DeLonghi EC155 15 Bar Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Black

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.

We recently received this after quite a bit of anticipation. I recently have become addicted to cappuccino and toured coffee shops all over the Pacific Northwest refining my tastes. I take my cappuccino dry, sans sweetener, so the taste of the espresso is very important to me. My office bought a cheap steam driven espresso maker, which is nice for an occasional cup but it produces very bitter tasting espresso. I think that is because there is not enough pressure, so you are essentially getting very strong drip coffee instead of a true espresso. Anyway, after drinking espresso for the last few months, I can no longer stand the taste of drip coffee and I knew I needed an espresso maker for home in order to reduce the amount of money I would spend at coffee shops throughout the day. I turned to Amazon for some research and decided on this unit. The size is compact. A lot of reviewers have complained about it. I simply use a ceramic sake cup when pulling shots and then pour into my travel mug. I use a 1 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup to steam my milk. Problem solved. The built in tamp works fine. I know some people have purchased a separate tamp but I do not find that to be necessary. Pre-heat time generally does not take 15 minutes. I usually turn it on to heat, grind my coffee beans, load and tamp and when I am done its ready to go! The milk frother works okay. Its not amazing. Sometimes I get a really good froth and sometimes not so much. It doesn't bother me, I just use a hand whisk to froth up my milk if its not frothy enough. I only do this on the weekends when I have more time in the morning. When I am on my way to work, I just use the frother on the machine and its fine. I guess in that case, I get a latte instead of a cappuccino, but the point to be caffeinated, not be picky about milk froth. I am not and have never been a barista, so if there are better techniques to making a cappuccino, I don't know them. But I have spent a lot of money on cappuccinos at coffee shops and this tastes just as good as anything I can get where I live. It isn't quite as good some of the coffee shops in Portland, but since I only travel there occasionally, I'm very pleased with the quality I can achieve at home. If you buy espresso based drinks at a coffee shops once a day, this is worth it. I calculated that we will have to make 24-30 drinks with it to justify the price. I drink about 2 cappucinos a day and my hubs drinks an americano in the morning, so it won't take long for us to recoup the cost. UPDATE: My machine started to drip very slow and the last two shots I pulled tasted burnt. It was producing very strong espresso but with no crema, just black, burnt, high octane espresso. It gave me a stomach ache. I was slightly annoyed. I started by running just plain water through the system, didn't help. I then ran water through the grounds basket. Helped a little. Then I took the entire grounds basket apart, including unscrewing the gasket on the bottom. I washed and rinsed it all. Now its back to new! I just pulled another shot and it was wonderfully creamy, smooth taste and fast. It was a little annoying that it already got clogged so quickly but if you just rinse it all once in a while, it will probably be fine. I also think it might have been because my DH was not grinding the coffee fine enough.

I have been using a Salton Three For All steam espresso machine for about 30 years (yes, the same machine). I could never bring myself to spend the money on a pump machine (they used to be really expensive). I decided I really needed to upgrade, so I did some research and found this machine is highly recommended all over the internet. Here is my experience with this machine: The instructions that come with the machine are almost completely useless. Really. I learned how to use it from YouTube and Amazon reviews and questions and answers. I let the machine warm up for 20 minutes, followed the instruction booklet to make espresso, and nothing happened. I watched YouTube videos, I searched the web for instructions, and found nothing. Finally I read the questions and answers here on Amazon - WOW, you folks are super helpful. I followed one person's recommendation of putting some water into the machine's reservoir, and pulling the reservoir out and re-inserting it a few times - then turn the dial on the machine to the steam function, turn the steam dial on top and run it till water comes out of the steam wand. This primed the machine and, yay, out came espresso! Now it works perfectly every time with no additional priming needed. Now I leave the reservoir in place and just refill it through the top of the machine. I saw a YouTube video where a guy had his machine set on top of a rectangular Pyrex baking dish and this is a good idea, I do the same. I might build a nice stand of some kind because the machine is not exactly the right size for the baking dish and I wouldn't mind something that looks nicer. I don't understand everyone's problem with the tamper on the machine. This thing is great! I scoop the coffee into the filter, then, holding the filter with my fingers, place a thumb on the tamper and pinch the filter and tamper together to tamp the coffee. You can go as firm or as light as you want. I can't see buying another gadget just to smoosh my coffee into the basket. The steamer wand is the ONLY thing on this machine