Side by Side Comparison of: Nespresso vs DeLonghi

Have been using for 4 months and love this product. I would rate the quality of espresso as on par with Starbucks. Not as good a pull as you might find in the best coffee houses in your city/town but really quite remarkable for homemade and automatic. As far as economics 1) Nespresso has two machine and capsule types - this is the Original Line. The other type, Vertuolne, will not work in this machine. 2) Original Linecapsules cost in the low $.70's each on Amazon currently. You can save a penny or two at the Nespresso site but you have to order $50 to get free shipping (as I write this. I have seen promotions for less before). 3) Compare a 70 cents Nespresso shot with a $1.50 Starbucks shot and the savings are evident. Savings will increase as you make your own Americanos, Lattes etc.The machine will pay for itself pretty quickly and you will be in pure profit mode. Served a lot of coffee over the holidays and all were impressed with the Inissia. Also - I did make a purchase of "knock-off" capsules recently and was underwhelmed (see separate review). We will see how this machine holds up but am keeping clean and flushing as directed. Recommended.

I've spent a lifetime shopping for different coffees and coffee-makers, even grinding my own beans while trying to feed my caffeine addiction. But the Nespresso Inissia takes it to a new level.The variety of tasty and convenient coffee pods are a big plus, of course, but the ease and speed of cranking out my favorite brew makes the Inissia a winner. Fill the tank, drop in a pod, press a button. 20 seconds for warmup plus about 30 seconds brew time and you have a perfect shot o' Joe.They include a variety pack of 16 pods to get you going. A couple were rough enough to take enamel off my teeth and a couple had screwy flavors, but most were very tasty. NOTE: be sure to keep the "Coffee Menu" booklet nearby to figure out the coffee selection. Mark your favorites as you go or you'll get swamped.The Inissia is solidly engineered with a surprisingly small footprint. Picking it up makes you realize this sucker is made from heavy gauge steel housed in an attractive plastic skin. The steel handle/bale and rugged plastic parts look like they will last for years.Downsides:1. The instructions are a confusing non-text mess with sketches and arrows and oddball "directions" that make Ikea instructions look easy. I've got an engineering background and I didn't even attempt to puzzle this out; the graphic artist should be shot. I suggest viewing the slick You Tube videos.2. I don't think the Nespresso pods are very cost-effective or environmentally-friendly (though darn tasty--I use them 50% of the time). I invested in several Sealpod Stainless Steel Refillable Pods that I load with my favorite Espresso Marco Polo. They work great.3. The Inissia is pretty noisy when brewing. It doesn't bother me, but it might disturb someone sleeping nearby.Despite these minor quibbles, the Nespresso Inissia earns a solid five stars. If I ever have a problem, I'll update this review immediately.UPDATE: The "double-tap" technique works! I read the review by another poster and verified you can push one button twice and walk away, allowing the Inissia to heat up, then brew the coffee in your absence. Big ups for discovering this undocumented feature!

This is the second Nespresso machine I have owned (I also have a Pixie that's 4 years old), so I have something to compare it to. First of all, I love the Nespresso coffees - and for me, it's a lot less expensive than hitting the Starbucks every day.For the price, you seriously can't beat this machine. I don't notice any difference in the quality, temperature, or use of this machine than the Pixie, and it's lighter and more portable. Sure, the outside is made of plastic and the handle isn't metal any longer, but unless you're planning on treating the machine very roughly, it shouldn't make a bit of difference in the performance or longevity.For those complaining about the temperature, simply do this: run the machine without a coffee pod installed to pre-heat your cup with hot water, pour it out, and then use normally - pre-heating the cup really helps.If you're waiting to pull the trigger on this model because you're skeptical of the appearance or quality of the machine, just do it. It makes a great cup of expresso quickly and with minimal maintenance.

My Inissia is a very powerful little espresso maker. The water is hot and the espresso is delicious. The machine was easy to set up and even easier to use. I am extremely happy with Nespresso and Amazon. This is the replacement machine for my original purchase. My original machine was not producing hot water or a decent flow. I had the machine for less than a week, so I contacted Amazon with my concerns. The representative kindly shipped a replacement to me immediately. I returned the improperly working machine via UPS. I am just over-the-moon with this little powerhouse. Thank you Amazon and Nespresso!

great little Nespresso machine. Keep an eye on price, this went from 109 down to 68 in the span of an afternoon.

Wonderful machine. It quickly and easily makes an espresso as good as any I can buy from our local coffee houses. My only complaint is the lack of clarity in the enclosed instructions, in particular how to properly load the capsules. One is supposed to simply drop the capsule in the slot and close the bale. In my machine the capsule does not always drop down to the correct position, and I mashed a few until I worked out the problem. After inserting the capsule, one has to make sure that it has fallen down such that the small end is pointing slightly downward. Otherwise it will not enter the bore of the steaming mechanism properly. A light nudge may be required; too much force and the capsule will drop down completely into the waste bin.

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 holder2. 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.

After exhaustive reading of reviews on what felt like a thousand espresso machines, and pestering my friends and family with questions regarding their own machines, I decided to buy the De'Longhi EC 155.My husband goes through coffee makers like I go through chewing gum. One day a machine is there, the next day it's vanished. He's either hard on them and destroys them, or they didn't meet his demanding coffee needs (and boy does he need his coffee!) and he tossed it in the donation box. What happens next is a trip to Starbucks, which he announces to the house, and our sons start yelling out pleas for coffee cake and hot chocolate. $30 later, he has his coffee fix...for the day.I wanted to buy my husband an espresso machine that was high-quality enough to take his daily abuse, simple enough to use that he would actually use it every day, and inexpensive enough to not break our bank in case my husband hated the machine and it was quickly added to the donation box.Good news: He likes it! He really likes it! Sure, there has been a learning curve involved, but the machine has been used at least once a day since Christmas.Pros:*It's really easy to set up and start brewing*The built-in tamper is super cool!*There is the option to use single-serve pods in this machine; we haven't used this option and I'm not a fan of the packaging involved in single-serve anything, but it's a neat option anyway*It has a small footprint and doesn't take up much space*We can skip the long heat-up time with the 'quick start' option; we are really only in it for the caffeine and are not espresso snobs, so the quick-start is perfect for our needs.Cons:*We only have one complaint: By far, the worst thing about this machine is the vibration while brewing. What this means is that you have to physically hold your espresso cup in place or risk losing some of that precious nectar into the spill plate. This could be remedied with the addition of some sort of anti-slip material, but we haven't yet tried anything. The company should probably add a non-slip material to the drip tray as that would solve the problem before it begins. But, really, considering all the actual issues facing this country and the planet right now, we probably need to just quit whining about 20 seconds spent holding a cup in place, you know?For under a hundred bucks, this is a good espresso machine. My picky husband gives it "4.75 stars" and I rounded it to 5 stars because this machine does what it claims to do, and it does it with relative ease.

