DeLonghi EC155 15 Bar Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Black

This machine must be judged for what it is and for whom it's designed: it is an inexpensive, entry-level espresso/cappuccino maker made for beginners. If you want to control water temperature and pressure, and if you care about how long ago your beans were roasted and how the husk was removed, this is not your new machine. If you are like me--someone who enjoys the taste of cappuccino and likes making it for yourself and your spouse--then this machine is a darling. In my estimation, with this machine, and as a beginner, I make better cappuccino than any that I've had at an American coffee chain (that is not a grand claim if you include Starbucks, which in my estimation makes truly awful coffee), and on par with what I can get at my favorite mid-range restaurant. My wife and daughter agree, at least to my face. To see how to use it and some good (if somewhat goofy) explanations, see the "Crew Review: DeLonghi EC155" YouTube video. I have now owned the machine for four months or so, and this is what I have learned: 1. Keep the machine clean. 2. Before steaming your milk, run some steam through the steam arm to drive out the water that has condensed. If you do not, you will dilute your milk with water. 3. Contrary to other reviewers, I have found that the built-in tamper works just fine, since with this kind of machine you do not need to tamp with much pressure (see the video). 4. Twice I have ground my coffee too finely and the machine has "over-extracted" (I believe that is the correct term): the water spends too much time in contact with the grounds and the espresso drips out slowly, it is black with very little crema, and it tastes extremely strong and bitter. Both times I thought something was wrong with the machine, but it worked well when I changed how I ground. With my new burr grinder I find that I have to grind one or two notches coarser than the finest grind. 5. I make my espresso with Eight O'Clock Bean, whole bean, Colombian roast coffee, and I find it to be delicious. I have tried more expensive beans and others that are especially roasted for making espresso and cannot really tell the difference. If I were not adding the frothed milk, I probably could. 6. If you wish to use a tall mug or cup, you will need to remove the drip tray, which is easily done. 7. The steam arm is a bit low as well, but it works just fine if you have a low pitcher. Amazon sells one. 8. It may very well be that after some time will will begin desiring a more expensive and versatile machine as my taste begins to become more discerning. That will take some research, because DeLonghi makes more expensive machines than this one, but I have watched some YouTube videos about them, and as far as I can tell, they cost more because they are larger. Otherwise they operate nearly identically to the EC 155: they can brew one single or double shot at a time, and they brew in the same way, so I anticipate that the coffee would taste no differently. 9. I have nothing negative to say (that could change the longer I own the machine); I believe that many who have reviewed the machine negatively have not researched how to make espresso with this kind of machine and they have not followed directions (it is also possible that DeLonghi ships some lemons). Many who give the machine some cons are probably rating it in a classification in which it does not belong. I give the machine the highest recommendation, considering what you get for the money. Addendum 4/28/2013, five months after purchase. I still rate this machine with five stars. I add the following tips: 1. Allow the machine to heat for the full 15 minutes stated in the instructions. The green light will come on after just a minute or so, but the machine will produce much better steam when it is fully heated. I presume this also has an effect on the flavor of the coffee. 2. From some Youtube videos I have learned that high-end cappuccino makers produce what people call "dry" steam. This one does not. To get the steam as dry as possible, before frothing the milk I run the steam for awhile into a plastic cup, which I sometimes cover with a cloth, until the steam arm stops sputtering. 3. Different coffees behave differently in the machine. I noted earlier that I do not grind on the finest setting. That was because I was trying out a new coffee. I don't know what it is about that particular coffee, but I could not grind it as fine as I can others. 4. Skim milk froths just fine, but whole milk tastes much better. I have also learned that frothed milk should have the consistency of wet paint. To achieve this, I immerse the steam head about 1/4 inch into the milk and try to hold the milk pitcher at the same level as the volume of the milk increases, without allowing the plastic head to become completely immersed in the milk. It's possible to treble the volume of the milk, but you'll get better consistency if you double it or a little more. What you don't want is foam: large bubbles that you can make out with the naked eye. If you get them, swirl the milk around some and tap the pitcher on the counter top until they subside. You want milk with the same, thick consistency throughout 5. Froth the milk before you make the espresso. If it needs swirling, I swirl the milk while the espresso is brewing. If you allow the milk to sit, it will begin to separate with milk-consistency milk on the bottom and foam on the top. 6. I "pull" a double shot for about 20 seconds (I have yet to use the single shot filter that comes with the machine). A little more and the espresso is too weak to my taste, a little less and it's too strong. 7. The time you need for a good shot will also depend on the type of coffee you're using, how finely you grind it, and how firmly you tamp it. So you'll spend some time figuring out which variables you'll play with to get the coffee you like. 8. I'm about to purchase a coffee tamper that fits the filter. I believe it requires a 53 millimeter tamper. The tamper on the machine continues to work just fine, and I believe because of how the machine brews it does not require 30 pounds of pressure as some machines do.