I take issue with and I really don't like it. The wand has an internal spring holding it to the machine, so if I pull the wand out to steam the milk, it springs back and drips milk all over the machine before I can get a cloth to clean it. It also has a bend that doesn't allow the tip to get into a deep container, yet if the container is too shallow, the milk can overflow as it is steaming and expanding. It's not quite a deal breaker for me, but it is irritating. I steam my milk in a coffee cup or a pyrex measuring cup. I can't justify buying a pitcher just to steam milk. The clearance under the filter holder is very low - 2 & 1/2 inches or 6.35 cm. I use a large shot glass and it works great for me. A small cappuccino cup or a demitasse would definitely fit. The machine takes time to warm up. I turn it on in the morning, go do something else for a few minutes, then come back and make my coffee. I have to hold the cup while the machine makes the espresso - the machine vibrates and the cup moves back away from the coffee spouts - I have to hold it in place. I have a bag of Caffe D'Arte "Taormina" coffee and I ground up some with my blade grinder and made an espresso. The sky opened up and the angels sang! It was great. Then I went out and bought some illy and some Lavazza, already ground, in a can. I made some espresso with each and it was truly, honestly, awful. I just did a test this morning with all three coffees, tamping lightly and tamping heavily, and the Caffe D'Arte wins, with illy coming in second. The Lavazza just tasted super bitter. Maybe it's because it's already ground and has been sitting around a while - no telling how long the cans have been sitting on the shelf. The D'arte is roasted in Seattle, I live in Portland, and I ground it myself, so it's got to be fresher than coffee roasted and ground in Italy then shipped here. All in all, this machine is great for the price, especially as a Warehouse Deal. I've had it a week and I like it, but I would want some things to be different when this one retires and I need to shop for another one. I'll comment on longevity after using it a while.

My first one lasted just shy of 7 years. Will this make this a cup of espresso as good as a $600-$1000 espresso machine? Of course not! Will it make a great cup of espresso? Absolutely! Just make sure the grind is right. Too fine will burn it, too course it’ll lack flavor and won’t form a good creama. The previous machine used a blend of 2 grind sizes, this one works best using just one, which is nice…not sure why but it works. I grind my beans the night before, turn the machine on when I get up, let it warm up for about 10mins while I do other things, then make my mocha latte (or iced mocha when it’s hot). If making straight espresso let it heat up for 15mins or it won’t be quite hot enough. I’d probably get a better pull if I let it heat longer but I need my caffeine! The frothing tip is nice. I can even play with various decorative pours if I use it correctly. The foam is nice, thick and has a silky texture. Again, it will never match the foam from a $600+ machine but I don’t have the money or space for such a machine. I primarily use it to make mochas and lattes, but have used for Americao’s and espresso as well when I have guests that want something stronger, or if I do. The trick is buying a quality bean. I don’t like coffee from most places because they burn the beans to make them consistent every time. Coffee isn’t consistent! Flavor changes every harvest depending upon rainfall, temperature, small changes in soil and many other factors. I use beans from a local coffee shop that roast their beans to perfection every time. Each batch is slightly different, close but slightly different, as it should be. What comes out of my machine is very close to what comes from mine. Theirs is a touch better but most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I use this at least once a day and find it to be consistent and long lasting. I this with a damaged piece (the rubber around the single shot cup was nicked). I just called the manufacturer and they sent a new one out the same day, received two days after calling. The customer was great and they even took all the machine info while I was on phone for the warranty registration. Much quicker and easier than exchanging the whole thing through Amazon. If you have the money & space to buy a professional machine then by all means skip this one and go the high end route. If you just want a machine to make a great cup of coffee then this one is perfect. Buying the frother cup is a good idea since it’s small enough to fit under the wand. I didn’t think that little cup would fit enough milk for me but it’s actually the perfect size. I use 4oz milk & have used 6oz for a friend who likes more milk in hers. It’s also good for heating milk when making hot cocoa. Larger frothing cups don’t work well due to how short the wand is. Some people say this is a bad thing but I find it convenient and space saving. I do think it should be included, but I guess some people have another one already and don’t need it. Another negative I’ve seen is how short it is. Since the machine is for espresso there really shouldn’t be a lot of space between the cup and spout, if there’s too much space too much air will get mixed in and the crema isn’t as smooth on the espresso. It does make it a little harder to clean when you want to collect lots of water, but removing the metal plate will give just enough space to fit a short coffee cup. The