Medelco #4 Cone Permanent Coffee Filter

Descriptions claims its for use in ALL, not MOST #4 Cone filtered coffee makers. Not so. Doesn't fit my Gevalia coffee maker -I can't even close the lid. Not worth paying to return it, so I guess I'll cut the top ring and handle off and make it fit or throw it out.

I've been using this filter for about two weeks now. It is my first permanent filter, and I am very happy with its performance. It is solidly built, and with proper care should last quite a while. I debated on the high-end swiss gold filter, but thought the price was too high, so I figured I'd take a chance with this one with free shipping. I can't imagine how much better/different the swiss gold would be if any? I am using a fairly fine ground from a good, flat burr grinder, and have had no issues of grounds/sludge in my coffee. I also purchased a new Zojirushi coffee maker at the same time, so read my review on that as well if you're in the market for a good machine. This filter fits the Zoji perfectly.

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I bought the Medelco #4 cone permanent coffee filter as a substitute for a Braun UGSF4 filter. Unfortunately, it's not a really good substitute. Although the Medelco coffee filter will fit in a Braun coffee maker, it's not as tall and tapered as the Braun UGSF4. As a result, it doesn't concentrate the coffee as much when it is moving through the filter so you have to substantially increase the amount of ground coffee that you are using for the same strength of coffee. So while the Medelco is initially cheaper than the corresponding Braun filter, one would end up spending much more money in the long run because you would use more ground coffee. My advice is to search the net (including e-bay) to find a genuine Braun gold filter...even though it will likely be more expensive than the Medelco filter, you'll be much happier in the long run.

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I purchased this because, after about 8 months or so, I started noticing tiny holes/tears forming in the bottom of the permanent filter that came from the factory with my Braun coffee maker. It seemed to allow some of the smaller coffee grounds to come through during brewing. This product partially solved the problem. However, a more general issue with these permanent filters is that, even when they are intact, they do not filter as many particulates from the coffee as a paper filter. If you grind your own beans as I do, and your grind is on the finer side, a certain amount of 'residue' is going to come through these filters that would be stopped by a paper filter. Just keep that in mind, and don't drink those last few drops!

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A couple of years ago, I received a French Press Coffee maker as a present, and it made coffee that was clearly superior to coffee made in the drip coffee maker. One morning I looked more closely at the coffee in the French Press and noticed oils on the surface and realized that the "moist" look on the beans was possibly oils. When making coffee in the French press, it had no paper filter, and I deduced that this was because there was no paper filter to absorb the oils. This could be remedied in my drip maker with a permanent mesh filter. I went through a couple of these before I finally bought this one, which fits my Zojirushi coffee maker. The quality of my coffee improved as the oils found their way through the filtering. I recommend this filter for all you picky coffee drinkers.

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Nespresso D90/S1 Essenza Single-Serve Manual Espresso Machine, Metal

This review is based on my experience with the Nespresso Essenza C90, but the Nespresso Essenza D90 is quite similar, and the espresso making mechanism is exactly the same.

We all have our little passions. Over the years, I have devoted too much time, money, and study to perfecting the art of making the perfect coffee and espresso. I searched the world (and the internet) for the best beans, grinders, equipment, and even tried roasting my own beans and became able to produce better potions that one can ever find in the coffee boutiques. Still, as it turns out, my efforts were in vain. The Nespresso Essenza (and probably the other Nespresso machines similar in design) produces the perfect cup and the ease of doing so, sadly, puts my efforts to shame.

The secret seems to be in the strong pumping mechanism (19 bars of pressure, same as their more expensive machines) and their superb coffee capsules. After being such a stickler for the freshest roasted estate grown beans, I balked at the use of capsules and considered it the coffee for dummies approach. I also thought that they might be kind of similar in quality to the coffee "pods" used in the new single serve coffee machines, which range from bad (for the manufacturer and supermarket brands) to only fairly good (for the best of the gourmet, limited-edition pods at over $1 each).

