DeLonghi BAR32 Retro Pump-Driven 35 ounce Espresso Maker

Having played with expresso makers of Krupp Gusto variety for several years, this is a real expresso coffee machine and a joy to operate. Some say expresso machines are messy, well, not really; it all depends on whether or not your a real coffee fan. Want a great cup of regular coffee; for this machine run four to five volumes (like making expresso, only you quadruple the volume) through the coffe holder. Being a Community Coffee fan (dark roast), you simply grind it finer and follow Delonghi's instructions for expresso, or for regular coffee (see above)! Great stuff, great expresso macine.

I was excited after several years of using my beginner Krups machine to replace it with a more powerful espresso maker. Unfortunately, I am disappointed because I have yet to get a decent froth and the espresso is inconsistent.

This product has fallen very far short of my least expectations. The rubber grommets that keep this in place are not securely attached and constantly fall off. There is catch basin between the water container and the pump, which is theoretically a great idea in case you overfill it. However, in the case of this poorly-made product, every time you fill up the water container, most of the water leaks out into the catch basin and out all over your counter. The motor is exceptionally loud. I would not recommend this product even to my worst enemy. I'm willing to bet that a cheap $30 expresso maker from Target or Wal-Mart would beat this hands-down in overall quality.

As a long-time home espresso brewer, I was delighted to receive the EC140B as a holiday 2004 gift. It was a nice upgrade from my existing machine.

Well, it's been less than 2 months and I'm glad I didn't toss the old machine when I got the deLonghi because without it I'd have no morning brew. The rubber grommet that holds the screen snugly within the filter head has completely fallen apart rendering the EC140B unuseable for want of this little piece of rubber.

I've visited deLonghi's website, but it's incomplete (doesn't appear to have been updated since it went online in March 2004) and the Customer Service phone number in the documentation that came with the machine is "No longer in service." I'm willing to accept a percentage of product failure, but deLonghi can't or won't stand behind their product quality. Beware.

I've been using this machine for a little over a year now. It works quite well and makes a nice espresso. However, I'm having some trouble lately with the frother. It's not working. I turn the knob to begin frothing and there's no steam. A couple of times this happened and I waited a few moments and then steam came out, but the last couple of times the steam has not come out. I hate when these things happen right outside the warranty period.

I've been a coffee snob for several years have several brewing machines scattered throughout my kitchen. Since I got this machine xmas morning, all the others brewing systems have become obsolete.

It produces plenty of steam in a jiff, and the removable water tank is very handy (especially for use with my water filter). While I scoffed at the thought of using the ESE pre-packed espresso pods, it came with a tin of them, so I tried them out since all local coffee houses were closed (and I had no beans!). The ESEs make a pass-able cup of espresso--not the darkest roast, but the convenience of a pod is handy. I have some Major Dikason's blend from Peets which I made regular espresso and Americanos out of. Delicious, thick, creamy.

This machine is a steal at this price. I've had to get the hang of packing my grounds in the handle, however. If I pack too tightly, the cream only comes out as a trickle. I suppose that's the case with most home machines, however. Also, it has a built in tamper on the frame of the machine, and I consider that to be a bit of a mess and kind of sketchy. Go buy a tamper sperately.

This is a great little machine. For any price under $200 it's a steal.

Don't worry about the poor reviews on this machine. If you take the time to find the correct grind and heat your milk in the microwave a little before you steam it you will make a great $4.00 coffee everytime! I have been using the machine for a little over a month and have been very impressed.

Good machine but if you need repair be ready to wait for a very long time. After 3 months of use my steam valve started to become stiff and eventually started to leak. I called Delonghi and got referred to take my machine to a local (thank goodness its local) repair shop. 2+ months later I'm still waiting for the replacement part to come in from Delonghi. I'm sick of "instant expresso" while I wait and wait and wait for the replacement part.

Delonghi does not truly support their products. When it worked it was a good machine but if I ever get this back, and if it fails again, I'm buying a better product.

