Are you looking to kick start your espresso-making journey at home? Check out this Delonghi ECO310 Icona Espresso Maker review to find out if it is right for you.
The Delonghi ECO310 Icona is a stylish looking entry level espresso maker suitable for beginners looking to start making espresso at home.
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Delonghi ECO310 Icona Review: Who it is for?
The Delonghi ECO310 Icona Micalite espresso maker is a coffee machine for people who are interested in making cafe style coffee at home, but aren’t really sure where to start.
It’s a bit more work than many of the simpler options on the market but it is not by much. This is a great little machine if you’re interested in learning to make yourself a real cafe-style espresso.
(For the UK market, it is known as Delonghi Icona Micalite ECO311)
Features of Delonghi Icona
The Delonghi ECO310 Icona is a stylish looking entry level espresso maker suitable for beginners looking to start making espresso at home.
This espresso machine has a milk frothing wand on the side, and a water tank hidden at the back.
Delonghi ECO310 has a 15-bar pressure pump system, which is about standard for these types of models. The number of bars a pressure pump system has, indicates the ability of the machine to extract the aroma and taste of coffee beans.
It also has two thermostats, one for water and one for steaming and it can make one or two cups of coffee at the same time.
The machine is compatible with Easy Serve Espresso (ESE) pods, as well as ground coffee. ESE pods aren’t the same as the pods you will have seen for the many pod machines on the market. ESE pods are pods specifically designed for espresso machines and enable you to have a consistent brew, as they come with exactly seven grams of coffee.
Using this espresso maker is pretty straightforward. Make sure you’ve got water in the filter to start, then add your coffee and use the inbuilt tamper to pack in your coffee, insert the filter into the machine and turn it to lock it in place, press the coffee button to start, and when you’ve got enough coffee, press it again to stop. Easy!
Just check out this video!
If you want to make milk coffee, there’s a frothing wand on the side. If you haven’t done frothing before, we recommend you watching some youtube videos to get started. It’s easier to watch and learn than reading the manual.
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Our comments
We’re definitely fans of the styling. The Delonghi ECO310 has a prominent filter handle which always gives coffee machines a “cafe vibe”. Nothing says that you’re serious about your coffee like a prominent filter handle!
It comes in 3 colors: red, black and white.
The top of the machine can be used to warm up your mugs, so your espresso isn’t being immediately cooled by a cold mug. This is important as espresso tastes better at the higher temperature.
The front of the machine has three buttons, one showing the machine is on, another to show the temperature of the coffee and the final button shows the pressure of the steam. There’s a knob on the top of the machine which is to regulate the steam for the frothing wand.
The red and stainless finish is classic, and we like the vintage feel. It’s not breaking any boundaries in the styling department, but we’re always fan of classic styling done right.
4 Reasons to get a Delonghi Icona Espresso Maker
- I can get Barista-style Espresso at comforts of your home
You’re going to be making cafe quality coffee. It might not quite be exactly the same but it’s pretty close, much closer than many of the other coffee making options you might be considering. We found it to be quite fun, frothing the milk, putting in the beans, watching the coffee come out, and then trying and failing to make coffee art!
- It is easy to use even for newbies
Delonghi Icona is easy to use. It’ll still be a bit of a learning curve figuring it all out. Honestly this sounds like it could be a con, especially if you’re not interested in making coffee, but we think it’s definitely part of the charm of getting an espreso machine like this.
We don’t want to make it sound super difficult, because really it’s not. But you’ll definitely be getting more of the coffee making experience than you would with a pod or drip coffee machine
- I can use pre-ground coffee pods or grind coffee beans
Icona can be used with ESE pods. We’re not sure you would really stick to these forever.
I mean once you’ve figured it out, it’s just as easy to buy your favourite beans and grind them yourself. But it’s a nice addition to get you started and make it seem a bit less daunting. And if you’re running short on time, this might save you a few minutes of grinding
- This espresso machine looks great!
The vintage style. It’s a classy looking machine!
Potential Shortcomings of Delonghi ECO310
Noise level
It can be noisy. This is a given for this type of machine, but if you have to wake up early and you want a cup of coffee, you will probably wake any still-sleeping significant others.
Water tank rattles
The water tank can rattle. We didn’t really notice in our water tank. But it’s a pretty common problem, so we can imagine that this would start happening sooner or later.
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Is Delonghi ECO310 worth it?
The Delonghi ECO310 is currently retailing under $200. Considering the general high quality and longevity of Delonghi machines, the cafe quality coffee that this machine allows you to brew at home, and all of that money you’ll save at your local coffee shop, we think this is a great price!
Is Delonghi ICONA espresso maker right for me?
If your morning coffee is something you drink every day simply to wake you up, we can’t say this is the machine for you.
There are easier ways to get a cup of joe in the morning, and if you’re not that interested in having the whole coffee experience, then we can only recommend going for an easier and cheaper option.
There’s nothing wrong with a good french press coffee, for example, and it’s considerably cheaper and easier.
The Delonghi ECO310 is definitely a slightly more fussy coffee making experience than some of the other options on the market. So we think it’s really for the at-home coffee enthusiast.
If you’re wondering if you can make cafe style coffee but you’re not ready (and probably will never be ready) to shell out thousands of dollars for the real deal, then we think this would be a great option for you. You’ll be making cafe quality espressos and cappuccinos in no time!
Hope this Delonghi ECO310 ICONA review has helped you make your choice.
