DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM4200 Bean To Cup Coffee Machine

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Design 10/10

DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM4200 Bean To Cup Coffee Machine

This is a stylish, modern, contemporary designed coffee machine with clean lines which would look good on any worktop surface.

This is not a product that you need to hide away in the corner or put into a cupboard

The colours are a combination of silver matt and black plastic which is pleasing on the eye and tempts you in to fire up the power and make one of your favourite coffee’s

At 37.5cm tall , 28.5cm wide and 36cm deep this is a compact machine that will take up only a small amount of space for such a multifunctional item.

Functionality 9.5/10

The control panel on the front of the coffee machine is clear, simple, and straightforward.

An on/off button, a button for 1 cup of coffee and a button for 2 cups of coffee.

1 knob to select the strength of your coffee, This will determine the amount of coffee which will be ground and will impact on how strong or how weak the coffee is

1 knob to determine the amount of water delivered to produce the coffee so you can produce anything from a strong espresso to a weak Americano and all the different options in-between.

1 button to descale.

1 knob for activating the steam wand.

There are also a few warning lights such as descale and no water.

Nothing fussy. Just what’s required.

Before you start using this coffee machine be sure to set the water hardness level in the area you live. Full instructions on this process are included with the machine.
The reason you need to set the water hardness level is that this will tell the coffee machine how often to warn you that descaling is required. The harder your water the more often descaling is required.

This is very important in terms of the quality of taste you will get from every cup of coffee. If the limescale content is too high then it will adversely affect the taste of your coffee. If you are going for a bean to cup coffee machine then you do not want to compromise on taste.

This is the kind of thing that you need to pay attention to if you want to replicate a coffee shop experience in your own home at a fraction of the cost.

There are 7 different grind settings to choose from to help you deliver your coffee with the best flavour possible. Great espresso is achieved when it is delivered into your cup in 25-30 seconds from when you see the first drop come through and the grind settings will help you to get there.

If you are finding that your coffee is being delivered very quickly in say 10-15 seconds then you should change the grind setting to a lower number. The lower the number, the finer the grind and it will then be harder for the water to push through the coffee and make the delivery time longer.

If it taking a long time to deliver your coffee, say 40-50 seconds then change the grind setting to a higher number for a coarser grind and that will reduce the delivery time. It won’t more than a few goes to hit the sweet spot and get to 25-30 seconds but it’s worth doing as it significantly improves the quality of coffee.

Many bean to cup coffee machines come with a water tank that sits on the back of the machine and that can make it difficult to get to depending on how you have it positioned in your kitchen. On this machine it slides straight out from the front making it super easy to get to and equally as simple to put back in. Another plus is that it holds 1.8 litres of water so you won’t be filling it up every 5 minutes.

If you like milk-based drinks then its important for the steam wand to be able to deliver enough pressure to get the thick creamy texture you need for latte’s and cappuccinos and this does not disappoint.

By turning the steam dial all the way round to the left you get plenty of power that creates the texture and foam you need at the correct temperature of between 60-65 degrees in about 60 seconds.

The drip tray covers the full length of the machine allowing for a good amount of liquid to be collected before you need to empty it and when you pull it out the used coffee grounds collecter sits just behind and that easily pops out for the used coffee grounds to be emptied out.

Although this machine is specifically made to freshly grind whole coffee beans there is a small drawer you can open that allows you to use pre-ground coffee as well if you want. This is useful if you or someone else in your home want to make a coffee that is different from the beans you already have in the machine

Or perhaps you fancy a coffee in the evening but you don’t want the caffeine hit that goes with it so you can use some pre-ground decaf without having to empty out all of the beans you already have in the bean container. A nice little touch from Delonghi.

There is also a good height from the drip tray to the nozzles that the coffee is delivered from so you can fit your favourite cup or glass underneath. The gap is about 10cm so that will cover most of the cup sizes even if you enjoy a large latte. If you prefer a large latte glass then you can always deliver the espresso into a small cup and then pout it into your tall glass of choice before adding milk.

You don’t need to worry about turning the DeLonghi ESAM4200 off after use as it will automatically turn off after 2 hours of no use. If you are conscious of not wasting electricity then you can change the standby time to as little as 15 minutes.

