An excellent update from a Nespresso machine
I’ve wanted to upgrade from a Nespresso machine for a very long time, and wanted to make coffee at home just as good as my local coffee shop. I couldn’t quite stretch to the Italian machines costing $3k+, so shopped around to see what cheaper options there were. Came across the Delonghi La Specialista Prestigio, and after watching a YouTube review, sold straight away! Very easy to use, is a halfway house between an easy to use machine and a full manual coffee machine costing much more. On the plus side, easy to use bean grinder at top with options to set the coarse of bean, built in stamper, well finished machine gives me confidence it’ll last a few years, easy to use buttons for coffee types and single/double strength, can accomodate small and medium sized mugs. ... MoreI’ve wanted to upgrade from a Nespresso machine for a very long time, and wanted to make coffee at home just as good as my local coffee shop. I couldn’t quite stretch to the Italian machines costing $3k+, so shopped around to see what cheaper options there were. Came across the Delonghi La Specialista Prestigio, and after watching a YouTube review, sold straight away! Very easy to use, is a halfway house between an easy to use machine and a full manual coffee machine costing much more. On the plus side, easy to use bean grinder at top with options to set the coarse of bean, built in stamper, well finished machine gives me confidence it’ll last a few years, easy to use buttons for coffee types and single/double strength, can accomodate small and medium sized mugs. Only thing I would say is pump could need a little more uummmppphhh! It’ll froth milk easily enough but you need a little patience. Apart from that though, excellent value for money, well made and nice design to look at.... Show more
Ian F.
originally posted on folders.co.nz
Better than I was used to or expected
I decided for an upgrade after my last (much cheaper) machine failed, and I hadn't tried a Delonghi before. I didn't think I needed a built in grinder, but now I'm loving the no mess design and fine control of grind size and quantity that this model offers. I'm getting very consistent results and there is very little mess and waste.Speed of heating and switching between making coffee and using the steam wand is good (better than previous machines I've had). I also like the dedicated water spout for making long blacks or just hot water (with zero delay).Overall I'm very impressed and happy with my purchase. It didn't take long to learn the ropes and start making better coffee than I could normally produce with the last couple of machines I've had.... Show more
anonymous
originally posted on thegoodguys.com.au
Disappointed
Have had nespresso citiz and creatista plus machines previously. Saw this being demonstrated in JL and it looked impressive. In reality it's very difficult to get the settings right on the grinder and dosage as it alters with each type/strength of beans used. Had it a month now and still not consistent on reaching optimal. Milk frothing is an art. I had no difficulty with my creatista (main issue there was that it wasn't very hot temperature otherwise I'd have gone for another) but struggling to get a decent froth and milk temperature hot enough with this machine. End up putting it in the microwave which rather defeats the point! Wish i could take it back but once used you can't unless faulty. Looks good and well made just doesn't produce a good cappuccino! Agree ... MoreHave had nespresso citiz and creatista plus machines previously. Saw this being demonstrated in JL and it looked impressive. In reality it's very difficult to get the settings right on the grinder and dosage as it alters with each type/strength of beans used. Had it a month now and still not consistent on reaching optimal. Milk frothing is an art. I had no difficulty with my creatista (main issue there was that it wasn't very hot temperature otherwise I'd have gone for another) but struggling to get a decent froth and milk temperature hot enough with this machine. End up putting it in the microwave which rather defeats the point! Wish i could take it back but once used you can't unless faulty. Looks good and well made just doesn't produce a good cappuccino! Agree also with previous reviewer that it flashes descaling lights far too quickly- every fortnight or so with daily use. I now ignore it and just carry on.... Show more
Poppie15
originally posted on johnlewis.com
Disappointed with Myer more than Delonghi
I bought the coffee machine a few days ago. Coffee machine is of a very high build quality. Love the look and the feel. It takes many trials to get the grind right which is understandable.Issues:- There is a line on the basket that shows how much coffee is the right amount. After many trials (half a kg of coffee beans) I got the best result. Now when changing to single shot basket the coffee is under the line where on the double basket is to the max. That means if you want to switch between single and double shot coffee you need to change settings all the time. It takes one or two coffee to get the best results. That means switching between double and single basket equals to different coffee tastes.- This coffee machine cannot froth the same amount of milk ... MoreI bought the coffee machine a few days ago. Coffee machine is of a very high build quality. Love the look and the feel. It takes many trials to get the grind right which is understandable.Issues:- There is a line on the basket that shows how much coffee is the right amount. After many trials (half a kg of coffee beans) I got the best result. Now when changing to single shot basket the coffee is under the line where on the double basket is to the max. That means if you want to switch between single and double shot coffee you need to change settings all the time. It takes one or two coffee to get the best results. That means switching between double and single basket equals to different coffee tastes.