DeLonghi BAR41 Retro Espresso/Cappuccino Maker
by DeLonghi
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: DeLonghiBrand: DeLonghi
Model: BAR41
Product features:
- Brews espresso and froths milk for cappuccinos and caffe lattes
- 1 ground coffee filter holder, another for coffee pods
- Unique frothing chamber; automatically self-primes, provides quick startup
- Removable 2-quart water tank for easy filling; stainless-steel boiler
- Measures 11 by 13 by 12-1/2 inches; 1-year warranty
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of DeLonghi BAR41 Retro Espresso/Cappuccino Maker
Customer Review: Best I have ever owned
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my third DeLonghi espresso machine over a period of about ten years. I work at home, so my espresso machines get a workout. I've had this one for about a week now, and have been totally satisfied thus far.
This makes the best espresso and lattés of any machine I have owned. It also looks great on the counter, though its footprint is a bit large if you only plan to use the machine occasionally.
The "emulsion frothing chamber" has nothing to do with the milk steamer (see the complaint in an earlier review); it is a device within the filter basket that helps produce an incredibly thick "crema" on every espresso shot. It's amazing, and definitely adds to the "wow" factor if you're serving espresso to guests.
I read some reviews that complained about the water reservoir developing a leak. This doesn't have to be a problem; it's much easier anyway to simply leave the reservoir in place all of the time and use a jug to refill it.
The instruction manual is a bit anal retentive (and not very well translated). The oddest warning it contains is to let the machine preheat for at least 30 minutes(!) before brewing (this is NOT an option when I'm making my first coffee in the morning). True, the water becomes marginally hotter after the machine has warmed up for a while, but the machine brews a perfectly respectable espresso as soon as the "ready" light goes on (about 3-4 minutes).
The machine also makes a great "café Americano." Just use one scoop of espresso, and run about 8 oz of water through instead of just filling a demitasse.
One last note: what's up with the "pods"? Have we become so helpless and/or lazy that we're willing to pay three times as much for coffee in order not to have to scoop ground coffee into a filter basket? I mean, how hard is that? The "pod holder" that came with my unit (and added a few bucks to the price, no doubt) went straight into the back of a drawer, never to be seen again.
Description of DeLonghi BAR41 Retro Espresso/Cappuccino Maker
Strikingly retro in appearance but thoroughly up-to-date in performance, this machine comes with two filter holders to brew espresso either from ground coffee or from coffee pods. (Pods are readily available from companies such as Illy and Starbucks.) The ground-coffee filter holder has filters for brewing either one or two cups, and the other filter stores in the top of the machine along with an accompanying coffee scoop. A unique frothing chamber makes it easy to froth milk for cappuccinos and café lattés. Other contemporary features include a durable stainless-steel boiler, a 2-quart, transparent water tank that removes for filling at the sink and cleaning, and a self-priming system that eliminates annoying startup preparations.The machine's retro look is achieved by combining shiny and matte-finish black plastic with matte-finish silver plastic and plenty of the curves popular for everything from automobiles to appliances in the '50s. The plastic cleans easily, and the frothing chamber comes off with a twist so it, too, can be readily cleaned. Made in Italy and packing 1,100 watts of power, the machine measures 11 inches wide, 13 inches high, and 12-1/2 inches deep and carries a one-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack
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