Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

After purchasing and returning a cheap Mr. Coffee steam espresso machine that produced nothing close to a real espresso, I decided to get serious about finding a solid "entry-level" espresso machine. I did an exhaustive (ie: ridiculous) amount of research, reading reviews at a myriad of sites, comparing prices, talking to friends who consider themselves "espresso experts", etc. What I found first is that you will never find 100% agreement on a given machine. Second, you have to establish your price range. It does seem that with espresso machines, the more you're willing to pay, the more you get, either in features, design, longevity or performance. For me, despite my friend raving about his newest $700 "it does everything except read the paper to you" machine, as a first time home machine buyer, I wanted to limit my first expenditure. So I set a max budget at $250 and learned about every possible option. I won't go through the reasons I didn't buy other machines and it is possible that many I chose not to buy would have been perfectly good. What I will tell you is that thus far, about 3 months and 100+ espressos later, I am extremely happy with my DeLonghi EC702. The bottom line is that it produces a perfect crema with a rich taste. The steaming wand, though not perfectly designed, works well and I can make excellent Lattes. I feel it is important to add that like any machine, it takes some practice to produce the perfect espresso. There are so many human variables that come into play - how long to let the pump run, proper warm-up time, type of coffee, the grind, how much you compact/tamp the coffee, etc. - that no two people will get the same results. However, the performance of this machine has been flawless. I have not experienced any leaks or problems. I have followed the instructions carefully from the first use, kept it properly cleaned and it has rewarded me with a great cup every day. Some other positives: - Very good clearance between the bottom of the filter holder and the base. I have a nice size cappuccino mug (in addition to standard espresso cups) and it fits perfectly. Apparently this is a problem with some other machines. - Two size filters - one for single shot and one for double shot espressos. - Filters also use the ESE pod system if you're into that. I don't use pods. - Large, easily removable and cleanable water holder. - It looks great. All silver, mostly metal. Doesn't have any of that cheap looking black plastic. - Warming tray on top really works. I store my cups and filters on top and they are nice and warm after about 15 minutes, which is the recommended warm-up time. And BTW - this is not a problem. I get up, walk in the kitchen, turn it on. By the time I come back into the kitchen after getting the kids going, it is ready. Those people who complain because they have to wait a few minutes need to re-evaluate their addiction to coffee. - Great price point. Under $200. Some notes: - Yes, it is somewhat noisy for the 15 seconds it produces the coffee - but it is a pump machine, which you must have. My kids running around in the morning make far more noise than the machine. - Your first 5-6 cups will taste like battery acid. I was warned of this from an experienced friend. All new machines must be broken in to eliminate that metallic taste. So when you get it, after following the directions and running water through it a few times, then make several throw-away cups of coffee as well. I used a less expensive coffee for this instead of wasting my good stuff. Allowing the coffee flavor to permeate the filters will properly prep the machine. - You must clean it at proper intervals. The machine even comes with a bottle of descaler. - Buy an external tamper. It will make it much easier on you, help you be consistent in your tamping and will keep the machine cleaner. I bought the $8 Terry's Tamper on Amazon and it is the perfect size for the DeLonghi filter. Don't waste your money on expensive tampers. - Make sure you use the proper very fine grinds meant for espresso machines. I took one bag of beans to a grinder at Trader Joe's and set it to the finest grind, which I thought was great. However, I later bought a can of Illy pre-ground for espresso (a fabulous coffee by-the-way) and learned that my public grinding was nowhere near as fine. So my espressos improved even further using a better grind. So there it is. I actually purchased mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond as a 20% off coupon brought the price down to equal the generally better Amazon prices, but also allowed me an easy, walk-in no questions asked return policy if I wasn't happy. I hope this helps people. I felt I owed a review as thanks to all those whose reviews I leaned on. My final thought is that once you get hooked on making your own espressos, even with a good machine like the DeLonghi, you do start to see the value in the really expensive machines that are fully automatic and even grind the beans like my friends $700 gizmo. But for the regular guy who doesn't mind a little manual labor and doesn't have $700 to drop, I highly recommend this machine. UPDATE: 7/1/19 Yes, it’s been 9-years since my initial review (I’ve been amazed and thankful for all the comments that my initial review was helpful). Thought I’d let you know that my DeLonghi EC702 continues to perform incredibly well. Interestingly (maybe) about four years ago we moved across the country. The espresso machine was safely packed, made the move and.... never unpacked until a couple weeks ago. We had purchased a surprisingly good Ninja drip coffee maker which became our go-to machine along with a wonderful French Press (or as I call it “mainlining caffeine”). Additionally, my office has an actual coffee bar and full-time barista who makes a full range of fantastic (free) coffee drinks any time of day (yes, very spoiled). So with all of that, and limited counter space, the DeLonghi sat quietly in a dark box. Recently, however, my wife asked about it and I decided to find it and see how it worked. To be honest, I was prepared for the worst. I mean how long can a machine sit idle and not be affected? First thing I did was to give every part a very good clean and most importantly, descaling (I used the DeLonghi descaling fluid). I also had to order a new 2-cup filter cup which had been lost in the move. $17 from DeLonghi (via Amazon) which arrived in less than 24 hours. The machine immediately came to life when powered up. I ran a six full containers of filtered water through the machine (without coffee) to make sure I got out all sediment. I then ran four throwaway cups of coffee to help “flavor” all pieces I had cleaned. Finally, it was time to test with a real cup of espresso and the DeLonghi passed with flying colors. My wife commented how great the froth came out, which was true. And, after a few runs at remembering how best to use the steamer, we were soon enjoying home made espresso and lattes again. I think our Ninja is now jealous. All the above to say that our 9-year old machine, which sat unused for almost five years, still works amazingly well. My friend who said someday I would bump up to the $700+ machines remains wrong. This machine continues to serve us well. I will reiterate what I said way back in my first review, that for under $200, this was a great espresso machine. Is it flawless... no. The steamer does a good but not perfect job (make sure you have the right depth cup), but I never expected coffee shop level foam. I read through some of the poorer reviews and while I can’t discount the experience of others, I would suggest that those unhappy with the taste of their espresso might look at two things: 1) the actual type of coffee you are using, and 2) how you prepare it. Every coffee brand and bean is different. How some coffee tastes may be affected by the brewing process. Even I find my favorite coffee beans taste different prepared in our Nina drip than our espresso machine. So experiment. And, with any espresso machine, how long you “brew” makes a huge difference. As I said to my wife, espresso is not the same as a cup of coffee. You can’t make a giant cup of joe from a small espresso filter. Espresso is meant to be smaller portioned. You can actually see the color change as it drips into you cup. When it turns from that rich dark brown to a light color, turn it off! At that point you are only watering down the espresso. I suggest brewing into an actual espresso size cup. That way, you get the correct strength and taste. And make sure you use a very fine ground and tamp it down well. That a kitchen appliance could sit unused for so long and fire right back up delivering great coffee was an unexpected surprise in a day when I feel like so many items have built in obsolescence. I guessing you can no longer buy this particular model new and that it has been updated or replaced. If that is the case, I hope DeLonghi has maintained the quality of the EC702. And, I hope that all of you who purchased this model, in part based on my review, have been happy. Time for another cup!