DeLonghi EC860 Review: What the Reviews Are Saying Today

Being a coffee lover is something extraordinary. Not only does coffee help kickstart your day, but it also does a host of other things. Coffee has a way of energizing your spirit and cuddling your soul. 

It releases excellent anti-oxidants into your body and is a great liquid to match with any food. Talk about waking up to smell coffee; that feeling is therapeutic! You get to enjoy its energizing features, health benefits, and natural social dividends.

As a coffee lover, you deserve a machine that allows you to enjoy your coffee brewing process. It would help if you had a device that gives you expressive liberty to explore the creativity of coffee shops' specialty.

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Product Overview

Drip brew coffee machines can be a bit extra at times. The device to help you enjoy your coffee process more is the DeLonghi EC860! If you do not even love coffee, the features of this machine may change your mind. And if you do love coffee, you just found a reason to fall even deeper in love! 

This is a comprehensive review of the DeLonghi EC860. Stick with us, and you will discover the features of the coffee-making machine. 

Let's quickly run through the Pros and Cons of the famed Coffee Maker.

Pros

✅ It is easy to use.

✅ It is easy to clean.

✅ It is easy to maintain.

✅ It’s a good buy for its price.

✅ You can use pods in it.

✅ It has a dual milk frothing system.

✅ It has pressurized portafilter baskets.

Cons

❌ It has a small water tank.

❌ Its steam wand is too short.

The Water Tank

For single users who are not big drinkers, the EC860 is perfect for you. It'll do well to cater to your coffee needs every time. For big drinkers and families, you may be a bit disappointed. The EC860's 35-ounce front-loading water tank might be pretty small for you. You'd need bigger tanks to meet your daily coffee demands. DeLonghi EC860 will only cause you to have to refill and refill from time to time. 

The Water Filter

When you get the DeLonghi EC860, you get a water filter alongside. Deciding to use the water filter is up to you. But using it or not comes with merits and demerits. If you choose to use the water filter, you decrease the capacity of the water tank a bit.

Still, using the filter ensures you seldom need to remove flakes from your machine. You get to save money that you would have spent on repairs.

This isn’t set in stone, though. Filters tend to cost quite a sum. Also, they most times last only a month thereabout to need a replacement. If you consider the accumulation of filter cost over time, you might feel you own a liability.

Integrated Grinder

The DeLonghi EC860 works like a semi-automatic machine. And when it comes to semis, most of them hardly have a grinder merged with them. This could be a good thing because it allows you to buy the kind of grinder you want. Even some complete ultra automatics have inept grinders. While you don’t need to use a grinder, it might feel pointless to own an espresso machine without one. 

You may be looking to use only pre-grounded coffee. If so, you may have to adhere to a high-end brewing machine. Having explained all that, we propose that you get a grinder alongside your device. And if you'll be getting one, we have some specifications for you.

A grinder you should not go for is the blade grinders. They tend to be unreliable when it comes to producing good grinds. Moreover, it is an eyesore to match an expensive coffee machine with a pedestrian grinder. Another grinder not to buy is the stainless steel grinders. They often tend to work well, but they have a track record of overheating after frequent use. 

What overheating does is that it burns your grounds and spoils the flavor of your brew. The perfect grinder to get with your EC860 is the ceramic conical. Getting the perfect grind for your coffee machine is crucial. You will be setting the machine up to perform optimally. 

Boiler System

Knowing its size, it'll be overboard, expecting more than one boiler in the DeLonghi EC860. Also, its price does not cater to such luxurious features. The sole boiler in the coffee machine is fantastic. It's made from aluminum and layered with stainless steel. Then it gets merged with Thermoblock technology. That lets the temperature change at a fast rate.

This boiler feature implies that it will take a bit longer to make a specialty drink, such as a milk-based drink. This is because the available boiler needs a bit of time to shift gears. It also needs time to switch temperatures from brewing mode to milk-steaming mode.

Telescoping Coffee Spigot

The DeLonghi EC860 is a semi-auto machine, and semis hardly have telescoping spigots. Thus, when you want to brew coffee, you'll need the portafilter. You will have to fill it with fresh ground coffee, tamp it, and insert it into the machine. Then you punch the brew button to get the drink you desire. 

You get a portafilter when you buy an EC860 coffee machine. The portafilter comes with three pressurized baskets. One is dedicated to single shots. Another is designed for double shots. And the third one is for coffee pods.

The pressurized features of these baskets mean you only have one small hole in the bottom. This hole lets the coffee flow through. The portafilter helps you make a well-flavored and rich cup of your coffee brew. 

The Brew Unit and Control System

Although sophisticated, the machine accounts for simplicity. As for the brew unit, it is non-detachable. There’s an automatic connotation that you have to backflush the system at least once or twice a week, especially if you are a cleanliness freak.

When it comes to the control system, it is not complicated either. It does not have LCD displays or the likes. It only has seven buttons, including the power button. For a single shot of espresso, you can set the water level. For a double shot of espresso, you could do the same thing. You can also manage the milk level for a single or double. 

You can also change the boiler temperature. The boiler temperature comes in 3 levels: low, medium, and high. Also, you can control the auto-shutoff timer, with three options for you. The options are 15 minutes, 75 minutes, or three hours.

