After testing the De’Longhi Eletta Explore, I gave it the highest score. It’s a occasional distinction that only a handful of coffee machines receive, but I thought De’Longhi deserved it. After a year, and testing over sixty different coffee machines, has anything changed?
If you want a quick answer, no. It’s still one of the best coffee machines on the market. It can make over 50 different types of coffee, all adjusted to the strength, temperature and flavors you like. It’s like having a barista on site. You can make flawless frosty brew and mighty espresso, so in that respect it’s perfect.
One thing I still have in mind is the price. Now that it’s a year venerable, you can find used models for less than the MSRP (which is a whopping $2,000), but they’re still going to be costly. It’s still worth it, but make sure you need (and will utilize) all the features before you commit.
Specifications
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| Dimensions | 17.5 x 10.25 x 15.13 inches |
| Materials | Brushed stainless steel plastic |
| Libra | 4 pounds |
| Capacity | 61 fluid ounces |
| Brewing type | extraction |
| Types of coffee | 52 |
Unpacking
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De’Longhi is getting really good at eco-friendly packaging. This came in a massive, ponderous box, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it was protected by cardboard and recyclable bags.
In true De’Longhi style, this machine has been packed with extras. It comes with a stylish travel mug, a heated milk frother, a frosty milk frother and much, much more. That’s all you need to make a good cup of coffee. My only gripe is that there’s a lot of storage – you’ll need a drawer to keep them all together safely, but each one is useful. It’s unfair to complain that you get too many freebies.
De’Longhi is also brilliant in the setup process. When I plugged the machine in, the screen instructed me to fill the bean container and water tank before the machine rinsed itself and was ready to go. I think anyone could do it. It’s ridiculously effortless.
Who will this be suitable for?
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The first thing that sets this coffee maker apart is the price. At close to $2,000, you have to be prepared to splurge. For comparison, if you buy coffee from Starbucks every day, it will pay for itself in 400 days. You’ll be back in your pocket in a year and a month, but it’s a huge upfront investment.
Secondly, this is a very maintenance-free coffee machine. If you don’t want to bother but want really good, quality coffee, you’ll enjoy using this machine.
Those who get the most out of this coffee maker will enjoy the wide range of heated and frosty coffees. It offers everything from basic espresso to iced espresso and frosty brew options. You can be bold all year long, and you’ll want to be bold for the price.
What does utilize look like?
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I’m desperately looking for a critique of this machine so I can sound a little less like an ad, but I can’t. It was a pleasure to utilize it.
Test 1: Espresso
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I start all my tests with an espresso. All I had to do was press the espresso button and the machine would grind the beans and make a shot. For a bean-to-cup machine, it was surprisingly silent. I only recorded 64 dB of noise, which is exceptional. My shot was well extracted and beautifully aromatic. Some of the coffee did splatter out the back, but only a little.
Test 2: Americano
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The Americano was similarly crafted. It was 190 degrees Fahrenheit and slightly sweet. I tried adjusting the strength on the custom settings and was pleasantly surprised by how distinct the notes were. Proof that even if you’re a nosy barista like me, you can stand out.
Test 3: Cappuccino
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There are heated and frosty milk frothers to make any coffee. I tested them on both oat and dairy milk and they were impressive in every way. My milk was silky sleek and velvety. I had no unwanted air bubbles spoiling the texture, even when I frothed frosty oat milk. That’s why you have to pay substantial bucks.
Chilly brew and iced coffee
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I couldn’t resist making a frosty brew. They usually require at least 12 hours of brewing, but in less than five minutes I had a perfect frosty brew. It was slightly sour, so not the best frosty brew, but as a fan of these drinks I would gladly utilize it and save myself the trouble.
Cleaning, storage and maintenance
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It’s a machine designed for display. It’s astute and elegant, but it’s also substantial and ponderous. You’ll need to make room on your counter for it.
The machine cleans itself when it deems necessary and warns you to put a cup under it. I made ten coffees before I had to spotless the grounds container, so overall it was a low-maintenance machine.
It didn’t drip, but I recommend having a microfiber cloth on hand to remove any splashes or fingerprints from the screen.
How is it rated online?
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When it first came out, the De’Longhi Eletta Explore was a huge hit. People loved the heated and frosty frothing functions and everyone found it effortless to utilize. I found a lot of comments about the frosty brew function, which is clearly a huge hit. Many customers also liked the fact that their travel mugs fit under the spout, which is a common problem with many other machines.
I liked the selection of coffees, but I’m a barista. Some people find the list overwhelming. That’s a nice problem to have, but it highlights that for some people, simplicity is better. I saw a reviewer who thought the grinder was quite noisy, but at 64 dBA it was one of the quietest bean-to-cup machines I’ve tested. Grinders are never going to be silent, but I think this one is pretty good.
I looked for any teething problems that might have cropped up over the past year, but instead found many proud owners who have no regrets about spending the money on the Eletta Explore. It continues to be a success.
How does it compare?
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If you’re looking for the Eletta Explore, you’ll probably want to check out our guide to the best coffee machines and the best espresso machines . The next best thing to the De’Longhi Eletta Explore is the Philips 5400. It’s a technically advanced machine that’s faster and quieter than most other bean-to-cup models, but I’d put it on par with the Eletta Explore.
The Philips can brew a range of different coffees, as well as froth heated and frosty milk. The Philips offers eight different coffee options, and you can customise the type of coffee you drink within that selection. That’s versatile for a coffee machine, but it pales in comparison to the 52 different types of coffee in the De’Longhi Eletta Explore. For some people, that range sounds great, but for others it can seem overwhelming.
For the average coffee drinker, buying the Eletta Explore means paying $1,000 more for features you don’t really need. The Eletta Explore is quieter and smarter, and the adjustable settings mean you won’t suffer from the miniature size that the Philips 5400 offers, but you do have to consider the cost. Both machines make excellent quality coffee, so if you know you’ll only need six different types, you can save money and space with the Philips 5400.
Is it worth buying?
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If you have the money, I wouldn’t hesitate. You should buy this coffee machine. It’s a pleasure to utilize, feels incredibly upscale, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it all year long. Every time the sale season comes around, the De’Longhi Eletta Explore is the first thing I look for. However, if you just want a elementary, tasty coffee, there are many other options on the market.
How we test
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Before we recommend a coffee machine, we take it to our test kitchen. Here, we utilize it to its full potential to get an idea of who it will suit and how well it works.
If the coffee machine has a built-in grinder, we test it first. Then, as is the hallmark of any good coffee machine, we make an espresso. Once we have made those two, we make an Americano by adding heated water to the espresso, and a cappuccino by adding frothed milk to the espresso. This means we can test the frothing nozzle and heated water dispenser, if the machine has them.
We unpack, spotless and store each machine. This way we get a holistic experience with the machine. We base our opinions on a number of criteria: the coffee must taste good, the machine should be ergonomic and effortless to utilize, and we love innovation.
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