ECP3420

**** UPDATE AFTER 4 YEARS OF USE**** Well it's May 2020 now, and I purchased this machine back in 2016. It has now been through 2 apartment moves, and STILL works like a dream... but recently it developed an inconsistent leak. I've woken up twice now to it having leaked on the countertop overnight. Not too much, and it hasn't done it every night. But still enough to be worried I'll someday have to replace it. For $100 or so dollars though, and especially after being used almost every single day for 4 years, this machine has STILL been one of the best and most reliable things I have ever purchased in my life. I still have to get my coffee beans ground at 1 notch more corse than espresso, however I've had a trusty coffee/spice grinder that gets a perfect grind every time (and its also cheap and over 8 years old). I'm pretty sure my last move (across 3 states) was the reason it has now started to leak, and I'm sad that I will one day have to part with it... but I'm writing this review because I truly just can't recommend this product enough. I have not been paid or given anything to write this or any reviews, I just want the amazon world to know it's a great machine for the price. Happy coffee making, espresso drinkers out there! ______________________________________________________________ I never write reviews for anything I purchase on Amazon (yet I read reviews for everything I purchase), and I'm so glad I chose this machine when looking for a new espresso maker. Personally, I am really hands on with my coffee in the mornings. I am not a "push a button and go" kinda girl, so if you are looking for that, maybe look elsewhere? This machine can be a bit finicky at times. It's so easy to use, and relatively mess free. It is a bit loud, but that doesn't bother me. It works like a breeze, and produces consistently great pours with beautiful crema markings. The milk frother works wonderfully with any type of milk (I only use almond or coconut milk). Being a barista years back I learned some milks are really hard to get a nice velvety foam, and this machine does just that with almond milk! It's not latte art quality, but juuuuust close enough that it could be. Here's my advice after owning this machine for a few months now... 1. Start off with some Illy ground espresso in the can (like a previous reviewer had mentioned) so that you can have good tasting espresso while you get used to how your machine works. Tamp your espresso lightly!! Don't cram it in there or it will ruin the flow! 2. Once you get used to how the Illy grounds work with your machine, then you can move on to local coffee shop beans. The reason being that the coffee grounds have more oils in them and are ground a bit more fine so it doesn't come out in a flow, but more of a drip. I typically put my cup right where the drip comes out, and it flows evenly for a perfect crema. Ask your barista for their particular choice in espresso beans when you go to your local roaster. I prefer Peet's Coffee or Philz Coffee's Aromatic Arabic, but make sure you ask them to grind 1 step more coarse then the typical espresso grind to make it a little easier on yourself.. 3. Always wipe your machine after use. I know I can be busy at times and forget to take out the tamp and empty the used espresso out, but try to always wipe the milk frother after use, and wipe down your machine. It comes apart easily so you can really get in there. At least 3 days I do a full rinse of the machine. I know I should do it after every single use, but I have had no problems thus far. 4. Last but not least, make sure you get a ***small*** milk pitcher and tamp (I bought mine from the seller New Star Foodservice since it was priced right and well made). I know you get a 2 in 1 scoop and tamp with this machine, but look for something slightly heavy and stainless steel.

This is the best machine you can find in this price range hands down. To unlock its full potential, you should check out their subreddit or youtube channel (like Tom's coffee corner) (The steaming is slightly weak but there's a great work around with it using a zip tie. )

It works well and makes some great espresso. Had a little trouble deciding just how much coffee I wanted to use with the grind I make. I have some experience frothing milk without the little shield that goes around the frother, to make it froth no matter how poorly your frothing skills are However, after the first time I removed the inner tip of for cleaning, I couldn't get it to stay in place when I went to use it in the traditional manner without the outer sheath. It would shoot off into my milk pitcher. So I leave the sheath in place now although I can't make as dry of a foam with the sheath. It's still quite good and very usable. The one drawback this machine has is that It doesn't automatically turn off after a one or two shot pour. You have to manually turn it from the steam/coffee position to the "on" position when you want to stop delivering the coffee, and then it runs a little afterward and often continues to drip. So I time it. With the grind I use for a "normale" I use 14-grams of coffee and as soon as it starts dripping, I'll run it for 20-seconds and then turn it off. As soon as the stream turns into a drip, I'll pull it away and let the drops fall to the drip tray. That yields a double shot known as a "normale". The drip tray holds a lot and has this little red float that will poke through the top of the tray when it's getting full, so you see it and empty it before it overflows. I empty it every time I use it myself. I like this machine a lot. You can get better ones of course, but most of those start around $400 to $500 and go up over $5,000.

