Customer Ratings & Reviews

The De'Longhi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine is an absolute game-changer for home baristas! From the moment I unboxed it, I could tell the build quality was top-notch. The sleek silver finish gives it a premium, professional look, and every component feels durable and well-designed. What truly sets this machine apart is its ease of use. The built-in grinder delivers the perfect coffee dose, and the smart tamping system ensures consistency every time. I love how intuitive the controls are—it makes pulling a café-quality espresso effortless. The steam wand also produces excellent microfoam for lattes and cappuccinos with minimal effort. When it comes to value, this machine is a fantastic investment. You get a high-end espresso experience at home without the learning curve of more complicated machines. Plus, it saves me money in the long run since I don’t need to visit a coffee shop every day! I’ll admit, the price is on the higher side, but after using it, I can confidently say it’s worth every penny. The quality, convenience, and performance make it a fantastic long-term investment—especially if you’re looking to cut down on coffee shop visits. If you’re considering a home espresso machine, I highly recommend the La Specialista Opera. It’s perfect for both beginners and seasoned coffee lovers who want high-quality, delicious coffee with ease. A must-buy!

We absolutely love our DeLonghi espresso machine! Its incredibly easy to use, even for beginners, and it consistently delivers great tasting coffee. Wether we are making espressos, lattes or cappuccinos,the results are always smooth and delicious. It's also very practical, everything from setup to cleaning is straightforward. We especially appreciate the consistent brewing quality, every cup taste just as good as the last. Highly recommend this machine to anyone who wants café style coffee at home without the fuss!

I love this machine. It makes better coffee than half the local cafes even with mid range (but fresh) beans from the store. The espresso is sweet and fruity with a nice crema even the first time we used the machine. I use it every day for myself and my family, making coffee, lattes, cold brew, tea, and cocoa. The grinder is mostly repeatable, there is a little variation in grind volume but not enough to ruin a drink. The tamper works great, we do two presses each time. The suggested grind fineness is great but we found the suggested dose to be under for light and medium roast beans (haven’t done any dark roast yet, not really our thing). We typically have it between 15 and 18 depending on the beans. I am new to steaming milk but after watching some YouTube videos I can turn 6 oz of milk into good hot microfoam in about 30 seconds. The cold brew is one of my favorite options. It is very slow, about 5 minutes, but one cup is strong enough to dilute to 16 oz of cold brew comparable to what I make in the fridge in 24 hours. I have found it slightly better to run it twice to get a bit more flavor if I have the time. The water and bean hopper are a decent size, we end up filling it every couple days making 4-5 assorted drinks a day. The low bean and low water alerts are very helpful, we’ve never run out during a brew. Knocking the pucks out requires a knock box, we had to buy that separately. The steam pitcher is a little small, we may upgrade that at some point but it is large enough for a latte. I wish BB sold the cleaning tablets and descaling solution, we had to buy those elsewhere. I believe the machine tells you when those things need to be done. Hasn’t happened yet but we’re only a few weeks in.

Makes high quality coffee, very delicious. Easy to use. The only thing is it needs descaling more often than written in instructions. ( The use is normal, for home, not for professional intent)

I can’t say enough good things about this coffee machine!!! It has completely changed how I start my mornings. The coffee it makes is SOOOOO good, better than any coffee shop I’ve been to. I LOVE the espresso mode!!! It have a smooth and rich taste. I love how easy it is to use this coffee machine. I was worried it would be complicated, but it’s super straightforward, and cleanup isn’t a hassle either. Now every cup I make feels like a special treat!!! If you love good coffee, trust me you NEEESSDDD thisss in ur life!!!!

Ditched the Keurig have no regrets. This machine makes the best coffee/espresso hands down! Bought it on sale over the holidays making my purchase totally worth it. Learning to use it was a snap after reading the instruction manual.

