Contents
Key Features
- Automatic milk frother for a consistently creamy milk
- Make cappuccino, flat whites and lattemacchiato with a single button press
- A variety of coffee customisation options including coffee, water and milk quantity
- Save your favourite drink settings
- Two automatic cleaning programs
- Can brew one or two cups of espresso at the same time
In-Depth Review of the Eletta ECAM44.660.B
The Delonghi Eletta ECAM44.660.B certainly isn’t cheap. In fact, it straddles the line between our “mid-range” and “premium” categories. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at its features to see whether this machine is worth the money.
Appearance and Design
The machine comes with a water dispenser for tea and top-ups.
While the Eletta ECAM44.660.B doesn’t have the classy appeal of a stainless steel coffee machine, it’s still an attractive model that will look great in any kitchen. It’s simple to use, with its one touch buttons and LCD screen, and all the components are intuitively placed.
Inside, the Eletta uses a twin thermoblock boiler for quick water heating. It has a 15-bar pump, which is standard on most consumer bean-to-cup coffee machines, and a pre-brewing option.
Beans are loaded into the top of the machine. Ground coffee can also be used by adding it to a small separate compartment – just make sure you select the “ground coffee” option before starting the machine.
As it’s a cappuccino maker, the Eletta has an automatic function for creating creamy milk for both cappuccinos and lattes. The milk container is detachable, so it can be removed and put straight into the fridge for next time.
The drip tray is easy to empty. It also has an indicator that pops up if the water level gets too high, so you’ll always know when the tray needs to be emptied.
Additionally, the Eletta can provide hot water on demand. This is great if you want to make a cup of tea without waiting for the kettle to boil.
Coffee Customisation
The computerised control panel makes saving your favourite settings easy.
The Eletta ECAM44.660.B has some excellent personalisation features. You can adjust the quantity of milk, water and coffee to make your ideal drink.
Let’s start with the coffee size. By pressing the size button, the LCD display cycles through the various options from short coffee through to extra long coffee (for long coffee the machine grinds two separate doses). There is also a button for coffee strength.
Like most bean-to-cup burr grinders, the Eletta allows you to adjust the coarseness of the grind. While many people will just leave this on its default setting, it’s a useful feature depending on the type of bean and coffee settings you’re using.
So far, the features are similar to those found on cheaper models such as the Gaggia Brera or Delonghi’s own Esam 4000.b. Unlike these machines, however, the you can adjust the automatic milk frothing depending on the type of coffee you want. By using the “Milk Menu” button, you can cycle between:
- Caffelatte
- Latte macchiato
- Flat white
- Milk (frothy)
The milk frother also has settings for the size of froth and a clean mode. The latter option cleans the milk nozzle automatically, but make sure you put a cup underneath to catch the liquid.
Another feature that isn’t found on cheaper models is the memory function. Once you’ve found your favourite strength and type of coffee, you can save this for future use.
You can also adjust the temperature of the coffee. This is great if you love piping hot coffee, but it can also be useful if you occasionally want a cooler drink when you’re in a rush.
Finally, if you and your partner both enjoy a coffee together, the machine has an option for two cups of espresso.
Espresso Taste
The Delonghi Eletta ECAM44.660.B produces excellent espresso from beans. It has the smooth texture and full aroma that indicate a really good coffee.
Other Coffee Taste
As you would expect from a cappuccino maker made by Delonghi (click here for other models), the Eletta ECAM44.660.B produces fantastic cappuccino, latte and flat whites. If you enjoy these types of coffee and want to save money on coffee shops, the Eletta could be an excellent option.
Note: If you don’t need automated milk frothing and cappuccino, check out the cheaper Delonghi Magnifica ESAM4200.
Ease of Cleaning
There are two auto-programmes for cleaning: decalcification and rinsing. The automatic rinsing routine rinses both the coffee dispensers and the hot water spout. The decalcification program helps to remove limescale, which is especially important for areas with hard water.
While some of the cleaning is done automatically, there is still some manual maintenance required. Both the coffee bin and drip tray can be removed for easy cleaning. The head also needs to be cleaned with a brush (which is supplied), and the grinder should also be given some attention.
It’s a little more fiddly to clean the milk container, although once you’ve done it a few times it becomes second nature. You first need to choose the “Insert” setting, then remove the container and the plastic tube. This can be washed using washing up liquid. There are several other parts that also need to be removed and cleaned.
Other Features
- A cup warmer is located on-top of the machine.
- It comes with a water softener, which is great if you live in an area of hard water.
- The machine automatically shuts off when not in use. It also has a standby function.
Value for Money
As we mentioned at the start of this review, the Delonghi Eletta ECAM44.660.B certainly isn’t a cheap bean-to-cup coffee machine (although it’s far from the priciest either). Despite this, we think it provides outstanding value for money if you enjoy cappuccino or latte. The automatic milk frother makes producing high-quality cappuccino far easier than manual frothers, and the customisation options are extensive.
With that said, if you just want to drink espresso then a cheaper option may provide better value. There’s also the ECAM 23.460 which has fewer features, but makes automatic cappuccino.
What do Buyers Say?
One of the best ways to judge the performance of a coffee machine is to read buyer reviews. We’ve searched the internet for reviews of the Eletta and summarised them for your benefit. Let’s start with positive comments:
- The frothing system is consistent and provides excellent foam.
- There are a variety of customisation options for making your perfect coffee (although these take some getting used to).
- The espresso has an attractive crema.
- Having a cleaning function on the milk carafe is a useful feature.
- The descaling mode is easy to use and helps keep the machine in top condition.
And some negative comments:
- While the foam is excellent and far more consistent than a manual frother, it doesn’t quite match up to a professional barista.
- The foam is also dispensed luke-warm instead of hot.
- Like many bean-to-cup machines, the standard extra long won’t fill a full cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long does the Delonghi Eletta ECAM44.660.B Take to Make an Espresso?
After being turned on, the machine requires around 30 seconds to warm-up. An espresso then takes a further 60 seconds to make, while a full mug of coffee can take up to two minutes.
Verdict
The Delonghi Eletta ECAM44.660.B Cappuccino maker is one of our favourite bean-to-cup machines – mainly because it produces excellent espresso and cappuccino. The range of customisation options also make it possible to get your ideal coffee every time. It’s not a cheap option, but we think it’s definitely worth paying a bit extra for. [easyazon_link identifier=”B00I6E7CWG” locale=”UK” tag=”beantocupcof-21″]Click here[/easyazon_link] to view its price.
Can you use any beans with this coffee machine?
Hi Paul. Yes, you can use any beans with a true bean to cup coffee maker. That’s one of the big advantages they have over capsule machines.