Is this the ultimate budget machine? It came only with a single shot pressurized basket, and a portafilter. I had a non pressurized basket that fit sitting at home from a previous machine, as well as a tamper that fit as well. Works great! I decaled before pulling my first shot. No issues so far.
by SprinkleSpray
27 Comments
Awesome find
Thats an amazing deal. This is a good little machine.
You got ripped off
Underrated machine! I swapped the portafilter and basket and now I make better espresso that 4/5 shops in town
I thought I got a great deal when I found mine for $60. Bravo
That’s a great little machine. Used it for years before I upgraded.
It’s a great machine with some *very mild* modifications (3 hole steam tip, unpressurized basket, aftermarket portafilter). There is a slight learning curve to get the most out of it (temp surfing, blooming, etc), though. I’ve been daily using one for a while now, I just like the coffee it makes more than some of my other machines.
Good for you. Personally I can’t express the hate for this machine. The worst fucking thing ever. I genuinely paid a few construction workers to demolish it and I did send the video to Delonghi. Sorry for the rant but this picture triggered my PTSD.
That’s a score if I’ve ever seen one! Now, go to Dollar Tree and buy yourself some descaler for $1.50. It’s right by the coffee and it’s the exact same as De’Longhi’s but with a different name. Works great imho. I paid $28 for my Stilosa and best $28 I’ve ever splurged.
That’s the first machine I ever bought! First one blew up because I never descaled it. Second one is going on 2 years now without any problems
Score!!
I have this machine! I love it. Don’t listen to the snobs in this sub. It’s not the best espresso I’ve ever had, but it does a better job than half of the coffee shops in my town.
I switched to a bottomless portafilter, took the outer cover off the steam wand, and got a decent grinder ($200). I have no intentions of upgrading this machine anytime soon. It gets the job done! Definitely worth the $5
Edit: I’ve also used this thing *everyday* for the past 2 years, and I make at least 2 cappuccinos and usually 1-2 more espressos per day. It holds up. The only downside is that the water tank leaks (not a big deal, just don’t keep water in the tank when you aren’t using it)
I have it, it makes great espresso.
I gave mine to goodwill (same model different color) cause it was not doing proper pressure not even after replacing opv valve and other things. But seems like a good gamble
what model is that?
Fantastic pickup & deal. If you have a decent grinder & are using quality beans, you can make pretty solid espresso on that machine. It’s currently the one I have at home. You can also pull that metal sleeve off the steam wand & steam good enough milk for latte art with the single opening rubber tip. Enjoy ✌🏻
Luckeeeee…
Awesome find you said you descaled it but I would highly recommend taking apart the area where the porta filter goes. It’s relatively easy at one point you will need some pliers for the little bronze piece that screws in. That area can get pretty gross if it wasn’t maintained properly before. I took mine apart after getting it second hand, soaked everything in water/vinegar over night scrubbed and washed everything in a bucket before reassembling it.
Edit: https://youtu.be/paImrXJvxlg?si=QzeS8m8G0vjeItlB this video is helpful and what I used. Although I didn’t take it apart as much just what needed to be cleaned.
$5?? Nicely done! I feel like my Goodwill always knows what they have and marks stuff like this up
That is a De’Longhi EC155 or one of its close variants. For $5 at Goodwill, that’s honestly a steal especially since it powers on and pulls shots without issues. These machines are known as solid beginner entry-level espresso machines. Not the most powerful steam wand and not super consistent compared to higher-end gear, but with some patience and especially with a non-pressurized basket like you already had lying around, it can absolutely produce very drinkable espresso.
That was my first machine and outlasted my Breville Bambino by years. It’s still works and the BB does not
Super awesome find. Lance Hedrick is a huge proponent of this machine. I got mine off of FB for 30 bucks and am doing some mods to it to add PID and flow control along with upgraded steam wand.
Great find! I have the same one (mine is the ecp3420). Picked mine up on Amazon, new/open box, for $84. Your deal was better!
2 critical mods: first, a bottomless portafilter and basket. Found one on Amazon for under $20 that works great. Be sure to get a 51mm with 2 ears/tabs, not 3.
Second, I got a nice ss steam nozzle to replace the pannarello, works super great. It twists on just like the pannarello. The brand is Enforose, about $12 on Amazon. The rubber nozzle inside the pannarello is too short to use, so don’t bother with the zip tie hack (which also looks tacky). And don’t think about replacing the wand with a Rancilio one, which some have done. Pricier, and you’ll have to disassemble the machine a bit; many have reported difficulty with this replacement. Just buy the Enforose wand, lock it on, froth away.
Insane find, enjoy !
That little machine is going to serve you well. Put it in “advanced” mode (per Tom of Tom’s Coffee Corner) and you’ll be able to pull incredible shots once you’re dialed in.
With your savings, invest in the gear that matters and enjoy.
Solid machine. I found the one i modified for 10$ too.
https://youtu.be/jyO_M0EVGdg?si=ax2awMEnihmd7IMN
Add a dimmer switch and a pressure guage and you can have way more control.
I don’t regret getting mine at all 😊