DeLonghi ESAM6700 Gran Dama Avant Touch-Screen Super-Automatic Espresso

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 11.1 x 14.8 inches ; 29.8 pounds


• Shipping Weight: 36 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)


• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.


• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.


• ASIN: B002LRTM0O


• Item model number: ESAM6700
  

By : DeLonghi
Price : $2,975.00
You Save : $1,225.00 (29%)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description
Enjoy delicious espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, and other coffee drinks from the comfort of home with this super-automatic espresso machine. The unit's digital touch-screen control panel offers programmable menu settings that allow for setting the clock, start time, and automatic shutoff, as well as for adjusting the water hardness and temperature, the coffee strength, and the amount of coffee in the cup. Four one-touch buttons make consistently perfect beverages practically foolproof--choose from latte, cappuccino, macchiato, or hot milk. A 27-ounce removable milk container comes included, and the amounts of frothed/steamed milk and coffee can be adjusted to accommodate individual preferences. The unit also provides a hot-water spout for guests who would prefer to cozy up to a cup of herbal tea or instant hot cocoa. Best of all, the espresso machine accommodates both ground coffee and whole coffee beans thanks to its built-in conical burr grinder with adjustable fineness settings. Using whole beans allows the machine's direct-to-brew system to instantly grind the beans right before brewing, which ensures the freshest results. The thoughtfully designed appliance also features a 60-ounce removable water tank for easy filling at the sink, a double boiler with a new espresso boiler, and an instant-reheat function, which keeps the machine at an ideal temperature no matter how long between cups. Other highlights include a statistics function, the ability to accommodate latte cups, a cup warmer, a decalcification system, and a removable used-coffee container and drip tray for quick cleanup. Sleek and stylish, the espresso machine measures approximately 16-4/5 by 11 by 14-4/5 inches and carries a two-year limited warranty.
Be your own barista with the Gran Dama Avant by De'Longhi. You and your guests can enjoy delicious cappuccinos, lattes and macchiatos anytime. It's never been easier to create authentic Italian drinks with our patented milk container. Simply slide it onto the front of the machine, place a cup under the nozzle and press any of the one-touch buttons. The Gran Dama Avant does all the work for you! The milk container detaches easily so you can place it in the refrigerator. Select either whole beans or ground coffee, the machine does both. For the freshest results, the patented direct-to-brew system grinds beans instantly before brewing. With five coffee-strength settings from extra-mild to extra-strong, everyone gets their ideal flavor. The choices don't end there, select from four cup-size options to suit your preferred taste. And for those who also love the taste of traditional drip coffee, the Gran Dama Avant replicates this process with the unique long coffee function. Other highlights include a drip tray that accommodates latte cups, easy-to-use touch screen controls, as well as a cup warmer and a removable drip tray. Enjoy coffee for years to come with the Gran Dama Avant automatic espresso machine!

 

DeLonghi ESAM6700 Gran Dama Avant Touch-Screen Super-Automatic Espresso Machine

 

Product Features

• Easily prepares latte, cappuccino, and Italian macchiato with the patented "Single Touch" hot milk system. Simply slide the milk tank onto front of the machine. Clean button makes it easy to maintain.


• Easy-to-use unique digital touch screen control panel with programmable menu settings: adjust start time, auto off, clock, temperature, coffee strength (5 settings) and cup size (4 settings).


• Grinds beans instantly for the freshest espresso with the patented "Direct-to-Brew" system. Brewing system is compact and removable for easy cleaning.


• Accommodates latte cups with the unique flip-up drip tray


• Replicates the taste of drip coffee by elongating the brewing process with the long coffee function

