DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro Review 2023: The Master of Espresso Machines

In today’s DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro review, I’ll be discussing my hands-on experiences using this powerful home espresso machine. Get ready for positive vibes, because I had a great time testing this thing out. Even if it did leave my ego a little bruised. Don’t worry, that’ll make sense later!

Anyway, seeing as there are more hybrid espresso machines with built-in grinders than ever these days, you’ll likely already have some burning questions such as:

I’m going to answer all of these questions and more for you today.

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro Review Overview

Launched in 2021, the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro is still the Italian giant’s flagship home espresso machine. Whether or not this incredible machine was intended as a direct response to Breville’s success in the hybrid market isn’t for me to say. However, I think we can all see that DeLonghi isn’t going down without a fight.

Not much changed about the general layout of this addition to the La Specialista series. On the left, it’s all about processing the coffee beans: grinding, dosing and tamping. On the right, everything revolves around espresso extraction and steaming milk.

Still, I’m still a little confused. You can manually adjust what you want with all the buttons, dials, scales and digital displays, so you have to know what you’re doing.

However, the machine’s many automatic mechanisms ensure that nothing ever goes wrong with the really important things like pressure, dosing and brew temperatures.

Does the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro simply want to give me the feeling of being a true professional?

On top of that, you have the usual convenient bells and whistles for saving custom settings, programs and profiles. Once you’ve dialed it to perfection, the DeLonghi espresso machine can always remember your preferred dose, grind size, brewing temperature and more.

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro Features

Before I go any further, I should tell you that during my DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro review, the machine quickly became one of my favorites of all time. In fact, I’d say it’s earned a permanent place in the top 10 section of my home espresso machine guide 2023.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at all the awesome features you can expect from this hybrid powerhouse.

Size and Design

Visually, the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro is based on its predecessors in the La Specialista range. I guess there’s no reason why the Italian manufacturer should have changed the appearance. After all, the stainless steel, black or red housing with black trim looks as chic and high quality as ever.

Still, if I had to nitpick, the corresponding symbols light up behind the reflective surface when the bean hopper is empty. That’s really small potatoes, though.

You should bear in mind that this beautiful and shiny coffee maker is a big brute of a thing. Let’s just say you’re gonna need plenty of room in your kitchen for the La Specialista Maestro. Plus, clocking in at over 30 pounds (14 kilograms), this is no lightweight home espresso machine. So, moving the thing around to access the bean hopper and water tank will be no mean feat if you’ve got overhead cabinets getting in the way.

User Interface

The generously protruding buttons and dials lend the machine a touch of retro-cool. In addition to the familiar gauge for measuring the brewing pressure at the group head, you’ll find two additional digital display panels on the front. One displays the dose amount and uses sensors to register micro adjustments. The other is for selecting preset drinks such as espresso and cappuccino.

This exciting mix of controls results in a coherent overall look that’s somewhere between old-fashioned and modern. I have to say I really like the way this semi-automatic espresso machine looks.

Grinder

The 8.8 ounce (250 gram) bean hopper sits proudly on top of the machine. Thanks to the exceptionally simple click system, you can place it on the grinder or remove it in seconds.

You’ll find the adjustment settings for the conical burr coffee bean grinder below the hopper. The DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro includes two more even finer options, with eight grind adjustment settings in total.

If you’re like me, you might feel like this is overkill, but it really depends on which coffee beans you’re using. That said, I found the finest of the six levels in the original La Specialista more than sufficient for espresso preparation.

In any case, it doesn’t hurt to have the option. The same goes for the sensors in the grinder, which are supposed to ensure that the ground coffee is dosed even more accurately.

Dosing

The Smart Tamping Station reminds me of a casino visit every time I use it. Once the dosed portafilter is latched on the left side, you pull the tamper lever toward you like a one-armed bandit.

Although Breville has automated this on its flagship Oracle Touch coffee machine, I like engaging in the process. I feel like a modern barista who waits in vain for flashing symbols and the jackpot but gets delicious espresso instead.

