The built-in conical burr grinder is reliable and consistent and the steam wand is perfect for steaming microfoam.
When youre looking to buy one of thebest espresso machines, what do you look for?
A powerful steam wand?
Boy, do I have good news for you.
The new DeLonghi La Specialista Opera bean-to-cup espresso machine hasallof that.
The smooth yet powerful steam wand can texture milk for cappuccinos, macchiatos, and flat whites with ease.
At $899, this machine is a considerable amount of money.
But is it better than cheaper machines, like theKitchenAidSemi-Automatic Espresso Machine with Grinder?
Find out in this DeLonghi La Specialista Opera review.
Elsewhere, youre looking at around the same price point for a similarly-advanced machine.
De’Longhi La Specialista Opera review: Design
The Opera doesnt look unlike other espresso machines Ive used.
This is a pretty bulky machine but what bean-to-cup isnt?
and takes up considerable space (15 x 17 inches to be specific) on your countertop.
The main difference between the Maestro and the Opera is that the Maestro has a dual-boiler system.
It shows that DeLonghi really cares about its users experience.
De’Longhi La Specialista Opera review: Grinder
The conical burr grinder has 15 coarseness tweaks.
With my light-roast Ethiopian beans, I found the best grind setting to be 4.
I can imagine with darker beans youll probably want a coarser grind.
Youll need to experiment with grinding and dosing to get your ideal amount, as with any new machine.
Now that Ive used this, Im not sure I can ever go back.
This is a double shot single-walled portafilter basket with 18.7g of finely ground light roast coffee.
On the double shot extraction setting, it poured 64.9g of espresso.
This is a ratio of 1:3, which is a lungo (long) espresso.
The espresso extracted with a fluffy, thick crema, and a layered, balanced flavor.
Im a cold brew fanatic during the summer months, so I was excited to drink this.
It was alright, but it didnt make me desperate to drink more.
I used light roast Ethiopian beans for this cold brew and the flavor was delicate but a little nutty.
It’s not my best work, but that’s my fault rather than the machine’s.
This means you’re free to adjust the angle and move the steam wand without risking burning yourself.
The only feature of the steam wand that Im not obsessed with is how low it lies.
Its 17 x 15 inches, so will take up a considerable amount of room in your kitchen.
While its a space killer, its a pretty space killer.
you could keep your spare portafilters in the pull-out tray underneath the drip tray in between uses.
DeLonghi provides you with cleaning and maintenance accessories.
You get a pipe cleaner, a descaling liquid, and a coffee machine cleaner.
De’Longhi La Specialista Opera review: How does it compare?
I found that the Opera was better at creating fluffy crema in single-walled portafilters than the KitchenAid.
The smart tamping feature on the Opera is a game-changer, though.
This aspect might put off coffee purists, but I really enjoyed it.
De’Longhi La Specialista Opera review: Verdict
I cant really fault this machine.
