Are you dead set on getting a brand new espresso machine?
The Delonghi La Specialista is most likely one of the models that you are familiar with.
But what makes it stand out from other things?
I’m going to show you both the pros and the cons of using this espresso machine in this article.
A review of the Delonghi La Specialista is in front of you right now.
Delonghi La Specialista: A Quick Overview
Espresso maker by De’Longhi called the La Specialista, which has a Sensor Grinder and a Dual Heating System.
• Design 4/5
• Quality of the Coffee: 4 out of 5
• Grinder 3/5
• Longevity: 4 out of 5 stars
• Usability Rating: 5 out of 5
• Brewing System 5/5
The tank has a capacity of 5/5.
• Milk Frother, a score of 4.5/5
• Drinks 3/5
In 2019, Delonghi La Specialista was introduced to the market. And it didn’t take long for it to become one of the models from that brand that sold the most.
You could be wondering, “Why?”
because it satisfies many of the requirements that a coffee machine for casual use at home should have. It comes with most of the features you could want in an automatic espresso maker and costs more than a reasonable amount.
There is no need to be discouraged if you are not already an expert at preparing espresso. This framework was developed to simplify your work regardless of the level of expertise you possess.
Simply pressing a few buttons here and there is all that is required of you to complete tasks ranging from grinding to brewing. The machine will handle the most difficult tasks.
Milk may be easily steamed with the help of the Panarello wand. This makes the process much simpler.
Simply choose whether you want the foam to be flat or bubbly depending on your taste. The next step is to grab the milk jug and place the wand just below the surface of the milk. The steaming will be done by the wand.
Because of both of these factors, La Specialista is your ideal companion first thing in the morning. To begin, it starts heating up quite quickly, so you may start brewing almost as soon as you open your eyes. And second, the noise level is relatively low. The popping and crackling sounds that the coffee machine makes won’t wake up any of the other people living in the house.
In conclusion, it is important to point out that the upkeep of this equipment is not overly complicated. Your participation in a system that performs a steam flush and descaling automatically requires nothing more than the pressing of a few buttons.
Pros
• You have the option of storing up to three distinct coffee settings in order to facilitate quicker brewing in the future.
• Steaming milk requires nothing in the way of expertise when using the wand in the Pannarello method.
• Because it is both quick and silent, you are able to brew coffee in the morning without rousing everyone in the home.
• The automated shutdown feature will save you money on your electricity bill and protect you from accidental short circuits
Cons
• The plastic components, such the portafilter, will eventually deteriorate with time.
• You can only pick between six different grind settings.
A Rundown Of The Functions And Features Of The Delonghi La Specialista
Does everything sound good so far?
Let’s go into more detail about each of the characteristics, shall we?
Quality in Design and Construction
When it comes to design, Delonghi has never failed to impress. The sleek and classic appearance of La Specialista makes it quite the piece of visual candy in any kitchen.
In addition to having a nice appearance, it also has a solid construction. The body of this Delonghi espresso machine is built of stainless steel, making it resistant to rust and abrasion in addition to corrosion.
However, the majority of the detachable elements are constructed of plastic. These components consist of a portafilter and a bean hopper, both of which are components that you will use each time you make coffee.
If it weren’t for these plastic pieces, I’d say this machine is built to last you for decades in a row without a doubt. However, I have no doubt that they will become damaged as a result of continued use at some point.
I am not suggesting that it will fail tomorrow or even the following year. However, it is highly unlikely that this will be something that you can hand on to your grandkids.
On a related topic, the fact that this coffee maker operates with such a low level of noise is another one of my favorite aspects of it. When you make your first cup of espresso in the morning, unlike many other espresso machines, this one won’t wake up the entire household like it would normally do.
Grinder
Because the La Specialista espresso machine comes equipped with a conical burr grinder that is built in, you won’t need to purchase a separate equipment for grinding your coffee beans.
The grinder is constructed out of stainless steel and includes a total of six different grind settings.
