Customer Ratings & Reviews

My experience in brewing coffee has spanned decades, from Chemex pour overs, a variety of filter drip lookalikes, through Keurig pods (until the landfill guilt caught up with me), to most recently a semi-automatic espresso-coffee maker. That last model, which I have owned for over a year now, has been quite compelling, balancing out convenience with quality of the brewed product. To “move up” to a dedicated manual espresso machine, I was at first a bit hesitant. I knew it adds the steps of grinding the beans, tamping the brew chamber, locking the loaded wand in place, then brewing the elixir. This is followed by manually clearing the spent grounds and rinsing the filter baton. The semi-automatic was appealing in that it “automatically” merged those steps into fewer steps. The machine would do them for you. Your periodic chores include emptying a reservoir of spent little coffee ground pucks about every 8 to 10 brews, emptying the drip tray a the same time, and a monthly removal of the brew chamber inside the machine with a rinse off in the sink every week or so. A more detailed interior wipe down and grease application to interior moving parts happens less often, about every 6 months. So yes, indeed, there is a bit more daily hands-on effort for the DeLonghi, but the trade off is the lack of disassembly for cleaning of the insides of the machine every several months. After using the DeLonghi for a week, I feel that it becomes easy to flow through the steps needed to prepare the brew, and the quality of end product I feel is well worth the minute or two of prep and clean up. One capability that is unique for this machine, to my knowledge, is the ability to create a Cold Brew coffee! Whereas my prior experience with cold brew involved an 8-12 hour room temp or refrigerator overnight brewing of coarse grounds through a filter screen, the DeLonghi accomplishes the brew in 5 minutes, a cup at a time. Where the De'Longhi excels is with the degree of customization of brewing parameters. These exist with the Specialista Arte Evo, but are lacking in the semi-automatic. Having such options allows you to vary most attributes of the brew: infusion water temperature, amount of coffee ground (the "dosage"), 8 levels of fineness of grind from coarse to powder, and a 4 selection dial to dispense espresso, Americano, Cold Brew, or hot water. A single button chooses one or two for volume of beverage to be produced. Up front in the center is a visual circular dial of pressure (stated to be up to 15 bar pressure). The circular dial with a rotating needle is reminiscent of a gauge from a sports car of the 1960s! Knowing that pressure is what makes an espresso “special” to squeeze the most flavor from the beautiful beans makes seeing the needle register the amount of pressure being applied is surprisingly rewarding. Everything needed (except coffee beans, perhaps a sample bag could have been toss in?) is included, with a series of tools and equipment for everyday use. Also a few extras for infrequent use: a declogging pin for the froth nozzle, a slightly stiff brush to clear grounds from surfaces, and water hardness tester. All of these tools felt and appeared to be of very high quality and precision. Two filter cups, for one or two servings of the espresso, are easily changed out with a gentle prying a table knife tip in a small indentation at the edge (see the photo). It was a little too tight to wrestle it loose with a fingernail, but might loosen up with a bit of use. A generous on board water reservoir runs the back of the machine. If the machine is pushed back against the wall of the counter, it might be a bit of a trick to refill. The machine weighs about 25 lbs, so not that easy to slide back and forth for frequent fills. My semi-automatic machine had an optional replaceable cartridge water filter that sits in the water reservoir, which is lacking in the DeLonghi. Our refrigerator has a water filter built into the water dispenser, but a Britta or similar would work as well. I choose to use filtered water to lessen the frequency of the need for decalcification. De'Longhi includes a de-calc package for use after perhaps a year’s usage, depending on your water hardness. Cleaning the brew wand chamber of the compressed coffee grounds I quickly found to be quite easy with the use of a mini-spatula, which I happened to have. This handy little tool, which we use to get the last bit out of a jar of preserves, works fabulously for quickly sweeping the grounds into the kitchen counter compost container. Coffee grounds are quite favorable for gardens! The recent resurgence of interest in Cold Brew in the past few years harkens back to my college days, when I was introduced to the Toddy refrigerator cold brewing of coffee (1970s). This was, and is still available, a method of extracting a concentrated almost syrupy coffee elixir that we would mix with boiling water for morning beverage. What the DeLonghi accomplishes is a 5 minute Cold Brew delivery, either small or larger glass size, for the summer time enjoyment of iced coffee. You can use just room temp water, with a little purge using the cold setting to cool down the interior pipes of the machine, or fresh cold water if preferred. How they manage to get a full body brew with cold water in only a few minutes is a mystery to me, but it was quite tasty. Mixed with a bit of a flavored syrup, a splash of oat milk (I’m basically a non-dairy consumer) and a single ice cube, I think I have discovered a new summer favorite. It is so much less time and effort than my other experiences with cold brew, which required a special brewing device to extract the finished drink. The coffee burr grinder sitting atop the espresso machine worked perfectly. The reservoir is just the right size, holding enough beans for several cups, with an air tight seal to preserve freshness. But not so large that the beans are there overly long, for oxygen is the enemy of roasted beans. It is easy to adjust the fineness of the grid (8 different levels), which you should vary with the darkness of the roasting. Guidance suggestions are given in the manual, with permission to change to fit your tastes. The steam wand was easy to use. I confess that I had used that feature seldom with my prior machine, since my preference has been to drink all my coffee without sugar or dairy. However, the choice of a cappuccino was compelling, and the drink was actually easy to assemble. Again the La Specialista Arte Evo seemed to be the perfect solution. There is a drip tray, completely dishwasher safe, for flecks of coffee ground spillage and water drips. It is easy to remove and rinse, and I think trips through the dishwasher will be seldom required. Daily cleaning is straightforward and far from burdensome. I originally thought this was going to live in the vacation abode, for occasional use. After just a week’s use, I am a convert, and it will stylishly replace my “semi-automatic” coffee machine with a glamorous piece of Italian art!

