Article summary
Coffee machines seem to get more and more expensive nowadays. Therefore, finding a good one at an affordable price can be the light at the end of the tunnel, especially because lower-priced machines tend to often disappoint us. However, this is not the case of the De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica.
Contrary to some machines that take a while to get used to them, this machine is relatively easy to use. Furthermore, the coffee maker has a great-capacity bean hopper and water tank and a very versatile grinder. Being a super-automatic machine, the ESAM 3300 Magnifica by De’Longhi is one of those machines that have it all: durability, compactness, and good performance.
Key features:
- Cappuccino System milk frother
- Direct-To-Brew System
- Five programmable products
- 13-level grinder
- Two thermoblock systems
- Manual milk frother
- 8.8-ounce bean hopper
- 60-ounce water tank
- Bypass doser
- 15-bar pressure pump
- Energy Saving
Pros
Can make two espresso shots at a time
Programmable water temperature and amount, coffee strength, and cup size
Brew unit is removable
Easy to maintain
De’Longhi encourages customers to ask for support if they need it
Cons
It’s a loud machine
Heat-up time is a bit long
About the design of the De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica
After taking a glance at the ESAM 3300 Magnifica, you’ll realize that the machine looks similar to the De’Longhi ECAM22110SB (the two espresso machines also share similarities in their feature).
The De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica is a compact machine that is made to last and is maintained easily. Therefore, we decided to forgive its average looks and are happy that it will function well for a long time.
Choose the coffee drink you want and program it
The front side of the De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica is home to all of the control buttons on this coffee machine. These control buttons let you get a single or a double espresso at the touch of a button. However, you can also program many options to customize the drink like you most enjoy it.
The ESAM 3300 Magnifica lets you program the amount and the temperature of the water. Furthermore, on this machine you can also program the strength of your coffee and the cup size. Of course, with a steam wand attached to the machine, you can also choose whether you want milk or milk foam in your drink or not.
The ESAM 3300 Magnifica allows you to froth manually
If you think that frothing your milk manually is the best way to customize the foam to your preferences, you’ll be glad to know that De’Longhi shared the same opinion with you this time. The ESAM 3300 Magnifica has a manual steam wand which is very easy to use and makes nice foam.
However, don’t forget to clean the wand after using it and to let the water get out of it before using it. By doing this, you’ll make sure that the milk foam will be nicely made and that it will taste nice too.
Nice bean hopper and water tank capacity
It is surprising what a great capacity do the bean hopper and the water tank on the ESAM 3300 Magnifica have. The bean hopper on this machine can be filled with up to 8.8 ounces of coffee beans. On the other hand, the water tank can collect as much as 60 ounces of water, which is a lot compared to other De’Longhi machines and espresso machines in general.
This design of the hopper and the tank promises many cups of coffee on a daily basis. However, mind that you should not use oily beans on this machine, or you’ll otherwise clog its grinder. Furthermore, be aware that the tank doesn’t support water filters, so you’ll need to either use distilled water or pre-filter your water to avoid frequent descaling and bad coffee taste.
The ESAM 3300 Magnifica also comes with a chute for pre-ground coffee. Therefore, you can rely on this machine when you want to have a cup of decaf coffee.
The grinder and its many levels
The grinder of the ESAM 3300 Magnifica can grind your coffee with 13 different levels of coarseness. This is a feature that not even some of the high-end coffee machines have. However, avoid grinding your coffee with the setting for finest grind because water might not be able to flow through the coffee.
Cleaning the removable brewing unit
The ESAM 3300 Magnifica has a removable brewing unit. This makes the system easier to clean and allows you to clean it more thoroughly. Furthermore, in case the brewing system breaks, you’ll be able to replace it. You can clean the brewing unit by rinsing it under water.
Make sure that you also wipe the steam wand after every usage to remove the traces of milk on it. You can also run some water through it to clean it on the inside.
FAQ about the De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica
Can I make Americano on this machine?
Yes, you can. This machine can make espresso, cappuccino, latte, and Americano.
Which coffee beans are considered oily?
Oily beans are usually darker-roasted. Make sure you use light or medium-roasted beans on this machine to not clog the grinder.
Why is my ESAM 3300 Magnifica leaking water?
This is probably happening because its seals are no longer good. Try replacing the seals.
Do I need a portafilter for this espresso machine?
No, you don’t. The De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica is a bean-to-cup espresso machine. If you’re interested in machines with portafilters, you can check out the De’Longhi EC860, the EC702, or the ECP3630, for example.
What are some alternatives to the De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica?
De’Longhi ESAM04110S Magnifica Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
If there’s something about the ESAM 3300 Magnifica that you dislike, you could check out the De’Longhi ESAM04110S Magnifica and see whether you like it. This machine uses the Rapid Cappuccino System, is easy to clean, offers programmable milk-based coffee drinks and espressi, and looks very good.
De’Longhi ECAM23210 Compact Magnifica S Super-Automatic Espresso Machine
The De’Longhi ECAM23210 Compact Magnifica S is also a good alternative to the ESAM 3300 Magnifica. This machine is very compact, has a great design, filters the water in the tank, and has a cappuccino frother.
Conclusion
The De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica coffee machine has very nice features and works very well. Therefore, the fact that many people decide to buy this machine shouldn’t come as a surprise.