Love the product. Makes excellent shots. The cold feature is nice. My son has enjoyed the steam wand and attempting art

The De'Longhi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine is truly a masterpiece in all aspects, from its design to that first sip of your favorite espresso, it will leave you in a world of java bliss. So, let's go over what the new De'Longhi La Specialista Opera has to offer. Specifications: 17.5 H X 15 W X 14 D X 28 lbs. Design: First and foremost, this is an absolutely stunning looking machine. Its solid and durable construction combined with the stainless-steel finish adds a touch of elegance and sophistication to any kitchen, elevating your home espresso experience. Ease of Use: Making that perfect espresso is not a difficult task, but it does require some work and some trial and error. The De'Longhi La Specialista Opera takes the guess work out of making that perfect cup of your favorite drink, allowing even beginners to make a quality cup of espresso the first time and every time. The precision built-in Italian made burr grinder offers 15 settings for the most optimal grind, to the smart tamping technology, helping you achieve an even and consistent tamping without the guesswork, combining that with the 3 levels of infusion temperature settings ensuring consistent and stable water temperature from start to finish to achieve the best cup of espresso. That perfect cup of coffee requires the perfect froth. The powerful built-in steam wand allows you to create that velvety micro foam for any type of your milk-based beverage. Not only does this machine offer hot coffee, but also offers cold brew coffee in under 5 minutes and a new espresso cool option. The cold brew coffee needs no explaining but the new espresso cool is a unique option that offers an espresso shot brewed using room temperature water and high-pressure extraction to produce, in my experience, a refreshing and unique shot of espresso. I personally do not prefer cold coffee but my wife became an instant fan. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic espresso, a creamy cappuccino, or a latte, the La Specialista Opera can handle it all. My Experience: I have been using the La Specialista Opera for few days now, this has to be the easiest and most consistent machine yet, making it perfect for beginners and hassle free for the coffee aficionado. The espresso it produces are rich, flavorful, and full-bodied. The manual controls provide control over the whole brewing process, allowing you to create your brew to your preference. Clean Up: Just like brewing, the cleanup is also hassle free. The drip tray, water tank and the bean hopper are all removable making for an easy and hassle-free cleaning. Conclusion: The De'Longhi La Specialista Opera is a quality-built machine that delivers. It is a machine that will last and offer you perfectly crafted and customized beverages for years to come, a machine that will elevate not only kitchen but also your coffee experience.

Tried La Specialista Opera as a replacement for a different brand that failed twice. What a fantastic surprise! This machine is not only aesthetically pleasing but a great, powerful one! After playing with the settings a bit, I was able to pull a fantastic new version of my favorite drink. Definitely a keeper!

