Review of Delonghi 15 Bar Expresso and Cappuccino Maker

You desire to buy an espresso machine, but yous have your doubts.

Volition information technology exist hard to use? Will you lot bask making espresso at dwelling house? Will you lot become adept results? Will you use information technology ofttimes plenty?

Because that near espresso machines are priced well over $500 – and some price into the thousands of dollars – information technology's a purchase to consider carefully.

To ease the worries, maybe you've considered getting a simpler espresso machine at a more attractive price.

To assistance y'all decide if that'southward the road you should take, I've reviewed a popular and economical espresso car, the DeLonghi EC155. Let's await at what this machine can do for an espresso enthusiast.

DeLonghi EC155 = Budget Espresso: Fundamental Considerations

If y'all're considering ownership a less expensive espresso machine, yous should keep in heed the post-obit points:

Brew Frequency

How ofttimes volition y'all prepare an espresso? Are you looking for 1 that you can occasionally use on lazy weekend mornings? Volition you brew just one espresso shot in the mornings?

Or are yous looking to brand espresso and cappuccino for a busy office, where people will frequently terminate by the coffee station during their breaks to take an espresso and cappuccino?

A inexpensive espresso machine will concord up to occasional use quite well. All the same, if you're looking for a caffeine-producing workhorse, you might want to invest in a auto that tin hold up to that mash frequency.

Steamed Milk

For many java drinkers, an espresso machine without a steam wand would be useless. You need milk foam for pop drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, or macchiatos. And you create your foam with a wand.

Some cheap machines have automatic milk frothers that heat up the milk and build volume into it. But those frothers ofttimes don't produce the microfoam you lot demand to create a barista-worthy drink.

The advantage of a wand is that y'all can steam your milk the fashion you want rather than using an automatic frother that yous have no control over. This can help yous produce decent microfoam and lets you adjust the ratio of foam.

Another cistron that makes a wand less constructive is how long it takes to heat up. Later pulling a shot, you may demand to wait for the boiler to attain the temperature to create steam for the wand. That could issue in an excessively long look time just to have a latte.

So if frothy espresso and cappuccino drinks are your main reason for purchasing a machine, consider how effective the wand is and how long it takes for the steam temperature to be reached.

Brewer Durability

How long volition espresso machines last? A good quality auto that costs thousands of dollars may be a life-long acquisition.

Every bit yous become down the price calibration, an average lifespan of 5 to 10 years is reasonable for lower-cost machines. However, as y'all get into the realm of extreme upkeep machines, y'all might find the life span is considerably lower, fifty-fifty every bit low as a year.

Now allow's wait at what a DeLonghi EC155 does well – and what may frustrate you.

DeLonghi EC155 Summary

The DeLonghi EC155 is an cheap, meaty brewer that gets rave reviews from beginners looking for inexpensive java machines. They appreciate that the EC155 is a true espresso and cappuccino machine, with a portafilter and a steam wand for creating milk-based drinks.

Founded in Italian republic past the De'Longhi family unit, the company has been producing java makers and other domestic appliances for decades. They produce a broad range of java makers, not simply less expensive ones similar the EC155.

One of the most notable aspects of the De'Longhi EC155 is the price. Although it tin vary profoundly, you tin can get this model on sale for nether $100. The nearest contest sells for two or three times that amount, so for the sheer price, this can be the best (if not the only) truly budget selection.

PROS (+)

Affordable
Small size
Lightweight

CONS (-)

Inconsistent results
Long heating time

What I Like

The size is ideal if you accept a small-scale kitchen. I value counter space in my small city apartment, and so when I researched my first espresso car, I paid a lot of attention to the size. De'Longhi EC155 shines in that aspect. Information technology'south compact and lightweight, which makes information technology easier to fit into any dwelling house surround.

And I'll admit that when I considered buying my first espresso maker, I was concerned near the cost. I wasn't sure if I was set up to spend the fourth dimension making my own espresso every day, including cleanup fourth dimension.

I didn't want to spend a few thousand dollars on a complicated machine that might air current up accumulating dust on my counter (or even worse, tucked inside a cabinet!).

The EC155 lets you exam out having an espresso machine without breaking the depository financial institution. It goes beyond the basics, with features similar a tamper connected to the machine (my thoughts on that come later), a cup warmer, and a cleaning warning.

What I Don't Like

A downside of the small size is that everything on this De'Longhi is reduced. There is little room nether the portafilter, enough to simply fit a small-scale cup. If yous would like to apply a mug, yous need to remove the drip tray to fit the mug in, which kind of negates the benefit of a drip tray.

The heating fourth dimension is 15 minutes. When you want to pull a second shot, you have to wait a total 15 minutes. Imagine wanting to drink coffee with a buddy and having to look that much time between espresso shots.

The EC155 lacks the power to push button h2o through finely-ground coffee (as in, the grind that you use to make espresso) and tin clog the machine. Also, the car isn't capable of extracting adept season from lighter roasts.

DeLonghi EC155 Review

As I mentioned, one of the most bonny features of the De'Longhi EC155 model is its size. It's compact and lightweight, measuring only 12.two x nineteen.iii x 15 inches and weighing less than 7 pounds.