To tell you the truth, for such a device, that is a little bit underwhelming. When you are preparing espresso, it is important to have the ability to adjust the grind size to suit the specific beans that you are using.
Don’t get me wrong. Your ability to choose from six different options is sufficient for preparing a delicious cup of espresso. However, if you are the type of person who likes to experiment with different settings in order to discover the ideal cup of coffee, then this coffee machine is not the greatest option for you.
The hopper on this coffee machine is one of my favorite features. Because it holds 8.8 ounces of liquid, it can produce approximately 10 cups’ worth of espresso before it needs to be refilled.
Additionally, the espresso machine from La Specialista comes equipped with a coffee bean sensor, which serves two purposes:
• It alerts you when there are not enough coffee beans in the hopper to make an espresso.
• It modifies the dose in accordance with the size of the grind
Now we come to the second point, which is quite fascinating. Because to this function, you may rest assured that the portafilter will always be loaded with the appropriate quantity of coffee grounds. There is no requirement to get out your coffee scale and measure the ground coffee prior to brewing it.
And this is only the beginning. However, if you grind exactly the amount of coffee that you need, you won’t have any leftover ground coffee that can get stale before you brew it again.
Brewing
It is not an exaggeration to suggest that Delonghi’s La Specialista can be brought to the desired temperature in a second. The extraction of coffee can begin as soon as the machine is given a second to prepare.
Additionally, due to the fact that it has a dual heating system, you are able to concurrently brew coffee and steam milk in it. As you can see, these two processes require very different temperatures to complete well.
Because it only has one boiler, your machine needs to pause the brewing of espresso in order to heat up even further before it can steam milk. After then, if you want to make another cup of espresso immediately afterward, you have to wait for the machine to cool down once more.
That is not anything you need to be concerned about if you have an espresso machine from La Specialista. This is especially helpful in households where more than one person drinks coffee each day.
Now, let’s discuss the process of brewing.
You have your choice between the following three beverages when dining at La Specialista:
• Espresso
• Coffee
• Americano
The amount of water that is utilized to prepare the drink is what differentiates the first two available choices from one another. In order to make espresso, the machine requires 1.2 ounces of water to be inserted. On the other hand, the standard amount of coffee needed for one cup is 2.4 ounces.
In the case of an Americano, the machine begins by preparing a standard shot of espresso. Then, it pours hot water into the container through a second spout. It’s convenient that the spout for hot water is located right next to the one for the coffee, if you ask me. When creating an Americano in this manner, you won’t need to move the cup at all.
Bear in mind that these are the default settings, and that the control panel is where you may make any necessary adjustments to them. Once you have determined the settings that work best for you, you will be able to save them using one of the three profiles that are accessible. Because of this, in the future, brewing will require less button presses.
When it comes to ensuring that the coffee is harvested to its full potential on every occasion, La Specialista has a few tricks up its sleeve. Two of these tips, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say features, are as follows:
• Technology of the Pre-infusion
• PID Sensor Control
Pre-infusion refers to the process of soaking coffee grinds in some hot water while they are contained within the portafilter. Performing this step guarantees that each and every coffee particle is soaked. Therefore, as the machine applies pressure to the water and drives it through them, they are successfully retrieved.
The PID sensor control works to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the machine’s water supply. As you undoubtedly already know, the best temperature range for coffee extraction is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This range ensures that the coffee is extracted completely and evenly.
However, the temperature inside the machine can be altered by a variety of factors, including the temperature of the surrounding environment. Therefore, if you were to use air conditioning to cool down your kitchen, the water that was contained within the machine would likewise become cooler as a result.
The wonderful thing about this feature is that it maintains the water temperature no matter what other variables are present in the system. Your coffee will always be extracted to its full potential in this manner.
The frothing of milk
When it comes to creating foam, La Specialista makes the process more simpler for you.
It comes with a wand in the style of a Pannarello that is intended to do the most of the work for you. It is not necessary to rotate the jug around in order to incorporate air into the milk because the nozzle is thick and there are air holes throughout the container.
Are you whipping up a frothy topping for a cappuccino that’s full of airy bubbles? Or about a silky microfoam for artistic latte designs?
