I just tested De'Longhi's $149 espresso machine, and it performs like one double the price
I've spent the last few days testing the De'Longhi Stilosa espresso machine, and I still can't believe how affordable it is. What do you mean, one of the best espresso machines is literally just $149?
Yes — it's true. The Stilosa is less than $149 (over half the price of the Breville Bambino Plus) but performs like a much pricier model. Of course the machine's looks are a little disappointing, and I would immediately replace the plasticky tamper and the flimsy portafilter, but for just $149, I can't really complain.
Although I've kind of given the surprise away (yes, this machine is worth its price tag), I'll get into all the details below. To find out all the info, keep reading my De'Longhi Stilosa espresso machine review.
Price
$149 / £104
Weight
9.4 pounds
Grinder
No
Dimensions
8.1 x 13.5 x 11.2 inches
Heating system
Stainless steel boiler
Pressure
15 bar
Water tank capacity
2 pounds
Accessories
Plastic scoop and tamper
The De'Longhi Stilosa has two different versions: the EC260 and the EC230. I tested the EC230 for this review, but the EC260 works almost identically. The EC260 is compatible with ESE pods (like teabags for coffee) and the EC230 is not. The other difference is the stainless steel finish (so purely aesthetic) and the width of the steam wand.
In the U.S., it's the Stilosa EC260, available for $149 from Amazon U.S.. In the U.K., both the EC260 and the EC230 are available, for £99 from Amazon U.K. and £104 from Amazon U.K. respectively.
As I said earlier, I tested the EC230, but this review encompasses both Stilosa models.
Considering this machine is just $149, it wouldn't be fair of me to berate the plasticky design and flimsy accessories. So, I won't — but don't be unboxing this machine expecting it to look like the Breville Bambino Plus. It's got an all-plastic exterior construction and flimsy group handle, but you get what you pay for. The best part of the Stilosa's design is its super-compact size (just 8 x 11 x 12 inches) and incredibly light weight (just 2 pounds!). When I picked this machine up, I was gobsmacked by how light it was.
In terms of aesthetics, if you don't mind a plastic construction, then the Stilosa is fine. However, if you want something fancier, you'll need to spend a little more.
Don't get me wrong — the Stilosa looks fine. I tested the black version, which looks inconspicuous on the kitchen counter. It just doesn't look good. It looks like it costs $149.
On top of the plasticky appearance, the Stilosa has some design quirks. For starters, the plastic tamper doesn't actually fit the 51mm portafilter. I would simply trash this (or recycle, of course) and get a 51mm metal tamper. De'Longhi sells tampers for $29 on its website.
Another quirk is the fact that the Stilosa doesn't come with a milk jug, so you'll need to buy one. Personally, I love Breville/Sage's milk jugs, so I would recommend getting a Breville jug — the $24 jug on Breville's site even has a live thermometer.
I also really dislike the group handle. It's made from hollow plastic (or feels like that, anyway), and is very flimsy. On top of that, the portafilter falls out of the group handle when you knock out the used puck. The portafilter also slots into the group head at a specific angle, and if you move it by a tiny smidgen, it gets jammed. I would again recommend buying a separate 51mm portafilter — I'd like something like the IKAPE 51mm portafilter, which is $69 on IKAPE's website.
However, for just $149, you can't really expect much. As I discussed earlier, most espresso machines start from around $300. When an espresso machine is this affordable, it's a given that some sacrifices will have been made. In the Stilosa's case, it's design has taken the brunt of it — the machine pulls great espresso and steams perfect milk (with practice). Even so, the Stilosa proves my point that coffee doesn't have to be an expensive hobby.
In all honesty, I didn't have massively high expectations. £104 is very cheap for an espresso machine, and the overall plastic appearance (not to mention the straight-up awful plastic tamper) didn't bode well for high-quality espresso.
However, I was happy to be proved wrong. Although the Stilosa didn't pull shots with particularly thick crema, the espresso shots tasted delicious. For this shot pictured below, I measured out 18g of finely-ground coffee (using my Eureka Mignon Specialita) and let it extract for 25 seconds. As the Stilosa is a manual espresso machine, the user needs to control extraction time. In 25 seconds, it extracted around 50g of espresso, which is a little larger than the ideal 1:2 ratio.
