Coffee & Espresso Makers Tips

Lello Ariete 45900 Espresso Machine Product Technical DetailsAriete 45900 Key FeaturesTypeEspresso MachineCapacity9 Cu...

Gaggia Carezza Gaggia Carezza Espresso Machine The Gaggia Carezza is a very good espresso and latte machine. I had an old non pump espresso machine that I never...

The Lello Ariete espresso machine appears to be in high demand. There was nearly a 3 month wait before I received my order from Amazon for this budget-priced semi-automatic espresso machine. I’ve put it to work since receiving it a few days ago, and these are my impressions:

1) Weight: The unit is very heavy (20+ lbs), a good initial sign that this is a substantial piece of equipment and not a low-budget knockoff of the high quality models.

2) Appearance: While advertised as fully clad in stainless steel, it has a bit of a more chrome like appearance, not unattractive, but not the die-cast look of competitors like Breville and Gaggia. The front panel is minimalist with a large knob for activating steam for cappuccino when turned left and espresso to the right. There is a power switch, 2 lights to indicate power on and proper water temperature reached. The water tank is nearly invisible in the back of the unit but is thoughtfully designed to slide up and away from the unit very easily. Also featured in this model is a rarity in this price range: a cup warming tray on the top of the unit. It gives the unit a professional look while being entirely functional.

3) Performance: The Ariete is a true 15-bar pump machine, meaning it produces the necessary pressure to force water through the tightly compacted coffee grinds to create real espresso with rich crema (the light hint of caramel colored foam) on the top of every cup of coffee. It consistently produces high-quality espresso either 1 cup or 2 at a time using quality espresso grind coffee. The machine heats the water incredibly fast (less than 3 minutes from cold to brew temp). The espresso produced is rich, strong and hot, although in my opinion, the water temperature could be a bit higher, but that may be my personal preference. I use Lavazza which comes in vacuum-sealed pouches, but I will update my review after I grind some espresso beans in my Lello Ariete burr grinder soon. The attached steam wand works perfectly, turning low-fat milk into rich, creamy froth for cappuccino. While operating the unit in steam mode, the unit is quite noisy, with an unsettling thumping sound that the owner’s manual assures is “quite normal”.

4) Cleanup: As with any good espresso machine, this one includes a drip tray, a necessary accessory since stopping the pump does not completely stop drips from landing where your cup was moments before. The Ariete drip tray features a “floater”, a simple metal peg indicator which rises as the tray fills to alert the owner before an overflow occurs. Personally, this isn’t a very useful feature to me, as I clean the drip tray after every use of the machine, but if you’re not going to clean after each use, the floater can help you avoid a messy overflow.

5) Price: Considering the features and quality of construction, the Lello Ariete is a very good semi-automatic espresso machine. The price is less than half the average Gaggia or Rancilio (two gold-standards in home espresso machines). I bought my Lello Ariete from Amazon for $129, minus $25 through their kitchen appliance promotion. For just over $100, this is a terrific bargain, approximately the same price as many lesser models and not much more than a drip (non- pump) machine.

6) What’s Not To Like: Though the weaknesses are few, there are some things that could be improved on the Ariete. As mentioned above, the temperature of the coffee could be a bit higher. For those of you that prefer to use E.S.E. (Easy Serve Espresso) pods, forget it with this unit. I tried repeatedly to get a decent cup of espresso using pods, but most times got light brown, hot water in my cup. Machines that are pod-friendly come with a pod-adapter, a little plastic or rubber lid that goes over the pod to produce correct water pressure throught the pod’s paper filter. Unfortunately, this unit does not ship with an adapter, so I’m checking the internet and I plan to contact Lello to see if they offer one. For those of you not familiar with ESE pods, they are the more convenient (though more expensive) way to make espresso coffee. Instead of having to deal with loose coffee grinds and the mess of cleaning out the filter, a pod is a self-contained, premeasured disk of espresso inside a paper filter. They are usually individually wrapped for freshness. When using a pod you simply tear open the pouch and place the pod in the filter and cover the pod with a pod adapter. When complete, you simply lift the pod out of the filter and through it away. No loose grounds to contend with. Most purists would probably snub their noses at pods, but they have caught on in the last few years and I have found some terrific brands of pods for sale on coffee merchant internet sites.

Very good machine, value for money Gaggia Classic Espresso Machine I have extensive experience with two espresso machines: the FrancisFrancis-X1 and this Gaggia. I have not yet disc...

Nice machine, nice price, great coffee Gaggia Carezza Espresso Machine My wife and I sold our fully automatic Gaggia Synchony Compact when we moved from London UK to Houston Texas. Whe...

Not worth the $$$$’s !! Gaggia Titanium Espresso Machine Maybe the Gaggia Titanium I bought only two months ago isn't as bad as the Customer Service at Whole Latte Love. ...

Gaggia Factory 106 Espresso Machine Product Technical DetailsFactory 106 Key FeaturesTypeEspresso MachineOperation Sou...

Gaggia Factory 105 Espresso Machine Product Technical DetailsFactory 105 Key FeaturesTypeEspresso MachineOperation Sou...

Gaggia 90950 Espresso Machine Product Technical Details90950 Key FeaturesTypeEspresso MachineBuilt-in Water Filt...

Gaggia Coffee 74657 / 74658 Espresso Machine

Gaggia Syncrony 9306 Espresso Machine