De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch review

De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch comes with stylish design with premium finish and open/close mechanism. Maximum 15 bar pump pressure for coffee shop style drinks. Over 30 varieties of hot and cold drinks. Intuitive touch technology for ease of use. What more you want to know – find details in De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch review.

What is good in De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch?

Let me talk you through some of the bits I liked:

1. When you turn it on, it gets its Transformers on and automatically opens, turning into a coffee machine! When my sister first saw it she didn’t even realise it was a coffee machine (I think she thought it was a sculpture!) until I switched it on. 

2. The touch screen is cool. I’ve not used a touch screen coffee machine before and it feels super futuristic.

3. Apparently it’ll remind me when it needs descaling, which helps me keep it tip top. 

4. It’s self cleaning – when you first use it, it takes itself through a cleaning cycle which was handy!

5. There are 40 different coffees you can make from it!! It’s a pod system so you buy pods and mix and match them for the various combinations.

6. The coffee tastes GOOD. The crema you get on it is fab and as good as I get through my espresso machine. The pressure is 15 bar pump, whatever that means, which is apparently why!

7. It’s quicker than my other coffee methods. I love filter coffee and my aeropress but this gets me my fix (and with proper crema) MUCH faster and with less washing up afterwards. 

De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch comparison

De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch review

Design

In a world of boxy and bulbous coffee machines, the Eclipse changes the pace with its elegant design. Its shape is neat when closed and it opens smoothly with a touch of a button, the appeal of which is surprisingly enduring. 

De’Longhi designed coffee machines have always lingered behind the refinement of Nespresso or smooth, simplicity of Bosch. Its reputation is chunkiness and no creativity. However, its Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse Touch model has propelled itself way ahead of its competitors in terms of unique, out-of-the-box design. Its 27 x 33 x 32 cm dimensions mean its anything but unobtrusive. But if you’re paying top price for such a stand-out machine, why would you want it to blend into the background? 

Colour

Available in the simple colours of black or silver, the designers of this machine have ensured it will work with any décor. Styled as a loop that opens into a twisted shape at the touch of a button for use, the De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse is just as much an artistic statement for the kitchen as it is a coffee capsule machine.

The colour of the power cord. designers of the De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse have opted for a bright red cable which doesn’t seem to match with the machine itself. They’ve highlighted the one aspect of a coffee machine most people want to try and hide. Unless you are very skilful at tucking the cord out of sight, it really does take away from the sophistication and artistic design of the unit, and will instead draw attention to the messy, bundled up cable behind it.

Touchscreen

Another nice addition is the touchscreen interface with bars to set the coffee quantity and choice of hot or cold drinks; one of De’Longhi’s trademark features it has over competitors. Additionally, when turned on, the machine opens automatically which any coffee machine enthusiast will find entertaining. Sadly, and strangely, it doesn’t automatically close when turned off. 

How easy to use – De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch?

I found the machine tricky to get to grips with at first, only because it’s quite different to anything I’ve used before, but a quick flick over the instruction manual I soon got the hang of the controls, which are quick and intuitive to use.

To create your perfect beverage, you simply insert a pod, select how much water is needed via a touch-controlled slider and finally decide whether you’d like this hot or cold. I really loved the fact you have control over the size of your drink as I tend to prefer longer drinks and other machines tend to focus a lot on espresso and short cup size. With a super fast heat-up time of less than 30 seconds, means your drink is ready in less than 1 minute. The machine has a maximum 15 bar pump pressure, which I have to say I don’t totally understand but this is rival to coffee shop quality, and thats something I can relate to.

After making your coffee, the machine has a full rinsing tool so you can cleanse the machine after use and it also has a descaling alert for regular maintenance too.

What are the available coffee pods?

Dolce Gusto has a wide range of coffee pods – to get you started the machine comes with a little selection pack with a few favourites so you can enjoy a coffee as soon as you open the box and get to grips with your new machine.

After that you can then order more pods, with coffee types ranging from Espresso to Latte’s, then onto the more exciting blends such as Caramel Latte Macchiato (my favourite so far!) One thing that sets this machine apart from any I’ve tried is that the machine will elegantly craft these drinks for you at the touch of a button, there is no need to add the milk yourself. The smooth espresso sinks from the top of the glass to the bottom but remains unstirred, creating a stunning layered effect that I’d never have expected from a coffee machine at home.

