How to Use a De'Longhi Espresso Machine

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While there are lots of different De'Longhi espresso machines, some of the most popular models are the EC155, which is perfect for beginners, as well as the Dedica and ECP3420. Each machine needs its water tank to be filled before being used, and each machine also holds 1-2 shots of espresso. Follow the specific instructions for your model of De'Longhi espresso machine to create a great cup of coffee .

Quick Guide to De'Longhi Espresso Machines

First, fill the water tank to the max fill line, then turn the knob to the squiggly line to preheat it for 15 minutes. Measure out your coffee into the filter and place the filter into its holster. Set a cup beneath the nozzle and turn the knob to the far right to brew.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making an Espresso with the De'Longhi EC155

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  1. Look for a spot that’s flat and away from the sink or other sources of water to avoid damaging your espresso machine or causing yourself injury. Plug the cord into a nearby outlet to provide power. [1]
    • Avoid putting the machine on the edge of a countertop or anywhere where it might be knocked over.
  2. Remove the water tank from the machine by lifting up the lid. Fill the tank up with water up to the maximum fill line before carefully placing it back in the machine and closing the lid. [2]
    • If you’d rather not take the tank out of the machine, pour water directly into the tank, being careful not to overfill it.
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  3. To do this, turn the knob to the little squiggly mark, which signals that the boiler is on. When the espresso machine is fully preheated, a green light will come on showing that it’s ready to be used. [3]
    • It’s important that the machine heats up so that your drink can be made properly.
  4. Once the machine has heated up properly, you’re ready to start making your coffee. Place a cup or mug under the spout on the aluminum tray to hold your drink. [4]
  5. Dip your coffee measure into your coffee, which likely holds 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of coffee. Level the scoop of coffee out and then dump this measurement into the coffee filter. Brush off any extra coffee grounds along the edges of the rim using your fingers. [5]
    • If you’re using a coffee pod instead of ground coffee, place the pod in the filter instead.
    • Check that the pod you’re using has an ESE label on it to ensure it works with the machine.
    • If you have access to a scale , take time to measure out the espresso grounds before putting them into the machine. Coffee can hold twice its weight in water, so whatever amount you put into the portafilter should yield double the dosage.
  6. This is super important for getting a great cup of coffee. Avoid pressing down too firmly or too lightly, instead giving the coffee a gentle tap with the tamper to press down on it evenly. [6]
    • The tamper is attached to the right side of the machine.
  7. Insert the filter holder into the machine, twisting the handle until it’s firmly locked into place. When the filter holder is secure, the handle will face directly in front of the machine. [7]
  8. This is the symbol to the right of the squiggly line, showing a cup of coffee and a spout. Once you turn the knob to the far right, your coffee will begin pouring into your cup. [8]
    • If you need to turn the machine off while it’s brewing, like if your cup is already full, switch the knob to the “O” to the left.
  9. Froth milk using the frother to make a cappuccino . Once you’ve created coffee by filling the filter with coffee grounds and brewing a cup, fill a frothing pitcher with about 3.5 ounces (99 g) of milk. Put the pitcher under the frother and rotate the knob to the steam option. Rotate the steam knob counterclockwise to begin frothing your milk. Once the milk is frothed to about twice its size, it’s ready to be added to your cup of coffee. [9]
    • The steam option shows an icon of a steam cloud.
    • Wait until the green light pops up on the steam option after you turn the knob to it before using it.
  10. Place a cup under the spout and turn the knob to the squiggly line to preheat it. Once the green light comes on, switch the knob to the coffee cup and spout icon. At the same time you’re turning the knob, twist the steam knob counterclockwise to cause hot water to come out of the spout. [10]
    • Turn the hot water off by switching the knob to the “O.”
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using the De'Longhi Dedica EC680 Machine

