Espresso needs a good grinder, wdt tool, tamper, a better portafilter as the stock one from cheap machines isnt that good, a shower screen and a good weighing scale too. Basically the efforts in ensuring the right grind size and distribution is more than the machine itself which is just a water pump.
Its a good machine from all the reviews i have heard. But such machines require a really good grinder for dialing in coffee. And those grinders cost as much or even more than the De Longhi.
C2 cannot grind for espresso. I doubt the c3 esp does a great job at it. Why dont you check out some YT videos and subreddits here for the de longhi machine to find the right grinder. Also i have heard delonghi after sales isnt that good as spare parts arent easily available. So consider that con as well.
I have the Dedica ec685.M
And Picopresso.
They both need a few adjustments to make them extract a better shot. But when I adjust Picopresso properly, it makes crazy extractions.
My hand grinder is Kingrinder K6, the best grinder for its price.Ā
58+2 represent! I now grind with an 1zpresso J-Ultra, and like you, I was middling for years on a subpar machine. I'd still drink the shots straight from my Dedica, sour or bitter as they were.
Now, the tasting notes on the bag actually mean something. I had a note calling for smoke, and I tasted it and it differed from just bitterness. Melon notes come thru. It's eye opening really.
I'm sure Flair won't work for everyone, but as the only coffee drinker in my home doing 2-3 pulls a day, it definitely works for me.
Good choice! I had the Bambino for a week and sent it back and got Barista Impress (so basically Barista Express with automatic tamping). Bambino felt cheap (very light, the portafilter is like taken from a toy kitchen), coffee coming was a bit random, sometimes not hot enough. I made a few great cups with Bambino, but it wasn't much that much better than Delonghi 685 I had previously. I don't really understand the little hype about this machine. Btw when I was cleaning Bambino before sending it back, I accidentally scratched whole side of it by using... a kitchen sponge š
Between these two, the DeLonghi one is gonna have better rep than the Vantro; and possibly more parts and long term reliability/support.
However, I'd say get the Delonghi Stilosa EC230 instead, it's 15999 INR currently.
It's a boiler design vs the thermoblock EC685, (meaning it'll take longer to heat up, and will lose steam pressure over time unlike the Dedica); but it comes with a better steaming wand out of the box
The EC685 comes with a pannarello steam wand; which is great if you want to create some milk foam without having to fuss around with technique, but it won't do great latte art or give you any real control over the process if that'swhat you want.
A popular upgrade for the Dedica EC685 is swapping out the steam wand to a Rancilio Silvia wand, but that's another \~4k upgrade, with a possibility of voiding warranty.
The Stilosa comes with a better wand as standard.
Also the Stilosa EC230 is marketed towards home enthusiasts and baristas apparently, so it comes with an unpressurized basket and portafilter; so you can save some money on the upgrade there
One thing to note though is the Stilosa doesn't have any way to time the shot; you need to manually turn the knob to stop the shot.
I consider that a plus; as it can be less of a hassle than programming the times (as you can do with the Dedica EC685); but you might like it.
[https://www.amazon.in/DeLonghi-Espresso-Machines-Cappuccino-Installation/dp/B085J8LV4F](https://www.amazon.in/DeLonghi-Espresso-Machines-Cappuccino-Installation/dp/B085J8LV4F)
Watch some videos on it; Lance Hendrick made a Stilosa video talking about their incredible value; and Tom's Coffee Corner on YT has tons of videos on these Delonghi Dedica/Stilosa machines
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