De'Longhi La Specialista Opera Manual Coffee Machine EC9555BK

DeLonghi’s new La Specialista Opera offers you the chance to not only up your coffee game, but to have fun while doing it. We have used the hot water dispenser for tea, and the hot and cold espresso options the most. Fellow acid reflux sufferers, you absolutely must try the cold options because it can lower the acidity of the beans used. We have enjoyed our afternoon espressos, trying different flavored syrups and milk ratios, and generally taking a few minutes to sip and be more mindful during the day. It was easy to clean the unit and set it up. Since we have hard water, I like that DeLonghi takes that into consideration during setup. The water compartment can be removed if you wanted to bring it to the sink or elsewhere to fill it, to clean it, and to dump out ... MoreDeLonghi’s new La Specialista Opera offers you the chance to not only up your coffee game, but to have fun while doing it. We have used the hot water dispenser for tea, and the hot and cold espresso options the most. Fellow acid reflux sufferers, you absolutely must try the cold options because it can lower the acidity of the beans used. We have enjoyed our afternoon espressos, trying different flavored syrups and milk ratios, and generally taking a few minutes to sip and be more mindful during the day. It was easy to clean the unit and set it up. Since we have hard water, I like that DeLonghi takes that into consideration during setup. The water compartment can be removed if you wanted to bring it to the sink or elsewhere to fill it, to clean it, and to dump out remaining water so you don’t end up with scale to clean out of there. The grinder is easy to fill with the beans of your choice, plus there are never any grounds in my drinks from this machine (unlike the drip coffeemaker.) While it isn’t a super quiet machine, it makes up for any noise with the speed at which it makes drinks. You can have super fast, great tasting cold or hot espresso that isn’t bitter or burnt tasting like the chain coffee stores. I will say I’m disappointed with the errors in the manual. At this premium price point, I expect some better proofreading before the manual gets published. But there is certainly a wealth of information in the multiple pamphlets in the box, plus Youtube videos if you’re a visual learner or like to use body doubling. The upfront price of DeLonghi’s La Specialista Opera espresso maker isn’t peanuts, but if it’s going to break you of your daily coffee run you’re going to save that much money in the long run. If the idea of being able to experiment with and quickly make fun drinks, get hot water for tea, and make cold brew coffee in minutes instead of hours, this is the machine for you. The novelty and versatility make this our new favorite kitchen machine!

I was thrilled to find out that I would be provided the Delonghi La Specialista Opera from influenster in exchange for my honest review. I can not rave enough about this amazing machine that does it all and truly is a dream come true for any coffee lover. It has a built in grinder with 15 settings which helps to make super fresh espresso, americano, cold brew, and espresso cool (but has a setting for hot water too). The machine is beautiful, high quality with extraordinary technology, and comes with a coffee tool kit to get you started (filters, milk pitcher, cleaning accessories) as well as a quick start/easy reference guide if you are too excited to read the entire manual before beginning your coffee experimenting. I was also able to find videos online for this ... MoreI was thrilled to find out that I would be provided the Delonghi La Specialista Opera from influenster in exchange for my honest review. I can not rave enough about this amazing machine that does it all and truly is a dream come true for any coffee lover. It has a built in grinder with 15 settings which helps to make super fresh espresso, americano, cold brew, and espresso cool (but has a setting for hot water too). The machine is beautiful, high quality with extraordinary technology, and comes with a coffee tool kit to get you started (filters, milk pitcher, cleaning accessories) as well as a quick start/easy reference guide if you are too excited to read the entire manual before beginning your coffee experimenting. I was also able to find videos online for this machine on exactly what to do for each type of coffee and what it should be like after brewing it. I am blown away by how smooth, delicious, and well balanced every single variety of coffee that this machine brews is. You can grind and brew single or double shots. The frothing wand makes the milk into perfect, hot microfoam so quickly that it is not even believable. The pressure dial lets you know if you are brewing at optimal range or if you need to adjust the grind or dose settings in order to get the perfect brew. Additionally, no need to worry about noise when brewing because this machine is quiet even during the grinding. That’s not all, the wait time to make fresh cold brew is minutes instead of hours and it tastes so good! Cleaning is simple too. I use the La Specialista Opera multiple times daily and mostly make lattes and cappuccinos which I have loved the taste of due to the addition of the perfect espresso shots and froth. It is so easy to grind a double shot on the left of the machine, tamp it with perfection using the tamping handle without even taking the portafilter out, then move it right over to brew shots. The Delonghi Opera is a must have, I highly recommend it and it is currently my favorite thing in my house. The only thing to watch out for is being over caffeinated because you love it too much.