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  1. Place your espresso machine on a stable surface away from water sources to keep it undamaged. Make sure nothing will get tangled in the cords, and that the machine isn’t able to fall by accident.
  2. Open the lid of the machine and pull out the water tank. Fill it up without going past the maximum water level, which is marked on the tank. Once it’s full, carefully put the tank back into the machine and close the lid.
    • You can also fill the water tank without taking it out by pouring cups of water directly into the tank. Just make sure you don’t overfill it.
  3. Press the On/Off button to turn the machine on, which is on the side of the machine. Once you flip it, the lights on the machine will flash, meaning it’s heating up. When the lights stop flashing and stay on steadily, the espresso machine is ready to be used.
  4. The steam button has an icon of a steam cloud on it. Hold this button for 10 seconds to navigate to the settings, letting you decide things like the coffee temperature or water hardness.
    • If you don’t press anything for 15 seconds, the machine will exit the settings mode.
  5. Measure out 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the pre-ground coffee and pour it into the filter. Press down on the coffee using the presser before attaching the filter holder to the machine by aligning it with the “Insert” label. Set your cup down under the spout and press the coffee button, which has a little picture of a coffee cup as its symbol.
    • If you’re only making one coffee, use the filter with one coffee filter symbol on it, while if you’re making two coffees, choose the filter with a picture of two coffee filters.
    • Sweep off any extra coffee from the rim of the filter holder before inserting it.
    • Once you’ve inserted the filter holder, twist it until it lines up with the “Close” label.
  6. Select the filter used for coffee pods , which has a symbol of a coffee pod on it, and place it in the filter holder. Put the pod in the filter and attach the filter holder to the machine by inserting it where there’s an “Insert” label. Place your cup under the spout and press the coffee button which has a picture of a coffee cup on it to start brewing your coffee.
    • Choose pods that have an ESE symbol on them, showing that they work with the machine.
    • Follow the instructions that come on the specific pod you’re using to ensure it works properly.
    • Twist the filter holder to the “Close” position once you’ve inserted it.
  7. After you’ve created a regular cup of coffee, fill a cup with 100 grams (3.5 oz) of cold milk. Once the steam button is steadily lit, place the cup of milk under the milk frother. Turn the knob to the icon of a steam cloud and droplets to start the steaming process, and watch for the milk to double in volume before turning it off.
    • Pour the frothed milk into your cup of coffee to create the cappuccino.
  8. If you just want a cup of hot water, set your cup down under the spout and turn the dial to “steam.” This releases hot water. Switch the dial back to the Off position once your cup is full of hot water.
    • The steam option shows an icon of a mini cloud, or puff of steam.
    • Don’t pour out hot water for more than 60 seconds, according to the De'Longhi EC680 instruction manual.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Operating the De'Longhi ECP3420

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  1. Find a spot to place your espresso machine that isn’t near a sink and where it won’t accidentally fall. Use the cord to plug it into an outlet nearby, making sure it doesn’t come into contact with water. [11]
  2. Remove the water tank from the machine and fill it up with clean water. Avoid filling the tank up past the maximum fill level, labeled on the tank. Carefully place the water tank back in the machine and close the lid. [12]
    • Fill the tank up without removing it from the machine by pouring water directly into the tank with the lid open. Be careful not to overfill it if you choose to do it this way.
  3. Switch the knob to the “On” position and watch for the light to turn on signaling that the machine is on. Once there’s water in the tank, turn the knob to the icon of a coffee cup and droplets and wait as the tank releases about half the water from the tank. This clears out the machine so it’s ready to be used. [13]
    • Once the first tank of water has all been drained, the machine is ready for its first cup of coffee.
  4. Put the ground coffee filter (which has an icon of a measuring cup) into the filter holder. Measure out 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of your coffee using a coffee measurer and pour it into the filter. Press down on the coffee lightly using the tamper before inserting the filter holder into the machine. Switch the knob to the icon of a coffee cup and droplets to brew your cup of coffee. [14]
    • Make sure you place your cup under the spout before turning the knob and starting the cup of coffee.
    • Once you have enough coffee, switch the knob to “On” to interrupt it.
    • Twist the filter holder to lock it into place once it’s inserted in the machine.
  5. Find the filter labeled with a picture of a pod and place the pod in this filter. Insert the filter holder into the machine and twist it to lock it into place. [15]
    • When the filter holder is locked in place, it will be facing directly in front of the machine.
    • Read the instructions on the pod to be sure you brew your coffee correctly, and only use pods with an ESE label to be sure they work with your machine.
  6. Turn the knob to the steam icon and wait for the light to come on showing that it has heated up. Fill a cup with roughly 100 grams (3.5 oz) of cold milk and place it under the spout on the side of the machine. Turn the knob on the side of the machine to the icon with the cloud of steam and droplets while holding the cup up under the milk frother to create froth. [16]
    • Once the milk has become frothy and doubled in size, turn the knob to the Off position.
    • This milk can be added to a regular cup of coffee to create a cappuccino.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/assets/user-manuals/delonghi/delonghi-ec155-espresso-user-manual.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/assets/user-manuals/delonghi/delonghi-ec155-espresso-user-manual.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX5hLftOIP0#t=51s
      4. ↑ https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/assets/user-manuals/delonghi/delonghi-ec155-espresso-user-manual.pdf
      5. ↑ https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/assets/user-manuals/delonghi/delonghi-ec155-espresso-user-manual.pdf
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX5hLftOIP0#t=1m25s
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX5hLftOIP0#t=1m34s
      8. ↑ https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/assets/user-manuals/delonghi/delonghi-ec155-espresso-user-manual.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/assets/user-manuals/delonghi/delonghi-ec155-espresso-user-manual.pdf
      1. ↑ https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/assets/user-manuals/delonghi/delonghi-ec155-espresso-user-manual.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/manuals/manual-espresso-machine-ecp3420/p/ECP3420
      3. ↑ https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/manuals/manual-espresso-machine-ecp3420/p/ECP3420
      4. ↑ https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/manuals/manual-espresso-machine-ecp3420/p/ECP3420
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR8R-b51QnY#t=3m30s
      6. ↑ https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/manuals/manual-espresso-machine-ecp3420/p/ECP3420
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR8R-b51QnY#t=5m

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