Customer Ratings & Reviews

First off, the espresso machine looks great! The machine is quite heavy, which in my opinion is a good thing. The build quality is also top notch. Out of the box you get more items that I expected. You of course get the espresso machine, the bean container and lid, single and a double filter, a small stainless steel (I think) milk pitcher, a portafilter, a long thin brush, a small plastic steam reservoir cleaner, descaling solution, a small strip for checking Ph balance (Not sure, didn’t use it), an AC power cable, and instructions, and other inserts. Let me state this. This unit comes with a detachable power cable. I don’t know why other companies don’t do this more often, but it makes cleaning the unit so much easier and safer knowing that the plug itself won’t run the risk of getting wet and potentially rusting. When I want to clean any major part of the machine, I place some tape of the exposed mating point of the power plug and I can clean without any concern. Setting up was taking everything out of the box, place the machine where you want it, plug it in, and was the major smaller components with warm water and a little soap. I was ready to give the machine a go. Here are some of the major selling points for this unit. It has a built in bean grinder, an optimal zone gauge, hot water delivery, a preset beverage selection for espresso, americano, and coffee. There’s also a ‘my’ button for creating personalized settings (I did not use this during my review, maybe on an update). One of the better things in life is a nice hot/cold cup of coffee. What’s even better is knowing that you’re not spending potentially $200 a month to enjoy the many cups of coffee. The one belief that I have is that in order to get great coffee, use filtered water. After grinding down the beans into a nice fine powder (About ¼ of the way from the left), I pulled on the tamping lever, set it to and espresso. After you grind the beans, it automatically fills the portafilter. From there you pull the lever and the hard part is over. Place the portafilter into the extractor and watch your little cup get filled with delicious smooth espresso. While that was going, I decided to try out the steam wand. I learned from experience not to pour milk up to the top when using a steam wand; you’re welcome. I poured in about a 1/3 of milk. The milk’s texture is what you would find in any good coffee establishment. The espresso came out rather quickly and with a nice layer of crema on top. I did the same in making the Americano. (Bean grind setting had to be changed). The outcome was also excellent. I tried making a latte (Both hot and cold with a little vanilla) and a cappuccino, and both turned out great. The drinks tasted smooth, and combining the espresso with the foamy milk created a nice blend. Clean up afterwards was simple and easy. I removed and threw away the used grounds, cleaned the portafilter and the separate filter, wiped down and excess espresso that dripped, and cleaned the steam wand. The really nice part of the machine is that it tampers the ground coffee, so takes out some of the guessing involved. The drinks that I made for the review all tasted great. I would definitely recommend it for any coffee lover out there.