As you can see, the espresso shot is honey-colored, with a tiny dark 'heart' at the base of the glass. As I said above, the crema was quite thin, which impacted my ability to pour pretty latte art, but didn't massively affect the taste of the espresso.
However, the espresso was still a little sour. Usually this means the shot is under-extracted, so I repeated with a different grinder (Comandante C40 MK4). This time, in 25 seconds the Stilosa pulled 38g of coffee.
This was the best shot I pulled on the Stilosa. It was deliciously thick and creamy, with an airy crema and honey-colored body. There was no bitterness and a bright sourness (not from under-extraction).
With a bit of experimentation and dedication, there's no reason why you can't be pulling consistently delicious shots on the Stilosa. However, I will admit that the Stilosa needs a little more expertise to get this level of quality than the Bambino Plus — that pulls perfect espresso with no effort required.
The Stilosa has a remarkably powerful steam wand, but this is both an attractive feature and a little annoying. On the one hand, it's great to have such a powerful steam wand. On the other hand, it requires a little more babying than other steam wands I've used.
One of the best compact machines for milk frothing is the Breville Bambino Plus, as it has an auto steam wand and a manual setting. I was able to get beautiful latte art with this machine.
However, the Stilosa's steam wand can be a touch overzealous. I found that I needed full concentration during steaming, or my milk would be too aerated and foamy. If you prefer a foamy milk, then it might be a good thing. However, if you want microfoam (like what you'd get from a cafe), then you will need to practise with the machine to reach optimal texture.
Here's a photo of some latte art.
As you can see, the milk is a little frothy, and that's with my full concentration. Some of the best latte art I've ever done was with the Smeg Mini Pro (EMC02) machine — but that's $1,499, so of course it's going to be amazing. In terms of budget machines, your best bet is the aforementioned Breville Bambino Plus. But if $149 is your max? The Stilosa will still work a treat.
In terms of price, there's very little comparison. The Stilosa is, undeniably, one of the cheapest espresso machines on the market.
If you want proper espresso for very little money, then there's nothing else for you: the Stilosa is your machine.
However, if the budget can stretch a little further, there are a few more options. The Breville Bambino Plus I've mentioned throughout is an excellent compact espresso machine — I can confidently say that's one of the best (if not the best) beginner-friendly espresso machines on the market. However, it is $499 (often on sale for $399), so I understand it's considerably pricier than the Stilosa.
De'Longhi also makes the brand-new (as of June 2025) Dedica Duo, Dedica Arte, and the Dedica Maestro, $299, $299, and $499 respectively. The Duo can make cold brew, so if you're an iced beverage fanatic, it could be worth the extra spend.
With the aforementioned fixes (buying a different group head, a milk jug, and tamper), there's nothing comparable at this price point.
Considering its incredibly low price of $149, the De'Longhi Stilosa espresso machine performs exceptionally well. If you can get over its all-plastic construction and flimsy accessories (or replace them entirely), then there's nothing better at this price point.
Sure, it requires some fiddling to get 'perfect' espresso, but isn't that true of anything? Once you've got the routine down pat, there's no reason why the Stilosa won't be brewing delicious creamy espresso and steaming microfoamed, soft milk.
