DeLonghi TrueBrew Review 2023: A Single-Serve Revolution?

In today’s DeLonghi TrueBrew review I’ll be looking at the Italian manufacturer’s latest offering, and I have to admit that I’m beyond excited.

What’s the big deal, you ask? Well, the TrueBrew is the first fully automatic drip coffee maker to hit the North American market. You can forget about paper filters and brew baskets – this baby takes care of everything internally. All you have to do is press a button.

I happen to believe that the DeLonghi TrueBrew will be a game changer in the drip coffee maker sector, so I ordered one from Amazon to test out for you.

Having spent the past couple of days putting the machine through its paces, I’ve got loads to tell you. In the meantime, let’s see what all the fuss is about by taking a first look at this much-hyped coffee maker.

This changes everything!

DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker

A fully automatic drip coffee machine.

One-touch operation

Built-in grinder

Zero waste coffee maker

Fantastic user interface

Variety of sizes and brew styles

No grind adjustments

Rather bulky

CHECK PRICE

DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker Overview

As I was preparing for this DeLonghi TrueBrew review, I found myself wondering whether I should include it in my super automatic espresso machine guide 2023 or drip coffee maker guide 2023. However, it quickly became clear that the DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker belongs in the latter section.

Sure, the TrueBrew features an internal brew group and has a built-in grinder. But the machine has been designed to appeal to regular coffee drinkers rather than those looking for a cappuccino or latte macchiato.

And here’s where we get to the reason why I think the TrueBrew is a game changer: DeLonghi seems to have identified a glaring gap in the market. Until now, those looking for a single-serve coffee maker requiring minimal effort have usually opted for a pod machine.

However, as more and more folks realize how terrible coffee capsules are for the environment, a sustainable alternative has good odds of success.

Enter the DeLonghi TrueBrew, which offers a completely zero waste solution. What’s more, the TrueBrew promises versatility and high-quality results with no fuss whatsoever. In fact, you could argue that its one-button operation makes it even more convenient than a pod machine.

To top it all off, the DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker costs an entirely reasonable $499.53. So, does this automatic grind and brew coffee maker have what it takes to lure Nespresso drinkers away from the dark side? I really hope so!

DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker First Impressions

Looking at the DeLonghi TrueBrew, there’s no doubt this is a pretty impressive coffee maker. The large touchscreen display is remarkably intuitive, with clearly labeled icons and easy-to-digest information.

Up top there’s a low-profile bean hopper, and I can’t help but nod approvingly at the generous drip tray below. Overall, the TrueBrew is instantly recognizable as a DeLonghi machine; its design isn’t quite utilitarian, but it’s far from being sleek and stylish.

One thing that’s kind of confusing is the placement of the water tank, which juts out awkwardly from the side of the machine. I’ll talk more about that later in this DeLonghi TrueBrew review.

Oh, and you should bear in mind that the DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker is far from compact. In fact, I was quite surprised by the sheer size of the thing. I mean, it’s almost 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) tall, so fitting it under kitchen cabinets might be a challenge.

With that in mind, this might not be the best option if there’s limited space in your kitchen.

DeLonghi TrueBrew Features

If you’re as excited about this fully automatic coffee maker as I am you’ll want to know more! So, let’s continue my DeLonghi TrueBrew review by diving into all the features that make it so special.

User Interface

As I already mentioned, the DeLonghi TrueBrew’s user interface is really impressive. By now, you will have cottoned on to the fact that this machine has been designed with ease of use in mind.

This is exemplified by the control panel, which features nice color icons and capacitive buttons for selecting brew size and type. I’d say that unless you just beamed down from a planet without coffee makers, using this machine will be a piece of cake. In fact, you probably won’t even need to open the user manual at all!

Built-In Conical Burr Grinder

I never miss an opportunity to remind you that coffee always tastes better when it’s made from freshly ground beans. The DeLonghi TrueBrew is equipped with a stainless steel conical burr grinder, above which sits the 9 ounce (250 gram bean hopper).

While that might sound kind of small, it’s actually perfect, seeing as you’ll be forced to keep adding fresh beans.

Interestingly, you aren’t able to make grinder adjustments with the TrueBrew. Now, I know that some of you will find that idea horrifying. However, remember that this coffee maker is aimed toward those who don’t want extra settings to worry about.