First, you regulate the dose on the large left-hand dial. The round digital display above it shows your setting (0 to 30).

On top of that, the display shows you which step you are currently in via a circular progress bar. If you want a double shot, select the “X2” button to the right of the dial. Easy.

Each filter basket has a level marker to indicate the ideal coffee dose. However, whether or not that’s your ideal dose remains to be seen.

Now, insert the portafilter and lock it into place. I had trouble during my previous DeLonghi La Specialista review, but the less said about that, the better.

The grinding process starts automatically. The display now shows grinding. Thanks, DeLonghi, we wouldn’t have otherwise known what that noise was! Well, I guess the main thing is that something flashes.

If you want to adjust your grind, this is the right moment to do it. Use the dial just below the bean hopper and please only make adjustments when the grinder is operating.

You’d expect an RPM and grind rate sensor to ensure even dosing of the ground coffee. It worked out nicely for me, the ground coffee arriving neatly in my portafilter. Even so, whether or not that was necessarily due to the fancy sensors is anyone’s guess.

Tamping

Now you’re finally allowed to gamble – again, the display tells you: tamping. So, you pull the lever toward you and hope for a good result. As I mentioned before, I was definitely happy: the ground coffee was evenly compacted and there was no mess.

However, you’ll need to practice a little to perfect this process. Should you pull the lever twice? How fast should you pull the lever, and how long do you hold it?

Incidentally, before you move the portafilter to the next station and start the brewing process, you can adjust the Active Temperature Control.

This feature allows you to choose from five temperature settings, each supposedly calibrated for a different roast profile. I have to say this is pretty darn advanced for any home espresso machine, and will only help you dial in your shots to perfection.

Portafilter

The DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro coffee machine is equipped with a 51mm portafilter, which is smaller than what you’ll find on a comparable Breville espresso machine. What’s more, it’s way smaller than the 58mm portafilters you’ll see on commercial and prosumer espresso machines.

There’s a lot of debate among baristas about portafilter size, and I’m not about to wade in. Suffice to say, using a 51mm portafilter isn’t necessarily going to result in a less than fantastic shot of espresso.

Anyway, what’s more important is that this espresso maker comes with single-wall filter baskets rather than the pressurized versions you’ll often get with home espresso machines. While single-wall baskets are less forgiving than their pressurized, double-wall cousins, you’ll end up with far superior espresso once you’ve dialed in your shots.

Dynamic Pre-Infusion

In my opinion, a home espresso machine without a pre-infusion function just isn’t worth buying. With machines like the Gaggia Classic Pro and Rancilio Silvia, you have to use creative hacks for achieving pre-infusion.

However, the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro offers an automatic pre-infusion stage for every extraction.

Even better, the proprietary Dynamic Pre-Infusion function adapts to your dose, evenly dampening the coffee grounds in the portafilter before the 19-bar pump kicks in. That means your espresso will display a fully developed body and aroma, which is most definitely what you want!

Boiler

Although the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro does have dual thermoblock heating systems, you can’t prepare espresso and manually steam milk at the same time, which is a little strange.

You can pull a shot of espresso and froth milk back to back though, which is much better than waiting and waiting for the water to reach the correct temperature range.

Milk Foam

When it comes to using the semi-automatic steam wand, get ready to put in some practice time. With its three-holed nozzle, this thing packs quite a punch.

Still, once you have a handle on it, you can shape the texture of the milk as you like.

Alternatively, if you’re making a milk-based coffee specialty, you can simply use the automatic LatteCrema system. To do this, fill the container with milk that’s at refrigerator temperature. Next, click on the lid and insert it into the LatteCrema system on the right-hand side. Then select your desired beverage and start the brewing process.

When you aren’t using the milk frother system, you can simply cover the holder with a screen.

During my DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro review testing, I prepared a latte macchiato. To be honest, I wanted to trick the machine. Devious, I know.

