De'Longhi Icona Vintage: ESE pods or ground coffee

ESE pods or ground coffee

ESE pods are pre-portioned paper pods of ground coffee. Using one means no dosing or tamping, and very little mess. On the days you want more control, you switch to ground coffee in the same holder. That flexibility suits a household where some people want speed and others enjoy the ritual.

The listing describes the use as suitable for homes and small businesses.

Pods also keep coffee fresh in their foil, which helps if you only make espresso a few times a week and a bag of ground coffee would go stale before you finish it.

Temperature and readiness

Two thermostats, one for water and one for steam, are designed to keep each at the right temperature. A self priming system means the machine is always ready for use, according to De'Longhi, and an anti drip system reduces mess on the drip tray.

Cappuccino system

The cappuccino system mixes steam, air and milk to create creamy froth. You hold the jug under the wand. It is a manual frother, similar in principle to the systems on other entry De'Longhi machines.

Cup height, tank and specs

One limitation stands out: the maximum cup height is 7.7 cm, so tall mugs will not fit under the spout. Espresso cups and small cappuccino cups will. The water tank holds 1.4 litres, the pump is 15 bar and power is 1100 watts. It weighs 4.1 kg.

De'Longhi also suggests that if water comes from the tank, check the tank is properly engaged at the back. EU spare part availability is listed as two years.

A small cup clearance is a common trade-off on compact retro machines; if you mostly drink espresso or a small flat white, it will not matter, but anyone who likes a large mug of americano should note it.

Against the Classic EM450 and Dedica Style

The De'Longhi Classic EM450 has double wall baskets, a pressure gauge and room for mugs up to 13 cm. The De'Longhi Dedica Style is just 15 cm wide with adjustable temperature. The Icona Vintage stands out for its styling and ESE pod option.