Last Updated on September 8, 2021 by YourBestCoffeeMachine
Delonghi ECO310
Summary
A great value machine at under $200 although it will take some practice to get a great cup of espresso.
My prime motivation for shopping for an espresso machine was to protect my hard earned money from the coffers of all the coffee shops I had developed a habit of frequenting. Buying five premium cappuccinos a week was starting to take a toll on my budget. In the same vein, I didn’t want to overspend on a machine to save me money. I opted for the Delonghi ECO310, because it fit into my price range (this machine usually sells for under $200) and I was already familiar with Delonghi. I also loved it’s retro styling and the range of colors that it came in.
Nice milk frothing wand on the Delonghi Icona ECO310
This model has the ability to brew from Easy Serving Espresso pods or your own finely ground espresso coffee. For ground coffee it features both a single or double shot, which they actually call a two cup instead. The filter handle actually has two separate drip holes that allow you fill two cups simultaneously by placing them side by side. I usually use the double for just myself. One of the most important factors that went into my decision to buy the ECO 310 was the presence of a Pannarello frothing wand. This allows you to steam milk for your espresso drinks and the reason I needed a machine was for home made cappuccinos.
How to use the Delonghi ECO310 to make a good espresso?
In terms of espresso quality, this 15 bar machine is capable of pulling great shots as long as you yourself have the ability. In the beginning, I didn’t. My success increased as I applied myself more.
For instance, it is important to run a round of water before you actually put your grounds into it and I actually run mine into the cup I am going to drink out of before putting it on the top surface to stay warm. If you don’t take the time for this step, you might come up with lukewarm espresso. It is also extremely important to clean the unit after every single use.
If you don’t you will run into problems with unequal drip from the dual spouts or decreased steam wand efficiency. Third, I had to learn the feel of an appropriately tamped batch of grounds before my results were consistent. If the filter basket is too tightly packed the 15 bars of pressure won’t be enough to get the water through the coffee in time to keep it from scorching. If it isn’t packed tightly enough, your espresso comes out looking like tea with no crema.
All of the above noted, I have learned how to consistently make cappuccinos that I enjoy. Remember, I am a complete novice so many in the market for such an espresso maker may find that they can pull quality shots without feeling like it took a lot of effort. My learning curve was completed in about a month and I haven’t looked back since. For the price, I am quite content.
Delonghi packed in loads of features
I chose for myself the BK, or black one, but you can actually get it in an assortment of retro colours as well as red and white. I chose the black because I didn’t want to spend time cleaning the outside of it too often. Most of that exterior is black plastic but it does have some stainless steel and chrome details that add a little glamour to my countertop. On top, it has a warming surface that won’t really heat your cold cups but it will keep them warm. One great feature of the design is the removable drip tray which I load in my dishwasher every night for cleaning. Following the low maintenance trend is the water reservoir. There are no tubes to connect and it has a nice handle to help with removal. Simple and easy, just the way I like it.
The three button system is quite easy to use, though not intuitive at first glance. I made sure to read the manual before pushing or pulling on anything so I had no real problems but it seems to me Delonghi could have made a display that needed no instruction.
Don’t rely on the built in temper…
Though generally happy with the ECO310, it would be unfair of me not to include a few of the weaknesses I have noticed in my 13 months with the machine. The built in tamper is pretty much useless. I suppose it is the correct size for the filters but its location prevents you from being able to apply proper pressure with it.
Similarly, the steam wand has limited range of movement which is annoying until you find a suitable milk container. I actually found that it works better without the outer piece. As expected, my 310 isn’t the quietest appliance on my countertop but that isn’t a big deal because I only run it when I need to. Finally, for the price I expected it to come with a longer warranty – at the time of writing this it is only 1 year.
The Delonghi ECO310 is still a good value
Especially for the price tag, the Delonghi ECO310 is a pretty good value. Its most important trait is the ability to deliver a decent cup of espresso in good time. The frothing wand allows you to make espresso drinks as well as the pure stuff. And the E.S.E. option can increase your convenience if you choose to utilize it. It does have some weaknesses for the pickier coffee lover but for the casual drinker on a budget, it will get plenty of use.