So far so good for this De'Longhi Espresso Machine. I’ve been using it for about a week now and have tried a few different brews it has to offer, including the new Cold Brew feature. I’ll admit, it took some trial and error to get everything dialed in the right way, if you’re new to espresso machines, this may take a while, but once you get it, you’ll be all set. I’m not usually one to comment on the boxing/unboxing of products, personally I don’t understand the obsession, but this time I will note, the boxing was kinda strange. If you’re one to just rip the cardboard up and not care, this will be easy, but if you’re like me and try to save the packaging in case you need to return it, you may struggle a little. It doesn’t open like a normal box, it’s more like open the two sides and push the product out. It’s kinda hard to explain, but I did notice a bit of a struggle to get the machine out of the box safe and clean. Not much, but hey, it’s something. Packaging aside, once I got the product out, it was pretty easy moving forward. I got all the accessories out and cleaned them and while they dried, I read through both the quick guide and the full manual. They mostly say the same thing, just more details and less color in the manual, but one big thing to note is they both say the drip tray is dishwasher safe, (as does the Best Buy listing.) HOWEVER there is a sticker on the metal cover that says do NOT put in dishwasher. This is obviously misleading and I apologize I didn’t take a picture of it before the sticker was balled up and unable to read. In the end, I don’t think it’s a huge deal and it’s just a chunk of metal (probably gets too hot in the dishwasher potentially) but honestly, a quick rinse in the sink and maybe some soap and your drip tray will be clean. Seems like a waste of dishwasher space, but maybe every couple cleanings you run it through the dishwasher. Honestly, I think the “dishwasher safe parts” is more of a selling gimmick than practical. MAKING ESPRESSO The main point of this machine is to make a delicious espresso right? So how did it do? Well I was very happy with the results after some trial and error. First I used pre ground espresso beans, which I THOUGHT were ready to go, but the espresso was way too bland, 0 pressure used and took about 2 seconds to finish. Luckily the quick guide tells you how and what to adjust based on the results and I realized it was way too coarse of a grind. I made adjustments, tried again and the pressure needle almost went into the red and it was thick and dark coffee; too fine, make adjustments. Then just like Goldielocks, I got it just right for my specific beans and made a decent little espresso shot…unfortunately I ran out of water at that point and it didn’t completely finish. The amount of espresso I had drank at this point meant testing had to be over or I’d never sleep again, so I waited for the next day to try again. This time I had much better results out the gate and had everything dialed in pretty much perfect. The included tools for tamping and grinding help make the process more smooth and quick. I just wish it came with more filters but of course, you can buy those for more money if you need them. This is great for a person who lives alone but as soon as you need to start making drinks for everyone, it can be a bit tedious. But the drinks you get are worth the work. The attached steam wand worked really well for me as well. It takes maybe 1 second to get warm and fires right up. This is another learning curve for those not used to using it, you may have a wee bit of cleanup to do after if you shot milk everywhere, but with practice you can get the perfect steamed milk to add to your drink. With the included tools, you can clean the wand of any gunk as well which will come in handy I’m sure. Like the steam wand, the attached coffee grinder is a must have add on to make this machine worth it. I love that it has a thick rubber seal to keep your beans fresh (even if the instructions tell you to only use the amount of beans you need and not store beans in the hopper.) But hey, if they didn’t want us to, they wouldn’t make it able to hold so many beans or add a rubber seal. So I like that they know we’re all gonna do it and they take steps to make it stay fresh. Same goes for the water tank. It’s quite large when you consider how small an espresso shot is. Again, the instructions say only use fresh water and don’t leave it sitting in the tank, yet the tank holds more than my K-cup machine. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a complaint, I’m happy I don’t need to keep adding water each time, but if you want the “best and freshest coffee” I guess you’re supposed to add water as you need it. Speaking of adding water, the only time I might stick to using new fresh water is with the added new Cold Brew setting. Using cold water vs room temp water might make a difference, although for my testing, I used the room temp water from the tank and I STILL got a great cold brew coffee. It takes about 5 minutes but somehow they make a cold brew coffee with no pressure (according to the gage) and it still tastes great. I do like the convenience of a quick cold brew vs making it in the fridge overnight, but again, if you live with someone else and THEY want a cold brew too, now you have to clean out the filter (or buy more) and make two, vs grabbing the pitcher from the fridge and pouring out more. BUT obviously not everyone has a cold brew pitcher or maybe you’re between pitchers right now so this option is definitely a welcomed setting to have. OVERALL Overall we’re really happy with this machine. It works like a pro level machine, the parts are all robust where they need to be and everything seems to work as advertised. The Cold Brew option is really handy to have and so quick to make, it’ll definitely come in handy on hot summer days. Options to have espresso, doubles, or americano (also as a double) is fantastic. There’s so many options, you can get just about whatever drink you want. This morning I made a double americano and some frothed milk added and had a full mug (about 10 oz) of beverage from an espresso machine you’d typically expect just a shot from. The versatility of this machine means less clutter in the kitchen and more caffeine pumping through the body, what’s not to like?!

