Crew Review: DeLonghi BAR32

For the budget-minded, DeLonghi's lower end semi-automatics have suitable functionality for a suitably reasonable price. Watch Gail take us through the BAR32's features and functions, also whipping up a latte.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• delonghi
• bar32
• single boiler
• semi-automatic
• espresso machine
• budget machine
• review
• demonstration
• how-to

[cweric]

i gotta say that i'm really satisfied with this machine, i've bough it almost 10 years ago and still running pretty fine. got it once to repair for a loose welding inside after about 4 years then running fine. and you still able to find some on the internet so it's a good deal i'd say.

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@cweric That is great to hear!!! Thanks for sharing that with folks :) - Kat

[emmansadorra]

Hi Kat and Gayle! I got this machine for Christmas and I'm a bit frustrated because I can't seem to pull a strong enough shot for my latte. I use Lavvazza brand espresso pre-grund coffee. I try to mimic everything Gayle does in this video but the end result just tastes like hot milk :/ I like really bold, strong-tatsing coffee. Any tips? Is it the brand of coffee I'm using?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@emmansadorra It could be that the pre-ground is not fine enough? That's the only thing I could think of changing to increase the coffee flavor. - Kat

[catduqu83]

I'm excited! I ordered this machine and i think it's being delivered today! Yippy! & I'm only going to be paying $53 after the $20 from delonghi. :)

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@catduqu83 Awesome! Hope you enjoy it :) - Kat

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@tadoubleg Wait, you said that the shots come out both quickly and slowly? The excess steam sounds wrong to me but the post shot 'explosion' is normal on these machines unless you let the PF sit in there for awhile and slowly depressurize. But excess steam may be something up with the element - machine is too hot - Kat

[tadoubleg]

Hello. I just got a brand new one of these for christmas, and when I prime it, a ton of steam comes out of the grouphead area (even with the portafilter attached). When I try to pull the shots, it will take way longer than it did for Gail, and liquid will only come out after the OK light goes off. The "shots" come out really fast despite me using a properly fine grind and an actual tamper. There's also a steam explosion when I remove the portafilter. Am I doing something wrong or is it broken?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@domjenick These are really small boiler machines so you could be trying to steam too much and over heating the machine. You generally need to do each drink uniquely -- steam milk, cool it down, pull shots, then go again. - Kat

[domjenick]

we bought delonghi ec820 today, but after i made coffee with frothed milk machine stops working, lights r flashing and it says in book that temperature is too high, then after few mins it cools down or if we rinse it, it always happen after uding frother especially when we make a really hot milk, is it normal, does it happen in many machines? or should i return this one, as if i will make one coffee with hot milk for me, then i need to wait few mins before i dont next one....