De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro review: A powerful but demanding home barista machine

A lot of you will know I’m a huge fan of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, especially the ones from De’Longhi itself. I’ve been lucky enough to test most of the brand’s machines, ranging from the Eletta Explore to the La Specialista Touch, but after realising we’d missed a pretty important gap from 2023, I thought it’d be a good idea to go back and fill it in.

So, if you’re wondering why I’m reviewing the De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro despite its launch being a few years ago – this is exactly why. I also know a lot of potential buyers like to compare models side by side, so think of this as helping you do just that.

You’ll find my full thoughts below, including whether the Maestro is still worth considering alongside all the newer models.

Price and availability

The La Specialista Maestro is priced at £1,299.99 in the UK and $1,299.95 in the US, placing it right at the top of De’Longhi’s La Specialista range.

There’s no denying it’s expensive, but there’s also a lot going on here that helps justify that price. It’s available directly from De’Longhi’s online store, as well as retailers like Argos and John Lewis.

Unboxing and set up

Setting up the Maestro involves unboxing everything and giving the removable parts – like the water tank, drip tray and accessories – a quick rinse and dry. Once that was done, I inserted the drip tray and cup rest, filled the 2.5-litre water tank with fresh water and slotted it back into place, and finally plugged the machine in and switched it on.

The machine also prompted me to run an initial rinse cycle to clean the internal system, which involved placing a container under the hot water spout and steam wand, then starting the rinse. After that, I inserted a filter basket into the portafilter, attached it to the group head, and ran another short water cycle through it. This warms everything up and ensures it’s clean before your first coffee.

Once everything was rinsed and warmed up, I moved onto my coffee setup. This includes filling the bean hopper, adjusting the grind size and starting to experimenting. I'll talk about this more in a little while, but that's all there is to it.

Design and features

The De’Longhi La Specialista Maestro is definitely a bean-to-cup machine for people who enjoy the coffee-making process. You’ve got the integrated bean hopper and grinder at the top, alongside a front-facing control panel with dials and buttons that make it feel more interactive than a typical automatic machine.

That said, it is big. I actually had to move it to a completely different part of my kitchen because it didn’t fit where I usually test machines, so I’d definitely recommend measuring your space beforehand, especially if you’re planning to place it under cabinets. It’s also pretty heavy at over 14kg, so it’s not something you’ll want to move around often.

Alongside the bean hopper, you get an integrated burr grinder with up to 15 grind settings, so you can fine-tune your coffee depending on the beans you’re using. This pairs with De’Longhi’s Smart Tamping Station, which lets you tamp directly in the machine with consistent pressure and minimal mess. We’ve only really seen this on the La Specialista Opera, and I think it makes one of the trickier parts of espresso-making much easier.

Active Temperature Control with PID keeps the water temperature stable throughout extraction, whilst dynamic pre-infusion adjusts based on your grind and dose for more even saturation. It also heats up quickly thanks to its thermoblock system, meaning it’s ready to go in under 20 seconds.

You also get a wide range of pre-set drink options, including espresso, americano, cappuccino, latte macchiato, flat white and even cold brew. The cold extraction feature lets you make cold brew-style drinks in under five minutes, which you don’t often see on machines like this.

Milk frothing is handled by the My LatteArt steam wand, designed to create silky microfoam for latte art whilst staying cool to the touch. There’s also the LatteCrema system for automatic frothing, so you can choose between a hands-on or hands-off approach depending on your mood or skill level.

Performance

When it comes to actually using the machine, the Maestro is definitely one of the more complex machines I’ve used – especially within De’Longhi’s lineup. It took me quite a while to dial everything in properly as I often found my grind was too fine, and getting the dose right took a bit of trial and error. Eventually, I settled on a dose of 18 for a double shot and a grind setting of 6, which gave me consistently great espresso. Just be aware that you’ll likely need to experiment a bit before finding your perfect setup.

Once everything is settled, it's clear that the Maestro strikes a really nice balance between automation and control. After tamping with the Smart Tamping Station, you just have to lock in the portafilter, select your drink via the dial and press the central “OK” button. From there, the machine takes over with pre-infusion and extraction, clearly shown on the display. I will say that the tamping wasn’t the most effective I’ve tried. I often had to go back in once or even twice to get a more compact puck, but it was more the case with double shots rather than singles.

It’s all very intuitive, and impressively quick too. The fast heat-up time makes a real difference, and I especially appreciated it during busy mornings. Take a look at my TikTok below for a better visual:

Milk frothing is another area where the Maestro feels versatile. The steam wand is powerful and capable of producing excellent microfoam, but it does take a bit of practice to get right, especially if you’re particular about texture. On the other hand, the LatteCrema system just involves attaching the milk container and selecting your froth level – even adjusting the order of milk and coffee depending on the drink.

That said, you can’t fully customise the milk quantity, and I did find that on some settings, the milk wasn’t quite hot enough for my liking. Still, it’s a great time-saving option, and I like that you can adjust the froth level via the dial. Just be prepared to clean it thoroughly, as milk can easily get trapped in the tubes.

I found the performance across each drink option to be very impressive, and the results were always consistently strong. The cold extraction mode doesn’t perfectly replicate traditional cold brew, but it gets surprisingly close in both taste and texture – and is, of course, a lot faster.

Verdict

The De’Longhi La Specialista Maestro is a premium espresso machine that’s best suited to coffee enthusiasts who really enjoy the process of making coffee. It delivers excellent results across a wide range of drinks and offers a great balance between hands-on control and helpful automation. That said, it’s not the most beginner-friendly option – dialling it in takes time, and its size and price won’t suit everyone. However, if you’re willing to put in the effort, it's a great machine that still holds its own against newer models.

Alternatives to consider

If you’re after something a bit simpler and more approachable from De’Longhi, the La Specialista Touch is a great alternative. It’s more compact but still delivers really customisable, café-quality coffee.

If you’re looking for something a bit more budget-friendly, the Ninja Luxe Café is also well worth considering. Its 3-in-1 functionality makes it a versatile option, especially if you want a strong performance without spending quite as much.