Delonghi ESAM5500B Perfecta Digital Super Automatic Espresso Machine Review

View Product on Amazon.com

Have you ever wondered what makes a good coffee machine? When you see all these impressive names that so many machines these days have, you start to wonder whether they are actually as great as their names make them sound? Well, with the DeLonghi ESAM5500 Perfecta (View on Amazon.com), the name is actually befitting of this amazing machine. This is one of the best super automatic machines on the market today and not only does it help you prepare creamy and delicious top quality milk drinks, but also a wide range of coffee and espresso varieties with the push of a single button. With an easy to use milk carafe, a front accessible water tank, a high quality burr grinder and a built in bypass doser, you can rest assured that the minute you start using the Delonghi ESAM5500B Perfecta you’ll simply fall in love with it.

Features:

Super Automatic

The ESAM5500B Perfecta features an efficient brewing system that helps you grind and brew delicious espresso shots. Better yet, thanks to the automatic milk frother, you can dispense, hot, creamy milk right into your cup.

Programmable

You can effortlessly access the detailed programming menu by using the LCD display. You can then easily access cleaning cycles, adjust temperature, milk volume, coffee volume and many more. The user interface is simply a breeze to navigate and you’ll be able to learn how to use the machine within minutes, regardless if you’ve used a coffee machine before or not.

Make Foam With The Push Of A Button

Thanks to the integrated milk frothing system, you can easily get the right amount of foam for every coffee drink you want to prepare. The Perfecta features a twenty five ounce milk container that helps steam or froth it and then pour it right into your cup.

Automatic Cleaning

Cleaning the Perfecta is very simple and you can easily do so with the push of a button. Once you do that, the Perfecta will use hot water in order to flush the milk system. If you want, you can store the milk container in the fridge. The container is also dishwasher safe.

Burr Grinder

The burr grinder in the Perfecta is a heavy duty type which guarantees you’ll get many years of use out of it. You can also fine tune the grind settings in order to meet your needs.

Hot Water

Did you know that you can actually dispense hot water straight from the boiler? With the Perfecta, all you have to do is snap the hot water spout into place after removing the milk container. Once you do that, you can easily prepare instant noodles, hot cocoa, tea and more!

Bypass Dozer

Would you like to prepare a stronger coffee? Well, if that’s the case then all you need to do is to play around with the dial. You can easily bypass the grinder and shift from one bean to another in order to prepare the perfect cup of coffee for you and your guests.

Keep The Cups Warm

Using a cold cup means that you’ll actually lose about fifteen degrees from your drink. This can have a massive impact on the way your coffee tastes, but since the Perfecta comes with a cup warming feature, that’s no longer going to be the case. Use it once and you’ll never go back to coffee machines that lack it.

Advantages:

1. What’s great about the Perfecta is that you can easily set it in order to brew your favorite drink automatically. How great is that?
2. Make froth with the push of a single button. Your coffee will never taste the same again!
3. Did you know that the Perfecta will actually froth only the milk you plan on using for your coffee? No more will you need to worry about frothing an entire cup of milk, when you just need a few teaspoons of it.

Disadvantages:

1. If you don’t like loud noises, then you’ll be a bit disappointed to know that the burr grinder is a bit noisy.
2. You won’t find a standard steam wand with the Perfecta, so you’re stuck with the automatic frothing container.
3. While it is made using high quality stainless steel, the Perfecta also incorporates more plastic in its construction than metal. As a result, it doesn’t look as great as it could have.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy This Model?

The Perfecta is a great super automatic espresso machine and it comes with a wide range of functions that will effectively help you change your opinion about super automatic coffee machines in general. The user interface is very user friendly and it’s one of the main things you’ll love about it, especially if you’re a first time user. Secondly, the machine can be easily programmed so that you can then prepare your favorite espresso shot with the push of a single button. Not many machines allow you to do that and those that do usually cost a lot.

View Product on Amazon.com

Lastly, thanks to the integrated burr grinder, the bypass doser and hot water function, the Perfecta easily qualifies as one of the best super automatic espresso machines you can currently get. Highly recommended!

Comparable Models to consider

Gaggia Anima Prestige Automatic (View on Amazon.com): The Anima Prestige Automatic is an excellent coffee machine that comes with a wide range of excellent features and a price to match. For instance, thanks to the Rapid Steam technology and 1 touch automatic frothing milk carafe, you can prepare espressos much faster, easier and with much better results. The coffee dispenser is also easily adjustable and has a maximum height of a little over nine point five inches. For maximum flavor and aroma extraction, the pre-infusion feature will work wonders on the taste of your espresso shot.

Philips Saeco HD8745/57 (View on Amazon.com): At about half the cost of the Perfecta, the Saeco HD8745/57 has a handful of features that will certainly impress you. First of all, the adjustable grinders and the memo function makes it easy to come up with new espresso varieties and save them in the machine’s internal memory. No more will you have to worry about burnt coffee and that’s all thanks to the 100% ceramic grinders the Saeco features. If milk froth is your thing, you’ll be happy to know that the HD8745 features a classic panarello steam wand that will help you prepare delicious milk froth.

Delonghi ECAM22110B Super Automatic (View on Amazon.com): Even though it has a compact size, it does maintain all features of full sized machines. Frothing milk and making espressos can be done with 0 waiting time, while the SS (professional quality) low pitch conical burr grinder will grind coffee beans to your desired fineness. The ECAM22110B also comes with a high capacity sixty oz water tank which is removable and easy to clean. If this is the first time you’re using a DeLonghi, you can call their call center to learn more about setting up and using the machine.