De’Longhi Esam 4000 Review: Magnifica Bean To Cup Coffee Machine

De’Longhi is a brand that has long been at the forefront of the domestic appliance industry, and it is currently the number-one producer in the world of espresso and home comfort products. They have earned a stellar reputation for quality and reliability, and when it comes to their bean-to-cup coffee machines, it’s really hard for you to go wrong.

The DeLonghi Esam 4000.b Magnifica in particular is a perfect example of why DeLonghi has been leading the field for so long – it’s a well-built coffee machine that can crank out a delicious espresso in short order, but it’s also a top choice for making cappuccinos, lattes and macchiatos as well.

De’Longhi Esam 4000 review

De’Longhi Esam 4000b

What are you buying?

As a bean-to-cup machine, the Esam 4000.b makes coffee-making a hassle-free affair – just add beans into the integrated compartment and press a button, and you’re good to go. The professional-grade conical burr grinder will grind the beans to the specific level of coarseness that you choose, and then deliver a hot cup of coffee directly from those ground beans in seconds.

One of the coolest features of the Esam 4000.b is its thermoblock system, which only heats enough water for the particular serving size you desire. This will reduce warm-up time, which means that the machine will be ready to use in only a handful of seconds.

I would definitely have to commend the team at DeLonghi for making this a well-designed machine as well – the water tank and coffee ground container are both at the front of the machine, which makes them easy to remove when it’s time to clean it.

Another excellent design detail that I appreciate is how easy it is to refill the water tank – all you have to do is remove it and take it to the tap to fill it up. The tank holds a generous 1.8 litres of water, which means less total trips to the tap for the avid coffee drinker.

Versatility is another strong point of this machine – not only can it grind beans on the spot, but if the need arises for you to use pre-ground coffee instead (e.g., decaffeinated), all you have to do is change the settings on the control panel, and then put the pre-ground beans into the ground coffee compartment.

For those who would have it no other way than to go straight from the beans to the cup, the Esam 4000.b has an integrated grinder with 13 different grind settings, so there’s plenty of room for experimentation in your quest to create the perfect cup of joe.

The frothing arm on this machine is excellent as well; it can make crema so nice and luxurious that sugar can actually rest on top of it (I had to work on this trick a little, but it’s entirely doable). In addition, with its professional-level pressure system (15 bars), the DeLonghi Esam 4000.b has a brewing process that can match that of most high street stores.

How easy is it to use?

The Esam 4000.b is a treat to operate, because its control panel is so intuitive and simple to navigate. Most of us are not professional baristas; we just want to be able to make high-quality coffee with as little hassle as possible, and that’s exactly what this machine delivers.

Not only does the Esam 4000.b offer stress-free operation, but it’s also very easy to clean. The machine will automatically rinse the brewing unit every time you turn it on or off, and you can actually remove the unit for easy cleaning as well.

This model is also made of a high-quality hard black plastic (not the cheapo stuff), which offers wipe-down surfaces that are refreshingly easy to keep clean.

What accessories are included?

With the DeLonghi Esam 4000, you get a nice, integrated package that includes the machine itself (obviously), one plastic measuring spoon, one pack of descaler, a set of instructions, and one fitted UK plug. Long story short, this machine comes with everything you need to start making high-quality coffee right out of the box – just bring the beans and the water, and off you go!

De’Longhi Esam 4000 key features

Pros

• Simple, intuitive operation.
• Offers solid reliability, even with heavy use.
• Frothing arm makes excellent crema.
• The coffee that this machine produces is consistently delicious!

Cons

• The grinder can be a bit noisy, but it’s no different than my dishwasher or washing machine (actually, they’re a lot noisier).
• The drip tray can tend to fill quickly due to the way the machine primes the system when you turn it on.

Anything else you should know?

I forgot to mention earlier that the Esam 4000.b also has an active cup warmer as well as an adjustable height dispenser, which works well for me since I like to use larger coffee mugs. It also has a dual boiler, which means that you can heat your coffee and froth your milk at the same time instead of having to wait for one to be done before you can do the other one. This is a definite plus in terms of convenience and efficiency.

Conclusion

There are plenty of machines on the market that carry a much higher price tag than the Esam 4000.b, yet they provide far less features as well as disappointingly inferior coffee. If you’re looking for a simple, reliable, easy-to-use coffee machine that can consistently produce high-quality coffee, you will definitely find what you’re looking for in the DeLonghi Esam 4000.b.

For more alternatives, please have a look at our comparison table of the selected bean to cup coffee makers.

Where to buy?

• Amazon UK: Click to check today’s price