last big negative I’ve seen mentioned is the tamper…I must agree that this is a pain. Due to the way this machine works there is no need to put out pounds of pressure in the grounds but it still needs an even tamp that’s hard to do using the one on the machine. I have a tamper that I use instead, I just don’t push really hard like would be needed on a different type of machine. I gave this five stars, vs four, because even though there’s a couple things I’d change it’s still worth it for the price, longevity and customer service. My last one died after 7 years. It was the pump that stopped working. If I wanted to take the time it would be easy enough to replace and would have cost around $60. I decided to just get a new one since it only cost a little more to replace. I still have the old and will one day repair it and leave it at my mother-in-laws place so I can have my coffee while we visit since that’s a few times a year. I’ve taken it with me before, but it’d be easier to have the extra there. In 5-7yrs when this one gives out I’ll get another one. I thought about upgrading to the one that’s just a little more than this one, but I don’t think it would be all that much better. I love this thing and am so glad I bought it years ago. No matter what I’ll be sticking with brand until we get a larger house where a professional one can be installed! (Just dreaming!)

2021 update: it’s 10 years and this machine still works and I use it daily. I’m thinking of upgrading to a fancier DeLonghi but you can’t beat the simplicity of this one. I am Italian, born and raised. Moved to US at 30 yrs old. Moved to an area where there's no Italian-American influence, no chance of going out for an espresso. Only Starbucks... no thanks. Thought I could go by without espresso for 6 years (what was I thinking??? I don't know). Then sudden espresso cravings made me buy this espresso machine. De Longhi is a very common brand in Italy for any type of home appliances. I've had this machine for 6 months now, using it every day. It's awesome. Like the espresso cup you'd get in Italy "al bar". It gives a thick layer of "crema" on top of each cup. Here some answers to other reviewers' cons: * somebody wrote the water was not coming out and returned the machine: you need to bang the water tank real hard in position, otherwise it doesn't connect. It happened to me first time using it... I thought machine was defective too because coffee was not coming out. My husband banged it in there and started working right away. * ground basket is soupy: with espresso machines you have to fill the basket to its fullest, nothing like drip machines. You need to have coffee heaping out like an upside-down cone and then gently press it down with the tamper. Don't press too hard otherwise the water doesn't make it through. * built-it tamper sucks: this puzzles me. A tamper is whatever flat surface you have handy. In Italy people don't use tampers, considered a fancy thing for coffee shops. People just uses the back of a spoon to tamper the coffee down. The spoon that comes with this machine is perfect for that by the way. You just need a flat round surface of same diameter to have a great tamper. The built-in one works great. You only need a minor pressure otherwise you compact coffee too much. * takes long to heat up: maybe older version? Not sure about this. Mine is ready in one minute or less. * no cup warmer: in the manual says the top metal part is the cup warmer. It is warm if you let it warm up. I personally live in warm climate so don't need cup warmer, plus the coffee comes out very hot. True that there's no railing so cups can fall off easily (done that...). * frothing wand placement/length: I can't say much about it because I don't make cappuccino, I just drink straight espresso, black. One thing I'd say is that cappuccino in Italy is not what you know as cappuccino here, size wise. This may explain the wand dimensions. In Italy cappuccino is a single shot of espresso, with some frothed milk on top. When I say some, I mean really a little bit. The total output is less than one cup size for your cappuccino. That is very small. So when you need to heat up your milk, in theory you'd use a very small and short brick. If you'd see one of these you wouldn't believe it probably. * bitter coffee: this is very important. Espresso is supposed to be a very sweet cup of coffee. I never got used to the drip coffee or store bought cup of coffee just because it's too bitter. Not used to it. The difference is in the roast and grind. You cannot use coffee you'd use in the drip machine for the espresso machine. For your first espresso, just buy Illy ground espresso coffee. I recommend the black label. Just try it and that is your standard to compare other coffee to. That is the sweet taste you should get. I also recommend to buy pre-ground coffee, because the grind for espresso requires a serious (expensive) burr grinder, professional level to obtain a fine and homogeneous coffee suitable for these type of machines. To buy ground coffee, a cheaper option (cheaper than Illy) is Lavazza. I recommend "Crema e Gusto". This is the most commonly used brand in Italian families, that's all I drank in my family for instance. The "Crema e Gusto" variety gives a nice espresso. I think I covered all the points I wanted. I will add if realize I forgot something worth mentioning :-) Enjoy your coffee! April 2015 Update: we have been using this machine daily since our purchase in 2011 and it hasn't had a single issue so far.

