Are you looking for an affordable high quality superautomatic espresso machine to make espresso, cappuccinos and lattes at home? Read the DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso Machine review. Find out why it is such a value buy for you.
Contents
- 1 Delonghi Magnifica ESAM3300 Review: Who is it for?
- 2 Who it is not for?
- 3 Key Features of DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica
- 4 7 Benefits of DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica
- 5 Potential Shortcomings of DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica
- 6 Alternative Products
- 7 Should you buy DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso Machine?
Delonghi Magnifica ESAM3300 Review: Who is it for?
The DeLonghi Magnifica superautomatic espresso maker is suitable for anyone who loves good coffee and wants to make them at home with little hassle, especially in the early morning before you rush off for work or school.
You are looking for a multi-drink coffee maker to make espresso, cappuccino, latte and even Americano.
You want to get a high end espresso machine to make consistently tasty espresso. At the same time you want a machine which is easy to use, clean and maintain. You also want a compact machine so as to save your kitchen counter space.
Most importantly, you have a budget and want the best value for your money spent.
Who it is not for?
If you enjoy tamping coffee grounds manually, then this is not for you. But fear not, Delonghi fans. Delonghi also has semi-automatic espresso makers. And there’s this particular which is really elegant. If you don’t mind the inconvenience of handling coffee grounds, then check out the Delonghi Dedica EC680 review.
Key Features of DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica
Compact Brew Unit
The Delonghi’s brew unit is one of the smallest, if not the smallest brew unit, in the market. This makes it possible for the machine to be compact while holding many features.
This brew unit will automatically adjust to brew one or double espresso shots. It is also detachable for cleaning.
Built-in Burr Grinder
Espresso experts know that the use of quality coffee beans and the freshness of ground coffee are important factors to making good espresso.
The DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica comes with an integrated stainless steel conical burr grinder, giving you the freedom to use your preferred coffee beans.
It automatically grinds your coffee beans in the coffee bean container and the direct-to-brew system automatically channels the coffee grinds into the brew group for tamping. This direct grinding to brew system ensures that the coffee grinds retain its freshness for brewing.
The coffee beans container can hold up to 8.8 ounces ( or 250 grams ) of coffee beans, making you more cups of coffee, before needing to top up the beans.
Depending on your preferences for the espresso taste, you can adjust the grind size using the grinding coarseness regulator knob inside the coffee bean container. There are a total of 13 settings for you to experiment with to get your preferred espresso taste.
Ground Coffee Funnel
If you prefer ground coffee or even decaffeinated coffee, the DeLonghi Magnifica provides a ground coffee funnel.
Using ground coffee to make espresso is simple. Just use the measuring scoop provided and place exactly 1 scoop of coffee into the funnel and make sure you select the ground coffee button before choosing your drink quantity.
Dual Boilers
This machine comes with two of Delonghi’s patented boilers made of stainless steel. The compactness of the boilers allow excellent distribution of heat in the water. This ensures that you get the optimal brew temperature for pulling the perfect espresso shot.
With the DeLonghi Magnifica’s double boilers, you no longer need to wait between brewing espresso and steaming milk since the boilers can now maintain the two different temperatures for espresso extraction and steam. This really saves you time in the morning.
The double boilers are also removable and can be accessed from the front of the machine. This makes it easy to clean the boiler as well as the inside of the machine.
Used Ground Coffee Container
The used ground coffee container can hold up to 14 coffee pucks. If you are in a rush of time, you can leave cleaning up the container to a later time. The machine will also alert you via the indicator light on the front panel when the container is full.
Large Water Tank
The Delonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica has a large water tank capacity of 60 ounces. You can make multiple cups of espresso before needing to refill again.
The water tank is detachable and can be easily pulled out from the front of the machine.
Other Features
Steam Wand – The steam wand can be rotated 180 degrees and can fit any milk pitcher size.
Height-adjustable Coffee Spout – If you like to switch between using small cups and tall mugs, you can easily adjust the height of the coffee sprout up or down.
Energy Saving Features – The espresso machine automatically shut down after 3 hours of idleness.
Cup Warmer – The cup warmer on top of the machine can be used to pre-warm your cups before use.
Removable Drip Tray – The drip tray can be detached for cleanup. It also has a water level indicator for prompting when the tray is full.
Descaling Alerts – alerts you via the indicator light on the front panel when descaling is required.
7 Benefits of DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica
1. Convenience in Making Espresso
With the integrated grinder and direct-to-brew system, making espresso is very much hands-free. You only need to pour in the coffee beans, select your preferred settings and your espresso is made automatically for you.