Against all odds, the Nespresso pods are pure magic. I ordered new pods right away, but even the sampler pods that came with the machine were incredible, despite being past their "best before" expiration date. I'm equally mystified as to how they can have about twelve varieties and almost all be exquisite, despite noticeable differences not only in strength but in flavor. The "lungo"capsules are also fantastic (these produce 4 ounces of coffee-espresso instead of the classic 1 to 2 ounce espresso). Being partial to espresso and very dark coffee, I wasn't so impressed with the two or three pods weakest in strength, but those who like traditional American coffee might prefer them.

The Nespresso capsules completely dispelled my concern that they would be limiting compared to the use of coffee beans. It turns out that the opposite is true. Sure, there may be hundreds of different beans available, with infinite possibilities of blends and roasts, but they rarely reach the superior flavor these capsules achieve. Moreover, ordering coffee beans limits you to only one or two roasts for awhile, unless you buy a variety of green coffee beans (which last much longer than roasted beans) and roast them yourself in small quantities. With the capsules, a nice variety of espresso variations are available instantly.

Having been in the habit of ordering expensive coffee beans, I find the cost of the Nespresso capsules at $.50 each and the two-day shipping charge of only $5.95 (for any quantity) very reasonable. When buying roasted coffee beans, the shipping cost for one or two day air was much higher, and I had to reorder them every few weeks to keep fresh ones on hand. Since the Nespresso capsules stay fresh much longer, I can order a several month supply at one time.

The only criticism of the machine is that the espresso might not be quite hot enough for some aficionados. However, it is just hot enough for me, and the temperature can be raised slightly by heating the cup first.

It is amazing that I can now enjoy the best espresso almost instantly. This is truly the perfect way to enjoy espresso, even if I can no longer take credit for concocting it.

I use Nespresso machine for about one month. It already produced 60-100 shots, makes tasty beverage for about $0.60 per cup, very neat and easy to operate. Coffee selection is excellent. Delivery of new capsules is fast. I highly recommend to buy special flat box for coffee capsules (actually, it comes free with $110 "welcome" package together with 200 capsules a good deal). I use it to entertain my guests (it's like waiter in upscale restaurunt offers you teas in special box)and myself every morning.

The only drawback of this machine is inconvenient location of water tank at the back side. So, every time I pour water I have to move machine from the wall and then move it back.

Buy Nespresso D90/S1 Essenza Single-Serve Manual Espresso Machine, Metal Now

Below is my review of the Nespresso machine, and I love it. Couldn't be better and I highly recommend it. ONE THING THOUGH: make sure you compare the specs of the machine you buy, before you make the purchase. I bought the more expensive "cube" assuming it was better in some way (more power! yeah!) But it isn't. At the time I bought my cube, it was identical in spec (pump size, pressure, volume, etc.) to the other, cheaper machines offered. The only difference was form factor. So... if you're gonna get a nespresso, and I HOPE YOU DO, make sure choose which model to buy for the right reasons.

With all the new style espresso machines on the market (Tassimo, Keurig, Flavia, etc.) I was convinced that Nespresso was more of the same: a set of stylish gimmicks designed to convince you that this "espresso" (though not real at all) was "the real thing." It never is.

Which is why the Nespresso is so great. It IS the REAL THING. The capsules contain nothing more than espresso coffee grounds. The machine is simply an automated and miniaturized "real" espresso rig. And the results speak for themselves:

-full bodied crema like you get from the best barista

-speedy and HOT cups of espresso

-the espresso produced is crisp and clear, full bodied, and smooth

-my Sicilian wife and all her relatives (numerous, and mostly named "Maria" "Antonina" and "Dominic") all fully approve of the espresso that comes out. Comparing is to "Nonna's" would be sacrilege, but although those words have not been spoken yet, I am conviced the thought has crossed a couple minds. :-)

-all this in under 30 seconds and within a square foot of counter space.

The frothing unit that comes with the machine is nothing short of black magic. I have NO IDEA what it does or how it does it, but the results will amaze you. And the best part is it's easy to clean: no sticky milk mess left behind to make you wonder who's gonna get sick first.

