The coffee taste is okay, so compared with pads, capsules and Vollautomatenplörre, but he is the one filter holder does not do justice as Krups has committed a few design flaws here that closely affect the taste ... unfortunately.
But I'll start first with the positive things on the machine on, because there are also:
+ Compact
+ Fast Ready
+ Hot Coffee / Espresso
+ If the steam wand uses the boiler cools itself by omitting water in the drip tray
+ Right frother and no Paranello
+ Capacity itself selectable
Especially the steam lance had been my reason to buy, because this is a right and not a Paranello what is one of the Aufschäumhilfen! With a little practice here can create wonderful milk foam, the creamy, yet is firm. Because a normal steam nozzle without Paranello and additional aid is actually for a Preofessionelle machine. No filter holder in the local has such a stuff. Therefore, very positive!
But unfortunately outweigh my disadvantages here. There are a few, but for this very relevant:
- Krups Tampering System
- No "Tampern" really possible
- Coffee residues remain on Duschsieb hang
- Sieve can not be beat by the terrible clamp design.
Now, one might argue that Tampern is overvalued and the coffee tastes also so out of the machine, but because it controls through the Tampern the flow time it has a very big influence on the taste.
I want it here once briefly explain:
The taste of a good coffee / espresso depends on various factors. The bean, roasting, storage time, grinding degree, brewing temperature and extraction time. A good espresso should therefore, according to a rule of thumb about need 25-30 seconds until it has run into the cup to dissolve all the flavors and to have a balanced mix of acid and flavors.
If the extraction time is too short so the coffee tastes sour, it is too long, then it tastes too bitter. Also I could still relate to the grind and brew temperature, but I let the simplicity times.
And right here is the Great crux! Brewing temperature is perfectly okay! But the brewing time is too short, which is why my espressos with Lavazza powder taste too acidic and when I look at a Cafe Crema made re (ground fresh beans from the Peugeot handmill) He smells sour and somehow unappetizing. Likewise, the taste is ultimately a bit dull. What is also on the short extraction time. When Krups here it was not possible to tampern properly and recommended by some reviewers 52mm Tamper is too large! Unfortunately, I had to also ordered and it regretted afterwards, he also goes back.
The coffee will stick to the principle Duschsieb and one can not help it thoroughly cleaned with a cloth. And contrary to some opinions that a filter holder makes working times now ... No, this is definitely not normal for such a machine. At the end of the reference can be the coffee puck at a normal Siebträgermaschine easy beat, after a coffee crema of Puck is of course much more relaxed by the coarser degree of grinding, as well as the low contact pressure. But even if I press the smooth powder with a spoon and try to compress it, I end up with a coffee slush soup in filter holder. Said soup leaves its residue on the sieve of course what one should rid immediately before the Kram ankrsutet.
Tapping would not work anyway but unfortunately in the filter holder because the screen is just inserted and fixiet at the end of reference by plastic clip. But if we now tried to knock out the coffee remains the terminal, the screen does not hold (you guessed it) and slipped out.
On the whole, the machine would not be bad, if not for the problem with the "Krups Tampering System" by the lack of control of Durchfluzsszeit you will never get a really good espresso from the machine to continue the cleaning effort is considerably higher than in other espresso coffee machines that have a "firmer" Puck, there simply too many remnants of coffee powder stick to the Duschsieb. And no, a filter holder means more steps as a fully automatic, which is clear to me! Only you can with such a construction as here at the XP3440 do more "work" than necessary. This includes the need for cleaning the sieves, because this one must of necessity in the sink, rinse, which of course leaves according to dirt. Tapping can be the stuff not.
For 110, - you get an espresso portafilter machine that does almost everything right, but only almost! I for one am very pleased by the Delonghi and especially satisfied than with the Krups
, So if an alternative to the Krups investigated, which is still in the halfway same price class, then I can only recommend this machine.
Because of my abovementioned positive points I forgive even 3 star, but it is sufficient for more then unfortunately not.
EDIT 25/01/2015
Well, I pull from another star, because I do not at the time, where I had the machine, noticed that the seal of the steam nozzle has been completely forgotten. (The head of the steam nozzle can unscrew to better cleaning). Of course I thought Ok, you Krups writing and describe to the problem. Said and done. A few days later I received even a reply that the seal was ordered and me immediately when available mailed. The mail is now 3 weeks ago! Even though I no longer own the machine, yet the letter would in the meantime have to arrive with the sealing ring. Ugh Krups, you ashamed of what! It can not be so difficult to order his a seal from the spare parts warehouse and even if it comes from China ... I got already shipped products from China, who made it within a week.
EDIT 24/02/2015
Still no letter with the seal. This is called but super customer service.
