55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Machine, March 10, 2006
This review is from: DeLonghi EAM3500 Magnifica Digital Super Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
I like to enjoy a capuccino every morning, but I was a bit tired of the process of griding the beans, tamping, frothing, cleaning up, etc. Also in an effort to save time, I decided to research a super autmoatic machine. I wanted a quality machine that would froth milk for me, but I was not impressed with the Jura Capresso machines because they require extensive clean up and are, in my opinion, grossly overpriced.
My previous espresso machine was a Delonghi, and I was impressed by the quality of the machine and the espresso it produced. The EAM3500's automatic frothing mechanism was its main selling point. I was a bit hesitant about the price and longevity of the machine, but decided to go for it... I am happy that I did.
The espresso is wonderful, and the fothing mechanism is great. Clean-up is, no exaggeration, takes a few seconds before the milk jug may be returned to the fridge. Frothed milk could be a bit hotter, but it's definitely tolerable. The boiler is easy to clean (unlike Jura Capressos), and the bright LCD lets you know everything that the machine requires. I have already descaled once (before I switched to distilled water), and it was a snap.
Overall, I have owned the machine for 1.5 months, and it's the best. I never cease to be amazed every morning when I wake up -- the machine is already on and warmed up, and a delicious cappucino is a push of a button and thirty seconds away.
I highly recommend this machine. The only bad experience that I had was when I tried to obtain a second water hardness testing strip. This piece of paper that comes with the machine is easy to lose, and when I called for another, Delonghi wanted to charge me $15... for a piece of paper! I decided to use distilled water (better for the machine anyway) and set the water hardness to its lowest level.
--- UPDATE: 12/05/07 ---
I have to say that I am still extremely pleased with this machine. The seals for the milk jug have done bad, but Delonghi customer service has been wonderful; they have furnished new seals and a new top.
At the same time, I bought a second machine shortly after the first, and the second machine has been a nightmare. It has been "fixed" twice, and it can still be spotty for a few days (no froth or a cold espresso).
This machine must be cleaned and used with care to assure longevity.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Robust for even a small company, October 4, 2006
This review is from: DeLonghi EAM3500 Magnifica Digital Super Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
This machine has now been going strong in the breakroom of my 100 person company for more than 9 months. Ever since we got the machine, people have drastically reduced making their trips to nearby Starbucks. Everybody loves the machine because of its simplicity and ease of use. Lot of people just use the frothed milk only feature as well. The cleaning is simple as well.
The only note of caution is that for lattes or cappucinos (i.e., when you use frothed or steamed milk), the drink does not come out too hot. You can adjust the temperature of the coffee by making a few settings, and the temperature is fine for normal use, but still you can not get an extra hot latte. At times when I want that, I just put my coffee filled cup in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and the problem is solved.
I would also like to recommend people to set the appropriate hardness level using the test described in the manual. I did not do that at first and ended up decalcifying far too often. Also do not use warm water wherever possible.
Bottomline, this is a highly recommended super automatic espresso machine for not just residences but even small companies.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than Starbuck's, October 7, 2006
This review is from: DeLonghi EAM3500 Magnifica Digital Super Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
This machine is really just as advertised - one touch capuccino and espresso with enormous customization. You can adjust the coffee strength independent of the volume (ristretto to lungo). The milk frother works wonderfully with good tight foam, and is mixed with the coffee in the cup in perfect ratio. It produces capuccino just as good as Starbucks (assuming you use Starbucks beans), and more consistent (sometimes, depending on the barista, the capuccino can be weaker or stronger based on the amount of milk added).
I've had the machine for several months and have no complaints at all. The only minimal negatives I can think of is that I would like to have a somewhat larger bean hopper and water tank. The infuser is made of plastic, so I had some concerns about longevity, but when you take it out to clean it you can see that it is very thick solid plastic. Given than this machine costs only $1500 vs. more than double that for any more solidly constructed machine, and this was definitely the way to go.
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