We've been a fan of De'Longhi coffee machines for several years now, and adding this cold brew version to our coffee bar has been a great decision. This machine is beautiful to look at, finished in stainless steel and black with a centralized pressure dial looking almost like a speedometer! Gives it that steampunk vibe for sure! On top is the coffee bean grinder/container, and that encompasses 8 grind levels. Once you pour some beans in there, it confidently grinds the beans to your setting, without hesitation. The instructions were well laid out, and there are several online videos you can watch if this is your first foray into this type of machine. My wife is the avid coffee lover in the house and every morning has an espresso or a latte. So she is very familiar with the operation, alongside her other coffee machines, as mentioned, also De'Longhi. They key thing that draws us to this one is the cold brew option. This allows you to create a nice, smooth, ice cold coffee in under 5 minutes. She commented, not only does it look great in the glass, but it is oh so smooth. Adding some creamer to it and it was like an icy treat on a hot summer day. Absolutely delicious and so smooth. In order to get her glass in there to make the cold brew, she did have to remove the drip tray so that her glass would fit in there. When not making cold brew, the steamer has an accompanying vessel which is neatly engraved with 'De'Longhi'. We did notice that this machine was a little louder overall, compared to our other machines, with regards to the heat cycle. It sounded a little more 'mechanical' when heating up, and slightly higher pitched than our current machine. Foam was made quickly and with a great heat, and the whole thing cleans up nicely - as long as you clean it right after you've used it. Once that milk gets dried on the rubber portion of the nozzle, it is a little harder to clean off and not leave white residue. If you want to save time, there are 4 presets for your coffee/water options, including espresso, Americano, the cold brew function and as hot water. Yes, this machine will also heat up just water, if you are wanting to make a cup of tea with it as well, making it very versatile indeed. There is also a dosing and tamping guide along with a tamper and tamping mat. The drip tray has a red indicator on it that pops up if there is too much liquid in the drip tray indicating that it needs to be emptied. Overall, as mentioned, the most interesting factor on this machine, was the cold brew, that is what drew us to it, and that part of the machine is absolutely superb. Love it! Creating espressos, lattes, etc is very simple, and this machine does a great job of making you feel like a professional barista. Thoroughly enjoy using this machine! Highly recommend it, De'Longhi make great products and we love our coffee 'suite' now!

