Spoil Yourself with the DeLonghi EC702 Espresso Maker

My mom and I used to have a mother-daughter ritual of coming home from a shopping trip and making espresso together. That was twenty years ago when I still lived near home, and when home espresso makers weren’t exactly intuitive or easy to use. Given our old ritual, I thought an espresso maker—a newer kind—would be a thoughtful gift for her, so I dove into the research, turning up the likely prospect of the DeLonghi EC702 Espresso Maker. And hey, the best way to be sure of your research is to try it out on yourself first, right? Sacrifices must be made…

Okay, I confess—buying the DeLonghi EC702 was definitely no sacrifice! Quite the contrary: I haven’t felt so spoiled in ages. I have to start by commenting on the striking sleek look of this stainless beauty on my counter. Durability definitely meets beauty in this model (and it will look great with Mom’s stainless appliances).

DeLonghi EC702 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Maker
Product Features of the DeLonghi EC702 Espresso Maker:

  • Dual function filter holder
  • Patented “Cappuccino System” frother
  • Self-priming operation
  • Dual thermostats
  • Stainless steel
  • 15 bar pump pressure

 

I remember the old days of setting up the machine, the complicated steps of brewing our espresso drinks, and the twenty-minute wait for the beast to warm up, so the self-priming process of the DeLonghi EC702 Espresso Maker blew me out of the water. Here’s the scoop (literally): I put a pre-prepared pod in the Easy Serving Espresso (E.S.E. ) filter, I press a button, and a mere three minutes later I have my hands wrapped around a picture-perfect steaming mug of espresso, topped with that lovely golden cream layer. Speaking as someone who doesn’t function well until after my first cup of caffeine; I’m tickled by the ease of the process.

Especially when I top off the water tank and pop the pod in place the night before, it’s a simple single button-touch when I stagger out of bed.

I’m also enjoying the versatility of the DeLonghi EC702 Espresso Maker later in the day, when I’m more functional and up for playing with the machine’s settings. In addition to the E.S.E. filter and the ready-to-go pods, I can buy and grind my own espresso beans and use either the single-shot or the double-shot size of filter to custom-brew. The two separate thermostats let me set the perfect temperature for brewing on the one hand, and for steaming on the other.

This brings me to the milk frother–a marvel not only for its functionality, but for its easy clean-up. Let’s face it, an espresso machine can be a bear to keep clean, but the DeLonghi EC702 has an easily removable head on the frother, as well as a removable drip tray. I’m not a fan of scrubbing appliances (who is?) so I’m perfectly pleased to simply tug off the removable parts for a quick rinse or a trip through the dishwasher.

Along the same lines of ease-of-use, the water tank pulls out at the side for an easy fill, which means I can leave the DeLonghi EC702 Espresso Maker tucked beneath the kitchen cabinets (where, by the way, it fits perfectly with plenty of clearance) and still fill the reservoir with ease. Even that minor task only needs to be attended to every four cups or so if I’m also frothing milk, or less frequently when I’m just brewing the espresso without the additional steaming function.

As a bonus, the DeLonghi EC702 features plenty of clearance beneath the filter holder, so I’m still using my favorite mug – and the cup tray on top of the machine does double duty as a warmer. Now we’re talking about the ultimate experience of espresso indulgence. Favorite mug, pre-warmed, easy-brewing espresso, richly frothed milk, and no clean-up “downer” to dread afterward.

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