📦 UNBOXING: Inside the box, you’ll get the machine, a portafilter with 2 filters (for 1x and 2x doses) and 2 more filters for cool brewing. On top of that, Delonghi provides you with a milk pitcher to use with the steaming wand, a water hardness test, and some cleaning accessories. Other than that, you’ll also receive the quick start guide and a detailed instruction manual. 💪 BUILD: The La Specialista Opera is a well-built espresso machine. It has a metal chassis with some plastic for areas like the bean container, water reservoir and drip tray. This isn’t my first Delonghi machine, either. While my daily machine is a superautomatic that is twice the price as this one, this machine inspires the same confidence that I have come to appreciate about Delonghi espresso machines. ⚒️ SETUP: The setup process is laid out in the quick start manual, but there’s also a QR code on the full instruction manual that will link you to the How To Videos specifically created for the Delonghi La Specialista Opera. I think a lot of people will prefer these videos since sometimes the instruction manual can be a bit unclear—especially because some of the steps in the quick start guide include text instructions while others do not. The full instruction manual, however, is much more detailed and is a great reference to get the most out of your machine. With that said, it really didn’t take long to get set up. You’ll clean the accessories, rinse the machine and purge the steam arm. You’ll also want to use the hard water tester so you can configure your machine for more frequent or less frequent descaling. After which, you can reference the roast chart so you know how to set the grind level based on the roast level of your beans, and dial in the dose level, and set the temperature for the perfect espresso drink. 🫘 GRINDING & TAMPING: Grinding coffee beans with La Specialista Opera is easy. First, connect your portafilter to the grinder and turn it to the “close” position to secure it. You’ll want to make sure you’ve selected the correct filter based on hot espresso or cool espresso, and a 1x dose or 2x dose. Simply pour your beans into the container, select your grind level on the container, then set the dose level between min and 40. Then start the grind by selecting a 1x dose or 2x dose based on the filter size you chose. The machine will grind your beans into the portafilter, and you’ll need to tamp the grounds into a puck. The tamping process is also quite easy. If you’re tamping for hot espresso, you’ll want to pull the lever fully, then repeat it once more, and keep the tamping lever down while removing the portafilter. Once removed, you should see that the grounds should be flat and smooth and the filter should be filled up to the level of the lasered mark on the inside of the filter. If you get too much or too little, you may need to adjust the dose dial in future attempts to get the perfect dose. ☕ BREWING: Pouring a good espresso drink is easy with La Specialista Opera. Always make sure you have enough water in the reservoir before pouring. Insert the portafilter with tamped grounds into the coffee outlet and place your espresso glass under the filter. Then simply rotate the dial to which coffee drink you want to make, select the temperature, then press the OK button to start brewing. I enjoyed brewing both cold and hot espresso beverages. I didn’t realize how easy it would be to create a cold brew, but Delonghi claimed to make a glass of cold brew in less than 5 minutes, and it certainly did achieve that. Since this is an espresso machine, you’ll want shorter height glasses for brewing into, since taller glasses won’t fit. However, you can always pour espresso shots into a smaller glass and then pour it into a larger glass later. You also have an option for simply dispensing hot water which can be useful for tea or other hot beverages. ♨️ STEAM WAND: The steam wand is very easy to use for frothing and steaming milk. You’ll want to pour milk or milk alternatives into the milk pitcher knowing that it will double or triple in size—so don’t overfill the pitcher. Purge the steam wand for a few seconds before use. Then while off, put the wand into the milk pitcher with the wand tip just under the surface of the milk. Turn the steam wand on, and as the milk heats up, it’ll begin to froth and create texture for your milk drinks. It’ll take some time to get good at, but Delonghi also provides video instructions on how to froth milk and create latte art. 🧐 CONCLUSION: The Delonghi La Specialista Opera espresso machine does not come cheap, but I find that it does not take long to get used to after just a bit of practice. It makes grinding and tamping an incredibly easy process, and thanks to their included roast chart, you can easily find some settings to start with and make adjustments to dial in the perfect brew. I’m a big fan of cold brew coffee and milk-based espresso drinks, and the La Specialista Opera made creating these at home an easy endeavor. I can definitely recommend this to anybody who wants to buy a quality machine built by a reputable brand.

Loving this machine so far. Delicious espresso and coffee. I looked around for a machine I could do a long pour espresso on for coffee and this machine has the setting built in.

This espresso machine is excellent. The design of the espresso machine is beautiful and superb. It’s made of premium materials like stainless steel which makes it look great on a countertop. The espresso machine has a built in grinder which works great. It’s an Italian-made burr grinder which is ideal for espresso. Out of the box the grind setting was perfect and the dosing buttons provided the exact amount of espresso I needed. Delonghi’s smart tamp technology is consistently excellent. Historically when packing shots I’ve had to do a bit of guesswork to get the perfect puck. With the lever, I consistently get the perfect pack without having to think about the amount of pressure I’m applying or the technique I’m using to apply the pressure. The espresso this machine produces is really tasty. This machine definitely has enough pressure to produce high quality espresso. The crema on the shot is picture perfect and the taste is perfectly balanced. I followed the instructions in the quick guide to dial in the temperature based on the type of beans I was using and it was perfect. Likewise, I tested the steam wand and it worked well as I expected it to. One thing I was really surprised about with this machine was the cold espresso and the cold brew options. I’ve never seen this before on an espresso machine but it works super well. My only complaint is that the pucks don’t clear as easily as the hot espresso ones do, but to get instant cold brew or cold espresso it seems worth the minimal hassle. Overall, this is a great machine that I would recommend to any espresso enthusiast.