I would say this espresso machine is for a coffee enthusiast, not necessarily a coffee lover. You can love coffee... but wanting to understand the process and master the technique is a different excitement. It's not a one button and done machine. It requires multiple steps and proper maintenance. If this commitment doesn't worry you, then you'll love this machine! I've been using it for a few weeks now and have had no issues. I used to work at a Starbucks in high school and have a general idea of how to steam milk and assemble a drink. I felt it was easy and straight forward to operate. If you don't have this experience it might take a few tries to get the hang of it. A few things I didn't like in the Quick Guide manual on page 3 and 4 most of the graph is labeled ... MoreI would say this espresso machine is for a coffee enthusiast, not necessarily a coffee lover. You can love coffee... but wanting to understand the process and master the technique is a different excitement. It's not a one button and done machine. It requires multiple steps and proper maintenance. If this commitment doesn't worry you, then you'll love this machine! I've been using it for a few weeks now and have had no issues. I used to work at a Starbucks in high school and have a general idea of how to steam milk and assemble a drink. I felt it was easy and straight forward to operate. If you don't have this experience it might take a few tries to get the hang of it. A few things I didn't like in the Quick Guide manual on page 3 and 4 most of the graph is labeled incorrectly! Example: A6 is not a Cup Grille, it is a Steam Wand. A10 is not the Water Tank, it is the Drip Tray. It looks like there are two "A3"s... from then on the labeling is incorrect all the way to the next page as well 🤷🏼‍♀️ Luckily the normal manual's graph is labeled correctly so use that for reference. I think this is a new product so maybe they are working the kinks out. One other minor detail is that the coffee filter is hard to get out of the portafilter. I have to use a flat head screw driver to pop it out whenever I change it. Also I wish the milk pitcher was bigger. It's good for a mug of coffee, but if I want to fill up a 20oz tumbler I have to steam two batches. Overall I like it and think it's a great addition to my morning routine.

I received this product free from Influenster in exchange for my honest review. I have never been so excited to get a delivery as I was when my La Specialista Opera arrived and it has exceeded all my expectations. This machine is absolutely amazing and delivers a true professional coffeehouse quality experience. You can clearly see and feel the quality craftsmanship that has gone into every component. The stainless finish on the machine is shiny and beautiful and the double spouted portafilter is made of heavy duty stainless steel and locks solidly into place. At first, I was a little intimidated but the quick start instruction guide includes pictures and detailed information to walk you through how to get started. The water container is at the back of the machine ... MoreI received this product free from Influenster in exchange for my honest review. I have never been so excited to get a delivery as I was when my La Specialista Opera arrived and it has exceeded all my expectations. This machine is absolutely amazing and delivers a true professional coffeehouse quality experience. You can clearly see and feel the quality craftsmanship that has gone into every component. The stainless finish on the machine is shiny and beautiful and the double spouted portafilter is made of heavy duty stainless steel and locks solidly into place. At first, I was a little intimidated but the quick start instruction guide includes pictures and detailed information to walk you through how to get started. The water container is at the back of the machine and is easily removed for refilling. Once you put the portafilter securely in place, you select one of the 15 grind settings, hit the button for a single or double dose and it grinds the exact amount. There is a built in tamping handle that is conveniently located on the top left side of the machine that gives you an even tamp while still locked into the grinder, allowing for consistent extraction with no mess! There are 5 different presets that you can choose from - Espresso, Americano, Cold Brew, Espresso Cool, and hot water. One of the standouts of this machine is the cold brew feature that allows you to enjoy a cold coffee or cool espresso shot in under 5 minutes. The temperature of the water can be controlled by the touch of a button, there are 3 settings to choose from to help you customize the temperature depending on the coffee bean you choose. The steam wand has a ton of power! It heated up quickly and created the perfect container of frothed milk for my latte in just a few seconds. Whether you are a coffee aficionado or just want to enjoy a coffee shop experience at the touch of a button (like I do), you will definitely enjoy having this machine in your home. Highly recommend!

