A brilliant, flexible manual espresso machine that makes it easy to get incredible results
If you care the idea of a manual espresso machine but do n’t require the hassle of fiddle with grind and tamping bar configurations to get the perfect shot , the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is for you . Cleverly guiding you through the chocolate devising experience , I got a perfect shot of espresso on my 2nd pour : that ’s unheard of with most manual machine . significantly , the quality of the espresso and milk frothing is top - notch , making this a bright value manual espresso motorcar .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The simple truth is that if you desire the best quality espresso , you need a manual automobile ; but , a manual machine often involves a muckle of faff , playing with hero sandwich preferences and adjusting tamp . With the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch , you could get around a pile of those offspring , thanks to its touchscreen interface and impertinent control that help you get the proper preferences .
bring out quality shot after timber shot , I found this the quickest coffee machine to get start with , waste few beans than normal .
Design and Features
The De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is a compact manual espresso machine with everything you postulate in one gadget , including an unified zep , Milk River frother and a Milk River jugful .
It ’s build to take the pain out of learn how to employ a manual car , starting from the moment you turn the auto one when it walk you through make an espresso using the Bean Adapt characteristic .
The automobile started by catch me to add my attic to the hop-picker . I freshly roasted 300 g of Peruvian fairtrade dome , and found that they only just fitted in the hopper . A standard bag should fit o.k. , but a little more external respiration space would have been good .
I was then asked to choose the roast level ( weak , intermediate , dark , and so on)so that the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch could recommend a grind spirit level ( 8 in my case ) . After setting the dweeb story , the touch screen then talked me through grinding the beans into the dual filter that comes pre - install in the grouping hold .
There ’s also a undivided filter in the boxwood if you need to make a single stroke of espresso . Both filters are single - walled , which is the best type ; double - fence filter are there to increase pressing for incorrectly ground beans , and do n’t develop very good results .
There ’s then a templet on using the tamp with the Dosing & Tamping guide , which clips onto the top of the filter . Pressing the tamper down , the ‘ OK ’ crisscross should be present . In my face , the +1 mark was shown , so I select this choice and the coffee berry machine asked me to reinsert the radical handle for a quick top - up of coffee .
This got me the perfect level of primer coffee , with the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch remember the mise en scene for next sentence .
I then inserted the group handle under the group head , and hit the release to pullulate the espresso . Cleverly , the machine monitors the pour .
Although the espresso looked fairly good , the screen say that the espresso had take too longsighted to pullulate and necessitate a coarser pulverization .
I mark the grinder to dismantle 9 and found that this time , the tamper express -1 , which is too much coffee .
pink this option on the filmdom , the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch said to use the Dose Adjust tool , which scrapes off a bit of coffee from the top to leave the right amount , and succeeding pulverization are adjusted to cater for this .
I then pullulate a shot of coffee bean and got the all readable , and was take to economise my coffee under a name . In this fashion , the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch builds up a database of burnt umber that you utilize , so when you switch between beans , you may swop back to the scope , with just a bit of minor adjustment needed .
Overall , the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch made it really quick to go from nothing to a gross shot . In fact , I find out this automobile quicker to set up and role than theNinja Lux Café Premier Series .
Once the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is configured , it ’s ready to pour . For each type of coffee tree noodle , I could adjust the brewing temperature , pre - infusion distance , dose clock time and hoagie setting to get the result that I want . That ’s an rare level of adjustment available on a machine at this damage , and typically I ’d only expect to see this on high - end machine , such as theWPM KD-310VPS .
The main concealment evince the drunkenness that are uncommitted : espresso , cappuccino , frigid brewage , latte macchiato , latte , bland snowy , hot Milk River , long black , Americano and hot water . Plus , I could add my own style of potable .
Tapping any drinkable bring up a simple menu that lease you , left - to - right , from drudge to pouring coffee tree and , if Milk River is involved , frothing . It ’s delightfully simple to use with just the proper amount of handholding going on .
Milk River frothing can be treat automatically , or you could set it to manual mode if you prefer to take control . That ’s also uncommon : espresso auto typically offer automatic or manual frothing , but not both .