Believe me, DeLonghi has done its consumer research on this one. Remember that gap in the market I talked about? The Italian manufacturer knows there are tons of people who are interested in machines like this. It also knows those people don’t care about grind settings and how they can affect coffee flavor in nuanced ways.

I’m pretty sure DeLonghi isn’t just throwing this machine into the wind and hoping for the best!

Bypass Doser

As with most super automatic espresso machines, the DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker comes with the addition of a bypass doser. This feature allows you to ignore the grinder and use pre-ground coffee instead. While that might seem pointless, it can actually be handy if you want to prepare the odd decaf coffee.

That said, I’ve had some bad luck using bypass dosers in the past. I’ve found that they can easily get clogged, and moisture has a way of getting in there.

Still, during the testing phase of my DeLonghi TrueBrew review I made sure to make a few cups using the bypass doser. I’m happy to report that everything worked well and I didn’t experience any problems.

Bean Extract Technology

Now we’re getting to the nitty-gritty of what makes the DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee maker tick! Listen, manufacturers love to dream up ridiculous technical-sounding jargon to help sell their coffee makers. And DeLonghi is certainly no exception.

However, the TrueBrew’s Bean Extract Technology does seem to be really cool. This proprietary system is the heart and soul of the machine – it enables the TrueBrew Coffee Maker to grind, dose and brew your beans depending on your selection.

Ultimately, it means the DeLonghi TrueBrew will produce consistent results every time. I have to say I was pretty blown away by how well the machine performed, and I enjoyed cup after cup of delicious coffee. Turns out this thing is as consistent as I hoped it’d be!

Brew Styles

The DeLonghi TrueBrew allows you to choose from five different brew styles: Light, Gold, Bold, Over Ice and Espresso Style. What’s more, you’re able to adjust the coffee temperature in three stages.

During my testing I kept the temperature at the highest setting, which was fine for my tastes. However, I do feel like some of you might find that the TrueBrew can’t make hot enough coffee. That’s just a sneaking suspicion I have based on past comments I’ve read!

Anyway, the DeLonghi gives you quite an impressive amount of control over your brew. As you might have guessed, the Over Ice brew style involves a concentrated brew that becomes diluted once it hits the ice. Delicious iced coffee on a hot day? Yes please!

As for the Gold setting, it seems DeLonghi is making an effort to offer a brew that satisfies requirements for the coffee “Golden Ratio.” In other words, 1 part coffee to 18 parts water. That’s all well and good, but I found coffee brewed with this setting to be rather meh.

I was really looking forward to trying the Espresso Style brew. As far as I can gather, the TrueBrew is equipped with limited variable pressure capabilities in its brew group. So, I figured this thing might be able to pump out some pretty decent espresso! I’ll tell you all about how it performed a little later.

Brew Sizes

The DeLonghi TrueBrew is most definitely a single-serve coffee maker, although there is a version with a carafe on the manufacturer’s website. I’d say DeLonghi has nailed it in terms of versatility – you can choose from six brew sizes, ranging from a 3-ounce espresso to a 24-ounce travel mug.

What’s more, there’s a cool retractable cup shelf for brewing into smaller espresso cups and coffee mugs. I love thoughtful features like that!

Cup Height

Further evidence of DeLonghi having done their homework comes in an overly generous amount of headroom for larger insulated coffee mugs. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an automatic coffee maker with cup height like this.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve been left frustrated by a fully automatic espresso machine that won’t allow me to brew into taller glasses. DeLonghi obviously recognizes that many Americans like to drink coffee from larger vessels and the manufacturer has delivered the goods. Way to go DeLonghi!

Water Tank

Earlier in this DeLonghi TrueBrew review I mentioned the machine’s awkwardly placed water tank. I guess the tank will only really pose a problem if you have limited room. Otherwise, its position could be a bonus, seeing as you can easily remove it for filling.

Speaking of, the DeLonghi water reservoir has a 61 ounce (1.8 liter) capacity, which might seem kind of small. I’m not sure whether this was just an oversight on the manufacturer’s part or whether DeLonghi is encouraging you to consistently use fresh water.

During my review I just couldn’t help feeling kind of annoyed by the water reservoir. If the manufacturer had incorporated it into the machine’s design more effectively, the TrueBrew would look way more sleek and streamlined.

