This makes espresso easy in the morning. Machine is ready to use by the time I get my cup out and grind the coffee. The automatic grinder and tamper are the real stars of this machine, making espresso easy and perfect every time. Tamping is one of the hardest parts of making espresso, and the lever takes all the skill out of getting a perfect coffee. The only "bad" thing about this machine is that it is a pressurized basket, but I don't have any complaints about the final product and the pressurized basket ensures proper pressure for brewing everytime. Excellent everyday machine compared to other options in the price range.

This machine is larger and heavier than it appears online . It does fit on the counter but it’s a tight squeeze . Beautiful machine with solid construction . A joy to operate and the espresso is perfect .

I’m in love. Being a former barista, and finding a machine that can press out a perfectly timed shot is hard. This machine absolutely nails it. Very impressed! Money well spent for sure.

We have had Krups and Nespresso in the past, Nespresso is not to our liking but Krups provided a great coffe at every press. We wanted something else and a bit more manual and landed on the La Specialista by DeLonghi. Great taste and wonderful to work with, looks great in the kitchen, but over time (1month) we experienced two negatives: It overdoses when grinding: The lowest single setting will fill your portafiler up to the top. The grinder stopped grinding fine and I now have bigger pieces of coffe in the portafilter. It didn't do this in the beginning so this makes me wonder if the grinder only survives a month or if this is a product defect. Anyway, an expensive product for a bad grind.

The De'Longhi La Specialista Espresso Machine may look intimidating at first glance however don't let all those bells and whistles fool you. I'll start off by saying I've never had an espresso machine of this caliber before but have used them in the past. Because of the amount of work and clean up they typically take, I have been without one for several years until I came across this work of art. That being said, I am, by no means, a barista. However, after reading the directions and watching a few short videos prior to deciding on this machine, I did a few trial runs and I was very pleased with the results not only of the quality of the espresso shots but of how simple the machine is to use... now I consider myself a Barista in the making. Regarding the the machine itself, it is quite large so I would also ensure you have the proper counter space for it. Once it's in place, it really is a beautiful and well made machine that should impress anyone with a coffee addiction, like myself, or who appreciates and acknowledges kitchen appliances as a part of your decor. After figuring out what all the buttons and knobs do, I will do my best to explain in a few easy steps how simple it is to make espresso shots that make for a good drink. Assuming your machine is clean, filled with water and espresso beans, you will select what size shot you want, single or double. Once you insert the size cup you want into the detached handle and select how much ground espresso you want packed in there using the far left knob, you simply insert the handle below where the beans are ground and it will automatically start grinding the beans into the handle without any push of a button. Once the beans are ground and in the handle, you just pull down on the handle on the left side a few times to pack the ground beans into the handle. Pull the handle out and insert it in the brew side of the machine, ensure the correct setting for what brew you want (Espresso, Americano, or Coffee), ensure the x2 button is pressed and lit up if you have a double shot in, ensure you have a cup or shot below the brewer and press the okay button. Voila, you have a perfectly brewed espresso shot. If you want to steam your milk, that is very simple as well and it heats up to perfect temperature in less than a minute with just the right amount of foam. I typically do iced lattes so I'm not using the steam feature that often after doing the trial runs and saving my wife a trip to the pricey coffee shops. Arguably the best feature of this machine is the clean up, or lack thereof. With the past two machines I used at home, that, for me, was the biggest drawback. The way this machine was designed was clearly to avoid that as the ground beans are packed before the handle is moved over for brewing so there's no fear of upsetting the cup while packing. One thing you may hesitate on prior to considering this machine is the price point. However, I have seen espresso machines in this league at much higher prices and I think this is just the right price point for average every day use at home. If you drink coffee often, I could see you making the money back within a year or so especially if there are more than one of you in the household. Therefore, I would highly recommend this machine to anyone in the market. The best advice I have is to watch the videos on how simple it is to use and decide for yourself before pulling the trigger.