I've long been a fan of espresso and french press coffee, but over the course of the last year, I succumbed to the product of my surroundings, and found myself drinking 7-11 coffee everyday - and loving it (the horror).Spring back to the beginning of August, and my wife and I took a nice little two week getaway to Europe, specifically London, Paris, and of course, Amsterdam. While across the pond, I rekindled my love for 'fancy' coffee, where rolling around with espresso didn't make you a ponce, just a normal, upstanding person.While I was still over there, I placed an order for one of these so that upon my arrival home, I could make some decent cups of coffee. I chose this machine, like most of us, for the price - I wanted to make sure this wasn't just puppy love before ordering something more powerful, beautiful, and frankly hipster.Fast forward 3 months, and I still don't see the need to replace the machine. It heats up fast, creates good crema - especially with the Lavazza Gusto, and pulls two shots per puck with ease. It's nothing fancy. You're not going to win any barista awards with this one. It's basically featureless outside the bare minimum, but I like it. It takes up practically no space at my coffee bar, looks decent enough, and just plain works.If you're in the market for an entry level espresso machine, click buy. It's has a great value-to-satisfaction ratio.

It has stood the test of time, about five years that is. That's pretty good. It's still going strong. I admittedly haven't used it every day, but I keep it at work so it get's used about four times a week. No problems with leaking as some cheap espresso machines will. It is pretty plasticky in construction, but that's what you get for a sub $100 espresso machine. It takes E.S.E. pods just fine.It's everything people have said in terms of value. It's a steal overall. I wish it had a cup warmer and that I didn't have to hold on to the cup when brewing (it vibrates a lot and the cup travels if you don't hold on to it.)I normally write more thorough reviews. All I know is it makes a great shot of espresso without a lot of fuss and it's been very reliable for me. You can't go wrong with this for E.S.E. pod use.

I'd long been jealous of my friend's Nespresso, but I hated the lack of variation on the coffee, the ridiculously overdone packaging (metal cups, really?), and the steep price.I read the reviews and ordered this 5 months ago with some reservations. I probably run it 6-10 times a week (doubles, 3-5 days). I have only used ESE pods so far. (mostly Lucaffe). Overall, it's been great--but I wanted to add some information about some of the other comments.- Portion size - coffee. This is not made for American-sized portions. No 16 oz here! When I make a double, I use a single size espresso cup because that's what fits. I can fit a small mug if I take out the bottom over the reservoir.- Portion size - milk. Same with the frother - I use it with an old-style 1950s coffeecup, which is broad and shallow. If you're looking for a Sbux amount of milk, it won't be enough for you. If you're looking for espressos or americanos, it's much better.-Cleaning the frother. A lot of people complained about that in reviews. My advice: don't remove the attachment to clean it. It's spurting boiling water after all--better to take a clean cup, add a bit of hot water and soap if necessary, and run the frother again to clean it. I found that ended up cleaning it better than taking it off. About once a month I do pull it off and make sure nothing's stuck under the threads. Haven't found anything so far.-Operation. The machine does shake--and the plate the cup stands on can vibrate. I find that I have to watch it or it shakes the espresso cup out from under the machine. Sometimes I keep my finger on it. I have had very little trouble with warm-up or with readiness - I find it takes me less than five minutes to make a double. The handle often won't go all the way to 90degrees--but when I used a commercial machine when waiting tables ten years ago I had that same problem as well. Don't force it; make sure it's in the grooves and push it as far as it goes.- Water. I have hard water, and at one point my filter pitcher broke so I was using straight tap. Warm up time doubled. Once I started using filtered water again I cleaned it out and it's been fine since. I highly recommend using filtered water. Huge difference.-Selection. Overall, I find the selection of ESE pods excellent. Although this isn't really about the machine, it did factor into my decision to purchase.TL;dr: If you mainly want a decent, low-fuss cup of espresso, this is a machine for you! If you mainly want cappucinos or lattes, you may want something else. If you are Truly Serious about your espresso, this probably isn't enough for you. Also: use filtered water and small cups.

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.

This is an update review, see below my old review in the (((( ))))). I read the manual, cleaned the machine and reset it back to factory defaults and it gives me 4 oz again!!!PROS: Great espresso shots, has the creme on top and everything, YUMMY. Very small and doesn't take up a lot of room on your counter.CONS: The capsules are a little pricey................... thats all I got.(((((((I have been using this as a treat to make lattes and cappucinos, They taste great, especially with an automatic milk warmer and frother. Every now and then it seemed like it would produce the 4 oz of espresso as the large portion button is supposed to. I measured it once, and it was indeed 4 oz. However, lately, when I turn it on it makes an ounce or less, I have to push the button several times to force it to make more. If someone knows what is going wrong please let me know.As for the espresso it makes, when it actually makes 4 oz of it, it is awesome. Tastes great. I just looked up my order, the return date was 1 month after I bought it and the product support was 2 months after I bought it. I bought it about 2.5 months ago........ :-()))))))))

It's true, the Inissia makes good coffee. It's also true that the coffee is expensive, but so are Keurig capsules. I bought this because my original Senseo finally quit working. I loved that coffee maker, partly because the coffee pods were so reasonably priced, especially compared to the cost of the capsules for the others. But what I really loved about the Senseo was the rich, thick layer of crema it makes. The Nespresso also makes crema, but makes a much thinner layer. Nothing like the pictures advertising it. And the cups are much smaller in quantity than the Senseo. However, the coffee is of very high quality and it's not that hard to get used to drinking smaller cups. The coffee is strong and rich. Another plus is the wide variety of coffees that are available. You will find at least a few you will want to reorder.About a week after I got my Inissia, I was going to throw out my broken Senseo. But before I did I looked online to see if there might be a way to fix it. I found a way that I thought would not be likely to work, but was easy enough to try. It involved using a magnet to make up the switch that the float in the water reservoir was supposed to trigger. Lo and behold, it worked. I held a magnet from an old hard drive next to it and the water began to heat. What I found was I liked the coffee from the Senseo as much or more than the Nespresso. However, it is over 10 years old and other things are showing signs of wearing out. Not to mention that users don't seem to like the newer models and the pods are getting harder to find. So I will keep the Inissia and use my old pal Senseo for an emergency backup.

