De’Longhi Scultura ECZ351 espresso coffee machine review
The De’Longhi Scultura looks chic on the worktop and makes delicious espressos and more with ground coffee or pods
Style and substance. A machine you’ll like to have on show and which produces tasty coffees without fuss.
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Won’t make you wait about
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Good looker
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Uses ground coffee or pods
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A little noisy
Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Like the style of the De’Longhi Scultura espresso coffee maker? Wondering if it lives up to its good looks when it comes to making a brew? You’re in the right place to find out. I tested a wide selection of the best coffee machines to see how much of your worktop they’ll take up, how easy they are to use, how quickly they’ll deliver your drink, which coffees they’ll make, and – crucially – what the brews taste like. Can’t wait to buy? Take a look at Amazon and check out our coffee machine deals page for the latest bargains.
De’Longhi Scultura ECZ351 espresso coffee machine specifications:
Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
- Type: Ground coffee or ESE pods
- Pressure: 15 bar
- Capacity: 1.4 ltr water tank
- Dimensions: H30.5 x W24 x D30cm
Who will the De’Longhi Scultura suit?
Espresso and cappuccino fans who want to save on coffee shop prices without compromising on taste.
What is the De’Longhi Scultura like to use?
You’ll be in the swing in no time – operation’s easy and speedy, too.
The De’Longhi Scultura is a worthwhile buy if you want a home machine that gives professional results, and it can be teamed with a matching kettle and toaster for a consistent accessory finish in your kitchen.
Coffee options and taste
You can make one or two espressos at a time with the De’Longhi Scultura coffee machine. A built-in milk frothing nozzle means it’s also easy to create cappuccino.
I found this machine’s drinks well up to barista-made standards. Espressos had a pleasant aroma and authentic crema, and the taste was excellent. Cappuccino was also delicious when made with this coffee maker.
Drinking coffees that aren’t hot enough can really spoil the experience for me. I found the drinks from this machine were a good, hot temperature after following the preheating and cup-warming procedure.
Brewing up with the De’Longhi Scultura
Once the initial set-up process was complete, preparing drinks was straightforward. The water tank is easily accessible at the back of the machine and both came off to be filled under the tap and slotted back in place without any struggle.
Preheating and cup-warming (see above) was quick and simple. The coffee measure has a presser on the other end ready to tamp the measure of ground coffee once it’s in the filter and I didn’t find it hard to get an espresso of the proper consistency. Coffee delivery didn’t take long, although in operation the machine is audible, so you can’t avoid make-me-one-too requests by sneaking into the kitchen to brew up.
Frothing the milk for the cappuccino was a breeze to master, too, and the foam had just the right texture.
On the downside, I did find the machine dripped a little bit after making a coffee, which made for more cleaning up than it should have.
Cleaning and maintenance
There’s no avoiding the fact that if you’re making espresso and cappuccino with a professional-style machine, you do need to look after it to keep it producing good results, and this machine is no exception. The cappuccino nozzle needs to be cleaned after each use, but that said, it was a quick and easy procedure.
Aside from that, you’ll need to clean the drip tray, and cup grille, but I didn’t find these problematic to remove and deal with then reassemble. Other chores to note? You’ll need to clean the coffee filters weekly, the boiler outlet around every 300 coffees (I do wonder how easy this is to remember, but you need to as it would invalidate the guarantee if you didn’t), and descale about every 200 coffees.
What to watch for
With a choice of white, beige and black, this is a coffee machine for those who want more understated style rather than a shade that pops. However, the sculpted finish of the machine ensures it’s still an eye-catcher.
It feels substantial without being overly heavy at 4.4kg, and it’s not too space-hogging either with reasonable dimensions of H30.5cm x W24cm x D30cm.
The option to use either ground coffee or ESE (easy serving espresso) pods makes this machine more flexible than some, although if you want to use freshly ground beans you’ll need to invest in a separate grinder.
How does it rate online?
Reviewers via the De'Longhi site give this espresso machine a good rating of 8.3 out of 10 stars. The machine’s appearance scores most highly, with easy cleaning, and ease of use also acclaimed. Buyers were pleased with the quality of the espresso and cappuccino and the temperature of the brews. Negatives noted by reviewers include that the machine only accommodates small cups, and the noise level.
Amazon purchasers? The overall verdict from these users is 3.7 out of five. The coffee machine’s beautiful design, the quality of its espressos, and value for money are noted. Some buyers would prefer it to deliver a fixed volume of coffee automatically, and others were again disappointed that only small cups fit under the coffee outlet.
About our review – and our reviewer
Sarah Warwick has specialised in homes and interiors for over 20 years. She was Executive Editor of Ideal Home magazine, and has written for nationals, magazines and websites including Real Homes, Homebuilding & Renovating, Grand Designs, Homes & Gardens, Houzz, The Guardian, House Beautiful and Country Homes & Interiors. She put the coffee machines to the test on a variety of drinks, as well as checking out how easy they were to set up, and to clean.
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