I don’t always drink espresso, but when I do it's made with a De’Longhi. For this review I used Starbucks Dark Roast Espresso Whole Bean. My typical coffee go to is a Dark Roast or Decaf. I drink it black and for the flavor. I don’t rely on caffeine or sugar to fuel my day. I can go with or without it, as I don’t crave it. I enjoy it...quite frequently. So maybe I have an issue that I refuse to recognise. So I have really enjoyed the change of pace from traditional drip brew coffee. The latte treats have been nice and I don’t drink as much in one sitting as normally would. I have had some truly nice espresso over the years, I do prefer more a latte if I am being honest, typically because I am just cutting the caffeine buzz down and I like the drink to last a little bit. I like my coffee like I like my beer...tall and dark. One of my favorite treats as a dessert drink is a Vietnamese brew that uses a robusta bean. The Vietnamese restaurants I have been to typically use the Cafe Du Monde from New Orleans. The brew pot it is like a pour over combined with a drip but the yield is that of an espresso (double shot). It delivers a consistency close to that of espresso but does not have the creme tan top. The brew drips into a cup that already has condensed milk added to it and then mixed when finished. You can drink it hot or add it to ice for chilled drink. Either way is great. I also was turned on to Turkish coffee. It too is sort of a dessert coffee since it is traditionally brewed with chocolate shavings. The brew method is boiled in a pot and I have only attempted it once as if you get it wrong it can boil into a mess. To get the flavor I would just add a tablespoon to some Ethiopian Decaf which really complimented the flavors of each other. And if you have ever eaten Indian or Thai food these coffee’s that are roasted with added flavors take on a whole new flavor profile! The Ethiopian mixed with the oils from spices and ginger oils make the Ethiopian have almost a floral flavor. So my rambling is not without cause here, as with the De’Longhi La Specilista Prestigio I can use it to achieve quite a few of the types of coffee I like to drink with ease. I love the built-in plunger as I can add my own ground coffee amount to the cup (I usually use the double) and pack it really nicely. The Dose indicator can be turned to an off position of sorts labeled by a heaping spoon icon, so that the grinder is not automatically activated when placing the portafilter in the grind/tamping station. I have been giving my hand at the frothing attachment and can definitely say I am still learning; I end up making more of a flat white than a latte. My daughters are wanting to be a barista’s for their first jobs and see the process as an art challenge; I am definitely looking forward to benefiting from their attempts! The La Specilista Prestigio definitely takes a lot of guesswork out of the brewing process. I would say this slots in at about 50/50 auto-to-manual brewing. What you will have to figure out is your flavor profile for your brews and blends that you like. The bean typically dictates the grind level, but you can experiment with that too. The Dose level will also give you a better dial in on the final flavor, but the machine intelligently keeps the grind level and dose level in ratio that helps you get a great brew each time. I find the dose level to be equivalent to the fine tune adjustment dial on a microscope. The grind level is the 40x, 100x, 140x lens you select to begin with the magnification. All of this adds up to me being able to use the machine in many different ways and easily mix different flavors of ground coffee and fresh ground beans. I am really liking the versatility of the machine. The hot water feature is great as we are also tea drinkers and usually are just brewing a single bag. We have used an electric kettle for ages, but this makes the process all the quicker and we have cleared up a little more space at our drink station being able to put away the kettle. The sturdiness of the machine is great! Attaching the portafilter to the grind station is very light, while attaching it the brew station is nice a firm to create a good seal. I use to hands to brace the machine just incase it wants to slide as a precaution. But doing it one-handed, this has not happened either. Having the option for tall and short cups is nice especially when I tend to brew using a larger cup. The machine definitely feels and operates as high-end and I know will last for years to come. The three year warranty (2 year out-of-the-box + 1 year-after registration) will definitely help me get there! Best to keep a spot for the box just in case. The size of the machine will make this difficult for use under standard size counter-to-cabinet heights @ 17.5”. The machine to the top of the bean hopper is 17.5” Even if you don’t use that to gain space, you still have to be able to add water to the machine and so it won’t come easy trying to do that. So if you are going for this make sure you have a counter space without a top obstruction or a buffet table of sorts where this can sit as you will need it. In my situation I don’t have any issues with use, but to know the water level. The tank slots in the back and the sides continue the highly polished stainless steel body all the way to the back, so there isn’t away to know the water level without opening the lid and peering in. The max water line is easy to see, so I just fill it up with a pitcher instead of removing the tank each time. The brew select guide of Espresso, Americano, Coffee is a nice feature which continues to let you dial in the flavor you are after with the amount of water. For a home machine it has the right level of technology and user input to experiment and get the brew the way you want it. I am getting quick to at brewing and cleaning the machine immediately after being done with use. Once you get your rotation down it takes about 3 minutes from start to finish to get to enjoy that brew (assuming you are using the frother; even quicker if you are not). The only complaint I have has to do with the unboxing. If you want to keep the styrofoam insert intact, then you will need to open the box upside down add slide the machine out once all the top flaps have been opened. The machines weighs in at almost 30lbs, and there isn’t a really good way to get it out of the box without just destroying the foam packing insert. I did have one session where I had turned the machine on, walked away for a few minutes, and then returned and the grinder would not activate when putting the portafilter in position. I ended up taking out the beans cleaning it out per instructions and putting it back together, but that did not fix it. In the end, I unplugged the device. Held down the power button on the front of the machine to purge any electricity and then replugged in and turned on the main power switch. Since then it hasn’t happened again. Prior to that I had went to use the tamping station as I was using my own ground coffee and forgot to turn the Dose know to tamp only. It the next time I went to use the machine I had the issue. So maybe something I did to interpret the grind process since the bowl was already full caused a malfunction and the machine just needed to be reset. I did the cleaning process first as I had already forgotten about my mistake the day before. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do! If you an avid espresso drinker, I think you will be pleased with the machine. Each time I brew the cup looks picture perfect on the espresso setting...after I add the steamed milk...still a work in progress. PRO TIP-When registering I would only doing it via the webpage and only after signing for an account. I new better, but I did the SMS version. While I got the email my machine was registered, I did not actually get an account. I’m not sure if something glitched using my phone or what, but there wasn’t an account with the same email I used to register after it said it was complete. I then made an account with same the email address and my device is not in my list of devices (I didn’t really think it would be). So I will need to see if De’Longhi can combine and/or add my device to my account.