Coffee for this machine is 55 cents per cup, and Nespresso delivers online orders with astonishing speed (which is good, because you can't get the coffee from anyone else!). A bit pricey, but in this case you DO get what you pay for... and then some.

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this Nespresso machine is perfect; it is small, fits in any kitchen, the espresso is nice and strong (flavor; Ristretto). It saves us lots of money, no more visits to the Starbucks & Donkin Donuts. very happy with the machine and coffee flavors.

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We have three of these in our extended family at different houses. They all work very well and make a great cup of espresso and or coffee. We have never had any trouble with them.

Gaggia 102534 Espresso-Color Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Red

I had a Breville Cafe Roma, a good machine, but one that I would regard as entry level. Although the Breville had no trouble making espressos with a nice layer of crema, the (recently upgraded) steaming wand was still a weak spot. Also, there's no hot water dispenser on that model.

After extensive research, I decided to purchase the Gaggia Espresso Color. Although no reviews of this model were available, I really liked the price, the color, the overall design, and the favorable reviews I had seen for other machines in the Gaggia line. This machine is compact, stylish, and includes elements found on higher end machines like a commercial portafilter, a stainless steel boiler, and a Pannarello attachment for the steaming wand. Also, I kept coming across the same brand names over and over again with a sterling reputation in the espresso world, and Gaggia is one of those names.

I am very happy with my Gaggia. I really feel that it is a cut above my old Breville. The insides of the machine (the boiler, the heating elements, the valves) are top notch. It is a very efficient machine which does a great job and is worth every penny.

There is a learning curve with this machine because the commercial portafilter does not contain a pressure mechanism like the filters in thermablock systems. The requisite pressure for properly extracted espresso is very dependent on the fineness and consistency of the grind and the pressure used to tamp the coffee. This machine is all about the ritual of making espresso, meaning you need to pay attention to details like prepping and preheating the machine, and minding the coffee grind and the tamp. The reward, however, is an excellent espresso that trumps what is sold at the typical coffee shop. The Pannarello attachment to the steaming wand removes a lot of the guesswork for making steamed milk and foam. The foam I have had from this machine is dense and luscious and makes my latte feel like a mini-vacation;-). The espressos and lattes I have had from this machine far exceed what I had from the Breville. They're also a lot better than what I (used to) get from Starbucks. Thanks to my Gaggia, I can now get my espresso fix at home (and save beaucoup bucks at the same time)!

We own this machine for 2 years now, and, just like other reviewers noted, it was fast to develop a leak. Gaggia customer support convinced me that it is not their fault, as the gaskets wear out over time. They made me pay excessive fees for the gasket and shipping, and, to my surprise, it did not even fix the problem. However, here is a cheap 25 cent fix... The problem, actually, is in the way they design their product it has cheap plastic parts that support the portafilter on the group head, and they fail pretty fast. At the point of the failure it is not worth fixing it. However, you can take the basket (the metal part that you put your coffee beans into) out, and put a rubber band on it, so that it goes between the edge of the portafilter and the top of the basket. You might have to be careful when choosing the size of the rubber band, and make sure you choose something that is meant to withstand the heat and won't release any harmful materials into your drink (it has no contact with coffee, so it should not.... but still...) You could also look for some rubber ring. The rubber ring should go into the narrow groove on top of the basket as if it belongs there... This will lift the basket a little bit, and make it seal with the gasket. And here it goes great espresso, with lots of crema. Of course, seeing the failures of the engineers to properly test the device before putting it on sale, I would not recommend anyone this product. However, if you have it already, this might extend the life of the useless coffee maker and remind you of the potential that this machine has...

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I live in seattle, Wa, and I live for coffee. I received this Gaggia Espresso Color for christmas this last year (2009) and there is definitely a learning curve... especially going from your regular drip coffee to espresso :-) After reading reviews and tutorials on ''how to pull a perfect shot'' I went to the store, bought a few bags of coffee and got to work. Lets back up a few steps though.

