Delonghi Machine settings

mad m

Looking over in Bargain alerts there seems to be a lot of people snapping up the 2800 version currently in Argos around 113euro. I have a 4200 and I’ve nearly gone through a half bag of good beans trying to get the taste I want, so I think it warrants a thread on its own to help others set it up. I know everyone is different and I’ve looked on YouTube for videos and one fella had cup size up full and coffee strength up full but to me I didn’t like it.

So at moment I have coffee beans from Bailies (Pendo)

1. Grinder set between 1-3
2. Coffee cup set at around 11am
3. Beans strength set around 1pm

I fill my mug up to around just above half with hot water and I hit the single cup button twice to get a full mug of americano. From advice on here from others I’ve nailed a single shot down to 20-21 seconds.

So just leave your settings below to help others along.

furiousox

Great thread idea, thanks.

My current settings for a single shot espresso on the De'Longhi 2800 caffe corsa are...

Lavazza Rossa coffee beans
Grinder set between 1-3
Coffee cup set at around 9.15
Beans strength set around 12.07

Just got this machine a few days ago, so interested in hearing best settings for cappuccino, americano...and espresso!

furiousox

mad m wrote: »

I fill my mug up to around just above half with hot water and I hit the single cup button twice to get a full mug of americano...

Why not hit the '2 cup' button once?
Wouldn't it give the same result or would the coffee strength be different?

mad m

furiousox wrote: »

Why not hit the '2 cup' button once?
Wouldn't it give the same result or would the coffee strength be different?

I tried that alright but didn’t get same hit from coffee, plus the 2 cup went on for around 60 seconds so just went back to single shot measures

mirrorwall14

I’m picking this up tomorrow. I have nespresso machine on its last legs which is happily being binned.

I’m a bit bogged down in beans however as I’ve never worked from beans. My ‘favourite’ machine coffee is frank and honest. That seems to mean getting arabica beans but where and how much to start with I’ve no idea?? Could I get a bag of beans in tesco or lidl that would keep me going until i maybe order some online?

caviardreams

Imo the single biggest way to improve your brew - no matter what machine or method you use - is to use good freshly roasted beans. In a pinch I do use supermarket beans, but there is a much fuller flavour from using freshly roasted, better quality beans. Have a search on the forum for some ideas of good places to try online, or if you have a good local cafe near you they will probably sell you beans too.

mirrorwall14

caviardreams wrote: »

Imo the single biggest way to improve your brew - no matter what machine or method you use - is to use good freshly roasted beans. In a pinch I do use supermarket beans, but there is a much fuller flavour from using freshly roasted, better quality beans. Have a search on the forum for some ideas of good places to try online, or if you have a good local cafe near you they will probably sell you beans too.

Beans on order. After two days of coffees for me and the other half we conclude that we do not like the supermarket beans :eek:

Do you have any recommendations for decaf? I'm limiting to one/two normal cup a day so would like to have decent decaf beans too

mad m

If your in Dublin you can grab decaf beans from Nicks coffee in Ranelagh or

http://www.ponaire.ie/product/decafeinated/

Or lookup bailies coffee.

alec76

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Beans on order. After two days of coffees for me and the other half we conclude that we do not like the supermarket beans :eek:

I am not sure about decaf , but M&S Colombian single origin are pretty good supermarket beans ( probably the best you can get in supermarket) . They not as good like stuff from Bailiescoffee , Badger&Dodo etc, but inline with
middle range roasters like Ponaire .

mirrorwall14

Does anyone know if its possible to empty the bean container anyway except lifting up the damn machine and turning it upside down? I don't like the beans currently in it. I was powering through but I want to enjoy my coffee not feel like I'm torturing myself lol

mad m

Mirrorwall14,

I was the same with Christmas beans I got from Bailies but with a few tweaks on the Delonghi machine I actually enjoyed the coffee more.

Are you sure it’s not the settings,

If you really don’t want beans, get your Hoover out.

Just for future ref what beans are they?

mirrorwall14

They're lavazza beans and I make latte, hubbie makes straight coffee with a dash of milk. I've tried a ton of settings and gotten a reasonably good one but still with this lingering nasty taste at the end if that makes sense?

mad m

What are your settings?

mirrorwall14

mad m wrote: »

What are your settings?

This is the closest I’ve got to what I want

mad m

Sorry forgot to ask, are you hitting the one cup or two cup?

Look I’m no expert but with a bit of help on here from others I got sorted, I hit my one cup and time it around 20seconds, I mean once the coffee starts to flow I hit timer, I then hit single cup again for my double shot. I already have my hot water in cup (200ml)

If it’s longer than 20 seconds you take cup size down a notch. Try moving the coffee strength to 12 but you may have to move the cup size down a bit to compensate. What grinder settings are you using

mirrorwall14

mad m wrote: »

Sorry forgot to ask, are you hitting the one cup or two cup?

