The Italian Delonghi brand hardly requires any introduction. The company has been among the industry leaders for many decades, offering a wide range of consumer electronics in all price segments, including all types of coffee makers.
DeLonghi espresso coffee machines
Traditionally for leaders, the company annually expands its product range. Today this list includes, for example, the new drip Clessidra ICM17210 and carob coffee maker EC885M Dedica Arte. Delonghi also offers Nespresso capsules coffee makers and semi-automatic in retro style La Specialista, including Arte, Prestigio and Maestro models.
But fully automatic espresso coffee machines are the most popular. In this segment, DeLonghi today offers:
– new Magnifica Start and Magnifica Evo;
– Delonghi Perfecta EVO and Deluxe on a compact ESAM platform;
– premium DeLonghi EPAM 960.75.GLM Maestosa;
– Delonghi PrimaDonna Soul with Bean Adapt technology;
– innovative Eletta Explore series, including ECAM 450.55 / 65 / 86 coffee machines;
– Dinamica and Dinamica Plus lineups.
Despite fierce competition from Jura, Philips / Saeco, Breville, Bosch / Siemens, etc, practically all series confidently enter the majority of top lists. But the Dinamica line takes a special place, offering the ideal combination of functionality and reasonable sufficiency. As a result, Dinamica models have been on the bestseller list for several years now, offering superb value for money.
As known, it replaced the very popular ECAM 23.xxx in 2016. In contrast, the new coffee machines offered more flexible user settings, a separate ‘My Menu’ profile, a special program for ‘Long Americano’ and innovative TrueBrew Over Ice technology (Iced Coffee program).
The series quickly became very popular, and already at the beginning of 2019 company presented Dinamica Plus ECAM 370.95 with control via smartphone.
Considering the phenomenal marketing success, this year the company expanded the series with 380.95.TB / 85.SB / 70.B models with article prefix ‘380’․
Dinamica Plus ECAM 380
The 380 subseries includes the basic Delonghi ECAM 380.70.B (black) / 380.85.SB (silver front panel) models, and the more expensive Delonghi ECAM 380.95.TB coffee machine in dark gray ‘titanium’ and with an additional milk jug included.
New models offer nine additional programs (22 vs 13), and two additional large buttons 3.5″ TFT touch display. They simplify the selection of drinks by classifying them as Milk (coffee milk-based recipes) and Coffee (black coffee).
This seems very appropriate considering the almost doubled number of programs. But to be fair, the company already uses similar controls in the 450.xx series.
The 380 modification supports 4 user profiles. For comparison, 370.95 has three profiles, 370.85 / 70 come without this feature.
As known, 370.95 comes with one double wall thermal jug. Replacing it with two traditional single wall jugs seems like a good solution. They are convenient, for example, when using different types of milk (regular, lactose-free, coconut / soy, etc). In fact, LatteCrema System in 370.xx is virtually identical to LatteCrema Hot in 380.xx. Probably, the renaming was due to the appearance of a LatteCrema Cool modification in ECAM 450.
Like ECAM 370.70, the new models do not have a Bluetooth module. Although many coffee lovers ignore smartphone control, its absence may disappoint progressives. To be fair, many companies, including Delonghi, have significantly improved their apps due to really useful options. In particular, today Delonghi Coffee Link offers:
– control for making coffee;
– exclusive recipes;
– service monitoring;
– saving settings and supporting user profiles;
– support for Bean Adapt technology (optimal grinding taking into account the type of coffee beans);
– news, interviews and useful tips in the Coffee Lounge section.