A 1.7 - litre water army tank lifts out the back and leave mint of water to make a good turn of beverage before effervesce .
It ’s possible to fit cups of up to 120 mm underneath the spout . For espresso cups , there ’s a pocket-size microscope slide - in drip tray that raise the cup nigher to the spout . This does get in the way of the Milk River jug , so a riff - down cup holder would have been neater .
Coffee Quality
The De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is largely about espresso - free-base drinks , so it ’s good to see that it ’s ripe at making them . This coffee machine is up there with the best that I have tested .
I used sink in water in the tank , as there ’s no option to add a water filter to this poser .
After follow the process to adjust my beans , I managed to decant a pretty spot - on shot of espresso that had a decent thick crema , with an oily texture . This crema lasted for a couple of transactions .
My coffee was served at 68 ° atomic number 6 , which is about right for espresso : just about drinkable from the moment it ’s poured .
The gustation was excellent . My fairtrade Peruvian beans have a sheer acidity to them , and a rich vulgar flavour that was bear on . It ’s strong to get better than this without pass a slew more on the simple machine and Italian sandwich .
As well as espresso , the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch can create stale - brewage coffee , using cold water drip through ground coffee tree , into a cup sate with ice . The result is very good : not quite as strong or as rich as ‘ proper ’ cold brewage , but you get a cup within a few minutes rather than have to brew the coffee for days .
Milk Frothing
Milk frothing can be handled mechanically by the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch . Just slip the steam wand into the Automatic spatial relation , with the jugful of Milk River below , and it will froth to the set temperature and froth spirit level required by the swallow ( both alternative can be overridden ) .
I made a flat snowy , get by pouring a double - dig of espresso . A pleasing , thick crema fill the cup , which is crucial when you desire to layer Milk River on top .
After robotlike frothing , I was impressed with the solvent . A tap and swirl to mix the Milk River was all that was require , and then I could relinquish pour a nice - look matte white , with thickset microbubbles .
I then switch to manual frothing , nonplus the level of froth I want , and expect until the milk was at 64 ° C . My second matte white is arguably slightly better . If you want manual control , the tools are there for you ; if you do n’t , the automatic option are available .
Maintenance
Maintenance is n’t too bad on this machine . The grinder will necessitate wiping down and using the coppice to bump off unaffixed grinds . Similarly , the group question needs similar attention : a damp material after making coffee tree is utile .
There ’s a large trickle tray on this mannikin , too . It ’s worth emptying daily , but if you forget , the start - up red star sign shows you when it ’s full .
It ’s good to see that the steamer wand cleans itself . After pushing this back to the Off position , unused steam is push through the wand to hit any Milk River residue . Just give the end a rub and you ’re good to go . Should the baton get blocked , the pin tumbler tool in the box can be used to free .
That leaves scale . Based on the urine hardness tier you determine by using the test strip in the box , the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch knows when it ’s time to descale and the on - screen instructions make the job easy .
Should you buy it?
If you want thoroughgoing nip of espresso made easy , then this is the machine for you .
If you desire a machine that can make filter coffee bean or just want to strike a push to get coffee , an alternative motorcar will suit you more .
Final Thoughts
I ’d have liked a body of water filter pick for the tank , but that away , the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is a magnificent manual espresso machine .
It does n’t quite have the range of drink selection as theNinja Luxe Café Premier Series , but the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch give better espresso and it ’s bully to have the choice between manual and reflex frothing . If you want fully automatic drinks , a dome - to - cup machine from my guide to thebest coffee simple machine will be better ; otherwise , this is a brilliant coffee tree simple machine .
Trusted Score
How we test
We essay every coffee motorcar we review thoroughly over an extended period of time . We use industry - received tests to compare features decent . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to brush up a product .
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FAQs
The political machine asks what kind of beans you ’re using and the roast grade , then supervise the pour meter to aid you set the preferences to get the unadulterated shot of espresso .
Yes , you may habituate the steam wand in machinelike or manual modal value , depending on your orientation and skill level .
