De’Longhi All-In-One Review (Espresso and Coffee Combo King)

DeLonghi All-In-One Review – My Ratings & Top Features

Who Should Buy The DeLonghi All-In-One Espresso Maker?

The De'Longhi combination coffee machine is a great option for those with busy households or cramped spaces that yearn for variety.

This model is also a good option for people who host dinner parties regularly.

Why I Decided To Review The De'Longhi All-In-One

While staying at an AirBnB, I discovered the wonders of the combination DeLonghi machine. After only a couple of days with this machine, I knew I just had to review this model for you.

What’s It Like To Live With The DeLonghi BCO430

What's In The Box?

My combination coffee maker arrived very securely wrapped in a sturdy cardboard box. The box is quite large and required some maneuvering to get inside (pivot!), but it was manageable.

A small touch I appreciated was that the tray and other moveable parts were taped down.

This may seem minor, but this prevents them from getting damaged in transit and from getting dropped while unwrapping the espresso machine.

The various accessories were all packed in cardboard and covered in plastic to prevent tarnishing during transit. I wish more eco-friendly packaging was used for protection, but oh well.

Accessories included are:

It does not come with a built-in grinder, so you will need to use your own or make an additional purchase.

I recommend getting your own milk pitcher at the same time if you do not own one already.[2]

The setup was incredibly simple, thanks to the manual.[3] I washed the various removable parts with soap and water and set the clock, which only took a minute or two.

With that, I only needed to fill the tank and select my beans.

Pulling My First Espresso Shot

Pushing my father’s words of warning regarding combination machines from my mind, I prepared the inaugural espresso shot.

I liked how the user interface was clearly labeled, with text and lines dividing the drip coffee side and the espresso side.

Two buttons on the left are dedicated to espresso - one button for dispensing espresso or hot water and another for controlling the steam wand.

While the main tank for espresso is removable, I prefer filling it with a jug as there are no water fill marks on the side.

I am new to the world of two-in-one portafilters, preferring to keep it all separate (as Italian baristas intended). However, I can see the space-saving appeal of a multitool like this.

The two filter pressurized baskets had me skeptical, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt and used them as a new customer would.

The manual recommends using two scoops of medium-grind untamped beans for espresso, so I gave that a try.

The machine took a little longer than expected to heat up, but it still took only a couple of minutes.

Pulling the shot was incredibly easy.

A single-ounce espresso took only 20-30 seconds to extract (remember that you need to press the button again to stop the extraction!), and it felt good to lock in.

My resulting shot looked the part but tasted incredibly bitter.

It was more like a tiny cup of strong coffee than espresso. This is due to the pressurized baskets - those work better with preground coffee.

I highly recommend getting single wall baskets if you want to use freshly ground coffee with this espresso machine.

It will make all the difference and extract the best flavor while brewing espresso. Later, I also tried finely ground tamped beans, and those did well.

Pre-ground espresso and ESE espresso pods both turned out well, but drinks made this way will never quite be as delicious as ones made with home-ground beans.

The cup height is generous, and the removable drip tray meant that I could place most of my big cups under the spout.

Big brownie points there - I love making big cappuccinos with my coffee makers.

First Time Making A Pot Of Coffee

Once I was done making espresso drinks, it was time to move on to the drip side.

To get started, you need to pour a scoop of grounds into the basket, fill the mini water tank, and turn it on.

When filling up, I recommend filling your carafe to your desired number of cups and using that to fill it, as there are no water lines to help you see.

The carafe spout performed well, and the carafe felt easy to hold and fill. However, I wish it were made of stainless steel, as glass does not hold heat so well.

I love that the reusable coffee filter basket and tank swing out from the front, making them much easier to access.

It is important to note that you can fill your spill-proof carafe with up to ten four-ounce cups of coffee. This means that you will need about 10 tablespoons of ground coffee for a full pot.

Once done, you can choose on the right-hand button interface whether you want 1-4 cups of drip coffee or 5-10.

Selecting the former will let the combination coffee maker gently soak the grounds bit by bit to extract the most flavor out of them first, which makes a big difference in terms of flavor.