The machine: the machine is beautiful. Its heavy and sturdy, its made with quality parts-the portafilter is heavy like it should be-definitely not a chincy machine. The only quaff I have is the red outer shell is plastic. I would have preferred a metal casing, but thats my only issue. The drip tray is removable and easy to clean. The steaming wand does a wonderful job with heating things relatively quickly-not starbucks fast, but it does the job! The on/off button is in the back of the machine. A little weird, but not difficult to find. This machine is pretty quiet except for the actual brewing part-luckily that takes less than a minute. you get multiple baskets for the portafilter-double, single, and "pod". The seal does NOT leak-the only time it ever has, was when I filled the portafilter with entirely too much coffee and screwed it on too tight. That was operator error, not a faulty machine. You also get a plastic scoop and a plastic tamp-both work well for being plastic. I've never had issues! You will have to buy your own shot glasses, frothing pitcher, and frothing thermometer though.

Review: I noticed that the grind of the coffee needs to be pretty fine to make it pull a good shot-I actually have a cheap Black and Decker blade grinder and it works just fine. You just have to really grind it fine! I also noticed that the roast needs to be Medium-more Brown than Black. I was using a DARK roast and all my shots came out like Tea or Tar. When using Tulley's Medium Breakfast roast, I get a perfect shot-lots of crema and all! tamping isnt too difficult. fill up the portafilter almost all the way with coffee, tamp it down till its packed pretty firmly (not using like ALL your weight, but make sure its solid.). This is an easy machine to use after you practice a while... i'm so so happy with it!

step by step:

1. make sure there is water in the machine.

2. turn on the machine with empty portafilter in place.

3. start grinding your coffee

4. wait for both green lights to be lit

5. place 2 shot glasses under portafilter, and push BREW button to fill with clean, hot water.

6. take portafilter out, and fill with coffee fine coffee grinds. Tamp. Replace portafilter onto machine to keep warm.

7. steam your milk-fill the frothing pitcher halfway with milk, make sure the brew button is OFF! (it its on when you twist the brewing knob, hot water will come out instead of steam!) twist the steam knob with the wand IN the milk. Heat. when finished, put a towel over the end of the wand, twist the knob once more to get a short blast of steam to clear the lines.

8. get your cup or mug and put some flavorings in there if you want.

9. dump the hot water out of the shot glasses from earlier. replace them under the machine, and push "Brew" (make sure the steam knob is OFF!).

10. after shot is done brewing, dump it into mug with flavorings and mix! add your milk, and wahhlahh! Coffee!

make sure you clean your portafilter completely and turn off the machine :-)

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I'd agree with Kaden22 This is a great machine but you have must preheat it according to the instructions, use a quality bean grinder, and get a correct tamp.

I too thought the machine had bad seals as water came pouring out every time I used it. It was very frustrating the first few times I tried it. Yet, I learned other espresso experts that you need a good conical burr grinder. So don't waste your time unless have a decent grinder. Equally important, you need to get the right temperature prior making a shot. If you follow the manufacturers lead, you will you let some water through the pump and then let it preheat for about 8-10 minutes. One more step is to run a tad more H2o to preheat through the filterthen you are ready to tamp your coffee into the filter. Now run the machine et voilayou have a great cup of espresso.

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The first six months were heaven...no more expensive latte's at Starbucks. Then the filter gasket began leaking. I had been cleaning the area after every use. Finally, I ordered another gasket. It was a difficult installation. It worked but the leaks began after one month. They suggest that you clean excess coffee grounds from the filter gasket and I did so religously. I have given up. Do not purchase this machine unless you want a leaker. The water cascades into your latte container along with the brewed coffee, diluting the product to the point you must discard.

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Delonghi EC330-s Pump Espresso Maker

I ordered this machine off amazon.com after reading the very positive reviews on-line about it. The best part was that amazon had it available for just $72 plus shipping (for a refurbished machine). Initially, I was going to order the EC155 (which is very similar), but then noticed that the EC330 was much nicer looking (more stainless) and only cost a few bucks more. Both the EC155, as well as the EC330, received very good reviews.