With coffee prices going up, I decided it was time to make them myself and definitely wanted a milk-steamer...and that without paying a ton of money. I did do some research and decided on this machine. It is amazing! It comes with 3 different filters for the coffee: one cup, two cups, and one for a pod. I use the 2 cups usually since I love my mugs and one is a little to little. There is also a plastic scoop with a 'stomper' on the other end, which works fine. The machine has a fairly long cord, which I was happy to see. The water container is easy to put in and remove (just a light push to make sure it's in) and holds enough water for more than a couple of cups. The front of the machine can fit either small expresso cups, or the platform can be removed to fit larger mugs. Even after the main platform is removed, the one below has a small, metal try to make cleaning up extra drips very easy. All of this is simple to clean and wipe through. The coffee wand slides into place and is snugly twisted to the right. It is tight and works well. To use, I turn the knob to on, wait for the green light to shine, and then turn to the coffee cup signal. When the light goes off, it's done...I turn it back to on, wait for the green light to shine again, and then, switch the knob to the milk steamer. The steamer wand can be turned to get the right angle for the milk steaming jug (which is not included). To steam, another little lever is twisted, which is right above the wand. It steams the milk nicely and leaves a lovely foam (my favorite part). To clean, the nozzle is twisted a 1/4 turn to the left and pulled off, The rubber nozzle below is easily popped off and rinsed out. The coffee cups out wonderfully, hot, and has a nice flavor (this, obviously, depends on your bean type, though). I use a slightly harsher grind than expresso, since I find this works better. Also, it's important not to push the grounds into place with force, but rather give them a light tap with the stomper. I think the key to having wonderful coffee is making sure to clean and rinse everything after every use, which doesn't take but a minute. My son loves it since he gets whatever coffee he desires in less that 3-4 mins (with milk, heat-up time, and clean-up). He claims it's the best purchase of a machine in the kitchen we've ever made.

** I have to clarify that this does not happen often, in fact this is the second time in my years at Amazon that this has happened to me.** ** The facts: The machine is used, it arrived without the protective plastic on the steel surfaces, the group head was dirty, had coffee residue, and had scratches on the steel surfaces, cup base, and plastic parts. The cup warmer does not work. ** My opinion (ignoring the situation): The machine has a nice, neat and clean appearance, they take very good care of the finishes, I think the materials used are of good quality. Personally, I think the silver version is the nicest of the 3 available. The base where the cup is placed is removable to allow the use of a larger cup or a medium sized glass. It should be noted that the space of the cup seems to be designed for the sizes of commercially used coffee cups and glasses, that is, if you want to use any cup, you will find that the space is insufficient, it is even difficult to place a scale under the cup, this is because the space is designed for a commercial cup, and the cups that are sold for coffee usually respect a certain standard in their size and capacity. 3 filters are included, for 1 and 2 cups, and for pods, the filters are pressurized, so it is advisable to carefully select the coffee to be used, as well as the ground coffee, to obtain good results. On this point, my personal recommendation would be to change the filter holder for a non-pressurized one, this will force us to change the filters as well, but the results will be better. I leave you an example, but there are many brands, choose the one that best suits your preferences: https://www.amazon.com/portafilter-Delonghi-bottomless-Stainless-Replacement/dp/B09W5QY63R It comes with a plastic spoon that is also a tamper, we can say that it fulfills its function, but the ideal is to acquire a tamper that is a little more professional, in fact there are very complete kits, but that is another story. I leave you an example, but there are many brands, choose the one that best suits your preferences: https://www.amazon.com/Espresso-Tamping-Station-Distributor-Cleaning/dp/B0CCCY8MVQ The steam nozzle seemed a little short to me, but it could be because I am used to big machines, I saw on YouTube that it can be replaced with a longer one, perhaps this could be an improvement for those who make intensive use of the steam nozzle. Cleaning the machine can be complicated, and this is true for all espresso machines, whether home or professional. For home use, it is essential to clean the machine after each brewing cycle to avoid damaging the machine and to prevent coffee residues from accumulating in the group head or milk in the steam nozzle. To make the cleaning a little easier, the ideal is to attach a filter to prevent the group head from filling with coffee residues. I leave you one as an example: https://www.amazon.com/Normcore-Screen-Espresso-Portafilter-Contact/dp/B09DD7Z8M9/ ** General recommendations: Be very patient, when I started, the coffee was terrible, it takes some time and practice to get to know the machine, discover the little tricks and achieve good coffee. Be very clean and tidy, cleaning the machine can be tedious, but it is necessary, this will prolong the life of the machine and prevent the accumulation of coffee and milk, contamination and proliferation of bacteria. Having an adjustable coffee grinder, the grinding level must be adjusted according to each type of preparation, and also to the espresso machine, this guarantees that we can enjoy a good coffee, with body, aroma and flavor. Taking a barista course, not necessarily a very advanced one, in fact the basic one is a good starting point, it is important to understand the nature of the machine, the coffee, the milk and other additives that are used in this niche. Take it easy, this is a niche market and there are a thousand and one accessories that you can buy and it is easy to feel overwhelmed, start with the basics, familiarize yourself with the machine and then purchase the accessories that you think are appropriate according to your needs.