It didn’t work, though. The clever LatteCrema system wasn’t fooled and dispensed milk into the glass first. The espresso followed. Everything was done correctly.

So this DeLonghi espresso machine has a certain intelligence. It adjusts the order in which coffee and milk froth are dispensed, depending on the beverage. And let’s face it, this puts it quite a bit ahead of many would-be baristas. I guess AI will replace us after all!

Incidentally, you can also use a dial to select one of three froth levels.

In submitting to my barista ego, I couldn’t help but try out the manual steam wand again. I had no problems harnessing all that power, and whipped up fluffy, silky cappuccino milk foam. Nevertheless, I was left with the feeling of having to admit defeat by the automatic milk frothing system. I liked the consistency the automatic milk frother produced just a touch more.

Accessories

It appears that the manufacturer didn’t read my original DeLonghi La Specialista review. I expressed a desire for a sturdy knock box to get rid of used coffee pucks, but it hasn’t materialized. Oh well, maybe next time. Anyway, here’s what’s included with this DeLonghi espresso machine:

That’s quite the barista starter kit! I have a sneaking suspicion the Italians have taken note of Breville’s generosity and followed suit. Still, which manufacturer will cave in first and start including a knock box?

How to Use the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro

While the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro might look intimidating, it’s incredibly intuitive and easy to use. First, plug it in. Then, turn the power switch on – it’s alive! All the digital display elements light up and you know you’re good to go.

Moreover, you’re always safe in the knowledge that an icon will remind you to refill the bean hopper or begin tamping.

When you unpack the coffee machine, I advise you to clean it thoroughly. Rinse all removable parts under hot water, and rinse outlets and hoses on the machine itself.

To do this, press either the button with the water droplet icon, the tea button or start a coffee brewing cycle. Remember to purge the steam wand for ten seconds via the large rotary knob.

For this to work, you first have to fill the 84 ounce (2.5 liter) water tank at the rear of the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro.

Because this is such a large tank, you might be tempted to use leftover water from the day before. Resist that urge and use fresh water instead! Believe me, your taste buds will thank you.

Now you can start playing at home barista with your DeLonghi espresso machine and make your first coffee drink. I’ll tell you how it worked out for me during my DeLonghi La Specialista review and what the results were like.

My Observations

After doing your thing at the Smart Tamping Station, lock the portafilter into place in the group head. Using the dial on the far right, you now select your desired beverage: espresso, cappuccino, americano, flat white, latte macchiato or coffee.

Depending on which one you choose, the machine may change the preparation steps slightly.

Don’t forget to put a glass down under the portafilter and press the “OK” button in the middle. After that, the dynamic pre-infusion starts, followed by the actual brewing process. What does the round display tell us? That’s right, brewing.

By the way, I was amazed at how quickly the machine heated up. It only took a few seconds!

Side note, which is always important to you: a large travel mug fits underneath easily. For small espresso cups, there’s a foldaway cup grille to reduce the distance from the spout.

Although this minimizes coffee splashes I still created a few. You’ll have to be prepared to wipe down the shiny front on a regular basis to keep it looking snazzy.

Back to the espresso and its crema: I achieved a nice golden brown result with a fine-pored, creamy and dense consistency. I admit: this wouldn’t have worked out so smoothly if I hadn’t already reviewed the first La Specialista version.

As I said, this espresso machine takes you by the hand and does a lot automatically, but you still have to learn to run it yourself. No worries though. It won’t take more than a few attempts to dial in the settings that work for you.

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro Cleaning

Since this is a hybrid espresso machine with a grinder, cleaning and descaling is relatively simple. After all, coffee grounds never come into contact with water inside the machine. This takes care of the mold problem for the time being. However, you should regularly rinse the shower screen via the hot water outlet – wet grounds can accumulate there.

Otherwise, all moving parts can be easily removed. Thoroughly rinse them under warm water but don’t go near the dishwasher. Spend a little time and show your DeLonghi espresso machine the love it deserves!