It takes roughly one minute for the De'Longhi combination coffee maker to make a cup of drip coffee. If you are making drip coffee for five to ten guests, it should take about 9-10 minutes.

There is a hot plate that sits under the carafe that will keep coffee warm for up to two hours before shutting off.

Admittedly, I do not love warming plates like these as they tend to overcook your coffee to oblivion, leaving you to either drink a lot of coffee fast or with bitter coffee.

I was pleased to learn that you could turn that feature off with the manual’s help.

For the strong coffee lovers out there, you can select the bold setting before brewing coffee for an even stronger cup.

I used the same ratio I had previously and ended up with incredibly bitter and over-extracted coffee - I recommend experimenting to find something that works for your blend.

How Much Control Do You Have Over The Machine?

Most combination coffee makers do not give you much room for control, but the DeLonghi All-In-One offers moderate control.

When buying a combination coffee maker, you are choosing the convenience of not buying multiple coffee makers over having more control as you brew coffee.

This De’Longhi coffee machine is more of a simple coffee maker, letting you handle the necessities, such as:

How Does It Handle Different Roasts?

As there is no built-in grinder, most beans will make flavorful coffee with this coffee machine.

I threw everything I had at it, and all of my coffee and espresso drinks turned out well enough - with some tinkering.

The only nitpicky points come when you consider the coffee grounds themselves. It typically recommends medium-size grinds, but I have found that fine works well on the espresso side, too.

Look, Feel, and Size Of The Machine

My first impressions of this combination coffee machine were mixed.

DeLonghi's coffee maker looks somewhat sophisticated but still seems to prioritize function rather than style.

Some people love that more practical look or simply do not need something fancy taking up counter space.

This makes sense, especially since the point is to save enough counter space by not buying two separate coffee machines.

However, I did miss the pizazz of other coffee machines I have loved before.

This machine also weighs less than 15 pounds, which makes the previously mentioned pivoting through the door much easier.

In terms of size, it seems initially quite large for a coffee maker until you remember that it is one combination coffee machine - then it all starts to feel quite compact when considering two separate machines in the same place.

Its height is just under 13 inches, which comfortably fits under my landlord-issue cupboards, and it was fairly wide and deep at just over 11 inches and 14.5 inches, respectively.

What Drinks Can It Make?

Since there are no pre-programmed drinks beyond drip coffee and espresso, there is a fair amount of flexibility in the drinks department.

Alongside the obvious, the steam wand allows for even more options.

For starters, you can make:

I even used the steam wand to make chai lattes and the hot water wand to make soup in a pinch when our kettle broke.

All you need is a bit of imagination and prep, and you can make essentially whatever drink you want with this coffee maker.

How Easy Is It To Use?

Admittedly, this DeLonghi All-In-One machine can be a little intimidating at first. However, getting into the instructions shows it is not as complicated as everything first seems.

There are only a few intuitive buttons to remember, with half dedicated to the espresso side of things and the other to the coffee maker side.

The brewing process is simple for both sides - the hardest part is experimenting with the size and amount of grounds to use for an easy-serve espresso and pot of coffee.

Once you know your way around, this is a good machine with pared-back features that makes good coffee - what more could you want?

How Long Does It Take? (From Heat Up To First Sip)

How long this espresso machine takes to bring you that cup you crave depends a little on what exactly you want.

Making an espresso or occasional cappuccino requires waiting a few minutes for the tank to heat up and then only a minute or two to extract the coffee or froth milk.

Making filter coffee in the glass coffee pot can take up to ten minutes, depending on how many cups you need.

You can even make both espresso and coffee at the same time, which helps shave the seconds when hosting guests.

Overall, you can get espresso and coffee ready in less than ten minutes. This is very impressive when you compare it to espresso machines that take up to half an hour to heat up properly.

The De'Longhi BCO430 combination coffee machine is a good choice for the indecisive coffee fan who does not want all the fuss of fancy systems.

Does It Have A Water Filtration System?

There is a water filter system available with the DeLonghi All-In-One combination coffee maker. These come in the form of a gold reusable one on the drip side and a charcoal one on the other.

I am happy to have more eco-friendly reusable filters built-in to the machine rather than something you dump and replace in the water-fill compartment.

