I test a lot of coffee makers here at TechRadar, and De’Longhi machines consistently come out on top when it comes to performance. There’s something for every budget too, whether you’re looking for an entry-level espresso machine or a fully automatic model that will handle the whole brewing process at the tap of a screen.
With so many De’Longhi coffee makers out there, though, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. That’s why I’ve put together this shortlist of the three best models I’ve tested, whatever your budget.
This is a particularly good time to pick up a new coffee maker too. With Amazon’s Big Deal Days event due to start on October 6, lots of early offers already available, and other big stores are jumping on the bandwagon with their own sales events. To save you time, I’ve tracked down the biggest savings on each of my recommended coffee machines — or, if they aren’t on sale, a similar model that will serve you just as well.
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Best budget coffee maker
De’Longhi Dedica Duo
The Dedica Duo is one of the most affordable coffee makers I’ve ever tested, but it still has the build quality and performance you’d expect from De’Longhi. Most budget-friendly espresso machines I’ve tested offer poor quality, and are unable to maintain the constant temperature and pressure necessary to make reliably good espresso, but not this one.
It’s a truly excellent little espresso machine, and you can trust it to deliver delicious results time after time. Its steam wand is particularly good, and despite the Duo’s small boiler, it sustains plenty of pressure for you to create perfect microfoam for cappuccinos and lattes.
There’s even a cold-extraction mode for those occasions when you’re craving an iced coffee and don’t want to wait 24 hours for it to infuse in the fridge. The Duo uses cold water direct from the tank, pulsing it slowly through your ground coffee over the course of two minutes for an authentic-tasting, mellow brew.
Read my fullDe’Longhi Dedica Duo review
The De’Longhi Dedica Duo isn’t on offer in the US at the moment, but you can snag the Dedica Maestro Plus for half price at Amazon instead. This model doesn’t have the cold brew function, but has an automatic steam wand instead – arguably more useful for latte-lovers.View Deal
Coffee Friend is one of my favorite destinations for specialist coffee gear in the UK, and its deal on the De’Longhi Dedica Duo knocks Amazon out of the park. With £90 off, it’s one of the best early offers I’ve seen.View Deal
Best coffee maker for lattes
De’Longhi La Specialista Touch
The De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is a superb semi-automatic espresso machine that doesn’t just make delicious coffee with perfectly foamed milk — it also teaches you how to do it yourself, and helps you understand the effects of making even small changes to the flavor of your finished drinks, which earned it a full five stars in my review.
It starts by introducing the importance of grind size. Enter the type of coffee bean you’re using (arabica or robusta, and the darkness of the roast) and it will estimate an appropriate grind size for you, dispense the ground coffee into the portafilter handle, and save the settings for next time.
You’ll then tamp the coffee using the spring-loaded tamper, insert the handle into the machine (you’ll be guided through every step) and tap a button to begin pulling your shot. The machine will time how long this takes, and recommend adjusting the grind size if it’s too fast or slow. You’re also encouraged to taste the espresso to see what you think.
Finally, you can either foam the milk yourself (the machine comes with an excellent steam wand), or use the automatic steaming system and let the La Specialista Touch do the work. It’s very clever, and a great introduction to barista skills.
Read our fullDe’Longhi La Specialista Touch review
All machines in the De’Longhi La Specialista lineup are on offer at Amazon US right now, including a hefty $150 off the La Specialista Touch. If you can’t wait for delivery, it’s also available at Best Buy for $649.99 with same-day pickup, View Deal
The La Specialista Touch isn’t on sale in the UK at the moment, but the excellent La Specialista Arte is, with over £140 off. This model has manual controls rather than a touchscreen, which you might prefer for more tactile brewing, plus an analog pressure gauge.View Deal
Best automatic coffee maker
De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic
If you’re looking for a fully automatic espresso machine — one that will do all the work for you and prepare perfect drinks at the tap of a button — may I recommend the De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic. It’s easily one of the best automatic coffee makers I’ve tested this year, and a lot of fun to use too.
It produces consistently well-extracted espresso and creamy milk foam (either hot or cold), as you’d expect for a machine in this price bracket. However, what impressed me most about the Primadonna Aromatic was its ability to ‘learn’ what you like to drink at what time of day, and push those options to the top of its extensive drinks menu, so you don’t have to flick through to find your favorites.
It’s definitely a big machine (there wasn’t much clearance to open the bean hopper when it was underneath my kitchen cabinets), but it looks stylish, and its five-inch touchscreen is bright and easy to navigate.
Like all the De’Longhi coffee makers in this roundup, the Primadonna Aromatic can brew hot and cold espresso — but, unlike the others, it can also produce chilled milk foam using a dedicated carafe with a special nozzle. It worked brilliantly in my tests, and you can store the carafe in the fridge between uses.
Read my fullDe’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic review
Like the Primadonna Aromatic, the premium Dinamica Plus is a smart automatic espresso machine that ‘leans’ your favorite drinks, and Amazon has knocked over $560 off in the US ahead of Prime Day.View Deal
My colleague Max Langridge awarded the Magnifica Evo Next four stars out of five, praising its excellent coffee extraction and huge drinks menu. It’s a much more affordable automatic espresso machine that the Primadonna, and has received a 41% price cut with this early Prime Day deal in the UK.View Deal