I've had this machine for about 6 months now and I've had no major problems with it. The gaskets are fine, the tank doesn't leak and the frother works fine thus far. I did have to experiment quite a bit to get a decent shot with decent crema but I've got it down now. As with kidnugget I was an ESE snob as well... at first... but for a quick, no mess shot on a work day morning they can't be beat. I'm not a big Illy fan as their roast never seems dark enough for me but the pods have grown on me when I'm in a hurry. I also agree with kidnugget on the built in tamper, it's just another thing to clean, my handheld tamper works as well without the mess and I can get more pressure. The tighter the pack the darker the crema, even if it drips a bit slower. I like the removable tank, it's easy to fill and clean.
On the downside, it is loud (though it quiets down after warmup) and it's labor intensive on the cleanup and its time intensive in the preparation if you use loose grounds. I like my coffee strong and the filter doesn't hold enough grounds for me to get one strong shot so I have to prepare a second bowl to get it as I like it, so it takes time. The frother isn't automatic, you have to work with it but I like that better anyway as I like my foam my way. The instructions say to plan for about 30 minutes warmup but that's not true, it's only a few minutes if you follow all the steps. Still it takes 10+ minutes to finish a latte or cappucino, including cleanup, longer if you use loose grounds as you will need to clean the connection that the filter holder attaches to thoroughly as I can see how left over grounds could mess up the rubber gaskets.
Delonghi's website is worthless but there are other online companies that provide parts.
I would recommend this machine as a decent, middle of the road product. Don't expect miracles but it's been solid so far.

Despairing of ever finding decent espresso in the Midwest, I finally broke down and decided to get a home espresso machine. I had worked as a barrista, and had sipped espresso in Italy, so I had some idea of how it should taste.

Being relatively poor, I wanted a machine that would deliver a decent espresso, at a decent price. Though I was willing to consider a system with proprietary coffee pods (K-cups, Tassimo, etc), it would have to be cheap enough that I wouldn't mind shelling out the extra bucks for the coffee itself. And I also wanted to make sure that it was pump-driven, not steam-driven.

After checking reviews and looking around, I finally settled on the DeLonghi BAR32. It's a pump-driven maker, not steam driven, so it's not scorching the grounds as it brews. And it comes with a single and a double espresso filter.

The DeLonghi uses either ground espresso, or E.S.E. espresso pods. The E.S.E. pods are not proprietary - any company can make them. The DeLonghi comes with a package of 18 Illy pods (retail - $12). The pods are convenient, but still expensive.

I've had the espresso maker for several days, and I'm happy with it so far. With the pods, it pulls a good single espresso with a satisfactory crema. Sugar floats on top of the crema for about 2-3 seconds, and it has a nice golden color. The espresso tastes very smooth.

Pulling a good single espresso, either with the pods or loose coffee, is pretty easy. Use the pods as a good judge of how tightly to pack the grounds in the filter. Use a level, loosely packed scoop of coffee for a single shot.

Pulling a good double, on the other hand, still eludes me. The best I've come up with is to use 2 scoops, 3/4 full and loosely packed, and pressed looser than for a single. Even then, it still dribbles out slowly, with a less-than-satisfactory (though present) crema.

The steam wand works very well. I've made several excellent cappuccinos and lattes with it. It's a little cramped to use, so I pull mine to the edge of the counter so that I can get a good mug under it. I steam straight into the mug of milk, and then add the espresso. Make sure to blow some steam through it to clear out condensation before putting it in your milk. Start with the steam wand nearly submerged in the milk, and then slowly pull it out (lower the mug) until you hear a gentle "sipping" sound. That means that it's frothing. If you see noticeable bubbles on top of the milk, that means you've pulled it out too far - dip it back in slowly and you should be able to whip the bubbles into froth. Once the froth is just below the level you want it, submerge the wand back into the milk to finish heating it. Listen again - once the milk starts to sound "hollow," it's nearly hot enough. Let it go for a few more seconds, then shut off the steam, and remove the mug. The wand will drip a bit, so put it over the drip tray or an empty mug.

Making espresso is fairly easy. Turn the machine to "Heat" to start heating the water and priming the pump. Make sure the filter holder is screwed into the machine. Once the "Hot" light comes on, run an espresso cycle without coffee into the cup you'll use - pulling espresso into a cold cup will ruin the flavor. Fill the cup half-way with hot water, and turn the machine back to "Heat." Empty and quickly dry the espresso cup. Put the E.S.E. pod or ground espresso into the filter (tamp down the loose espresso) and twist it into the machine. Turn the machine on, and wait until you've got your cup of espresso. A single espresso should be 30-40ml, or 1-1.5oz. I used a measuring cup to see what that looked like in my demitasse cups.

Looking back over what I've written, I suppose I do make it look a little complicated. And it is a little bit more complicated that popping the K-cup into the machine, and hitting "Go." But it really is pretty easy, and less than 5 minutes pass between "You know, I could go for a cappuccino," and "Man, that's a tasty cappuccino."

Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Good pressure
- Easy to make a good single shot of espresso
- Uses pods or loose grounds
- 2 dials + 0 buttons = easy to use
- Outstanding steam wand
- 32oz water reservoir lets you make 3 or 4 cappuccinos, or 6 to 8 espressos, without refilling
- Built-in tamper means one less part to lose
- Pre-heat cycle helps make good espresso

Cons:
- Hard to make a good double espresso (might just be me)
- Steam wand leaks slightly (usually at the start of a brewing cycle - I just keep mine over the drip tray)


In the end, the machine makes a good espresso, especially for the price, but remember that you're not going to be running a coffee shop with it. I definitely recommend it for anybody who wants to make their own espresso, but wants to do it for under $200.

From the first time I used this machine, I've made delicious, rich cappucinos! My first pump driven machine. The pods included are really quite good, and I have tried other brands since. I enjoy grinding my own, but the pods are so much less messy. I recommend this.

If you want to make 30 cups of espresso then go ahead and buy this. It makes OK coffee. If you want more than this though go buy something else from someone else. The steam tap on mine jammed and it has been at Delonghi for repair now for over four months (YES MONTHS) and I still don;t know when it will be returned, if ever. Customer service know (or share) nothing. I have since done a lot of internet research and it's littered with tales of disgraceful customer 'service' by Delonghi. (I wish I'd done this before buying.) Don't waste your time and money like I did.

I got this machine as a gift for Valentine's Day. I spent a number of years in Seattle and am a bit spoiled when it comes to quality coffee drinks, so my dh thought this would be a great idea.

It makes a great espresso...and is very convenient.

It is now June and the black frother on the steam wand, has fallen off and the threads are stripped on it (the plastic part). I called to get a replacement and the customer service rep. was not helpfull at all...when I told her I could not find the model #, the only thing was the logo with E.S.E. on the front and the ser# on the bottom, along with warnings written in several languages, but no model number...her response was "Ma'am, there HAS to be a model number on the machine" "it's there, you just aren't looking for it" over, and over, and over, but could not tell me exactly where to find the number, I practically disassembled the machine to no avail...I will be happy to apologize to her for chewing her out if someone would tell me *exactly* where on the machine, I can find the mod#. She would not transfer me to a supervisor and I ended up calling back and leaving a message telling them what I need...supposedly they will respond in 24-48 hours...so here I sit with a $150 machine that I can't use entirely.

My guess is their customer service is outsourced to another company and the customer service people answering the phone don't know squat about the products they are answering calls about.

This is our first espresso maker in our home. We've had it for several weeks now--many many cups worth--and we're still impressed. It makes a wonderful cup of espresso, and lattes too. It is well thought out, and well put together; seems very solid. Instructions were good. This was a great buy for the money, and I can't imagine the espresso makers costing hundreds more being any better than this.

I am a former Krupps Maximo user. After 10 years of replacing the 15 bar pump annually, this machine has an 18 bar pump for half the price. I agree with Kidnugget and Kevin T. Quinn, they have practical tips. It also has a dual thermoblock system, which essentially means the steam iron and espresso block heat simultaneously which makes it all faster, and you can nearly go straight from espresso pumping to steaming/frothing. Beware of pulling steam iron out of milk, big bubbles mean you have scalded your milk. The jet frother is far superior to the Krupps snorkel system- which any italian would slap you upside the head for using. This is twice the machine of any Krupps I have used (Maximo, Novo), more powerful, faster, precision jet frother. I can make a cuppa and cleanup in less than 7 minutes. Either I am used to it, or I am a woman using this machine instead of a man. I do agree with getting your own solid metal tamper, you want to put about 35-45 lbs of packing pressure, which the plastic one on the machine can't provide. I use Lappert beans, strong roast, good creama. Paid $135 for machine, good price. Have not owned it long enough to give 5 stars, would need to know longevity and service record.

I love this espresso machine! It makes a very smooth cup of espresso and is very easy to use. There is no automatic anything with this machine so if you are looking to basically just push a button, and presto there's your espresso, then this one isn't for you. You probably will not get an automatic type of machine for under about $400. anyway. So for the price, and quality of the espresso it makes, this cannot be beat! It also takes up a minimal amount of counter space and is a very attractive looking espresso machine. This is the 2nd one I've owned: I had the same model for almost 3 years before the motor started going out. And considering I used it every day, I think I really got my money's worth. The new one I just purchased had a 2 year warrenty for labor and parts available for only $17.00, which I did purchase.