As a former professional barista, this has been my machine of choice for the entire five years I've been making espresso at home. I've had several opportunities to upgrade, and haven't been able to justify doing so. I'd have to spend a LOT more money to get better results. Right out of the box, its performance is only OKAY. You're not going to get coffee-shop results from pressurized filter baskets and plastic frothing aids, period. It's important to understand that. But if you're a skilled barista with enough technical know-how to remove the "idiot-proofing" mechanisms, this machine can deliver an amazing double-shot of espresso and small quantities of perfectly frothed milk for a fraction of the price of other machines - and it's built simply enough that this is fairly easy. There are lots of tutorials out there with detailed instructions, for anyone interested in trying this out. I modified my setup by replacing the stock steam wand with the Rancilio #10049046 (around $25, plus a couple bucks at most for hose clamps), and by sawing off the bottom of the portafilter and filing down the screw socket to fit a DeLonghi #607706 filter basket (around $20). I also bought a 51mm heavy steel tamper (around $15, with removable/customizable handle) because the little built-in plastic tamper is useless (in fact I removed the built-in tamper to re-route the steam wand to the right side of the machine, which I like better). It sounds like a lot of work and investment, but the trick is that because the stock performance isn't great, you can find these machines in excellent used condition REALLY CHEAP. The total cost of my first machine after all modifications was only $125 or so. I've since managed to snag a couple at thrift stores for $15 each - which appear to have only been used once or twice. All-told, I've spent less than $350 on TWO fully-functional modified machines (so I always have a backup), plus enough spare parts to keep both of them tip-top for at least a couple of decades by my reckoning. I'd say these machines have good longevity. With proper care, they seem to keep on trucking pretty well through daily use (usually 2-3 cups per day, but sometimes a lot more). I dealt some heat damage to the wiring in the first unit I bought by forgetfully leaving it on for long stretches (entirely too often), but it was still functional (just smelled of hot plastic) when I replaced it after about 2.5 years of regular use. Boiler and pump were fine, so I kept them as spares. The biggest innate limiting factor is capacity. This isn't a problem for me, since my go-to drink is very "short" - a double-shot with only 4-6 oz of half-and-half. If you're looking to bring your "Venti" drink habit home with you, this machine might be underwhelming. Even if you raise the machine up to accommodate a taller pitcher, it doesn't build up enough steam to properly froth more than 8-10 oz of milk at a time. Speed and timing is also a factor. I get best results by steaming the milk right before pulling the shot (single boiler means you can't do both at once), then swirling/conditioning the milk while the shot is pulling (do it the other way around and the shot will go flat before the milk is ready). The machine also needs a moment to rest between shots for best results and mess-reduction. Trying to remove the portafilter immediately after pulling a shot often lets out a little burst of pressurized water and grounds. If you pick up an extra filter basket, you can make two drinks fairly quickly back-to-back by filling and tamping both baskets before you start, then leaving the spent puck from the first drink in the machine while you steam the milk for the second one; this usually eliminates excess pressure and moisture from the used basket and makes it quick and clean to swap out for the fresh one. The biggest external limiting factor is your grinder. A decent grinder is critical. I've been using a Capresso Infinity burr grinder since I bought my first machine, and I find it adequate - though I'll definitely upgrade my grinder before I ever dream of buying a different espresso machine. Most of the negative reviews I've read for this machine are from people using pre-ground or improperly ground coffee beans. Even with a pressurized basket, an unsuitable grind will yield poor results. With a modified/de-pressurized basket, the quality of the shot absolutely depends on the grind being fine enough and consistent enough (and tamped properly) to provide the resistance/pressure necessary for optimal extraction. One annoying little thing about this setup is that there's no tensioning spring/clip to hold the filter basket in the portafilter handle. You have to use the little flip-up holder to keep it in place while knocking the spent puck of grounds out (whether you're using the stock version or the modified version). Not ideal for a typical box or chute with a knock-bar. Easiest method seems to be knocking horizontally against the inside wall of a large receptacle while firmly holding the little flipper/stopper in place with my thumb. This is not a dealbreaker for me, but is a fussy step. BOTTOM LINE: this isn't the best machine to buy if you want straight-outta-the-box plug-and-play convenience. But if you're looking for good espresso on a budget, are willing to do a little tinkering, and know how to properly control your variables, I'd say this is the best bang for your buck. No bells and whistles, but it can easily outperform machines that cost hundreds of dollars more. I've worked on a couple of big commercial machines (Nuova Simonelli) over a handful of years, and while this little machine requires more finesse, the quality it delivers (albeit on a smaller scale) is just as good. With the abundance of mediocre and poorly-trained baristas out there, it's VERY rare to get a better shot/latte from a coffee shop than what I can make with this machine at home.

