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Welcome to this coffee maker review. Today I will be reviewing the DeLonghi BAR32 Retro Pump-driven 35oz Espresso Maker. Over the course of this review I will be going over the main points that should allow you the reader to make an informed decision on whether this is the coffee maker for you or not.
First let’s go over some of the more positive points. The fact that the DeLonghi BAR32 is pump driven and not steam driven is one good reason to take a closer look. With steam driven espresso makers, we usually see scorching of the coffee grounds during the brewing process.
The option of being able to use the Illy coffee pods as well as coffee grounds is a very nice feature that is an option I think I’d like to see on most espresso coffee makers. While the pods are a little on the expensive side at $12 for an 18 pack, the convenience they provide and the quality of the coffee really are top notch. You could argue that pods never out do grinding your own coffee beans and often produce weak tasting coffee, but I would hastily disagree, pod coffee makers can make some fantastic coffee. While true that using the regular pods on a large cup setting can lead to coffee that some coffee connoisseurs might consider weak, you just have to adjust your cup size setting to prevent this.
While I think a lot of gourmet coffee lovers already do this, it would be my recommendation to avoid using tap water with your coffee maker. Tap water has been known to have negative effects on the pump. This isn’t the only reason I would suggest using mineral water with your coffee, as much as you might trust the water filter that comes with the DeLonghi, I should remind you that 98% of what goes into your cup is the water. If the water isn’t good then the coffee will almost definitely not be any good either.
Some people have said that one scoop of coffee makes an excellent espresso, but I think that experimenting yourself is the best way to find the amount that suits you best.
Compared to some other espresso makers on the market today, I would say that this is one of the cheaper machines available. I mean obviously we could use a press to make our coffee and only spend a few dollars, but the quality would vary dramatically I think. If what you are after is a high quality automatic espresso maker at a reasonable price, then the DeLonghi BAR32 may well be the machine for you.
Thanks for reading, for more information on other espresso makers and coffee makers, please take a look at the main page or choose a maker from the list on the right of this page.