- This coffee machine cannot froth the same amount of milk that other coffee machines can do. A medium jug that I have used with Sunbeam, Breville and Delonghi coffee machine in past. It basically sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It stops somewhere around 48C degrees. Any of the other coffee machines I have used will go far and beyond that temperature. I have actually never used any coffee machine that would shut the steam.Myer's advise is to half do the milk then wait for the coffee machine to cool down and continue doing it. I think warming up milk in Microwave would give you better results. If you are making coffee for ants or very small amounts of coffee maybe it is ok.I thought as an Australian consumer I would have the right to return this machine as it is not doing what it is supposed to do but Myer is disagreeing. I might use the coffee machine for a year or two and purchase another one! Will definitely purchase my products from other retailers when possible in future.... Show more
SadCoffee
originally posted on myer.com.au
Excellent coffee
It takes a few goes to get the right combinations of grinding time and fineness for the beans youre using but its worth persisting. I like the ability to customise the three functions. I cant comment on the milk frothing because I detest the taste of hot milk and have never used this function.The smartTAMPING feature is good - no mess. Its important to keep the grinding chute clean with the supplied brush but this is not emphasised sufficiently in the instructions.The instructions themselves are very basic - they require careful reading and some interpretation.Once you understand the machine the results are excellent.... Show more
anonymous
originally posted on thegoodguys.com.au
Gary's review of DELONGHI La Specialista Prestigio EC9355.M Bean to Cup Coffee Machine - Silver
Pros: Handles beans and ground coffee, delivers hot water, heated only as needed for individual cups of tea, therefore no longer need to boil a whole kettle. Bean to cup in seconds from switching on, as can grind and tamper in the few seconds it takes for the boiler to heat up. Once coffee is prepared, a quick tap of the portafilter on the cushioned edge of a small biscuit tin to release the used grinds and you’re ready for the next cup or two! The two sizes of portafilter and dual pouring handle sets you up whatever the time of day. Fine or course ground and ability to alter dose dependent on coffee type is a big plus. There is a slightly wider version with lcd display and additional standing space for the milk frother; however, this version has exactly the same ... MorePros: Handles beans and ground coffee, delivers hot water, heated only as needed for individual cups of tea, therefore no longer need to boil a whole kettle. Bean to cup in seconds from switching on, as can grind and tamper in the few seconds it takes for the boiler to heat up. Once coffee is prepared, a quick tap of the portafilter on the cushioned edge of a small biscuit tin to release the used grinds and you’re ready for the next cup or two! The two sizes of portafilter and dual pouring handle sets you up whatever the time of day. Fine or course ground and ability to alter dose dependent on coffee type is a big plus. There is a slightly wider version with lcd display and additional standing space for the milk frother; however, this version has exactly the same features and looks as grand albeit more compact and analogue. The programmable feature for personalisation means the amount of water delivered for each cup setting can be customised. Find the defaults more than sufficient for my needs! Cons: Nothing at all I didn’t like. Have used several varieties of coffee, including club specialist, and, even when the dose wasn’t quite adjusted correctly on change of variety, the additional pressure of this machine as quoted in the product specifications, produced a perfect brew every time.... Show more
Gary
originally posted on Currys
Impossible To Set Up, Unreliable, Overdemanding Descaling
Having previously had a cheaper fully auto DeLonghi Magnifica (made inthe EU) we decided to buy a manual machine and wished we hadn't. The machine is virtually impossible to set up, to get correct pump pressure dosing has to be max which means you cant get the filter handle in the machine unless your use huge force. The best result we could get was by using the auto tamper only 3/4 rather than full travel. Crema still no where as good as Magnifica with same beans. Descaling light illuminates evey3 weeks even though we use pre filtered water and Descaling cycle is very hit an miss it can take 3-4 attempts to complete the cycle.6 months in the machine has been returned to Delonghi for a non functioning grinder. Credit to Delonghi warranty team the service was ... MoreHaving previously had a cheaper fully auto DeLonghi Magnifica (made inthe EU) we decided to buy a manual machine and wished we hadn't. The machine is virtually impossible to set up, to get correct pump pressure dosing has to be max which means you cant get the filter handle in the machine unless your use huge force. The best result we could get was by using the auto tamper only 3/4 rather than full travel. Crema still no where as good as Magnifica with same beans. Descaling light illuminates evey3 weeks even though we use pre filtered water and Descaling cycle is very hit an miss it can take 3-4 attempts to complete the cycle.6 months in the machine has been returned to Delonghi for a non functioning grinder. Credit to Delonghi warranty team the service was excellent (I guess they get lots of practice) although a 2 week turnaround meant re-aquainting with instant coffee.When purchasing the LaSpecialista to The Milton Keynes store I was told the machine was made in Italy and was disappointed to find it was made in China (as are most Sage machines) as we are trying to reduce carbon miles in our purchasing. It would be great if John Lewis could add country of manufacture or Co2 miles indication to product specification... Show more
originally posted on johnlewis.com
Looks great and the part,, but unfortunately that's where it ends.