If you're looking for a good, inexpensive, small, portable Nespresso machine this is the one. In the funky red - and other colors - it's actually kinda cute. It does what it's supposed to with one sorta major design flaw. When you push up the drip tray to put a mug (as opposed to an espresso cup) under the spout the coffee just barely goes inside the very edge of mug. This is especially a bummer for me. My preferred method I used with a prior Nespresso machine is to heat the milk for a latte in mug, foam it with a hand frother, drip two shots into the mug while giving a little swirl of the mug to mark the foam with the crema to put that delicious bittersweet taste right on the tongue.So, given that that method won't work I have been forced to adapt. I purchased a small stainless carafe Update International (BC-5) 5 Oz Bell Pitcher and drip my espresso into that first. I then use that carafe to pour it in such a way that I mark the foam. It does require rinsing one more item after making my latte. On the other hand, since I can pull the shots while heating the milk it saves about 30 seconds of prep time.As for Nespresso in general, I'm able to make the best home latte I've ever achieved after trying French presses, Aeropress, and the Brikka Mokka pot (2nd best method). Ease of use and prep time are way better than other methods. The capsules ain't cheap but since I like them as much as Starbucks it's still a big savings as I rarely go there anymore. I will admit that Peet's can still beat my home brew. But a couple lattes out a week instead of a couple a day saves me beaucoup bucks.

I had to return my first one for a new one because it was leaking from the bottom, and dripping from the spout before/after brewing, and the brew sizes were inconsistent. So I was sent a new one, and it's better - the sizes are consistent and there's no leaking from the bottom, but it still drips when I turn it on, and before and after a brew has finished. And the brew time is loud and long for such a small amount. All those issues aside, the espressos are rich, creamy, and delicious, so as long as it keeps working I forgive the small stuff. Yum!

I knocked one star for the loudness of the machine, and because the price of the pods which is too near cafe prices in my opinion if you drink them plain and compare with plain coffees/Americanos at the shops. Home use machines should be vast amounts cheaper than coffee shops, by comparison. That's the point of brewing at home rather than going to the shop, is to save loads of money.I spend about $200 a month on a major coffee chain. I actually prefer Nespressos taste on some pods, and at least liked ALL the samples I tried. I spent a while trying different coffee machines at home and was always let down. I then realized I should be making espresso for what I like, so I tried a cheap espresso machine and it always came out lukewarm and was difficult for an amateur to master.Then I bought this masterpiece of a machine. Simple to use and I'm overjoyed with it. It has the right amount of water and grounds automatically, and throws the used pod down to the chamber for easy disposal and cleaning later on. It also tastes better to me. I made a couple plain lattes and they were great. Got to find the right percent of espresso and milk for you. I actually prefer the 'lungo' option plain to lattes because the grounds are tasty. I think it's pretty close to an Americano. It's thicker and richer and fuller and has a crema, as well, which I much prefer all of those things to the drink I used to love at the cafe. I used to live to get my coffee there and now I have had no cravings for it. In fact I crave Nespressos instead. I think my cravings for Nespresso are stronger than my cravings for the cafe were. I do wish the machine brewed more, as I'm used to 16+oz cups of coffee like it's a 3-4oz. When I first used it I remember saying aloud "thats it??" And I'm sure a lot of others experienced the same thing on their first use. I knew it wasn't much, but it still threw me off to see it in the mug. But depending on what you like (and what you try as alternatives in the machine) you can save money with a Nespresso.PRICE COMPARISON WITH CAFES:-Lattes at home vs at cafe---If you buy a $5-6 latte at this particular chain, possibly plus tip, you'd be saving big by making your own with the easy and tasty Nespresso pods (about $.70 per pod on the nespresso website. Free shipping on bulk orders over $50).-Straight from the machine vs cafe coffee---As for Americano or black coffee fans, the price difference isn't as great. At around $.70 a pod, it's $2.10 for three shots to make your own 12oz of lungos, vs about $2.45 (without tip) at the cafe chain for around the same size. So if you intend to drink it plain in the hopes it'll save you money, unless you try a cheaper non-nespresso brand of espresso pods or a reusable/refillable pod or sealing cap, you won't be saving as much. Or if you only really want 3-4oz of espresso in the morning.Cheaper options to Nespresso pods---there is also third party brand coffee in Nespresso compatibe pods to try for cheaper here on Amazon, not to mention the reusable plastic or metal pods I intend to check out with mine. Or the resealable lids for reusing old pods as well.I tried to cover a used pod with foil and reuse it like I saw on a YouTube video before buying the machine, but the bulk of the foil folded over the edges (no matter how small I snipped the foil down to) kept it from spinning in the machine, and the puncturing mechanism couldn't poke adequate holes in the loose fitting foil. I tried a few times to get it tight and smooth, but it would be a waste of grounds to do that every day until you get it right. Also you have to insert the used Nespresso pod at the same angle as the first time to avoid punching three new holes in the bottom. Over all not a good alternative for saving money that way. Makes more sense to buy the lid replacements on Amazon, but you'd still get limited use out of used pods, as eventually the holes re-poked at the bottom each time would get too big and water down the espresso.CONCLUSIONS:Either way it's worth it in my opinion for the (for me, at least) better quality coffee at an slightly to moderately lesser price point depending on what you're making with it. Not to mention you don't have to drive down to the cafe and spend unnecessarily on car gas for a coffee run. And you get that crema which is fun, you don't even have to froth the milk for lattes if you don't want to. You can make all the same fancy drinks at the coffee shop for cheaper once you get it right. Making the espresso is the easiest part.CONSIDERATIONS:-The machine is VERY loud. Like a blender. It brews quickly, though. It could wake up a light sleeper in another room. Not sure if other Nespresso models are quieter.-It is literally the easiest coffee or espresso machine I've ever used. No wonder pod machines are so popular.-Also, like I mentioned earlier, it makes 3oz cups in espresso and 4oz cups in lungo, so keep that in mind if you like a large cup. You may need to brew 2 or 3 pods.

