The DeLonghi Magnifica 3300 Espresso Machine – Italian for Bliss

DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM330 Super Automatic Espresso MachineHaving spent a lot of time in New Orleans and hanging around the French Quarter I’m a bit of a snob about my coffee. With Cafe du Monde and other great coffee shops around those parts, you do get a little spoiled. Now enters the Delonghi Magnifica 3300 (You can check it out here). Like any coffee machine priced over $100 I feel a little bit of skepticism brewing (pun intended). Here’s what I’ve found…

The Delonghi Magnifica 3300 is a well-designed machine with beautiful form and superior function. The simple design and stainless steel finish looks great in my kitchen and never fails to get compliments every time I have company over. I was thoroughly impressed though when I got through with my first espresso and washed it down with a café latte (yup, I’m a bit of a caffeine addict – acceptance is the first step!). Brief disclaimer: I will say that the Delonghi Magnifca 3300 can’t match the taste and artistry of professional barista but it’s definitely a very close second. It’ll beat the daylight’s out of any national chain coffee shop any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

A few of the features that really grabbed me about the Delonghi Magnifica 3300 and set me over the edge, besides the great taste, were the versatility, the ease of use and the simplicity of the cleaning process.

The versatility of the Delonghi Magnifica 3300 is a big selling point. You’re not trapped into having just a plain-jane coffee. It produces espresso, lattes, and cappuccino with ease. You put the water in the machine, you pour the beans in the grinder and set the dials to where you want it and that’s it. The adjustable conical burr grinder makes exactly the right serving of freshly ground beans, and the stainless double chamber boiler makes the espresso and the frothed milk at the same time.

(You can check it out here)

The result is pure bliss. You’ll be drinking your brew a minute or two later with your favorite coffee cake or treat. The espresso is made to my preferred strength with a rich, reddish crema while the milk is perfectly frothed – not too much, not too little.

The ease of use is a key component in just about all my buying decisions, especially for higher priced items. If I have to spend too much time doing something that I can pay someone else to do very cheaply then I’m spending the money. The Delonghi Magnifica 3300 did not disappoint. Again, whether I was making espresso, cappuccino, latté, or even hot tea and coco it’s never difficult.

Last but not least the cleaning of this machine is very simple and non-messy. They definitely got this aspect right! Removable parts, a rinse and quick wipe down of the dishwasher safe parts usually does the trick. It’s important to do this every so often to keep the cups consistent. It even has an indicator light to tell you when it’s time to decalcify the boiler!

Overall, the Delonghi Magnifica 3300 impressed the pants off of me and I’m hard to impress whenever it comes to coffee and espresso. They did a good job making a beautiful machine that makes an incredible cup of coffee with no headache and little maintenance. It was well worth my money and I plan on enjoying it for some time to come.

The best price can be had on Amazon and you won’t have to worry about paying for shipping either.(You can check it out here)

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Espresso as an Art Form – Latte Art

I’m a mocha man myself. Nothing is better than waking up a little late on Saturday and going through the ritual of making my own mocha.  Nothing happens on on Saturday until I go through the mocha dance with my espresso machine.

I love grinding the beans and smelling that beautiful aroma, getting out my favorite mug (you don’t have a favorite mug?!), drizzling chocolate syrup in the bottom, then brewing an espresso with a thick, rich crema and foamy steamed milk.

My dogs even love the ritual. They sit patiently waiting for me to put the whipped cream on the top of the mocha so they can get their shot - they’re so spoiled. After that, the day can officially start.

But nothing compares to the baristas that create latte art.  Latte art is created by pouring the steamed milk in a way to create patterns when the foam mixes with the cream of the espresso shot. It sounds simple, but it truly is an art form. Just check out some of the amazing things that can be done with perfectly brewed espresso and foamed milk…

Amazing! I wish I had that kind of skill. I guess I’ll just have to settle for making really good mocha!

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Three Deadly Sins to Avoid When Brewing Espresso with the DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM 3500

If you’re a self described ‘coffee snob’ or a budding espresso connoisseur, then you’re probably new to the world of high end espresso machines.

If you’re confused about buying a machine or even brewing your first espresso, here are 3 quick things to avoid.

1) Buy a machine that doesn’t match your needs.

A lot of people will buy a machine because it may have some hot new feature, or flashy ‘bells and whistles’. But when it comes right down to it, the exciting feature that caught your eye may still lousy for what you’re looking to do.

If you want a quick drip cup o’ joe with no frills attached, buying a DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM 3500 will leave you feeling had. That would be like buying a high performance car just to drive to the grocery store. On the other hand, if nothing gives you greater pleasure than having your own personal automated barista (unemployable liberal arts degree not included) and watching the thick, foamy crema settle at the top of your espresso, then the DeLonghi Magnifica is right up your alley.

2) Using the wrong water.

