De'Longhi Retro Espresso Machine

[Phog Allen]

Good morning chaps. I thought I would pass along my initial impressions of this bargain priced consumer espresso machine. First let me say I am in NO way trying to convey any sense of what is right or wrong with any espresso maker or even espresso for that matter. I am not well versed in it but I can tell you that ninety-five percent or better of the espresso I have been served has been terrible. Just awful dreck that was bitter, acrid, and none to pleasant to drink. I have always wondered what the hoopla is all about. Using this little DeLonghi machine has somewhat changed my tune about it.

Here is a photo of the little beasty.

It is listed at $149.95 but that is not very accurate. It was $99.95 at Kohl's and we had a twenty percent discount card. It also came with a twenty dollar rebate form. So our net cost will be sixty dollars plus sales tax. In other words, if it turns out to be a lemon or dies in a year or two, so be it.

I followed the instructions for set up to a t, and then proceeded to brew some "espresso". My wife had bought me Illy medium roast drip coffee and I bought her a can of Illy espresso grind for Christmas. Nice swap I would say. The Illy hazards itself as all Arabica coffee and I have no reason to doubt them because my untrained palate could not tell you the difference between it and any other. Well except for the stuff listed as dark or French roast.

The little machine is a bit noisy when it pumps the shot. It has an indicator light that will go out as the water temperature drops but the machine is well on its way to pulling the shot. I have been going about twenty seconds. It seems to work.

The first cup made me aware of why I bought the medium roast instead of the dark roast. It pulled a nice crema and the cup was not bitter at all. Even using the drip roast grind. I pulled a few shots with the espresso grind and it was good too. Much better than anything I have had at an over priced coffee shop. I think this is more an indictment of how bad most coffee shops really are. And it also seems to lend credence to something this "good coffee" newb has suspected for awhile. The whole Starbucks/dark/West coast/French roast thing is WAY overdone and much exaggerated in its importance. I think they are doing it to cover up cheap beans and the resulting charred taste is not good to me. And remember lads, your are reading the ramblings of a guy who loves bitter vintage marmalades and can eat lemon curd by the spoon. Well made things that are tart can be good. Bitter, over roasted coffee is not among them. At least to me.

So if like me you wanted something to satisfy your wife's Latte-a-day habit instead of buying it at an over priced shop, give this little bugger a try. You can always donate it to a family friend who wants to try "expresso" if you don't like it. Surprisingly, it has pretty good reviews on Amazon. And remember, all this palavering comes from a guy who knows squat about making espresso. So you gurus go easy on me, please! Besides, this may lead to an upgrade in the future. And no, you will not lead me into another AD. At least I think so... I mean, I am pretty sure anyway.

Regards, Todd

 

[texquill]

That's a great way to start, Todd. Although anything can turn into an AD; speaking from experience, I can attest that the espresso / cappuccino / latte brewing business can be kept relatively low-impact. I, too, started with a DeLonghi two-cup layout, and I didn't invest any more (except for a Krupp coffee grinder and a milk steamer) until the DeLonghi wore out.

Of course, the replacement is just a "little" fancier and was just a "little" more expensive, but that was a couple of years ago and there's been no additional investment since.

Enjoy!

 

[Phog Allen]

Thanks Ken. That is exactly the attitude I am trying to take with this. The LAST thing I need is a craving for super expensive coffee equipment. So far this little machine is fine. I made a double shot of the Illy this morning and frothed a mug of milk to go with it. The wife pronounced it very good. Whew. The main test is passed.

Regards, Todd

 

[Jasonian]

A few things to take away that I noticed and that are worth taking.

1: the machine has a pump. This is critical. There is no such thing as "steam powered" espresso.
2: dark roasted coffee tastes bitter. This is a natural fact.
3: most shops are terrible. This is easily remedied, but most people are lazy. Still, it's true.
4: good coffee doesn't have to mean another AD, and "good" to your palate is good enough.


Last but not least:
5: the machine has a pressurized portafilter. If it didn't, your pre-ground espresso would have pulled shots that took 10 seconds and tasted sour.

I, for one, am glad that you enjoy it.

 

[Phog Allen]

Yes, the pump was the thing I gathered from reading that was critical. If it does not pump the water through the coffee, it is not espresso.

I completely agree with you about the situation with coffee shops. A sad note really since there is a huge interest in it.

And the French roast. I was never quite sure if it was supposed to taste roasted or burnt but for the most part, those two terms are interchangeable in my experience with these supposedly gourmet coffee shops.

Ah, now here is something else I was unaware of; A pressurised porta filter. I ASSumed all the pump models did the same thing. I take they do not? Something to be on the lookout for if a replacement is needed.

As for the quality of the coffee drink it makes, I hope it is good. It seems satisfactory to my rather uneducated palate. Thanks for the input. Your experience is always welcome.

Regards, Todd

 

[JPDyson]

I had a Breville espresso machine which used a pressurized portafilter. Part of the back-pressure in traditional espresso machines is produced by the finely-ground coffee not allowing the water to freely flow through. With a pressurized portafilter, back-pressure is created by reducing the number of output holes in the basket. Since the pressure is built into the design of the machine, you must use a coarser ground so as not to additionally prolong extraction (longer extractions result in more bitter coffee, all other variables equal). So, to get desirable results with the Breville, I had to use slightly coarser than typical espresso grind.

I later replaced the basket with a standard one from krups that happened to fit, and after adjusting the grind accordingly, my espresso went to another level. It took some experimenting with grinding and tamping, but it made quite a difference.

 

[Phog Allen]

Thanks Josh. Great information. And something to keep in mind when perusing antique and junk shops for those abandoned devices people just could not get to work right.

Regards, Todd

 

[takeshi]

I pulled a few shots with the espresso grind and it was good too. Much better than anything I have had at an over priced coffee shop. I think this is more an indictment of how bad most coffee shops really are.

Absolutely. It's fairly easy to produce better espresso than most shops out there. After I bought my Silvia I never went out for coffee until the shop I now frequent opened up a few years ago. They're the first locally to equal or exceed what I can produce.

And it also seems to lend credence to something this "good coffee" newb has suspected for awhile. The whole Starbucks/dark/West coast/French roast thing is WAY overdone and much exaggerated in its importance.

It's just another matter of preference. Not everyone prefers darker roasts.

Ah, now here is something else I was unaware of; A pressurised porta filter. I ASSumed all the pump models did the same thing. I take they do not? Something to be on the lookout for if a replacement is needed.

Nope. Pump means pump -- that's it. Whether the portafilter is pressurized or not depends on the specific machine and has nothing to do with the pump. Higher end machines generally don't have pressurized portafilters but, as already stated, you have to buy for your personal tastes. If it works for you then definitely go with it.

And no, you will not lead me into another AD. At least I think so... I mean, I am pretty sure anyway.

Good luck with it. It's a much more expensive road if you do. I went from being willing to sink $400 on an espresso machine to spending well over $1,000 on the machine and grinder and I haven't upgraded the espresso machine yet (easily another $2K). It all sounds expensive when you start but perspective can change. Not to mention, a $6/day latte habit easily pays for equipment in short time.