DeLonghi La Specialista Espresso Machine with Grinder Milk Frother 1450W Barista Kit - Bean to Cup Coffee Cappuccino

I have had my D'Longhi espresso machine for two and a half years and I thought I should come back and write a review. When I bought this machine, I had never pulled a shot of espresso before but I really wanted to learn how to do that and learn latte art. It took me watching a few youtube videos and lots of practice to learn how to make my daily latte! I love this machine though I don't know many people who choose this brand over Breville. It's definitely underrated. Out of all of the capabilities of the machine, the grinder dosage knob doesn't function as it ought to but I measure out my beans to 16 grams and run it through the grinder until it all comes out. It should come out at 18g of grinded beans and it takes two "run throughs" of grinding. (I don't keep the hopper full of beans all the time like I started out doing). Here are a few other thoughts about this machine. 1. If you've never pulled a shot of espresso before, it's going to be difficult learning on any machine, so give it a couple of weeks to feel comfortable. I almost gave up because it seemed like I would never get a good shot. If it's your first time making espresso... Don't blame the machine right away. 2. My kids who are 5 years old and under are able to use the tea option easily to make me or themselves tea in a jiffy. The amount of water from the tea option is perfect for a standard size mug. 3. This machine is easy to clean. I always buy the D'Longhi descaler and descale when the "warning" light comes on. It's a very simple process to descale. 4. I've started buying distilled water to fill this machine and other machines around the house (humidifier, etc.) to help elongate the lifespan of the machine due to our hard water. 5. I pop the bottom trays in the dishwasher once a week. 6. The machine comes with a frother tool that I've used a few times. It's basically a needle that you poke in the end of the frother to clear out built up milk. To clean the frother now, I've learned to turn it on with a wet rag all around it and wipe until clean (maybe 10 seconds). 7. I like how the machine looks and it has a little storage pocket on top that I keep the cleaning tools and extra single-shot filter in. 8. I've learned to make all sorts of fun hot and cold drinks with this machine! If you make a coffee that doesn't taste right, you probably need to adjust the temperature or grind size. It's part of figuring out how to pull a good shot. Read more

In view of our experience with DeLonghy products, and in spite of the many negative reviews from previous owners, we decided on the La Specialista Arte Model. It has never worked well. When the grinder worked, it only gave us extra fine grinds. Now it has stopped grinding altogether. I followed the troubleshooting recommendations, but it still does not grind. DeLonghy will repair the item. More later. Several weeks later, I contacted De' Longhi and had a lengthy discussion over the phone regarding the unit. I explained the issue I had with it. After several tests, De'Longhi agree that mine was faulty and agreed to repair it. The sent packing materials and prepaid shipping label. It took them about a month to process and repair it. It now worked as it should from the beginning. Excellent coffee!!! Read more

I purchased and used this machine for three months. At the end of the third month, the grinder started to have problems and I did a video session with Delonghi to show them on video the problems I was having. They sent me instructions to send the unit out for repair and the repair location in Pennsylvania only cleaned the grinder but did not fix the problem. They tested the grinder to ensure the grinder does go around but did not test the grinder with coffee beans. upon return of the unit, I found the grinding worse than before I sent it for repair. The grinder still does not grind to the proper level for a dosage as indicated and now the grind is so off that the unit will not function in the optimal zone and over extracts coffee and it drips out slowly and takes several minutes to deliver a single shot of expresso. The cream on the coffee is limited and hardly there indicating once again that the extraction process is off. I am now returning the unit to Delonghi for a second repair and I expect it will come back unfixed. I would not recommend this product and ask potential buyers to seek out other manufacturers like Breville whom make similar models. This model is more of a toy and very fragile. I own many espresso machines and I find this hard to use to get the grounds right for the perfect espresso. The box comes with a guide for settings for dosage and grind level based the type of bean. I was only able to use the machine to grind 1 kilogram of coffee before the grinder failed. I believe if the grinder/dosage is this fragile that Delonghi should have tested their products longer before they were ready for the market. I have emailed and communicated via phone with Delonghi and can clearly state that they are not coffee aficionados nor are they concerned about providing customer support. Think twice before buying this model. The coffee grinder does not come off and there is little a consumer can do to clean the grinder. Recommend closing other products and read the reviews. This is a fragile toy and not a low end professional coffee machine. Read more