This machine is awesome, the coffee taste better, I definitely enjoy more my Coffe now.

There was a bit of a learning curve to get up to speed on all the options and controls. After reviewing the full manual, some of my questions were answered. However, the manual includes a lot of coffee lingo that might only make sense to those well-versed in coffee beans, espresso machines, and brewing terminology. But the espresso is phenomenal and very very smooth. If you are serious about coffee this is won’t disappoint you. Pros: User-Friendly: Once you get the hang of it, it's simple to use. Sturdy Quality: The machine is solidly built. Brewing Options: Several programmable options, allowing you to adjust the amount of espresso and/or water per drink. Temperature Control: Adjustable temperature settings for different coffee roasts. Built-In Tamper: Strong and sturdy, providing a tight, clean tamp. Hot Water: Water comes out very hot, unlike other machines. Steam Wand: My favorite part; it's sturdy, provides good pressure, and heats milk faster than any other machine I’ve used. The milk froth turns out creamy and delicious. Simple Cleaning: Haven’t cleaned it yet, but the instructions seem easy. Great Taste: The espresso is smooth and delicious. Automatic Shut-Off: It shuts off after about 30 seconds. Important with my curious grandsons around. Espresso Tray: Smaller fold-down tray for espresso glasses. Cons: Manual Complexity and discrepancies: Both the Quick Start manual and full manual aren’t really beginner friendly. Some picture keycodes don’t match up with the guidance later in the manual. For example, the dial button is labeled "B7" in the picture but mentioned as "B8" later. This inconsistency appears a few times. Grinder is louder than other machines I’ve used. The noise might be a concern in the early morning. An internal grinder might be quieter. Size: It’s big. If buying, I’d recommend measuring first, as it just fits under my cabinets. Water Reservoir Location: Hidden in the back, making it hard to access. If stored under cabinets, you must pull the machine out and turn it to reach the reservoir. Also, the machine kept shutting off when the reservoir was about half full, and I couldn’t find a solution in the manual. Overall, a fabulous machine that produces the best coffee I have ever had.

As I've gotten older, I've slowly developed a much more refined taste for coffee. First it was about getting better coffee beans, then better coffee makers. It wasn't until now though, that I finally got an actual espresso machine in this La Specialista Opera. Sure, I've had more affordable coffee makers that pretend to be espresso machines, but they always fall short. First, let me just say that this is a beautiful piece of machinery. Just sitting on the counter it levels up my kitchen. It's not small either and does take up a good amount of space, but it's all functional and makes sense. That said, if I have one complaint, it's the design of the water tank and bean hopper. I have a pretty standard kitchen setup as far as counters and cabinets go, and it barely fits under the cabinets making it a bit of a hassle to refill the bean hopper. And with the water tank being in the back and having to be raised straight up a bit before it can be pulled out also makes it a bit of a hassle to refill. It makes it so that I'm limited in where to place it as I can't have both sides blocked, otherwise I'd have to move the entire machine every time I needed to fill the water tank. While that may sound a bit nit-picky, it's because I don't have much else negative to say about this machine. Getting started is simple enough, just a quick couple steps and prep cycle and it's ready to go. Then it's a matter of learning the machine and just about coffee itself. Going through the steps, first up is getting the coffee grounds ready. The guide does a pretty good job at giving you a starting point, but it did take me several tries before I figured out the coarseness of the grind and the dose amount. The manual helps a lot here in telling you what steps to take to figure it out. Again, I want to repeat that this is my first ever true espresso machine, so I'm a complete novice to all of this. Then there's the actual brewing process. There doesn't seem to be much to this. Once you've selected your brew, it's just a matter of hitting the 'OK' button. The adjustments are in the grind, but again, the manual does a good job of leading you in the right direction for that based on the results of the brew. After quite a bit of use, I've now tried all of the different brew settings. My favorite, probably because I've been used to larger cups of drip coffee, is the Americano brew. The only setting I'm not as big a fan of is the plain 'Coffee' setting. Now my wife, whose family owned a coffee shop at one point that she worked in, loves the Cold Brew. So how good is the brew? Let's just say that I've never been so spoiled with great coffee. Using the same bean I've been using for a while now in my expensive drip maker, the quality and taste is so much better with this espresso machine, I can hardly believe it was the same bean. Now I'm just having a blast trying out different coffees and drinks that I wouldn't have thought possible outside of ordering from actual coffee shops. Luckily Delonghi has several short videos with basic recipes for me to try. In the short time I've had this La Specialista, I've learned more about coffee than I have in the previous 40+ years of my life. Oh, and there's the steamer too! Other coffee machines have come with "frothers" to try and duplicate what you get with an actual steam wand, but it's just not the same. This La Specialista Opera is an amazing machine, whether you're a novice like me or someone with barista experience like my wife. To those who absolutely love coffee but haven't ventured into real espresso machines, I say make the investment in one like this La Specialista Opera, I promise it'll be worth it.

