For me Gail is the "BEST" person Seattle Coffee Gear has to demonstrate any and all the machines you guys have. She is of course very experienced but most importantly she is clear speaking, cutting through very well to the listeners making it very easy to distinguish from different machines and make good buying decisions. As far as the other spoke persons, they are good but they stand a very far second place to Gail on everything about demonstrations on coffee machines. I'm sorry that I am so blunt and honest about this but Seattle Coffee Gear is the one doing the sales not me. I don't know what they would be without Gail when she retires and I hope that answer is "NEVER."

This video rocks!!! 10 out of 10. Best I have watched showing me how to use a La Specialista. Very informational giving good and useful details without crazy annoying music or obnoxious hosts. Thanks so much for making this video and sharing.

Would like to see a Gail review without the company representative there for an objective review

Thank you! This was very helpful, now I can enjoy my LaSpecialista!

My husband brought me a delonghi and i love it so far so good

Oh my. I was turned off when I saw that it was pressurized only!

I did a ton of research on a lot of machines. I kept coming back to this one. What I did not see though were the MANY negative review regarding the air pump. I had purchased this as a Christmas gift for myself that was also supposed to double as our Christmas Eve party coffee maker for all of my family members. Upon opening I was very excited, it has a sleek design and it perfect for ease and user functionality.. or so I thought. HOURS. We spent hours of time trying to get this to work. Our first issue was us not being able to flush the system. Which this issue was NEVER addressed as a warning within the manual. After many KZfaq videos and some creative wording we found it. It like many other of these machines has an air pump issue. The correct verbiage is “air lock” we tried everything and nothing works. Unfortunately all of the techs were closed for the Holidays so we have a $800 machine sitting as a massive decor item yet useless. We also had issues with the grinder working although it might have just also been due to us never being able to flush the system because it appears once you do that the other functions work or are supposed to. Needless to say I am ANNOYED. I will wait until Monday and be optimistic but I already have a Terra Kaffee automatic espresso maker in my cart on standby for when I dissapointingly might have to return this machine.

Thanks guys. Very useful video. Now I understand how to program my coffee maker.

Thank you for the review!! I’m now getting one!

I've loved mine. bought in in 2019 and am so happy I did :)

Pressurized baskets on an $800 machine is a deal breaker for me. The smart tamper is cool, but Breville Barista Express to me is a better machine.

I have had the Breville Barista for several years now. I purchased the DeLonghi La Specialist just recently for my home and took my Breville to my office to use. I have only had the LaSpecialist for only 7 months and it leaks water from the tank into the tray overflowing onto my counter and floor. I contacted DeLonghi and now I have to send it back for repair or replacement and don't know when I will get it back. They told me at DeLonghi if it couldn't be repaired they would send me a refurbished one. I told them if they sent me a refurbished one I would take them to court. I purchased a new one and I expect a new one if they can't fix it. I will never purchase another DeLonghi product again just because of their warranty and customer service. I should have purchased another Breville Barista. I never had an issue with Breville. I own several products from Breville and never had a problem.

This machine is perfect for rookies!! I was able to pick up a few tips from watching this helpful video. Thank you!

I wanted to read that review , it is a good featured machine with a lot of items..I wished he had done a Capuccino to check out how dense the frothed milk came out with fhat advanced frothing system As always Gail you do the best machine and technique reviews!! Regards to Arizona were you live now

I just bought this machine and having tough time achieving the optimal zone. Finest on number 1 and grinding it a few times while adjusting the dial. The coffee level on recommended level and above... also cant achieve the optimal zone.

I have this machine that I just bought but I am having serious problems with the grinding. It doesn't grind and I don't know what to do

Do you just add more water to make a normal cup of coffee ? If you want ?

I’d like a coffee that you use what was it what brand

The only good part is the tamper built-in so less mess, otherwise breville briasta series is definitely better. And also delonghi 's grinder just can't get fine enough , I think that is why they just do pressurized basket only

Six settings only for the grinder?

is this good for commercial use or just personal home use only??

I got the very same machine 2 days ago, & was going to bring it back tomorrow, because the thermostat isn't moving on mine , & I just seen yours isn't moving either, what's the point of the thermostat ?

I would like to see you empty the basket after a pour. I have difficulty unlike others machines I have. Please show me how this is done with your equipment.

Do you sell bottomless portofilter for the especialista?

thank you

De'Longhi EC9355M La Specialista I just opened followed the steps for initial rise but system will not come out of the orange “ok” light and continues to run through the rinse cycle. Any ideas how to get this machine running?

I think the machine looks nice. But as a barista, I don’t think it would be any fun. I bought a Gaggia classic pro a couple weeks ago with a stand alone grinder. I love it so far. Much more hands on.

Wow fantastic design, looks great..... oh yeah you just copied the Barista Express from Breville/Sage!

Can you make a video on the especialista maestro??

My Grinder stopped working and i have cleaned and tried everything on the videos and still does not grind. It was working fine and it stopped working. Any suggestions as to what i can do to get it working again.

Water tested...Instant Pot Veteran Approved!