We purchased this 9 years ago...yes, I said 9. It is still going strong. No leaking, no issues with heating or frothing. It is used everyday by multiple people in the house and makes a really fabulous shot of espresso. I think it's so important to note, that how you tamp, your grind and type of beans are of massive importance to how your espresso is actually going to taste. It is incredibly east to use, does make a bit of noise but nothing outlandish. If this ever stops working, I would most likely rebuy again.

I bought the ECP3630 a few months ago to save money on all the lattes/mochas I was buying at coffeehouses and I'm extremely happy with it, especially for the price (got it at $150.) The stainless steel body looks fantastic in the kitchen, the boiler heats up quickly, the steam wand is surprisingly powerful, the water tank lasts for several drinks, and it's very easy to clean. Because I only use it for latte/cappucino-type drinks (as opposed to straight espresso shots or less diluted drinks), and because this is the first espresso machine I've ever owned, I can't really comment in detail on the espresso shot taste or how it compares to other machines. A few things I've figured out to get optimal results: 1. The machine works best with coffee that is ground finer than drip, but coarser than true espresso. I've tried both Illy and Lavazza pre-ground espresso coffees and even though the Illy is finer (and almost twice as expensive), I get much better results with the Lavazza, which has a bit coarser grind. I store the can in the fridge and get great quality shots with nice crema for about two weeks. 2. Use an instant read thermometer when steaming your milk. Latte art is very possible with the stock steam wand, but your technique has to be nearly perfect. I use a 12 oz. pitcher and fill it a little less than half way. Inject air until the milk temperature reaches ~110°F, but just enough air so that the milk has increased ~50% in volume. If you inject more air than that, your milk will become super foamy and overflow, but if you don't inject enough air, the milk will be too thin. I turn off the wand once the thermometer reads 150°F, though the one I use delays the reading by a couple seconds so the milk is really between 155 and 160. Don't go higher than 160°F or you'll ruin the foam! 3. The cup warmer on the top of the machine looks nice, but doesn't really do much. Once the boiler is up to temperature, run some hot water into your cup and swirl it around for a few seconds - makes a big difference.

7/1/25 update to this review: We got a second of the same machine about a year ago, and have not experienced the water leaking issue or the loss of pressure issue. This does seem to be very luck of the draw. I would rank this one 4 stars if this were the first machine we'd gotten! Original review: We’ve had this machine for about a year now. We bought after using the same machine at a family member’s house and really liking it. Overall, it makes really good espresso, but we’ve had two different issues with it over the first year that have made it more difficult to use (see below). This is the best-reviewed espresso maker in our price range so we’ll probably end up buying a second one and see if we just got a dud the first time. Pros: - this makes really great espresso. I got used to good lattes when I traveled in Europe a couple of years ago, and this machine delivers. I am not the world’s biggest espresso connoisseur, but it tastes pretty good to me. - after a short learning curve where I read the owner’s manual and watched a couple of YouTube videos, it’s pretty easy to use. You do have to manually shut it off when complete, but it was easy to learn how to time it. And the cons: - the water tank started leaking just a couple of months after we bought it. From other reviews on here, it seems this is a common problem. We should have returned or exchanged it at that point, but honestly we didn’t want to deal with it. We have to empty the water reservoir after every use or we end up with a soaked counter. - starting 3 months ago (so 9ish months after purchase) the espresso part completely loses pressure about half the time when we try to use it. We’ve cleaned and descaled the entire machine multiple times, poked pins through the filter holes as suggested, etc. You can see light through all of the filter holes so none are clogged. It still drips water consistently when the espresso basket is removed, so I’m not sure what the issue is. The espresso does eventually drip out at a snail’s pace and ends up tasting more like coffee than espresso. - the steam wand is very short and not great. I usually just microwave the milk and then use a battery-powered frothing wand. Not a big deal but don’t buy this machine over another just for the steam wand.