That's great because information technology will fit on nearly domicile kitchen counters or even the smallest work coffee station.

The auto has a apparently wait, with an ordinary design and a plastic build that is far from impressive. But the almost of import question is: how does it handle brewing?

Brewing

This trivial machine does produce decent espresso shots. The 1100-watt boiler heats up slowly only surely. It tin achieve 15-bar pump pressure, which is more than enough pressure to extract season from ground coffee beans in the 30-40 second time frame.

It's piece of cake to use. Just plow the knob on the front end of the machine to start the flow of water, and so after you lot brew the shot switch it back to 0 to turn it off. And then, select between resting, heating, brewing, or steaming modes by twisting the knob.

The auto does not stop automatically, and so you do have to pay attention to the fourth dimension. Yous might have to practice pulling several shots to get the timing but right.

The dual filter basket lets you lot make a single or double shot of espresso. Y'all can also decide to employ coffee grounds or coffee pods.

I'm not certain why using coffee pods would seem attractive. After all, using a semi-automatic espresso automobile takes extra fourth dimension and effort. Why go through that work but then not be willing to weigh and grind your java to become the all-time espresso?

While there is a tamper, for some reason, it'due south attached to the machine, and you tin't remove it. To fairly tamp java for espresso, you need to apply plenty even pressure to compact the basis coffee. You can't apply that pressure if the tamper can't exist removed from the automobile. A mode around that is to purchase a separate tamper.

The pump in such a compact auto is small and often struggles to force the h2o through the grinds. However, the car does have enough pressure to create crema, although you won't get the quality crema you tin expect from other espresso makers.

You will demand to wait for the machine to heat up to mash additional shots, which takes about 15 minutes. If you're only pulling ane-shot for yourself, that wait time won't be an consequence.

Milk Frothing

An espresso machine might seem a lot less useful to you if you can't brand lattes or cappuccinos. On this De'Longhi, the steam wand is a feature that works ameliorate than you might expect.

The knob on the front of the cappuccino maker controls the steam. First, plough the knob to steam and wait for the green light to let y'all know information technology's set up to start. Then use the milk frother (they call it a hinge jet frother) equally you lot normally would to steam your milk. Then plough the front knob dorsum to 0.

1 of the biggest complaints is that the swivel jet frother is a flake short, and so it can be hard to maneuver the milk pitcher into identify and have adequate freedom of movement to produce microfoam.

Cleaning Ease

Cleaning up afterward making an espresso and keeping the machine in good working order are two major considerations when purchasing espresso machines.

This De'Longhi is like shooting fish in a barrel to clean. It's lightweight, which makes it easy to motion to clean nether and around it. Equally with all espresso machines, you lot need to remove the filter basket, dump out the coffee grinds, and make clean off the wand. You tin can completely unscrew the cap of the wand to give it a thorough cleaning.

The one-liter chapters water tank is like shooting fish in a barrel to remove, refill, and clean. In addition, there's an indicator alarm low-cal that lets y'all know when it's time to descale the machine.

Durability & Build Quality

Equally you lot would expect with espresso machines at this price indicate, some corners had to be cutting. That's why although most espresso machines are congenital of stainless steel, the EC155 is built mainly of plastic.

If that makes information technology sound like it won't hold up, you're correct. The build quality does feel a bit flimsy. However, you might be willing to put up with the less sturdy build quality to go an espresso maker at such a depression starting investment.

The DeLonghi EC155 Isn't For You If…

Y'all Want To Exercise No Work

With a fully automated coffee maker, you just press a button and get an espresso in your loving cup. No work involved.

Notwithstanding, the De'Longhi EC155 is semi-automatic. So, aye, it'southward not as manual equally pump espresso, simply you do demand to get involved and brand decisions forth the fashion.

For instance, you control when you lot start the shot, make up one's mind when the shot is fix, and plough off the menses of water later on you lot pull the espresso.

This control appeals to some, but to others, it might seem like a bit much. If you want to do no work, consider buying a fully automatic car.

Y'all're Upgrading Espresso And Cappuccino

If this is your first espresso maker, you may be happy with its functioning for a while. If you want to upgrade your home espresso set upwards, this DeLonghi EC155 probably won't be an improvement.

There are other upkeep options on the marketplace that provide better espresso at a reasonable toll. We researched the best budget espresso machines for you.

You Demand A Powerhorse

With a mostly plastic build, a long preheat time, and a faulty tamper setup, this is not the espresso and cappuccino motorcar for high-frequency use.

If you'll be pulling more than than one espresso a day, look into a budget espresso machine that has a sturdier stainless-steel build and a more than powerful pump.

The Terminal Verdict: DeLonghi EC155

The bottom line is that if you need an inexpensive espresso motorcar at an entry-level price bespeak that brews adept dark roast java, you lot might want to consider the De'Longhi EC155.

If you're realistic about what a machine at this cost point can do, you may observe yourself satisfied with the results. Cheque out the features of the De'Longhi EC155.

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Source: https://sipcoffeehouse.com/delonghi-ec155-review/