Great for a little espresso maker for a little over $100. Here are a few pros and cons:PROS1. Compact - The machine is very small and compact. Barely takes up any space on my little kitchen coffee table.2. Quick - Turns on and heats water very fast. Brews fast, too!3. Coffee selection - There are a ton of different flavours and brew variations for a perfect cup. The machine comes with the standard small or large brew buttons but also allows you to program your own brew length.4. Durable - At least on the outside the machine is very well built and seems durable. The feel of the appliance is very solid. The handle is also made of metal. I originally thought it was plastic until it arrived.CONS1. Very Loud! - When the machine is brewing, it is extremely loud. So loud that it wakes up my roommate when I go to use it. Luckily it brews quickly.2. Water reservoir - The water reservoir is a bit small and needs to be refilled very often, especially if you brew long cups of espresso like me.3. Colour coded pods - The pods are all different flavours and the colour of the pods references what flavour and/or how long you should brew it. The colours are all very similar and it's hard to memorize the Italian names of all of them. Luckily the machine comes with a 'coffee menu' which tells you which pod colour is which.Hope this is helpful!

My Cuisinart EM-200 espresso maker is failing after just one year. Under warranty, but it would cost a lot shipping both ways, so I am trying a less expensive machine. I feel like I know my way around espresso and cappuccino so I think I'm qualified to critique this machine.First reaction was, it's pretty light weight, but that is not really a deal breaker.I like the simplicity of the control switch and really don't miss the automatic timer on pulling shots. I'm not sure why, but the crema is much much better than the Cuisinart ever made. Also, the milk frother works very very well expanding or "stretching" the milk into a thick foam like it's supposed to. The Cuisinart never was great in this regard. The drip pan doesn't have to be emptied every time it's used like the more expensive units that flush the hot water into the tray, wasting a lot of water. The steam control on top works very well and permits turning on and off for flushing before and after use. The Cuisinart automated electronics prevented flushing easily.So far my only complaints with this DeLonghi machine are the following: The steam wand is too short before it bends making it difficult to get to the bottom of even a small milk pitcher. The water reservoir is pretty small. The retainer on the portafilter does not hold the basket very well when emptying the used coffee puck. The portafilter does not have a latched position when installing. The tamper is kind of useless. Cup height max is about 2-1/2", so even if I remove the drip tray, I can't use my insulated cups any more. I use either small espresso cups or wide low cappuccino cups. No problem.All things considered, this machine actually makes much better coffee than the Cuisinart so the minor complaints are tolerable.Update 10/7/17: Unit still works great. I'm very pleased with its simplicity and ease of use. The steam valve seems to be more robust than those on other espresso machines I have owned. The ECP3420 and EM-200 side style valves are prone to failure and leaking.One really should consider when buying an espresso maker, what do you do when it breaks? If it costs $80 or so, you can just throw it away, but if it's a $300 machine, who's going to fix it? And warranty repair is useless, they make you pay shipping both ways.

I am not a gourmet but the coffee Latte tastes fine with Lilly Dark Roast Coffee, Fine Grind, 8.8-Ounce Can using the steamer on fresh milk.There is only one flaw, unfortunately it is quite aggravating. The clearance for inserting a coffee cup is too low for anything but a made-for-espresso cup. Even Medelco 4 Cup Universal Glass Espresso Replacement Carafe, Black won't fit, which is a shame.If I were buying this again, I would probably shop harder and pay more for one with a couple of inches more room to slide the cup underneath.

Solid machine so far. The key is having a grind that is not too fine and one that is not packed down too tightly in the head. If the coffee is too fine and/or tamped down too much, it can take 10+ minutes to fill the cup. I am still experimenting with how fine a grind to use and how much tamping pressure to exert, but clearly the machine does not have the kind of pump pressure that you would find in at coffee shop machine. Given that, it cannot easily penetrate too dense a charge of coffee in the head. But at 15 BAR, this DeLonghi makes for a perfectly enjoyable espresso if you are willing to play with the variables a bit. No regrets!

This is a really easy to use espresso maker. It does take longer to heat than other models that I have owned, but it does get hot enough to create long lasting steam if you are going to steam or froth milk. The built in tamper is just a touch smaller than the actual filter, but still works effectively. I find that it makes a great cup of espresso with a nice, rich crema in about thirty seconds. The only thing I wish were different is the steam wand. It is a little too short. I find that I have to tilt my frothing pitcher quite a bit to get all the milk heated. For the price, this is a really nice machine.

I'm pretty happy with my De'Longhi Espresso maker. I was a bit apprehensive, at first, when I saw the small size of the grounds holder, thinking it might not make enough strong espresso for the size of the (26 oz. mocha that I make every day, but, to my relief, it has been plenty strong enough. Also, I didn't have 2 1/2 inch tall cups, short enough to fit under the grounds holder that were also large enough for the amount of espresso needed, so I ordered the Konitz Coffee Bar Cappuccino cups (size 4), and I'm all set! It produces good espresso, is simple to use, steams well, warms up pretty fast, and is, so far, my favorite of the more inexpensive espresso machines (under $100.00). I reserved a star until I know the longevity of the machine.If it lasts, it will get 5 stars.

