Another coffee machine thread - expresso this time

[Kewcumber]

Am going to get a coffee machine from my ma for Xmas. Want one not too expensive (max £100) that makes expresso from pre-tamped coffee bags (are they called ESE?) and will frother milk well.

I drink a latte every morning and hate starbucks (to weak) and am going bankrupt buying an M&S one nearly everyday)

So whats the opinion.

Have considered one of the deLonghi. What are Illy like?

Illy make good coffee, not sure about the machines. But look for an espresso not expresso machine. (Sorry to be pedantic, but if you do a search for expresso you'll get the rubbish ones designed in countries other than Italy).

oops! Didn;t even notice am typing in the dark!

bump - someone must have an expresso machine?

I know it's slightly over budget, but we have this one and it's fantastic.
We have only used ground coffee so far but you can use pods.

My friend has a de Longhi (£100ish) one and it's conked out in under a year and he says our crema is far superior

How easy do you find it to make a latte. AM partly convinced that I will get it and be too incompetatn/lazy to use it!

Probably 5 mins from switching machine on, running hot water through to warm cup / filter, making coffee, heating/ frothing milk and cleaning up.

5 mins well spent IMHO