I love this... Or I should really say my spouse LOVES this machine. He's the real coffee drinker in the house. I have only recently started drinking Cold Brewed Coffee black as a health benefit. And when I saw that this machine did Espresso, Americano, AND Cold Brew, I knew it would be perfect for us. And it truly has been. Anyone who knows coffee knows the De'Longhi name. We had several years ago purchased a Nespresso machine which they also make and have been very pleased with it. De'Longhi makes the best machines out there so we had high expectations for this new machine. It really does have everything you need to get barista quality coffee drinks at home. The grinder works great and the container holds enough beans so that you don't have to keep refilling it every day. The water tank is also substantial enough to not have to refill too often, but small enough to not take up too much space. With the built-in presets, this machine brews the perfect espresso and Americano every time according to your specifications. And it's brilliant that De'Longhi has added the cold brew option as well for those who prefer the less acidic and slightly less bitter taste that cold brewing provides. But because this really is a professional machine, you can ignore those presets and custom design your espresso to your own specific taste if you want. You also get the steam wand for perfect frothing to top off your delicious drink. De'Longhi also includes a full barista kit so you have everything you need to start creating amazing coffee drinks right away. There are other accessories they sell separately that are not necessary, but helpful that you might end up purchasing; but the most important tools are all included so you can start brewing those amazing espressos or cold brews from day one. Overall, we're thrilled with this machine. It doesn't take up any more space on our counter than the Nespresso machine did. The smell of the fresh coffee beans being ground leaves a lasting pleasant aroma in our kitchen. The machine has worked exactly as described. We've mostly used the presets so far, but once we get used to it, we'll start experimenting with customizing our brews. It's great to be able to be our own baristas and try different beans and things to create our own favorite drinks!

De'Longhi has made many iterations of an espresso machine. Having already owned two, the prospect of reviewing this new "cold brew" machine piqued my interest. Out of the box you get the unit, a portafilter, dosage filters, a dose and tamper, a milk frothing pitcher, a base for the pitcher, a small cleaning brush, a ph strip, an extra drip tray that adds some height for those that like to use small espresso cups, and lots of other goodies to get you going. It's important to read the quick start guide or the whole manual if this is your first espresso machine. Most importantly, you'll want to clean just about everything except for the unit. Better safe than sorry. Once you've cleaned everything, set up the unit, and add some beans, it's time to go! Actually, you'll want to rinse the internal components first before its maiden use. This is the first time I've had a unit that required the use of a dose. My current unit had an auto grinder and pull lever to tamper, so the process was faster. Once you add the dose to the portafilter and place it into the ground release, it'll auto grind and place the ground of beans into the portafilter. You get the tamper and gently press it down to make it as compact as possible. From there you add it to the extractor and choose from an espresso, an americano, and a cold brew. The big marketing point of this unit is the cold brew. Traditionally, cold brew took about 12-24 hours in the fridge to get the desired taste levels. One of the nice things about cold brew is that it has less acid, and in some cases can be stronger in terms of caffeine. I'll be honest. I was a bit skeptical on how an espresso machine could make "instant" cold brew. The manual suggested placing the grind level between 4 and 6, so obviously I set it to 5 on my first try. The concept of cold brew is a bit misleading... you'll have to provide the cold aspect yourself; aka-ice. Once you have your mug or cup of ice underneath the portafilter, press okay, and watch as cold brew coffee slowly drips out like a leaky faucet onto your cup of ice. I have no idea how the process works, but I will say that it was less acidic, and smooth like you would get from the traditional way. I did a comparison a batch of cold brew that I had made a few nights earlier, and the cold brew from the Arte Evo was a less strong in its bold flavor. I'll have to play round with the grind level of 4 and 6 to see if I get better results. I like how there's no coffee setting. I don't know why you would purchase an expensive machine to make coffee. The three main settings, and how water are great. The steam wand gives you consistent steamed milk. I use it to make lattes and cappuccinos. This unit has a "add water" and a "descale your machine" that light up. The use is very straight forward. You choose how many cups, the temperature, the grind, the setting, and it's pretty much it. In case you're wondering why I gave it a 4/5, it's mainly because I got spoiled by the pull the lever to tamper the grounds in my current unit; also from De'Longhi. If De'Longhi invented and included an automatic tamper into this unit, a definite 5/5. Still, I would definitely recommend the Arte Evo to espresso and cold brew lovers out there.