The basic consensus was that the EC330 was one of the best espresso pump machines around for under $200. This machine has a 15 BAR pump, just like much more costly machines. Pump machines are generally considered better, since they use a pump to produce their pressure. Not only do they provide more consistent pressure throughout the extraction process, but they don't burn the coffee (which produces a more bitter taste) as "steam only" machines do. Steam only machines rely on the pressure from stem in the boiler, which means the water has to be closer to 212 degrees. This is really above the ideal temperature (more like 200 to 203 degrees) for making espresso. Also, steam driven machines generally only produce 4 or 5 bar of pressure, while pump machines produce the full 15 bar needed to make true espresso (well, technically only 10 to 12 bar are needed I believe). In any case, a 15 bar pump machine is considered a much better machine for making espresso.

I ordered this machine in order to play around with making espresso vs. using a french press. With the french press, I brew the coffee on the stove for 5 or 6 minutes, then press it. I use a Bodum manual milk frother to froth the milk (see my review on the Bodum frother, btw) and this system produces a wonderful latte/mocha easily blowing away anything you find at coffee chop shops like Starbucks, etc.

Anyway, prior to plunking down $1200 for a La Pavoni or something, I wanted to see if using a 15 bar pump type espresso machine would make any major differences over the French press method. I also liked the idea of being able to make an espresso vs. just strong black coffee as the foundation for my caffe latte or caffe mochas.

Anyway, the EC330 arrived today. If I'm not mistaken, this machine is mainly sold to the European market. However, it's available as a refurbished unit on amazon.com which is great. As mentioned, it's much nicer than the EC155 and only a few dollars more. Our unit arrived in the factory box, with the factory manual. After taking it out and checking it over, you would be hard pressed to tell it wasn't brand new. It included a factory manual and also a printed sheet with some additional instructions. The sheet said the unit had been tested before leaving and I did see some water around the water tank fitting that tended to support this.

My first impression of the unit was very good. The machine is high quality and well made. While it's not all metal, it does have a nice stainless drip tray and some satin looking metal on the front, etc. The push buttons that control everything have a very nice and smooth feel. There is a warming tray on top and then a removable plastic water tank on the back with a little flip up lid. The overall design and layout of the machine is quite nice. I especially liked how you can take out (and take apart) the drip tray. It removes so you can wash it off quickly. Clean up on this machine is very easy.

There is a steam knob on top. The steam knob feels a little cheap (it's plastic), but certainly not enough to detract from the overall quality feel of the machine (especially given the cost). There is also a steam nozzle on the side for frothing milk. I've used it a few times and it seems to get the job done. I think I need some more practice on steaming milk however. I also need a pitcher like they use in the coffee shops. BTW, the unit does not come with any shot glasses, so you will need to supply your own. I ended up walking across the street and buying some from the brewing company around the corner.

The portafilter is aluminum and plastic. It's fine, but certainly not as heavy duty as a higher quality pro machine. It has two plastic drip spouts on the bottom. The filter basket (the machine comes with a 1 shot and 2 shot size, as well as a little coffee scoop) is nice and can be taken apart for cleaning. Construction seems pretty good. Again, for the money, you can't really complain especially when you consider you can almost spend as much for just a naked portafilter as this entire machine costs :-)

The unit has a little plastic tamper on the under side. I am planning to get a separate tamper to use. The diameter of the filter basket (which inserts into the portafilter) is about 53 mm across from what I can see. I measured it and it's a little under 2 1/8th inches so I'm guessing a 52 or 53 mm tamper would be just about right (don't quote me on that however).

I've pulled a couple of shots with this unit. I got some decent crema by using the finest setting on my coffee grinder and by tamping as hard as I could with the little plastic fitting on the underside of the machine. I'll upload some pictures showing my results in the user photos. As far as taste, the espresso seemed pretty decent (good flavor, a little bitter/sweet taste as you'd expect). I'm no espresso expert, but it seemed pretty good to me.