Looks great and the part, but unfortunately that's where it ends.Where to start.1. Despite using various different coffee beans and different blends, I cannot get a decent crema or tasty cup of coffee. This is also after altering the grind setting and grind height.2. Coffee grind collects frequently in the overflow chamber.3. The coffee puck also constantly sticks to the group head when the porta filter is extracted..4. The milk frother is an absolute joke in that it is very difficult to produce a decent micro foam.5. The milk frother boiler is not great, doesn't produce hot enough milk, timing out all the time.I have owned a bean to cup machine for at least 7 years and thought this would be a natural upgradeHad done a lot of research prior to ... MoreLooks great and the part, but unfortunately that's where it ends.Where to start.1. Despite using various different coffee beans and different blends, I cannot get a decent crema or tasty cup of coffee. This is also after altering the grind setting and grind height.2. Coffee grind collects frequently in the overflow chamber.3. The coffee puck also constantly sticks to the group head when the porta filter is extracted..4. The milk frother is an absolute joke in that it is very difficult to produce a decent micro foam.5. The milk frother boiler is not great, doesn't produce hot enough milk, timing out all the time.I have owned a bean to cup machine for at least 7 years and thought this would be a natural upgradeHad done a lot of research prior to purchase including plenty of youtube videos to familiarise myself with the art of pouring a decent espresso including videos on this particular machine.Thinking that this was a semi automatic machine, and that very little input would be required, how wrong was I.So I didn't purchase on a whim, but have to be honest, this has to be one of the worst purchases in my life.My only advice to future buyers, is to purchase a competitor's machine of similar cost.The machine was sent back to very on advice of Delonghi following a 45 minute live chat, money was returned to my account. Only for the machine to arrive back on my doorstep one month later, having been inspected by Delonghi as having no faults.... Show more
Mark
originally posted on very.co.uk
My opinion after 365 days of use!
I bought this coffee machine last year and I thought I wait for a year and then publish my honest review about it. First of all, my wife and I absolutely love it. We are using this coffee machine every day to make coffee for ourselves two times a day (we work from home) so you can imagine how many times it's running and making coffee for us. Roughly around 1500-2000 times considering the coffees we made for our guests or the afternoon tea that we made. It has never leaked, never broke, never had serious issues what so ever. I believe if you maintain it and use original Delonghi descaler, it should last for a long time. We use filtered water as well and I think that's another reason for it working perfectly fine after a year. I bought extended warranty on it and I'm ... MoreI bought this coffee machine last year and I thought I wait for a year and then publish my honest review about it. First of all, my wife and I absolutely love it. We are using this coffee machine every day to make coffee for ourselves two times a day (we work from home) so you can imagine how many times it's running and making coffee for us. Roughly around 1500-2000 times considering the coffees we made for our guests or the afternoon tea that we made. It has never leaked, never broke, never had serious issues what so ever. I believe if you maintain it and use original Delonghi descaler, it should last for a long time. We use filtered water as well and I think that's another reason for it working perfectly fine after a year. I bought extended warranty on it and I'm expecting I won't need it anyways. If you are searching for a trouble free coffee machine that makes amazing coffees, look no further. Delonghi LaSpecialista is the one to go.... Show more
NimaZo
originally posted on jbhifi.com.au
Very disappointed
This is our 3rd Laspecialista Pestigio Machine in 10 weeks. We have had 2 broken coffee grinders and one also had the cleaning light come on after two weeks and stay on after going through the correct cleaning process. The new machines light has also just come on so we might be heading down the same path again. There is obviously some problems with this model. The JB Hifi staff have been fantastic with there service with these problems. We have kept trying the same machine because the previous Laspecialista model we had was great. It’s pretty disappointing because we have had a lot of respect for the Delonghi brand.... Show more
originally posted on jbhifi.com.au