For the money, the La Specialista Arte Evo (Arte Evo going forward) is an almost flawless mostly “manual” espresso (and more…more on that later) machine. I would have given it a perfect “five stars” but-for the flimsy and wobbly feel of the grinder’s plastic handle coupled by the inability to either easily clean or unclog the grinder. It’s an odd departure from the premium feel of the rest of the machine which is mostly metal with touches of high-end plastic where appropriate. To be clear, the 8-level burr grinder mechanism and its grinds is excellent. It’s the user-interface fit and finish aspects here that turn me off. So I had to subtract one of the five stars for this even though the drinks it makes do have a “five stars” taste. My appreciation for espresso drinks started with an Original Line Nespresso machine. It gave me all the flavor (or so I thought) with speed and no mess. But in the past year I started wanting to control more of the process like barista. After researching top brands and features, this Arte Evo excited me. It offers so much – affordable price, good brand, and the kicker for me – it’s ability to also make Americanos and true(ish) cold-extracted brews. BUILD QUALITY, DESIGN, and “IN THE BOX” As noted, the build-quality, aside from the flimsy plastic grinder setting handle, is top-notch and mostly metal. The buttons have a confident tactile click and the dials turn with precision. The control panel is logically organized and intuitive and its lights alight bright and even. To remove any confusion, the temperature setting is only for hot coffee drinks and is disabled for cold brew, hot water, and milk steaming. If there is a complaint for the control panel it’s that with no alpha-numeric LCD info panel changing internal menu settings, such hardness of local water, is like driving in fog. Fortunately, these options are set it and forget it so once you do set them you are unlikely to ever revisit this function. The box contains almost everything needed to get started except for coffee beans and maybe a scale if you, like me, don’t want leftover beans in the hopper to go scale. Delonghi provides an excellent starter-barista kit with a 51mm portafilter, single wall (non-pressurized) single and double dose baskets, tamper, funnel, and tamper mat. Non-pressurized baskets produce better flavor, so this is a plus. The supplied portafilter rests even and stable on the countertop so I tamp without the tamper mat but do find the mat a nice home for accessories when not in use (see attached picture). The funnel is the hero in this bundle. It attaches to the portafilter ahead of grinding for a cleaner grinding and tamping process, literally and figuratively. The one thing missing (at least I didn’t find it in my kit) was a basket removal tool. I use the blunt tip of a dinner knife for now. Also included is a metal pitcher for milk steaming. The 2.6 quart water tank sits on the back of the machine. A hand grip is incorporated on it to make removal and installation smooth and easy. Similarly, the drip trip also has a grip on the bottom to easily release it for cleaning. I recommend rinsing out daily after use. MY EXPERIENCE MAKING DRINKS I have now pulled many espresso shots with the Arte Evo as well as other drinks and my taste buds absolutely prefer it over my Nespresso. (I’m keeping the Nespresso for when I’m in a rush). As a newbie to manual machines, I didn’t expect such a learning curve or trial and error, but I can say it’s totally worth the effort. My first few pulls were frustrating as I could not get enough pressure for a decent shot. I sacrificed many grams of innocent beans in the process. Patience, and a conceptual understanding of the process, is necessary here. Otherwise, I recommend a fully automatic machine. But if you dedicate some time with this machine you will be rewarded. Tip: before my unit arrived I watched a lot of YouTube videos on how to make a proper espresso (generically, not specific to the Arte Evo). I credit this from keeping me from going off the rails. So here is my experience (as a newbie) with the machine and making all three of its drink types: espresso, Americano, and cold brew. To be clear, you can make any kind of coffee drink a coffee shop sells, but those are all subsets of these three drinks. (Espresso) I started with a standard espresso double shot using Stumptown “Hair Bender” medium roast beans. On advice from the Arte Evo’s “quick start” advice, I set the grinder to 4 (out of 8, 1 being the finest, 8 being the coarsest), dose knob to 10, and temperature to medium. The process in a nutshell from here is dial in dosing and select single or double shot, add beans, set the portafilter under the grinder to activate the grinder, when grinder stops remove portafilter to evenly tamp, attached to machine and press “OK”. The extraction started and almost immediately I knew it would be a bad pull because of my YouTube “education”. It was coming out very fast and the pressure was low. I decided to try a finer grind and got a tad more pressure. Then I went to grind size 1, the finest available. No go. So the next variable was to adjust dosing. I went from the recommended 10 to 15. Bingo! Pressure was perfect 9 bar and 25 seconds to extract. I was well rewarded for this “work” at first sip. And hugely more flavorful, intricate, and potent than any Nespresso pod I’ve ever had. The point here is the process of making an espresso with the Arte Evo isn’t difficult, and I actually find fun, but it is work but then a reward for it. It has the ability to pull an amazing shot, but it depends on the user finding the right “recipe” for the particular beans used. I’ve also learned every bean is unique, even of the same roast level, so “trial and error” is required with every new bean you buy. I started noting my recipes for specific beans for later reference so if I buy particular beans again I won’t need to experiment. (Americano) Making an Americano was similar to making an espresso. As the “quick guide” recommends, a coarser grind is necessary. I also found I had to increase the dose level too, so for this particular bean, I went from the 15 I used for the espresso to 20. The Arte Evo does an A+ job here. At first sip it tasted watery, but that was my ignorance. After a delicate stir to mix the espresso with the water it was terrific. This machine has a separate waterspout for the process (see attached picture). (Cold Brew) Last, the start of the Arte Eve, a cold brew. This is special because it’s a true cold brew extraction using cold water, very different from machines that brew hot “over ice.” I kept the grind 3 level I used for the Americano. The process does not use much pressure so the meter will barely reach 3. Since it’s a slow drip process it takes about 5 minutes, which seems like a long time, but consider cold brews usually take 12 hours or longer, so it’s actually pretty quick with zero taste difference. (Milk steamer & hot water) I’m not a huge fan of milk-based drinks, but the Arte Evo has a barista-class milk steamer wand capable of making thick, paint-like “latte art.” I no artist, but I can attest the steamed milk, made correctly (there is a right and wrong way here too) is thick and luxurious – even skim and plant-based milk. So if you do like milk drinks I think you’ll be ecstatic with this aspect of the machine. The temperature level is not automatically adjustable, but you can manually regulate the end temperature of your milk by the amount of time the steam wand is on. Last, I briefly noted the Arte Evo has a separate water dispenser when making Americanos. This dispenser can also be used to for hot water, for example tea or hot chocolate. Just turn the drink dial to “hot water” and press “OK.” The water temperature burns to the touch but not quite boiling. BOTTOM LINE and WHO IS IT FOR? Bottomline here is I’m really thrilled with the Arte Evo aside from the plasticky, mushy feel of the grinder handle. From its features to its precision and overall build quality I’m confident I’ll not only get many years of enjoyment from it. It will take some time I think before I outgrow it – if ever. So who is the Arte Evo for? It’s an outstanding choice for anyone who enjoys the slightly time consuming, hands-on process of pulling a “perfect” espresso shot but also enjoys cold brew and Americanos. It’s a true DIY espresso machine. On the other hand, if one-push simplicity is more your lifestyle it’s not for you. Look at “automatic,” or “super-automatic” machines instead.

