The Best Cheap Espresso Machine? The Delonghi ECP3630

[@tryharso2387]

Adding PID & pump dimmer mod brings this machine to whole other level

[@TokyoCoffee]

Yeah, I bet! Maybe that's something I'll try down the road

[@THESICKSILVERADO]

You got 18 g of coffee in your 51mm?

[@TokyoCoffee]

@THESICKSILVERADO Yup! It's a very deep basket

[@THESICKSILVERADO]

@@TokyoCoffee I can barely get 15-16 in mine.

[@williamday7238]

I just did this mod, but now struggling pulling shots at 9 bar. I had to go so coarse to get a shot in 25-30 seconds that it lost all crema, and tastes weak

[@hatchetjack1031]

I started a month ago on the 3420 , 2 good grinders and excellent dark and medium roast beans, mostly single source Arabica but some blends. Pulled 1 to 2 double shots a day and have had wonderful success. Still use the pressurized double basket because it produces a ,1 /3.5 ( loungi) Ratio w/ only 12 gram puck (dose) in 30 seconds w/ very fine grind. I make mostly Capuchinos so the panerelli works fine w/ half & half. Watching espresso videos and ordering beans.makes me wish sleep weren't so necessary 😊

[@chazdomingo475]

I ordered one of these on Black Friday. Upgrading from an aeropress and pretty excited to pull my first real shot.

[@TokyoCoffee]

Congrats! It's a fun hobby, to be sure

[@BradtheNerd-g4x]

Just bought one today based on your video. Enjoying it so far after my first few shots. Tried with the original steamer and quickly realized I definitely need to replace the wand. Great review!

[@TokyoCoffee]

Thank you so much!

[@Brinks44MA]

@@TokyoCoffee What espresso grinder do you use? Thanks. I liked you vid. I got this machine for Christmas and am adding the recommended accessories.

[@TokyoCoffee]

@Brinks44MA I'm using a Fellow Opus right now until I save up for a better grinder, but if I was looking for an entry level grinder I would lean towards the Baratza Encore ESP

[@chianti95]

@@TokyoCoffeeI have the Baratza Encore ESP and it’s noisy but excellent. The other grinder I was considering is the D54, but I wanted the flexibility of single doses and grinding larger quantities, since I also make moka pot and pour over coffee occasionally. That said, I’ve mostly used it for single doses - you can get a smaller hopper for it, but I haven’t bothered. I did pick up a 51 mm stainless cup that fits inside the plastic (54mm?) one that comes with the grinder - that way I can just flip coffee into the portafilter basket without making a mess. I also added a bellows for the top of the hopper from Amz … not sure it makes much difference, since there’s not a lot of coffee retention if you spritz your beans before grinding) but it helps keep the buildup to a minimum. It’s a great grinder.

[@jasoneduardo2761]

I bought the same exact one! And after that steamer hack I think I’ll get better! Thank you

[@TokyoCoffee]

Awesome! Hope you enjoy it!

[@whiterose7055]

I've been using one of these for around 4 years without any problems. It makes great espresso! I don't make latte so the milk wand is no problem in my case. Originally I was going to buy a more expensive machine but this performs so well I'm going to wait for it to break before I buy a better one.

[@TokyoCoffee]

I was surprised by its performance. It definitely deserves more attention

[@NfiniteNaledge503]

Picked up the 3420 on Black Friday. I’m a complete beginner but this is my new special interest. Bought a bottomless portafilter and other tools/accessories. Using Illy coffee for now but will be purchasing a grinder in the near future. It looks like the difference between the 3630 and 3420 is the color, and the rubber part of your steam wand is longer. I found the wand hack on another channel but I wish the 3420 was longer. I’ve been looking at longer metal replacement wands, might pick one up. So far having fun pulling shots and testing how things are done though. Thanks for the video!

[@TokyoCoffee]

Awesome! Enjoy the journey!

[@big_poppa_h]

Was on the fence but your video popped first on my search and am ordering this as a starter machine!

[@TokyoCoffee]

I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it goes ☺️

[@shadowglm05]

Thanks for the time! 🙏🏽👍🏽👋🏽 Greetings from México 🇲🇽

[@TokyoCoffee]

Thanks for watching!

[@amylaureljuly]

First of all this is the most beautiful kitchen I have ever seen. The design choices are stunning. The plants, the hammered steel hanging pot, the countertops, the citrus tray. It's all so striking and alive. Anyway, would you consider linking us to the portafilter or other products you used to upgrade this machine?

[@TokyoCoffee]

Oh wow thank you. I'm only half able to take credit for the kitchen. All links should be in the description of this video!

[@dj4280]

Great video! Thanks we just got it and are using it better thanks to this video!

[@TokyoCoffee]

Awesome! Enjoy it!

[@DavidKluskiewicz]

Can attest! These mods elevate this machine.

[@TokyoCoffee]

Big time!

[@kitcraft9516]

Check Gabes if you have one in your area. You can get ECP variants for $50 and Dedica for $70 from time to time.

[@TokyoCoffee]

I don't think I have a Gabe's around here, but that sounds amazing!

