The New De’Longhi La Specialista Touch Will Turn You into a Barista
My alarm goes off and I don’t think about my emails or my morning workout—I think espresso. That first cup is the anchor of my day, the reason I don’t live entirely in chaos. I’m also a bit of a snob about it. I live in New York, where people have strong opinions about pizza slices and grind size. So when I say I’ve been skeptical of home espresso machines, I mean it. They’re usually either overly complex (who wants to do manual tamping at 6 a.m. with one eye open?) or insultingly simple (hello, pods—I can taste the sadness).
So I was surprised by how quickly the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch won me over. It's sleek without being intimidating, smart without trying too hard. And most importantly: it makes a damn good cup of coffee. I haven’t bought a $6 latte in weeks, and I don’t miss it.
The De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is a semi-automatic espresso machine that aims to be your home barista, minus the man bun and unsolicited music recs. It comes stacked with features and it's all wrapped in a stainless-steel body that’s both compact and countertop eye candy. Think: Ferrari design language, but make it caffeinated.
- 10 drink presets, from espresso and cappuccino to cold brew and flat white
- A built-in conical burr grinder with 15 settings
- Bean Adapt Technology guides you through dialing in your beans' grind size, dose, temperature, and pre-infusion
- Automatic milk frothing with five froth levels and four temperature settings
- User profiles and bean profiles, so you (and three other humans) can save your go-to drinks
- Touchscreen is not always responsive
- Cold brew doesn't quite hit the mark
- Water tank position in the back makes it slightly annoying to refill
| Display | 3.5-inch color touchscreen |
|---|---|
| Water Tank Capacity | 1.7 liters |
| Dimensions | 14.37"D x 11.22"W x 15.87"H |
| Weight | 23 lbs |
It didn’t take long for the La Specialista Touch to become part of my morning routine—in that quiet, seamless way certain things do, like a favorite mug or a robe you swore you'd never wear in front of other people. Once I’d programmed my go-to drink (a latte with whole milk, thank you very much), I started using it on autopilot. Most mornings, I stumble into the kitchen, half-awake, press my saved profile, and by the time I’ve picked out a mug that’s not still in the dishwasher, my espresso is ready and the milk is frothed. It’s like the machine knows what I need before I do, which, before caffeine, is not that hard to do.
But what I really appreciated, once the novelty wore off and I stopped hovering like a proud new appliance parent, was how well it fit into different types of mornings. On busy weekdays, it delivers exactly what I want without asking for attention or finesse. On slower weekends, it gives me the freedom to experiment, adjusting the grind and changing beans, to see if I can finally pull a shot that doesn’t tilt slightly to the left. (Progress is progress.)
Everything feels considered: the knobs have just the right resistance, the touchscreen is mostly responsive (we’ll get to that), and the steam wand works reliably without spraying hot milk foam all over your backsplash. And while no espresso setup is truly low-maintenance, this one gets close. Most parts rinse easily, the cleaning prompts are helpful without nagging, and as long as you stay vaguely on top of emptying the used grounds bin, you're good. But if you don’t stay on top of it, be prepared to open the machine one morning and question every choice you've ever made.
Okay, let’s be honest. As much as I’ve come to love this machine, it’s not without its quirks.
Let’s start with the cold brew feature, which sounds incredible on paper: cold brew in under five minutes. Amazing, right? Well—sort of. What it actually makes is a chilled coffee drink. It’s fine. It’s decent. But if you’re expecting the mellow, chocolatey depth of a 12-hour steep, this probably won’t scratch that itch. It’s more of a “forgot to prep cold brew overnight, need caffeine now” option than a true replacement. I still keep my mason jar in the fridge for the real thing.
There’s also the water tank, which sits in the back. It looks nice and keeps the front clean, but if you’ve cabinets hanging low over your counter, you’ll find yourself dragging the machine forward every few days to refill it. Not a dealbreaker, but at 23 pounds of machine it’s mildly annoying—especially when you’re operating on low sleep and caffeine fumes.
And while the touchscreen is mostly smooth and easy to navigate, it occasionally lags for a second or two. It’s not often, but when you’re jabbing at “flat white” with the urgency of someone trying to defuse a bomb, even a brief delay feels personal
Final VerdictThe La Specialista Touch isn’t the cheapest espresso machine, nor is it the most basic, but it doesn't pretend to be. What it offers is a thoughtful middle ground: a machine that’s packed with advanced features, but doesn’t make you feel like you’ve accidentally enrolled in a barista certification course just to use them.
It feels built for real kitchens and real people—people who want great coffee, a little control, and maybe the option to froth their own milk without scorching it into oblivion. If you love coffee the way some people love their pets (and treat your beans with similar reverence), this machine will make you very happy.
No, it hasn’t made me swear off coffee shops entirely. I still love the occasional café trip, especially when someone else is doing the dishes. But it has made me feel less dependent on them. And in a city where good espresso is everywhere—but also costs $6 and comes with a line—that feels like a small luxury worth investing in.
- 10 drink presets, from espresso and cappuccino to cold brew and flat white
- A built-in conical burr grinder with 15 settings
- Bean Adapt Technology guides you through dialing in your beans' grind size, dose, temperature, and pre-infusion
- Automatic milk frothing with five froth levels and four temperature settings
- User profiles and bean profiles, so you (and three other humans) can save your go-to drinks
- Touchscreen is not always responsive
- Cold brew doesn't quite hit the mark
- Water tank position in the back makes it slightly annoying to refill
| Display | 3.5-inch color touchscreen |
|---|---|
| Water Tank Capacity | 1.7 liters |
| Dimensions | 14.37"D x 11.22"W x 15.87"H |
| Weight | 23 lbs |
esquire
