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The most helpful favorable review
The most helpful critical review
135 of 139 people found the following review helpful:
One of the Best Super Automatics Out There for the Price
I have the EAM3200, which is the previous model version. The differences are slight but noticeable to the newer. These machines are the best in class for price and performance, produce a great espresso, and are maintainable in ways that other manufacturers models are not. The coffee from the Delonghi is just as good as from Jura and even some manual models such as Expobar...
Published on May 11, 2007 by Vatsug
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47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
Great coffee, build quality problems
[This review applies to the Magnifica 3200, this is the same as the 3300 with slight cosmetic differences.]
I bought this machine in 2006 after an almost-endless trawl through the internet reading owners' reviews - after all, we are talking about the search for the perfect expresso here!
The coffee quality is indeed great. The only misgivings I...
Published 16 months ago by Moore Paul Patrick
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135 of 139 people found the following review helpful:
One of the Best Super Automatics Out There for the Price, May 11, 2007
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
I have the EAM3200, which is the previous model version. The differences are slight but noticeable to the newer. These machines are the best in class for price and performance, produce a great espresso, and are maintainable in ways that other manufacturers models are not. The coffee from the Delonghi is just as good as from Jura and even some manual models such as Expobar and Rancillo. It is very close to what you find in Italy - not quite, but for the price it is worth it. Great crema, hot temperature, rich flavor. And the best part is you can pull out the brew mechanism and clean it - VERY key. This will ensure sound operation and function for many years.
In order to keep this machine is fine working order, you need to do a bit of upkeep each week and use the right beans.
1. Only use non-oily, 100% Arabica beans. If you use oily beans it will clog frequently and attract rancid flavors. It will also shorten the life of the machine. I use Illy, but any espresso will do (I actually get the Illy dark roast - it has more flavor when brewing a larger "americano" cup).
2. Clean the brew mechanism once a week. Just snap it out and run it under hot water.
3. Use spring water instead of tap water. This will keep any weird flavors from your tap entering the coffee. It may build up minerals, but...
4. De-calcify the machine when it asks for it - don't wait.
I, for one, would rather have manual controls over coffee amount, strength, etc. You are not losing out on anything by not having digital controls - other than not being able to have the machine automatically on and ready to go when you first wake up. As for the other models ability to do milk-based drinks at the touch of a button - how often do you really want a cappuccino? If it is every day, then get the 3500. If you are like me and need real coffee in the morning, then get this model. The milk canister can only sit in the fridge for so long. If you are planning to serve cappuccino at dinner parties, then you are committing Italian heresy - cappuccino is only served in the morning.
CONS
1. The cup warmer does not work very well, but get double walled cups and the temperature of the product will not be an issue.
2. You can't have it turn on automatically at a certain time. But it only takes a few minutes to get up to temperature.
3. It is NOISY.
My espresso settings - coffee amount at 10 o'clock, strength at 3 o'clock, single cup dispense. Super double espresso in an espresso cup. I may have 2 of these on a saturday.
My wife's "americano" settings - coffee amount at 3 o'clock, strength at 3 o'clock, double cup dispense. Full cup of rich coffee in a normal cup.
Bean grind at 5.
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47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
Great coffee, build quality problems, April 20, 2009
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
[This review applies to the Magnifica 3200, this is the same as the 3300 with slight cosmetic differences.]
I bought this machine in 2006 after an almost-endless trawl through the internet reading owners' reviews - after all, we are talking about the search for the perfect expresso here!
The coffee quality is indeed great. The only misgivings I would have about using it are that the knobs have no user markings, which means that if there are several people in the house using the machine, it is impossible to select the previously-selected individual settings. Also, the time before the machine performs an auto-switchoff is fixed at about three hours. I couldn't find the power comsumption in the user manual when in "idle" mode, but I think it must be substantial since it keeps the boiler/cup-preheater hot during this time. Not that the preheater is any use - I warm my cups by first wetting them and then putting them in the microwave for 30 seconds.
More seriously, I have had the machine for three years and in this time it has broken down four times - the first time after six weeks, the second time after about 18 months, the third time after about 30 months, and again most recently last week. The first two times, the machine was fixed under guarantee, without any quibbles. I think the problem is that the environment these machines have to work under is probably the most severe to be found in the home: high-pressure boiling water, grinding, and the transport of the coffee grains within the machine. Maybe the build quality of the cheaper machines is such that they cannot cope?