As far as operation, they directions suggest allowing the machine to warm up for 15 to 30 minutes. However, they say you can pre-heat things faster by running a couple of "water shots" through the unit. The functioning is pretty straight forward. You turn the unit on with the top button, then when it's ready, a light goes on. Each time you pull a shot, the light goes off. Then the unit warms back up and is ready to go again (just takes a few seconds). The machine is more or less manual as far as the time to run the shot goes. In other words, you push the button, the pump turns on, pressure builds up, the shot comes then it's up to you to turn it off. If you don't turn it off, you can run water through the portafilter for pretty much as long as you wish. Also, when you turn the button off, the residual pressure keeps the water flowing for maybe 4 or 5 additional seconds. Clearly it will take a little fiddling around to get that perfect 25 to 30 seconds shot. With that said, I think I like the manual on/off approach over a preset time. I like having the control over how long the pump runs frankly. Kudos to Delonghi for not forcing me into some pre-programmed time limit.

As far as the steaming wand, it's all right. Again, I'm no expert when it comes to frothing milk, but I've seen it done a few times. With a little practice, I was able to get a pretty nice combo of steamed/frothed milk; made a couple of lattes in short order with no problem at all. One thing to note is that because this unit has only one boiler for both making both the espresso as well as making the steam, you do have to take into consideration the difference in temps that result. In other words, if you push the "steam" button, then the unit heats up the water a little more. When it's ready, the "ok" LED goes on and you can turn the knob on top to force steam out the wand. Once you are done, then you turn off the steam button and it takes a minute to cool back down to the proper temperature for making coffee. Of course, you could probably just pull a "water shot" (i.e. with no coffee in the basket) to drop the temp more quickly. The result is that if you heat up the boiler to make steam, then decide you want to quickly make more coffee, the water in the boiler is going to be a few degrees too hot (and this could cause you to burn the coffee during the subsequent extraction if you don't allow things to cool back down a bit). Myself, I didn't find this to be any problem however. And, as mentioned, running some water through to cool things down (and clean things up) is easy enough.

All in all, it's a great little machine. Maybe it doesn't produce the crema that a $2000 machine would, or a lever operated La Pavoni will, but I was actually pretty impressed with how the first couple of shots turned out. As mentioned, I plan to buy a separate hand tamper so I can press the coffee down a bit harder. I don't think Delonghi suggests that, but I'm still gonna do it :-) Also, I think using a slightly finer grind might increase the flavor a bit further as well.

I was happy to see that, after pulling the shot, the grinds in the filter basket are pretty dry. You aren't going to drop out a totally dry puck, but it's close. The grinds are certainly not floating around in a liquid or anything. Just be careful getting them out, because there is a rubber washer in the filter basket. Knocking the portafilter on the side of a trash can worked fine as far as getting the grounds out.

I rated the machine 5 stars. I think for $72 plus a few bucks for shipping, you just can't go wrong here. As far as appearance, I think it stacks up to some of the nearly $500 Breville machines I have seen in the stores. At the end of the day, 15 bar is 15 bar in my opinion. Can you spend more on an espresso machine? Of course... however, for under $100 including shipping, I think this machine will fit the bill for most people. It looks great on the counter and is obviously very well thought out. It produces quite a tasty little cup of espresso without any complaints.

What more can you ask for? I can't think of much.

I'm very pleased with my purchase and I'm not always easy to please ;-) This machine really hits the mark.

For those not wanting to read the long and dull version, here is a quick rundown of the pro's and con's in my humble opinion:

PRO:

1. Price. This thing is a steal at around the $70 to $90 that it costs.

2. Aesthetics. Stainless steel on most of the front is a nice touch.

3. Ease of Use. In 10 to 15 minutes you can bust out a nice cappuccino or whatever your heart desires.

4. Reservoir. Nice size reservoir, lasts me almost a week before topping it off.

CON:

1. Heat. Heating unit takes a minimum of 30 minutes to fully heat up, unless you do the quicky flush.

2. Steam Wand. The thing is tiny and cramped. Not to mention it drips off the drip tray.

3. Steam Knob. It's cheap plastic and gets HOT when the steam is pouring. You can still touch it, but it's not a great feeling.

