De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro Espresso Machine with Cold Brew & Espresso Cool

It takes a minute to learn how to use it. It does traditional Italian portions. So, don't be surprised with the size of your cappuccino. The American "vente" is not what the semi auto will produce. The manual wand will allow you to make milk with a little bit of coffee if that is your thing. The quality is great, grinder works well (have to figure out how to properly "dose"). After you get this down, the coffee machine will be an amazing addition to your home (Cuban girlfriend approves it. It makes her cortaditos with ease).

Where do I even start?!!?!? This little machine is AMAZING, it's the best thing I've gotten on Amazon ever, and quite possibly my favorite thing in my entire house. The coffee tastes like it's straight from a high end cafe, EVERY SINGLE MORNING WITH ZERO EFFORT, it just feels too luxurious to be true. The first thing I do when I wake up is head to this beautiful machine.It's so easy to use, I honestly didn't even bother looking at the directions, I just looked at the symbols on the front and figured it out (but I do have experience with espresso machines). There's so many good things about this that instead of writing an unreadably long 20 paragraph review, I'll do a pros and cons list!PROS:- Grinds your coffee perfectly every time and distributes an even amount for consistent cups- Fully adjustable grinding settings for fine or course ground coffee- Built in tamper so you don't need to fiddle with objects and make a mess while you're half asleep- Extremely aesthetically pleasing and made of materials that don't get greased up with fingerprints easily- Is so easy to clean, has a cleaning function and the spill tray is SO easy to dump and rinse out- Water tank holds a lot of water and is easy to refill- HOT TEA YOUR THING?!?! Well now you no longer have to wait to boil water or microwave tea cups, because this baby has PIPING hot water that comes out instantly at the touch of a button, and I swear it somehow makes the tea taste better (maybe it's just in my head?!)- Frothed milk your thing?! The built in frother does an AMAZING job and it has a special attachment for those of you wanting even MORE froth. It even froths almond milk, WIN!- COLD BREW in an instant, omg! I seriously can't believe how well the cold espresso and cold brew settings work, and they taste amazing! No more waiting overnight for your cold brew or having to go to a coffee shop, you get it at a touch of a button.- It's also so easy to use, I figured it out just looking at it, and taught my husband in 2 minutes- Crazy about fresh beans? Well the bean holder has a rubber gasket making it air tight so they don't get stale- THE PUCK... You know how you see baristas in coffee shops banging the portafilter against a rubber bar like crazy trying to get the hard puck of leftover coffee grounds to pop out of the portafilter basket? Well, the way they've designed this thing, it pops right out easily, you can just flip your wrist and it pops out into your kitchen trash, no banging needed. It's like magic.- Want to impress your friends? Show them this, I've yet to have one person not think it's the coolest thing ever.- When you turn it on, it heats up FAST and is ready to use. I used to have to wait a whole minute or two with my old machines and the machine at work, this one heats up in seconds.- Auto shut off timing, it's the perfect amount of time for two people to putz around in the kitchen in the morning both making coffee before the auto shut off initiates.- My husband says "it makes coffee just like the shops back home in Europe" and now he won't go to American coffee shops anymore because the coffee is better at home 🤣CONS:- Countertop space... It does take a significant amount of space and I had to rearrange all my kitchen countertops to fit it, but it was totally worth it.- Price.... It's kind of expensive but I definitely think the value of the item is even higher than the price tag. If you get this, you will never even WANT to go to a coffee shop again, because the coffee that comes out of this is better, over the years you'll save money.All in all, well that's a lot of pros and very few cons from me. I love this thing and have tested it extensively before writing my opinion here. It's truly a great espresso machine. I don't think I can ever go back to hand grinding coffee, waiting for the machine, leveling off my portafilter, finding the tamper that's always lost in the drawer, getting coffee grounds everywhere, etc.... I can now make even better tasting coffee in a fraction of the time it used to take me. My husband and I BOTH LOVE THIS SO MUCH and can't praise it enough!

​The De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro Espresso Machine is a feature-rich appliance designed for coffee enthusiasts seeking versatility and quality in their home brewing experience. Its sleek stainless-steel design with both polished and brushed accents add a professional touch to any kitchen. However, its substantial size and weight (approximately 35.2 lbs) necessitate ample countertop space, making it more suitable for larger kitchens.One of the standout features is its ability to produce cold brew coffee in under five minutes—a significant reduction from the traditional 15-24 hour brewing process. This is achieved through De'Longhi's Cold Extraction Technology, which uses a dedicated water circuit to infuse coffee grounds with room-temperature water under controlled pressure, resulting in a cold brew that closely resembles the traditional method.The machine offers eight grind settings and features a smart tamping station. With a simple lever pull, coffee grounds are tamped with approximately 40+ lbs. of pressure, minimizing mess and ensuring consistent extraction.Users can choose between manual and automatic milk frothing. The automatic frother includes a detachable milk container that can be stored in the refrigerator to prevent waste. However, some users have noted that the milk steaming could be more refined.The La Specialista Maestro delivers a range of coffee drinks, including espresso, long black, cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato. The pressure gauge aids in achieving optimal extraction, though it may require some experimentation with grind size and volume to perfect the brew. The machine's dual boilers facilitate efficient brewing and steaming, catering well to households with multiple coffee drinkers.The De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro is a versatile and innovative espresso machine that offers a wide range of brewing options you will definitely find yours.