For beginners or those on super-restrictive budgets, I recommend the Stilosa wholeheartedly. If you want something just a touch above, then the Breville Bambino Plus is your best bet. However, for just $150? The De'Longhi Stilosa is a machine and a half.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
16 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I'm a certified coffee snob, but the new Ninja Luxe Café Pro has won me over — here's why
The Ninja Luxe Café Premier rocked the coffee game when it dropped last year, but amid its myriad smart touches, there was one feature that I thought it lacked — a tamping arm. Enter: the Ninja Luxe Café Pro. Tamping arms are a huge mess-saver for modern espresso machines. You can find them in the likes of Breville and De'Longhi flagship models, and Ninja has caught on fast. Not only do they prevent messy countertops, but tamping arms also have the added benefit of measuring the height of your puck to check for grind volumes, and evenly tamping to prevent channeling. What else is new in this upgraded model? Well, there's a hot water dispenser, something that was sorely lacking in the OG for Americano-lovers such as myself. And its milk steaming jug is significantly larger, allowing you to brew for two. I've spent a week with Ninja's latest flagship coffee maker, and here's why the Ninja Luxe Café Pro has won me over. Price $749 / £699 Size 13.39 in L x 12.48 in W x 14.84 in H Colors Stainless steel + black Power 1650 watts Weight 27.07 lbs The Ninja Luxe Café Pro retails for $749 / £699, heralding Ninja's arrival in the luxury coffee machine market. For context, that's $150 / £150 more than the original Ninja Luxe Café Pro, and comparable to the likes of De'Longhi's excellent new La Specialista Touch or Breville's Barista Express Impress. Visually, the Ninja Luxe Café Pro isn't my favorite. And I'm not ashamed to say that looks matter to me in a coffee maker - if you're asking me to display something on my kitchen counters, I'd like to enjoy looking at it. In a word, I find it a little boxy. But it's in keeping with Ninja's branding: all singing, all dancing, but utilitarian. Not an inch of stainless steel is wasted, with a comprehensive drink menu and informative display panel. There's also a container on the side of your machine for the filters you're not using, which is a nice touch. Not an inch of stainless steel is wasted If I'm being picky, which I think is warranted for $749, I wish the water tank and waste water container were larger. I found myself refilling a lot more than I would with my usual Breville Barista Touch Impress, and I also had to empty the drip tray at least once a day. This might be because Ninja has added a separate, removable drip tray to sit underneath the group head, which loses about a third of the capacity I get in the Breville. This is a nice idea, because it allows you to put travel coffee cups (or the world's tallest mug) directly underneath your group head, which is something I usually can't do when I take my own coffee into the office. Like I said, I'm a coffee snob, and the machines in the office don't always cut it. But if I could trade, I'd probably take the extra waste water space over the removable group head drip tray for the convenience of fewer trips to the sink. The key to a good coffee is a good grinder, but good grinders can be seriously expensive, so if I were placing bets, this is where I'd have expected the Ninja Luxe Café Pro to let me down. But actually, the grinder is pretty clever. The grinder has 25 settings, which is about on par with the range you'lll find in similarly-priced machines from Breville and De'Longhi. This machine uses a somewhat unique weight-based grinding system, meaning your machine never under- or over-grinds, and your puck will always be perfectly level. And I found this weight-based system to be shockingly accurate. Another cool feature that I've never seen before is the fact that the machine automatically detects when you change filter baskets. I'm not even sure how it does that, but it never failed in the pretty frequent switches I was making between the luxe basket and the double filter. A final feature that caught my attention is that the machine automatically purges a little coffee when you change your grind size. That's pretty smart, because there's usually some retention in domestic bean-to-cup machines, meaning when you change grind size, you'll end up with a little of the leftover grounds from the original size, topped up with your new setting. That can make it tricky to find the perfect grind size when you're dialling in. Then, there's the tamping arm. In the Breville Impress range, this arm will indicate if you've ground too much (or too little) coffee and suggest either trimming the top of your puck, or grinding a little extra to hit the perfect level. Ninja adds a token green light to let you know the machine is happy with the volume of grounds in your puck, but because it works on a weight-based system, it should in theory be perfect every time. The machine will suggest changing your grind size depending on the extraction time of your coffee. Too long, and your grounds may be too fine, therefore not allowing enough water through and resulting in a bitter brew. Too short, and the grounds are too large, not creating enough pressure and therefore leading to a weak and under-extracted espresso. The Ninja Luxe Café Pro suggested I start at grind size 18, and it was happy with the first espresso I brewed. I do wish the machine had a timer (my Breville does) to show how long the extraction takes, but regardless of whether Ninja was happy, I wasn't. I found the flavor to be a little lacking, and my shot was a little too speedy as it gushed into my espresso cup. After testing countless coffee makers, I know when a shot isn't pulling quite right. So I overrode the machine and changed the grind size to 15, which resulted in