As an espresso lover, De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo has impressed me with its functionality and great style. Out of the box, it is mainly put together except for the dosing funnel and portafilter that need to be connected when extracting the ground coffee. It has a pressure gauge, an integrated grinder with 8 settings and comes with a 1-cup and 2-cup filter, a milk pitcher and a tamper. Even a tamping mat is provided for the tamper and the portafilter which comes in handy during the coffee preparation process. Also, that machine has been a conversation starter whenever a visitor comes into my kitchen; the sleek stainless steel stylish design gives an aura of sophistication and quality. I felt a bit intimidated at first. I currently own a sophisticated coffee maker with a grinder but this one had me meticulously reading the manual before I tried it. Thankfully, a member of my household had worked as a barista using a commercial espresso maker and she quickly showed me the ropes. The manual is detailed and helpful for those not used to such machines. First thing was to clean and dry all the pieces and then fill the water tank with fresh clean water and initiate a rinsing process starting with the water spout, then with the portafilter connected and finishing with a steam wand expelling hot steam. The same procedure is used to clean the system after extended use. My first trial was an espresso made with medium roast coffee. I’ve been told the secret to a great espresso is the perfect combination between the right temperature, grind setting and dose. I started with 1 cup and followed the instructions as closely as possible. I enjoyed the experience with the portafilter connected to the dosing funnel and making adjustments, then the tamping and the removal of the dosing funnel, and then measuring the coffee level in the filter. The filter has a mark inside that indicates the perfect dose. I had help and I somehow hit the mark! My first trial came very close to perfection. It gave my ego a big boost. Over the next few days, I tried my hand at other roasts and the results were a mix of successful and acceptable outcomes. It’s a learning curve. The only thing I mastered quickly was milk frothing. In a short amount of time, I learned to deliver the right amount of pressure to create silky smooth lattes. I also tried my hand at cold brew. I buy commercial cold brew coffee. I’ve had homemade cold brew at a friend’s house and I was told it was a lengthy process taking at least half a day if not longer. Using this machine, I had a cup of cold brew coffee in under 10 minutes which was impressive. As for the taste, it was on par with any homemade cold brew steeping for much longer hours. I like my cold brew light and with practice I got the right dose down pat, quicker than my espresso doses. The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo is a versatile espresso machine made for coffee enthusiasts who want to experiment with crafting coffee drinks and cold brew at home. The manual controls allow you to adjust brewing pressure and water temperature, letting you fine-tune your espresso, americano or cold brew to your unique taste. It is not the most advanced espresso machine but, apart from its great looks, it has plenty of features, some quite unique, to impress plenty of coffee aficionados.

