This. I’d love to eliminate manual steaming, but i doubt there’s a machine that will steam milk to the 160° I prefer. I have yet to see a manufacturer or review list the actual milk temperature so I suspect it would be underwhelming.
That being said, I have 3 Delonghi semi auto machines of the ESAM 3XXXX generation and love them. The infuser is more or less the same regardless of what machine you buy. IMO these older made-in-Italy machines are more repairable than what we’re seeing now, but that’s a sign of the times. At some point I’ve replaced the boiler, solenoid, steam valve, water pump or steam generator on these units myself and the parts are cheap.
A machine that came with both a steam valve and an auto-milk option would be perfect.
I got tired of pods. I would get stuck with pods if I didn’t like them. I decided to pull the trigger and replaced my Nespresso Vertuo machine from 2015 with a Delonghi Magnifica Veo. It’s pending shipping but I’m excited. I rather have fresh coffee beans.
Delonghi is a pretty good choice. If you manage to find the right settings to suit your taste, it will make great coffee. All-in-all, a little advice, if I may. I don't think I need to tell you that DeLonghi has different models, such as Magnifica, Dinamica, Eletta, PrimaDonna, and so on. And there are variations within each model—e.g. the Magnifica S is considered a basic model, but the Magnifica Evo Plus, for example, offers milk frothing and touch controls. But here's the "trick"—inside, both are the same machine. Same water pump, same grinder, same boiler, and so on. Only the Evo Plus is roughly 30% more expensive than the S. Of course, if you want a milk + coffee drink, the S may not be the right choice (although with a little practice, you can steam milk very nicely with the S's steam wand.) So what I'm trying to say is that you always have to consider what you're buying the machine for, because in my experience, most people think that a stylish milk jug and a colorful touchscreen mean that the machine has some kind of advanced technology—but that's not the case. The technical differences are between the different models, almost never within a single model. Oh, and this stands for most of the brands as well... almost.
Top Espresso Machines on Reddit
1
Breville
Bambino Plus
77% positive of 1,087 users
Fast heat-up, easy for beginners; inconsistent shots, annoying cleaning.
B767-400ER
