Buh-Bye Mr Coffee, DeLonghi's in town.

Author's Rating:

Pros: Easy to make coffee-house coffees right at home!

Cons: This model doesn't have a built-in timer.

The Bottom Line: 
DeLonghi is a respected name in coffee appliances. They make it possible to enjoy coffee-house style coffees right in the comfort of your own home.

Author's Review
I recently got a DeLonghi and I've been wired on caffeine ever since.

This is a nice not-so-little machine. The actual dimensions are 15.75" wide x 13.25" high x 10" deep. So, you'll definitely need some counterspace for this baby.

What it does
The DeLonghi BCO 70 brews regular drip coffee (10 cup capacity), Italian Espresso, Cappuccino (4 cup capacity) and steams milk for a frothy topping.

What comes with it?
The DeLonghi BCO 70 comes with:
10cup drip brewed coffee pot and warming plate
Removable water tank for drip brewed coffee
5 paper filters for drip brewed coffee
4 cup espresso/cappuccino pot
Drip pan
Measuring spoon
Attachment spout that will fill two coffee cups at once.
Stainless espresso filter
Did not contain a stainless milk frothing cup which I thought was kind of odd. Good thing I already had one.

Special Features

Short cord - manufactured with a short cord to prevent it from becoming tangled or from causing tripping accidents.
Steam spout - for frothing milk, the topping on a cappuccino.
On/Off switches - Each function has it's own; the coffee side and the espresso/cappuccino side.
"Accuflavor" selection - This is a dial that allows you to select the strength of your coffee, from weak to strong and anywhere in between. There are two of these dials on the appliance - one for the drip brewed side and one for the espresso/cappuccino side.
Boiler tank lid - A nifty screw-on cap that can NOT be removed when the appliance is hot or in use.
5/10 cup indicator - A neat little button that you press if you want to brew more than 5 cups of coffee.

Using the DeLonghi BCO 70 for brewing drip coffee:
So easy! Just fill the water tank with the desired amount of water (it is marked with cup levels) and replace. Place paper filter into the filter holder. Measure out desired amount of ground coffee. Close the filter holder. Choose your desired coffee strenth by turning the dial (it is labeled "mild" or "strong"). If you are brewing more than 5 cups, push the 5/10 cup button. Push the ON button. You won't have to wait long before you have a fresh pot of coffee. It literally will begin do drip into the pot within a few seconds! Impressive! As long as the On/Off switch is left ON, the warming plate will remain on.

Using the DeLonghi BCO 70 for espresso/cappuccino
OK, this is where people get scared, but trust me, DeLonghi makes it EASY. If I can do it, you certainly can. *wink* Fill the little pot with the desired amount of water (2 or 4 cups). Water levels are marked on the pot.

If you plan on steaming milk, fill the pot to the next highest mark, indicated by the steam icon. This extra amount of water is what will produce the steam for your milk.

Unscrew the boiler cap and pour the water from the little pot into the tank. Replace the boiler cap, making sure it's on securely.

Place the stainless espresso/cappuccino filter into the filter handle. Fill with ground coffee (make sure you have specially ground it for espresso! It must be a medium to fine grind). Attach the filter handle to the machine and twist gently to the right. This will lock it in place.

That's pretty simple so far, right? Now select the strength you desire. One more thing to do before pushing the On button ... there is a steam release knob connected to the espresso/cappuccino maker. Be sure that this knob is in the closed position. If it is, then you're ready to roll! Push that button! It takes about 2 minutes to brew.

If you want to steam milk for cappuccino, stop brewing coffee when it reaches the 2cup or 4cup mark on the pot by turning the strength selection dial to the cappuccino icon. Place your stainless cup (uh, with milk in it) under the steam spout and slowly turn the steam release knob. Hold the spout in the milk just below the surface. When the milk begins to increase in volume, immerse the spout further to reach the milk at the bottom.

Voila! Bottoms up! Can you tell I like this machine? Of course there are other instructions included. You'll have read them thoroughly when you purchase your DeLonghi *nudge nudge* - I know you want one. One note, however - I would NOT put any of the pots or plastic pieces in the dishwasher, just to be on the safe side. This machine comes with a one year limited warranty.