How Hard Is It To Clean and Descale?

Despite how large this machine is, cleaning and descaling is pretty simple. This model comes with a descaling solution, and an alert will show every couple of months to remind you to do that.[4]

Cleaning involves hand washing many removable parts like the carafe, water tank, and drip tray, as well as wiping down the chassis and steam wand with a damp cloth.

You must also regularly dump used coffee from the filters and rinse or put them in the dishwasher.

The manual cleaning and descaling instructions are simple to follow and the cleaning solution is easily available on De’Longhi’s website for a fairly reasonable price.[5]

My Favorite Parts About The DeLonghi All-In-One

My Least Favorite Parts About The DeLonghi All-In-One

DeLonghi All-In-One Vs Similar Machines

DeLonghi All-In-One BCO430 vs DeLonghi COM532M

It’s a battle of the De’Longhi - who comes out on top?

At first glance, it would be easy to assume that the BCO430 and COM532M were the same model. They share a similar aesthetic as well as a similar size and weight.

However, the COM532M features a three-button espresso control system and a digital touchscreen to control the drip coffee side.

A digital display shows off the timer, and there is a more advanced steam wand that can switch between cappuccino and latte modes.

As expected, however, fancier features do mean that the COM532M comes with a higher price tag than the BCO430.

DeLonghi All-In-One BCO430 vs Espressione EM1040

De'Longhi's All-In-One and the Espressione EM1040 are both machines that say, 'Why choose? Have both!'

I love the sleek and aesthetic style of the Espressione EM1040. The all-stainless steel chassis and unique button and switch interface appeal to me.

Its 19 bar pressure and Thermoblock heating system for rapid 25-second warm-up are also lovely features.

That being said, this is a much heavier machine than the De’Longhi BCO430. It also lacks the digital display and programmable timer that I like in the BCO430.

DeLonghi All-In-One BCO430 vs Galanz GLEC02S3CT14

The Galanz GLEC02S3CT14 is another machine that brings a little style to the espresso and drip coffee makers market.

Featuring a sleek black and silver compact design, the Galanz focuses on providing a four-cup carafe to bring versatility while saving on space.

This model is also much cheaper than the BCO430 while still maintaining a simple button and digital display interface.

DeLonghi All-In-One BCO430 vs De'Longhi Nespresso Lattissima Pro

To be completely honest, I always think of George Clooney sipping on a tiny espresso glass when I hear about Nespresso - props to the marketing team there.

However, I do find it a little odd that this is the model people often pit against the BCO430.

The Nespresso Lattissima Pro is a pod-style machine that also allows you to steam milk using a steam wand.

It can make specialized drinks from Nespresso pods like ristretto, lungo, espresso, latte, and macchiato, which makes it much more varied than the BCO430.

There are certain features that I like here, including the Thermoblock heating system and the 19-bar pump. You can program the timer and water hardness setting.

The drip tray folds to fit a latte macchiato glass, and there is even an auto-clean system.

These are all excellent features, but you will have to consider if you like them enough to pay double the price for them over the cheaper BCO430.

FAQs

Conclusion - Is The De'Longhi Worth Your Money?

Overall, there is a lot to love about the De’Longhi BCO430. It is a great option for those who want to save space and money instead of picking up two different machines.

This model also works well in busy homes where caffeine is a need rather than a want.

References: 

1.https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/all-in-one-coffee-and-espresso-maker-cappuccino-latte-machine-plus-advanced-milk-frother-bco430/p/BCO430
2.https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/milk-frothing-pitcher-stainless-steel-12-oz-dlsc060/p/DLSC060
3.https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/manuals/all-in-one-coffee-and-espresso-maker-cappuccino-latte-machine-plus-advanced-milk-frother-bco430/p/BCO430
4.https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/descaler-universal-eco-friendly-descaling-solution-for-coffee-and-espresso-machines-16-90-oz-5-uses-ecodecalk/p/DLSC500
5.https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/eco-multiclean-coffee-and-espresso-machine-cleaning-solution-milk-parts-8-5-oz-dlsc550/p/DLSC550
6.https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/professional-coffee-tamper-stainless-steel-dlsc058/p/DLSC058