It makes no difference, because this machine is capable of doing both. Simply turn the ring on the heated to “flat” or “foam,” according on the desired consistency of the milk, and it will be ready to use.
Cleaning
The upkeep of La Specialista is not very time-consuming or complicated.
Regular cleaning is required for the detachable components of the coffee maker, including the drip tray, water tank, and coffee filters. Always give them a quick rinse under the running water in the sink. Dishwashers are susceptible to damage from the detergent that is used in them.
When you are through steaming milk, you need to make sure that the steam wand is thoroughly rinsed out. This ensures that there is no residue from the milk that is left inside the machine, which is where germs can develop.
You won’t have any trouble staying on track with the schedule because of the descaling notice. Start using a descaling agent in the cycle as soon as you notice the LED beginning to blink.
The entire process takes no longer than half an hour, and it ensures that your coffee will have an excellent flavor. In addition to this, it ensures that your machine remains in pristine condition.
Ease of Operation
The control panel of La Specialista is made up of rotary dials and buttons, and it’s not too difficult to figure out what each one does.
I say “somewhat” because I think there are several selections that are designated in an odd way. For example, there is a “my” button that will remember the type of coffee you like for the next time you brew it. It was a significant challenge to figure out what this button works without consulting the user manual beforehand.
Once you have figured out what each button and knob does, though, configuring your brew will be a piece of cake.
And because this is what is known as an automatic espresso machine, it is intended to be easy to operate, even for those who have never used one before.
Using La Specialista makes this point abundantly evident. The only manual step involved in the entire process, from grinding to drawing the shot, is placing a cup beneath the spout of the machine.
Even the process of steaming has been simplified. The only thing left for you to do is pick one of the two different kinds of foam and hold the jug. The remainder will be taken care of by the Pannarello wand.
Special Features
On this particular device, there are a few extra characteristics that are also worth highlighting.
Filter Basket
As can be seen, La Specialista possesses a large number of functions that one would anticipate finding in a machine that is marketed as being “professionally inspired.” However, it does not have a pressured filter basket as one of its accessories.
A single hole on the bottom of this particular style of filter basket is where the water exits after passing through it. The purpose of this layout is to make the process of making coffee easy to do for anyone, regardless of their level of barista expertise.
Don’t get me wrong. This is not always a negative aspect of the product. This sort of filter is perfect for you if you are new to brewing espresso or simply do not want to cope with a high learning curve.
On the other hand, if you want to hone your barista abilities, using a pressured filter might not be the best way to go about it.
Intelligent Testing Station
The intelligent tamping station is one of the features that helps make your life easier, or at the very least, less untidy. In a nutshell, the machine will accomplish the work of leveling and tamping the ground for you. There is not the slightest possibility that your coffee grinds will become packed too tightly, which would prohibit coffee from flowing through evenly.
Because of this, you will always have a coffee puck that is completely flat, which is extremely helpful for those who are just starting out. In addition, because the machine does all the work, there will be no remaining grounds for you to clean up after it is done.
Energy Saving
My bad habit of not turning off the appliances after I’m done using them is something I need to work on. It would appear that the fact that it raises my monthly energy cost is not sufficient motivation for me to form the habit of turning them off. And if I’m being completely honest, I’m astonished that, despite my negligence, I haven’t managed to set anything on fire yet.
This is a feature that you will absolutely like if you are anything like me.
You have the option of programming the device to power down on its own after a predetermined amount of inactivity. There are three choices available to you: nine minutes, one and a half hours, or three hours. And in all honesty, you shouldn’t use any other setting besides the first one.
Final Verdict
An in-depth analysis of Delonghi La Specialista has been presented here for your perusal.
This automatic espresso machine is fantastic for both inexperienced home baristas just starting out as well as more seasoned coffee drinkers who enjoy the beverage.
There is a little amount of involvement required from you during the entire process, from grinding and tamping through brewing and steaming. In addition, there are automatic cleaning programs that make upkeep extremely simple and easy.
