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My wife-to-be and I wanted to start making our favorite espresso drinks at home since buying them each morning from Starbucks made us feel guilty (spending $8/day on coffee = $240/month or $2,880/year ). So we started looking into getting an espresso machine and a nice burr grinder for our home. Since I had worked as the manager of a trendy coffee shop/Bar/Restaurant when I was in college, I was already a skilled Barista. As part of that job I also had to read up on coffee types and the various ways to properly prepare it. This really came in handy as we began to research a massive variety of espresso machines. One thing you will quickly find out is you can't be stingy when it comes to spending cash on your machine (but think of the money you can save by making your own). So I was prepared to spend around $350 for our new machine and I seriously considered the starbucks barista model machine (in that price range). But then we came across the De'Longhi EC-460. The machine didn't have... Read more

If you've owned a Delonghi before and been happy with it, you'll like this one too. We go through an espresso machine about every 1-3 years, as my husband is Portuguese and we drink espresso daily. This machine makes good espresso with a very nice thick crema on top.

I rather like this machine. It does not take up a lot of counter space. There is plastic on the housing but I don't think this is going to be a problem, and we've owned this machine for about 2-3 months at the time I write this.

The water bottle is easy to fill and large enough to hold several cups, and the espresso is good and rich-tasting with a nice crema. We don't use the frother, so I cannot comment on that. The hot plate on the top is not hot enough to heat a cup, but that's never been a concern for me. The drip pan fills pretty fast, be prepared to empty it on a regular basis (but it's easy to do quickly)
I like the Delonghi style of coffee ground pan, you can take the bugger apart and... Read more

After much research, I decided to get the DeLonghi EC460 machine, and am not disappointed. Superb craftsmanship, quick start-up, ease of use, and nice crema made this a winner. I do pre-heat the cups and collection mug in a microwave before filling the mug, just so it will all be warm enough.
My mocha is now as good as the $4 ones I use to buy at You-Know-Where.
I also recommend buying a Terry's Tamper and a 1-cup pyrex mug to get you going.