My first coffee machine which I bought many years ago was the Rancilio Silvia. In that way I have skipped the really entry-level espresso machines that were out there on the market. And after trying out DeLonghi Icona, I’m really glad I did.
First, the quality of the espresso coming out of a half-plastic portafilter is simply meh. No crema, and quite weak. What’s even worse, this machine is extremely messy, spraying coffee muck all around the kitchen. I wish I have just brought the Bialetti moka pot with me.
It works better with the coffee pods (not to be confused with the plastic capsules), but I couldn’t find those in Santorini.