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

The major reasons I bought this unit were because it is very inexpensive and it is pump driven. You don't have to worry about it breaking. If it does, you are out 90-ish $$$, not 100's or 1000's of $$$. Makes perfect espresso too! My wife agrees :) Here's how I do it; Use whole bean espresso roast and have it ground at a coffee shop (espresso grind). Do not buy pre-ground. Buy whole bean and have the shop grind it. That saves time and you get the perfect grind without sacrificing flavor. Then store in a quality sealed container (preferably glass). I use to be the person who wanted the coffee ground right before I drink it. I have found that coffee tastes just as good ground at the shop - if stored properly. No need to refrigerate. Do not freeze. Keep away from heat. Use within a few weeks. Use shot glasses or espresso cups. I think the Mini Measure ® Mini Measuring Shot Glass Measures 1oz, 6 Tsp, 2 Tbs, 30ml work the best. This machine does not have the clearance to fit regular coffee cups under the extractor. About 2 3/8". There are two issues you have to overcome when using shot glasses. One, espresso usually comes out of the extraction ports unevenly. You have to split the volume difference when determining 2 oz's of espresso. Two, the vibration of the machine will cause the shot glass to skid across the drip tray. Solution, trim and apply Shepherd 3603 1.5" Round Anti Skid Pads to the bottom of the shot glasses. You know, the ones you put under your couch. The little flat vinyl/rubber ones work the best. I even put them on my frothing picture. No skidding anymore. None. Whatsoever. period. Run two 2 oz blanks of water through the machine before extracting (water only, no coffee). Like the directions state, just two and the machine should be hot enough. You don't need to wait 15 min or 1/2 an hour. After you run the two blanks, wait for the green light to come back on and you are good to go. Its optimum extraction is 2 oz's. The issue, I usually make 3 oz's per drink with 6 oz's of milk or water or whatever. However, that is not a huge issue because that is actually perfect for making two espresso drinks, which takes three extractions. Don't worry, the process is easy to get down and becomes quicker with time. A good drink I like to make consists of 3 oz's espresso, 2 oz's Coffee-mate French Vanilla creamer, and 4 oz's water. I call it a French Vanilla Café Americano. Do not buy any of the syrups - Yuck! Use flavored creamers instead - Much Much better. At least 10 times better. Seriously. Follow that recipe and you will not be switching back to drip coffee any time soon. Plus, you probably already have an addiction (like I have) to a particular creamer. You can keep using it :) The tamp - I only tamp the coffee with about 5 lbs of pressure. No need to kill it, just flatten it out. If you are making more than one drink, make all your espresso at one time. That will save time when switching back and forth from the steam and extraction mode. The steam wand will fill with water during extraction (not a design flaw). You need to clear it before steaming or you will add lots of hot water to you milk or whatever you are steaming. That may bother some, but it actually works out perfectly. I use that stored water to preheat my coffee cups. As stated in the directions, setting the machine to the extraction mode and opening the steam valve shoots hot water out of the steam wand which can be used for hot tea among other things. If you are a rapid fire espresso maker, be patient and allow the pressure to subside in the extractor (a minute or two) before removing. Nothing serious, but you will hear a hissing sound and spent coffee grounds will shoot upwards onto the water port. If that happens wipe the water port down with a paper towel. That should be regular maintenance anyway. This machine DOES produce a dry puck of coffee, but that is not necessarily a good thing. A dry puck of coffee is hard to remove from the extractor. To avoid this, remove the extractor and empty the spent grounds within 5 minutes (there abouts) after extraction. Careful not to remove to quickly as noted above. If done right, you will have wet grounds in your extractor. I just dump them in the sink. I don't even have to run the disposal because the grounds are fine and wash out easily. I realize some may cringe at this, but I'd rather do that than beat the side of my trash can with the extractor. You start to look like a crazy person, banging and banging