a very tasty shot. I was using Lost Sheep's Brazil roast, and the Ninja Luxe Café Pro brought out the deep fruity notes very well. My perfected shot flowed in creamy ropes, and took around 33 seconds. The machine suggested we meet in the middle at 16, which I (again) ignored. So is its grind suggestion perfect? No, but you can just ignore it, and it's also led me astray in my much more premium Breville Barista Touch Impress. And for more entry-level users, it's better to have some guidance than be left to figure out this complicated espresso business solo. My university nightclub used to sell 'Quaddies': 4 shots in one glass for a cost-effective and efficient way of getting the party going. Well, for obvious reasons, the university banned those, and I thought my quaddie days were behind me. Thanks to Ninja, I can now enjoy a different type of quad-shot in the form of its Luxe basket. I approached the Luxe basket with extreme scepticism. The Luxe basket is the reason the Ninja's portafilter looks a bit ridiculous: it needs to fit single and double baskets, but also a giant, deep filter that would easily double my daily coffee bean consumption. In this economy? But before I come down too hard on this unorthodox addition, I should admit that I've increasingly been turning to it for my morning coffee. I love an Americano, and combined with the new hot water dispenser, the Americano you can make with this XL basket tastes like straight-up, delicious jet fuel. It's really good stuff, giving me a strong but tasty buzz and topping off my mug with an attractive, thin layer of crema. I won't give up my drip coffee quite yet, but if you're looking for a machine that can brew longer coffee as well as short shots of espresso, the Ninja could be tempting. Like its Luxe basket, the milk jug Ninja developed for the Ninja Luxe Café Pro is also comically large. It comes with a whisk at the bottom, which can texturize hot and cold milk, and the option of four different froth levels if you choose to steam automatically. You still can steam manually, but I would suggest buying your own, smaller jug to do this. I struggled to steam by hand in the giant milk jug. I have no notes for the automatic milk steaming. The jug even comes with markings for different volumes to allow you to follow the coffee recipes printed on the side of the machine. I first made a cappuccino following these recipes, and my mountains of steamed milk came out glossy and dry, as you'd aim for when hand-steaming. Next, the latte. I was surprised and a bit wowed by how evenly this milk was textured, with a soft and shiny microfoam that was definitely latte art-worthy. To be mega picky, I'd have had to decant the jug into a more suitable vessel to then pour something impressive, but that's something they teach you at barista school, so seasoned home baristas shouldn't mind too much. As soon as the weather picks up, I switch out my coffee cups for iced latte tumblers. But I've never tried a machine that can make cold foam before, and it was love at first brew. First, I brewed a double shot of 'cold brew' which, like every cold brew setting I've tried from similarly-priced machines, doesn't quite rival the real 24-hour-steeped stuff but is a pretty good imitation. Extraction took about 3 minutes, and the machine pulsed water to pre-infuse and slowly pull a room-temperature shot. The flavor was mellow and fruity, and it definitely hit the spot on a hot day. I then toppped with some milk I steamed using the cold foam setting, and it instantly elevated my summer staple. The thick layer of foam slowly melted into the cold brew, and while it faded relatively first (which is to be expected of any milk that's whisked instead of steamed) it looked lovely and tasted great. The most obvious machine to compare the Ninja Luxe Café Pro to is its predecessor, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier. And while it offers a few things the original doesn't, I do wonder if this is worth $150 more to every customer. Not because this machine isn't worth $750 machine, but because its initial offering was outstanding value. The price immediately lifts the Pro out of the realm of entry-level bean-to-cup machines like the Breville Barista Express, where it's playing in a league of its own. At $749, we're vying with the big boys. If, like me, you're not charmed by the aesthetics, the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch is a very worthy alternative to the Ninja Luxe Café Pro. It's compact, packed with smart features, and offers a much more interactive experience than the Ninja. In the UK (where I'm based) it's a tantalizing $699, but it's $300 more than the Ninja Luxe Café Pro in the U.S., where it retails for $999. There are people who won't enjoy this machine, but they're in a niche minority. It lacks the finessed finish of more established coffee brands, and breaks with some well-established conventions in favor of accessibility. For one, the whisk at the bottom of the milk jug, while great for making cold foam, probably won't impress coffee enthusiasts who appreciate the art of hand-steaming. And while the luxe basket turned out to be a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, some will question whether you can get a good espresso out of a quad basket, and resent the unusually large portafilter that comes with it. As for me? As a seasoned espresso snob, I didn't expect to enjoy this machine as much as I did. Ninja has put a lot of thought into every element of this machine, from the automatic purging when you change grind size to the storage space for your spare baskets. And the inclusion of a tamping arm is a smart one, allowing you to still feel like you've crafted your coffee, but with less mess and more precision. The Ninja Luxe Café Pro offers the perfect balance between ease of use and manual features to create a uniquely accessible machine that almost everyone will love.
Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I just tested De'Longhi's $149 espresso machine, and it performs like one double the price
I've spent the last few days testing the De'Longhi Stilosa espresso machine, and I still can't believe how affordable it is. What do you mean, one of the best espresso machines is literally just $149? Yes — it's true. The Stilosa is less than $149 (over half the price of the Breville Bambino Plus) but performs like a much pricier model. Of course the machine's looks are a little disappointing, and I would immediately replace the plasticky tamper and the flimsy portafilter, but for just $149, I can't really complain. Although I've kind of given the surprise away (yes, this machine is worth its price tag), I'll get into all the details below. To find out all the info, keep reading my De'Longhi Stilosa espresso machine review. Price $149 / £104 Weight 9.4 pounds Grinder No Dimensions 8.1 x 13.5 x 11.2 inches Heating system Stainless steel boiler Pressure 15 bar Water tank capacity 2 pounds Accessories Plastic scoop and tamper The De'Longhi Stilosa has two different versions: the EC260 and the EC230. I tested the EC230 for this review, but the EC260 works almost identically. The EC260 is compatible with ESE pods (like teabags for coffee) and the EC230 is not. The other difference is the stainless steel finish (so purely aesthetic) and the width of the steam wand. In the U.S., it's the Stilosa EC260, available for $149 from Amazon U.S.. In the U.K., both the EC260 and the EC230 are available, for £99 from Amazon U.K. and £104 from Amazon U.K. respectively. As I said earlier, I tested the EC230, but this review encompasses both Stilosa models. Considering this machine is just $149, it wouldn't be fair of me to berate the plasticky design and flimsy accessories. So, I won't — but don't be unboxing this machine expecting it to look like the Breville Bambino Plus. It's got an all-plastic exterior construction and flimsy group handle, but you get what you pay for. The best part of the Stilosa's design is its super-compact size (just 8 x 11 x 12 inches) and incredibly light weight (just 2 pounds!). When I picked this machine up, I was gobsmacked by how light it was. In terms of aesthetics, if you don't mind a plastic construction, then the Stilosa is fine. However, if you want something fancier, you'll need to spend a little more. Don't get me wrong — the Stilosa looks fine. I tested the black version, which looks inconspicuous on the kitchen counter. It just doesn't look good. It looks like it costs $149. On top of the plasticky appearance, the Stilosa has some design quirks. For starters, the plastic tamper doesn't actually fit the 51mm portafilter. I would simply trash this (or recycle, of course) and get a 51mm metal tamper. De'Longhi sells tampers for $29 on its website. Another quirk is the fact that the Stilosa doesn't come with a milk jug, so you'll need to buy one. Personally, I love Breville/Sage's milk jugs, so I would recommend getting a Breville jug — the $24 jug on Breville's site even has a live thermometer. I also really dislike the group handle. It's made from hollow plastic (or feels like that, anyway), and is very flimsy. On top of that, the portafilter falls out of the group handle when you knock out the used puck. The portafilter also slots into the group head at a specific angle, and if you move it by a tiny smidgen, it gets jammed. I would again recommend buying a separate 51mm portafilter — I'd like something like the IKAPE 51mm portafilter, which is $69 on IKAPE's website. However, for just $149, you can't really expect much. As I discussed earlier, most espresso machines start from around $300. When an espresso machine is this affordable, it's a given that some sacrifices will have been made. In the Stilosa's case, it's design has taken the brunt of it — the machine pulls great espresso and steams perfect milk (with practice). Even so, the Stilosa proves my point that coffee doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. In all honesty, I didn't have massively high expectations. £104 is very cheap for an espresso machine, and the overall plastic appearance (not to mention the straight-up awful plastic tamper) didn't bode well for high-quality espresso. However, I was happy to be proved wrong. Although the Stilosa didn't pull shots with