De’Longhi La Specialista Touch Review: Guided Espresso With Cold Brew
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The De’Longhi La Specialista Touch (EC9455M) is a semi-automatic espresso machine with a built-in grinder that tries to teach you as you go. You still lock in the portafilter and tamp by hand, but a touchscreen walks you through dialing in each new bag of beans. Here’s what De’Longhi’s official Amazon listing says it does, how it compares with three alternatives, and who should skip it.
Verdict in short
A strong pick if you want real, hands-on espresso with on-screen coaching, automatic milk frothing and fast cold brew. Skip it if you want one-touch drinks with no tamping, or if counter depth is tight.
Our quick picks
- Our pick for guided espresso: De’Longhi La Specialista Touch (EC9455M): Bean Adapt dial-in guidance, a 15-setting burr grinder, automatic frothing and cold brew in under 5 minutes.
- More manual, simpler controls: De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo (EC9250M): the same 15-setting grinder and cold brew, with a commercial-style manual steam wand and button controls.
- Best for assisted tamping: Breville Barista Touch Impress (BES881BSS): Impress Puck System with assisted 22 lb tamping, Auto MilQ and 3-second ThermoJet heat-up.
- If you want one-touch drinks: De’Longhi Rivelia (EXAM44055B): fully automatic with 18 presets, two swappable bean hoppers and the LatteCrema Hot milk system.
Key features
- Semi-automatic: grinds, doses, brews and froths, with real-time guidance while you make the drink
- 3.5-inch high-resolution touch display
- 10 customizable presets: espresso, americano, long black, cold brew, cappuccino, latte, latte macchiato, flat white, hot milk and hot water
- Bean Adapt technology: a visual guide to set grind, dose, pre-infusion and brew temperature for each bean, with up to 6 saved bean profiles
- Italian-made conical burr grinder with 15 grind settings, for single or double doses and cold brew
- Automatic steam wand with 5 froth levels and 4 milk temperatures for dairy or plant-based milk, plus a manual setting for latte art practice
- Cold Extraction Technology bypasses the thermoblock to make cold brew in under 5 minutes
- Barista kit: precision tamper (dose up to 20 g), portafilter, two single-wall baskets, dosing and tamping guide, tamping mat and stainless steel milk jug
- 1600 W; listed at 22.9 lb and 18.7 x 14.96 x 18.58 inches (D x W x H)
- Warranty: 2 years, plus 1 extra year with product registration (per the listing)
What we like
The biggest selling point is the guidance. Most semi-automatic machines leave you to work out grind size and dose by trial and error. De’Longhi’s Bean Adapt guide suggests adjustments to grind, dose, pre-infusion and temperature and gives feedback on the result, and you can save up to 6 bean profiles so switching between a light and a dark roast doesn’t mean starting over.
The milk side is flexible too. The automatic wand chooses froth and temperature based on your drink and milk type, with 5 froth levels and 4 temperatures, but a manual setting is there when you want to practise latte art. And the cold brew mode is unusual for a semi-automatic: De’Longhi says it skips the thermoblock and brews cold brew drinks in under 5 minutes. The included kit (tamper, single-wall baskets, tamping mat, milk jug) means you don’t need to buy accessories on day one.
What to consider
It is a thermoblock machine, not a dual boiler like the Breville Oracle. The grinder has 15 settings, which is fewer steps than many standalone espresso grinders. You still tamp by hand, so expect a short learning curve, although the tamper and dosing guide help. Size matters too: the listing gives a depth of 18.7 inches and a weight of 22.9 lb, so measure under your cabinets first. We don’t quote prices because they change often; check the current price on Amazon.
La Specialista Touch vs the alternatives
| La Specialista Touch | La Specialista Arte Evo | Barista Touch Impress | Rivelia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic, guided | Semi-automatic | Semi-automatic, guided | Fully automatic |
| Controls | 3.5-inch touchscreen | Buttons | Touchscreen | 3.5-inch color touchscreen |
| Grinder | Conical burr, 15 settings | Conical burr, 15 settings | Integrated, intelligent dosing | Burr, 13 settings |
| Dial-in help | Bean Adapt, 6 bean profiles | Active Temperature Control (3 temps) | Impress Puck System, assisted 22 lb tamp | Bean Adapt |
| Presets | 10 | 4 | 13 (+ up to 6 custom) | 18 |
| Milk | Auto wand: 5 froth levels, 4 temps + manual | Commercial-style manual wand | Auto MilQ, 3 alternative-milk settings | LatteCrema Hot, auto-clean |
| Cold drinks | Cold brew in under 5 min | Cold brew in under 5 min | Cold brew function | Iced coffee, espresso over ice |
| Listed weight | 22.9 lb | 25.8 lb | 24.2 lb | 21.4 lb |
All specs are from each product’s Amazon listing. Rivelia drink names come from its preset list.