things to keep in mind, this is a light duty machine, meant to fulfill the needs of one or two coffee addicts, not a starbucks.the wand for frothing is short, a 12oz pitcher is finethe tamper is meah, get a 52mm tamper, be aware that a good tamp with this machine takes a long time for extractionit can do single, double or ese pods, the large gasket in the single shot basket needs to be swapped for the smaller one (included in the double shot basket) for a single shot. rule of thumb, if you are using grounds, small gasket.the large gasket is for ese pods, otherwise you won't be able to fit 7 grams. some reviews complain that the single shots were watered down, i suspect the large gasket is the reason, it does take up about 2 grams of space.the ese pods work great, this machine also has a good aftermarket following for customization and partsthe drip tray could have been better if it slid directly out, you have to tilt to remove it.everything is manual so you'll have to count to 26 and purge before and after the shot to keep the pump clean over time, theres no backflush on this. frothing wand again is small but works pretty well, prime the wand and wait for it to stop spurting water.try not to switch back and forth between froth and extract, it takes time to reprime and you are running a dry pump during that. temps between froth and extract are different too.cup heater works, takes about a half hour of standby heat and has a lip that keep cups in place, although using the purge water from pre extraction is a much faster way to bring your cups up to temperature.wash out the water tank monthly with regular use using a 1/4 c vinegar and waterrun a tank or even two when you first get the machine, shavings and fluid may be seen, this is typical

This was a replacement for a Nespresso that is evidently not made any more. It's OK, and makes a fine cup of espresso but my old machine was much better. I have to be careful how I place the pod or they will sometimes get caught and if not lined up just right when I try to lower the handle to seat the pod it gets damaged. The water reservoir was adjustable and could be put in a position that worked better. This one is fixed. The new one also drips a fair amount after brewing. In general the quality is less. I miss my old machine.

First unit would not make coffee and leaked a lot of water over the kitchen counter. The instructions are hard to read and practically useless. We had to find the Youtube videos in order to get started. After wasting an hour trying to produce the first cup, we called up Nespresso who told us that if it is leaking from the bottom of the unit it is defective and we should call Amazon. Amazon agreed with the diagnosis and is sending a replacement - pretty frustrating. I guess they do zero production testing in Hungary. We foolishly brought 50 pods for the machine we don't have and can hardly wait to see how the second unit performs.Update - replacement unit works most of the time and the coffees tried have been very good. So far it has made one pod useless by crushing - the design does not seem to guarantee correct positioning and we are still working on the correct technique. As other have said it is very hard to read the name of the coffee on each pod - hope they can fix this soon. I guess for the price it is reasonable solution for good coffee at home.

I seem to ruin a lot of capsules when they are put into the machine. The machine is crushing them instead of putting a small slit for the coffee to come out. Once that happens the capsule is no longer any good. When it works it's ok.

When my Essenza died after more than 3 years of daily use, I decided I would "upgrade" to this newer model (which was cheaper at the time). I don't like the Inissia nearly as much! It has a smaller reservoir, smaller used capsule holder, and the auto pour (which was really the only upgrade with this machine) is *really* inconsistent. Every morning I hit the lungo button, and sometimes it pours for 10 seconds and stops; sometimes it pours for 45 seconds plus and finally I stop it manually! I don't know what's up but I can't trust it.It is nice that the "foot" folds up for larger cups.It still makes good espresso, but I wish I'd just gotten another Essenza.

Let me start of by saying I am in no way an espresso connoisseur. I enjoy my occasional Starbucks latte, which can be quite expensive and time consuming, and I am not much for normal drip coffee. I search around a lot for an espresso with a fairly tight budget, and finally settled in this machine. As far as my novice pallet can tell, it makes good espresso, comparable to Starbucks or any local coffee shop. The machine is small, easy to use, and visually appealing.The only reason I would not recommend this machine is because of the price of the pods. To make a normal sized latte, you need two pods. The average cost of the pods is about .60 and you can only order them in increments of 50 unless you are lucky enough to live near one of the Nespresso shops. It is far cheaper than your daily Starbucks, but still ends of costing more than your regular cup of coffee. The waste is also an issue for me, I don't really like throwing away pods day after day. If you don't mind spending the money on pods, then this is a great product for the novice espresso drinker, but is you don't like the waste of pods or the price, I would look at a different machine.

third Nespresso maker we have purchased. sensitive little guy. Might leak on your counter. We love the coffee. One excellent feature, can fill water w/ a pitcher, less "moving parts" the better it behaves.

Design (6/10): It's ok. Overall the machine looks cheap, but the machine is cheap, so no high expectations there. The space for the cup is too small, so if you don't have a special cups for expresso you'll not be able to put your cup in there.Coffee (7.5/10): Good coffee. Not super, but very good. Very comparable with Nespresso.Quality( 3/10): Died after 6-7 month.If you consider buying - please add extra $100-150 and buy a decent espresso-maker not this compromise between quality and price.

Makes decent espresso, but has started to leak water from the head after just a few weeks.

Almost a year after purchasing- it still works great and really has a small footprint. We use it a few times a week. Read many reviews before settling on this one. This is my first espresso machine and it is easy to use and clean.Agree with other reviewers that the steam wand is a pain to deal with- not enough clearance between it and the counter for a standard size steaming mug. All in all, pleased with it and would purchase again.

I bought this espresso maker with such fabulous reviews and price point i couldn't refuse. It worked great for the first year and was easy to use after that I started noticing the pump was degrading and began to just drip. I went thru several cleaning cycles over the course of the year but sadly is just a drip coffee maker now. I would recommend getting the warranty if you want this to last over a year. Also the base only fits small cups around 3 inch height it would be nice to be able to fit taller size cups.