particularly thick crema, the espresso shots tasted delicious. For this shot pictured below, I measured out 18g of finely-ground coffee (using my Eureka Mignon Specialita) and let it extract for 25 seconds. As the Stilosa is a manual espresso machine, the user needs to control extraction time. In 25 seconds, it extracted around 50g of espresso, which is a little larger than the ideal 1:2 ratio. As you can see, the espresso shot is honey-colored, with a tiny dark 'heart' at the base of the glass. As I said above, the crema was quite thin, which impacted my ability to pour pretty latte art, but didn't massively affect the taste of the espresso. However, the espresso was still a little sour. Usually this means the shot is under-extracted, so I repeated with a different grinder (Comandante C40 MK4). This time, in 25 seconds the Stilosa pulled 38g of coffee. This was the best shot I pulled on the Stilosa. It was deliciously thick and creamy, with an airy crema and honey-colored body. There was no bitterness and a bright sourness (not from under-extraction). With a bit of experimentation and dedication, there's no reason why you can't be pulling consistently delicious shots on the Stilosa. However, I will admit that the Stilosa needs a little more expertise to get this level of quality than the Bambino Plus — that pulls perfect espresso with no effort required. The Stilosa has a remarkably powerful steam wand, but this is both an attractive feature and a little annoying. On the one hand, it's great to have such a powerful steam wand. On the other hand, it requires a little more babying than other steam wands I've used. One of the best compact machines for milk frothing is the Breville Bambino Plus, as it has an auto steam wand and a manual setting. I was able to get beautiful latte art with this machine. However, the Stilosa's steam wand can be a touch overzealous. I found that I needed full concentration during steaming, or my milk would be too aerated and foamy. If you prefer a foamy milk, then it might be a good thing. However, if you want microfoam (like what you'd get from a cafe), then you will need to practise with the machine to reach optimal texture. Here's a photo of some latte art. As you can see, the milk is a little frothy, and that's with my full concentration. Some of the best latte art I've ever done was with the Smeg Mini Pro (EMC02) machine — but that's $1,499, so of course it's going to be amazing. In terms of budget machines, your best bet is the aforementioned Breville Bambino Plus. But if $149 is your max? The Stilosa will still work a treat. In terms of price, there's very little comparison. The Stilosa is, undeniably, one of the cheapest espresso machines on the market. If you want proper espresso for very little money, then there's nothing else for you: the Stilosa is your machine. However, if the budget can stretch a little further, there are a few more options. The Breville Bambino Plus I've mentioned throughout is an excellent compact espresso machine — I can confidently say that's one of the best (if not the best) beginner-friendly espresso machines on the market. However, it is $499 (often on sale for $399), so I understand it's considerably pricier than the Stilosa. De'Longhi also makes the brand-new (as of June 2025) Dedica Duo, Dedica Arte, and the Dedica Maestro, $299, $299, and $499 respectively. The Duo can make cold brew, so if you're an iced beverage fanatic, it could be worth the extra spend. With the aforementioned fixes (buying a different group head, a milk jug, and tamper), there's nothing comparable at this price point. Considering its incredibly low price of $149, the De'Longhi Stilosa espresso machine performs exceptionally well. If you can get over its all-plastic construction and flimsy accessories (or replace them entirely), then there's nothing better at this price point. Sure, it requires some fiddling to get 'perfect' espresso, but isn't that true of anything? Once you've got the routine down pat, there's no reason why the Stilosa won't be brewing delicious creamy espresso and steaming microfoamed, soft milk. For beginners or those on super-restrictive budgets, I recommend the Stilosa wholeheartedly. If you want something just a touch above, then the Breville Bambino Plus is your best bet. However, for just $150? The De'Longhi Stilosa is a machine and a half.