Well, we've had this for about a month now, and it gets daily use. So far we love it, EXCEPT I really am not getting a good froth. Other than that, it's easy to use and makes wonderful coffee. My husband would agree with another reviewer in that he says it's not strong enough. This is the most expensive coffee machine that I've ever purchased, and am very happy with it and would recommend it. Loved the Illy pods it came with and will have to get some more! It makes a really quick cup of espresso! NO MESS!! This is nice as I am unable to function in the morning without it!

Easy to use and convenient, this espresso maker can produce a drink with a crema like golden cumulostratus clouds glimmering in the sunset. The only fault I've found is that the espresso doesn't seem that STRONG. I use a dark roasted bean, which I grind each morning to a fine espresso ground, yet still the results aren't as potent as I would like. This is probably better for my stomach lining and ability to type coherently at work, but otherwise, not as much fun. Overall good coffeemaker.

This DeLonghi BAR32 Espresso Maker is the only budget priced espresso maker that I can find that does not have aluminum its water/coffee path. The boiler, porta-filter & baskets, brew group, and steam wand are all stainless steel (albeit the wand has a plastic tip).

I thought the Capressopro with a slightly larger stainless boiler might qualify as aluminum free and provide good competition but the porta-filter itself is made of aluminum (although it does have stainless basket inserts) and is TWICE THE PRICE than the Delonghi BAR32. It is questionable that the acidic coffee might poor over onto the aluminum porta filter and leach aluminum at the bottom of the porta-filter after exiting the stainless baskets - although Capresso implies no in their Ads.

Being a longtime espresso user, starting with the steam machines years ago, and moving up to a "cheap" Mr. Coffee pump driven(1st pump machine) I couldn't believe the difference in taste between the machines. Have had the Mr. Coffee for about 4 years, wanted to update with a sleeker model, so bought this one online. Had to send it back upon arrival, it was damaged. Got the 2nd one and it came with those nice Illy Pods, love them! BUT the machine has serious issues! I pull double shots and as other users say sometimes it come out ok, sometimes very slow or not at all. Used ground coffee and it seemed to plug the filter up(coffee wasn't even the fine espresso grind) more of a mix, as I grind my own beans. Took the whole machine apart twice as the manual shows, but still plugged up the filter basket. Turns out theres some little valve like plunger at the bottom of the filter basket that gets stuck. Have ordered another one, told it will take 4-6 weeks, since they are on backorder(what does that tell you), it was brand new, and in order to get it serviced I'd have to drive 50+ miles to drop it at the nearest service center...needless to say customer service is terrible. All this hassle for a $100.00 machine! I'm going out today to buy a new machine and it won't be this one.Also have just bought the same brand coffee maker, sending that back. Major issues...I don't know if it's just my bad luck, but this brand is not for me.

We've had this espresso maker for over a year now and it's done everything we want it to do. This is our first one and we are not esprsso pros so we feel we made the right choice for the money.
One complaint would be that the steam nozle is very low to the counter top, so you have to move the unit to the edge of the counter to get any decent size cup under it.

I've had this machine for a few weeks now, and the coffee I'm pulling from it is great. It's not quite as good as what I can get from a fancy machine like a Rancilio Silvia, but it's a lot better than I got from my old cheap Krups machine. The steam wand is good, and the pods are surprisingly convenient.

Unfortunately, the reviewers complaining about machine quality turn out to have a point -- this morning I discovered that somehow the smaller portafilter basket has managed to twist itself so that it's stuck in the filter holder, and nothing I've tried has even come close to getting it out. The baskets for this machine have small notches that line up with the basket holder to make sure things are lined up properly, and if they're stuck, so are you. I can't quite figure out why anyone would bother making sure that a round and completely symmetrical basket lines up properly, but some genius at DeLonghi clearly thought it was a good idea.

Now I'll have to either send it back for service or see if I can mail-order a new filter holder.

Not exactly what I'd wanted to be doing with a still-pretty-new machine.

It isn't useless now, since I can still use the smaller portafilter, but overall it's a disappointing failure.

I'd give this machine five stars if the build quality was just a bit better.

We've had several other brands of espresso makers before and this one is the best so far. The espresso is wonderful and being able to use the pods sure saves a lot of time. The frothing arm really makes frothing effortless, much easier than any other machine we've had. The only problem with it that we've noticed is the frothing arm should be higher up on the machine because it is impossible to get a mug with milk under it, unless it is moved to the edge of the counter. It took a few tries to figure everything out, but it is a great machine Other than the one problem we've noticed it works perfectly and has saved us a bunch on buying lattes.