Customer Reviews

DeLonghi EC270 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Machine, Black and Stainless

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

UPDATE 3: I have now had this Espresso maker for almost two years and it is still going strong. No problems at all since I replaced the water tank. The coffee quality is still excellent. I use the machine daily and descale about once every six weeks or so. I still love the coffee that this machine makes - I get freshly-roasted beans from Peace Coffee online and grind a week's worth at once. This coffee is so good - much better than any coffee house can make. I'd definitely buy another of these machines if this one died. It is easy to use, foolproof, and makes wonderful coffee.

UPDATE 2: I found a replacement water tank fairly cheaply online. It totally fixed the leaking problem. The through-flow problem and pump noises that made me think it was dying seem to be down to the fineness of the grind. I made the grind a little coarser and stopped tamping it so hard (apparently you don't need to tamp the coffee so much for these pressurized portafilter machines). Now it is working again just like new! So I am upping my rating to 4 stars, as the tank may need replacing every so often, but this is very easy if you know where to look ([...] - just search on brand and model number EC 210). It was very easy and inexpensive (10.95) to replace the tank. The new tank had a tighter fit than the original - perhaps it will last longer. I'm a happy bunny again, now I am getting my daily fix of espresso once more ... :-)

UPDATE 1: Seven months of wonderful coffee, but now getting floods all over the counter, with a distinct lack of flow/throughput from the espresso head. DeLonghi were no help at all in fixing the problem, even though the machine was still under warranty - they asked for multiple details over the course of 6 emails, told me it was out of warranty (they take the date of manufacture) and then told me to ship it 100 miles to get the problem sorted once I emailed a scan of my original invoice (they only have a few espresso machine repair centers in the USA). It was cheaper to obtain a new tank from a third-party supplier than to ship the machine. So don't expect to get this (apparently really common) issue fixed under warranty.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
The machine is easy to use: you need to run two lots of heated water through the espresso filter part to heat it up (takes 3-4 minutes, including wait time for the light on top to tell you that it has reheated between runs). Then you can pop in the pod or a tamped espresso filter and make your coffee. I use Peace Coffee Guatemalan espresso beans, ground fine with a Braun burr grinder. If I can't be bothered to grind the next few days' supply, I use Lavazza Espresso Pods Gran Crema, 150-Count, .25-Ounce Pods. Both make excellent coffee, although the Peace coffee is to die for!

The milk steamer/frother works perfectly for me. For the reviewer who said they could only get froth out of this, you need to hold the milk jug closer underneath the wand and at an angle so that the steamer is near the bottom of the jug. If you just put the tip of the steamer wand in the milk, you get froth. If you immerse the wand so that the steamer is close to the bottom of the jug, it steams the milk with very little froth. Move the jug down on the frothing wand as the milk is heated, to add as much froth as you want by steaming the top 1/2 inch at the end of the heating process. I'd really recommend the Krups XS5020 20-Ounce Stainless-Steel Milk Frothing Pitcher as this is *just* the right size to steam milk for 1-2 large (16oz) lattes and has a great handle that keeps fingers away from the heated stainless steel. I would also recommend the Rattleware 5-Ounce Brew Pitcher, which is just the right size to fit under the espresso spouts. I make a long shot of espresso which fills the pitcher from a double-shot amount of espresso (or two single-shot pods). This is the advantage of using a machine that does not have an automatic cutoff for the water-flow: you can make your coffee how you like it (the standard double-shot is only 2oz - I make nearer 4oz, which still has a real kick that you don't find in filtered coffee, yet is not at all bitter).

The RSVP Terry's Tamper is just the right size for this espresso filter and tamps the coffee much better than the (rather fragile) plastic tamper that comes with the machine. I have just about perfected the "press-and-turn" tamping technique to get the coffee tightly-compressed in the filter, using this tamper.
The only slight drawback with this machine is that you have to wait for the milk steamer to warm up, after you've made your espresso, as it only has a single heater. Most of the machines in this price range are like this - it is not a big deal. You press the steamer button and wait for it to light up (takes about 1-2 minutes, max). If you leave the coffee in a little brew jug under the spout, it is kept warm by the metal plate underneath, which was already heated by the initial warmup process. I have made espresso for 4 people with this machine in the same run and each came out beautifully. The water reservoir holds 35oz, which is enough for more coffee and steam than I am likely to need ...