Hey Jamie or gal can’t you let me know what method you would use with this machine if you wanted to go with a cold style brew

People on here seem pretty partial to Breville. I just bought the Barista and it came with a defective pressure gauge. Did the test that Breville provides to make sure it's not a coffee/operator issue, and it was indeed a faulty gauge. Customer service at Breville has been a joke, so now I'm really not sure I want to buy another machine from them, although I do like it. Anyone else has any experience with them in that area?

Im on my third replacement now, absolutely dreadful build quality. First replacement was a pressure guage not working, second replacement was a loud squeaking sound

How does this compare to the Breville barista touch ?

I just got mine about a week ago. I cannot get into the optimal pressure zone despite my coffee level at the marked line of the portafilter & the grinder set at the finest. The extraction is way too fast & the espresso taste sour. May i know your setting that you were able to reach into the optimal pressure zone?

fyi to everyone if you buy this machine theres a chance the machine will not work as in the water wont flush and just makes noise when you hit the hot water/tea button, and it takes them more than a day to get back to you on the phone

"Oh yeah, having a badge on the front that says La (Italian Name) would be a great idea - we'll definitely sell more now..." The guy was saying a coarser grind means weaker coffee - they're using the same amount of coffee in the basket so it isn't weaker, just under-extracted and sour

This is the machine one buys to replace it 6 months later with a real espresso setup)

With pressurised basket portafilter is always messy especially with this rubber on bottom of delonghi basket

Bought this machine based on the recommendations of this channel. We really like it, although lately while frothing the milk bubbles up over the pitcher before you can remotely get it hot enough. Not sure if it’s because the milk is too cold, the type of milk we’ve been using, or because we haven’t recently descaled the machine. Has this happened to any of you?

My wife bought this for me because I'm a coffee lover and former professional barista having a job in an espresso shop downtown Chicago. Honestly I believe that "zone" dial is there for show. No matter how many times I tried changing beans and settings, that dial never gets into the "optimal zone". Also my machine is way louder than yours on camera especially in foam mode. What's up with that?

Very bad try to copy Breville with lots of basic features in a shiny package... Price should be no more than $299....

How to set the coffee strength, i.e. to make it strong or weak?

I bought this machine. It’s a challenge to learn well. They make it sound so simple. It’s a learning curve. They need a video from unpacking to use.

Lot of hate on this machine. But I have one and I enjoy it.

I keep hearing experts talk about this machine being single boiler. I don't think it has a boiler, the water just passes over a heating block.

Drink every time she says “yup”

Wow, most consumers want pressurized portafilter, really? That’s sad!

Where to put water?

750 USD for, well basically a automatic machine that's disguised as not automatic and with pressurised baskets? No thanks.

What do u prefer de longhi El specialista or. Brevel Barista ?

I did a lot of research on fully automatic machines but found them too fragile. I noticed the quality metal build on this machine and bought it. I think this machine will be a lot easier and cheaper to clean and maintain, than a fully automatic machine.

I bought one of these recently and so far I like it, but dude, when ur steaming the milk hold the jug on the palm of ur hand. When it's too hot for your hand the milk is at the right temp. If you overheat the milk it goes bitter.

DeLonghi is sending me a replacement drip tray on my three month old machine. It likes to flood my counter and run all over the floor, even when the machine is off. "The right back hole on the drip tray is too small." Lovely design flaw, very disappointed. Numerous reviews on-line said, "Don't bother, return it."

Could have been a great machine, if it had the standard head, with non pressurized baskets.

tchibo is good machine

It is truly a thing of beauty

If this had something to take care of the milk, I'd consider it, but in this price range, it looks like the Philips machine will be the one. It's not as attractive as this one, but it about the coffee really.

hot cup :D

Sorry Gail love ya but I just can't lol ..........I Have sampled this machine at a local distributor , or should I say looked at it . The moment the rep started giving me specs I laughed and literally said , " youre kidding me right " lol . They needed something to compete with the Breville/Sage in this range, tried to reinvent the wheel with buttons and bows but gave nothing but a flat tire .haha . In all honesty , I was actually hesitant to even touch it , a lot of cheep plastic and flimsy feel . Wont even mention how the grinder felt making adjustments, oh and that rinse button , WHY lol My list can go on and on buy you all seem to feel the same .... There is a market for it however , those that have no clue but want to say , " doesn't it look good on my counter "

pre warning this machine looks good but is 90% plastic muhc better to go with the barista pro from breveil oh yeah same price point

Im sure they will have a non pressurised attachment soon...

This is a toy compared to breville barista :-) From coffee taste to build quality.... also something funny with this guy and excuse me if he's here watching the video ! Usually in this channel people doing reviews with the negative and positive , they don't do advertise , we have the TV for that :-)

Hello gale

When I saw it I though it could be a good competitor to barista express but it is not. Pressurized baskets???!!! Only six settings to the grinder? And this milk froth system is as good as the low cost machines they make. The only nice thing is the grind to tap they made. So glad I bought the barista express

Now it’s clear who designs Brevile machines which are later put up together in China

Looks like Breville, but not as good as a Breville.