I will say that I now own three of these machines, but not by choice, and here is why. I had wanted to replace my older Krups machine, but that exists no longer, so after some research, I purchased one of these models. This was several years ago, and when something went wrong with it, while still under warranty, they told me to send in the whole machine, at my expense, and THEY would decide if it deserves replacement. It, did, so they sent a replacement to me. This machine is now about two years old, and the only problem I have is with the gasket inside the head, so the machine will drip water (or coffee, if you have the filter on) while the machine is heating. I called the company, but they do not sell parts, but offered me a second machine at a lower price, about $ 70. This THIRD machine lasted about 2 months before a fusible link in one of the thermostats went bad. This meant that the green light is automatically on, immediately when turning on the machine, because the machine thinks it is already hot. When I called the company THIS time, all I had to do was cut the cord at the base, send that in, again at my expense, and they sent a new machine to me. This FOURTH machine leaked as soon as I tried to fill the reservoir. I knew there was just a loose hose or something else similar, but the company said if I unscrew the bottom to look, I void all warranty. "Just cut the cord at the base..." This time I told them, I did not want a replacement EC155, and asked for the next model up, and they sent the BAR 32 as a replacement. I then unscrewed the bottom of the fourth machine and the problem was indeed only a cut in the water line. I spent 50 cents to replace that from the local hardware store, a couple of dollars for the fusible link on the third machine, and about 5 dollars for extra cord and plugs to replace the original cords I had to mail in. I now have 3 of these machines, and all three work. HOWEVER! These two newer EC 155's have not seen much use. The filter holder does not fit into the head well, because it is an extremely tight fit, and I don't wish to break the machine. (I believe it is another gasket issue, because the filter holder fits into the older machine easily.) Also, the frothing wand does not stay in one place,but swings back, as if spring-loaded, under the base. This makes it harder to operate, because you either do not move the frothing pitcher (which is unreasonable, because it will not heat the milk in a consistent manner) or you have to have a non-heat sensitive utensile to hold the wand in place while you froth the milk. My issue is that these machines are now made in China, and the workmanship (rather, lack thereof) shows. The company is well aware of this, because they now only ask for a cut cord instead of the whole machine for them to decide if it warrants sending out a new one. They sent a new machine to me instead of allowing me to replace a 50 cent, 6-inch piece of tubing. Also, their own website lists these machines at about $ 80 now, so they did come down in price as well, because my first one was well over $ 100. As a pump machine, they are worth $ 80, but not any more than that. Their customer service is good, but you should not have to wait 3 - 4 weeks for mail turn-around, and you shouldn't have to use warranty in the first place, as any good machine should last longer than 6 months. Anthony

After owning this for a number of months now, I really don't think it deserves the reviews given it. It's decent at best. It makes a decent espresso for the price.Concerns:1) It is not ergonomic. I'm sure it was made to slide under a kitchen cabinet easily, but that leaves little space below the nozzle. Only very small cups or carafe will fit. Overall, that's just a pain.2) It does not come with a carafe or frothing pitcher.3) When I switch from espresso over to steam, the first release of steam, especially if you don't wait a moment, shoots out hot water into your frothing pitcher.4) The frothing nozzle does not easily come off to clean.5) After tamping with the rather lame tamper, putting the expresso in its little slot just right is sort of hard until you get the hang of it. My teens have gotten it wedged stuck a few times when they weren't careful.6) After several weeks of use, the espresso is prone to continue dripping even after you've switched over to steam mode. Just a little, but you have to leave the cup under it. Might improve if I cleaned the machine.Positives:1) It cleans pretty nicely otherwise. Nice trays underneath that remove well to clean. Housing easy to clean.2) The water storage system works well all around. Easy to fill.3) Pulls a decent cup in proper time.4) Puck falls out easily and easy to clean up coffee mess.5) Has options for one or two cup, but who wants one cup??!!Would I buy again?Maybe for my kid, but not for me. I'd rather save my $$$ for a real machine.

Makes a great tasting beverage when you use their pods. The 3rd party pods not so much. After a few months it developed a problem where I have to warm it up by starting a cup then wait for it to not work then after it starts blinking unplug it and start over. Pain in the... I just don't have the patience to deal with returning it.

**This is an update for a 2016 purchase**So it's a year later and all the machine does is pull through hot water through. I was usualing this at a vacation home and it hardly gets used. I know most machines must last more than a year so I'm not sure what happened with this one but the quality is certainly low. I'm a nespresso fan too so it's such a shame.

It's my second Nespresso machine. Loved my first one which is in our office. I bought this one for the home. It seems flimsy and quirky. I wish I had spent more for a better quality machine. A bit disappointed in Nespresso. Also, I could not use pods purchased in December - only new ones. Nespresso was good about replacing my other pods that got destroyed in the new machine but it was frustrating to try to figure out the problem. On/off switch is also awkward.

Nespresso seems to be squeezing every last cent out of its manufacturing process. This unit produces about 6 oz. of coffee per pod maximum, is loud as can be, and feels as though it will shatter if it tips over. Not a good buy.

I purchased this unit to save money from always going to Starbucks. This machine works fine, but my cheap Espresso maker makes better coffee than this machine, that needs very expensive coffee pods. Nespresso Coffee is very strong, and acidic, to the point that it hurts my stomach. There are no choices for even a medium or light espresso pod, only Decaf. All the choice selections taste the same to me, when made as a Latte. Very disappointed in this coffee that has good reviews. Too late for me to return, bc I kept thinking I would find the right coffee pods for my liking.

I am having trouble setting the pod into the well at the proper angle. When it's not placed just so, the handle comes down in a manner that bends the pod and doesn't open it. I have wasted a few pods ($$). Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Good luck finding any instructions for troubleshooting. When it works, it's great coffee. And, let me just add, a few weeks after I posed the prior statement, the pump seems to be going kaput. As good as the coffee is when it work, I will not buy another.

The resulting espresso wasn't very strong, in our view. The basket made for two espressos might be able to make one espresso as strong as we remember from Italy, but not two. Also, the "puck" was not easy to remove (unlike our previous simpler machine). We followed the instructions for preparing the new machine -- running hot water through it 5+ times, but it required several more actual espresso runs before the coffee started tasting OK -- although weaker than we like. Disappointing because we thought the high pressure BAR would have improved the taste. We'll send it back, and instead try out the deLonghi electric "mocha pot", which looks much easier to customize the amount of coffee grounds and water. We have a separate milk frother, so crossing our fingers!