I have not had any problem with turning the filter holder unless I really overfilled the espresso filter basket - it can be quite tight if you get too ambitious with the amount of coffee you can pack in there! I agree with the reviewer who observed that the machine is not as heavy as it looks and you have to hold onto the top of the machine, as you insert the filter holder. But at least this makes it easy to carry.

Overall the machine is really easy to use and to clean. The espresso filter holder is nicely designed with a flip-up arm that allows you to knock the grounds out easily. I have made way more coffee with this machine than I expected, because it is so good and so easy. I thought that this would be a weekend indulgence and was afraid that I might not use it enough to justify the cost. In fact, I make espresso every morning and I don't know how I lived without it for so long!

This machine is nicely heavy and strong, normally with every pump espresso machine you have to wait like 5 minutes or more to let it warm up, well this one is ready in seconds, the pump is not noisy at all, the steamer works very nice mixing perfectly the milk with the steam without making boiling the milk before you get a firm foam and that is a good advantage because you can froth directly into your cup instead of using frothing pitcher (less clean to do), the water reservoir can be remove to fill it or it has a lid too, and it comes with two kinds of filters one to use with ground coffee for 2 cups, and another one that can be use with ground coffee for 1 cup or with E.S.E pods( which although they are bit expensive, once you use them you love them cause they are super practical) and at last but not least the fact that this has stainless-steel boiler is a plus since all the small espressos use aluminum which is not that healthy. In general it is very easy to use and to clean machine.

We had high hopes for this machine, and it was well reviewed and very reasonably priced. The first time we filled the water reservoir a few minutes later we were stepping in water (oh, it leaks.) We cleaned up, filled it up again, and this time carefully ensured it was seated properly. Then we waited. Yep, it leaked again.

After a couple of additional attempts (push it firmly in, gently rest it in place) I decided to turn on the machine...maybe running a cycle or two would fix things. As it warmed up, water started leaking out of the steam nozzle! (first time it was ever used) followed by leaking from the water reservoir.

The manual says nothing about troubleshooting leaks. I think we got a dud, and I'm very disappointed.

I am somewhat of an aged coffee drinker, I admit. I have had years where I would go to work and consume maybe 15 6 oz. cups of coffee. Even now, I don't have a problem drinking a triple or quad shot latte. I just have a hard time watching the money flow out of my wallet when I frequent the espresso stands. But I do like a tasty cup of java. I know what I like and I'll likely pay for it if I have to buy coffee at an espresso stand, but I won't be buying any $200+ machines for home use any time soon. Nor any expensive burr grinders or $30 tampers. And no ESE pods. I want the coffee experience. Coffee pods are made for those who want automatic machines and that is NOT what I want out of a coffee making machine experience. That being said, I did some research to upgrade my current 20+ year old Krups espresso/latte maker (hardly any crema and way too much airy foam in the milk). I found the DeLonghi EC-270 on sale and specifically researched it for comments. Yes I have read all the reviews here on Amazon and I'm honestly scratching my head in wonder. Are we all talking about the same machine? I am absolutely IN LOVE with this unit and have been since I opened the box. It has a small footprint compared to many of the higher priced ones, It is manually operated, which I want....I like the experience of being my own barista, I do not want an automatic machine where you push a button for a latte and out comes your complete drink. I don't want a grinder added to my machine, I'll do that on my own. I just want an honest machine that will consistently pour(or pull or steam) a great cup of espresso or cappucino or latte. This one does it with 3 buttons and one twist knob. One button turns the machine on to warm up the water, one button selects the coffee route for the heated water and the third button selects the steamer route for the heated water. Push the button for coffee and within 25 to 40 seconds you can have up to 2 shots of great looking espresso with a generous dose of crema on top. Push the steamer button and the steam wand is ready for action in moments (not minutes). Once that button lights up you turn the knob on the side of the machine and put a small pitcher of milk under the steamer and steam it for up to 60 seconds. Add steamed milk to pulled shots of espresso and enjoy. And all this was possible after only one or two times through the process to get it understood and somewhat mastered (although I like to think I am still mastering the art of a great latte).

