Portafilter machines · review
De'Longhi's answer to the Barista Express, with a tidier grinder-to-portafilter workflow and better temperature control. Worth comparing directly rather than assuming Breville wins by default.
Where we land on it A real alternative to the default answer, and better at temperature than either of them admits.
The Barista Express has been the automatic recommendation for so long that the alternatives rarely get compared properly. The La Specialista Arte deserves the comparison, because it is better at one thing that matters a great deal and worse at one thing that matters over time.
The thing it does better is temperature. Active heating control keeps the brew water in a tight band shot after shot, where cheaper machines drift as the group cools and the boiler cycles. Since temperature swings show up as inconsistency you cannot diagnose, that is worth more than it sounds.
The workflow is also cleaner. The grinder dispenses straight into the portafilter with a dosing guide that actually helps, rather than into a chamber you then tip and level. Fewer steps means fewer places to be sloppy, which for a beginner is most of the battle.
What it does worse is the ecosystem. Fifty-one millimeters is De’Longhi’s own size, so the enormous aftermarket of precision baskets, bottomless portafilters and distribution tools built around 58 mm (2.28 in) is closed, and even Breville’s 54 mm (2.13 in) has more choice. Eight grind settings, meanwhile, is the same coarse adjustment every all-in-one offers and the same ceiling you will eventually hit.
Choose on temperament. If you want to buy accessories and tune, Breville has the larger world around it. If you want a machine that behaves well as bought, this holds temperature better than anything else at the price.
| Portafilter | 51 mm (2.01 in) |
|---|---|
| Grinder | Integrated conical, 8 settings |
| Temperature | Active control |
| Wand | Manual steam |
| Water tank | 1.5 L |
Close, and the differences are real. De'Longhi holds temperature better and its grind-to-portafilter workflow is tidier. Breville gives you 54 mm (2.13 in) rather than 51 mm (2.01 in), more grind settings, and a much larger community of accessories and advice. If you expect to tinker, Breville; if you want it to work cleanly out of the box, De'Longhi.
Barely. It is enough to reach a workable shot with most medium roasts, and not enough to chase a specific extraction or handle a light roast. Like every all-in-one at this price, the grinder is the ceiling.
7.9/ 10
A real alternative to the default answer, and better at temperature than either of them admits.
A reference exists on these Amazon stores: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, United States. Listed is not the same as in stock — availability changes daily.
Details checked on October 30, 2026.
A first serious espresso setup where one appliance has to do everything.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for coffee equipment and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
54 mm (2.13 in) · automatic milk texturing · 3 s heat-up
Ready in three seconds, 7.5 inches wide, and it textures milk automatically to a temperature you choose. The one espresso machine that suits a small kitchen without pretending grind does not matter.
Best for: Someone who already owns a grinder, or is buying one, and has no space.
54 mm (2.13 in) portafilter · built-in conical burr · 2 L tank
Machine and grinder in one box, at a price that undercuts buying them separately. The compromises are real — 54 mm (2.13 in) basket, single boiler, a grinder you will outgrow — but nothing else takes a beginner this far this cheaply.
Best for: Your first portafilter machine, if you want one purchase rather than a project.
51 mm (2.01 in) portafilter · 15 cm (5.9 in) wide · pressurized baskets
About six inches wide, heats in forty seconds, and makes a decent drink at an entry price. It ships with pressurized baskets that fake crema from any grind — which is exactly why it works for beginners and why it stalls after a year.
Best for: A tiny kitchen, a first espresso machine, or a second machine for an office.
