Take the panels off
Top lid and steam knob off
De'Longhi gives owners no repair jobs. The manual: "If the appliance is faulty, do not attempt to repair. Turn it off, unplug from the mains socket and contact Customer Services." The US manual adds that removing the exterior, repairing or modifying the machine voids the warranty (1 year in the US plus 1 with registration; 2 years in the UK and EU). Treat this as Customer Services work: the methods shown are owners', named where they appear.
Steps from Chris Faulds' EC680 teardown (owner, 2016).
- Switch off, unplug and let the machine cool.
- Take out the tank and the drip tray, and dry the tank bay.
- Remove the 2 Phillips screws at the back of the top, in the tank bay.
- Push the lid back from the front, round the buttons, while lifting the back slightly: it comes off 2 L-shaped catches at the front.
- Unclip the green and yellow earth lead from the lid. The 3 screws under it hold the button panel.
- Pull the steam knob off its stem (it is held by a clamp spring).
Base off: 7 security Torx, 2 Phillips
De'Longhi gives owners no repair jobs. The manual: "If the appliance is faulty, do not attempt to repair. Turn it off, unplug from the mains socket and contact Customer Services." The US manual adds that removing the exterior, repairing or modifying the machine voids the warranty (1 year in the US plus 1 with registration; 2 years in the UK and EU). Treat this as Customer Services work: the methods shown are owners', named where they appear.
Faulds' order (EC680); the security Torx T20 is confirmed by Moss (EC685M), Aaron's Test Lab and Igor Kadulenkov.
- Unclip the second earth lead at the back of the case.
- Lay the machine on its non-wand (left) side on a towel.
- Remove the 7 security Torx T20 screws (the kind with a pin in the middle) at the back of the base.
- Remove the 2 short Phillips screws at the front and keep them apart from all the others.
- Lift off the base cover.
Inner frame out of the case
De'Longhi gives owners no repair jobs. The manual: "If the appliance is faulty, do not attempt to repair. Turn it off, unplug from the mains socket and contact Customer Services." The US manual adds that removing the exterior, repairing or modifying the machine voids the warranty (1 year in the US plus 1 with registration; 2 years in the UK and EU). Treat this as Customer Services work: the methods shown are owners', named where they appear.
Faulds' EC680 steps after the base is off.
- Remove the 3 Phillips screws that hold the water feed tubes to the case.
- Remove the 1 short Phillips screw next to the wand hole (it goes into the outer case only).
- Remove the 4 screws that pass through the case and clamp the chrome group trim.
- Release the steam-line clamp at the steam valve with pliers.
- Slide the inner frame (Faulds: the "cassette") out of the top of the case.
Moss's EC685M: 2 panel strips prised off with a flat screwdriver, metal clips prised open and the metal casing pulled off with "a reasonable amount of force".