I haven't had any problems with leaking water tanks, no problems with the filter holder, no problems with long waits for the water to heat up, and no problem putting the pitcher underneath the frother/steamer. I DID read the manual before I started making the coffee and I did keep in mind all the problems some others seem to have had with this unit. I have had none of them. Now, for some history: with my old twenty plus year old unit, I would make about 4 lattes a week. With this new unit, I like the lattes I am making so much more that I am making roughly 15 to 20 a week! I don't mind a little clean up afterwards...I knew that came with the territory since I had an older machine, but it seems my cleanup time is a bit less than before. But for sure I can claim that my cups of coffee now are WAY better than before without changing the grinder or the coffee beans or the type of milk (I use non-fat milk almost exclusively). And I AM using a blade coffee grinder, not a burr grinder. I just make sure that I am grinding until all the ground coffee is as close to espresso grind as possible. I just can't afford to buy a good burr grinder (and I have looked into them, I understand their benefits). I am satisfied with the results I obtain with my 15+ year old coffee bean grinder. The crema the DeLonghi can produce is easily 3 times what I got out of my old Krups unit, and the shots are being pulled out within 25 to 30 seconds. Yes, I spend a bit of time tamping down the grinds so that the filter holder will yield great results within the expected time frame. And yes, I am using the plastic tamper the comes with the machine.

What I do not do is remove the water tank every time I want to fill it up. I simply use the pitcher that will hold milk and fill it with water first and pour it into the water tank. I am thinking that the fewer times I remove the tank, the less damage I am doing to the seal at the tank base. Eventually I realize that I will have to do periodic cleaning of the tank and other parts of the machine but I can handle that. I am relating all this to put into perspective all the comments others have made. Bottom line, I love this machine and I can barely let it sit still for 24 hours without feeling compelled to make myself another coffee drink for me or my wife. We both absolutely LOVE the results....a great cup of coffee. I have had ZERO problems with this machine and only many positive remarks from family and friends when they drink the results from the EC-270. I hope this review dispels some of the misconceptions associated with some of these other DeLonghi EC-270 reviews.

As a final comment, I acquired mine on sale and with a rebate that definitely put the total under $100. That's less than half of what my old Krups cost brand new. You should seriously consider this machine if you like involving yourself with the 'barista' experience and love the results of what you can produce. I end up talking about this machine to others almost every day. I LOVE IT!!

Have used this machine for a week now, and am hooked on its operation. It's a solid, quality unit and is easy to use. It's warm up time is in minutes and you're ready to make espresso. The milk frother is excellent; it makes a very creamy froth in little time. Can't see any negatives at all on this machine. Is it wrong to love your coffee maker?

The DeLonghi EC270 is my first espresso machine. I was looking into home espresso machines and really couldn't afford the price of many mid-high level machines, but this one looked like it would do great.
The first thing I noticed, as I was unpacking the machine, was it's weight - not incredibly light, though not very heavy. And most of that weight is top-heavy, so you'll need to have an extremely firm grip on it when connecting the portafilter.
Next, and something purely aesthetic, the stainless steel areas are not brushed. They have a polished, mirror-like finish. So I guess that is good if you like watching yourself make espresso.
I didn't use the machine right away. I waited until I had distilled water and some nicely ground coffee. *Note*-You do not have to use distilled water, but I would recommend it over other types of water because it is completely free of impurities and will prolong the life of your machine. Also, be sure to never operate the machine with less than two inches of water in the reservoir so as not to ruin the pump.
The included scoop/tamper is handy, since the scoop lets you know exactly how much coffee to use. Though the tamper is very flimsy, so you'll need to buy a different tamper - 53mm! Tamping the coffee is essential and it can take some practice to perfect the task. I'm pretty sure I haven't gotten it down correctly, yet.
I haven't seen any machines with a heavy duty portafilter is this price range, this machine included. A brass portafilter would be nice, although it is not essential to make espresso.
The machine heats up fairly quick, gets pretty hot, and will stay surprisingly warm long after you're done and have unplugged the cord. Though the cup warming feature only works if you turn it on about 15-20 min prior to using it. I prefer to just run a blank shot or two to warm the cup (the manual recommends running 1-2 blank shots prior to pulling an espresso shot so as to create espresso at the right temp). So far my espresso has only come out very bitter with very little crema. I'm not convinced it is the machine at fault here. I may need to try different coffee, tamping method, brew time, etc.
The steaming feature is the only drawback for me with this machine. I have used it several times, and it takes me a good 3 tries, nearly a minute each, to get about 6oz of milk steamed. The end result only has about 25% froth. I carefully followed the manufacturer's instructions (which state to not steam more than 3 consecutive times), and have also tried holding the steam wand at various depths into the milk. I've tried skim milk as well as 2%. I may call customer service about maybe replacing the machine if this issue does not improve. I thought the machine just might not be capable of doing a good steam job, but I see some other reviewers do not have the same problem.
I do wish that the manual was a bit more helpful. Although it is easy to read and comprehend and it shows you how to properly use the machine, I just felt like it was missing something. Maybe some capuccino and latte recipes, recommendations on what types of coffee to use. I definitely would like to have seen instructions on how to properly tamp.
All in all I'm pretty happy with the DeLonghi EC270. It seems to be of good quality and it performs almost as good as advertised. While it is no Rancilio Silvia, I think it is a great espresso machine for beginners and it is there to serve you as you develop your barista skills.