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Samsung HW-S801D Ultra Slim soundbar review: One for the Samsung TV owners
The Samsung HW-S801D Ultra Slim soundbar could be one of the best soundbars if you already have a Samsung TV and are looking to expand your Samsung ecosystem. But for everyone else? I don't think the S801D is worth it. Let me explain — it's just a 3.1.2 channel setup for $900, whereas you can get the 9.1.4 channel Sonos Arc Ultra for just $100 extra. One of the best-value soundbars is the Polk Signa S4, which has a 3.1.2 setup for just $399. When you put it into perspective, I find it a little strange that the Samsung S801D is priced so highly. But if you have a Samsung TV, I still think it's worth it. I'll explain everything in this Samsung HW-S801D Ultra Slim Soundbar review. Price $899 / £549 Connectivity micro HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, Optical Weight Soundbar: 3.1 pounds / Subwoofer: 14.1 pounds Dimensions Soundbar: 1.4 x 1.5 x 45.6 inches / Subwoofer: 9.3 x 9.4 x 9.3 inches Colors Black, white Subwoofer Yes Dolby Atmos Yes Channel 3.1.2 The S801D Ultra Slim soundbar's MSRP is priced at $899 on the Samsung U.S. website, but it's often sold for around $750 on Amazon U.S.. In the U.K., it's a much more palatable £549 on Samsung U.K.. I'm unsure why there's such a price discrepancy between the U.S. and U.K., but in the U.K. you're getting a much better deal. The S801D was released in 2024 in both countries, replacing the previous 2022 S800D model. I think $899 is an extremely high price for this soundbar: for just an extra $100, you can get one of Samsung's best soundbars, Q800D. Alternatively, you can get the Sonos Arc Ultra for an extra $100 (yes, it doesn't come with a subwoofer, but its standalone bass is very good). Where the S801 sets itself apart is its super slim design: I'd only recommend this if you're low on space. One of the best aspects of the S801D is the design. As it's an Ultra Slim soundbar, it's kind of a given that it's just 1.4 inches high and 1.5 inches deep. This would be a perfect soundbar for compact spaces, or if you'd like to mount the soundbar flush to the wall. Given the 45-inch length, this soundbar would pair best with a 65-inch TV. Any smaller than that and I think the soundbar would look a little ridiculous. The S801D looked seamless with my Panasonic MZ1500 4K OLED. Other than being slim, the S801D looks like any other soundbar. It comes in white or black (I tested white), with grated speakers. There are buttons on top (mic, volume) and the remote feels well-made, much better than the Bose Smart Soundbar remote. The subwoofer is pretty heavy at 14.1 pounds, but it's easy to set up thanks to the wireless connection. I was able to control the volume via the Smart Things app and the remote control. Smart Things is actually very handy — not only can you control volume, but you can control treble, bass, and listening modes. I'll chat about it more in the 'App' section below. As you'd expect with Samsung smart home products, the S801D uses the Smart Things app. I already have this app as I have a Samsung washing machine, and I'm currently testing a Samsung vacuum. It's actually surprisingly rewarding to see my ecosystem grow. I love that you can name all of your products — Samsung recommends names like 'Living Room Soundbar' but of course you can enter anything, regardless of how silly. Here you can see the listening mode selection, toggles for SpaceFit Sound Pro and Active Voice Amplifier (which I couldn't take advantage of as I didn't have a Samsung TV), and Samsung's explanation page for all of its features. Connecting to Bluetooth is also super straightforward in the app — simply click 'Pair' in the top left corner and connect in your phone's settings. This is one of the most straightforward smart home apps I've ever used. One of the most impressive upgrades from the S800D is Q-Symphony, which is improved sound room calibration. Unfortunately, this requires a Samsung TV, so I was unable to test this. The S801D also has 'SpaceFit Sound Pro', which is supposed to calibrate audio based on your surroundings. Again, this is only compatible with Samsung TVs, so I couldn't test this either. If you're not sensing a theme, you will be now. The S801D has wireless Dolby Atmos — but only if you have a Samsung TV, and compatible separate surrounds. I still got decent Dolby Atmos surround sound with just the soundbar and subwoofer, though, so I'd say this isn't a major loss. Even without access to these features, the sound quality was still great. It's just a major shame that I couldn't actually test any of these features. I assume they're good, but I can't say for certain. It's very disappointing that Samsung restricted these flagship features to its TVs, but I can understand why, of course. If you don't have a Samsung TV, I'd recommend skipping this soundbar for now, and getting something a little less restricted like the Sonos Arc Ultra. One of my main problems with the S801D is that the