While waiting this last time round for it to be picked up and repaired, I decided to open it up to check its build quality (I'm an engineer). De Longhi has used thin plastic wherever possible. The coffee transfer path is not well isolated from the rest of the machine - as a result coffee powder had dropped into the moving motorised assembly at the back of the machine (I think this was the reason why the machine ultimately had failed).
Others here have commented on the machine's coffee-making ability. I agree, it makes great coffee. It's a pity that, in my experience at least, it was let down by poor engineering.
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
Nearly perfect., November 30, 2007
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
I wish I could give it a 4.5. As others have noted, it is a bit on the noisy side. We went from a Bunn drip machine (best drip coffee maker by far) to this after being blown away by the one our hosts had in Germany. It's been worth every penny. Speaking of pennies, a 20% off coupon at Bed Bath & Beyond is the ticket for low price and a VERY good return policy.
We have used Starbucks and Pears beans, and will continue to try others probably. Cleaning is a snap, my only real gripes are the water reservoir - obviously designed with coffee-sipping Europeans in mind, not us coffee-DRINKING Americans. Still, we haven't used the Bunn since we plugged in the Magnifica.
Likes:
Superb coffee!! Great crema, better than coffee houses
Easily adjusted cup size & coffee strength
FAST warm-up
Easy to clean
Everything works perfectly
Dislikes:
A little noisy.
No automatic timer (not a big deal, since it warms up fast)
Cup warmer not of much use, and no way to shut it off
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43 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
Machine broke after 4 weeks - DeLonghi customer service sucks, February 11, 2008
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
Apart from breaking after 4 weeks this is a great espresso machine, we loved it. Easy to operate, makes great coffee and espresso. Maybe we had bad luck but after 4 weeks of use one of the coffee brewing buttons broke and then the on/off button wouldn't work anymore. The machine was dead. It seems that the electronic behind the buttons is not very robust. I sent an email to the DeLonghi customer service but never got any reply.
Another downside: The machine asks for descaling every 2 weeks. This gets a little expensive considering that the recommended decalcifier for one time descaling is about $6. I returned the machine to Amazon. They are always great with return. So fast, so easy. They are my absolute favorite online order merchant.
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
Good espresso maker for the price with few negatives, November 30, 2007
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
This is a good solid reliable machine that makes a good cup of espresso. I like the analog dials: the simplicity and elegance makes it easy for anyone to understand how to use it in just a few minutes.
Pluses:
1. Design simplicity
2. Good espresso
3. Easy to clean
4. Auto descaling indicator and simple to descale (comes with one Durgol descaler)
Minuses:
1. Noisy grinder
2. User's manual was obviously written by a nonnative English speaker, example: "the program of descaling is hour terminated and the machine is ready per do again the coffee" and as such, some of the instructions take some time to figure out.
3. The power on/power off cycles rinse the system causing brown fluid to drain into the drip catching tray - just keep a little cappuccino milk pot underneath to remedy this
4. Grounds bucket inside fills up irregularly so the warning light goes off before it's really filled to capacity (requiring more frequent emptying)
5. I could not adjust the setting for water hardness (not that big of a deal, but it might prolong the interval needed for descaling)
Overall, a good super-automatic for the price (I got it at Bed Bath and Beyond for $639 using their 20% off coupon, but then you pay tax)
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
Gets the job done! Tastes great, saves $, June 29, 2008
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
It took me a year to finally commit to buying an espresso machine because there are so many choices out there that it's paralyzing to pick one. But after too much time shelling out $10 a day for two drinks at our local coffee house, we decided to take the plunge. I did a lot of research on the site Whole Latte Love and chose the DeLonghi Magnifica 3300.
We've had our machine for about six months now, so we've saved almost $1000 (above the cost of the machine!) and enjoyed great tasting beverages. My husband has actually switched from drinking cappuccinos to straight espressos because it tastes so good. I still drink lattes and that works, too. The super-automatic function really is easy: just add beans and push one button and you have espresso, foam the milk and you have a latte.
I chose the Delonghi Magnifica from a crowded field of options because it was not too expensive. I didn't need a cup warmer or a timer. Honestly, on some of the more expensive models like the DeLonghi ESAM3500.N Esclusivo Magnifica I couldn't figure out what more I would be getting for approximately twice the cost (a milk container? I can put the wand in the frothing pitcher myself. Perhaps if I could compare them in real life I'd see the difference. Comments from DeLonghi 3500 owners are welcome).
This basic DeLonghi has the internal guts that mattered to me, the direct grind "beans to brew" system that ensures that the beans are freshly ground for each cup.
