Comments on: De’Longhi Dedica Maestro Manual Espresso Machine

By: Meets my expectations. Works well, you fill like a real barista. Easy to install.

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 09:08:13 +0000

Enough coffeamaker to intermediate barista
If you area an enthusiastic barista to intermediate this coffe maker satisfy the main requirements. Offer an authentic experience about portafilters, filters, tamper and so on. Follow the instructions of the first cycle and everything will well.

By: Emmanuel

Emmanuel — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 09:08:13 +0000

Great machine but defective Steam
Hi everyone I returned this beautiful espresso machine that makes delicious coffee because it came defective. The steam is not hot but warm and put lot of water in the milk and the coffee test watery.

By: Shopaholic

Shopaholic — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 09:08:13 +0000

I’m no barista but now I can make damn good espresso
Frankly, I’m tired of paying 7 bucks for a venti latte with heavy whip from the place whose signature flavor is “burnt.” I’m no coffee snob, but I do rely on coffee for both immense pleasure and the delightful drug known as caffeine. It’s a fog-clearing pick-me-up, a rewarding rush of dopamine, a comfy cozy warm snuggly hug, an unmistakable aroma that transports me back to the kitchens of my grandparents and touches my soul with those earliest memories of a happy childhood and a loving family. You get it. Coffee is life.I have been using a Krups espresso maker that I bought in 1996 but wanted to elevate my espresso game with a machine that is still novice-friendly but makes kick-ass espresso. This absolutely beautiful DeLonghi was my pick. I really wanted one with a small footprint because I value open counter space more than anything, but it also needed to look really nice if it’s going to take up some of that valuable counter space. Let me tell you…opening the box was absolutely magical. The packaging is a work of art in and of itself. The box opened like a vertical upright suitcase, with the two sides opening up to reveal the contents inside like the arc of a rainbow. On top were all of the many components and accessories, perfectly nestled each in its own compartment, and two instructional manuals. Underneath the tray of accessories was the beautiful espresso maker.I read both manuals stem to stern and then proceeded to wash all of the parts in warm soapy water. After drying, I then followed the instructions to rinse all of the internal components by running 5 espresso cycles and running water through the steam wand. Thoughtfully, a hard water test strip was included, which I didn’t really need because I know how hard my water is (which the test strip confirmed), and even though DeLonghi included a bottle of its descaling solution, I opted to use water from my ZeroWater pitcher.I then proceeded to make my first cup of real espresso using a can of Cafe La Llave dark roast espresso. It literally was as easy as pushing the button. I’m familiar with loading the portafilter and tamping, so that was easy, but the instructions and drawings provided in the manual provide really great guidance for newbies. The coffee was beautiful, deep and dark, with a lovely head of crema. I then attempted to steam/stretch some ice cold half-n-half but I’m going to have to work on that skill (been super lazy by using an Instant Pot milk frother). It was very easy to knock out the puck and clean the portafilter and the steam wand, and I’m good to go for the next cup. If it wasn’t midnight right now, I’d make another cup, but I really need to get some sleep soon haha.I’m really impressed at how lovely this machine looks and how well made it is. It was very thoughtfully designed and beautifully packaged. I’m very happy to give up the counterspace for this magic bean machine and retire the 28-year-old Krups unit (which never really made that beautiful head of crema that I so badly wanted). I’m super excited to begin my journey of becoming an experienced home barista!

By: WorldTravelr

WorldTravelr — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 09:08:13 +0000

The espresso maker I’ve always wanted for small spaces!
I am an espresso lover … recently, we returned from Naples, Italy where each morning I would sit and drink a fantastic cup of espresso and lament that nothing like it is available in the United States. The closest I have come is, oddly, a Bialetti Moka pot, which only has 1.5 bar pressure but somehow comes closer to what I drank in Italy than most of the Nespresso style machines I try. The Bialetti is quite a pain to use and heat up on the stovetop … and the Nespresso coffee was too watery for my liking.Compact size …This Delongi is what I have been dreaming of in a home espresso maker … it is compact, it heats quickly and produces a thick coffee with not too much bitterness. As the wife enjoys American style coffee, her Keurig will never leave our kitchen, so we have his/her coffee makers, which means I need a low profile narrow style machine like this vs. the larger, professional style square machines. This doesn’t take up much space at all but looks thick and substantial, like a pro piece of machinery for coffee.Ease of use …This was something which was important to me because I am not a coffee snob who gets so concerned about the process, he ends up consumed with adding several steps for just a tiny sliver more of authenticity. I was up and running with this making fantastic coffee in minutes. The hardest part was cleaning the machine by running water through it several times before actually brewing coffee. Once the machine was ready, learning the correct steps and brewing took less than 10 minutes. Now that I’ve done it a few weeks, it is almost instinctive takes a couple minutes.The steam …I don’t drink cappuccinos or lattes that often, so the frothing handle isn’t a big deal to me. This is the hardest part of making coffee on a machine like this and I fully admit that I have not mastered it yet. My milk never gets frothy/foamy and forget about my ever being able to use this thing to create foam art. I am sure with lots of practice, foam expertise might come … but I am content with ignoring this piece of high learning curve piping. I am surprised this did not come with a metal milk frothing cup, given the high price.The coffee taste …Forget anything else. How does the coffee taste? This is the closest I have got to true Italian espresso. I use Lavazza beans, which was a tip given to me by several people I met in Italy. Of course there will be those coffee snobs who call this an ‘entry-level’ machine … at $300, I don’t consider this entry-level. I might not have tested many upscale machines but I have tasted lots of coffee and simply put, this creates coffee similar to what you’d find in a high end shop. It is thick and creamy … not watery. It is hot and packed full of flavor without being bitter. The only area where it falls a bit short is the creama. While there is some foaminess, it dissipates quickly and leaves the creamy black coffee with a small layer of tan foam on the top … but much less dramatic or tasty than I had in Italy.Durability …Delongi is one of the top brands of coffee makers for a reason. This feels very solid and unlike similar generic machines I’ve seen, the lock arm doesn’t feel like it will break easily, given the amount of pressure it takes to lock the arm in place. There are quite a few different pieces which require drawer space. It would be nice if the machine somehow had storage for them.Overall … I am far from a pro and even if I won the lottery, I doubt I’d get a machine much more advanced than this. For those ‘expert’ home baristas … this might be a bit basic. But for anyone who wants a hot, thick and creamy cup of espresso or cappuccino, this machine will easily brew you something you likely wouldn’t bat an eye about getting at a small espresso counter in Italy. It also looks awesome with its chrome body and sleek Italian design. I hope my honest review, after actually using the product for several weeks, was helpful to you.