Casabrews 3700GENSE vs De'Longhi EC155
A thermoblock against a single boiler — two philosophies of the same morning.
About US$28 apart — the split below is what the gap buys.
Casabrews
US$100–150
The 3700GENSE is a no-frills thermoblock starter machine that delivers repeatable pressure-gauge feedback in a genuinely slim footprint. You must accept a single-thermostat workflow: steamin…
Full record & live prices →
De'Longhi
US$85–110
A legitimate first espresso machine for someone who wants a portafilter workflow without spending more than the beans cost. Accept the pressurized basket ceiling, the sluggish recovery betwe…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
On 7 of 11 measures these two tie. The 4 rows below are the entire argument.
3700GENSE
EC155
Ready when you are
3700GENSE leads, decisively
45 sec· ~10 min
Parts & repair
EC155 leads, decisively
Reliability record
EC155 leads, clearly
Push-button convenience
3700GENSE leads, clearly
The price
EC155 costs less, clearly
US$100–150· US$85–110
weakerstronger
The counter’s vote
Looks barely figure in either machine’s record — the counter can sit this one out.
3700GENSE: Compact, countertop-friendly chassis cited in "looks great" reviews; no polarization—appliance aesthetics win quiet approval but not the narrative.
EC155: Utilitarian black plastic box with minimal counter presence; no design appeal or penalty—appliance-neutral in every review.
Only the 3700GENSE: PID temperature control.
Only the 3700GENSE: a hot-water tap.
Only the EC155: no accessory lock-in.
Where they tie: milk & steam · shot ceiling · back-to-back drinks · forgiving to learn on · built to last — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the 3700GENSE if —
- Patience is not your virtue at 6 a.m.
- You want a button, not a ritual
- You want the temperature argument settled
- Americanos and tea share the counter
Take the EC155 if —
- You plan to fix, not replace
- It has to just work, every day
- The difference stays in your pocket — or goes into beans
- Upgrades should never strand your kit
Both columns reading true? Take the EC155 and put the difference into fresh, roast-dated beans — they move the cup more than this choice will.
Known weak points
3700GENSE
Thermoblock temperature instability typical to segment; proprietary 50mm portafilter strands standard basket/accessory upgrades.
EC155
Boiler/heating element degradation after 3-5 years of daily use; solenoid valve wear reported by multi-unit owners; thermal stability issues typical of single-boiler design limiting milk steaming capability.
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
3700GENSE
EC155
Type
Thermoblock / thermojet
Single boiler
Heat-up time
45 seconds
~10 min
Steam power
2/5
2/5
Brew + steam at once
No
No
Guest recovery
1/5
1.5/5
Shot quality ceiling
2.5/5
2/5
PID temperature control
Yes
No
Milk system
Manual steam wand
Manual steam wand
Removable brew group
No
No
Hot-water tap
Yes
—
Cup clearance
0 cm
7.5 cm
Workflow demand
2/5
3/5
Maintenance
2/5
2/5
Noise
3/5
3/5
Build longevity
2/5
2/5
Dimensions
14.5 × 32 × 31 cm
18 × 24 × 28 cm
One owner each
“It's competitively priced for what you get in both features and performance. It's easy to set up and use, it looks great on your countertop.”
Wrong match-up? Change one side → — any two on file compare.
Still torn?
This page weighs them against each other. The finder weighs them against your mornings.
Two minutes of questions — milk, noise, budget, space — scored across everything on file. It’s honest when the answer is neither of these.
Take the two-minute finder →