DeLonghi ESAM3500.N Magnifica Digital Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine
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List Price: Our Price: $1,149.99 You Save: $950.01 (45%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $984.51 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of DeLonghi ESAM3500.N Magnifica Digital Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine
Customer Review: One Great Cup Of Coffee!!! You Won't Regret Buying!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought my espresso machine a little over a year now and have never looked back...
It all started when my daughter came to visit and took me to that coffee place(I won't name it but cups are over $5 each!!)and had my first taste of espresso!!!then after also seeing the alton brown(good eats) episode on making espresso yourself started the spark in me to learn about the different espresso machines out there on the retail market(and there are a lot of them)One of the MANY things that led me to this machine is the frothed milk feature where instead of frothing a pitcher of milk at a time and wasting whats left, you have a separate container that holds the milk that detaches and stores in fridge till next cup....a VERY handy feature!!!and the quality of product and ease of setting different features(all explained in instruction manuel which can be a bit overwelming but take it slow and keep book close by till you can memorize certain steps)
The money i am saving alone has earned my cost back already if you figure average $3 bucks a cup compared to the other store (star who???)and no you won't get a cup to taste like theirs but i am pretty close after experimenting with different coffee creamers and sweetners....
The ease of cleaning the inside (which to me should be done every few weeks) and the automatic notifier(which you set to your own water hardness with test strip enclosed)for the descaling process (with fluid you buy separate,(Durgol brand is best)which averages me with my own use at once every 3 to 4 week...and is VERY easy to do(i bought a 4 cup measuring cup which fits under water spout to drain in.....very handy)
Last thing for me to say about the one person looking for o-rings to replace one that broke...I had same one break on my frother and all i did was go to my local hardware store and found that (after searching)that the o-rings used for certain water faucets worked perfectly!!!
Thats it for this review i hope it helped.....
Customer Review: tatsty coffees, well designed and easy to use machine
Summary: 5 Stars
I am very happy with this machine. Very easily it produces very good cappuccinos or espresso style coffees. The milk container is handy and there is a clever mechanism to clean the frothing spout without having to empty and wash the milk container, allowing me to return the container back to the refrigerator for the next use.
I'm impressed with the design, since previously had two Saeco automatic espresso machine (both which died after 3 or 4 years of heavy use). When the bottom drip tray is removed, it also contains the grounds container and the catch for stray coffee grounds. The Saeco machine required vacuuming to find remove the grounds that largely missed the small tray to catch them.
The buttons and menu are very straight forward. The messages appear in clear English and are much easier to follow than the Saeco machine. The help manual is also very clear. Other machines in the past seem to have poor translations from Italian.
The descaling process is relatively painless. Once you are notified, you simply go to the menu and start the process. You are guided through each clear step
I had one question where I contact customer service. Very quickly I reached a person and my question was addressed.
The machine is much more compact and takes up much less counter space. The design is very clean and isn't as bulky as my old Saeco machines. Because the machine is smaller, I do have to fill up the water, beans and remove grounds more often, but this is worthwhile compromise for a much better and smaller machine. It also seems that the water, coffee beans and ground removal has been designed so that these all happen at about the same machine, allowing one simple replenishment step instead of different steps on my old Saeco machine.
Overall, I'm extremely happy with this machine.
Customer Review: Good entry level Super Automatic Espresso Maker for the price
Summary: 3 Stars
2 weeks ago, I bought a DeLonghi ESAM3500.N. I own a Krupp Steam(about $100) and a Rancilio Sylvia(about $600) Espresso Makers. I wanted to get my Latte fix with only a push of a button. Doing my Web research, I found 2 reoccurring complaints with the ESAM3500.N. 1) final drink temperature is too cool. 2) the machine leaks from the bottom.
I bought the ESAM3500.N anyway because it was on special sale at the time.
Complaint #1 is true. None of the normal web suggestions gets around the problem. Finally, I found that microwaving the finished Latte for 40 seconds made it warm enough to be pleasant to drink.
Complaint #2 is true. Part of the cleaning cycle includes dumping water from a spout hidden behind the front face plate into the Drip Pan. The Drip Grate (which rests upon the Drip Pan) goes just a little too far back. This results in a little of the rinse water collecting on top of the Drip Grate where it has to be wiped up.
For the extra money that the more expensive DeLonghi Super Automatics would have cost, I'm satisfied with my current ESAM3500.N purchase. [Besides, I don't know for certain these problems don't continue into the more expensive DeLonghi Super Automatics.] The convenience of getting espresso and steamed milk at a single button push was worth the sale price I paid. I've never been able to consistently get the same high level of creme with my previous machines. Also, I like using the unique plug-in milk pitcher (I don't dirty an extra dish just to steam the milk).
I don't have an comment on reliability. The ESAM3500.N is a complex machine with lots of moving parts and sensors. I hope the ESAM3500.N lasts long enough for me to get my money's worth out of it -- my Rancilio Sylvia paid for itself a long time ago and it is still going strong.
Customer Review: Poor customer Service
Summary: 5 Stars
(SEE UPDATE BELOW)
This is really a great machine. It makes the best coffee I have ever tasted. It is completely automatic so you have nothing to do but fill it and empty it.
The only draw-back I have, other than the price, is that the function to re size the cups you use is limited. I use 12 oz coffee cups, but the machine only allows 6.3 oz at the most, so I just set it for 2 coffees.
All-in-all, you get what you pay for. Excellent Machine DeLonghi !!
Update !!!
I had to send my machine in for repair after only having it for 2 months. It leaked water. Well, customer service told me it would be a month under warranty. I thought to myself, that's a little much, ONE MONTH !!! So, I sent it in. Now, almost TWO MONTHS later I still don't have it. Customer Service told me that the service center is backed up. Is it just me, or is paying $1,500.00 for a coffee machine that lasted 2 months and repairs taking longer than that seems way over the top !!!
This machine makes excellent coffee, but for repair, FORGET IT !!!
Don't Buy This Machine !!! This has nothing to do with Amazon, but has to do with Delonghi and their so called customer service.
(UPDATE 2)
Well, I finally got my machine back from repair after a little over 2 months. Repair did a good job and the machine works like new again. I just hope it lasts more than 2 months again. I have to be fair about it. The people at customer service were very nice about everything and were very apologetic about the whole ordeal.
Customer Review: Makes Awesome Coffee
Summary: 4 Stars
I read many reviews before deciding to buy a coffee machine...I particularly loved this one because of the detachable milk container. I love being able to make my "Starbucks" coffee at home! I use Starbucks beans and syrup, so essentially tastes the same. The coffee quality is great!
There are a few things, though, that could use some work:
1. After a few days, the milk container was a b**** to get into place! I am glad I read one person's review to run the frothing lid under hot water...I have to do this every day! I nearly broke off the handle of the pitcher trying to put it in and remove it. I still remove the pitcher from the actual container itself, not the handle.
2. After about 3 weeks, my O-ring broke as well. I have not replaced it, rather just try to shimmy the milk container over it without disrupting it. I will have to replace it soon, though.
3. I would make sure that you have enough water to complete your job. If the "fill tank" message appears mid-cycle, you have to stop and refill the tank, but the machine does not pick up where it left off..you have to start over, wasting all the grinded coffee!
As with any machine, there is some getting used to. Now that I have figured these things out, I would not trade my coffee machine for the world. My husband and I use it every day, and are extremely pleased with the quality of coffee it puts out! I would definitely watch the video, as I learned how to do things I otherwise would not have known! Overall, love this product!