• De’longhi la specialista touch is a new compact espresso machine
• It offers a combination of automated and manual coffee -free features
• It’s for sale now for $ 999.95 and will be available on Amazon from June 1

De’longhi has just launched a new compact espresso machine, LA-Specialista-Touch, making brewing well-balanced coffee as simple as possible while still giving you a taste of the barista experience.

I reviewed the machine when it was launched in the UK earlier this year, calling it “one of the best espresso machines you can buy” for small kitchens. Despite its impressive features, it is surprisingly compact to mount a high quality grinding, generous sized water tank and smart steam rod for a shocking little package that will not dominate your kitchen.

It is also one of the best coffee machines if you want to jump from a fully automatic machine to a manual. La Specialista Touch can automate the most difficult parts of the espresso-making process and let you take control when you feel confident.

For example, its smart bean system (available via the big color touchscreen) helps you choose the ideal grinding size for the type of coffee beans you use and achieve the ideal extraction time. Coffee is formal directly into the Portafilter handle, which has a specially designed funnel to minimize mess and a calibrated tamping tool helps you press it down to create a well-shaped puck without channels or cracks.

Foamed to perfection

De’longhi La Specialistas Steam Wand is another highlight. After picking a drink from the menu and after the instructions of brewing your coffee, you can either fully raise the stick to texture your milk manually, or leave it angled down and let the machine do the work for you.

Whether you want dry foam for a macchiato or creamy microphoam for a latte, with dairy milk or a plant -based alternative, the automatic system makes an impressive job. See my full de’longhi la specialista touch review for more details.