Super excited to update my present espresso/coffee machine which I have been using for years. If you are one of the consumers that treks down to your local store for your coffee fix you are in for a pleasant surprise. This is a modern looking appliance that compared to my other espresso machines has an amazingly small countertop footprint and does so much more! Convenience in every way possible. This is a world class espresso machine that grinds my favorite coffee bean brand to the texture of my choice, froths milk super quickly, and allows for the customization of my drink choices. I personally grind my coffee beans at the middle setting which surprisingly turns out to be pretty fine. Both my wife and I love the awesome taste of the espresso and coffee this machine makes! One feature which I love is the adjustable temperature setting. My household loves super hot beverages and this product does not disappoint as it has three temperature settings!! The frothing process is very quick. In about a minutes worth of time, your milk is "super" hot and frothy (the way I like it). Note: Do not remove the steam wand from the milk before the frothing process is complete. So far I'm very happy with this awesome product. It is beautifully made, makes awesome tasting espresso/coffee, grinds my favorite brand of beans and ultimately saves me money not going down to my local coffee shop. Also being able to customize your espresso with just the right grind, brew time and water level is quite pleasing. This is a great product. A WINNER! Highly recommended!!!!!

This is a machine that makes it possible for those wanting to buy an espresso machine without forking over thousands of dollars. The best part? You’ll smile while it’s getting ready. Or in our case, brewing. I’d say it’s a fantastic intro piece. There are four brewing (americano, espresso, cold or hot water) options that can satisfy your coffee cravings no matter the weather. The first few uses will be a learning experience, but you will master this device. The quality and craftsmanship is very well made and flashy in the best way. It’s a conversation starter and surely to motivate anyone to channel their inner barista. The only thing you’ll have to ask is, do you want it hot or iced? For the price, you can’t beat it. Some machines like this can easily be over $1000. If you’re looking for an espresso machine and wanting to spend south of $1,000 look no further. I have an authentic Italian espresso machine my mother brought back from a trip, so I set my coffee bar high. It’s not quite at that level, but I was pleasantly surprised with the strength and quality of how my espresso tasted. I have another machine I purchased here in the states and I was disappointed with the strength of the espresso. Gosh am I happy with this DeLonghi product! I can confidently make an espresso knowing it’ll be great as long as I use nice quality beans. Something I want to bring light to is that this can make ice coffee. Something I love is having an iced coffee on a warm day. It was just 85 degrees where I live and I was craving caffeine, but not hot. I turned on the iced coffee setting and it was a perfect brew. I even used the hot water feature and made some delicious tea! I don’t plan on doing this often, but it was cool knowing this machine does hot water. Call me strange, but I think it’s really cool to see the beans on top of the device. There are 8 different grinding settings. I found the one that I enjoy because I love strong espresso. Experiment and find what’s best for your pallet. Use the quick guide to make the adjustments in strength. Cleanup isn’t that hard. I like to make sure everything is clean and optimal for each use, so I discard the ground coffee after each use. Pros: Coffee Iced coffee Price 4 coffee settings (americano, cold, espresso and hot water) Dishwasher safe parts (but please, hand wash to preserve!!) 8 grind settings to satisfy any person Cons: Could make a little more Crema Froth can be a little denser Overall: So far I’m super happy with this. It’s a touch of elegance and elevates my coffee/espresso game. I was a bit disappointed with the amount of crema it produced. Also, I wish the froth came out denser and stiffer. Maybe the next model can make more? I do recommend this product if you’re looking to up your game without breaking the bank.