Product details
De’Longhi La Specialista Touch (EC9455M)
De’Longhi’s guided semi-automatic. The touchscreen and Bean Adapt technology help you set grind, dose, pre-infusion and brew temperature for each bean. It has 10 presets, an automatic frothing wand with a manual mode, Cold Extraction cold brew in under 5 minutes and a full barista kit.
Best for: people who want to learn real espresso with a coach built in.
- Interactive dial-in guidance with 6 saved bean profiles
- Automatic frothing for dairy and plant milk, plus a manual mode
- Cold brew in under 5 minutes
- Barista kit with precision tamper included
- Thermoblock heating, not dual boilers
- Deep footprint (18.7 in) and 22.9 lb
De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo (EC9250M)
The simpler sibling. It has the same 15-setting conical burr grinder and SCA-developed Cold Extraction Technology for cold brew in under 5 minutes, but uses buttons, 4 presets (espresso, Americano, cold brew, hot water) and a commercial-style steam wand you control yourself. Active Temperature Control offers 3 temperatures, the 15-bar pump targets 9 bar during extraction, and the tank holds 56 fl oz.
Best for: hobbyists who prefer simple buttons and frothing milk themselves.
- Same grinder and cold brew as the Touch
- Commercial-style steam wand for latte art practice
- Narrower body: 11.2 in wide per the listing
- Barista kit with tamper, dosing funnel and mat
- No touchscreen or Bean Adapt guidance
- Milk frothing is manual
Breville Barista Touch Impress (BES881BSS)
Breville’s Impress Puck System doses intelligently, applies an assisted 22 lb tamp with a 7° barista twist and auto-corrects the next dose. Auto MilQ lets you set milk temperature and texture, with three alternative-milk settings. The ThermoJet system reaches extraction temperature in 3 seconds, and there are 13 presets plus up to 6 custom drinks and a cold brew function.
Best for: latte drinkers who want help with dosing and tamping.
- Assisted tamping takes the guesswork out of the puck
- Auto MilQ with oat and other plant-milk settings
- 3-second ThermoJet heat-up
- Cold brew function
- ThermoJet, not dual boilers
- Less manual control than a traditional semi-automatic
De’Longhi Rivelia (EXAM44055B)
If you’d rather not tamp at all, the Rivelia grinds, doses, brews and froths at one touch. It has 18 presets including iced coffee and espresso over ice, two interchangeable 8.8 oz bean hoppers (for example regular and decaf), a 13-setting burr grinder, Bean Adapt guidance, profiles for up to four users and the LatteCrema Hot system with auto-clean.
Best for: households who want café drinks without the ritual.
- One-touch drinks, no portafilter
- Two swappable bean hoppers
- Profiles for up to 4 users
- Auto-clean milk system
- No hands-on espresso workflow
- No cold brew preset listed
Who it’s not for
- People who want one-touch coffee: you still dose, tamp and lock in the portafilter. The De’Longhi Rivelia or the Jura Z10 do everything for you.
- Anyone who wants to brew and steam with dual boilers: the La Specialista Touch uses a thermoblock. The Breville Oracle has dual stainless steel boilers.
- Small kitchens: at 18.7 inches deep and 22.9 lb, it needs a deep counter. Compact options are in our beginner espresso machine guide.
- Grinder perfectionists: 15 grind settings is fine for most beans, but enthusiasts who want very fine adjustment often prefer a separate grinder.
FAQ
Does the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch have a built-in grinder?
Yes. It has an Italian-made conical burr grinder with 15 grind settings for single or double doses and cold brew.
Can the La Specialista Touch make cold brew?
Yes. De’Longhi’s Cold Extraction Technology bypasses the thermoblock and makes cold brew drinks in under 5 minutes, according to the listing.
Does it work with oat or other plant milks?
Yes. The automatic steam wand adjusts froth level and temperature for dairy or plant-based milk, and there’s a manual setting too.
What is Bean Adapt technology?
It’s De’Longhi’s on-screen guide that helps you set grind, dose, pre-infusion and brewing temperature for a specific bean, with tips and feedback. The Touch saves up to 6 bean profiles.
What’s the difference between the La Specialista Touch and the Arte Evo?
The Touch adds a 3.5-inch touchscreen, Bean Adapt guidance, 10 presets and an automatic frothing wand. The Arte Evo uses buttons, has 4 presets and a manual commercial-style steam wand, with the same 15-setting grinder and cold brew.
What’s included in the box?
Per the listing: a precision tamper, portafilter, two single-wall filter baskets, a dosing and tamping guide, a tamping mat and a stainless steel milk jug.
Verdict
The De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is one of the friendliest ways into hands-on espresso: Bean Adapt guidance, automatic milk with a manual option and fast cold brew in one machine. If you want more help with tamping, the Breville Barista Touch Impress is the closest rival. If you’d rather not touch a portafilter at all, look at the Rivelia or the Jura Z10. For more options, see the best luxury espresso machines, the best espresso machines for beginners and our Breville Oracle review.