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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Machine, love the steam frothing, June 8, 2009
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.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hints and Tips For Excellent Espresso, Capuccino & Latte, October 29, 2009
I have had this espresso machine for a month and a half now. I am really surprised just how much I use it. (Gets me out of bed in the morning - not an easy task - the coffee is *that* good).
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 Starbucks Cafe Verona beans (ground really fine with a Braun burr grinder) or ESE pods if I can't be bothered to grind the next few days' supply: Lavazza Espresso Pods Gran Crema, 150-Count, .25-Ounce Pods. Both make excellent coffee (Cafe Verona has a high percentage of espresso roast, but is slightly smoother).
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. Then you can move the jug down as the milk is heated, to add a little froth by steaming the top 1/4 inch at the end. 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!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delonghi EC270 Espresso Machine., June 10, 2009
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?
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