You can use the included brush to get into all sorts of openings on the machine. Scrub the shower screen and go through the grinding channel to remove all coffee residue. Oh, and remember to always start with dry areas before moving to wet ones. Otherwise, you run the risk of starting a mold farm.

You can easily remove the bean hopper to reach the grinder. This makes it easy to brush out dust and remove bean remnants from the burrs. A vacuum cleaner like the Brigii Mini Vacuum is also a good friend to have here.

For descaling, DeLonghi provides you with liquid and an extra button. That solves the mystery. I was looking forward to a special feature, but all I got was a descaler button. Depending on your water hardness, the whole process takes around 20 minutes.

You can read exactly how everything works in the user manual.

By the way, it tells you that you should only use DeLonghi descaler. Absolutely! Otherwise, death by coffee is imminent and you’ll end up in Nespresso coffee capsule hell.

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro Specifications

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro vs Other Espresso Machines

Let’s continue this DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro review by seeing how the machine fares in comparison with a couple of other espresso makers.

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro vs La Specialista

The DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro is available on Amazon for $1,399.95, while the DeLonghi La Specialista sells for $899.95. That’s a fairly big difference.

The extra investment gets you a more advanced user interface. It also gets you a couple more grind adjustment settings. The Maestro’s built in grinder works in conjunction with two sensors that measure micro adjustments for accurate dosing.

The original La Specialista also uses sensors in this way, but without the addition of the precise digital dosing dial.

The DeLonghi Maestro is equipped with the superior LatteCrema Milk System, though it’s worth mentioning that the milk frother on the original La Specialista is also quite good.

Now, as to the question of whether it makes more sense to buy the Maestro instead of the original La Specialista coffee machine … that’s a harder call that you’ll have to make. Though I highly recommend the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro and believe the difference in price is justifiable, the original La Specialista has a lot to offer.

Oh, and to make things even more interesting, the DeLonghi La Specialist Arte is worth checking out, too. It’s smaller and more affordable, although not quite as impressive in its performance.

See Also: DeLonghi La Specialista Review 2023

DeLonghi La Specialista vs Breville Barista Touch

While the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro has a beautiful interface, it’s still not as user friendly as the color touch screen on the Breville Barista Touch, which sells for $799.95.

The Maestro does walk you through the process of making drinks, but not with the same level of ease that you get from Breville.

The DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro has two heating elements as compared to a single ThermoJet heating system on the Barista Touch. However, you still can’t use these simultaneously, which makes this a moot point.

Both coffee machines offer pre-programmed drink recipes and customizable drink profiles.

The Barista Touch has an automatic steam wand with a built-in thermometer, just like the more expensive Oracle Touch.

Still, when you consider the versatility of the DeLonghi’s milk system, choosing between the two coffee machines is only going to be more difficult.

See Also: Breville Barista Touch Review 2023

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro vs Others Comparison Chart

Verdict: DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro Review

I see no reason not to recommend the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro espresso machine to you. The grinder is excellent, the espresso is convincing and the coffee drinks taste great.

The milk foam is also fantastic, no matter which preparation method you use. This could just be the best espresso machine with grinder available to date … or at least be capable of giving the Breville Barista Touch a run for its money.

In case you were wondering, I have firmly resolved to defeat the LatteCrema system. What can I say? I like a challenge from my coffee machines!

Like many hyped-up espresso machines, the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro arrived on the scene with a cascade of marketing promises. Dynamic here, Automatic-Adapt there and a bit of Intelligence somewhere. Whether that ultimately tips the scales, I dare to doubt.

But it doesn’t matter, because the result is right. The two additional grind settings, the LatteCrema system and the larger selection of beverages justify the upgrade and the price jump from the original DeLonghi La Specialista coffee machine.

Whether you really need them is another matter and you’re the only one who can make that decision.

Just as only you can decide if you’re up for all the fiddling and trial and error.

DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro FAQ