DeLonghi ECP3420 Review (Worth the investment?)

The DeLonghi ECP3420 aims to make café-style espresso accessible for the at-home barista at a very affordable price.

Our detailed review of Delonghi ECP3420 covers this model’s ease of use, build quality, customization options, milk steaming performance, and most importantly – shot quality.

Our Verdict | Is Delonghi ECP3420 worth it
(Overall Rating 3.5/5)

Overall, the DeLonghi ECP3420 Espresso and Cappuccino Maker is a great budget-friendly machine.

ECP 3420 is perfect for simple use. Its compact size fits anywhere, while innovative tech makes brewing a breeze. Plus, cleanup is simple, leaving you more time to savor your perfect cup.

DeLonghi has a solid reputation as a coffee maker manufacturer for delivering quality products and satisfying customers.

However, this machine has some drawbacks, for example, the frother doesn’t work for more than 30 seconds, and the machine chocks when you use fine grind sizes.

Key Features of DeLonghi ECP3420 Espresso Machine

DeLonghi ECP3420 is a small, Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine. It has a very compact design and a small footprint that is perfect for small kitchens or dorm rooms.

It has great and advanced technical features and specs, and you can easily prepare Lattes, Cappuccinos, Macchiato, or any other Espresso drink.

To facilitate the brewing process, DeLonghi uses a 15-bar pump and an 1100-watt stainless steel boiler.

Highlighted Features

1. 15-bar adjustable manual pressure pump
2. 3-in-1 filter basket
3. Self-priming option
4. Removable drip tray
5. Different cup sizes
6. Advanced Cappuccino system
7. 37-ounce water removable water tank with a visible water level
8. Hot water function and cup warmer
9. Stainless steel boiler
10. Rapid brewing for making several cups at a time
11. Compact and narrow frame to occupy less space in your kitchen.

Check out Capresso EC 100 Review another affordable Espresso machine

DeLonghi ECP3420 Review (A Detailed Go Through)

Design and build quality of DeLonghi Ecp3420 (3/5)

The De’Longhi ECP3420 is a compact device, perfect for small kitchens, and a breeze to move around at just 10 pounds. Its sleek design with metal accents gives off that modern vibe.

The housing is mostly plastic which is pretty standard for lower-priced machines. It doesn’t have that rock-solid stainless steel commercial feel, but it gets the job done.

It has this one big dial interface with four options: espresso, steam wands, on, and off. Simple and straightforward!

Next, we have a portafilter which has 3 parts- one for a regular Espresso shot and the other for a double Espresso, and the third for convenient Espresso pods.

The drip tray is removable so you can easily accommodate larger cups for preparing Lattes or iced coffee.

On the back of the machine, there is a storage of portafilters and a water tank. The water reservoir is made of a see-through plastic material that is easily removable for cleaning.

2- Brewing Espresso in DeLonghi ECP 3420 (3/5)

Delonghi ECP3420 is a semi-automatic Espresso machine that means you have to do all the things by yourself from measuring and grinding coffee beans to tamping and leveling the grounds to measuring the brewing time and the yield.

This Machine comes with a scoop so that you can easily fill the portafilter with grounds. For a single espresso, use one scoop, for a double espresso, use two scoops.

In the back of the scoop, there is a tamper that works well for tamping the grounds into the portafilter. The plastic tamper doesn’t give a good Espresso vibe, though!

Insert the portafilter into the machine and turn the knob to the ON position. When the ready light turns green, you are ready.

The machine will take 1 to 2 minutes to get ready. When the machine is ready turn the knob to the coffee position and your shot will start brewing and stop after achieving the desired volume.

You can also use E.S.E. (Easy Serve Espresso) pods, which are small round coffee bags filled with espresso grinds but they won’t work with this machine.

3- The milk frother (3/5)

If you like frothy drinks you will definitely love this machine as the quality of froth this machine produces is exceptional.

For frothing the milk turn the dial to the “steam position” and wait till the machine gets ready.

Once the ready light turns green put the steam wand into the milk jug and start frothing by turning the lever down at the side of the machine.

Any kind of milk, whether skimmed semi-skimmed, or flavored, can be used to prepare rich and creamy forth.

This is a single-boiler machine so you can’t prepare Espresso and froth milk at the same time.

If you love extra frothy drinks then you have to run the frother a second time because the steam wand runs out of pressure within 30 seconds. 30 seconds is an adequate time for preparing a normal froth but it’s certainly not enough for extra foamy drinks.

4- Taste and the quality of coffee Drinks (4/5)

The thickness and level of crema are a great deal for many Espresso lovers while looking for the right Espresso machine.

It is important to ensure that the machine is capable of preparing a delicious cup of espresso just like those served at fancy coffee cafes and Starbucks.

I must say with the 15 bars of consistent pressure this machine is capable of preparing rich and full-bodied Espresso with a very nice layer of crema.

5- Cleaning of the machine (4/5)

Cleaning and maintenance are essential for the long-term life of your machine. A key feature of DeLonghi products is their ease of cleaning.

DeLonghi ecp3420 has a removable drip tray, portafilter, and water tank that is dishwasher safe. Simply remove the drip tray and portafilter after every use and rinse it with warm soapy water.

The steaming wand is also very easy to clean. You simply twist it off and it comes apart so you can simply rinse it with water.

To keep your machine in good working condition and maintain it properly, it’s essential to descale it. It is recommended by Delonghi to descale the machine after brewing 200 cups of coffee.

6- Price and Value for money (5/5)

The features Delonghi ECP 3420 offers for under 200 bucks are incomparable. Espresso machines are usually very expensive, and you have to spend more than 500 dollars to get a good one.

Despite using a cheap material for design, this machine isn’t fragile. It’s quite sturdy and reliable.

If you are looking for an affordable Espresso machine then I must say there is no better option than Delonghi ECP3420.

7- Customer Reviews

The real value of any product is determined by the customers. On Amazon, this machine has more than 6000 reviews with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5. More than 70% of users are completely satisfied with this machine (which I think is a good number).

Katie says

“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.”

Out of bad reviews, many users are concerned with the frother and leakages in the machine. Milk frother as I said earlier don’t froth milk for more than 30 seconds in one go and the leakages in the machine may develop with time if not maintained properly.

Yeah! The water pump and the milk frother are not ideal but at this price tag, you are not going to get a better machine.

Also, check out the Best mini Espresso machines for camping and traveling.

Final Thoughts

I hope you have found this Delonghi ECP3420 review helpful!

After extensive research and reviewing the machine, I found that it is the best cost-friendly machine that prepares authentic Espresso coffee with minimal effort.

Yeah, there are some issues with the material of the machine and the steam wand of the milk frother. But there is a famous saying “You only get what you pay for”.

You can’t get a perfect Espresso and Cappuccino machine for less than 500 dollars. But I must if you are on a budget then there is no better option than this.

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