Introduction De’Longhi has made its name as a premiere espresso machine maker. Their units have brought home the café experience at an affordable price. Going in Having another De’Longhi espresso machine already, I was excited to see what the new Opera could do. What comes in the box? Out of the box you get the unit, a water tank, a portafilter with a single and double dose, a second filter for cold brew, a descaler solution, a water hardness tester, cleaning brushes, a milk pitcher, and start up guides, and other inserts. Minor wins I like the small things like adding a descaler solution for at least one run. Nothing is worse than seeing that descaling light come on and not have it for first time users. Major wins I love the fact that the Opera takes a lot of the messy work out of the equation. There’s no tamping done on the user’s part, the beans are ground automatically and then with a pull of a lever the tamping of the espresso grounds are done. When my unit arrived, the water tank was cracked. I contacted De’Longhi’s customer service, and they had a replacement free of charge on my doorstep in two days. They’ve always had great customer service, and I’m glad to say that the trend continues. Usage Once you place the unit where you want, it’s time to do some initial cleaning for not only the parts that you’ll be using but for the internals of the Opera as well. You’ll need to run water through the system to give it a good cleaning. This will have to be one once and that’s it. The quick start guide has a nice breakdown of the grind setting and temperature based on what type of bean you like to use. Follow the guide and you’ll make delicious tasting espresso. Still, you can change the settings to your liking until you find the preference that you prefer. I love the fact that you don’t need a separate burr grinder and a separate tamping device to compress the coffee. Not having to do these two steps probably only saves you a few minutes, but it’s the simplicity that makes it great. The build quality of the Opera is top notch. It has a beautiful machined finish. I would have liked it if the bean housing was either in the same metal aesthetic or located in the machine. The whole clear plastic isn’t bad, but it just stands out. The control panel may seem overwhelming but once you get familiar with what each button does, or what a specific logo indicates, you’ll feel right at home and making some great espresso. My one piece of advice is to always use filtered water. You can’t expect to make good espresso using tap water. Cold brew is an interesting take. In the old traditional way, you would have to let coffee grounds soak in cold water overnight, or for at least 12 hours on average. The Opera does it in a few minutes. The procedure drips the cold brew out like droplets of coffee. Just get a mug, fill it with some ice, and sit back while it does the job. Just on a critical minor side note, it would have been nice if the control panel was a touch screen. I know that some people may say that the screen can go out, or something to that nature… But mechanical buttons can also break/stick. I think it would have added a nice touch of modernism to an already great machine. Primarily for Espresso lovers, and people who enjoy espresso and espresso drinks without a lot of the hassle. Probably not for People who already have a super expensive espresso machine that they love, and or people who love the simplicity and bad taste of pod coffee makers. All in all De’Longhi continues to make great espresso machines. I like how they’re incorporating different aspects from different machines (Like the cold brew from the Arte Evo), and adding it to a previously very popular design. The Opera is easy to use if you’re familiar with using an espresso machine, and if you’re not, then it’ll probably take about 20 minutes to read through a few pages of the quick start guide, and making a few espresso shots to feel comfortable with how it works. I wouldn’t call this an expensive machine but it certainly isn’t cheap. Once you get into the groove of making your own specialty drinks, you’ll say goodbye to your local café that charges you for overpriced coffee. The machine will pay for itself in about a year depending on how often you go. I would definitely recommend this to all coffee lovers, and potential coffee enthusiasts.

