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DeLonghi EC152 Pump Coffee Machine
by thedomino
Whilst working in a bar a few years ago I won some gift vouchers, ironically for coffee sales. So the vouchers were destined from the off for my own coffee machine. I'd always fancied being able to whip up a frothy cappuccino from the comfort of home but probably like the rest of you, I didn't think it was possible to find a coffee ... machine with a steamer for anywhere near as cheap as I found this DeLonghi machine! The fact that it was DeLonghi was an even bigger bonus!
I picked it up for about £55 on a special offer from Argos. Upon seeing the box come down the conveyor belt from the magical heavens of Argos I was surprised at just how small it was! Here are the dimensions so you can check it fits in a nook in your kitchen!
19.5 x 24 x 28.5 cm.
The machine comes with a smart looking filter holder that you fill with your ground coffee using an included measuring spoon to get the right amount. You then use the tamper that's built onto the machine to compact the coffee into the filter holder. Other reviewers have mentioned that the filter holder is quite difficult at times to twist snugly into the machine, this can be because you have heaped too much coffee into the measuring spoon and it simply wont fit then. But I admit at times it can be a bit fiddly, though even professional machines can be fiddly to be honest. You soon get the knack for it.
Once you've got the filter into the machine you have the option to make two espresso's at the same time if you so wish, using dual nozzle action! Alternatively you can just have one for yourself, using the dial to put the desired amount of coffee into your cup. The machine has a clever operating system that heats up only the part of the machine you're using which coupled with a high pressure (15 bar), makes the machine quite fast and you get your coffee nice and quick. The machine makes a lovely crema on the espresso (a sign of a good quality coffee).
Since this model doesn't come with its own milk jug you'll have to either find your own or simpler than that you can just use another mug that you have. The machine has a steam arm that you can turn to make it easier to get your mug underneath it, though if you have a large mug it can be tricky to get it underneath the steamer. I sometimes move the machine to the edge of the worktop and have the steamer hang over the edge so I can get a bigger mug underneath it. It froths milk to perfection! It's extremely fast and gives you the proper coffee shop experience. You simply need to fill the water container inside the machine with cold water, that it quickly turns to hot steam and you vary the depth of the steamer in your mug to make more or less froth.
The machine is very easy to clean and only really requires a wet cloth so long as you clean it immediately after use. Aesthetically the machine looks quite sleek on your worktop and is nice and compact.
Before I had this machine I used to walk past a local coffee shop looking with awe at the hundreds of flavour combinations that they sell, all the way through infusions such as chocolate orange and black forest coffees and now I can experiment with hundreds of flavours and try rare coffees from all over the world, frothing up a storm to make the perfect cappuccino from home.
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DeLonghi Icona Espresso Maker
by costas1
The product I am reviewing today is the Delonghi ECO330 Icona Espresso pump machine. In my opinion it is an excellent product. The amount of money I spent at coffee shops especially during 2010 and 2011 was beginning to look too high which was the main reason I invested my money on this product. It is available at Argos super store for ... £169.99 although I managed to buy it during a special offer price of £149,99p, The product with all things considered is not that expensive at all. An additional point to note is that this product is recommended by the Which magazine and this can be seen on the Argos book itself. When I had a look at the Argos book I looked at this model and some more expensive models of coffee machines and came to buying this product.
Having tried a number of different ground coffee products you can certainly taste the difference between each bag of coffee when making an espresso using this espresso machine.
The design of this product is quite good without being too fancy. It is a functional, easy to use and simple to maintain machine. The main body of the machine is red and is not too bright. It is a product that is easy on the eye, and has a stainless steel top and a tray at the bottom. There is a milk frother attachment that can be used to make the milk used on top of capuccino drinks and there is a water container at the back of the machine.
It takes about a minute for the water to warm up and about 10 seconds after pressing the OK button for the ground coffee to be made. From my own experience the coffee warmth is just above lukewarm and not excessively hot.
The spout that you put the ground coffee beans in has to be cleaned after each use. The filter of the coffee also has to be wiped clean to remove the ground coffee residue left. Also regarding the cleaning the tray occasionally has to be wiped if you spill the coffee. I also noticed the tray at the bottom of the machine also has to be emptied from time to time, but overall minimal cleaning is required when owning and using this machine. The spout is easy to clean and I have tipped the coffee residue into a pot so I can recycle the coffee into my garden soil. To clean it simply requires putting the spout against the water tap and drying it with a clean cloth.