HDMI output is a micro-HDMI port. When I saw this, I was utterly perplexed. Why? Just why? It's not because the soundbar is so slim, because there's a big enough space for a proper HDMI port. This means that if you lose the original cable (or want to upgrade to an 8K cable), you have to buy another one from Samsung. There will also be quality loss. As with all soundbars I test, I watched a series of movies and TV shows, and listened to music. I watched 'Top Gun: Maverick', 'The Wild Robot', 'A Complete Unknown' on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, 'Stranger Things' on Netflix, and various music genres on Qobuz. It was like the center channels and the surround channels (inside the soundbar itself) were out of sync. First, I watched 'Top Gun: Maverick'. It brings me great sadness to report that this movie sounded utterly terrible on the S801D. It sounded so bad that I had to make sure the soundbar wasn't broken. I switched out the 'Top Gun: Maverick' DVD for 'The Wild Robot', and the sound was fine. Confused, for good measure I connected it up to another TV, and again, the sound was fine. I played 'Top Gun: Maverick' again, and the issue persisted. It was like the center channels and the surround channels (inside the soundbar itself) were out of sync. When I turned the center channel down to volume 0, the audio sounded normal, if tinny. Then, when I returned to the original volume, the sound was again out of sync. The soundbar was playing on the 'Surround' audio setting. I tried it again with the DTS Virtual X and it sounded fine. I assume there's something in 'Top Gun: Maverick''s mix that the 'Surround' setting didn't like — I'd recommend switching between modes to iron out sound issues. The splashing sound effects sounded as if they were coming from beside me rather than in front of me. After the 'Top Gun' disaster, I played 'The Wild Robot'. I experienced no out-of-sync audio with this movie. I cycled through the audio settings (aforementioned surround, game, standard, adaptive, DTS Virtual X). After selecting surround, the audio was immersive and rich, and I could hear all of the rustling of fur and feathers. When the goose character was swimming, the splashing sound effects sounded as if they were coming from beside me rather than in front of me. I could hear bubbles and low-frequency water sounds perfectly in this scene. Lastly, I watched 'A Complete Unknown'. As this is a musical movie, I was excited to see how the S801D would be able to handle music-heavy scenes. There's a scene where a janitor kicks a bucket, and the sound of the bucket scraping across the floor was so loud that I jumped. It was a little incongruous in the previously relaxed soundscape, so I kept my ear out for similar moments. In the scene where two characters converse in a diner, the cash register rings, cutlery clinks, and telephone rings were clear and immersive without overpowering the main sound. To test the TV sound, I watched 'Stranger Things' on Netflix. The version of Netflix I have doesn't have Dolby Atmos, so it was a good way to evaluate the S801D's ability to play standard, basic TV shows. 'Stranger Things' sounded great, with balanced, even volume across the synth-heavy soundtrack and dialogue. I could hear low-frequency sounds like leaves rustling, bike wheels whirring, and breathing. Generally, soundbars aren't really expected to have audiophile-level sound quality. Even so, I wanted to give the S801D a fair shot. I connected to my phone via Bluetooth (one of the easiest Bluetooth pairings I've ever done using the Smart Things app) and played 'Boom Baby Bloom' by Wolf Alice. In the DTS Virtual X sound mode, the song sounded awful — extremely tinny and small, like a deluge of tin cans raining down from the sky. I switched to 'standard' sound mode, and it improved, but only just. When I listened to 'Let It Happen' by Tame Impala I found much of the same — incredibly tinny and weak sound. This was majorly disappointing as the soundbar had performed (mostly) well in the movie and TV tests. I switched to 'Surround' and the music expanded a little, but still poor. 'Game' and 'Adaptive' sound modes didn't do much, either. My working theory is that the Bluetooth music connection mustn't use the subwoofer, so the music is left incredibly treble-heavy, which makes it sound tinny. I could still increase or decrease the sub volume in the Smart Things app, but this only affected the sound minutely. There are many things to like about the S801D, but that doesn't mean it's free of problems. For most of the flagship features, you need a Samsung TV. It's very expensive for what it is — 3.1.2 channel with an MSRP of $899. Seeing as you can get the Polk Signa S4 (3.1.2 channel, and my favorite soundbar + subwoofer for value) for just $399, or spend an extra $100 for the Sonos Arc Ultra (9.1.4 channel), I just think the S801D is too expensive. On a half-price sale? Sure, it's worth it. It sounds great and is super compact. But full price? You're better off with something else.