Believe it or not tap water may actually be better for adding personality to your espresso brew. Now you don’t necessarily want to drink water so filled with iron that it that it turns your sink red (been there, done that!), but distilled water can actually leave the flavor of your espresso lacking and you wanting more. Obviously, espresso is composed primarily of water, so what water you use can have a distinct impact on the flavor of your pour and affect the body and crema of the drink.

3) Allow the beans to become stale before brewing

If you go through the expense of getting a nice espresso machine don’t pour your money down the drain by freezing your grounds or the beans. Freezing can cause freezer burn, dehydrate the grounds or beans, and speed up the oxidation process. Coffee begins to lose its body and flavor within minutes or being ground, so only grind what you need when you need it.

Once the coffee has been ground the surface area of the coffee has increased which allows for faster oxidation – resulting in the beans becoming stale before you use it. Grinding right before you brew ensures that you’ll get the best brew from your coffee.

So there you have it, 3 three basic ‘deadly sins’ to avoid to make sure you brew good coffee every time. Brew on!

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Life’s Too Short for Bad Coffee. The Delonghi Magnifica 3500 is the Answer

The DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM 3500 Makes a Perfect EspressoEspresso machines are a versatile kitchen luxury that can be used for pre-soaking, grinding, and filtering of coffee. A wand is often attached in order to allow the user to froth milk. A hot water dispenser gives you the ability to easily mix a cup of hot chocolate, decaf coffee, hot tea or matte. The The DeLonghi Magnifica Digital Auto Espresso/Cappuccino Machine is a quality espresso machine that showcases alot of features that make it an absolute delight for the coffee connoisseur.

First of all, the The Delonghi Magnifica 3500 offers digital programming. This feature maintains the quality of each pour as you’re able to adjust course preference. It comes with a timing function that allows you to wake up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Additionally, the coffee is pre-infused so as to ensure maximum flavor retention from the beans.

Aside from making a killer cup of coffee, if a guest asks for a cup of decaf, a bypass doser allows easy preparation of a “less refined” decaffeinated drink request while a hot water dispenser makes it easy to pour a rich cup of hot chocolate. This is becomes an absolute necessity during the colder months of the year when hot chocolate requests abound.

The reservoir is large enough to pour about 30 espressos or 60oz. of water. The placement of the level indicator makes it convenient to identify when the tank is empty and needs filling.

Lastly, many espresso machine manufacturers offer a varied level of customer support. The DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM 3500 comes with white glove service giving added insurance to a machine that rarely goes down.

Cleaning the machine is practically an afterthought as two red release buttons make it really simple to release the drip tray and remove for running through the dishwasher.

While the DeLonghi Magnifica 3500 remains a higher end espresso machine option, many find the convenience and quality well worth the cost.

This amazing espresso machine can be ordered directly from the Amazon here so you won’t have to worry about paying for shipping and handling: DeLonghi Magnifica Digital Auto Espresso/Cappuccino Machine

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Delonghi ESAM3500 Digital Espresso Machine – Cappuccino Perfected

The DeLonghi Magnifica Digital Auto Espresso/Cappuccino Machine is arguably one of the finest kitchen appliances a coffee connoisseur can own.

Capable of preparing espresso, coffee, cappuccinos, latte drinks, and more, this super-automatic machine boasts an impressive array of convenient features.

Two of the most notable features of the ESAM3500 Magnifica are the instant reheat feature to keep the machine at the right temperature, and five settings for coffee strength – extra mild to extra strong. DeLonghi makes brewing any type of coffee beverage simple with a height adjustable coffee spout and easy buttons for choosing 3 sizes of brew.

It’s well known that freshly ground coffee makes the best tasting brew, and the Magnifica delivers with a unique “beans-to-brew” system that boasts a conical burr grinder with adjustable fineness settings. The beans are automatically ground immediately before brewing to yield an especially aromatic and flavorful espresso.

For the latte and cappuccino enthusiast, creating the perfectly frothed drink is as simple as using the patented, single touch latte system. A generous 25 ounce milk container is fitted with two lids – one for frothed milk and one for steamed.

Once you’ve enjoyed your favorite coffee beverage, cleaning up is a snap with a self cleaning function and dishwasher safe parts. That’s not all; the Magnifica even boasts a decalicification system that alerts you when it’s time to clean – magnificent!

Another great advantage of the DeLonghi Magnifica are it’s digital, programmable features. You can adjust start time, temperature of the coffee and even the hardness of the water. The machine will even alert you to everything it needs to operate at peak performance with prompts on the display: “Fill Beans Container”, “Descale”, “Add Water”, and more.

Engineered and designed in Italy, the Magnifica will be without a doubt one of the best built appliances in your kitchen. If you ever do need customer support, DeLonghi has a strong reputation for excellent, fast and courteous customer service.

With a barrage of high-end features, variable coffee strength, 15 bars of pressure, double boiler tanks, and digital programmable interface, the DeLonghi Magnifica Digital Espresso Machine is a coffee lover’s dream come true.

To get the best deal, I’d suggest getting it off Amazon. Go here to order your automated barista…

I’ve attached some reviews below so you can get a good idea of what other people’s experience has been.

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