This is a nice entry level machine which is generally available for well under $100 ( DeLonghi EC155 Espresso Maker ). I do not consider myself a barista, but I love coffee and usually drink plain espresso (no milk, cream, sugar, etc). I cringe at coffee drinks that take 5 minutes just to say the name of the drink. I've been using this machine for almost two months making anywhere from 2-8 espressos per day for my wife and I. EASY TO USE - It's not finicky about the grind of the coffee. This is due to the use of a pressurized portafilter. True baristas will cringe at the use of a pressurized portafilter because it limits a person's ability to make coffee that is optimized for a particular espresso machine, grinder, and coffee bean. The pressurized portafilter on the DeLonghi EC155 may limit my ability to really dial-in my coffee, but it also limits the number (and severity) of bad coffee I serve. Even though it's not finicky, I've found that the coffee will not come out right if you don't tamp properly or try to use an overly coarse grind of coffee. Even though this machine is easy to use, I still have to use decent coffee that is at least a little more finely ground than drip coffee and tamp it properly to get the best coffee. This machine just make it easier. SHORT HEATING TIME - The DeLonghi heats up quickly. When you first start it, the green "ready" light will come on after a couple of minutes. Although I've made some decent coffee at this time, I've found that it's best to wait until the machine warms up for around 10 minutes. The user manual basically suggests the same thing, but if I'm in a hurry I can usually short the warm-up time and get an acceptable coffee. COFFEE BASKET STAYS IN THE PORTAFILTER - When you're done making coffee, the "puck" (what's left in the portafilter) will be wet. This is normal for all inexpensive espresso machines which do not have a 3-way solenoid that is prevalent in much more expensive machines. The portafilter has a lever on the handle which does a decent job of keeping the coffee basket in the portafilter while I bang-out the coffee grounds. I've not had any issues with it. BUILT-IN TAMPER - Forget about using this. I could not get the hang of lifting the portafilter up into the plastic tamper. For well under 10$, you should get a separate tamper. STEAM - The steam works pretty well for an inexpensive machine but there's not a lot of "steam power" which I think is typical for inexpensive machines. I don't drink a lot of capuccino's and my wife doesn't drink anything with milk, so this isn't a big issue for me. I've had the best results waiting until the machine is fully warmed up (10-15 minutes) before making steam. My steaming skills are not that great but I've been able to increase the volume of the milk by 30-50%. I usually go through 2-3 steam cycles before the milk is at the right temperature and has enough foam. I steam until the temperature light goes off, turn the steam off and wait for it to come back on which usually takes about 15 seconds and then continue steaming. The end result is very acceptable steamed milk. In all, a nice little machine. UPDATE - Jan 12, 2012 The machine is still working but is finally starting to show some signs of age. I have probably made an average of 15-20 double espressos per week since I bought it. The machine is just starting to have trouble keeping temperature and can be a bit "drippy" but is still making acceptable coffee. I expect to replace it sometime this year but there's no doubt that I got my money's worth.