4. Plastic. Yes, there is stainless steel on much of the front, but there is also plastic in the base and on part of the top.

This unit doesn't seem to have ever officially made it to the US retail chain for some unknown reason. However, with a little searching these units can be had as refurbished or open box units. My open boxed unit set me back about $89 which included shipping and it was in perfect condition. Although on the UK amazon site it's listed for about twice that, a price point which might be a lot harder to swallow.

Unboxing the unit is pretty straightforward and the appearance is very nice. The stainless steel is a very nice effect, I just wish it covered the entire facade of the device. The base tray is plastic, the water reservoir is all plastic and parts of the top cover are plastic. It still looks good on any kitchen counter, but if people can't tell from the picture, plastic is still used extensively in the construction.

During the unboxing the manufacturer has a very urgent warning to read the instructions, which I did, multiple times. Once you go through them a few times they are pretty easy to follow. The instructions start off by saying that the unit has to warm for about 30 minutes or a quick flush can be done by just running the espresso maker twice, minus the coffee obviously. I am fine with the wait/flush option, but the sensor really needs to reflect this. The only indicator is a green light when the device hits temperature, but it turns green when it's not ready and when it is ready. I'd rather it just turn green after the flush or after the 30 minutes. Either way, don't try to pull a shot of espresso when it isn't ready or the green light will turn off prematurely before a full shot is released. All other espresso features are generally ok. Just order your own tamper, as the built in one is useless. It's cheap plastic built right next to the dispensing area, and actually applying pressure is difficult. I'd rather see it done away with entirely and not take up room on the machine.

Steam generally hits temperature fairly quickly and I was satisfied with the amount of steam produced. I was not satisfied with the steam nozzle itself though. It is very cheap plastic and has an extremely limited range of motion. Putting a cup, glass, whatever under it is awkward. Also the thing tends to drip since this does double duty as a hot water dispenser. Dripping wouldn't be an issue if it actually hit the drip tray, but it doesn't! They really should have made a rectangular extension on the drip tray to capture anything coming off the steam nozzle. It should also be noted that when it hits temperature the plastic control knob gets very hot. It won't burn you, but it's a little bit disconcerting and it's not something you would want to keep your hand on. But the plastic hasn't melted yet, so no worries so far.

As for making a decent espresso, I have yet to succeed. I first used grounds that were too course and now I'm pretty sure that my grounds are too fine. I have no doubt though that it is possible to have a good shot of espresso using this machine once you tweak all the variables. Thankfully my drink of choice is cafe au lait and this machine performs that duty very admirably and cheaply.

Overall, despite the obvious shortcomings, I am happy with this machine, especially at the price point. For under $100 I think this machine is a great value and I have no regrets. Once you get above the $100 range though, the listed retail, I might start to think the machine is overpriced for what you get.

Buy Delonghi EC330-s Pump Espresso Maker Now

I had read some reviews on this machine and was a little hesitant to purchase it based on some of the reviews by folks that were not able to get it to work like they wanted. After making some espresso and some cappuccino with it now, I have to say, this is a very good machine and easy to use. It makes very good espresso with a nice froth on it. It's possible the folks having some problems with it are not letting it heat up long enough. The manual says it needs to heat up for 30 minutes, so that's what I did and it works great.

I was very impressed with how quickly and easily this machine steamed milk compared to my old (steam-driven) machine. My old machine required some practice to get the steam wand at the right depth for steaming the milk. This machine was just some much easier. The milk started to immediately froth up. No problem at all.

I would definitely recommend this machine to anyone looking for a reasonably priced pump driven machine.

Read Best Reviews of Delonghi EC330-s Pump Espresso Maker Here

Excellent value for a well constructed espresso machine.

One of the better entry level machines.

Easy to use, espresso was hot and flavorful.

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Difficult to steam milk...doesn't produce very hot coffee either. Disappointed after reading other reviews. Might be good if you only like the espresso.