DeLonghi BAR32 Retro Pump-Driven 35 ounce Espresso Maker

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.
Rating: 4 / 5

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.
Rating: 5 / 5

(December 20, 2008) I’ve learned to live with it and it will work very well for a long time, apparently. Two things I have learned to do:

1 – time the drip once it starts flowing (16-20 seconds, then shut it off or turn to steam setting – this limits quantity to the desired 2 ounces)

2 – clean the water reservoir carefully every couple of months (this stops leaking onto the counter).

So … now I feel I can control the machine so it works just fine all the time.

…………………….

The next paragraphs are from my EARLY review. After 6 months, though, I found out that the machine is not reliable. Some valve or switch inside started to fail to shut off, causing the espresso-making function to continue twice as long as it should and even longer. This seriously diluted the expressed coffee (I overcome this now by removing my cup and catching the excess for disposal with a second cup). THEN, I discovered that the water reservoir valve leaked at times, resulting in leakage of water onto the counter. It doesn’t leak all the time but every week or two I’ll get a quarter or half cup of water leaking onto the kitchen counter. SO … in all … I’d say this machine is OK if one can adapt to the mentioned problems. Not a serious machine, really. But for an espresso machine under $200, maybe the best you can expect.

……………

The DeLonghi machine worked first time. It made the correct quantity and beautiful crema. Tastes right, too, though I’m not an expert and cannot say 100% sure it is something a veteran would embrace (tastes about like what you’d get at Starbucks, etc.).

BUT the machine, to me, looks nice and makes great looking espresso. DeLonghi has taken ALL the guesswork out of flawless espresso-making. I think the secret is in the portafilter, which has some parts I have I did not see on my first (junked) espresso machine.

After agonizing with my $200 Gaggia machine, attending to grind and tamp pressure and 2 booklets plus a CD of (nicely done but lengthy) directions, I never got a perfect espresso. Not once! I went through MANY different grinds brands of beans and on and on. I became so frustrated, I eventually “beat up” the poor thing.

So the DeLonghi came as a huge relief, espcially since I did not want to spend another $200+ on another experiment.

I see this is really the entry level machine for serious espresso (absolutely forget anything cheaper – they are toys at best – flimsy, non-espresso producers). Prices go on up to $1500 and more, I guess. But, from what I know of espresso, I simply cannot see how the result could be any better than what this machine puts out … effortlessly.

Nice job, DeLonghi!!!
Rating: 5 / 5