2. Excellent Heat Control
With its compact dual boilers and thermoblock system, the heat distribution in the water is excellent. This ensures that you get the consistency in maintaining the ideal temperature for extracting good espresso.
3. No Waiting Time between Brewing Espresso And Steam Milk
The Magnifica’s dual stainless steel boilers eliminates the wait time between making espresso and steaming milk since the two different temperatures of these two processes can now be maintained by two separate boilers. This means less time required to make a cappuccino or latte.
4. Ease of Cleaning And Maintenance
The water tank, drip tray, used coffee grounds containers, brew group and boilers are all easily accessible from the front and can be removed for cleaning. With the brew group and boilers out of the way, cleaning the inside of the machine is also easy.
With regular cleaning, your machine will be in the prime condition to produce high quality espresso consistently. Also, regular cleaning helps to prolong the lifespan of the machine and reduce breakdowns.
The machine also automatically runs rinsing cycle when you press the power down button or when the machine goes into a shutdown mode after 3 hours of idleness. The rinsing cycle runs hot water out of the coffee sprout and flush out any coffee residues inside the sprout.
The milk sprout’s internal walls can be cleaned of milk residue by running a little steam for a few seconds by turning the steam knob.
The machine also alerts you through the indicator lights on the front panel when descaling is required.
Descaling the machine is also easy. You just need to follow a few simple steps in the manual and pour the descaling solution. The machine then takes over and automatically starts the process to remove the lime scale deposits from inside the coffee maker.
5. Compact and Able to Place Under Cabinet
This coffee maker is really ideal for placing under the cabinet. It has a height of 14 inches ( or 36 cm ) and the parts you require to interact regularly are all accessible from the front and top.
For daily preparation of espresso, you can access the grind settings, bean hopper, ground coffee funnel from the top and the water tank from the front.
For regular cleaning, you can remove the water tank, drip tray, used coffee grounds containers, brew group and boilers from the front.
6. Ability to Customize Your Coffee Drink
The machine comes with various ways to customize your coffee. You can adjust the grind size of coffee beans to suit your preferred espresso taste. The quantity of water can be adjusted to make long or short espresso. You can choose between 1 or 2 shots of espressos.
If you prefer a weaker or stronger coffee, you can also change the amount of coffee to grind. You also have the option to choose between coffee beans or powder.
7. Easy to Use
The machine comes with manual buttons for the selection of options to customize the water volume, coffee amounts, grind size and 1 or 2 cups. Hence, it’s more straightforward and intuitive than navigating around a touch display.
Potential Shortcomings of DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica
Unable to Make Cappuccino and Latte Automatically
The frothing of milk for cappuccino and latte is done manually with the steam wand.
Noisy Grinder
The grinder is a bit noisier than other superautomatic espresso machine in the same price range. However, for the price it is offered and the other features it packs, we can really make do with a little excess noise.
Not Able to Use Oily Beans
It is not recommended to use oily beans as it will clog the grinder and brew unit. It is recommended to use medium espresso roasts instead.
Alternative Products
If you wish to make cappuccino and latte automatically, consider the DeLonghi ESAM3500N Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso & Cappuccino Machine instead. This machine comes with the automatic milk frothing to make cappuccino and latte automatically.
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Should you buy DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso Machine?
With a price tag of just under 600 dollars, Delonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica is really a steal for any espresso lover.
It comes with a built-in burr grinder and a double boiler system. The latter is typically found in more expensive machines.
This machine is also designed for user convenience. Its water tank, drip tray, used coffee grounds container, double boilers, brew group are all accessible from the front for easy cleanup. Hence, it can be considered one of the best under cabinet coffee maker.
You get many ways to customize your coffee drink, with options to adjust grind settings, water volume and coffee amounts. You can also select to brew one or 2 cups of espresso at once.
If you like cappuccino or latte, the steam wand can be used to froth milk. If you want Americano, you have the option for the same steam wand to eject hot water. If you wish to go for coffee powder or decaffeinated coffee, you can also use the ground coffee funnel.
Despite the many options, It is easy to use with the simple straightforward manual buttons and dials on the front panels to select your settings.
Amazingly, with so many features, it is still very compact with a footprint of 15 inches by 11 inches and a height of 14 inches.
The combination of its low price tag of under 600 dollars, user-centric design and superior commercial grade components makes the Delonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica a value buy for any espresso lover.
There is no doubt this machine is highly rated in Amazon. Check out other DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso Machine Review on Amazon and decide if it is the right machine for you.