Customer Reviews

After doing my own head-to-head comparison between the top DeLonghi, Saeco and Jura models, I ended up with the DeLonghi.
First and foremost, my biggest criteria was the taste of the coffee...there's no value in having a high-end espresso machine if it doesn't make coffee that's at least as good as what you can make manually. Luckily, a shop near me happens to stock all three major brands, and I was able to bring a sample of the beans I usually like and compare side by side. In addition to the DeLonghi Gran Dama, I tested the Jura Z5 and the Saeco Primea. I made a simple shot and was actually amazed by the differences - I wasn't expecting such a wide variation. Perhaps it's possible to fine tune some of these differences out, but I found the DeLonghi to be closest to my taste, with the Jura a close second. To me, the Saeco tasted a bit "burnt" and was my least favorite. None were horrible, but the DeLonghi came closest to what I brew by hand. Based on this test, I eliminated the Saeco, although I would have liked to sample other Saeco models.
There are big differences in the milk handling between these units. The DeLonghi uses a self-contained milk carafe that simply snaps into the machine when you want a latte or cappuccino. It's easy, and it has the advantage that you can keep it filled and stored in the refrigerator whenever you like. When you remove it, the machine spews some steam through the lines to help you keep it clean and free of milk residue. I also liked the Jura approach where you have an insulated thermos connected via a small tube to the machine. Jura makes a small refrigerated version, and it seems like a great solution, although it takes more counter space sitting next to the espresso machine. I liked Saeco's built-in milk drawer least, as it seemed like a chore to clean and store, plus it requires you to have plenty of space to the side of the unit, rather than being accessible from the front.
Another difference between the Jura and the DeLonghi is the intended use. I think of the DeLonghi as ideal for typical home use...you turn it on, plug in the milk pitcher if you want a latte/cappuccino, make a few coffees, put the milk back in the fridge, then go on with your day. The Jura would be better for an "always ready" setup, say in a small office where you're brewing more or less constantly all day - it has a milk container you can leave connected indefinitely (if you purchase the add-on refrigerated one) and the water tank on the Jura holds much more. In the end, I don't think you'll go wrong with either unit, but since my usage pattern is more typical of a home user, I found the DeLonghi more to my style in this regard.
When it comes to the quality of the frothy milk put out by these units, I'd rate the Jura best by a small margin. The foam from the Jura seemed a bit hotter and more "foamy" or stiff. Still, I tend towards latte more than cappuccino, so this wasn't a great factor for me. Instead, I opted for the DeLonghi's super-easy carafe design that lets me go from espresso shots to latte in just a few seconds.
In terms of construction quality, I favored the mostly-metal DeLonghi over the Jura's more plastic feel. Both are substantial - about 30 pounds - but still, neither reaches the level you might find in your local espresso shop. I suppose the DeLonghi seemed a little more professional to me, and I also like that all of the various containers can be accessed from the front or top of the unit, rather than the sides. Unlike another reviewer, I have no trouble getting to things like the grounds container by simply swinging the front of the unit open. Only gripe is that I would have liked room for taller cups - the limit is about 4.5 inches, and this seems to be about the limit on all of the high-end machines.
Most aspects of the coffee making process can be programmed with these units, from temperatures, to how fine ground the coffee is, to amount of coffee produced per use. Still, I find the unit to be fairly easy to use...generally, fill with supplies, then push a button and you have everything from a shot of coffee to a frothy cappuccino. One oddity is that the DeLonghi goes through a rinse cycle when you first turn it on - you need to remember to have a cup under the dispenser, or you'll be cleaning the drip tray often.
So far, cleaning has been easy, mostly just a matter of wiping and rinsing here and there. I usually clean the water tank and grounds container with every refill, and once in a while, I stick a small vacuum into the unit to suck out any stray grounds. The milk nozzles get a wipe with a damp cloth and blasted with steam from the unit when detaching the milk pitcher. Otherwise, it's pretty simple to keep clean so far.
Operationally, all of these units are somewhat louder than I expected. I'm honestly a little surprised there's not more sound insulation packed under the skins of these units. The grinder in my DeLonghi sounds about as loud as the typical burr grinder, and the various other pumps, milk frothing gear, etc adds to it.
In the end, I'm happy with the DeLonghi Gran Dama. I love my coffees and lattes, and this machine lets me make in a few moments what used to take twenty minutes to brew by hand. It has all the convenience of a pod maker, but it makes "real" coffee, exactly as I like it. Definitely recommended.

i purchased the delonghi 6700 16 months ago. in short, it is a great machine.
about two weeks ago, i decided to buy another super automatic for another location. i decided to try something different and purchase a saeco xelsis digital ID. this turns out to have been a mistake.
out of the box, the machine reported an "E5" error code. i called saeco and they instructed me to unplug the unit, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. after two tries, the machine booted up. the biggest problem with the machine is that the milk and the coffee is lukewarm at best. specifically, i used a digital instant read thermometer to check, and the milk stream out of the automatic frothing unit was only 115 degrees. the coffee was only 135 degrees. i spoke to the girl at seattlecoffeegear and she told me that she has the same unit at home and that they are all like this. looking at some of the online reviews, it looks like this is a common issue.
other drawbacks of the saeco include that the drip tray fills up quickly (about every 2-6 lattes) and the water reservoir is on the small side.
on the positive side, the unit looks nice, it can support multiple users, and the manual frothing unit can be used to heat the milk to the desired temperature- it doesn't have the low-temp problem of the automatic frother. but i'm returning the saeco and getting another delonghi.
in regards to the delonghi:
i took a home barista course at jones coffee company in los angeles (highly recommended). everyone brings in their own machine (manual to super automatic) and they teach you how to get the best out of the machines. i now make cappuccinos and lattes which are far better than anything i can get elsewhere. but you have to know how to 'tune' the machine.
first, turn the water temperature to HIGH (the milk stream is 175 - 180 degrees and the expresso comes out at 165 - 170 degrees). second, set it for 'extra-strong' coffee. this uses the most amount of beans. you still have to pull the shot early (manually or via programming 'my coffee'). to see the difference in coffee quality, get two shot glasses and serve up an expresso. fill the first shot glass with about 0.8 oz and then continue with the second shot glass for the rest. it is amazing how the first glass will have a beautiful copper crema on top and the second will be blond and bitter. so the moral of the story is to use only the first 0.8oz and if you want more, brew a second shot.
some other things i like about the delonghi - the water reservoir pulls out front (no problem fitting it under the counter); cleanup is easier (including a much bigger tube in the milk container); and as i said, it produces INCREDIBLE coffee drinks. i literally went from using two packets of sugar in my lattes to none at all since the flavor was so good.
by the way, the milk container has a '1 vs 2' switch for latte vs. cappuccino. i found that putting it between the two will yield a wonderfully creamy result (particularly using organic 2% milk).
there are only two downsides to the delonghi. the first is that you can't program it differently for each individual user. but to be honest, no one has ever complained about the way the machine is set. the second downside is that to clean the milk container after each use you have to stand there pressing the button the whole time (10 - 15 seconds). that having been said, i returned the saeco and am getting another delonghi.

 

DeLonghi ESAM6700 Gran Dama Avant Touch-Screen Super-Automatic Espresso Machine

 

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