I'm coming up (or just passed) about the three year mark using one of my EC155 machines (one is used much more than the other) and I can say that I've just about reached the end of the machine's lifetime. For the first two years of use, I pulled 18g shots two to three times a day and this past year has been an average of one pull a day in the morning (16g of coffee). If I compare the performance of the machine I use much more often and the machine that has about half a year's worth of use on it, I can definitely say that my three years of heavy use have just about knocked my EC155 out of its full capacity. The power of the pumps in the two machines have a night and day difference - I have to be very careful with how much coffee I load in the portafilter in the machine I use more to make sure it can still push out anything. As a side note, I can still achieve proper crema and pour lattes in both. Seeing as it's time to replace the dying EC155 I've reached a crossroads that speaks to the quality the EC155 provides at its price point. A lot of the "higher-end" (~$100-$500 range) espresso machines have issues that are apparent in the EC155 such as unstable temperature control and poor steam generation. For a sub-$100 machine, the EC155 does a great job as long as you know a few important tricks! Here are a few I've picked up through refining my coffee rituals: 1. Toss aside the pressurizer that comes with the portafilter (the small black circular object that screws into the plate and the black plate). This pressurizer works via a spring loaded system that attempts to introduce artificial pressure into the grounds so that the water coming through the portafiler needs to achieve a certain pressure before coming out. I've found that if you load enough grounds in and tamp properly it isn't necessary at all for achieving a crema. In the end you should just have three pieces: the outside of the portafilter, the gasket, and the metal holder 2. Either take off the bottom half of the portafilter handle or cut off the plastic underneath the portafilter to get yourself a sort of bottomless portafilter system. You'll be able to watch your shots come out of the machine and I've found that a lot of coffee liquid gets stuck in this piece without there being any big benefit. Also this frees up some much needed room for a taller cup. 3. Put a book or something under the machine to have more clearance for a frothing cup. 4. My routine for preparing a latte is to preheat the machine for anywhere between 30 minutes to hours (I used to have a outlet timer that would automatically turn my machine on in the morning). The top of the machine should be hot to the touch by the time you're ready to go for it. There will be a few cycles of heating in this time (i.e. green light on/off/on). I first weigh out my coffee (I grind mine fresh but I have used pre-ground before and there is a bit of a difference) and fill the portafilter and tamp it down (I usually use 18 grams in the larger portafilter). You lock the portafilter in as much as you can - it won't be completely straight but you should feel the gasket get tighter as you turn it. In accordance with espresso theory of not leaving a shot for more than a short time out, I heat/froth my milk first before actually pulling my shot. Frothing the milk to proper latte consistency to be able to pour art was probably the most difficult thing for me to achieve. Any machine has a little bit of water come out of the frother once you turn the knob so its best to have a cup to just purge out some excess water before you froth your milk. Since the EC155 has an auto-frother (i.e. has those holes in the top of the frother), you don't need to pull the milk and listen to the clicking noise as if you had a "legitimate" machine. Simply stretch the milk a bit (introduce air to create micro bubbles - should increase volume of milk) before finding a sweet spot where the milk is able to whirl around from the frother's airstream. This should incorporate those bubbles into your milk to get that silky consistency. I learned from SeattleCoffeeGear to leave the steamer valve on all the way and turn the knob to the coffee pull setting (all the way to the right) to purge out one shots' worth of coffee from the reservoir (until the green light turns off) just so that the machine is forced to heat a fresh amount of water to try to get that ideal temperature. 20-28 seconds of a pull and a bit of milk swirling and pouring later and you have a latte! 5. I descaled my machine a few times which helped the performance out a lot back in around year 2 but it looks like at this point the machine is going to have to be retired :/. The EC155 is really a great machine (especially for someone in college/grad school who needs to justify the price). Theres a lot of little tricks you can pick up that give the machine all the more character. I'm not sure if I'll stick to getting another EC155 next, but for anyone who's shell shocked by the prices forums and websites list for their machines, the EC155 is that affordable alternative. Like any culinary activity, if you focus on the ingredients (fresh roasted coffee) and prepare appropriately (burr grinder to achieve a consistent grind), you leave more leeway for the machine to work well. FYI I would rate myself as a budding coffee enthusiast, buying fresh roasted beans (light to medium roast) and I use a burr grinder.