I was beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to try out this beautifully made Delonghi espresso machine! I've never had an espresso machine before, only a regular drip coffee pot and a pod type machine. I would frequently treat myself to lattes at a coffee shop, and now I don't need to spend all that money! There was a bit of a learning curve getting the right grind and dose, but the instructions were easy to follow. So far, I've been making daily lattes or americanos, which taste just as good as the coffee shop! This is very user-friendly, and the correct dose is automatically ground into the portofilter. The tamper level is easy to pull down and automatically applies just the right amount of pressure. I've also used just the steamer wand to steam flavored milks ... MoreI was beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to try out this beautifully made Delonghi espresso machine! I've never had an espresso machine before, only a regular drip coffee pot and a pod type machine. I would frequently treat myself to lattes at a coffee shop, and now I don't need to spend all that money! There was a bit of a learning curve getting the right grind and dose, but the instructions were easy to follow. So far, I've been making daily lattes or americanos, which taste just as good as the coffee shop! This is very user-friendly, and the correct dose is automatically ground into the portofilter. The tamper level is easy to pull down and automatically applies just the right amount of pressure. I've also used just the steamer wand to steam flavored milks for my kids, who now ask for this as a dessert nearly every day. Now that it's getting warmer outside, I'm ready to try out another feature of this amazing machine....cold brews! I've been using this about 2-3 times a day for the last 1.5 months, and have only had to descale it once. Cleaning the portofilter is very easy as well. There is no going back for me. After this machine gives out, which I'm hoping is not for several years, I will definitely be buying a new one!

The Delonghi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine is fabulous. When I first started reading the instruction booklet I was nervous it would be complicated to use. We had a tiny little manual espresso machine previously. The Specialista Opera is very user friendly and actually easy to use. I love the preset drink options. You just select the option of your choice from espresso, cool espresso, americano, coffee or cold brew and push the start button. It automatically brews the espresso and adds the correct amount of water if part of the recipe. The option of cool espresso is very nice. The shots are brewed at a cooler temperature specifically for iced drinks. I also love the cold brew option. Iced coffee is my go to at Starbucks. Now I can make it at home in under 5 ... MoreThe Delonghi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine is fabulous. When I first started reading the instruction booklet I was nervous it would be complicated to use. We had a tiny little manual espresso machine previously. The Specialista Opera is very user friendly and actually easy to use. I love the preset drink options. You just select the option of your choice from espresso, cool espresso, americano, coffee or cold brew and push the start button. It automatically brews the espresso and adds the correct amount of water if part of the recipe. The option of cool espresso is very nice. The shots are brewed at a cooler temperature specifically for iced drinks. I also love the cold brew option. Iced coffee is my go to at Starbucks. Now I can make it at home in under 5 minutes. It is very strong, almost like a concentrate. I added water to mine to dilute it a bit. The machine comes with a booklet that has pictures showing you what a good espresso shot should look like and how to obtain those results. That is very helpful especially if you are new to espresso. I would recommend this machine to experienced baristas and to coffee novices too.

At first glance this DeLongi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine is super intimidating. I’m used to the regular run of the mill coffee maker where you press the button and you’re done. The last week I’ve read all the instructions and watched all the videos on how to make the perfect espresso! It took a few days but I’m pretty much convinced that I’m a barista now. This specific espresso machine had quite a few brewing options, but my personal favorite is the cold options. I’m such a fan of cold brew and while this takes longer than the hotter options, it’s totally worth it. My favorite hot option is a double shot of espresso (comes out so perfect and frothy!) with caramel and steamed milk. Steaming the milk is super easy with this machine and I’m really impressed ... MoreAt first glance this DeLongi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine is super intimidating. I’m used to the regular run of the mill coffee maker where you press the button and you’re done. The last week I’ve read all the instructions and watched all the videos on how to make the perfect espresso! It took a few days but I’m pretty much convinced that I’m a barista now. This specific espresso machine had quite a few brewing options, but my personal favorite is the cold options. I’m such a fan of cold brew and while this takes longer than the hotter options, it’s totally worth it. My favorite hot option is a double shot of espresso (comes out so perfect and frothy!) with caramel and steamed milk. Steaming the milk is super easy with this machine and I’m really impressed with how quickly the steam wand heats up but it’s not super hot to the touch. This espresso machine is a one stop shop, it will hold and grind your beans then make whatever espresso drink or cold brew you desire. The quality is so superior that it would be impossible to go back to any other machine. My advice to anyone looking to up their coffee game is to read and watch videos on the dosing and grinding settings, from there you will have to play with it to get the perfect setting for your machine and taste.