Look I’m no expert but with a bit of help on here from others I got sorted, I hit my one cup and time it around 20seconds, I mean once the coffee starts to flow I hit timer, I then hit single cup again for my double shot. I already have my hot water in cup (200ml)

If it’s longer than 20 seconds you take cup size down a notch. Try moving the coffee strength to 12 but you may have to move the cup size down a bit to compensate. What grinder settings are you using

I'll try that tomorrow thanks. I have tried the double but find its basically just water coming out by halfway so I've been sticking with single repeated. I like the count idea too

TireeTerror

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Does anyone know if its possible to empty the bean container anyway except lifting up the damn machine and turning it upside down? I don't like the beans currently in it. I was powering through but I want to enjoy my coffee not feel like I'm torturing myself lol

Vacuum cleaner

mirrorwall14

mad m wrote: »

Sorry forgot to ask, are you hitting the one cup or two cup?

Look I’m no expert but with a bit of help on here from others I got sorted, I hit my one cup and time it around 20seconds, I mean once the coffee starts to flow I hit timer, I then hit single cup again for my double shot. I already have my hot water in cup (200ml)

If it’s longer than 20 seconds you take cup size down a notch. Try moving the coffee strength to 12 but you may have to move the cup size down a bit to compensate. What grinder settings are you using

This was too strong for me as a double shot but much better thanks! Husband approves too New coffee beans arriving today as well, I literally bought 6 different 250g bags of beans to see what I like

mad m

Grand. What beans did you buy?

mirrorwall14

mad m wrote: »

Grand. What beans did you buy?

Went for discountcoffee to start though I think I'll try ponaire after that. The first one is in, I just drew the other beans out with dumped cups of coffee . This is yum. With your settings and these, its way nicer!

Dtp1979

So 2 single cups is stronger than the double cup botton?

mirrorwall14

Dtp1979 wrote: »

So 2 single cups is stronger than the double cup botton?

Definitely on taste for me anyways. I find the double is often drawing clear by the end of it whereas two singles is still drawing coffee.

On a different note I think this has ruined me. Had coffee in a local cafe today-it was rotten lol :eek::rolleyes:

caviardreams

Dtp1979 wrote: »

So 2 single cups is stronger than the double cup botton?

It also gives you more flexibility in that if you just want a single shot coffee you don't have to redo the settings again - it can be tricky enough tweaking them between different beans nevermind every time you want a single vs. a double shot espresso! So I just get the single shot option nailed down settings-wise and then press it twice.

Dtp1979

Wooo oh yes that made some difference. My new pre workout.

caviardreams

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Wooo oh yes that made some difference. My new pre workout.

In that case, I should also have added it means you can have a triple shot espresso also :D

Conar

Dtp1979 wrote: »

So 2 single cups is stronger than the double cup botton?

I've the esam4200 and the double button is essentially twice the water. If I check the grounds bay there's still just one similar pellet of coffee.
So for a strong long coffee I go twice at single cup, 12 o'clock on cup size, max strength.
It's really the sweet spot for me.

mad m

Got this in post today... woo hoo. Free when you registered your machine. Coffee bags come in 200g. Coffee roasted on 17/10/17.

ParkyJiSung

@mad m , when did you register your machine? Just trying to figure out how long my reg gift should take to arrive.

mad m

ParkyJiSung wrote: »

@mad m , when did you register your machine? Just trying to figure out how long my reg gift should take to arrive.

End of November.

Weyhey

I have only been able to get frothy milk twice from my 2800 machine. What am i doing wrong?
I have tried low fat and full fat, usually only use full fat in my house. I notice a lot of hot water comes out of the wand before steam so i have started to drain that first. I make sure the wand is clean and the tiny hole at top is not blocked.

I also struggle to get hot coffee even with preheating my cup first but can sort of live with that but not flat milk.

stimpson

Weyhey wrote: »

I have only been able to get frothy milk twice from my 2800 machine. What am i doing wrong?
I have tried low fat and full fat, usually only use full fat in my house. I notice a lot of hot water comes out of the wand before steam so i have started to drain that first. I make sure the wand is clean and the tiny hole at top is not blocked.

I also struggle to get hot coffee even with preheating my cup first but can sort of live with that but not flat milk.

There is a technique to learn. You need the wand just at the top of the liquid milk, and this will change depth as more milk is turned into foam. You need to listen to the sound and try to get the “whoosh” sound. Once you have enough foam you put it under the surface to continue to warm the milk without adding extra foam.

Weyhey

stimpson wrote: »

There is a technique to learn. You need the wand just at the top of the liquid milk, and this will change depth as more milk is turned into foam. You need to listen to the sound and try to get the “whoosh” sound. Once you have enough foam you put it under the surface to continue to warm the milk without adding extra foam.

I looked at a few videos. Some suggested putting wand at bottom and some like yourself from the top.

Would you know what it means when the steam wand screeches? Its so loud it even scares me, never mind the kids.

gymnipities

Weyhey wrote: »

I looked at a few videos. Some suggested putting wand at bottom and some like yourself from the top.

Best description I've come across is that you're putting the wand just under the surface and 'stretching' the milk, so as the milk level rises you keep moving the wand up, keeping it just under the surface. It could also be the kind of milk you're using. I've had more success with semi-skimmed milk than with full fat but have tried enough different types to know if that's the key factor.

gymnipities

gymnipities wrote: »

but have tried enough different types to know if that's the key factor.

Typo - should be 'haven't tried enough'