This is very good espresso machine but there is a big learning curve (at least in my case there was). The following concepts all influenced performance in my case: Beans Easily the most important factor in my opinion. You want fresh espresso beans, with high quality. In my case medium roast beans on the drier side have worked very well. This is a big factor in determining whether you get a good pull and not a bitter cup. Dosage You will need to experiment as to what the right dosage is for you based on your taste and the beans that you select. In my case, it goes up and down depending on the beans I am using, whether I am preparing a single vs. a double shot, time of day etc. Grind I have found 2 setting to work the best though for some beans I have used 1. Temp. 2 bars for my roasts. Be sure to read the manual and short guide and start with their recommendations. Smart Tamping I usually use three tamps but again see what works for your beans. Decalcification This machine need to be cleaned regularly to functions smoothly and efficiently. The minute the red light appears clean it. Follow the instructions in the manual and use the De’Longhi cleaning product. In particular it really helps the steaming wand. Steaming Wand Be sure to keep this clean and run some steam after use to clear out any residue. Issues on Start Up. With my model I did not get any pressure readings from the analog dial. I eventually used the single dose filter with the plastic stopper installed in it (so no water can pass through it) and ran it once. As the pressure built up on the dial the needle went almost all the way to the right and I shut off power and removed the single dose filter. It made pop sound and it appeared to clear whatever was clogging it. After that I have cleaned as normal when the light turns on and I have not had any issues. It really does make great lattes and macchiatos. Enjoy!

I worked as a barista all through college and have missed being able to pull my own espresso shots and steam my own milk. I honestly was afraid I forgot how but this machine works beautifully. It had a part that can ramp the shot down with whatever pressure you want which is really convenient but I do with it came with a hand tamper as well. It’s comes with multiple grind adjustments and the steaming wand works beautifully! 10/10 recommend! It’s looks beautiful in the counter and is a big crowd pleaser when we have guests over

First, I will start by saying that this is a very nice-looking stainless steel Espresso Machine and looks great on my kitchen counter-top. This is my first time owning a DeLonghi unit, so getting used to all the functions for the first time was a little cumbersome. Once I figured everything out, I couldn't stop making espresso shots and Americanos. lol. There is a lot of cool features on this machine. The first being the separate hot water dispenser tube. A lot of machines I have used in the past have water dispense where the espresso comes out and you end up having coffee grains in your water. This one has a tube that runs on the outside which gives you clean hot water every time. My why loves it since she is the tea drinker of the household. The second is the Sensor Grinding Technology that grinds just the right amount of espresso every time not overloading it. The Smart Tamper feature is a pretty handy feature as well which eliminates a lot of mess. This also has a side temperature-controlled Frother which is great when wanting to heat up my heavy cream. I know there are so many other features on this machine but know it is worth every penny. I have had this for about a week now and continue trying new things on this machine. If you love that manual control espresso machine, you can't go wrong with DeLonghi's La Especialista. We had a few friends over this week and both times they commented on how nice it looks. Then I made them a few shots of espresso with both responses being "wow!" I can't wait to use this machine to create new coffee drinks. Although it took a little getting used to at first with all the features, I definitely will still rate this a 5, from its looks, quality, and many control options providing you with the perfect espresso drink every time.

Lasted 3 years, regularly cleaned it, only used the De'Longhi descale solution, even used De'Longhi water filters. Used non-oily beans, would only make decent espresso if I had the grind setting all the way to 1 with the dial in the 1-2 o'clock position. Anything less higher than 1 grind setting the pressure wouldn't build and water would just run through. After the latest descaling, now there is a buzz and high squeal noise coming out of the machine and will no longer get up to 1/8 of the way for pressure.

We love these coffee machines but they can be fickle and easily break and not work correctly. When you get used to the great coffee it provides on a daily basis, you get very upset when errors and issues come up that prevent regular operations. I’d strongly suggest you purchase the Best Buy warranty si you can trade it back in when something goes wrong.