From a coffee beginner to a pro with one machine

I've been known to dabble in coffee making from many different machines, but this one is definitely the most complex and a total game changer for me. It took a slight learning curve to figure the technique for grinding the right amount, but after a few tries I've been getting better at it. The smart tamping station combines 2 steps into one and it's surprisingly handy despite the few grinds that escape when I take away the portafilter. Everything has been provided to start right away, inclduing portafilters and the milk steaming container and cleaning solutions. Pieces are easy enough to take off to clean and the machine is super easy to wipe fingerprints off of. I've typically used single pod machines where coffee brews at the push of a button, so having this ... MoreI've been known to dabble in coffee making from many different machines, but this one is definitely the most complex and a total game changer for me. It took a slight learning curve to figure the technique for grinding the right amount, but after a few tries I've been getting better at it. The smart tamping station combines 2 steps into one and it's surprisingly handy despite the few grinds that escape when I take away the portafilter. Everything has been provided to start right away, inclduing portafilters and the milk steaming container and cleaning solutions. Pieces are easy enough to take off to clean and the machine is super easy to wipe fingerprints off of. I've typically used single pod machines where coffee brews at the push of a button, so having this machine as my first was definitely a good stepping stone into the barista world. Not to mention the flavor is so much better when fresh brewed and I've learned to appreciate the coffee brewing process so much more. My only true difficulty I've had is determining appropriate grind size and dose level for the portafilter, but that just may be a user issue. Beyond that, I'm super happy with this machine

Makes a great coffee, and cold brew!

I purchased this machine 3 months ago to replace my delonghi automatic machine. I really wanted to have a cold brew function as it makes the machine a little more versatile. My husband, thought that this was a bit of a fad, however he is now the biggest cold brew convert in the house. I love how simple this machine is to use and the quality of the coffee you can produce. I now find that I am not buying any coffee out and just using keep cups to take with me to work. I have had several delonghi coffee machines and this is my favourite. Not only for the simplicity of use, but for the quality of the coffee it produces. Every evening we make enough cold brew to put in a glass bottle in the fridge so we can make ice-cold drinks on the run. The cold brew does several ... MoreI purchased this machine 3 months ago to replace my delonghi automatic machine. I really wanted to have a cold brew function as it makes the machine a little more versatile. My husband, thought that this was a bit of a fad, however he is now the biggest cold brew convert in the house. I love how simple this machine is to use and the quality of the coffee you can produce. I now find that I am not buying any coffee out and just using keep cups to take with me to work. I have had several delonghi coffee machines and this is my favourite. Not only for the simplicity of use, but for the quality of the coffee it produces. Every evening we make enough cold brew to put in a glass bottle in the fridge so we can make ice-cold drinks on the run. The cold brew does several minutes, so it is not something that you can do just before you rush out of the house - but that is the nature of cold brew. You will not be disappointed with this machine. My only criticism is that it does take about 20 seconds or so for the steam to come out of the frothing wand after you have made your espresso. I acknowledge that this machine is not a double boiler, but that would be my only feedback for a new buyer.

This Is Definitely A Professional Espresso Machine.

I have been using a fully automated espresso machine for years and my decision was set to never ever go traditional. Until now! When I finally able to try the DeLonghi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine. I immediately realized the big difference in my coffee experience in using this machine and that is the personalization. It really elevated the experience. From making a rich cold brew which is my personal preference, there is just so much body in my drink. The full bodied crema this espresso machine makes is just unbelievably rich! I totally understand now. La Specialista Opera is loaded with convenient features. I super appreciate the Smart Tamping which makes the tamping process mess-free. Not only that, it makes an even leveled puck! It is also very helpful ... MoreI have been using a fully automated espresso machine for years and my decision was set to never ever go traditional. Until now! When I finally able to try the DeLonghi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine. I immediately realized the big difference in my coffee experience in using this machine and that is the personalization. It really elevated the experience. From making a rich cold brew which is my personal preference, there is just so much body in my drink. The full bodied crema this espresso machine makes is just unbelievably rich! I totally understand now. La Specialista Opera is loaded with convenient features. I super appreciate the Smart Tamping which makes the tamping process mess-free. Not only that, it makes an even leveled puck! It is also very helpful for I have a family member that doesn’t have that much hand strength so a mechanically assisted tamping process or smart tamping makes a huge difference. The other feature that I want to point out is the steam wand. It doesn’t simply pull out, but you can move it around to your convenience which is not possible as compared to my old machine. The steam pressure is amazing which reminds me of a professional espresso machine as I see them in artisanal coffee shops. I love to use the steam wand to froth my almond milk. I’ve never been more astounded on how it makes it more foamy. I love my milk super hot and this machine definitely is doing a great job in making me in control with the temperature. The bean hopper is absolutely bigger and it runs a bit more quieter as compared to others. Though I also want to point out a small shortcoming that hopefully DeLonghi could change in future updated models. The drip tray is way too shallow! I make my coffee everyday and the rest of the family members. We consume coffee many times a day that I really wish the drip tray could have been made more deeper and larger. The water just fills and reaches the max line so fast. So far it’s the only thing that bothered me. Other than that, I am actually convinced that this is a professional espresso machine. Full body stainless steel body design is more than just an aesthetic. It is heavy and looks like it will last forever. I totally appreciate this machine and I will forever cherish owning this DeLonghi La Specialista Opera Espresso Machine.