Plus, seeing as the tank is made from flimsy clear plastic, sunlight shining in there is quickly going to promote the growth of algae.

Ultimately, the disappointing water tank isn’t a dealbreaker by any means. Still, I do feel a lot better having got all that off my chest!

Warranty

The DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker comes with a three-year warranty once you’ve registered your product. That’s actually pretty generous, so go ahead and register! Anyway, the warranty will cover any manufacturer defects should they arise. DeLonghi will take care of everything and likely send you a replacement machine if something does go wrong.

How to Use the DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker

I’ve already talked up the DeLonghi TrueBrew as being seriously easy to use and I stand by that. Still, there are a few things to take care of during the machine’s initial setup that are best left to the user manual to explain.

Essentially, you’ll need to set the time, adjust the water temperature (if you want to) and input your water hardness. Incidentally, don’t skimp on that last part – there’s no water filter in this machine, so the more information it has the better.

Before using the TrueBrew for the first time, rinse all removable parts and flush the machine. That’ll take care of any plastic smells and factory dust and residue. After that, it’s simply a case of plugging the machine in. As for preparing coffee, here’s a quick rundown:

DeLonghi TrueBrew Observations

During the testing phase of my DeLonghi TrueBrew review I used a coffee blend with a medium roast profile. I had a feeling the machine would respond well to these coffee beans and I was right! The DeLonghi did a great job of accentuating the chocolate and caramel notes, and highlighted just the right amount of smokiness.

Having brewed numerous coffees with all the different brew styles, I can tell you that the Bold and Espresso Style settings were my favorite. Sure, the Over Ice setting is nice to have, but I got tastier results by brewing an “espresso” over ice then adding a little cold water.

Speaking of the Espresso Style coffee, I can report that it blew me away. Seriously, the machine produced quite impressive crema, and the flavor was rich and complex. In fact, I was sad that there’s no milk frother on board; this espresso is crying out for a little dollop of milk foam on top!

My only other real complaint is the lack of a hot water function. Again, this comes down to the fact that I’d love to be able to top off the Espresso Style brew with a little hot water for a tasty americano.

Plus, I’m sure some folks would love to be able to make tea with this machine. Especially seeing as the thing is so darn bulky you might not have room left in your kitchen for a kettle!

DeLonghi TrueBrew Cleaning and Descaling

While the DeLonghi TrueBrew needs regular cleaning and descaling to keep functioning well, there really isn’t too much to take care of. With that said, maintenance is a little more intensive than for a regular drip coffee maker.

Fortunately, the machine will let you know when the most important maintenance tasks are needed. That’s definitely the case for emptying the used grounds container, which is located behind the drip tray. What’s great is that the grounds are compacted pucks, so you won’t be dealing with a big mess.

By the way, try using the coffee grinds in your garden – your tomato plants will love you for it!

At the end of each day’s use I recommend rinsing the removable brew group under warm water. Oh, and let it dry fully before putting it back in the machine. While you’re at it, make sure to empty the drip tray, wipe off the coffee dispensing spout and rinse the water tank.

Every so often you’ll need to descale the machine with DeLonghi EcoDecalk solution. I’m not about to bore you with the details of how to do that. You’ll find all the information you need in the user manual. Suffice to say, don’t ignore the machine when it asks to be descaled!

DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker Specifications

Verdict: DeLonghi TrueBrew Review

This changes everything!

DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker

A fully automatic drip coffee machine.

One-touch operation

Built-in grinder

Zero waste coffee maker

Fantastic user interface

Variety of sizes and brew styles

No grind adjustments

Rather bulky

CHECK PRICE

Having reached the end of my DeLonghi TrueBrew review, I can confidently tell you that the Italian manufacturer has hit a real home run with this machine. Sure, I may have come down a little too hard on the water tank, but that’s only because everything else is so great!

Ultimately, everyone needs to stop using disposable coffee pods, like, yesterday. I can only hope that the DeLonghi TrueBrew Coffee Maker represents the tip of the iceberg and other manufacturers will follow suit. After all, the TrueBrew proves that you can have one-touch convenience and still use high-quality coffee beans.

Personally, I still believe we can create a world without environmentally destructive capsules! Who’s with me?

DeLonghi TrueBrew Review FAQ