Owly Rating
63/100
| Appearance | 16/20 |
| Features | 14/20 |
| Performance | 12/20 |
| Health & safety | 8/20 |
| Price to value | 13/20 |
Bottom line
Delonghi EC155 review: this machine is a simple pump espresso and cappuccino maker that comes at a reasonable price tag. I appreciated that unlike other espresso machines, DeLonghi Espresso EC155 is a compact and lightweight appliance. Despite some positives, I did not love the machine. It came with simple features, and performed okay. Took a bit of time to brew a cup of espresso. I did not like that the machine was plastic, and looked like it was cheaply made. I was not able to find an officially published statement that it was BPA-free. I experienced a couple of issues with the frothing wand.
This product can be perfect for
Small kitchen, offices or dorms. Baristas that are at the beginning of brewing journeys.
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Why choose DeLonghi EC155 over others?
Though not as advanced as DeLonghi ESAM 3300 or Breville’s BES870XL, I felt that DeLonghi EC155 could be a feasible choice for some.
I think that this machine shines with its reasonable price point (on average, below $100). It comes with a stainless steel boiler, which is among the best heating elements for a perfect brewing temperature.
Further, the machine supposedly comes with a 15-BAR abilities. Just like we covered in the article on the BAR pressure for espresso machines, 15-BAR is on the high end of what to purchase among espresso machines. 15-BAR pressure allows the machine to kick-off brewing at an ideal 10-11 BARs, for proper coffee and flavor extractions.
Here are some distinct features of DeLonghi Espresso EC155:
- Easy and quick to use due to simple structure and functionality
- Affordable price
- Easy, straightforward and quick brewing process + maintenance
- Versatile exterior appearance
Who is DeLonghi EC155 perfect for?
As I was testing this machine for the Delonghi EC155 review, I really wanted to understand who would most likely fall in love with this product. Without much further ado, I believe that Delonghi EC155 can be a satisfying choice for:
✓ Individuals or families that would like an espresso machine at a low price
✓ Easy and convenient to use machine
✓ Compact and more lightweight
✓ Beginning coffee barista
✓ Individuals who do not care so much about high quality coffee
Who is Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus NOT perfect for?
As you may know by now, my policy is to always be fair and transparent in my reviews. This will be no different for this DeLonghi EC155 review.
With that, I feel like DeLonghi Espresso EC155 might be an imperfect choice for the following reasons:
✗ Desire for an advanced machine with sophisticated features
✗ Plastic-free appliance
✗ Transparency on the BPA-status
✗ A complex and multi-functional machine that brews a variety of beverages, such as lattes and cappuccinos
✗ Impatient coffee lovers – brewing can take a bit of time
✗ Sophisticated individuals and families who appreciate nuances of high quality coffee
DeLonghi EC155 Review and Evaluation 🕵️
→ Appearance
Owly Rating
16/20
Delonghi EC155 is made primarily of plastic. Though looks a bit cheaply made, the machine is elegant and looks reliable. Overall, this espresso maker is very compact, measuring merely 11 inches in height, and weighs about 7 pounds. Can be a true gem!
Admittedly, DeLonghi EC155 is nothing like much more advanced DeLonghi ESAM330 or Breville BES840XL. Despite this, I really enjoyed the exterior of the DeLonghi EC155. Though it’s made primarily with plastic, the machine seemed reliable and sturdy.
The exterior structure is made with black plastic, but there are several stainless-steel or metallic elements, including a drip tray.
The unit comes with a frother, cup warmer, and a basic cup and filter system. For someone who has limited space in his kitchen, I was delighted to see that the DeLonghi Espresso EC155 is a relatively compact device.
→ Features and technical specs
Owly Rating
14/20
DeLonghi EC155 comes with neat basic features. I especially loved that it was 15-BAR machine, and that it came with the manual frother (not of the best quality). There’s little space between the drip tray and the brewer, which allows only for a very small cup to fit in.
Voltage: DeLonghi Espresso EC155 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.
Basket size: A portafilter is very small, and it barely holds 2 scoops of coffee grounds.
Beverage size: The Delonghi EC155 can provide single or double espresso, cappuccino or latte, but I usually prefer the double espresso when I want to be fresh for a new day. And a 1.6-ounce cup of coffee does the trick.
Interestingly, only a very small cup under the brewer in this machine. That was an inconvenience.
Weight: The appliance weighs around 6.7 pounds. It is among the most lightweight espresso machines that I have reviewed. I found it very easy to unpack, set on my counter, and perform any cleaning. I hope that the majority of people would find it as easy.
Unit size: Delonghi EC155 is compact. It measures about 8 in depth, 10 in width, and about 11 inches in height. It fits perfectly on my countertop.
Water reservoir: DeLonghi EC155 comes with a 35oz removable water reservoir. In order to refill water, I had to pull the reservoir up. However, I also re-filled water by pouring the water from the cup. Either one worked for me.