Great product. Fairly easy to use and produces good coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos. Wish it had a low water indicator before running out, but that has been the only drawback.

I'd give this a 4.5, if I could. Trying to 'dial in' the right dose and grind size is quite a challenge. I called their customer service and did a call with someone and for a moment there it was good, though the pressure gauge never really went above 25% or so. And then I adjusted something and I can't get my espresso grind/dosage back to where it was. In all the demo videos and reviews out there, it shows the pressure gauge getting up around 50% and delivering more crema than I am able to get from my machine. Of course, customer service said the 25% gauge read is 'normal.' The coffee tastes fine to me I just feel like it's still probably over extracted (and espresso grinds in the wand are 'soupy' after I make espresso). I'm not a newbie to barista-ing either so it may be frustrating for some who haven't made espresso drinks before. Aside from this, I'd say its a great machine. I mean, for under $1,000 you're not going to get a machine that's solid metal (I got mine on sale for around $750.00 for Black Friday). The frother / steam wand is excellent. After each use, be sure to wipe it off well with a damp rag after frothing and then turn the steam wand on for about 5 seconds after you've heated your milk - tilt the wand so that the steam goes into the 'water tray' below (to keep it aerated and relieve pressure). The auto grind and tamping arm are awesome. Aside from the dosage/grind issue, the only other minor complaint I have is that the water tank is not easily accessed if you wish to put in on a counter towards the wall in your kitchen. It's also dark plastic so seeing what the water level is would be difficult if up against a wall or backsplash. I placed my machine on an 'island' in the kitchen so I can get to the water refill area more easily. I also purchased the knock box and double-walled espresso and latte glasses, all of which are a thumbs up. No need to buy the metal 'milk jug' accessory, as it already comes with the machine.

great coffee, just like starbucks. very complex - only technically minded need apply

I am notorious for buyers remorse, but that just isn’t the case here. I get giddy like a child when I turn this machine on because it consistently pulls beautifully developed shots with such a user friendly interface. In my opinion, De Longhi’s integrated grinder is much quieter and sounds heartier than Breville’s. However, you don’t get an indicator light for smart tamping like Breville’s, just the notches on the handle. Pre infusion takes minimal time for single or double shots. The pressure dial does not give the PSI in whole number digits, but an “optimal range” that suffices just as well with correct application. Shots are auto timed. My one and only true disappointment with this machine is the steam wand. Your steam knob is either in stationary on or off, no biggie, but the pressure just is not enough. Other than a slightly tricky first use, this machine has taken every coffee stop out of my life. You will have a beautiful, quality product if you purchase the Specialista.

Very nice and excellent quality. You must watch videos and read all directions so you can easily understand how it all works, but it’s very easy and nice. Looks great too!

This my second machine. First I bought 1 year ago and never have headaches and any operation problem. Second I bought 1 months ago for mom mom. She happy also. 15 bar psi make good espresso with foam. Easy to clean and care. Good quality and steel body will look not cheap in many different kitchens interiors.

One of the best purchases I've ever made. I make my good coffee several times a day without having to visit coffee shops and spend a lot of money. And I can say that I have a professional level thanks to this machine.

Excellent. Great coffee. High quality and easy to

Very long lasting. High quality coffee results. Haven’t paid for a Starbucks coffee in years. There’s nothing you can’t do with this machine— except you can’t steam and brew at the same time as it has only one boiler. So you have to switch between both.

Nice espresso from time to time. I bought this knowing I’d have spend time learning different beans, grinds, etc. I’ve made at least 2 dozen coffees in the last 10 days or so I’ve had this testing things out. I’ve made half that we’re good and half that were just ok. The reason for the lower score is when I found a setting that worked, I would make them the exact same way (first and second cup for me and a first for more wife in the morning) and it would come out completely different. I left the temp, grind, and tamping all the same yet within 2 hours and 3 coffees, even the pressure gauge registered differently. I am sure this machine and brand are great and there could potentially be something I missed (grind and beans were the same as well). But after 2 weeks and consistent settings, at least for this machine it was yielding different results.

I love this espresso machine, best purchase. Easy to clean, easy to prepare coffee, the froth milk is great. No regrets, just complements!

Large for a small countertop but makes great coffee. Perfect for the coffee lover.

very nice and easy to use, very shining steel, nice looking