Espresso/cappucino/latte quality: 5 (in my layman's opinion) Looks: 3. Value for the money: 5. If you are considering this espresso machine, once you have it in your kitchen I suspect you will love it. The $1000 machines probably do something this one doesn't, but for $80 I'm perfectly happy not knowing what that is. This machine produces espresso and cappuccinos/lattes that to me taste great and look professional, i.e like espresso and cappuccinos/lattes I have at cafes and restaurants. The only thing I don't love about it is the look - the stainless steel and retro-style ones do look pretty sexy, and I tried one in Bed Bath and Beyond into which sliding the espresso handle felt like absolute butter. So for more money you probably get a more sensual and spiritual espresso-making experience, but my bet is that there is little difference in the resulting drink until you get really expensive, and honestly once you use this thing a couple times you won't care. Now that it's in my kitchen and I'm not focusing all my attention on espresso machine comparison, I like it and don't think about the sexy espresso machines that got away. And In two weeks I've already enjoyed enough cappuccinos from this little darling that it has paid for itself in terms of what those drinks would cost outside my kitchen. I've read that the taste has more to do with the beans and how and when the beans are ground - i.e. buying whole beans and an expensive grinder - than the espresso machine, which from what I can tell just pushes high-pressure steam through finely ground coffee into a cup. Which this machine does with aplumb. I find the height of the frothing wand and espresso spigots perfect. I froth directly into the cappuccino cup, not a frothing pitcher. Less to clean up, and it doesn't splash so the height of the cup is irrelevant. Some other points: - I've only owned it about 2 weeks, but so far so good. Running it without coffee in the filter once a week is probably a good idea to keep it clean. - Contrary to other reviews, I don't recommend a separate tamper. The tamper attached to the machine is perfect - you just press the espresso up against it a couple times. I also don't see how the choice of tamper produces any effect on the resulting espresso. How loosely/tightly you pack the espresso probably does. - I do recommend the Bodum double-walled espresso glasses that everyone here buys with this machine. They're nice to drink espresso out of and not hot to the touch while you drink, they're just wide enough to stir in sugar with a normal-sized spoon, one Bodum glass is wide enough to catch the espresso from both spigots, and the shape makes it easy to pour the espresso into your cappuccino cup without spilling. You can also alternatively drip into both glasses if you're making espresso for two. - It produces a nice disposable espresso puck if you wait a while to remove it after brewing, so the coffee can dry out a bit. Either way though, you have to bang the thing many times against the rim of a garbage can to remove it. This is probably true of any non-automated espresso machine, and is the one annoying part of the process. The handle has a plastic thing that holds the filter cup in place while you bang it against the garbage can - I think most of them do - but it would be perfect if it locked in place, rather than having to hold it in place with your finger while also banging the thing against a garbage can. Don't know if any of them have that feature. Some things I learned the hard way about using this machine: - Close the steam gasket. Make sure the steam gasket on top is all the way off before doing anything, or you will produce a stream of hot water out of the frothing wand while brewing the espresso, that produces a tremendous mess and panics your cat. - I let it warm up 5 to 10 minutes before using it - however long it takes to make my eggs and the green light to come on (I believe it comes on when the water inside has boiled). Making espresso once the machine is warmed up takes about thirty seconds, frothing the milk another thirty seconds. - If you switch right from espresso brewing to frothing, when you open the steam gasket it will just squirt hot water into your cappuccino cup until the water boils. So, when frothing milk, either do so before brewing the espresso, or first brew the espresso and then switch the front switch back to the warm up position until you hear the water boil inside (and the green light comes on) before switching it to the frothing position. Until I realized this I thought the machine was defective. But I hadn't let it boil the frothing water yet. - Have a damp paper towel on hand to a) immediately clean the milk off the outside and underside of the frothing wand so it doesn't turn to glue, b) put under the espresso spigots once you remove the espresso cup, because a few drops of espresso will drip from them for a couple minutes after brewing, and it's easier to throw out the paper towel you used to clean the frothing wand than it is to clean dried coffee from the drip tray underneath later. Enjoy!

