DeLonghi BAR41 Retro Espresso/Cappuccino Maker
- Brews espresso and froths milk for cappuccinos and caffe lattes
- 1 ground coffee filter holder, another for coffee pods
- Unique frothing chamber; automatically self-primes, provides quick startup
- Removable 2-quart water tank for easy filling; stainless-steel boiler
- Measures 11 by 13 by 12-1/2 inches; 1-year warranty
Amazon.com Review
Strikingly retro in appearance but thoroughly up-to-date in performance, this machine comes with two filter holders to brew espresso either from ground coffee or from coffee pods. (Pods are readily available from companies such as Illy and Starbucks.) The ground-coffee filter holder has filters for brewing either one or two cups, and the other filter stores in the top of the machine along with an accompanying coffee scoop. A unique frothing chamber makes it easy to froth milk for cappuccinos and café lattés. Other contemporary features include a durable stainless-steel boiler, a 2-quart, transparent water tank that removes for filling at the sink and cleaning, and a self-priming system that eliminates annoying startup preparations. The machine's retro look is achieved by combining shiny and matte-finish black plastic with matte-finish silver plastic and plenty of the curves popular for everything from automobiles to appliances in the '50s. The plastic cleans easily, and the frothing chamber comes off with a twist so it, too, can be readily cleaned. Made in Italy and packing 1,100 watts of power, the machine measures 11 inches wide, 13 inches high, and 12-1/2 inches deep and carries a one-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack
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DeLonghi BAR41 Retro Espresso/Cappuccino Maker
- Kitchen: 0 pages
- Publisher: DeLonghi
- Label: DeLonghi
- Studio: DeLonghi
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 8 reviews
- Sales Rank in Kitchen & Housewares: #619970
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Avg. Customer Review:
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Best I have ever owned 2005-02-08
Comment: This is my third DeLonghi espresso machine over a period of about ten years. I work at home, so my espresso machines get a workout. I've had this one for about a week now, and have been totally satisfied thus far.
This makes the best espresso and lattés of any machine I have owned. It also looks great on the counter, though its footprint is a bit large if you only plan to use the machine occasionally.
The "emulsion frothing chamber" has nothing to do with the milk steamer (see the complaint in an earlier review); it is a device within the filter basket that helps produce an incredibly thick "crema" on every espresso shot. It's amazing, and definitely adds to the "wow" factor if you're serving espresso to guests.
I read some reviews that complained about the water reservoir developing a leak. This doesn't have to be a problem; it's much easier anyway to simply leave the reservoir in place all of the time and use a jug to refill it.
The instruction manual is a bit anal retentive (and not very well translated). The oddest warning it contains is to let the machine preheat for at least 30 minutes(!) before brewing (this is NOT an option when I'm making my first coffee in the morning). True, the water becomes marginally hotter after the machine has warmed up for a while, but the machine brews a perfectly respectable espresso as soon as the "ready" light goes on (about 3-4 minutes).
The machine also makes a great "café Americano." Just use one scoop of espresso, and run about 8 oz of water through instead of just filling a demitasse.
One last note: what's up with the "pods"? Have we become so helpless and/or lazy that we're willing to pay three times as much for coffee in order not to have to scoop ground coffee into a filter basket? I mean, how hard is that? The "pod holder" that came with my unit (and added a few bucks to the price, no doubt) went straight into the back of a drawer, never to be seen again.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: STAY AWAY! 2004-11-06
Comment: I was so excited to have my first "real" espresso machine and unfortunatley I still will be looking. I followed the directions excatly and after an hour of trying everything in the instructions and trouble shooting guide, no coffee came out. Then there was a pop, a puff of smoke and the thing was toast. Dead on the first try. You would think that for $150, it would work at least once and there would be some QC. I will go back to my old Kraps, that works at least once in a while.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Whew! I picked a good one! 2003-02-13
Comment: I bought this as a gift for my husband. He wanted an espresso maker that wouldn't be a pain in the neck to operate. This one is perfect! It has a large water tank, so it doesn't run out of steam before he finishes frothing the milk and he doesn't have to refil it constantly. It takes pods or ground beans with ease and the espresso was perfect the first time and every time. There were many different brands and prices available, but after having read many reviews, I chose the DeLonghi because of the ease of use and the large water tank. A perfect gift!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: YES I LOVE IT!!! 2002-12-26
Comment: Starbuck's was getting unreasonably expensive ($12-$20 a week). I received this DeLonghi as a gift and I am so happy. At first I did not think it would be possible for me to create café quality espresso/cappuccino, I soon learned I was wrong. The drinks that I can create in my own kitchen are spectacular...Better than Starbuck's... shhhhhhh. I would recommend that you have all of the right tools before you begin. Not only do I enjoy drinking the cappuccinos, I also enjoy the whole process of the preparation for the drinks. The aroma, the taste....Mmmmmmm. The machine is very easy to clean. I definitely recommend this DeLonghi BAR41 Retro Espresso/Cappuccino Maker, read the directions and soon you will be a pro...you will love waking up to a nice cup of espresso to get you started. Knowing that you do not have to wait in line and you will not be charged a small fortune for a little coffee will make you smile too :)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Does a pretty good job 2002-12-04
Comment: This is a pretty great machine. It makes really great latte's if you use Espresso pods. We use our machine about 2/3 times a day.The machine is a little too lightweight. You have to hold the machine down when putting the portafilter in to avoid lifting the machine off the counter. It's a little too short for larger sized mugs. Nowadays, people are buying larger mugs (16 oz) for lattes & such. This BARELY fits a 10/12 oz mug. The only way we can get our 16 oz mugs to fit is to remove the drip tray. This works well but is kind of a pain. Many POD companies are beginning to sell "double-pods" since most people drink doubles. This machine comes with a single-pod portafilter. Since we always drink doubles, we have to smash our double-pods in the regular portafilter. It would be nice if it came with a double-pod portafilter. I would still recommend this product. It does a great job despite the complaints I listed above. :) For the money, this espresso machine is a great buy.
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DeLonghi BAR41 Retro Espresso/Cappuccino Maker
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