UPDATE (2/24/2010):
I've been using the machine a few times a week for a couple months now. The one thing that happened was it started leaking! The first couple times, it leaked quite a bit. After doing some investigating, I determined the leak to be coming from the steam wand. The machine now leaks on a regular basis, although only a couple drops each day (I keep a napkin underneath the steam wand). The leaking has not affected the overall performance of the machine. I'm still trying to decide whether or not to contact customer service.
Anyway, I got myself a nice tamper. It's a Rattleware 53-mm round-handled tamper, long. IT IS TOO BIG! I measured very carefully, but this tamper just won't fit. I'm going to see if I can somehow file it down to fit....I'll try to remember to post an update on that.
I also purchased the Krups XS5020 20-ounce milk frothing pitcher. Who knew going from a plastic cup to a stainless steel pitcher would make all the difference when it comes to frothing milk? I can now easily froth my milk in 60-80 sec and achieve a large amount of nice micro-foam. And I'm glad I purchased the 20-ounce size versus the 12-ounce. They are both the same height, just different diameters. The 20-ounce size gives you more versatility. *Note* - After some hesitation, I recently started mixing flavoring syrup with the milk prior to frothing. It does not affect the milk's ability to froth, and it gives the micro-foam a very nice flavor. Not to mention, it also fills the room with an enticing aroma while frothing.
The coffee I've been using is ILLY Espresso Coffee: Medium Roast, fine grind. It is okay. I don't have much to compare it to but it is definitely better than the junk you get out of the bulk bins at the grocery store. I'm interested in trying a few other brands/roasts so I'll try to keep you posted.
I've been reading Espresso: From Bean to Cup by Nick Jurich. It is a bit dated but still enjoyable. I also have The Chocolate and Coffee Bible (Catherine Atkinson, Mary Banks, Christine France & Christine McFadden). I've yet to read the latter, but by glancing it looks as though it goes more into detail and offers some pretty appealing recipes. There are also several other books out there that I'd like to read, many of which are offered here on amazon.
I'll conclude with my Skinny Vanilla-Hazelnut Latte recipe (using the DeLonghi EC270):
-Turn on the machine and let it warm up for 10-15 min. Meanwhile, in your frothing pitcher, mix 1 ounce (2 Tbsp/30ml/3 pumps) Torani Sugar-free Classic Hazelnut syrup with about 4-6 ounces skim milk (these are not exact proportions, I usually just eyeball it...adjust to your own liking). Stir in 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract. Refrigerate the milk mixture until needed.
-Once the machine has gotten warmed up, pull your espresso shot. If pulling a single, remember the 25 second rule!
-Press the steam button. I find the frothing procedure to go by easier and much less noisy if you wait a couple minutes after the little green light has lit up so as to further ready the machine.
-Froth your milk, keeping the steam wand submerged 1/8" to 1/4" below the surface of the milk.
-Pour your espresso into a serving cup. Add steamed/frothed milk. Stir, if you'd like.
Enjoy!

When I got this espresso machine (birthday present) I was very excited because I have the EC155 at work and I'm very pleased with that model (5 out of 5 stars). I was very dismayed when I read the reviews about this (the EC270) machine and learned about the leaky water tank problem. Here are my findings so far:

PROS:
1. This machine DOES make a really good cup of espresso.
2. It's a very pretty machine.
3. It's not overly expensive.

