Customer Reviews

DeLonghi EAM3500 Magnifica Digital Super Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

We purchased the DeLonghi EAM3500 Magnifica for our second home and we enjoy the taste of the coffee, latte, etc so much we're ordering another for our main residence. So simple to use - very easy to keep clean. The machine grinds the coffee just before brewing - wonderful. We've also been pleased with the milk attachment for latte and cappuccino - no more standing at the machine frothing milk.

The only thing we would change would be to add separate holders for multiple types of beans - but I'm sure we could get that if we bought one of the much more expensive "commercial" machines! Overall, we are VERY happy with the EAM3500.

Everything they say about this machine above is true, it's really wonderful. My problem with it is, again mentioned above, that the latte milk could be hotter (use cappuccino frother for hotter). This bugs me because you can adjust the temp of the coffee, but not milk, and I like the milk hot so I have to pop it in the microwave. I'm happier having discovered the use of the cappuccino frother.

For all who have been stressed by the quirks of the 3300, Delonghi has made some improvements in this generation. The grinder is much quieter, the infusion cycle proofs the grounds before brewing, and there's an automatic rinse cycle at shut down. The digital programability is nice, but I bought this machine for the end product: great coffee. I was not disappointed. Some things to remember:

1. Use the least oily beans you can find. French roast will clog the machine quickly. I'm using a local med-dark roast all arabica coffee. Lavazza super crema is also very good.

2. Rinse between shots because the infuser clogs easily with black espresso muck. Not rinsing will cause the machine to shut down with a message that the "grind is too fine".

3. Believe the instructions and play with grinder settings. I had to go all the way up to a "5" [semi coarse] grind. The new manual is much better written.

4. The normal strength delivers thick, deep, well carmelized crema. You can taste the different nuances between blends. For example, the winey character of central american beans or the earthy taste of sumatran come through. The "strong" setting uses a lot of coffee, and doesn't result in a significantly different brew.

5. The steam is very powerful and prepares great quality froth quickly.

6. Use the "extra hot" setting. Delonghi has solved the cold problem that some past reviewers have complained about.

I demo'd a saeco talia giro before buying this machine. The saeco does make excellent espresso, but lacks the LCD display that tells you what's wrong. All it has is a flashing "idiot" light that can mean several things: low water, empty grounds, fill beans, clean the infuser, etc. Both machines have plastic infuser assemblies, and I wonder how disasterous a drop to the floor might be. Otherwise, a fabulous machine!

I have had my 3500 for a month now and find myself making about 4 cups in the morning and another 4 cups of decaff pre-ground in the evening. I have had no operational problems at all with my machine and find it especially convenient. What I consider to be the downfalls of this machine are :1) The temperature of the coffee isn't quite hot enough even at the highest setting and 2) The quality of the froth or even the steamed milk is at best OK. I would like to set my own temp by degrees and have an option to steam my milk manually.

My husband wanted this coffee machine for Christmas and I am so glad I got it for him. Fabulous coffee, latte, cappuccino. Please take the time to read the instructions and watch the dvd. It makes using this machine so easy.

I just received my Delonghi Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso machine a few days ago. I am already in love with this machine and have brewed some of the best coffee and lattes that I have ever had! I have been using Starbucks Espresso Roast and it is just as good, if not better than the drinks I can get made for me at Starbucks, and so easy!

The main pros I have found with this machine:
- It does everything for you! Put the cup down, push the button and you have a fabulous cup of coffee! No manual frothing or pouring.
- It cleans and rinses itself so I dont even have to clean it that often!
- It tells you when to empty the coffee grounds, tells you when to add more beans, more water or clean it.
- The fact that it allows you to select the strength you prefer is fabulous. I have been making regular coffee drinks, as well as lattes out of only espresso beans! So, whether I am in the mood for a regular cup of joe or a cappuccino/latte, I dont have to worry about switching out beans or using ground.

Just a few cons I have noted so far, but even the cons are not that big of a deal, but I still figured I should mention them:
- Its NOISY! Between the cleaning, rinsing, heating up, grinding and brewing, I'm always afraid I'm going to wake the house in the morning just trying to make some coffee. The grinding is actually the most quiet of all, but it will noisily click, slurp, siphon and make a barrage of other noises before it even gets to giving you a coffee.
- You have to clean the milk spout in between EVERY cappuccino or latte! I thought that I could at least get a few cups out of it before having to clean, but if you don't clean the spout after EVERY cup, the next cycle will just spit out a tiny bit of milk. Its easy to clean, but just extra time to put out before you can brew a 2nd cup.
- The adjustable spout needs to be further adjustable. Coffee cups and mugs come in so many different heights, that I have a hard time using some of my taller coffee cups with this because the spouts will only go up so high...and forget about trying to fill a travel mug. I have to brew 2 separate regular coffee cups and transfer them into my travel mug.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the machine! I look forward to making many more coffees out of it and saving money and time by not having to stop by Starbucks every few days. :) The price of this machine is expensive, however I'm glad I went with this one and not the lesser model without the auto frother because this one just makes it so easy!

I have owned several types of espresso machines & stove-top models over the years. However, none have given me the same "crema" quality I get while dining out at restaurants. These inexpensive [...] models always dispensed fairly good-tasting, yet "watery looking" espresso, with no "crema" on top. Nevertheless, I decided to try the Delonghi Magnifica ESAM3500 at the recommendation of an italian restaurateur who personally owns the Magnifica, and ranked it up there with his commercial espresso machine at his restaurant for both espresso & cappuccino quality.

Although I was initially hesitant about the price of the machine, I decided to try it. The result is exactly what I was looking for... restaurant-quality espresso & cappuccino at the push of a button! Simple to use cup after cup and easy to clean-up. I won't explain the exact process. There is a demo-video on the Delonghi website which is a good depiction of what you can expect. [...]

I have owned the machine for 4 months, and I'm extremely glad with my purchase. Every morning, I enjoy a strong cup of espresso, and moments later my wife enjoys the delicious mild cappuccino at the push of a button. Don't forget the cinnamon! If I had to give this machine any negative rating, is that the bean grinder is a little loud. So don't expect to "quietly" make a cup of espresso or cappuccino at 5:00AM while your family is asleep!

I highly recommend this machine for the espresso & cappuccino connoisseur.