I am giving the machine 4 stars instead of 5 because it's not perfect. The grinder is really loud, but hey, it's supposed to be waking us up in the morning. The exterior construction of the unit is disappointingly plasticky. The water container leaks a bit when you remove it, and we have a small amount of grounds collecting inside the unit (maybe we need to clean the grinder).
Overall, we are very pleased with this machine. It gets the job done, producing wonderful espresso drinks at a reasonable price.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
Worth It's Weight in Gold, November 23, 2007
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
Truly a great espresso machine; consistent, easy to use, makes great coffee. I've been using only Illy beans with it, and I feel like I can hardly go out and buy an americano or a latte at commercial stores because it just doesn't seem to taste as good as at home!
I think the first review really covered most of the details you need to know, but here are a couple of my favorite features. I love that it's easy to get inside and really clean everything out, pull the infuser out and rinse off, etc. It also has a very nice amount of complexity vs. simplicity with respect to the settings for amount of water, coffee, etc. in each cup. My only negatives would be that it's a bit hard to make a latte that's really as hot as you'd want it, and i think the water reservoir runs out fairly quickly. Overall I would highly recommend. My wife and I figured that we would use once in a while after we bought, but it's bean over 3 months now and we have yet to make a pot of drip again.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Wonderfull Machine. Easy To Use and Clean, June 14, 2008
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
Several months ago I researched espresso machines and decided on a Saeco Super Automatic. I liked it, but it only lasted slightly over a year. So then I bought a different model of Saeco. I liked it also, but that one went out in just 6 months. Needless to say I researched a different brand and decided on this Delonghi.
I have only had it for a short time, but I do like this one better than the Saecos. I will not go into details about this machine because you can read all the specs for yourself. However, I will give you some information not listed in the description and some things are not in the manual.
There are two of us in the household. I prefer mocha cappuccinos and the other prefers regular American coffee in a 10 oz cup. The problem with that is the machine only dispenses a max of 7 oz. However, there is a way to get around this. You can either put more hot water in the cup by using the water/steam wand, or you can do the following. After it has stopped dispensing the coffee/water, press and hold the coffee button and it will fill the cup with more hot water until you release the button. However, be quick. You must press the cup start button within 3 seconds after it stops dispensing your coffee. There is also a third way to get more than a 7 oz cup of coffee that is not in the manual. Instead of pressing and releasing the coffee start button, push and hold the 1 cup start button until the desired amount of water is dispensed then release the button. Of course, anything over 7 oz is going to be weaker. So, you will want to increase the amount of beans to grind.
The decaling light will tell you when to descal. This is set at the factory and may come on more often than you actually need. I use filtered water, so I can go longer without descaling. Read the manual. It will tell you how to adjust this setting. The machine comes with a hard water strip to tell you how hard your water is. It has 4 indicator squares. One to four squares may turn red. The more red strips you have the harder the water and therefore the more often you have to descal. The manual tells you how to adjust the lights, from 1 to 4 to set the time you must descal. Helpful hint: The fewer lights you set, the longer you can go without descaling. If you have, say, 4 lights set then you will descal the most often. The manual really does not explain this, but does tell you how to set the number of lights.
The machine does not have a setting to automatically turn it on in the morning, but this is not a problem. It heats up and ready to use in a little under 2 minutes. Although, it will turn itself off 3 hours after the last use.
I read a few reviews that complained about how loud it is. Well, it is a little noisy, but not that bad. And, it is not any louder than the other espresso machines I had.
Another helpful hint: When you first turn on or off the machine it will dispense 1 to 3 oz of water. This action helps prime the pump and clean the infuser. Put your cup under the dispenser when you first turn it on. This will help heat your cup a little. Then throw the water out and make your coffee.
I really do like this Delonghi machine and highly recommend it. I can only hope it lasts longer than the other two Saecos I had.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Pricey but really wonderful, December 1, 2007
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
I really do love my DeLonghi Magnifica. It greatly simplifies my morning mocha ritual. Just push the on button and this fabulous machine spends a minute cleaning an warming itself. Then all you have to do for an espresso is select the single or double button. Granted, Mocha lovers (like myself) still need to spend some time steaming the rest of the beverage, but the quality of the steam for the milk is really superior. The bean hopper holds enough for about six doubles and the water reservoir makes about four frothed doubles before needing to be refilled.
My only argument with the machine is that the strongest adjustment on the bean quantity knob is a bit low and I had to dial back the water quantity knob and add less chocolate to make the ideal drink. Oh yeah. the stainless steel tray is easily scratched by ceramic cups so it will not remain perfectly shiny for long. Still. What a wonderful example of improved living through automation. Also it seems as if most of the parts are easily replaceable from the supplied order form.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
With Tinkering, Good Quality Shots AND Convenience, March 17, 2009
This review is from: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine (Kitchen)
Bought this machine after heavy and satisfactory use of a Solis Palazzo over the last 4 years.
