Didiesse Frog Espresso Machine Report

The Frog espresso machine from Didiesse of Italy is optimized for use with E.S.E. espresso pods. That's because it exclusively takes E.S.E. espresso pods. No compromises for brewing ground coffee. We've written about pod-only machines in various issues of the PODcast newsletter, in particular PODcast #55 where we compare pod-only machines and pod-capable machines.

• Superior results via pod-only design.
• Two thermoblock heaters — one for coffee, one for steam for frothing milk for cappuccinos and lattes.
• Quick warm-up time
• One year parts and labor warranty with the US distributor.
• Dimensions: 15" H x 8.5" W x 12" D

The Frog's controls and indicator lights make it clear when the machine is ready for either coffee or steam. The green light/switch is power for the main coffee water heater. The amber switch below that is pushed to run the pump to make an espresso. The light in this switch is on when power is being applied to the thermoblock heater. When the light goes off, the machine is warmed up.

To use the steam wand, first push the red power button to power-up the steam thermoblock. The light in the blue switch will be on until the correct temperature is reached. At that point, you may press it to produce steam from the wand for frothing milk.

To insert a pod into the machine, you first lift up on this lever which opens the "jaws" (where the espresso pod is clamped). I think the coffee bean-shaped handle is a nice touch.

To clamp the pod in the machine, you push down on the lever until it catches. Now you're set to make an espresso.

What is so superior about this method is that the pod is clamped on the paper flange of pod's periphery. Water cannot flow around the pod — it must all flow through the pod. It's a simple, but important, feature.

Let's look inside the Frog. It's easy to open up for service, or even to change the skins to another color. Having opened the housing, we can see the aluminum thermoblock heater for the coffee water. The thermoblock sits right on top of the brewing chamber, so there's no heat loss or temperature drop between the two. And it has a quick warm-up time due to the use of thermoblock technology instead of a boiler. See below for more information on the thermoblock heater.

On the right side, we can see the thermoblock heater for the steam wand. More on that next.

Here is the thermoblock for the steam wand. It is connected to the wand by a flexible plastic hose. A temperature drop is no problem here so that's fine. I like the fact that the steam thermoblock is not heated until it is switched on, separate from the main water heater. As a straight espresso drinker, I rarely use steam, so I'm glad that I am not paying to heat it up for no purpose.

A thermoblock is a heat-exchanger made from a block of aluminum or brass with a serpentine path cut into it through which the water flows. By the time the water exits the block, its temperature should be the same as the block. The block should have enough thermal mass to prevent the flow of water from decreasing the block's temperature. In my experience this system has better thermal stability and has a much better recovery time than a typical home machine with a boiler.

The dedicated thermoblock for steam also means you do not have the problem of having to raise the temperature of the boiler to make steam and then let it cool back down to make further espresso shots. For a comparison of boiler vs. thermoblock technology, see PODcast #57.

The drip pan and the grill are removable for easy cleaning. The pan and grill are dishwasher safe. Another nice touch is the "frog" name formed into in the grill.

One of the unique features of the Frog is the water tank. It doesn't have one! Instead, you place a disposable water bottle in the housing. It takes bottles up to 2 liter. You can purchase bottled water to use and refill the bottle once depleted. It's easy to remove for refilling and at a capacity of 2 liters, it's more than most other espresso machines.

Return to the Didiesse Frog product listing.