Been using daily for 2 weeks. This is my 1st espresso machine and is very user friendly. Wanted a machine that grinds, pulls a double shot, steams milk and also does cold brew espresso. One thing I wish is that the hopper was removable to empty beans if needed.

The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo is an amazing coffee machine! It has a sleek, modern design that fits perfectly in my kitchen, and it’s very easy to use. The steam wand is powerful and makes smooth, creamy milk foam with ease. It’s the perfect machine for making professional-level coffee at home. it’s definitely worth the investment for the quality and performance it delivers.

Worth every penny and every drop. So much better than the $60 unit we got on amazon. This is real espresso and the options are endless. I love the convenience of the grinder and the overall simplicity, once you dial in your preferences. I hope to have this for a long time, but id buy another if i had to!

The La Specialista Arte Evo Espresso Machine with Cold Brew is a great triple threat coffee maker. The machine makes 3 variations of coffee, espresso, americano and cold brew. The machine is quick and easy to unbox and setup takes only a few minutes. Dialing in your coffee beans is another story. Once dialed in this machine makes a great cup of coffee that is consistent from cup to cup with nice body and crema. The addition of the cold brew option is different and works well. I found that the cold brew coffee taste is much fresher than the usual overnight refrigerator method. If you are new to manual espresso it may take some time to get the results you are looking for, but its worth it. The manufacture provides recommended grind and dosage settings, but results vary based on the type of beans you purchase. I started with one type of bean and when I finished that bag and switched to another bag of the same brand and slightly different roast the brew was no longer in the optimal zone, so be prepared to do some fine tuning. It only takes a few tweaks to get back in the optimal zone. The build quality is great and the machine comes with everything you need.

The ease in its use is its strength. We can create different kinds of coffee drinks from just one machine through this. It also looks fancy and heavy duty. We have ben using this machine since buying it a year ago. To date, this machine is serving us well. Great purchase for the price we paid.

I am about a month in utilizing the Arte Vivo machine from Delonghi. So far, this machine has exceeded expectations. Though it does take a little while to fine-tune your preferences, it makes an excellent Americano, espresso, and cold brew. My household went from utilizing K-Cups for years... to this. And then difference is night and day. Of course: picking some of your favorite bean manufacturers will help! Absolutely love this machine and the quality it puts out!

This is my first semi automatic machine. I previously had a Philips 3200 that I was tired of taking apart and cleaning. I opted to go with this De'Longhi machine because my wife likes cold brew and I like espresso. Occasionally I have family that come in town and would like coffee and TBH, americano was what they were getting from the "coffee" function from my Philips 3200. It took me about 10 shots to dial it in. The quick instruction guide was great minus the recommendations for grind/dose based on type of coffee. I've found that no matter light or dark roast, I end up going with grind 3 and 20 on dose to get optimal pressure. I've gone through about 3 bags of beans now and its been fairly consistent. The cold brew function is great compared to the alterative 24 hour steep in your fridge. I never found those filters to really prevent grounds from getting into the actual cold brew after steeping. The machine does a great job creating a smooth room temp drip and a double dose can almost fill an 8 ounce glass with ice. I do wish I could put a slightly larger glass under the spout but it's not a deal breaker. All in all, its a great machine. I've heard horror stories from those that have left reviews on other sites about repairs from the manufacturer. I would recommend getting the geek squad warranty to ensure you can just return the machine to best buy if it fails in the first 2 years instead of having to wait months to get a repair from the manufacturer. I'm hoping this machine lasts for year to come though!

Had this now for over a year and still going strong. You can customize your drinks and have a distinct brew every morning. Easy to clean and maintain which was a concern for me when committing to it. However, if you like to taste and manage the notes of your coffee in different pressures and temperatures than this is a good investment if you have the space.

Makes great coffee and latte. Sleek design and easy to use

De longhi espresso machine nice grind of coffee and taste of espresso but the cream of the coffee is not as much of my other De longhi machine which doesn’t have the grinder. The most I liked about this machine was the grinder. The price is good Especially when it is on sale.

Great coffee quality, not loud, Beautiful design, liked it!