The DeLonghi Magnifica performs as advertised, providing convenience with, given sufficient patience and understanding, the prospect of also making quality drinks. The machine is a bit more complicated for a novice to use, compared to the Solis, and takes more tinkering to get a consistent drink. With that territory, though, also comes the possibility of making a better shot than I could with the Solis. I will explain.
We all pursue that shot with perfect extraction and aromatic crema delicately gracing the surface. Nothing is more fundamental. How does the DeLonghi do? For a shot of set volume, this machine gives us the typical two variables to play with: fineness of grind and quantity of grounds. I found it took a great deal of tinkering with those two settings to get the flow at that point of perfect extraction: not gushing, not dripping. Can be done, just takes patience.
Further, get the settings right for the one cup setting, push the two-cup button, and the results will be worthless. That such a button cannot be found on most comparable machines has a reason. Two shots means a thicker puck, throwing off all your careful adjustments of grind and quantity. Forget about that two-shot button, set things for a single shot and hit that button as many times as required by the lateness of your prior evening.
The settings are sensitive enough - something I have not seen in the Solis - that I find I must vary them from roast to roast. What works for a darker roast leaves a lighter roast mostly dripping out the delivery spouts. Perhaps a liability for those interested in convenience over quality. For others, another opportunity to get it right instead of settling for the lowest common denominator. Quantity of grounds wheel is conveniently located on front so such adjustments are easy to make.
Some other initial observations:
* After a half-dozen cups, my machine locked up. Blinking lights and manual told be something was binding in the grinder and to contact manufacturer. My examination showed that the chute immediately below the grinder was packed up. Bent little bristle brush and some awkward maneuvering cleared up the problem which, so far, has not reoccurred.
* Specs say bean capacity is about 7 ounces. Anticipated this being an inconvenience as I roast in 12 oz lots. The bean hopper will actually take 11 or 12 ounces with no problem.
* Buried in the instructions is the observation that, if it has been 2 or 3 minutes between brews, then one should do a quick flush, hitting the descaling button, to assure optimal water temperature. Easy to do but not something I have seen on other machines. I see this as a positive. Yes, another step but one that improves quality.
* Specs suggest this will fit under a cabinet 14 inches above the counter. True, but if you want to be able to open the bean bin and fill, 18 ¼" clearance is necessary.
* The grounds you now grind are not those you next brew. There's a 1- or 2-shot lag. So, that first shot in the morning has been sitting for, say, 20 hours, ground and letting the volatiles vanish. There go the qualities you sought by carefully selecting a particular bean and then finding the perfect and perfectly fresh roast for it. Discard that first morning shot. Or use it for the family member who likes to add flavorings.
Finally, foam. Two boilers meant, I hoped, extra oomph for the steam. And, that is the case. Makes great foam for those afternoon cappuccinos, wet or dry.
But, what about those morning lattes? Need that perfect micro-foam, nary a single visible bubble, to pour through the surface and float the delicate crema to the surface. Pull the outer aerating sleeve off the foam nozzle and, with practice, can get micro-foam. As the nozzle swings out and not, like most machines, out and up, it remains perpendicular so cannot get the spinning in the pitcher that experts recommend for those of us unable to get perfect micro-foam in the first stages; amazing what steaming sins the swirling milk will bury.
That's not the real problem, though. Inner nozzle, when aerating outer sleeve is removed, is held on only by the friction of an o-ring, unlike others I have used where there is some kind of firm lock. Now and then, the inner nozzle, when used solo, fires itself into the cream pitcher.
So, lattes are not easy. Options I am considering: keep aerating sleeve in place and hold back the foam as I pour, making a 100% "wet" cappuccino; plug up the air intake hole in the aerating sleeve; or, hacksaw off the lower 2/3rd's of that outer sleeve, keeping the portion that holds everything together. But, then, no cappuccino's.
Summary: These machines are designed for convenience. The DeLonghi does deliver: want a fast, effortless beverage, you will get it after some initial tinkering. The complications that arise open the door for those who want to pursue a bit more but are not ready for all the hassles (and expense) of a full bore machine, requiring attention to several other variables. As to the latte foam issue, I chose 5 stars because the machine does perform well as advertised, including claiming to only provide foam for cappuccinos.
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$1,260.00 $673.41
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