Wow! The DeLonghi La Specialista OPERA is a piece of art… it is beautiful. For all it does, it’s pretty compact. I measured 12” across the front and 13.5” front to back. Advance warning, it is heavy. Determine where you want to locate this beauty before opening the box. It needs a permanent home, too heavy to move around. Read the Quick Start Guide, it is quite detailed in the steps to prepare the coffee machine for use. La Specialista OPERA will grind your coffee beans! Fill the bean container and set the desired level of grind. The recommended starting level is 9 for a medium roast coffee bean. The manual (not the Quick Start Guide) provides plenty of details on the suggested grind level based on the color of the roast, see page 8. Put the portafilter in the coffee grinder outlet and start the grinding process. On the left side of the unit is a tamper lever, use this to tamp the freshly ground beans. Then pop the portafilter into the coffee spout, select your preferences and viola you have expresso. The steam wand heats and froths milk as well as any coffee shop. Unpacking: I was pleasantly surprised after taking the coffee machine out of the box. Very minimal setup was needed. Pop the cup grill in place and take the tape off the smaller cup grill. Give the parts; water tank, portafilter, milk carafe, etc. a quick wash. Run some steam cycles without a milk product to clean the steam wand. And then you are ready to make some fantastic coffee/expresso. Although La Specialista OPERA has many functions, I find it quite handy to make a quick cup of tea. In addition to making expresso, you can make an Americano which I like after lunch. DeLonghi has several “How To” videos available on the internet. They are short (2 – 3 minutes) and informative. I found the video on how to access the setup menu quite helpful.

