De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review: barista quality results in a space-saving design

De'Longhi is a brand that seems to drop a new coffee machine every single year, and we're not complaining. From the sleek Eletta Explore to the feature-packed Rivelia, De’Longhi has been on a roll lately – and it's now just dropped a fresh new addition to its best-selling La Specialista range.

The La Specialista Touch launched in March, bringing with it a whole new level of ease of coffee brewing. Reminiscent of the Sage Barista Touch Impress, it features a touchscreen interface and is more compact than ever before, without cutting corners on performance.

Naturally, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, and now that I have, you can find all my thoughts below.

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review: price and availability

The De'Longhi La Specialista Touch has an RRP of £699.99 (around $900) and can be purchased from a variety of retailers, including John Lewis, Amazon and De'Longhi's own online store.

It's a little pricier than some of the other models in the La Specialista range, including the La Specialista Arte, but a clear design upgrade is the reason behind that.

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review: unboxing and setup

Aside from the La Specialista Touch itself, you’re treated to a generous lineup of accessories. These include a stainless steel milk jug, tamping guide, grounds remover, tamping station, tamper, single and double portafilter baskets, a portafilter, cleaning tools, a booster for espresso shots and even a water tester.

Some of those tools can also be stored in the built-in storage compartment on top of the machine. It’s a small touch – but it goes a long way for keeping your coffee setup clutter-free.

Of all the machines I’ve tested, this was one of the easiest to set up. This is due to the intuitive LED touchscreen (more on this in a second) which walks you through every step from start to finish. Unlike some machines that rely on old-school paper manuals, the La Specialista Touch guides you in real-time via the display.

It even walks you through water testing, which is usually the step where I zone out. Setup was done in minutes and I was ready to pull shots of espresso almost instantly.

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review: design and features

Measuring approximately 32 x 37 x 40cm, the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch is one of the brand’s most compact bean-to-cup coffee machines to date. It’s thoughtfully designed to fit comfortably on most kitchen counters, and I think its size is more practical and manageable than many other models I’ve tested.

Like other machines in the La Specialista range, the Touch features a sleek stainless steel body that's durable whilst maintaining a refined aesthetic. That said, a key upgrade in this model is the 3.5-inch full-colour touchscreen – a first for the La Specialista series, though not for De'Longhi as a whole. It guides users through each stage of the coffee-making process, making it especially approachable for beginners.

In terms of features, the Touch continues to impress with De’Longhi’s proprietary Bean Adapt Technology, which recommends the optimal grind size, dose and brewing temperature based on your chosen beans. The integrated grinder includes 15 adjustable settings, offering precise control over extraction to suit different coffee styles and preferences.

The machine includes nine pre-set drink recipes, such as espresso, cappuccino, flat white, and even a five-minute cold brew option. Additionally, it allows users to save up to nine personalised profiles, enabling full control over coffee strength, temperature, and milk texture for a tailored experience.

The Auto LatteArt Steam Wand is cool-touch and supports both automatic and manual frothing, something you can choose per recipe. You can also adjust between four milk temperatures and five foam levels, making it easy to perfect a wide range of milk-based beverages, including those with plant-based alternatives.

A removable 1.7-litre water tank ensures you can prepare multiple drinks before needing a refill. The 250g bean hopper is slightly smaller than I’d prefer, but I’ll touch on this in more detail later.

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review: performance

I’ve really enjoyed testing the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch, and it's by far one of my favourite De'Longhi coffee machines to date. If you’re looking for a compact coffee machine that doesn’t compromise on functionality, this one’s a standout.

There’s honestly very little I can fault about the coffee quality, which says a lot. One of the biggest strengths of De’Longhi’s range is the ability to customise your coffee exactly to your liking thanks to the Bean Adapt Technology. The Touch regularly checks in after you adjust the grind, helping you stay in control even if your preferences change.

If you're interested, I've been carrying out the review using CaféDirect's Mayan Gold blend – an organic blend with hints of caramel and vanilla. I's absolutely delicious and I'd recommend to anyone who like a smooth brew.

Functionally, it’s an incredibly easy machine to use, especially during the initial setup. I love how it walks you through the process of crafting your chosen drink, prompting you when to grind, tamp, brew and steam the milk.

I did notice that if you don’t complete each step within a certain timeframe, the machine resets back to the main menu. You’ll then need to manually reselect whether you want to brew espresso or steam milk. It’s a minor issue that likely won’t affect everyone, but worth noting.

When it came to milk frothing, I found the manual mode consistently produced better results than the automatic setting – especially for frothier milk-based drinks. This was a little disappointing, and I often chose to manually froth just to get the texture I prefer.

The bean hopper is also on the smaller side, so if you’re brewing regularly or have multiple coffee drinkers at home, expect to refill it often. That said, it’s airtight, and I found it kept my beans fresh while stored. I also really appreciated the front-loading design – a feature I always like to see.

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review: verdict

The De'Longhi La Specialista Touch is a compact yet impressively feature-rich machine that delivers excellent, customisable coffee with minimal effort. Its intuitive touchscreen, Bean Adapt Technology, and guided brewing process make it ideal for both beginners and enthusiasts. If you're short on space but still want café-quality coffee at home, this machine is an easy recommendation.

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review: alternatives to consider

If you're weighing up your options, the La Specialista Opera is a worthy alternative, and it's currently our top pick in the best bean-to-cup coffee machine guide. Our reviewer said it was simply one of the best he’s ever used, and despite a bit of a jaw-dropping price tag, we still think it’s worth every penny if you’re after top-tier performance.

If you're looking for something a little easier on the wallet, the Ninja Luxe Café is a strong contender. With its 3-in-1 functionality and a slightly more budget-friendly price tag, it’s a versatile option for anyone who wants quality without completely breaking the bank.