CONS:
1. It has no holder for the "other" filter that isn't being used - the EC155 has a holder under the lid for storing the other filter which is quite convenient.
2. It's VERY noisy, much noisier than the EC155.
3. The filter starts dripping as soon as I turn on the machine, and continues to drip LONG after I make an espresso. Some dripping is understandable since the grounds hold some liquid, but this machine drips out as much as 3 ounces of liquid AFTER turning off the pump; that seems really excessive to me (the EC155 drips very little after making a cup and never before).
4. After having it for less than two weeks, and using it 2-5 times per day, mysterious puddles have begun to appear beneath the machine which I have traced back to, you guessed it, a leaking water tank.
5. The drip tray is pretty awkward to remove and the "level indicator" is useless: If you let the drip tray get full enough for the indicator to be seen then you're going to spill when you remove the tray.
6. Poor value: It does make great espresso, but so does the EC155 and it is cheaper, it doesn't leak, it's quieter, etc.

It's almost as if the EC270 and the EC155 were made by two different companies. Apparently the EC155 is made in Italy (Amazon.com description) while the EC270 is made in China (bottom of machine). That could have something to do with it.

The warranty states that they will either repair it or replace a defective machine but the purchaser has to pay shipping to ship it back. For a $130.00 machine, is it worth it to go through all that trouble?

I expect that eventually I'll get fed up, throw it in the garbage, and buy the EC155 for $80.

We received this Espresso maker as an early Christmas gift. My husband and I were so delighted the first time using the unit. It was so easy to use! AND extremely fast in making a cup of espresso. The espresso was fantastic in taste and the steam arm made perfectly frothed milk in a matter of seconds. We were very impressed and were looking forward to many more enjoyable cups of espresso. The 3rd time we used the machine we found that it was leaking water everywhere. The piece that controls the water flow between the water reservoir and the tank is defective. We are very disappointed that we have to return this and look for something different.

I hate to rain on the positive review parade - but this machine isn't worth 5 stars (maybe 4, depending on the price you get it for). I'd like to note that I'm not a coffee snob - I use milk and some form of sweeter in every coffee I make. I've been making my own mochas at home for about 2 years now and just purchased this machine to replace my Breville Ikon - great machine, but the seals on it were shot from not always using purified water and it was cheaper to buy a new machine than to get mine fixed. The DeLonghi isn't a Breville (doesn't have the price tag either) but it does make a good cup of mocha!

My 2 issues with this machine are:

1) Although it is heavy in weight, that weight is fairly top heavy making it very difficult to turn the filter holder into the head. I'm used to placing and turning - maybe the model I got is tighter than most, but I honestly turned the whole machine and ended up awkwardly putting a strangle hold on it to get the filter into place properly.

2) The steam wand is exclusively a frothing wand. With my Breville I could CHOOSE to use the frothing attachment or use a more barista style approach - we like milky coffee and could care less for foam so we did without it. With this machine 8ozs of milk turns into 16 oz of milk and foam in about 60 seconds. I tried to remove the frothing attachment (without double checking the instructions first) and the steam wand came apart in my milk (great for easy cleaning, obviously not meant to be used without the attachment that holds it together). With the amount of foam it creates and the relatively short wand it has to be held and monitored while the milk is heating and it will only heat enough milk for one drink at a time, unless you enjoy cleaning milk from your counters.

All in all the coffee was good, it is just going to take some getting used to (and maybe some 3M strips to attach it to my counter top). For the price, the function of the machine is excellent and it looks good too.

UPDATE:
I've had this machine for 2 months now and it has started leaking like CRAZY!! I only use highly filtered water in it so this shouldn't be a problem. I'm going to attempt to contact customer service but based on previous reviews I'm not highly optimistic.

UPDATE 2:
It has been 8 months now - we've just dealt with the leak issue, but now the steam function has quit working exclusively - it still pulls a decent shot of espresso, but as I said we put milk and sweetener in every drink we make, so I'm looking to just replace it. Even a low end $140 machine should last longer than 8 months!!! I am very disappointed in this purchase and the company!

The water tank was leaking big time right out of the box. Overnight it was completely empty. I thought this machine was made in Italy, but I was wrong. China 'quality' made.
Returned.