The Dulce Gusto coffee pod range has offer over 30 coffee combinations to try, including hot/cold chocolate and iced teas too so there is bound to be something to cater for every taste and style.

As with all coffee capsule machines these days, cleaning is also very simple with a descaling option built into the machine and a removable drip tray.

De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse Touch review: Taste

Where De’Longhi has always impressed is with the quality of its coffee and the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse continues that reputation. With a 15 automatic pressure regulation, your coffee is guaranteed to be smooth with a thick crema, every time.

A silky-smooth crema is guaranteed every time from Americano and Espresso pods, with an authentic aroma and rich, complex taste. The other drinks are undeniably convenient and the variety on offer is exhaustive, but those requiring the milk pods may not be to everyone’s taste.

De’Longhi also offers one of the widest range of hot and cold drinks for capsule machines on the market. There are over 40 drinks varieties and strengths to choose from long black Americano to frothy soy Latte Macchiato, Hot Chocolate to Peach Tea. 

Alternate of De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse touch

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo – Best for Individuals

Specifications

• Capacity: 0.6L
• Power: 1500W
• Control: Manual

As suggested with the name, this is the smallest in the Dolce Gusto range so great for anyone living on their own, or for anyone who is the only coffee/hot drinks consumer in their household. It is stylish and compact and performs really well for its size.

The drip tray is adjustable, so will accommodate four different sizes of cup to suit long iced coffee or smaller espresso. You can use the recommended water capacity levels as featured on the pods or customise to suit your tastes simply by letting it flow a bit longer.

As it is manual, it can be hard to judge just how much water is in the cup, but after a bit of experimentation, you can usually easily stop it at the precise point.

To set it up, all you need to do it run a few rounds of water through it to clean out the internal system. The on/off button switches from red to green when it is heated up, and thanks to thermoblock technology, this only takes moments.

Because the tank is small, it can be fiddly to refill at the tap, and we found tipping it at an awkward angle was the best option but somewhat more difficult than it should be, so we tried refilling it with a small jug which was easier.

The Piccolo would make a great first coffee machine thanks to the simplicity and is ideal for anyone living on their own or somebody off to university. The water tank will produce a maximum of two standard cups of coffee at any one time, so if you feel this could get annoying and time-consuming, a model with a tank which is closer to 1 L in size probably won’t set you back that much more money – especially as it is a manual model.

Reasons to Buy

• Compact size
• Clean, simple design

Reasons to Avoid

• Its smallness could become annoying

De’Longhi Jovia

Specifications

• Capacity: 0.8L
• Power: 1500W
• Control: Manual

The cheapest model offered in the Dolce Gusto range, but this doesn’t mean it is any less effective at its role.

The price isn’t the only reason why the Jovia is one of the most popular pod coffee machines. Its unique design and simple to use interface means making a cup of coffee has never been more relaxed, stylish or quicker.

It is manual automation, so can’t be left to its own devices. But on a positive note, this can mean less fuss. There are no settings to adjust; just stop the flow with the manual lever when you have enough water. This could mean easier control for some and harder for others, so all boils down to your preference.

The stop safety device makes using the machine a lot safer. No water will run unless a pod is inserted, so there is a reduced chance of water getting everywhere or all over you. The grounds all stay in the little capsule after use too, so there is an easier cleanup, and the drip tray is removable for easy cleaning.

It can only be used with the official Dolce Gusto capsules, but they’re so widely available and there is so much choice that this shouldn’t be problematic. The water temperature is also good for a coffee, and should suit those who have found that the coffee isn’t warm enough with pod machines in the past.

Available in red, black and white, there is a design for every kitchen if this is important to you. For great tasting coffee in under 30 seconds, you can’t get much better for the price.

Reasons to Buy

• Thermoblock heating for warmer beverage
• Needle included for cleaning nozzle

Reasons to Avoid

• Manual operation

De’Longhi Infinissima EDG260.G

Specifications

• Capacity: 1.2L
• Power: 1500W
• Control: Manual

Dolce Gusto is a great pick to go for, with over 40 capsule pods on offer for a wide range of hot drinks.

This machine will accept them all, so is great for family homes where everyone has different tastebuds. It is a 15 bar pump system, ideal for a wide variety of coffees, and all you need to do is pop the pod in place and it will do the rest.

It is a manual pour machine, so you have to stop it when the cup is t the right fill level, but it will automatically shut off if it has not been used for a little while for safety.