Additional perks: Though DeLonghi Espresso EC155 is a simple machine, it comes with several awesome features that I felt were sufficient for a beginning or intermediate coffee barista.
✓ DeLonghi Espresso EC155 has an in-built functionality to keep water warm in the water reservoir. Consequently, I was able to brew espresso at any time, without the need to wait for water to heat up. I do have 2 “buts” on this: 1) I am not sure whether it’s energy-friendly to keep water heated for an extended period of time, and 2) there are some temperature swings when I brew more than 2 shots of espresso.
✓ The filter holder is versatile enough to allow 3 different holders for coffee: an espresso shot, a double espresso, and an easy-serve espresso pod.
→ Performance
Owly Rating
12/20
Delonghi EC155 could brew one shot, double shot or an easy-serve espresso. Brewing took a bit of time. Coffee was okay, but milk froth came out a bit too watery.
Brewing time: The whole brewing process took me up to 5-7 minutes. This was a lot for a tiny shot of espresso. About 1-2 minutes for the appliance to heat up water, and about 1.5 minutes for the “green” button to be ready. From this point, the coffee needed around 1-2 minutes to be brewed.
Flavor: I felt that shots of espresso were okay. Because the machine is small, there’s not a lot of space to accommodate sufficient amount of coffee grounds. Therefore, my cups were not as strong or rich as I desired.
Temperature: During my tests, I measured the temperature of water heated in this DeLonghi EC155. I recorded temperature of anywhere between 180 and 190 F degrees, which is close to the perfect brewing temperature. However, the temperature was not constant.
Milk Frother: Delonghi EC155 comes with a manual milk frother. The frothing wand has the ability to warm up milk by using steam. I used the frother by holding the frother nozzle lower in the pitchen. That way, the head was just under the surface thus warming up milk and creating some froth.
Unfortunately, there were a couple of problems with my milk frother. First, it did not stay off to the side. It always kept swinging back over the tray, which was quite bothersome while brewing coffee. Second, I felt like the milk froth was a bit watery.
Pressure / pressure gauge: DeLonghi EC155 is apparently capable to brew at 15 bars of pressure. An espresso maker should come with anywhere between 10- to 15-BAR pressure. This allows the machine to kick off brewing at about 10-11 BARs, which can extract coffee grounds properly.
Noise levels: The power needed to fire up two shots of espresso is significant. Just like with other espresso machines, there’s some noise associated with brewing a shot of espresso.
Cleaning: It was fairly simple to clean the machine, but took a bit of time, regardless. The drip tray and water reservoir pop out without any hassle. However, the portafilter was a bit of a pain. There were quite a few parts to disassemble. Overall, since it is a fairly small machine, there was only a sensible amount of work required.
Customer-reported technical issues
From what I have seen, many users truly love this machine. I personally have experienced only minor issues with the machine.
There were a few users who expressed their concerns regarding the machine. Here is what they have said:
- The machine allegedly does not age well. Some users report that while the machine works well at the beginning, it becomes wonky over time.
- The machine can yield plastic flavor in coffee. This might have to do with the fact that the machine is made mostly with plastic.
- Portafilter is very small and it tends to rust after some time.
→ Health and safety
Owly Rating
8/20
Unlike a more expensive DeLonghi ESAM330, DeLonghi EC155 is very plastic-oriented. I was also disappointed that I was not able to find any official statements whether DeLonghi espresso EC155 was BPA-free.
I’ve searched the package and looked on the machine to see if the product is BPA free. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed that the company did not make it easy to know for sure whether or not EC155 contained or did not contain BPA.
→ Price to value: is DeLonghi EC155 worth the money?
Owly Rating
13/20
Though rather affordable, typically in the upper $$ price point. I find DeLonghi to come with an okay price-to-value ratio. It’s affordable, but there are some inconveniences associated with the machine.
Brewing quality espresso is no easy task, especially when I want to do it on a tight budget.
The machine performed finely, though there were some inconveniences. The frothing wand did not operate as expected. Espresso tasted alright, but not nearly as good as brewed in some other espresso machines.
Last, but not least, I wonder about the materials and their quality used in the production of this espresso machine.
Should I buy DeLonghi EC155? Owly’s verdict! 🔨
I can see many similarities between DeLonghi EC155 and Zojirushi Zutto coffee maker (5 cup) or AmazonBasics coffee maker. Those can be good machines for beginning users, for a small or tight space, such as a dorm or an office. The appliance can brew espresso and froth milk.
Personally, I feel like DeLonghi could have done a bit more to create a much stronger product.
I did not appreciate some of the design (e.g. frothing wand was always sliding back to the drip tray, thus obstructing espresso brewing, milk frother made the froth watery, the machine was made mostly with plastic, etc.).
What do you think about DeLonghi EC155? What was your experience with DeLonghi Espresso EC155?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments, under this DeLonghi EC155 review!
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