Coffee machines: Compare features & prices DeLonghi ECAM 23.450 review http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/kitchen/reviews/coffee-machines/delonghi-ecam-23-450/review/

We didn't want a big black shiny machine in the kitchen, so the higher scoring Perfecta was ruled out. The Perfecta also becomes more expensive if you want a model that has the automatic milk frother jug at the front (the cheaper 5400 tested here doesn't have one). So this ECAM 23.450 is actually more comparable price-wise to the Perfecta. This model is a bit smaller and silver plastic. It has a more stable feel than the cheaper Magnifica which we also looked at instore. The digital display and buttons are easy to use. It seems complicated to clean at first, but once the user guide is mastered it's easy to remember. The coffee tastes great. I was waiting for the big noise the testers found, but it doesn't seem that noisy. The other machines must be very quiet!Flaws (or things we would change): 1. the Frother spout on the milk jug is fixed and too high so when the hot milk spouts out it leaves mess. The 2 coffee spouts in the centre of the machine can be moved up and down, so it is odd that the milk spout is fixed in position. 2. The non-espresso drinks aren't 'long' enough to fill a good size mug, so you end up fiddling adding extra hot milk or water. 3. Even with the temperature set to the highest level, the cappuccinos are not particularly hot. I have got around that by doing an extra rinse before making a cappuccino which seems to further heat the machine and also by using room temperature milk.Overall though a great machine, very glad we bought this one...and if anyone from Delonghi ever reads this, pls. pls. design a machine that can take 2 different types of beans at the same time (say caffeinated/de-caff or 2 strengths). That would be brill!