However, only you know what kind of coffee machine you’re looking for. If you think that the ESAM 3300 Magnifica can make it easier for you to enjoy your coffee every day, you should consider buying it.
@morningcallcoffeestand How can I descale my Magnifica?
Hey, hey, Richard!! We’re glad you are serious about taking care of your Magnifica!! :)) ☕
To descale the ESAM 3300, take the following steps:
1. Descale the machine once the descaling alarm starts to flush;
2. Take the water reservoir of the machine out, empty it, and pour 4.25 fl.oz. of descaler in it;
3. Pour 33.8 fl.oz. of water into the reservoir;
4. Take an empty container that can hold at least 50.7 fl.oz. of liquid and put it underneath the milk frother;
5. Press the power button on the ESAM 3300 to turn the espresso machine on;
6. Once the indicator lights for the temperature turn green, press and hold the button for rinsing and descaling until the light on this button turns red;
7. After you’ve done all of this, turn the knob for the steam half a turn counterclockwise;
8. The water from the tank and the descaling solution will then start flowing through the frother;
The descaling process will last for around 30 minutes. After that, you’ll need to rinse the machine so to make sure that there’s no more descaler inside its water reservoir. To do that, wait until the indicator light for the water reservoir lights up and, then, take the following steps:
1. Take out the water reservoir and rinse it well;
2. Then, fill the reservoir with water;
3. Empty the dish that was placed underneath the milk frother of the machine and put it back there;
4. Rotate the knob for the steam counterclockwise for half its full turn and wait until all of the hot water from the water reservoir flows through the milk frother. You’ll know when that happens when you see that the alarm light for scale turns off and the indicator light for the water reservoir turns on;
5. Then, turn the knob for the steam clockwise back in its starting position to finish descaling your machine;
Don’t forget to refill the water reservoir with clean water after you’re done descaling!!
Enjoy your fresh and rich cup of coffee and don’t forget that the Morning Call Coffee Stand team is always here at your disposal for any question you might have about your espresso machine. Take care!! :)) ☕
@morningcallcoffeestand Thank you very much for providing information about the two alternative espresso machines that you talk about in your article. However, I’d like to hear your opinion on the Gaggia Brera since I’ve noticed that it is often compared to the De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica. I thank you for your response in advance.
Hello, dear Liam!! We hope you’re having a good coffee day!! :)) ☕
For more information on the Gaggia Brera, you can read our Gaggia Brera review. Here’s the link that will take you there:
https://morningcallcoffeestand.com/gaggia-brera-review/
Thanks a lot for your question!! :)) ☕
My biggest concern with bean-to-cup espresso machines like the Magnifica is that they can get jammed. @morningcallcoffeestand could you please give me some tips on how to prevent this? A lot of people say this happens to them.
Hello, ITresponsible!! We’re glad you’re responsible and want to learn about ways to prevent a grinder on an espresso machine from clogging!! :)) ☕
Here are our tips that will hopefully keep grinder clogging way away from your espresso machine:
1. Avoid using very oily coffee beans.
2. Don’t set the grinder on the finest setting. On the De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica that would be the settings before setting #3.
3. Clean the grinder and the by-pass doser of the machine with a vacuum cleaner from time to time to decrease the amount of coffee buildup in these two parts of the machine. If your espresso machine has a door that you can open to reach the grinder from below, you can vacuum clean the grinder from there as well. The Magnifica does have a door that leads you to its brew unit and the grinder.
4. Don’t try to do anything that you have no experience with on the machine because you can damage it. In case cleaning the grinder seems too complicated to you, ask someone who’s more experience to help you.
5. In case your grinder gets jammed and you’ve tried vacuum cleaning the grinder and then running it at its highest setting and the grinder won’t work, take the machine at the closest repair facility so that you can get your problem fixed.
We hope that the grinder on your favorite espresso machine never gets jammed!! Have a good day!! :)) ☕
what do i do to adjust the tempreture of this machine?
Hello there!! Thank you very much for reaching out to us!! :)) ☕
To program the temperature on your De’Longhi ESAM 3300 Magnifica, press and hold the button with one coffee cup for about 5 seconds. You’ll notice that the indicator lights that are right under the dial switches of the Magnifica will light up. When this happens, press on the button with two coffee cups to select your preferred temperature. The first light indicates espresso that is not that hot, while the last one indicates espresso that is brewed at the highest temperature that the Magnifica makes espresso at. The espresso machine lets you choose between four temperature settings to get the espresso shot customized to your preferences.
As you can see, adjusting the temperature on the Magnifica is not hard at all. We hope that you’ll be drinking some tasty espresso soon!! :)) ☕
Hi, our grinder makes the appropriate noise when no beans are in it, but as soon as we add our light/med roast beans it makes a horrible noise trying to grind and sounds as if it has stripped gearing. Luckily we have the hole for already ground coffee so we can use the machine. We have cleaned all beans and vacuumed out the grinder. Easy fix somehow?
Hi Lisa,
Please try this solution https://service.delonghigroup.com/kb/en/gb/delonghi/faq/6245/Bean-to-Cup-Coffee-Makers/article/8498/The-grinder-is-noisy_-What-can-I-do/
Let us know how it goes!