Reasons to Buy

• Generous tank size
• Choice of colours
• Compact design

Reasons to Avoid

• Water could be hotter

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Majesto Professional

Specifications

• Capacity: 1.8L
• Power: 1500W
• Control: Manual

A lovely modern and technologically advanced looking coffee machine, which despite this isn’t overly complicated to use.

It has been specially designed for offices, where there are going to be loads of people all wanting their own different types of coffee. Over 30 coffee creations can be made, and a further choice of other hot and cold drinks too.

This isn’t to say it isn’t suitable for your home too, however. Maybe you have several people who would be using the machine and who all like different drinks in the morning, or maybe you yourself love to have a choice as big as Starbucks gives you at the touch of a button.

It isn’t just the wide choice of drinks which makes it ideal for bigger parties either. A 1.8L water tank won’t need filling too frequently, and an eco mode option will switch the machine off after a 30 minute period of activity. You need to connect it to Wi-Fi so it can update periodically, but this is the only thing to bear in mind really.

Reasons to Buy

• Design
• Touchscreen interface is just drag and drop

Reasons to Avoid

• No option to store own custom drinks if you like yours a certain way

Finding the best Dolce Gusto machine for you

There isn’t a lot of difference between the models featured. In fact, there are only two big decisions to make really:

• Automatic or manual?
• The design

Automatic machines pour the water without you having to monitor the pouring and stop it when it is at the required level, whereas manual devices need you to stop the lever when there is enough water in the cup.

The former is excellent for those who want a pod machine because it is convenient and can make your coffee with little input from you. Just set it to brew in the mornings, and your cup is ready when you are. The latter could be a better choice for anyone who doesn’t like standard measurements with their hot drinks, perhaps preferring a stronger or weaker coffee or wanting to experiment.

The design doesn’t vary a large amount – most are rounded with the water tank at the back and the controls at the top. But there are a few on the list, such as the Movenza and Eclipse, which really do offer something different if you want your coffee machine to stand out and look almost futuristic.

Easy to use

Before you buy, you will want to know how easy they are to operate.

Simply pop the pod in, switch the lever to hot or cold, and either choose the water amount which will be poured (automatics and touch) or turn off the lever when done (manuals).

All machines will need to be placed through at least one cleaning cycle before being fully used for the first time.

Price

This is something which doesn’t vary much with Dolce Gusto machines. You’ll struggle to find a device retailing for above £200, and the price doesn’t even make much of a difference regarding the efficiency and any extras. We found that models on the cheaper end of the scale seem to work just as well as those twice the price.

What can make an impact on the total continuing cost is the price of the pods. Nescafé are usually praised for their wide availability of their pods, which unlike Nespresso pods, are widely available in supermarkets and other online retailers as well as through their own store. This gives you plenty of choices to shop around.

Pressure

All Dolce Gusto machines operate at a maximum 15 bar pressure. This is seen as an ideal to emulate real coffee shop drinks.

The pressure can’t be adjusted by the user, but depending on the pod you use, it will automatically choose which is best. An espresso requires the highest level of pressure, and a cappuccino a minimal amount for added crema, for example.

FAQs

Do I need a milk frother with the Dolce Gusto machines?

Not necessarily. It all depends on the particular drink you choose to make.

If you want a milk-based drink such as a cafe au lait, there will be milk powder in each pod. However, something like a Grande will require the addition of milk, but this doesn’t have to be frothy, so a milk frother is unnecessary.

Can I use Tassimo or other pods in a Dolce Gusto machine?

The capsules of the three big brands – Dolce Gusto, Tassimo and Nespresso – generally can’t be switched because they’re different sizes. If you use a pod which is the wrong size or doesn’t comfortably fit, it may result in it not being pierced or becoming lodged and jammed in the compartment.

Some third-party brands may fit into these machines, but it is risky and would be a case of trial and error.

Which pods are available?

The Nescafé Dolce Gusto truly is a machine which can be described as a hot drinks maker as well as a coffee maker.

There are over 40 pod varieties available, from Flat White to Cafe Au Lait and Americano, as well as decaffeinated coffees, Marrakesh style tea and Chococino. This makes them great for the whole family – you don’t just have to be a coffee lover.

There are different categories too. Short/medium/large cup size, mild/intense/very intense flavour or hot or cold versions.

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