3 Comments on “De’Longhi ECP3630 15″ Bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Stainless Steel Review
  1. 83 of 88 people found the following review helpful
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Surprisingly excellent entry-level espresso machine, September 29, 2015
    By 
    Dougie Fresh (New Hampshire) –
    (VINE VOICE)
      

    This review is from: De’Longhi ECP3630 15″ Bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Stainless Steel (Kitchen)
    Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What’s this?)

    I’ve been enjoying the De’Longhi ECP3630 for a week now and in celebration of National Coffee Day I am writing this review.

    Over the past 10 years or so, ever since my boss (an Italian from Rome) introduced me to the world of non-drip coffee, I’ve really enjoyed espresso and cappuccino. When I can, I enjoy a nice Starbucks and I’ve been lucky enough to do some traveling and experience the original Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Tully’s and overseas Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero (who looks to have landed in Boston) as well as whatever local shops I can find. My favorite coffee drinks are espresso, cappuccino and something called a “Doppio con Panna” which is a double-shot of espresso with whipped cream on top (if you haven’t had this order it at Starbucks — it is so good). At home, for a while I owned a very nice looking entry-level Breville espresso maker (an earlier version of the Breville 800ESXL that never quite lived up to its promise and eventually just died. I long lusted after something like a Gaggia but I could never justify spending so much money on a machine. Eventually, I just gave up on the whole idea of coffee drinks at home. 10 years later I can say that the world of entry-level home espresso machine has changed for the good.

    The biggest problems with the Breville were it took forever to heat up, made a really soupy puck and mess out of the espresso and was really finicky with the grind and couldn’t push through a pod, never did a great job of getting a nice foam with the steamer wand and it was super noisy. The results were just so-so and I found myself not using it as much as I had wanted. There was definitely not after-the-kids-went-to-bed drinks allowed with all the noise. The De’Longhi is just the opposite. The first time I turned it on, it heated up in about two minutes. I was expecting more like five. I didn’t have any espresso coffee around so (and I now this is absolutely sacrilege but I was desperate) I took a scoop of Folger’s “Half Caff”, tamped it and ran it. I was shocked to see a nice dark espresso with a decent crema forming in the cup. I was even more shocked with the taste. It was actually really good! It wasn’t the “right” roast or grind but it came out really nice. Yes, I know, Folger’s, really? But I didn’t want to wait to play with my new toy!

    The machine comes fully assembled and almost ready to go. It’s nice and compact and doesn’t take up much counter space. The appearance is very nice even though there’s a mix of metal and metal-colored plastic. I am not sure what the “full stainless steel housing” refers to but it’s definitely plastic and metal mixed. It’s fully in-line with this price point though and it’s very nice looking overall. It comes with just about everything you need: a portafilter (the thing with the handle that holds the coffee), three filter baskets (single shot; double shot and E.S.E. Pod) and a scooper/tamper combination tool. Unfortunately, while there is a place to store the baskets in the machine there is no good place to store the scooper and the portafilter. The top flips open to reveal the water container and a place to hold the other filter baskets. The water container lifts out to make it easy to fill. There isn’t a charcoal filter like you’ll find with some coffee makers so you’ll need to use good cold pre-filtered water. There was a strong plastic “new” smell to the water container so I took it out, rinsed it with cold water and as suggested by the Getting Started guide, ran half a container of water through the espresso and steamer sides of the machine.

    Getting going with the De’Longhi was really easy. Brewing is a matter of first turning the dial to “On” while it heats up. During that time, I filled the basket using the included scooper (one scoop for a double-shot) and tamped with the other side and then inserted the portafilter into the machine. Once the green light came on, I turned the dial to the right. This starts the brewing process. At first I wondered if it was working because it was so quiet but soon enough, the espresso was flowing. That was a nice suprise. By the way, you need a pretty short glass here — you won’t fit your coffee mug under it. Once I had enough espresso to my liking I then turned it back to the left through on, off and to the steamer side and made sure the top of the wand was slid down to the “cappuccino” mark. While waiting for the green light to come back on, I put some milk (you’ll have to play with the amount here) in the steel pitcher and holding it at and angle in my left hand, inserted the steamer tip just below the surface. With my right hand I turned the dial on the side of the machine down and let it start foaming. Again, even during this process the…