Buena maquina para iniciar en los espressos. Viene con casi lo necesario, faltaria buscar un contenedor para espumar leche. Es casi manual asi que debes poner atencion al llenado de tu taza o tazas. El proceso es realmente simple, pero una persona sin practica o entendimiento no la podra usar correctamente. Al poner la manija del cafe se necesita tener fuerza y firmeza para colocarla, la maquina no ayuda ya que no esta aderida a la superficie, unas ventozas pudieran ayudar. La base para las tazas o receptor de residuos liquidos, se sale o quita facilmente asi que si no se tiene cuidado al agarrarla de ese lugar puede causar un accidente. La parte de arriba se calienta (calienta tazas) pero no al grado de quemarte. Las instrucciones son claras y entendibles, se recomienda leerlas primero antes de si quiera conectar la maquina. Existen videos en internet explicando paso a paso el uso de la maquina y pueden ayudar bastante a personas inexpertas y asi evitar un accidente, en especial usando el espumador. El mantenimiento se ve relativamente facil. No la recomiendo para alguien con tiempo limitado ya que no es automatica, pero creando una rutina o entendiendo el funcionamiento de esta, si vale la pena por el sabor de un buen cafe. Recomendada personalmente.

Compramos esta máquina para la oficina hace tres semanas y estamos muy contentos con ella. El café que prepara no sale quemado en absoluto (me imagino por la correcta temperatura del agua), por lo que conserva muy bien el sabor particular de cada grano. La presión de la bomba es más que suficiente para el molido de espresso que nos gusta. La máquina se calienta muy rápidamente (menos de un minuto) hasta la temperatura de operación, y requiere muy poco tiempo entre un uso y el siguiente (algunos segundos; uno se tarda más vaciando y volviendo a llenar la canastilla). La salida de vapor funciona adecuadamente para espumar leche (sobre todo si se hace en un recipiente de buen tamaño). La máquina no ocupa mucho espacio y las partes metálicas (incluyendo la canastilla y el tubo de vapor) se sienten de buena calidad. La charola removible es muy útil pues permite colocar tazas altas. Es fácil de operar en general: las funciones son sencillas y claras, y el que el tanque sea removible hace fácil llenarlo. Hasta el momento no presenta señales de deterioro a pesar del uso semi-rudo que le hemos dado. Esperemos se mantenga así, tomando en cuenta que le daremos mantenimiento regular (una vez al mes) usando un descalcificador. Espero poder actualizar esta reseña en unos meses con comentarios positivos sobre su longevidad. Actualización (6 meses): Llevamos 6 meses usándola y sigue funcionando perfectamente, y eso que es de uso comunitario por lo que ha preparado varios cientos de tazas ya. Estamos muy satisfechos con ella. Algo que hemos aprendido es que hay que cuidar un poco el nivel de molido pues si queda demasiado fino a la bomba le cuesta algo de trabajo pasar el agua. Usando el nivel adecuado produce un espresso con una cantidad aceptable de crema y con muy buen sabor.

This little espresso machine is great! We have had it for a month now and have used it several times. You can’t beat the quality for the price. This machine is very easy to use and does not take up a lot of counter space. The steamer works great and the entire unit is very easy to clean. I would definitely recommend.

J'ai été très agréablement surpris par cette machine à café. Le café expresso est très bien. Il est très facile de faire fonctionner la machine. Et le bras servant à mousser le lait fonctionne très bien.

I am just intrigued by the fact that the cost has gone up by almost about 15k in a week since i bought it..... Since it an import from US .... Works on 110v therefore a step down converter from 220v to 110v and 1. 5 kv will be required.... As the machine is 1100W....The results quite gud as im only using 100% arabica coffee.....