When making the coffee the machine is quite loud but does not slip, however the noise made by the machine when used does often makes my espresso cup move ever so slightly. To be honest, this is not a problem or a major product issue it just requires placing the cup in line of the 2 dripping parts where the coffee liquid flows from.
15 bars of pressure noise would be enough to wake up other people in the house in the morning if using this too early, before they wake up. Although really I do not find the noise from the machine to be really loud. It takes about one minute for the water to get warm and then around10-20 seconds for the machine to make an espresso.
I have found that there are slight disadvantages using this machine because to make a cappuccino drink you have to make 2 shots of espresso and this can take extra effort. Also when the espresso is being made, the power button has to be turned off to stop the coffee flowing.
The manual is not really required other than that I had to clean the coffee machine and parts before I started using it. I also have had no maintenance required in the 2 months since buying and using it so far. I could have bought an extended warranty for around £30 for 2 additional years, although I can see this coffee machine lasting a fair while.
Regarding the value for money perspective there are far more expensive coffee machines that would make a cup of espresso or other types of coffee much quicker than this machine, but the price would be much higher. I feel that within the past 2 months of using this machine, I have saved on the need to go out so regularly to coffee shops and have managed to experience a range of quality ground coffee products in this time.
More importantly from my experience, the coffee I have tried so far tastes good and has made this purchase well worth the money. All of a sudden, I have also avoided instant coffee which I feel is inferior, if not sub standard. Within a few minutes I am able to make myself a good tasting espresso, and if I wanted to make myself a Americano or double espresso it would take me a bit longer. Overall I would say that this machine does not take that much time to make a good espresso. It is safe to say that the coffee produced by this machine is very good indeed. Since buying this machine I have saved myself a lot of money and have enjoyed many good quality espressos.
As mentioned before this product is recommended by the Which magazine, and I too recommend this coffee machine highly. I really think highly of this espresso machine.
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DeLonghi EC152 Pump Coffee Machine
by GEMYOO
We quite recently had a brand new kitchen makeover with black glossy cupboards and shiny silver appliances. I wanted to go for that minimilistic look and didnt want things all over my worktops but a must for me was a coffee machine. I had hinted at wanted a caffetiere for years but as my hubby doenst drink hot drinks, he had no idea how ... different coffee can taste and my hints went unnoticed, or at least unanswered. I vowed when the kitchen was complete, I would treat myself to a coffee machine but not having much funds left I was looking for something around the £50 mark.
I think I paid £55 for this, including delivery which for such a reputable make I think is quite reasonable however you dont get many add-on features like you do with some other machines so you have to buy your own milk jug and templates (for hot choc sprinkles which for me is a must :) )
A bloke at work (a very well paid manager actually) had previously purchased this model - the Delonghi EC152 and as a coffee machine virgin, I have to admit that I trused his judgement and thought if its good enough for the boss man, then its good enough for me so I ordered online via google shopping to ensure I got the best deal around.
I was surprised at how small the machine is, I dont know what I was expecting but it isnt much taller than a normal kettle, however it still is very easy on the eye and certainly adds that modern look to my kitchen.
The majority of the machine is black plastic, probably owing to the reasonable cost but I am much happier with that anyway as we all know what a pain stainless steel can be to clean.
I felt like a fish out of water when I first attempted to use the machine but soon got the hang of it as the manual is pretty good. The top of the machine is removed to expose a tub that holds a max of 1 litre of water, you can either remove the tub or pour the water into the tub. Also stored in the top is your coffee holder, which you pop your ground coffee into.
Next step is to put the 'lever' into place. I can do this now with my eyes shut but have to admit at first found this very fiddly. You have to line the lever up just right and then twist it into place so it is set securely and tightly - This is where the coffee will drip through so it is important that it is in place correctly. When the water is ready you will get an OK sign illuminated so you know youve done it right and can do your milk...
The milk is frothed up by a little knob that you literally stick into your milk. You dont get a milk jug with the machine so I bought a separate one but usually just use the cup that you are going to drink your coffee from - This seems to work best for me, especially when you are only brewing for yourself. To control the level of froth, you simply adjust the level using the spinning knob on the top but I normally just set it between midway and full throttle and leave it there.
The steam is extremely hot and so you have to be very very careful when using, I will not allow my children to use the machine even though they are desperate to as the steam is just way too dangerous.
To clean, you simply wipe over using a damp cloth which is really easy to do, although the milk frothing part needs an extra bit of elbow grease to get clean.
You can also make delicious hot chocolate this way and you can buy these little templates to make shapes, smiley faces etc on the top of your frothy drink and we have also made our own templates using cardboard, kids absolutely love it.
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