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  2. 30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Great Cup of Espresso, September 23, 2015
    By 
    Aalea1 (USA) –
    (VINE VOICE)
      
    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
      

    This review is from: De’Longhi ECP3630 15″ Bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Stainless Steel (Kitchen)
    Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What’s this?)
    In my experience, De’Longhi is one of the better appliance companies for quality and customer service. I own a few different products and they have all been top quality in their price range. Their 15 Bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino maker does an excellent job keeping me highly caffeinated. It’s a simple plug in, rinse, and prime setup, the same as any other coffee maker. It comes with three grind baskets for your choice of single or double as well as one for espresso pods. I used Lavazza Italian espresso exclusively as it the best I have ever tasted.
    The handle is a tight fit which is very important if you want to avoid splatters, burns, and decreased pressure. You don’t have to work that hard to secure it in place, another plus.
    I pulled my first cup and was pretty pleased with the crema from such an inexpensive machine. I know the coffee itself has a lot to do with it but I have used Lavazza on inferior machines and it produced an inferior cup. The espresso was steaming hot and delicious. I don’t think you really need an expensive machine for excellent results.
    Using the milk steamer/frother takes a little practice if you’ve never done it before but it’s really simple. Just take care not to burn yourself. I both steamed and frothed two batches of milk and the machine performed flawlessly. My preference is steamed and it was the perfect temperature, not too cool as to ruin the espresso in the cup. Another trick that you can use is to steam your milk first and pull your espresso over it. It keep the coffee from cooling while you work the milk.
    I feel you have to have both, an excellent coffee and a quality machine or the end result will be disappointing. If you try this machine with a bargain espresso at a few bucks a bag, you’ll get a cup of the same value. I also use boxed, shelf stable milk, ALWAYS. It’s a trick I picked up from a European barista and it also makes a big difference, to me.
    I love this machine and recommend, for the value and the quality of the espresso it produces. It’s great. This is De Longhi’s all stainless steel version, the operating and features are identical to the black and stainless model, differences are all cosmetic.

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  3. 21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Top quality machine, amazing price point, and small space friendly!, September 18, 2015
    By 
    Patricia Gray (Portland, Oregon) –
    (VINE VOICE)
      

    This review is from: De’Longhi ECP3630 15″ Bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Stainless Steel (Kitchen)
    Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What’s this?)
    I am familiar with De’Longhi products from an acquaintance who for many years had an older model cappuccino machine from that company. I knew the quality and durability of their products, so I was excited to get this in and started up!

    From doorstep to cappuccino in hand was about 10 to 15 minutes, so set up time is short and directions are super easy to follow even for someone who has never made drinks with this type of machine before.

    After setup, which is basically giving things a bit of a wash (my preferences, this is not included in the directions for setup) and then running a full tank of water through the machine, you’re ready to go.

    The machine is lightweight and takes up as much counter space as a regular drip coffee pot would, so there is minimal space investment with this machine. I did find the filter holder to be hard to turn once it’s seated in the boiler outlet, and because of the light weight of the machine – even with the water tank full – I had to press my hand against the side to brace the machine while I attached it. Most probably won’t have this issue, but I’m not the strongest in my upper body.

    The milk steamer worked great with our soy and we sprinkled a bit of cinnamon on top for a nice treat. Te Get Started book that comes in the box includes the different drinks you can make such as cappuccino, cafe latte, Americano, etc.

    In addition to regular ground espresso, the machine will also take espresso pods if you prefer to deal with the grounds that way making cleanup easier. There are some descaling instructions in the owner’s manual, but first time espresso machine owners should really take some time to get to know the machine and the different areas that should be cleaned after each use to keep the machine in top form.

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