ECAM 380/370 programs
Their list includes:
– Espresso (standard 1 sec pre-wetting) – 40 ml default / 20 – 180 ml setting;
– Black (without pre-wetting) – 180 ml / (100 – 240) ml;
– Long (classic Americano imitation – espresso + hot water; two grinds + two spills; intermittent pump operation – 1 sec coffee + 1 sec pause; cooking time is twice as long vs black coffee; taste – richer and stronger, but less balanced vs classic Americano) – 160 ml (80 ml +80 ml ) / (115 – 250) ml;
– Doppio+ (strong coffee; long and intermittent pre-wetting; ~ 14g of ground coffee) –120 ml / (80 – 180) ml;
– ‘Coffee pot’ (2, 4 or 6 servings in a row) – max up to 750 ml.
Coffee milk-based drinks
– Cappuccino (milk+coffee) – 140 ml milk + 60 ml espresso;
– Latte Macchiato – 160 ml milk + 40 ml espresso;
– Latte – 350 ml milk + 40 ml espresso;
– Flat White – (coffee+milk) – 60 ml espresso + 300 ml milk;
– Cappuccino+ (milk + espresso; taste – strong Doppio+ with milk);
– Espresso Macchiato – little milk + espresso on top;
– Hot milk (‘max’ setting) – 350 ml / max 700 ml;
– Cappuccino Mix (espresso + frothed milk).
The classic sequence of adding ingredients to the cup (espresso / ristretto / double espresso + frothed milk) is its main feature. Unfortunately, most models first froth and pour the milk into the cup, and then add the coffee. But this is a Latte Macchiato, which tastes different from a Cappuccino. Today, classic Cappuccino is offered only by Philips models under the name ‘Cafe au lait’.
Additional programs and platform
The list of additional programs includes:
– classic Americano – 40 ml espresso + 110 ml hot water default / 70 – 480 ml setting;
– Verlangerter (Austrian recipe, ~1:1 espresso-water ratio) – 40 ml espresso + 40 ml hot water / up to 480 ml.
– Ristretto (small cup) – 30 ml / 20 – 40 ml;
– Espresso Lungo – 120 ml / 20 – 180 ml;
– Iced Coffee – 100 ml lungo + a few ice cubes by hand;
– three ‘bonus’ black coffee programs, including two classic Americanos;
– Cortado (coffee + milk, but with different proportions vs Cappuccino Mix) ~ 40 ml espresso + 40 ml milk;
– Cafe con Leche (Spanish version of ‘coffee with milk’) – 80 ml coffee + 50 ml milk without foam (‘no foaming’ mode is selected using the lever on the milk jug);
– Cafe au Lait (French version of ‘coffee with milk’) – 130 ml milk without foam + 60 ml coffee;
– Galao (Portuguese version) – 160 ml of frothed milk (middle position of the frothing lever) + 50 ml of coffee.
The platform has not changed and includes traditional Dinamica Plus components:
– color TFT 3.5″ touch display;
– one flow thermoblock;
– 15 bar pump;
– steel conical burr grinder;
– removable compact CRF (Compact, Reliable, Fresh) brewing unit on 6 – 14g ground coffee);
– 300g coffee bean hopper, 1.8l water tank and dreg drawer capacity for 14 portions;
– two cup coffee dispenser (max cup height 135 mm);
– LatteCrema milk frother with adjustable milk foam height.
The priority of the proposed programs depends on their use frequency. Unfortunately, the manual mode of setting the priority of programs is not available.
Conclusions
To a certain extent, the 380 series can be positioned as an extension of the 370 line. Of course, nine additional programs, 4 user profiles, a second milk jug and two additional selection buttons are significant improvements. On the other hand, the new models come without a Bluetooth module and cannot use the Delonghi Coffee Link app.
Prices traditionally depend on the region and color of the model. The company’s website only offers the Dinamica Plus ECAM370.95TI at a price of $ 1,699. But from other sellers its price ranges from € 650 to € 700. ECAM380.95.TB is available in the range from € 650 to € 800.
Of course, assessing the differences depends on the personal preferences of users. But given the almost identical prices, the ECAM380.xx seems like a better deal.
This video introduces the new DeLonghi Dinamica Plus ECAM 380.95.TB.