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Coffee-Hub.biz - DeLonghi EC140B Espresso and Cappuccino Maker
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List Price: $140.00
Our Price: $79.97
Your Save: $ 60.03 ( 43% )
Availability: Usually ships in 4 to 7 weeks
Manufacturer: DeLonghi
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Average Customer Rating:   
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Batteries Included: 0
Binding: Kitchen
Brand: DeLonghi
EAN: 0044387271400
Feature: Espresso machine with stainless-steel boiler makes 1 or 2 shots
Is Autographed: 0
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: DeLonghi
Legal Disclaimer: Sale Ends: 12-17-2008. You may return or exchange merchandise purchased from Macy's @ Amazon by mail only. Certain items are covered by warranty as indicated. To obtain a copy of the warranty prior to purchase, please write to: macys.com Customer Service Dept.; P.O. Box 8215; Mason, OH 45040; Small Ticket Department-Warranty;
Manufacturer: DeLonghi
Publisher: DeLonghi
Studio: DeLonghi
Warranty: 1
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Features
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Espresso machine with stainless-steel boiler makes 1 or 2 shots
Special sempre crema filter holder produces authentic crema
Adjustable steam emission with swivel jet frother
35-ounce, removable water tank for easy filling
Measures 11-1/2 by 8-1/2 by 7-1/4 inches; 1-year warranty
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Too Weak for me
Comment: I really wanted to love this machine. The frother worked great and it was easy to use and clean. However, after trying and trying, and using up lots of espresso beans, the result was very weak coffee. Not espresso at all. Returning.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent buy, very pleased
Comment: Many of the other reviews cover most of the points I would make, so I'll be brief. I have used the DeLonghi a little more than a month now, to give it time to reveal its strengths and weaknesses. Here are my thoughts:
- Performs beautifully every time. If you buy GOOD coffee and keep it fresh, you can make a superb cup of Espresso or Cappuccino with very little effort.
- I don't entirely agree with other comments about the design shortcomings; the built in tamper isn't "useless". Its not ideal, being built right into the body of the machine, but it does the job. If you find it doesn't work for you, buy a hand tamper. At least when its built into the body of the machine, you can't lose it! The steaming wand is a tad short, yes, but it does the job nicely if you get yourself a proper stainless steaming cup designed for the task. One thing I don't like is that the steamer nozzle is a threaded screw-on nozzle, and since it has to be cleaned EVERY TIME you use it, its a nuisance to unscrew it, clean it, and screw it back on. I wish they'd have designed some kind of quick release nozzle instead. I am concerned that I will wear the threads off this plastic nozzle in a short time.
- Be prepared to de-scale your espresso maker every 200 cups or so or, as some have stated, it will not perform as it should. There are products available to do this task.
- Buy the best coffee you can find! Don't expect to be able to go to Safeway and buy a six dollar French Roast and get the best Espresso Seattle has to offer. Find a coffee roaster near you and buy beans roasted that day (if possible) and grind the beans at home, and only as much as you can use in 48 hours. Ground coffee stales in a matter of hours at room temperature. Best to buy only as much as you expect to use in a week (or less) and keep it in the freezer, bringing it out only to grind what you need that day. Fortunately I have a local roaster that I buy from every week, and it makes a huge difference in the quality of the Espresso I make.
- Get a thermometer to measure the temperature of the milk while steaming. You want to aim for a temperature between 150F and 180F. Anything hotter than that and you lose the sweetness of the milk. (Anything over 160F is too hot to drink anyway. Oh, and make sure the milk is as cold as you can make it before steaming. I also keep my Krups steamer in the freezer between uses to help keep the milk very cold.
- Preheat the cups beforehand!
- Steam only 2 or 3 ounces of milk per Cappuccino/Latte. Anything more only makes for an average Coffee. Whole milk is best. (I like my Cappuccino strong, and so I find 3 ounces of milk for a double shot Cappuccino is plenty)
- Learn how much pressure to apply when tamping the coffee. This was a trial and error process for me, as I am new to making Espresso at home. I found that a fairly gentle tamping did best. You want the coffee to express in about 30 seconds for a full double shot of ground coffee, and the Crema (foam) should be a medium-pale coffee color, not dark. If you pressed too hard, the Crema will be dark, or nonexistent. If that happens, you know you tamped down too hard. Go gentle!
- I found that a Turkish grind of coffee (VERY fine grind) is too fine to work well with this machine. You are best to use a grind that is in the mid-range Espresso grind. If its much finer than that you have to be very gentle indeed when tamping.
I think that about covers it. I have given this a four star review only because I want to see if the machine is still working this well six months and a year from now. If its still working perfectly in a year, I'd probably give it that fifth star.
I'm sure there are better machines available if you want to spend $600 or more, but as a first time home Espresso maker, I think this is outstanding value for a very reasonable investment. Don't hesitate to try it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good but not reliable
Comment: If I had written this review after my initial purchase, I would have given it a higher rating, perhaps even a 5. It has two features that were non-negotiable when I was looking for a machine- a boiler, and a pump. There was only a brief learning curve, but soon I was making great espressos, cappucinos and iced americanos. I've saved tons of money that I would have otherwise spent at Starbucks.
The crema is consistent. The steam wand is easy to use and does a great job frothing milk quickly.
Cleanup is fairly simple.
One word of caution. If you brew your espresso first, empty the grounds from the filter before you steam your milk. If you don't, the pressure from the steam might create a mess.
Now for the negative part. The machine has simply lost pressure. No matter what I do- cleaning both filters, descaling, etc, I can't get enough pressure now to make a good espresso. I noticed this a few months after purchase, but it has gotten worse now to the point that I am in the market something else. It basically works like a drip coffee maker now, albeit a very slow one.
Customer Rating:
Summary: don't buy
Comment: Bought it last week in the "Target" store because of the price and many positive reviews here. Came back home, unpacked it and found the water container broken. Went back to the "Target", they replaced it with another one. Came back home, made a very good cup of espresso each morning for 5 days, but noticed that the pump for frothing worked poorly - today after five days only since I bought this machine the pump died completely, the steam was built up inside but could not be released by turning the release button (yes, I cleaned everything after each use, I have been using espresso machines before). I am on my way now to return it to the store. I am considering purchasing a better quality machine once I can afford it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great machine!
Comment: I read all of the reviews on this product before deciding to go ahead and give it a try. I have not regretted it at all!! It's wonderful! We live on a farm, so our water comes from an underground spring. We have a whole house filter, and I also filter the drinking water with a Brita. I use the Brita water for the machine, so it's double-filtered since I don't want it to clog with minerals. So far, I haven't had a single problem. I truly love this machine and am hoping that it will continue to be as wonderful for several years.
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Editorial Reviews:
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Delonghi EC140B Espresso Cappuccino Maker is designed for a home user who simply loves and appreciates delicious cups of espresso without having to go through the bother of making it. Delonghi makes it easy. Removable 35-ounce (1-liter) removable water tank is large enough for hom dinner parties Self-priming operation for speedy use Dishwasher-safe Removable spill tray On/off switch with indicator light Color - Black
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