and banging. Use the Update International EP-12 Stainless Steel Frothing Pitcher, 12-Ounce and only fill it half way. This picture fits perfectly on the drip tray with the steam wand swiveled into the picture, which makes for a nearly hands free operation when used with the anti-skid pad. The steam wand is only submerged a 1/2 in or so. Works perfectly. I used to think I had to stick the steam wand at the bottom of the frothing picture. I have found that I get decent foam if the wand is submerged only partially. This technique will produce about 1/8 to 1/4 of foam with skim milk. If you want more foam (not suggested), use an electric milk frother. Use the Rattleware 5-Inch Easy Steam Thermometer and attach it to the frothing picture. It is a little long, but it works out very well when you position the clip so that it is angled inside the picture handle (I wish I had a diagram). It is very quick and is easy to read. I usually heat to about 170 deg F. Any hotter and you will burn your milk. If you pour the frothed milk first (espresso second), you can make espresso art with the drips from the remaining espresso in the shot glasses. Update 3/19/2014 : I found a little measuring glass that looks like it will fit and work perfectly for the espresso extraction. Eliminating the need for two shot glasses. I ordered it last night while writing this review. I will update with results. Accessories RWSHOT Rattleware 3oz. Shot Pitcher . It is only 2" tall.

After a week of enjoying many excellent espressos in Lisbon I came back wanting to buy an espresso maker, especially after the vile sample of overpriced watery crud Starbucks served me on the trip back from the airport. I am a coffee tyro on a budget, more so because I know that these days spending 5 times over the odds guarantees you nothing. (Those $300 plasticky dress shoes are made in the same sweatshop as the $60 plasticky dress shoes and fit just as poorly.) It didn't take much research to land on this de Longhi model. It helped that our regular coffee maker that has been faultless for many years is also a de Longhi. As someone who appreciates good industrial design (i.e., Italian) and robust construction, I didn't hesitate to order it and at under $80 there was not much risk. It has exceeded my expectations for quality and features (and probably I don't want all those extra bell$ and whistle$ anyway). It looks good on my kitchen counter and cleaning it is easy. The only quibble is the slightly awkward tamper placement, which makes it difficult to apply much force (left handers need not apply!). But any serious home barista will probably get a standalone gadget for that task anyway. I just use a wide flat bottle cap (from a Starbucks bottle hahaha) – simple. After about 60 cups so far (in the clear double-walled glass types also sold by de Longhi) and a little experimenting with coffee types and brewing variables, I can make a passable espresso. Any substandard brews are down to me and the choice of grind, not the machine. It's probably already paid for itself in 3 months, and I don't anticipate needing to 'upgrade' in future. I still have to learn cappuccinos, and I'll update this report when I have. Meantime, anyone know of an Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce for sale in good condition? UPDATE, July 2015 After many more brews I have learned a lot more about espresso in general, and I've come to the conclusion that what this machine produces is strong coffee with foam on top, not espresso. Despite its claims, it does NOT produce the 9 bar pressure required at the business end of the machine where the hot water is forced through the ground coffee. However, it still a very solid and well designed machine for the price, and what it produces is still better than standard coffee shop brew, or what I can get out of a regular home coffee maker. I've tried with enough different beans to know it can't be just that. It is what it is, but it's not a machine for a serious coffee lover. UPDATE, July 2016 Well the machine is shot after about 18 months. There is obviously no pressure, and I don't have 5+ minutes of chinese water torture. I'm sure I didn't help matters by forgetting the maching for about an hour a couple of times, but I think it would have failed anyway. I guess it more than it paid for itself in coffee runs I didn't make during that time, but I expect substantially longer life than this. Any suggestions for repair are welcome. I assume there are seals that are bad, although I don't notice any leaks.