De'Longhi · Single boilerEC155
The EC155 is De'Longhi's classic entry-level pump machine — a stainless steel boiler, 15-bar vibratory pump, and manual steam wand packed into a sub-$100 footprint that has been largely unchanged for 15-plus years.
The short version
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 between rounds, and the cramped cup clearance, and it delivers exactly what it promises.
Why people buy it
- Stainless steel boiler with dual thermostats — unusually stable brew temperature for a machine at this price point.
- 3-in-1 portafilter accepts single shots, double shots, and ESE pods, giving day-one versatility.
Why they don’t
- Pressurized (double-wall) baskets cap the shot quality ceiling — you cannot dial in fine espresso the way you can on a machine with standard baskets.
The full tally
- Stainless steel boiler with dual thermostats — unusually stable brew temperature for a machine at this price point.
- 3-in-1 portafilter accepts single shots, double shots, and ESE pods, giving day-one versatility.
- Genuinely compact and lightweight (~2.7 kg) — fits a narrow shelf or cramped apartment counter without compromise.
- Low barrier to entry: single dial, self-priming, cup warmer included, and dishwasher-safe parts keep the routine simple.
- Pressurized (double-wall) baskets cap the shot quality ceiling — you cannot dial in fine espresso the way you can on a machine with standard baskets.
- Very poor cup clearance requires removing the drip tray to fit a standard mug, negating the tray's purpose.
- Up to 15-minute preheat and slow single-boiler recovery make back-to-back drinks for guests a genuine chore.
What the community knows
Years of owner threads, distilled — the community is split.
The eternal $90 machine — a 51mm pressurized-basket starter the community steers people past: it makes coffee, and it teaches habits you unlearn. The standing advice is the used market one bracket up.
Value
price-to-performance the community respects
Reliability
shows up every morning, year after year
Parts & serviceability
parts and repairs — you are never stranded
All 9 community measures
price-to-performance the community respects
shows up every morning, year after year
parts and repairs — you are never stranded
mods, guides, and community know-how around it
kind to first-timers
years before you outgrow or replace it
how far the cup can go, per dollar
speed and simplicity, day to day
Worth knowing before you buy — Most owners think of this as the machine you buy to learn what you actually want from espresso, then upgrade—not the one you keep.
Known weak points — 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.
The measurements
Scored 0–5 on the same rubric as everything on file — the words matter more than the numbers.
The measurements
0–5, one rubric- Shot ceiling
- entry2
- Steam power
- token2
- Built to last
- light-duty2
- Easy daily
- demanding2
Position in the market
Every dot is a rival, measured the same way. The gold one is this.
- Lower half for shot ceiling
- a higher ceiling than 0 of the 237 machines we’ve measured
- A value pick at this level
- 97% of machines this capable cost more
- Lower half for build
- sturdier than 1% of the field, by the community’s own record
Every dot is a machine measured on the same rubric. See the whole market
Living with it
The part spec sheets skip: counter space, upkeep, and what owners learn later.
The honest note — Most owners outgrow the pressurized baskets and limited cup clearance fairly quickly. Natural next step is the De'Longhi Dedica EC680 or ECP3420 (which De'Longhi itself positions as the EC155's successor). Buyers ready to work on grind-and-dial workflow typically move to a Gaggia Classic or Breville Bambino Plus.
The full spec sheet
- Type
- Single boiler
- Heat-up time
- ~10 min
- Steam power
- 2/5
- Brew + steam at once
- No
- Guest recovery
- 1.5/5
- Shot quality ceiling
- 2/5
- PID temperature control
- No
- Milk system
- Manual steam wand
- Removable brew group
- No
- Cup clearance
- 7.5 cm
- Workflow demand
- 3/5
- Maintenance
- 2/5
- Noise
- 3/5
- Build longevity
- 2/5
- Dimensions
- 18 × 24 × 28 cm
Before it arrives
What completes this machine — the faded pieces can wait.
Hover any piece for its why.
- Espresso cups & glassware — Proper demitasse and latte glasses keep the drink hot and look the part.
Feed it right
Week one is dial-in — and stale beans will lose it.
Coffee more than a few weeks past roast won’t extract predictably, and a new machine gets blamed for it. While you learn it, a forgiving medium-light roast keeps dial-in kind — bright enough to taste progress, sweet enough to drink the misses.
Pick your coffee — any of these dials in beautifully here:
Wild Ember - Ethiopian Buno Dambi UddoSCA 92Medium roast · Odo Shakiso, Guji Zone, Oromia · NaturalBlueberry · MarmaladeSteady and repeatable — right for this setup’s lane.CA$26.83 · roasted to order
Etherea - Ethiopian YirgacheffeSCA 88Medium roast · NaturalJasmine · BergamotSteady and repeatable — right for this setup’s lane.CA$24.16 · roasted to order
Sergio - Brazillian Fazenda Joia Rara Aerobic FermentedSCA 88Medium-light · Cerrado Mineiro · Aerobic FermentedHoney · OrangeSteady and repeatable — right for this setup’s lane.CA$29.18 · roasted to orderNo proper grinder yet? Sort that first — it decides more of the cup than the machine does. We ship whole bean, roast-dated, timed so it lands fresh the week your burrs do.
Roasted to order, daily, in Ajax, Ontario · ships Canada-wide. We’re the roastery behind this database — measuring the machines is how we make sure the coffee gets a fair shot.
On film
How it runs on camera, from around the community.
Common questions
Does the EC155 work with ESE pods?
Yes. The 3-in-1 filter holder accepts Easy Serve Espresso pods in addition to single and double baskets for ground coffee.
How long does the EC155 take to heat up?
The indicator light typically signals readiness in under a minute, but reviewers consistently recommend allowing 10–15 minutes for the boiler temperature to fully stabilize before pulling a shot.
Can I use a standard mug under the portafilter?
Not without removing the drip tray. Cup clearance is designed for espresso cups and small demitasses only.
Is the EC155 still in production?
De'Longhi still lists the EC155 on its US website (as EC-155), and the machine remains widely available through major retailers. The EC155M is a minor refresh of the same platform.
What grinder should I pair with the EC155?
The pressurized double-wall baskets are very forgiving, so an entry-level burr grinder is sufficient. A very fine grind can clog the pressurized basket; coarser pre-ground or entry-espresso burr grinders are the practical sweet spot.
Worth comparing
De'Longhi
Stilosa (EC230 / EC260)
An entry-level single-boiler pump machine that packs a stainless steel boiler and a manual steam wand into a sub-$150 footprint — the EC230 variant adds non-pressurized baskets, making it a rare genuine learning tool at the price.
US$99–149 · CA$135–150
De'Longhi
Dedica Style EC685
A 15 cm-wide thermoblock semi-automatic that fits almost any counter and heats up in under 40 seconds — the definitive entry point for espresso without the footprint penalty.
US$129–200 · CA$275–280
Casabrews
3700GENSE
A compact, entry-level semi-automatic with a 20-bar vibratory pump, PID thermoblock, front pressure gauge, and manual steam wand — now shipping with a 58mm portafilter. It is the smallest step up in the Casabrews 3700 lineup for buyers who want a pressure gauge and pre-infusion without spending more.
US$100–150
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