I actually purchase this machine twice-- once in January 2012, and again in August 2013. I was relatively happy with the first machine I purchased, despite its shortcomings. However, that machine stopped in just over 18 months. I felt that I had gotten pretty good use out of it for the time I owned it, so I (stupidly) opted to buy the same machine again. The second machine had issues almost straight out of the box, and whatever quality there was had noticeably dropped off in the time since I bought the first unit. The second one barely lasted 6 months before it was completely unusable. The milk frother went first, after about 4 or 5 months. It continued to make espresso for another month or so before the machine gave up altogether. Since that time, I have lived without an espresso machine and am now looking to buy another. There is a part of me that really loved the first machine I got-- while it lasted-- and is tempted to get another of the same model, but I won't because the quality simply isn't there.The PROS from the first machine I purchased--If counter space is an issue, the small size is great.It made a decent cup of espresso.Good price for a pump machine-- IF it holds up more than a few months.The frother worked well, once I figured out how to use it.The CONS--Almost too small-- it's hard to find a cup to fit under the spout.Vibrates horribly when in use. Perhaps this is due to the small/lightweight nature of the machine?Horrible ergonomics.Extremely poor quality. Yes, it's an inexpensive machine, but it breaks FAST. (I made one cup or less a day with both of my machines.)

Makes an amazing espresso drink, although buy a real tamper, the one attached is useless. Wish there was a higher clearance to fit a taller cup but that's a small complaint. Overall, a great little espresso maker. Terrribe customer service drops this to 2 stars. Machine was clogging up after 6 months and I couldn't budge the screw to take it apart to clean it. Delonghi customer service said not to worry about and just descale the unit so it stays clean. I said it's defective because I can't take it apart as shown on the manual, they offered no solutions. Cheap company with poor customer service bad warranty policy. Buy at your own risk.

This is my second De'Longhi espresso machine. I was very please with my first one and it has started leaking after 5 years of heavy use. This one seems cheaply made. It is very light, short, cheap metal and heavy vibration. I'm not able to fit my small (not espresso cups) between the base and dispenser because it is so compact unlike my previous machine. This is so annoying that I am returning the machine. Maybe go back to the espresso percolator...

I would give this all five stars, if the machine lasted more than a year. We've made coffee only over the weekends with it. We've used it gently, did not use the milk frother attachment for the most part of our usage. The machine drips water very slowly, as if there isn't enough pressure build-up. Most online recommendations suggest descaling the machine. We've tried that, but that didn't fix things either. There is no build-up, and I don't think that is our problem in any case. I don't wish to spend more money buying descaling products and invest more money into an already broken machine.It may be worth pointing out that the previous version of this machine lasted us two years and stopped working in exactly the same way. With that machine we assumed we had a defective model, or had hit some kind of a weakness or limitation in the machine. We used the previous one more often and for longer before it died. It could just be a gradual degradation in quality of materials used in these machines.I sometimes hear people saying their espresso machine lasted them ten years. I just don't see how that could be possible anymore. I am just disappointed that I need to shell out another $100 for a machine that will last us another year, or two if we are lucky. I am looking around for other options. This machine is supposedly a best seller in semi-automatic espresso machines, so it's a bit difficult to look beyond that and weigh out the reviews of the other machines in comparison with this one.Somebody in the Questions and Answers section suggested that this problem may be a result of a pump diaphragm weakness. (glimmer of hope) He also said it was unrepairable in this model, and he just had to toss it away (glimmer of hope fades away).

I moved from drip coffee to steam machine, then started grinding whole beans for freshness, then moved to a burr grinder for an even, consistent grind. Each step improved my coffee, and I really wanted to move up to a pump machine, but couldn't justify the cost. I started saving money and reading reviews, and this machine had by far the best reviews for the money.Things I learned after I bought it:There are more variables, so it does take a little more experimentation than a steam machine to make a good shot. But I enjoyed the process, and found even a mediocre shot from this machine is better than a good shot from my steam machine. Once I got the result I wanted, I found this machine more consistent.When adjusting your grind, time each test shot, and go finer or courser until your brewing time (from pump start to full shot) is 30 seconds.Buy the "Frequently bought together" tamper. The built-in tamper is permanently attached to the machine. It might be fine for leveling your grounds, but it would be difficult to tamp them with it without tipping the machine over. I ordered this tamper along with my machine, and I'm glad I did. I was concerned about a few negative reviews claiming it didn't fit, or its metal plating flaked off, but I've been using it every day for five months with no problems. For more details, read my review.The review pointing out that the machine needs to be cleaned out periodically is correct. The manual recommends cleaning it every 200 shots or when it becomes slow. There are clear cleaning instructions in the manual. It's not difficult, but I needed a very fine needle to clear out all the tiny holes.I can't comment on the steam wand, because I never use it.I didn't know how hard it would be to find a single espresso cup at a reasonable price. I drink mostly Americano. I just wanted something that would fit under the group (spout) and catch the espresso for transfer to a larger mug.The manual contradicts itself, saying you need to preheat the machine 15 minutes, or thirty minutes, or by brewing a blank shot (no coffee) before use. That's nonsense. Turn the knob to preheat, and the machine is ready as soon as the green light comes on. Even when starting cold, this takes less time than grinding the beans. You can brew a blank shot to preheat your cup, but if you are in a hurry, even this step is optional.The pump makes some noise. Not a whooshing noise like a steam machine, but a mechanical hum about as loud as an electric mixer. It only makes this noise during the actual brewing—which should last about 30 seconds if you have your grind right. It is silent while heating the water. This noise is accompanied by a vibration that may cause your cup to slide off-center. I haven't had the espresso miss the cup, but I keep a close eye on it.The drip tray is removable for easy cleaning, and can go in the dishwasher. If you leave the drippings in the tray too long, they contain enough water to grow mold. Solution: Wash the drip tray frequently. I started sprinkling a little boric acid in the tray (the tray is plastic, no worry about corrosion) and when it all dissolves, (one to two months at my usage rate) I put the tray in the dishwasher. I haven't seen any mold since.Update 11 June 2016: After 2 years, water started to leak over the top of the basket instead of going through the grounds. Shops that do repairs on this machine wanted almost the price I paid on Amazon for a new machine. I tracked the problem to the gasket that seals the basket to the machine. I found a replacement online, but when I tried to remove the old gasket, I found I had to completely disassemble the machine, including several parts that were not designed to go back together. In short, this is a disposable machine, not intended to be repairable.