Don't be fooled by other customer reviews. The machine is as cheap as the price tag leads you to believe it is. I was pretty excited to order this thing. After reading several positive reviews, and considering the affordable price, I decided to give this puppy a whirl. I didn't have particularly high expectations, so it wouldn't have taken much for this machine to impress me . . . I hope you find the following review helpful: 1. The pump is probably defective on my machine. When I turn the machine on, it vibrates quite a bit--- it reminds me a great deal of a gas generator or my FoodSaver. It's loud, and it sounds like the pump is struggling. It also vibrates the espresso glasses so much that they move out of position. So, while the machine struggles to pump water, I have to carefully tend to the glasses to make sure they will catch the espresso when (and if) a shot is brewed. I guess that would be a minor inconvenience if it could pull a decent shot . . . 2. The thing can't pull a decent shot of espresso, and the machine is potentially dangerous. I have to tamp the grounds just right for the machine to even work, but the machine's "sweet spot" requires loosely packed grounds, which produces a watery shot of (something that doesn't resemble) espresso (and loose "pucks'). If you tamp the grounds at an appropriate level using a handheld tamper, the machine will back up and it will not produce a shot at all. When it's backed up, the pressure get built up behind the filter, and hot water squirts out when you remove the handle. It's potentially dangerous, and the espresso does not live up to its name. 3. The milk steamer is poorly designed, because (A) the steaming wand can only reach two inches into the steaming container, and (B) the wand does not have enough clearance between itself and the countertop. A. You have to fill up your steamer nearly full (no less than one inch from the top), because the wand is curved, which means the steaming wand can only extend a maximum of 2 inches from the lip of your steaming container toward the milk (because the curved arm hits the lip and prevents the wand from penetrating the milk). So, you can't just fill it less when you want a little milk, or to make cappuccino, or to avoid spilling. Nope. You have to fill it nearly full. B. The steamer has only 3.25 inches clearance from the counter top and about 1.75 inches from the machine's platform. That means, in order to get a standard (small) 3.5 to 4 inch steamer under the wand, you have to tip it a little bit. That's ok for getting it under, I suppose. But, once the milk is heated and air incorporated, the milk expands. So the 3/4 full steamer you were forced to start with is now full. When you tip your full steamer to get it out from under the wand, a little milk spills every time. I suppose a solution to this problem is to place the machine on a stand to give it an extra few inches of clearance under the wand. However, this is not an option for many with limited under-cabinent space (and this doesn't resolve the design defect that prevents you from sticking the wand more than two inches beyond the lip of the steamer container). Overall, this machine is probably not even worth the $80 or whatever I paid. I'm fairly diligent in researching something before I buy it, and I've never had to return something that I've purchased through Amazon. This machine couldn't hack it, and it's going back. Luckily, I'm an Amazon Prime member, so returning the item is going to be really easy--- I've already printed my pre-paid mailing label and just need to pack this sucker up. I hope you found this review helpful. I rarely write reviews, but I just can't believe how high this machine ranks on Amazon when it is clearly an inferior product. Take care. ~J

If you're shopping for this espresso machine, you're probably a newbie. No problem. The good news: this machine is perfect for you. It's easy, small, simple, and makes very good espresso. Here's what you'll need to go with it. First, you'll need some small espresso/cappuccino cups because this machine pours your espresso straight into a serving cup. Whatever you pick, they have to be low because there isn't much room under the spigot. 7 ounce cups are perfect. You may read reviews that tell you that you need a "tamper," a small tool for pressing the espresso down into the machine. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt, but you don't really need it. The machine has one built in that will do the trick. You shouldn't be mashing your ground coffee down anyway because then the steam can't get through the brick you've made. Next, if you plan on steaming milk - and you should - then you're going to need a steaming pitcher. This one is perfect: http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-EP-12-Stainless-Frothing/dp/B000MR6I9I/ref=pd_sim_k_2. The price is right and this one is suitably tiny, because there isn't much room under the steaming wand. Get this one and it won't be a problem. If you're going to grind your own coffee - and again, you should - then you'll also need a grinder. Yes, you can go cheap on this one. But believe it or not, your grinder is as important as the machine. Cheap grinders spin fast and that speed burns your beans. You want a slow grinder. This one is great: http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0043095WW/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1359610978&sr=1-1&keywords=bodum+coffee+grinder. Wait! What kind of crazy person spends more on the grinder than the coffee machine? The kind of person who wants a good cup of coffee. Speaking of coffee, you need beans. Any beans will do, but you're better off with an espresso roast with this machine. Here is a great espresso roast: http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Bean-Direct-Italian-Espresso/dp/B002GWFA1Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359611478&sr=8-1&keywords=coffee+beans+direct. Finally, don't be intimidated, but you're going to need to read the directions. It's simple, but there are a few steps involved. For example, yes, the machine needs to pre-heat for 15 minutes. No sweat. When you're ready to go, there are two trays for the grounds. The big one is for a double (two cups being filled at the same time) and the small one is for a single. You'll need to hold the cups while the machine is working because of some minor vibrations. The complaints about the vibrations in some reviews are way overblown; it's no big deal. For a cappuccino, you fill half your cup(s) with espresso. Then you rotate the dial to activate the frother. Wait until the light turns green, then release the steam and heat a few ounces of milk in your new pitcher for less than a minute. The lower the fat in the milk, the easier it froths. Then you pour your milk and spoon the foam into the cup(s). Easy and rather fun. Don't be intimidated. If you've gotten far enough to start shopping for espresso machines, it's totally worth taking these additional steps. You are going to be amazed by how good the coffee will be. It's a little more work than I am usually up for on a crazy work/school morning, but it is one of my favorite parts of the weekend routine.