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Its not my first time to own a De’longhi coffee maker, and they have never disappointed me.
Sad to say but I am disappointed that after a year it failed to shut off properly and continues to boil intp the water resorvoir/container.
Anybody have any suggestions. We let vinegar through but no change.
And it rattles and is noicy.
Could you have possibly poured cold water into the reservoir while the machine was hot? You might well have cracked the reservoir with the dueling temperatures… Metal can’t deal with being hot and having cold put directly on it it will warp or crack
Just a suggestion
Great review, I had a machine from Delonghi before and I loved it. Thinking of getting the ECO310 now.
Hi are you interested in getting one? Mine is less than a month old and I’m selling it at near 30% off cost price as I have another machine from my sis as a gift. Do look up me profile on carousell app, my nickname is linguistics_philosophy_bks_fan.
I have put up my coffee machine pic there.
Thanks!
Does this model require descaling? The store I bought mine from said I didn’t need to, but now less than 200 cups I’m getting problems with the espresso stream (sometimes dripping to next to nothing into my cup) on every second cup. First cup hadn’t been great either lately. These worked fine in the beginning. I tried looking at the manual but I couldn’t locate the ‘figure 27’ it was referring to, for me to troubleshoot the problem. Might you be able to advise me on this, please?
It does require descaling. Ideally, it is best practice to descale every 2 months depending on whether your area is hard water or soft water. Check the portafilter head as well because it should be cleaned daily. It is common to see loose grounds sticking inside the portafilter head so just wipe round it after every use.
If the problem still exists, you can try contacting DeLonghi customer service. You can send them an email or call them directly. Their replies are usually very helpful.
I just purchased this machine. The one issue I’m having is it seems like I can’t get the handle to lock into place easily. Really, you’d need super human strength to get it to go straight from the insert position. The one at the store went on and off so easily so I don’t know if I have a defective machine or what. Right now, it barely drips coffee (won’t even brew a shot before the light turns off), so I’m not sure if that has something to do with the way I’m tamping or if the handle isn’t turned enough. Thoughts?
Hi Amanda,
It sounds like you have a defective machine, I suggest you get a replacement. I believe you are referring the portafilter, if it doesnt fit perfectly to the machine, it may cause leaking.Some machines have this problem a few months down the line and it can be fixed by descaling. But since your one is newly bought, it is more likely a product fault.
I’ve owned this model for almost 2 years and also found the handle tight at first, but it has loosened up over time and is fine now. One thing that seems to help a lot is to flush and wipe the part where the handle locks with a soft terry towel after every use. Otherwise the wet coffee grounds left there can harden, making the next use difficult to put the handle on.
As for the coffee barely dripping into the cup, this is probably either due to too much tamping pressure, which compresses the coffee “puck” too much for the water to pass thorugh, or too finely ground coffee… it’s unlikely to be a fault of the machine. These machines run at 15 bar pressure which is on the high end for a coffee machine. I’d suggest makeing your grind coarser and/or tamping wth less pressure.
30lbs tamping pressure seems to be a common recommendation, you could test how much pressure this is using scales. Some hand-tampers are available that are preset to “click” at 30lbs pressure.
Hi,
I need your advice as I’m thinking of buying the ECO 310 however I found a lot of reviews on Amazon.com that it starts leaking after a while and it takes too much time for preheating , is this true or not. One more thing which one is better the ECO 310 or EC220b
Thanks for your kind support.
Hi,
First of all, what is your budget? How often do you use your coffee machine and will it be your first espresso machine?
If you are not fussed about the crema or water level indicator, I would recommend the EC220. It has less functions and it doesn’t look as good as the EC310, but the coffee quality are similar (and it is $100 cheaper after all).
It is hard to say if the leaking is an manufacturing error or an user error. But if you are getting the EC310, make sure that you read the manual very carefully before using the machine.
If I were to get an external tamper, what size would it be more suitable? Thanks
Yes, I would also like to know that diameter.
Great report… Have same feeling that the fixed tamper is not quite useless. By the way, what diameter of tamper that suit for this ECO310?
Visitor Rating: 4 Stars
I have had coffee machines in the past and they never made the coffee hot enough. Is this one any better?