Delonghi BCO 410

I have wanted a coffee machine for years. This occurred when I went around to my friend’s house, from the United States. I used to drink allot of filter coffee and more often Decaffeinated Instant. However when I had a coffee at there’s, It was then that I realised that Instant coffee was certainly not "coffee". Real coffee comes from a machine (or Costa Coffee.) It was then that I decided that I would get myself a real Coffee machine. I finally managed to get one 1 month ago. I originally considered getting a Bosch Tassimo Machine- but I heard that the capsules were very expensive. I decided then, that I wanted to get an Italian Coffee machine. You can spend up to £2000 on a coffee machine- but personally I prefer to spend that money on a Car (the next Italian made “machine I review, will be a Fiat Panda- my first car!!!) I then set a Budget of £120.00 and got researching. It was then I came across the De’longhi BC0 410 Combination machine, capable of making 10 cups of filter coffee, Latte's, espressos and cappuccinos- without the cost of capsules.

Performance: The two main compartments of the machine is the espresso component and the 10 capacity cup filter coffee maker. I have so far been extremely with both the espresso machine and the filter coffee maker. I shall now talk about them separately.

(Espresso Maker) Espresso is made from ground coffee. Water is forced through the ground coffee and then through the filter, into the cup- apparently the best pressure bar for the forcing of water through the ground coffee is between 15-19 bar pressure. Mine forces it through, bar 15. I have to say that the espresso maker is extremely effective. It makes excellent espresso, at the right strength. This is partially to do with the coffee measure spoon. It allows you to press the push the coffee into the filter so it brews evenly. The espresso machine also has an integrated “crema” device for espresso making- giving a layer of creamy froth on top of each espresso.

(Milk Frother) To make Lattes and Cappuccinos you first make an espresso. (Turn the silver chrome dial to the right) once, and then twist again when the "OK" button illuminates, (with the coffee in the metal espresso filter.) You can then add heated milk by turning the dial to the left. When the "OK" light illuminates you can therefore heat the milk with the chrome metal spout.

(Filter coffee): To make filter coffee all you need to do- is fill the water tank up (Pull the handle on the machine) to the amount of coffee you want to make (up to 10 cups.) You then add a filter to the machine- and ground coffee into a separate holder. You then close this compartment and press the picture jug button- brewing starts, almost instantly. Under the glass carafe there is a heated plate keeping the coffee warm for several hours after brewing time.

Is this machine quiet?

Yes the machine is certainly quiet enough- filter coffee making is almost silent- after the initial 1 minute boil (10 cups.) The espresso machine is a little louder as it forces water through the hot water through the coffee. The milk frother is also silent.

Durability and Maintenance: This machine has so far been very durable- the only thing that concerns me is the espresso water drip plate scratches easily. The maintenance of this machine however is extremely easy. All you need to do to descale the machine is to insert citric acid and let the system run with just water- in both components (Espresso and the filter coffee machine) To clean the milk frother/heater you simply pull the chrome metal cover and the plastic chute of the milk frother and rinse- after you use the milk frother. It is wise to jet steam through the machine for 3 seconds to eject any excess milk inside the frother. You will also need to empty the espresso drip tray and rinse it from time to time, and wipe the machine down to keep it dust free.

Safety: As with any coffee machine there is always a small possibility in burning yourself with the machine- however this is easily avoided. DO NOT open any water filters without turning the machine off. NEVER hold your hand underneath the milk frother when ejecting steam. The coffee machine might be heavy for some too, at 5.9 kilograms- follow these simple steps (and take note of the weight warning) and the machine is perfectly safe to use!

Users Manual: As always I found the writing in the manual to small. Luckily the manual used pictures to illustrate how to use the machine. Sadly I find pictures hard to use and prefer writing. The manual for me then was therefore, useless, though it was a great help to the person who helped me set it up!

Value For Money: The initial cost of £106.99 from Amazon is quite expensive. However this machine is fairly cheap to run- compared to Tassimo or capsule machines (though this machine can actually take capsules.) I stick to ground coffee as it is much cheaper and lasts me 1-2 weeks. I buy my ground coffee from Waitrose as it blends quality with price- at £2.50 for 227g. You will also need to buy coffee filter papers for the filter coffee component which can be bought for approximately £1.20 for 40 papers. (PLAIN, because of the ink) Kitchen roll is equally effective and cheaper depending on the supermarket you buy from.

Other benefits?

It makes my room smell really nice in the morning!

*For image 3

"Dial description, starting from the from the left dial. Steam milk, Centre position, machine off, right left dial, espresso heater, Right dial 2, Brew espresso. OK light. (Ready to brew, heat milk)"

I hope you enjoyed reading my review, which shall be published on Dooyoo by JonathonCross shortly.