You know what they say copying is form of flattery

Read some of the comments... Delonghi have been around before Breville. Notice that all brevilles use Italian pumps. Why should I go to Australia to buy espresso machine and not from those who invented ‘espresso’?? Have a lot more basic Delonghi espresso machine and has been serving me well. Not everybody’s skill is equal , that is why only pressurized baskets. And the wand that’s actually making the froth art easier for you, which actually I’m not sure if I like and you see my reason🤗 I think myself classical barista. I also have a radiator Delonghi - knock on wood- has been serving me quite efficiently several years in a row - niente problemi🤗🤗🤗👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

But is it effortless though?

Pressurized portafilter, 51mm basket, bad grinder.. At 900$, you'd be better getting the barista express(I sometimes see it at 600-700$ on amazon)

Enjoying watching your videos, this one like a show, but the machine it’s not worth it, however they are plenty of people that doesn’t understand enough and will buy it. Anyway thanks for sharing ☕️👍

Height is 17.5 inches

If the machine grinds and tamps properly there is no need for a pressurized basket. That seem poorly thought out.

Actually after this video I believe Denloghi will fire this guy and hire Gale.

I do feel sorry for anyone who bought that machine based on this video. Looks like they tried to make an Oracle clone but its not much better than a normal fully automatic bean to cup machine.

It has so many buttons just to run hot water in so many ways. So pointless. This video is like something from some second rate shopping channel. The guy would obviously like us to think Delonghi have just invented this stuff. How quick was that extraction? 2 second preinfusion? 25 second extraction? I would not want to pay that much money for that.

Damn, got so excited but then it hit me. grinder sucks, portafilter sucks, pressurized baskets and that steaming wand????? Oh cmon. I thought that there s gonna be another player by the side of Breville, but nooopeee.

A💥💥💥🥂👏👏👏

They may have copied the machine but just like the noodles they perfected it. And it’s made in Italy so therefore it’s better. And that dude couldn’t sell fire insurance to To someone that was in a burning house

Only presur. filter is not o.k. 😢

Very bad explanation how to get coffe into the valve

Oh dear. Seriously?

Had this machine for less than a month and it broke, couldn't build enough pressure even at the coarsest setting. When it did work, the shots were terribly inconsistent as well and tasted aweful.

I always enjoy your reviews Gail but getting a brand rep to endorse a horrible machine is disappointing to say the least. 51 mm pressurized basket that holds 13 grams of coffee for a double shot is a joke. Please Gail, make him a real shot and let him taste the difference.

not very impressive for that price

lol of hate in the comments section

Saw this at a store. It feels very cheap nexto to a Breville barista while being more expensive. No thanks.

This is awkward LOL

So this is a crappy full auto machine that you just need to manually change the portafilter from one spout to the other? Just buy a better full auto machine for that money...

I had a Delonghi machine and it lasted 3 months. Opened it up to investigate and was shocked at how terribly built it was, basically leaked out and rusted itself in only 3 months time. Now I know the difference and will be stepping up to a quality machine, a Gaggia. And once that one goes, I'll get a rotary pump Expobar. Very disappointed with how terribly built the Delonghi machines are. They're just targeting the dumb Best Buy consumer that's cross shopping with Breville. Which is also sorta crap. None of what you are marketing is advanced. All of it is crap. Your internals are crap. Your grinder is crap. Make quality and push the limits of the consumer market. That's how you can beat Breville. This machine is $750!!! What the heck 😂

I've seen this machine in person and played around with it. Final verdict is the build quality is garbage vs a Breville. The steam arm was broke fairly quick too. It looks like a nice machine till you get up close personal and see how cheaply it was made. Not worth the price tag.

Holy crap... Over six minutes to actually show procedure.

classical machine , it must be cheap ..

Yeah. They copied the Barista Express and made it somehow bad. Wtf? Hellooooo, it doesn't matter what features you have. If you start with pressurized filters then that's No especialista at all. If you like espresso and you're at this level of espresso maker then forget the pressurized filters and any other crap. Quality Espresso starts with fresh beans, then you need to figure out grinding, dosing and tamping to get the right extraction. So if you throw a pressurized filter in the mix just forget all that other stuff. By the way the shot they did does NOT look great like they were trying to make us believe. Very little crema, looks like over extracted which makes sense with a pressurized filter. Now about the advance latte bla bla bla. There's a way to texturize milk properly for latte art and it doesn't involve any automatic sh.....t. so bla bla bla bla

Pile of junk. For this kind of coin I'd roll a Cafelat Robot and a Rocky.

eh no sir, that crema does not look good

Wow.....Buy a Breville Barista Express or Pro then cheapen it with less quality materials, slap on some gimmicks (aka no tamp tamper), steam wand valve and call it Italian DeLonghi design! I'm sorry Gail but that thing is trash! Looks like someone at DeLonghi said "copy the Breville, make it cheaper and slap our name on it cause we are jealous of Breville's success".

With a pressurised basket and a very average grinder that is too course for real espresso, this machine is not very good. No wonder they had to invite the rep on to help cover things up. For the price this is a very disappointing machine and a disappointing “sellout“ review 😑