De'Longhi La Specialista Opera espresso maker is a great setup that’s super accessible to the novice. How do I know this? Because I had NO clue what I was doing when I started, but made amazing coffee with just a few easy steps - and you can too. De’Longhi’s maker though isn’t just espresso, but also coffee, iced coffee, espresso cold, and just plain hot water for tea making it earn its footprint on your countertop. Now, I’ll preface this review that I’m an enjoyer of coffee, but by no means a snob. I went through my Keurig phase, and honestly I can barely drink it anymore. I’ve been a standard drip coffee person, augmenting my coffee desires w/ occasional coffee shop trips for anything espresso based. So the DeLonghi espresso maker is really my first at home experience with both grinding my own, tamping, brewing under pressure, and frothing milk - and you know what? It wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I thought it might be thanks to De'Longhi excellent engineering. Unboxing was fairly easy, with only a few pieces being secured with tape. A little warm water washing, and I had the machine ready to go. Included with the espresso maker are several stainless steel filters (2 for coffee/espresso, 2 for espresso cool), portafilter, milk pitcher, and some cleaning/descaling tools. Essentially everything you need to get started. You’ll find the water tank on the back. If you’re placing this under cabinets, this might be a deal breaker, as you do need to lift this up, and the machine itself is 17.5” tall. I had to scoot mine out a bit, but it wasn’t too bad. There’s information on setting water hardness, but I like to use purified water from my fridge anyways, so less of a concern. I was intimidated at first, as I’ve never done dosing or tamping. Luckily this machine does all the work for you. Simply feed in the whole coffee beans up top, place the single or double filter into the portafilter and choose the size button (single or double dose based on the filter). There is a dose selector, and the quick start makes suggestions based on the type of roasted beans you have. I put mine on 20 as I was using starbucks espresso dark roast. The grinder will accurately grind up just enough coffee. I’m not sure how hard this is to accomplish without this magical machine, but I liked that I didn't even think about it. The tamper is also convenient - and the quick start guide gives you a heads up on how to use this. Short answer is: pull the handle all the way forward then back, then pull it forward again and remove the portafilter. What comes out is a perfectly level packed amount of ground coffee. From here, you move the portafilter over to the brewing area and select the appropriate type you want to brew. There are 5 things you can brew: coffee, espresso, americano, cold brew, and espresso cool. I tried everything but espresso cool. Coffee I found to be really good for single cup brewing. Coffee is brewed using the standard filter. Americano simply mixes in hot water from the separate spout with the espresso. Espresso is the start of the show for me, allowing me to make cappuccinos like a boss. I found getting the perfect espresso required no special settings, and the machine performed admirably. The steam wand for steaming milk took me a few tries to get right, but overall was pretty easy to use. It starts steaming after about 5-6 seconds after hitting the switch dial and takes about 45 seconds to produce the proper froth for a cappuccino. I’ll be honest I barely know what I’m doing, but what I’m making tastes amazing, so I’m not complaining. In my first few days I went through a half gallon of milk, that’s how good this espresso was. I don’t drink milk, and have poured out spoiled milk every time I buy it, but I went though a half gallon in no time. It’s so fun to brew, froth and the outcome is so tasty - with or without sweetener. Cold brew coffee was surprisingly good. I have made cold brew - and it usually takes about 24 hours to properly infuse and make. I would have a hard time telling the difference between properly brewed, and what this machine makes inside 5 minutes. If you like cold brew, you might be surprised how good the outcome is from this setting that basically makes cold brew on a dime. The instructions, and quick start guide made life easy. I will say I didn’t read everything as completely as I should have, using the espresso cool to make espresso initially (hey it worked and was really good). There are lots of adjustments, from grinding, to water hardness settings (I used purified water, so set to soft), but most defaults are good. The control surfaces feel absolutely professional, and dare I say visceral? Using this machine is a great balance of automatic with knobs, levers, and buttons brought together with a solidly feeling portafilter. Overall you’ll feel like a barista using this thing and impress your friends as you go to work at your station. I am super impressed with this machine. As a beginner, this made so many things easy and making amazing coffee has been easy. Originally I thought this might be a tad overkill for me, but honestly as a single guy, brewing single cups makes more sense than an entire pot. Being able to skip the starbucks when I need my espresso fix is amazing, and this machine makes some delicious espresso drinks. DeLonghi has amazing build quality and made this a super accessible experience. Highly recommended.

The De'Longhi - La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine truly exceeded my expectations of what an all in one espresso machine was able to do. Firstly, I have owned the La Specialista Arte version of this machine and I can tell you that De'Longhi learned from their errors in design with the Arte when creating the Opera. First let's talk about the main thing that is always a key issue that is now fixed in the Opera, the grinder. Having the additional grind settings is a life saver to properly dial in the espresso. I only had to maybe waste 2 or 3 portafilters worth to dial in this espresso. It grinds extremely well. There is no longer a need for a guide either for the grinder. It locks in place and reduces mess which is a nice added benefit. Secondly, the built in tamper I was curious to see how consistent it would be tamp over tamp. To my surprise the tamper creates a consistent tamp every single time. I do admit you need to clean the sides of the tamper after a few uses because you will hear the espresso grounds getting caught in the retraction mechanism but a quick dusting and wipe fixes that problem immediately. The thermoblock unit is much more consistent now as well I have found very little reason to need to preheat the portafilter with a hot water pass. I am able to get the proper 9 bar espresso shot. Granted I will usually steam my milk first which also will prep the block prior to making an espresso shot which may help but I haven't had a terrible tasting shot yet from this machine after using 2 different beans. The newest features such as the Cool Espresso was certainly something new to explore and De'Longhi did really well with it. I was curious how the shot would taste without needing heated water but its a smooth shot over ice and perfect for a warm summer day when a hot espresso is just not what you want. Overall this machine is worth its weight in gold and I truly cannot imagine ever needing to buy another espresso machine. De'Longhi nailed this one and hit it out of the park to a level I would have never expected.