This machine is also fitted with Thermo block technology which means that the coffee will always be delivered at the exact temperature required to make the perfect cup of coffee. Deviating by as little as 1 degree either way can affect the flavour so you can be assured this will not happen with the DeLonghi ESAM4200.

Ease of use 10/10

One of the great things about this coffee machine is that you can create a coffee EXACTLY the way that you like it by simply turning one of two (or both) knobs. Just turn the “quantity of coffee” knob to decide if you want more or less coffee and then turn the “water delivery” knob to determine how much water is pushed through the coffee and into the cup.

It wont take you long to get the settings just right for the perfect cup of coffee.

Then to further enhance things and get it just right you can also change the coarseness of the coffee from very finely ground to course. This comes down to personal preference so have a play around to find what works best for you. The dial to change the coarseness is located in the area where the coffee beans are held.

Once you have had a play around with the settings this is the part where you get to fully understand the meaning of bean to cup.

Turn the machine on and then press one or two cups. That’s it! At the push of just two buttons you have a wonderful cup of coffee tailored to your exact specifications.

Short on time. No problem. In less than 1 minute you will have the caffeine hit required to start your day off perfectly. Maybe 2 minutes if you need to froth yourself some milk.

Either way it is cheaper and faster than going to one of the high street chains.

From a maintenance perspective it couldn’t be simpler.

Just empty the used ground coffee from the container that can easily be accessed by opening the service door on the front of the machine. If you forget, the machine will show you a warning light and then you have to empty it before you can make any more drinks.

The machine will also warn you when descaling is required. Be sure to do this when advised in order to maintain the integrity of the coffee.

In terms of the steam wand, if that gets blocked at any time then simply insert a toothpick into the hole where the steam comes out and that will do the trick.

Setting the machine up for first use is also extremely simple. It’s pretty much good to go straight out of the box. All you need to do is fill the tank up with water, turn the steam dial round to the left and wait for the lights to flash and you are good to go.

Fill up the bean container with your favourite coffee beans and you are ready to enjoy cafe quality coffee in your own home.

Quality of coffee 10/10

Once you have worked out the settings that perfectly compliment your palette I would argue that with the DeLonghi ESAM4200 you can create a coffee that is BETTER than any of the leading high street coffee shops and for a fraction of the price

Be sure to buy the best coffee that your budget allows as there is a big difference between the cheap supermarket stuff and freshly roasted beans from a specialist shop. If buying beans from a supermarket check the production date or roasting date not the use by date. Try and get beans that have been roasted in the last 4 weeks for the best flavour.

Value For Money 10/10

This is one of the most highly rated coffee machines we have reviewed and for good reason.

It’s been around for a number of years and continues to be a best seller for Delonghi to this day because it delivers a great cup of coffee at a very reasonable price.

You can spend a lot more money and not end up with better coffee you just get more convenience. The process that this coffee machine uses to grind your coffee with the integrated grinder, tamp the coffee and force the water through the ground coffee is the same as other Delonghi coffee machines that cost hundreds of pounds more.

What you get with the other machines are more default settings and a digital display. This ESAM4200 has knobs to select coffee strength and water quantity and with other machines there is a button that does the same thing and you see the strength or water quantity on a screen but they both deliver the same coffee in the same way once you press the start button

Bean to cup coffee machines range in price from a few hundred pounds up to a few thousand pounds. This machine sits at the bottom of that range but you do not compromise on quality in any way.

You could easily spend £500-£800 on a Gaggia coffee machine and it may look a little nicer aesthetically but personally we would rather save the money as you simply do not compromise on the quality of coffee.

Unlike other products such as mobile phones or TV’s, with coffee machines the latest technology doesn’t necessarily mean you will get a better quality cup of coffee. This machine has been around for a while but it continues to be a best-seller and that’s because it delivers great coffee at a reasonable price.

If you re not bothered about having all the bells and whistles and LCD electronic display and you just want an affordable coffee machine that produces a freshly ground cup of coffee in under 60 seconds with the press of a single button then this fits the bill.

This is a proven winner over the last few years and is very highly rated with thousands of happy owners. Overall superb value for money.

Last update on 2024-04-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API