The simplicity of this machine's build makes sure you do not have much to do. The above shows how programmable the buttons are, but they are still quite limited. If you're looking for sophisticated or advanced options, you won't get them on this machine. But the basics make it worth the price and make the use satisfying.

The Pump

The pump power of the EC860 brings drip brew coffee machines to mind. Drip brew machines bank on the strength of gravity to move the coffee. In other words, moving coffee from the brewing compartment to the container requires gravity.

Espresso machines, on the other hand, use pressure. The pressure gets measured in bars. A bar's calculated to be equal to the atmospheric pressure at sea level. To brew a fine espresso, it takes only 9 bars of pressure. But the DeLonghi EC860 espresso maker takes it notches higher. The DeLonghi EC860 pump measures at fifteen bars. 

The Milk Frothing System

With this feature, the DeLonghi EC860 made a masterpiece. This feature makes this machine a big plus. In general, there are two available modes of machine milk frothing. These include a steam wand or an auto-frother.

Contemporary people in the coffee-loving world would go for the auto-frothing technique. The reason is apparent. It is pretty simple to use. You only have to turn milk into a carafe, connect it to the machine, and have your milk foam.

Orthodox coffee enthusiasts, on the other hand, would opt for steam wands. These people like to polish and brandish their coffee-making skills from time to time. It requires time and talent to master its use.

Regardless of which you like, the DeLonghi EC860 affords you the liberty of both. This has to be the high point of this machine. You not only get the regular steam wand, but you also have the auto-frother. You can choose which to use at any given time.

Yet, our thoughts are that the best of both options has to be the auto-frother. Not only does it have two settings for the cappuccino and lattes. It produces excellent quality milk foam. That does not mean the steam wand is terrible. But the issue with it is that it is pretty short. Thus, mastering its use won't be a walk in the park. But should you later master its use, you have the key to making sensational milk foam.

Cup Warming Tray

For us, this feature is a significant highlight in the DeLonghi EC860. The warming tray deserves more recognition than it gets. It is a feature that operates using passive heat. This is because some drinks should be enjoyed at lower temperatures. These temperatures are not the regular American coffee temperature. 

The cup warming tray ensures that even if you brew your drink in a cold cup, you can get it heated up. 

The DeLonghi Automatic Cappuccino 

The DeLonghi EC860 does an amazing one with this addition too. As most espresso machines are, they afford you a cup warming tray. These trays use mere passive heating. But this unit allows you to enjoy your drink hotter.

For its features, we rate the DeLonghi EC860 4.0 out of 5.

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DeLonghi EC860 Review

The following are the aspects we consider as essential in choosing the best coffee machine and how the DeLonghi EC860 rates in them 

Design/Build Quality

At first glance, the DeLonghi EC860 machine you will hold your attention with is its petite size. It weighs only 15.4 pounds. Its 10.6” x 12.2” x 12” measurements ensure one thing; that you have no worries as regards creating space for this machine. This also means it is easy to move around the house.

Furthermore, the machine is not only attractive in size, but it is also a beautiful one. You would love the thin outer layer made of brushed stainless steel. It's plated with stainless steel on the front part and sides. Moreover, its top is made of metal.

The casing feels quite fragile compared to its counterparts. But, the lightness of the casing contributes to its ease of movement. On durability, the machine might not be comparable with the high-end models. Of course, it will do a good job and last longer if well cared for. You can expect great specialty coffee treats for a long time. It might not just last as long as some models would.  

For design, we rate the DeLonghi EC860 3.5 out of 5.

Performance

The performance on the DeLonghi EC860 is quite a ride. There are several advantages and significant setbacks too. For instance, the machine has a water tank that is too small. It does not have dual boilers. It also uses buttons as opposed to advanced LCD or LED features. Several other features enhance the performance we expected it to have that it doesn't.

Still, it comes with several things that make it enticing too. It has a cup warming tray, a dual milk frothing system, a boiler, a filter, and more. And they work well for their capacity. The machine works well as long as it is operated in the right way. It brews good-tasting coffee and hardly lags. 

We will give a 4.5 out of 5 ratings for this aspect.

Ease of Use

You would hardly need its manual to use the button programmed machine. Its controls are well highlighted to help you know what's for what. Other aspects of it are also apparent too. Also, it is super easy to clean.

The convenience it affords is top-notch and deserves a 5 out of 5 ratings for this aspect. 

Value For Money

The DeLonghi EC860 costs quite a sum. Its price ranges between $200 and $400, depending on the vendor. 

Is it worth the buy? Yes, it is, if you are not a big coffee drinker. But we think for its price range, it needs some more features like a bigger water tank especially. 

For this aspect, we would give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5. 

Summary

With its extensive features, the DeLonghi EC860 is a worthy buy. We cannot allude to it as perfection, but it does come in as an excellent investment for regular coffee drinkers. It is safe to say that aficionados might not be as satisfied with what the machine has to offer. But it is a lovable one to have.

Bearing its capacity and limitations in mind, you ought to enjoy the buy. Acquire this machine as an addition to your collection or if you are new to the espresso-making game. Also, be sure to get the best deal from vendors since the resale value is sometimes on the high side. 

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