is not the largest I've seen, and the "easy to clean" claim only makes sense if you don't have large hands as I do, because the opening is wide but narrow. Thank heaven for cleaning brushes. But the tank does go on and off pretty easily. There is also storage next to the top of the tank for a portafilter coffee holder, which is important because the machine comes with two: one for two shots of espresso, and one for one. This way you can keep out one of the way when using the other.
The coffee holders seem to be of type that are intended to make crema - or the flavorful foam on top of the shots - more easily. Experts generally frown upon these, because they actually can damage the natural development and taste in the quest for something that looks good. I can attest that some fabulous beans that I picked up from Amherst Coffee - maybe the best espresso bar I've come across - just don't come out as well as I know is possible. However, comparing one of these lower-end machines to pro equipment is unfair. A complete espresso head may be disappointed, but if you don't find yourself fussy to a point that others consider a bit nutty, you should be fine.
The steam wand has one of those attachments that's supposed to make getting the right foam easy. I was actually surprised that it worked decently. The foam isn't as fine as I could get with a regular nozzle, but without a doubt it is decent, and if you haven't put in the practice time doing one batch of milk after another over weeks and months, you'll get acceptable results immediately. The one thing I didn't like about it is that the wand only swings from side to side and not up and down, which means you can run into difficulty trying to get the milk pitcher or a cup under the wand and even tougher getting it back again. At an online "street" price of about $100, you could do a whole lot worse while spending significantly more.
The one-liter water tank is not the largest I've seen, and the "easy to clean" claim only makes sense if you don't have large hands as I do, because the opening is wide but narrow. Thank heaven for cleaning brushes. But the tank does go on and off pretty easily. There is also storage next to the top of the tank for a portafilter coffee holder, which is important because the machine comes with two: one for two shots of espresso, and one for one. This way you can keep out one of the way when using the other.
The coffee holders seem to be of type that are intended to make crema - or the flavorful foam on top of the shots - more easily. Experts generally frown upon these, because they actually can damage the natural development and taste in the quest for something that looks good. I can attest that some fabulous beans that I picked up from Amherst Coffee - maybe the best espresso bar I've come across - just don't come out as well as I know is possible. However, comparing one of these lower-end machines to pro equipment is unfair. A complete espresso head may be disappointed, but if you don't find yourself fussy to a point that others consider a bit nutty, you should be fine.
The steam wand has one of those attachments that's supposed to make getting the right foam easy. I was actually surprised that it worked decently. The foam isn't as fine as I could get with a regular nozzle, but without a doubt it is decent, and if you haven't put in the practice time doing one batch of milk after another over weeks and months, you'll get acceptable results immediately. The one thing I didn't like about it is that the wand only swings from side to side and not up and down, which means you can run into difficulty trying to get the milk pitcher or a cup under the wand and even tougher getting it back again. At an online "street" price of about $100, you could do a whole lot worse while spending significantly more.
