DeLonghi 3-in-1 Specialty Coffee Brewer – Is It Worth It?

It seems like Specialty coffee makers are on the rise, and that’s great news for us coffee lovers! Popular brands like DeLonghi are coming out with SCA certified coffee makers means that a nice cup of coffee is now more accessible to everyone.

What Is a Specialty Coffee Maker and What is SCA Certification?

Before I get into the DeLonghi Specialty coffee brewer, let’s talk about what is ‘specialty’ and what is SCA.

SCA is the Specialty Coffee Association, which does a lot of testing on coffee makers to ensure that they meet the Golden Cup Standard. Coffee makers must meet certain requirements like proper water temperature, brewing time as well as other recommendations from the association.

Coffee makers that pass the tests of the SCA are granted the Golden Cup standard certification, and you can rest assured that you’ll be getting a great cup of coffee out of them.

You can read more about SCA Golden Cup certification here.

SCA Certified coffee makers I previously featured are Bonavita, Braun Multi-Serve, Breville Precision Brewer, Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker and Technivorm Moccamaster.

Features of DeLonghi Specialty Coffee Maker:

DeLonghi 3 in 1 Specialty Coffee Brewer IcedCoffee Maker
  • Brews coffee in three ways: Drip, Pour-over or Over Ice.
  • SCA Golden Cup Certified.
  • Pour-Over option gives you an even water distribution using a pulsing showerhead action that ensures all coffee ground is fully saturated, just like it would if brewed manually.
  • Over Ice option uses proprietary process that brews a smooth, full bodied coffee that is never watered down.
  • Borosilicate glass carafe.
  • Warming plate with 1 hour auto shut off.
  • Water tank capacity: 42 oz.

Click here to learn more about DeLonghi Specialty Coffee Maker, read the customer reviews and buy it.

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How Does DeLonghi Specialty Coffee Brewer Make Iced Coffee?

DeLonghi 3 in 1 Specialty Coffee Brewer IcedCoffee Maker

To make Over-Ice coffee that will not taste watered down when ice is melted in it, DeLonghi asks that you add the same amount of coffee ground, but you’ll use less water. It will also alter the water temperature so the coffee isn’t brewed too hot that it will melt the ice right away. On the carafe, you’ll see the lines that indicate the amount of ice cubes you add. When choosing the Over Ice option, the machine will use the pour-over pulsating method to brew the coffee, which means you’ll get a bolder cup.

Is The DeLonghi Specialty Coffee Maker Worth It?

According to customer reviews, this coffee makers produces a great carafe of coffee. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:

The coffee basket is located inside the carafe, which can be quite annoying. This means when the coffee is ready and you want to pour a cup, you’ll have to remove the basket first. The machine does come with a basket holder just for this purpose, but it’s still a somewhat of a design flaw – for me personally at least.

The Over-Ice option is great and works as promised. However, it doesn’t make a single cup. This isn’t a problem for anyone who wants to make a patch of iced coffee to keep in the fridge. But if you prefer just a single cup of iced (or even hot) coffee, you might want to consider a machine like the Ninja Specialty coffee maker, which has a lot more serving options.

Should You Buy the DeLonghi Specialty Coffee Maker?

Overall, the DeLonghi Specialty coffee maker is a decent coffee maker, but for its price point, it’s not the best. Being priced the same (at the time of writing this post), I would absolutely recommend the Ninja Specialty Coffee maker instead.

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Ninja CM401 Specialty 10-Cup Coffee Maker, with 4 Brew Styles for Ground Coffee, Built-in Water Reservoir, Fold-Away Frother & Glass Carafe, Black
  • Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted.Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
  • 4 BREW STYLES: Select from one of the four, versatile brew styles: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, or Specialty Brew.
  • SPECIALTY BREWS: Brew a super-rich coffee concentrate that you can use to create delicious lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and other coffeehouse-style drinks.
  • MAKE ICED COFFEE: Brew fresh over ice for flavorful iced coffee that's never watered down.
  • 6 BREW SIZES: Brew anything from a single cup or travel size to a half or full carafe in your coffee maker. 6 sizes include Cup, XL Cup, Travel Mug, Multi-Serve Travel Mug, Half Carafe & Full Carafe.

The Ninja Specialty Coffee maker overs a lot more brewing and serving options, including full/half carafe, XL cup (travel mug) and single cup. It also has a built-in milk frother for times when you want to make a latte or a cappuccino. You’ll get a lot more for your money with the Ninja coffee maker. Click here to read my full post on it.