First I'll start off my saying I began my espresso purchases with a Mr. Coffee Espresso maker from Wal-Mart.com. After receiving the item the handle of the filter basket arrived broken. I promptly returned the item and began a search for a new one. I was really looking to buy a very inexpensive machine, not wanting to spend over $40 or $50. Thus, the lower price of this machine caught my attention. It is the 'cheapest' pump machine you can purchase. After reading thru pages of the several hundred reviews written on this machine I decided it was the one for me. I rarely saw negatives posted and for every negative comment on one topic I saw 5 positive topics that countered what the other person said. Meaning 5 people to 1 didn't have that problem or the 1 person was doing something wrong. I am by no means an espresso savy person. This is my first machine ever. I'm just tired of paying $3-$5 for a cup of whatever at McDonalds or Starbucks. To sum up this machine it's not EXACTLY what I thought. I have 2 negatives that, in my opinion, almost make me wish I looked harder at this machine. 1. It is VERY loud and vibrates hard when in use. When you actually are pouring the espresso shot the machine is very noisy and it literally moves on whatever surface you set it on. It moves so much in fact that whatever 'cup' you put under the spout, you literally have to hold it there with your hand or it moves completely off and falls off the machine. This caught me off guard as I only saw 1 negative comment about this. So either my machines works but is somehow broken and vibrates so badly I don't know if that's how it works or if it truely is broken. Whatever the case--I do not care for the vibration the machine causes. Thus I downgraded it 1 star for this bad vibration. 2. There is NO room for a cup under the filter basket at all. The only item I can get to fit to 'catch' the espresso is a shot glass. Thus, I can't even pour two espresso's at once for a 'double' b/c a double shot glass doesn't even fit. This really surprised me b/c I saw no negative comment about this at all. Literally, the only thing that fits is a small, shot glass. So, I'm unsure what other people are using, but it's the only thing in my kitchen that fits. I ordered 4 espresso cups that have yet to arrive. Unless they're as tiny as a shot glass (which they aren't) there's no way they will fit either. So I'm perplexed as to what to use. Thus I downgraded it another star level for no room. 3. The frothing wand is a bit short and as I read, the end of the wand is useless. I took it off to clean it and I can't even get it back on tight enough to where steam doesn't pour out of the top of it--yet it's screwed back on as tight as it goes. The wand definitely needs to be longer and more flexible. It is flexible somewhat, but it's flexible as in it'll move where you want it, but it won't stay. It gently glides back into another position no matter how far you move it. I ordered a 20 ounce pitcher and I'm unsure how I'm going to use it b/c the arm is so small. Other than those three negatives I've been happy. I've made about 5-8 shots and each have been perfect. Frothing is a bit hard to accomplish as I've yet to get lots of froth from milk. However, I just need more practice. I'd love it if someone who had vibrations problems like I'm having fixed it. I'd also love to know what people are using to catch their espresso shots. Thanks. Hope this helps anyone as this is a 100% accurate review from a brand new purchaser.