I have been buying and drinking expensive bottled Cafe Mocha for years. Boy, I didn't know what I was missing. When I saw this De'Longhi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine, I thought it was time to find out and ordered it. When the La Specialista Opera arrived, I opened the box to many accessories and a beautiful, gleaming brushed stainless steel machine of substantial build quality, size and weight. I set it up on the kitchen counter and then sat down to read the directions. I have no experience even making brewed coffee in a pot, much less the experience of a barista. I found the directions a bit daunting for a novice. But, after reading through the instructions a couple of times and familiarizing myself with the machine description, controls and accessories, I decided to approach this step by step. The very first thing is to lift out the Water Tank from the back of the machine and gently wash it and all the accessories in warm soapy water and then thoroughly rinse them. The next step is to prepare the machine for first time usage. This preparation initially involves ensuring that the Drip Tray, the Cup Grille and the Drip Tray Grille are correctly positioned. Then, fill the newly cleaned Water Tank with cold, clean water up to embossed MAX level line on the tank and carefully slide it into place on the back of the machine. (Do not ever operate the machine without water in the tank or without the tank in the machine.) The rest of the setup (I suggest that you read the instructions carefully and look at the diagrams) consists of plugging the cord into an appropriate wall socket, placing an at least 6.76 fl oz. container under the hot water spout and then pressing the Hot Water Button on the front of the machine. This will turn the hot water on and then shut off. Do this several times to flush out any manufacturing residue that may be left over in the machine. Make sure not to overflow your catch container - stop occasionally and empty it. Then, place a 1 cup filter for Hot brewing into the Portafilter with the handle (yes, you really need to learn the idiomatic terms!) and then align the Portafilter handle to the "INSERT" label on the Coffee Spout, push up and turn the handle to the "CLOSE" position to ensure it is locked in. Place the catch container back on the grille under the Portafilter and then move the Steam Wand from the side of the machine to empty into the catch container. From there, all you have to do is press the "OK" button and hot water will flow through the Portafilter and turn off. Do this a few times to ensure proper flushing. Then, turn the Steam Dial on the right hand side of the machine from "0" to the Steam icon to release a jet of steam and then put back to "0". Do this several times to ensure that the steam circuit is rinsed. Whew! The machine is now ready for use. Well almost... Now, De'Longhi provides a Water Hardness Test Strip with the machine and the suggestion, which I took, is to test your water hardness right away, compare the hardness results to the chart provided in the instructions. Once the rest of the first run preparation is completed, go and set the proper hardness settings into the machine per the instructions. This will be important for how often you need to clean the machine for mineral build-up in the future and the machine will notify you of when it needs to be done. Now, you can grind your coffee beans and make your first Espresso, either Hot or Cold depending on your choice and setup. There is a learning curve and proper setup adjustments before you get very satisfactory results. The manual warns you that it may take 4 to 5 cups of coffee to get the machine dialed in to your particular choice of coffee bean, how it grinds, and what it takes to get to the "perfect dose" or amount that you get with a particular grind coarseness setting, and Dose Level setting and whether it fills the Coffee Filters to the mark on the Filter after Tamping. There is definitely a learning curve. But once you smell that freshly ground coffee and taste that delicious espresso it will all be worth it! The De'Longhi - La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine does an exceptional job at allowing you to be your own Barista! I already have suggested this machine to friends and family.