I was so excited to purchase this machine a few weeks ago to replace my Mr. Coffee espresso machine that I've been using for years! I want to finish off my bulk coffee first before I started using the Nespresso- well what a huge disappointment when I went to use it and it doesn't work!! The water doesn't run through the machine!! I tried several times and read the troubleshooting guide/user guide front to back! I am super disappointed ( and a bit disgusted) that I now have to box it up and ship it back! What a hassle! I won't be getting a replacement... I don't have time to play these games...going back to my Mr Coffee espresso machine for now , $100 cheaper and he works fantastic and the coffee I used is fantastic! I wouldn't recommend this Nespresso machine ...

Received on 30 July....After 2 months the machine started bending the capsules and would not close. Cleaned the machine and still bent the pods. Too late to send back to Amazon ,,,need to contact the dealer. Something is wrong with the machine..

pods feel through each time.Took 4-7 pods to finally have machine accept one.

I want to like this machine so much because I love the idea of it and the convenience. I Bought this item for my cubicle at work and wanted to have an afternoon latte. I am so embarrassed to turn this machine on that I've only used it 3 times since I bought it months ago. Every time I use it at least a dozen people turn and stare. I tried to like this machine and accept the sound of a dying fish tank aerator and unfortunately I have ran out of time to return it. It is a cute machine though

Stopped working after only after 5 monthsIt isn't working. Just stopped. Was nice while it lasted. Don't buy it

After 3 months of using this product, it started to release water instead of coffee. Unfortunately, I can no longer try to exchange it since their policy time is for 3 months.

Product worked fine for 5-1/2 months. Then the green light goes out in the middle of brewing a cup and the water begins to drip. Takes about a half hour to make one cup. I have cleaned it out as required. Very disappointed!

1st try and it is broken. Read a lot of reviews that said this, but I was optimistic and ordered anyways.

I got this as an Xmas gift for my hubby from Amazon Warehouse Deals. No instructions, but we looked them up online. Xmas day, my husband tried to make espresso. I can't begin to tell you how much we were looking forward to that. It's been a few years since our old espresso maker broke and my husband's been burning coffee onto my new, ceramic stove with a Bialletti 9 cup pot until I just couldn't stand it anymore. In defense of this De'Longhi it frothed milk like a champ. Unfortunately, its espresso was what my late father used to describe as "duck coffee:" you make it by tying a coffee bean to a duck's leg, letting it swim across a river, then scooping out a cup. Duck coffee.I tried again the next day thinking my husband hadn't followed the directions, either due to excitement or the fact he thinks directions are for other people in general and dispensable, item by item, as he arbitrarily sees fit. Guess what type of espresso I made? Duck espresso. It was so thin, so watery it made me feel a little queasy. Normal sized mugs don't fit under the dispenser, which was also exceedingly annoying to me.Having read many reviews here before purchasing this item I have to presume the machine was defective. What I take issue with is that it is evident someone else returned this item as defective and Amazon Warehouse Deals re-sold it without establishing that it could, in fact, properly make espresso. Plugging something like that in and establishing that the power light comes on isn't really sufficient before re-selling a nearly $100 item like this. I bought a thumb drive from AWD that, like this espresso maker, really was defective, but someone at AWD obviously didn't check whether it actually would store any data. Ultimately, this wastes time and a whole lot of shipping. But, hey, maybe if you're Amazon you can gamble on something like that and eat a few bucks shipping. I dunno. At any rate, the whole experience put me so far off De'Longhi espresso machines that I got a Mr. Coffee with an auto-frother. Say what you like about Mr. Coffee, at least a normal sized mug fits under the dispenser.

Let me start off by first stating that I used to be a barista, so I know how to use an espresso machine. This thing is awful. When it arrived I followed all of the instructions exactly as described. When trying to run the machine for 5 cycles before using coffee, to clean the machine, I noticed that the arm was very difficult to put into place. You have to move the steam wand out of the way to even get it in place. Once you insert the arm (where you place the ground coffee) you have to use one hand to rotate the arm counter clockwise and another hand to hold onto the actual espresso machine. There was so much resistance that this is the only way to securely align the arm. Once I did this, I ran a cycle of just water to rinse the unit out. Immediately I noticed the unit was very loud. Before the water started flowing the unit was vibrating so much that it moved the espresso cups out of line, which would have caused a big mess. I had to manually hold them into place while the water came out. As you know, this unit produces very hot liquid and you shouldn't have to have your fingers down there during brewing! I thought maybe this was just happening since it was the unit's first cycle. I ran another 4 cycles with the same issue. Maybe this is just a defective unit, or maybe it is a piece of junk. At any rate, I've returned it and will do some research for a better option.

I've had this coffee machine for roughly three months and it worked well (shots were a bit on the weaker side as I would have expected). The last week before it died, the machine became extremely slow. I performed the recommended maintenance with no difference in performance afterwards. Eventually, espresso ceased from coming out. Now it's just a loud-vibrating brick :-(Before you purchase this machine consider the following:- The machine is loud (even when it was new)- It vibrates so much the cups underneath move from underneath the espresso dispenser so you must watch them at all times.- It's hard to fit any cups underneath it. My shot glasses barely fit.- The built-in tamp is nice- The water level view is nice- The steamer is in an inconvenient place for use. You must move the machine around to use it with bigger cups.- The shots aren't as strong (I like really strong shots, I needed at least 4 from this machine).- It's slow when dispensing espresso.In short: I was disappointed that this machine didn't live up to my expectations. The price was right, but I felt the quality was below average. If you do buy this machine, I hope you don't have a similar experience that I did.

When it decides to operate it makes flavorful espresso. I ordered this machine via Amazon the first week of August 2013. 3 or 4 weeks into it it began acting up. Very slow drip issues. Other times it worked great. I kept using it light to medium duty. Since then it has gone downhill. It routinely takes 3-4 minutes to pull one shot. I checked on Amazons return policy and it is only 30 days. I will not be purchasing appliances or electronics through Amazon ever again. 30 days is pitiful. DeLohnghi isn't much better. I called customer service to see if I can exchange it or upgrade and their customer service is Monday through Friday only. Besides this I have no other experience with this brand. As it stands I am not impressed. Machine doesn't work and customer service availability is no bueno. Like I said it brews good espresso when it wants to, I wish it worked.