De'Longhi 15 Bar, 2-Cup Stainless Steel Espresso Machine

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Highly recommend. I have had a few espresso machines over the years and was trained as a Barista. I actually like the interaction with this La Specialista Arte more than my super-automatic. Built in bean hopper & grinder. Process is repeatable for the perfect cup of coffee every time. Dispenses the perfect amount of beans into the basket based on individual preference. Easy to customize. Steaming wand works like a charm producing dense foam for my flat whites. Includes tamping station and everything you need straight out of the box - minus coffee beans. Enjoy!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] WOW !!! I almost can't put in to words how amazing this espresso maker is. Unboxing it was like Christmas morning. Each part and piece is made with such high quality. There isn't anything that was skimped on when designing this. If you follow the directions on how to set up- it's a breeze. We were making cappuccinos within a half hour of setting it up. The directions show exactly how to set the grinder for the type of beans to brew the perfect shot. The adjustable heat temperature is a really handy feature for those whom may like it piping hot vs. regular temp. The frothing wand is great too, steams it perfectly to get a nice think foam for cappuccinos or lattes. By 2:00pm each day both my husband and myself are day-dreaming of getting out of work to get home and make an afternoon treat with this machine. It's been a week and we're practically calling ourselves barista's !!!!! 10/10 this is my new favorite appliance. I can't believe we didn't own one sooner !

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I'm loving this machine still after a month of daily use. The Americanos I make with this are every bit as great as what I used to make myself when I worked in a coffee shop! I love that it's pretty quiet since I'm up before the rest of the house. Being able to customize the quantity of the espresso pulls and how much water is added for the Americano setting was such an unexpected bonus! Setup was super simple and cleaning is a breeze. Descaling takes a while but essential since we have hard water. The water tank is a good size for me as the only coffee drinker in the house. I only need to refill it about once a week (1-2 12oz Americanos/day).

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This machine is equivalent to the commercial machines I've used in restaurants in my younger days. First do not be intimidated with all the features. Their is a quick start easy to follow manual with photos and instructions to get you to your first cup of espresso. The beans are grounded and go into a dosing funnel/ porta filter once the porta filter is pushed in. Included is a tamper and tamper mat I used to get the perfect dose and your good to go. Their is a roasting , brewing, temperature and grinding guide. In my restaurant experience you have to get to know the machine before you make the perfect cup. Although the guide says grind 5 for dark roast I always like my espresso beans fine 2-3 . This machine delivers the perfect espresso, cappuccino and more. The froth comes out perfect and milk pitcher is included. Cleaning accessories included and a bottle of Descaler with water hardness test strip. Excellent in quality a solid machine. The Machine is 16” high with grinder, 14” depth and 11 1/4” wide.it also features a compartment for accessories. I highly recommend for espresso lovers. It's looks beautiful on my kitchen counter, love it !

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I Love making Coffee in this Machine. It has the Best Taste! It is so Easy to Make ! Extra Storage Space up Top for the attachments and a Handheld Tamper makes easy for Packing. The Frother makes Your Milk nice and warm. Water Pitcher lifts out for easy fill up. Clean up is a Breeze! Definitely a Great Product! Cant wait to get the Accessories to go with this Machine!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This coffee machine is the best thing that has ever happened to me, the quality of the coffee is phenomenal. I'd choose to have coffee from here over Starbucks any day. You can make espresso shots and cappuccinos, literally my wife's favorites. We use it every day. It's a must have in any home.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] La Specialista from De'Longhi is a very impressive espresso machine from the moment you unbox it. It has a stainless steel exterior with a stylish look. You can craft custom espresso drinks with such ease and precision. The bean grinder makes this espresso machine unique. You can select from eight settings on grinding integration depending on the types of beans you'll be using. My first cup of Caffe Americano was so delicious. I was able to perfectly grind my coffee beans for a delicious two-shot expresso Americano. There are three pre-set coffee recipes that make it so much easier to make your desired expresso. This machine comes with everything I need to make my favorite expresso drinks. It comes with a complete barista kit, including a tamper, a dosing funnel, and a very easy-to-read user guide on how to use my new machine. The LatteArt steam wand is incredible. It heats the milk to a cream in minutes at your desired texture. I am so excited to experiment with different expresso beans with this machine. The possibilities are endless.The cleaning up is very easy and the parts are dish washer safe. My kitchen is now complete with my new expresso specialty machine.

Good product, happy with it but the porte filter is hard to put in not sure why, I also wish it was less plastic. My breville before same size was nice and heavy this one I have to hold to twist in the porte filter.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Overall, we enjoy this little machine as a no-fuss option for a quick, decent-quality drink in just a few minutes. It's also nice that the machine comes with just about everything you need if this is your first time making espresso-style drinks at home. All you need to bring are the beans, water, and you'll want a knockbox for the spent coffee pucks. Once the machine has been set up and "dialed-in," it is convenient and easy to use. The built-in grinder will hold the portafilter + dosing funnel in place as it dispenses. Once it's done, give it a little shake to level the grounds and tamp. The included tamping pad works fine and is nicely compact. The dosing funnel then comes off and you can lock the portafilter in to pull your shot. No messy grounds all over the counter. Shot results are fairly consistent, with little effort. The shots taste perfectly decent; just don't expect to get the very best possible out of your coffee beans. Shots are balanced and pleasant but a little flat. They lack the sweetness, body and complexity we can get out of the same beans with our other "prosumer" dual-boiler machine but it's not a bad trade-off given those higher-end models can take 30 minute to fully warm up and are less forgiving to use. The steaming is weak and slow, especially at the start. Once it gets going, it is perfectly capable of nice results. Also hard to mess it up. Managing the water tank and keeping the hopper full of beans are both very nicely designed. The hopper is positioned forward and low enough on the machine to refill without needing to slide it out from under kitchen cabinets. Similarly, the water tank only requires a few inches of vertical movement before it can be lifted off, refilled and replaced. Not needing to pull the machine in/out on the counter is nice, and it means the feet on the machine will remain grippy. Probably the main gripes we have with the machine are: 1. The initial setup took quite a lot of trial and error to "dial-in" the right grind and brew settings for our coffee beans. Maybe an hour or so of pulling different shots. 2. The user interface is not as intuitive as it could be in our opinion but that's subjective. Once you learn what to expect, this is no problem. 3. It's really not clear if/how often you need to clean the machine (i.e. repeating the same initial flushing steps when you first set it up). Overall would recommend.

After brewing coffee, coffee grounds are difficult to clean out. The coffee measuring cup is also difficult to take out, which is very easy to hurt the hands and nails. After grinding the coffee, it is difficult to lock it up and brew the coffee.