[@jeffandersen6233]

I bought a 3630 for $112 US. Id like the Rancillio wand but im not up to doing the eork. Inagree the zip tie yrick works just fine. I now have a df54 grinder. The esprsso is better , more consistint, than my previous Rancillio Silvia and Rocky. grinder

[@TokyoCoffee]

That's awesome! I haven't gotten my hands on a DF54 yet, but they seem to be loved by many

[@mgalvez8219]

Hi Eric, thank you for this video. You are so humble, Your coffee looks good! I would like to buy that machine on Boxing Day. If I use the accessories it comes with, is ground coffee in the store ok, what I mean is, will I get a good quality espresso machine? I’m not going to invest in a grinder yet.

[@TokyoCoffee]

It's good to start off with! You can always upgrade the accessories and grab a grinder in the future

[@chianti95]

Loving my 3630 … At least I was til it suddenly started building pressure, made a loud popping noise and started spewing water out around the porta filter. Support basically said use the original pressurized porta filter ( which was not why I bought an espresso grinder and all the extras. ) They also suggested removing the shower screen and cleaning it. I’m not sure what changed … the grind was dialed in, but I made it less fine, soaked the filter basket in cleaning solution ( better, but still not going thru the puck properly). I finally switched to a different porta filter and basket. That, plus setting the grinder about 10 clicks higher on the baratza encore ESP tamed the explosions … but the deLonghi is still dripping a lot of water after brewing and again while steaming. Any suggestions about what to tighten to minimize dripping. I read somewhere that this can be addressed, but lost the link. I’m getting at least 4 Oz of dripping per cup! The machine itself is terrific, especially after removing the panerello, but the dripping and weird pressure fluctuations have been worrisome. Do you know any easy fixes for the incessant dripping from group head?

[@TokyoCoffee]

Oh wow, that sounds rough. It's hard to tell without seeing it in person, but I'm guessing the machine is defective. I would definitely ask DeLonghi for a replacement, just don't mention that you modified the steam wand or used a different portafilter

[@thomasgranesbezic8267]

Hey have you had much success with the normcore 51mm portafilter? Got one from amazon, but it didn't fit very well?. Felt loose on the grouphead. The ears feel too small?

[@TokyoCoffee]

I haven't heard of anyone having trouble, but are the shots running well? Does it leak at all from the top?

[@thomasgranesbezic8267]

@ Yeah coming out from the top, and it didn’t feel anywhere near as well fitting as the pressurised one you get. Any thoughts? Was going to send it back to Amazon…

[@TokyoCoffee]

@thomasgranesbezic8267 Unless you haven't brought it all the way over then it sounds faulty. I'd send it back and also ask Normcore customer service about it. They are supposed to be high quality

[@thomasgranesbezic8267]

@ thanks, I’ll try that!

[@williamx1343]

Support❤

[@TokyoCoffee]

Much appreciated!

[@back_to_the_bike8820]

is temperature OK ?

[@TokyoCoffee]

Things taste good at the stock temp ☺️

[@Hbryry]

how did you fit 18g in your portafilter? i bought the same one and my grind is fine too and im spilling with 15g already

[@TokyoCoffee]

A lot has to do with the beans and the grinder. Darker roasts are often more "fluffy" than lighter roasts and take more space. Some grinders also tend to make fluffier grinds. You could get a dosing cup and groom them in there or a portafilter collar so they don't spill out while tamping. But even if you don't fit 18g, you can still use less and follow the same rough formula! 16g coffee-->32g espresso, etc!

[@Hbryry]

@@TokyoCoffee great to know thank you!! do you have any tips for the original wand? i removed the tube and the wand is a bit short. so if i use a little bit of milk it barely reaches the bottom of the cup? i was just thinking maybe only angling it a certain way but i cant get a vortex

[@TokyoCoffee]

It's tough, but if you really want to use just a small amount of milk the only thing you can do is get a smaller pitcher.

[@ronaldpate1576]

I see you are getting a single stream of espresso from the basket. I have used my 3630 twice with likely the same filter basket you have (-wh/ I special ordered around the price you mentioned). 1) I'm not getting that single stream, and wondering why? It's more like multiple streams. 2) Also, you pull for 20 to 25 seconds. Wondering why only 20 to 25 seconds? Thanks!

[@TokyoCoffee]

Yes, bottomless baskets are tough. If the grind is perfectly uniformly distributed you get lots of streams. A WDT tool helps a bit, and a very flat tamp. I tend to aim for about 25 seconds as control and then adjust a bit from there. The real goal here is to hit about double the amount of liquid espresso from the amount of ground coffee--Usually around 18g of coffee in to produce 36g of coffee out) I then adjust how long I want it to run based on the taste. A lot comes from playing around with it, but these are good guidelines.

[@annakrantz4079]

if i asked a coffee shop to grind me my espresso beans instead of getting a grinder would that work?

[@TokyoCoffee]

You could do that, but you'll probably want then to grind it for stove top espresso (a little coarser) and stick with the baskets it comes with.

[@FatihYanar-xd2pj]

🎉

[@TokyoCoffee]

Woot!

[@LifeCenterLIVE]

How different from the 3220?

[@TokyoCoffee]

3220 is a little less sturdy and not as well built

[@pmpdx]

Ill save you hours of frustration...Do not buy this machine. Buy mr coffee steam pressure espresso

[@TokyoCoffee]

That's fair, everyone has different needs!