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De'Longhi's colorful new coffee maker is so compact you could put it in your carry-on

De'Longhi's colorful new coffee maker is so compact you could put it in your carry-on

Tom's Guide4 days ago

De'Longhi makes brilliant espresso machines. In fact, the De'Longhi La Specialist Opera holds top spot amongst the best espresso machines we've ever tested.
So, when De'Longhi released its newest innovation, the Dedica Duo, a dual brew espresso machine in the brand's iconic ultra-slim design, I was thrilled to see a new addition to their line-up suited to smaller spaces.
And I was even more pleasantly surprised to see that De'Longhi has embraced a huge trend right now – adding a splash of color.
The Dedica Duo is available in not one, not two, not even three, but four colors. All of which are spectacularly summery.
Available in Stainless Steel, Vanilla, Pistachio and Rose in both the US and UK for $299.95/£279.99 at DeLonghi.com.
The De'Longhi Dedica Duo is a dual brew espresso machine that sizes up at just 5.9" wide, which means if you're living in a smaller apartment, dorm or you're just short on space, it's a perfect fit. There are three preset recipes, a professional pump, digital touch display, and a commercial-style steam wand. All packed into a perfectly slimline design.
De'Longhi is well-versed in making great coffee. The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo and De'Longhi La Specialista Touch are some of the most recent models our expert team has tested – and we've been incredibly impressed.
So, what does its newest addition to the De'Longhi range, the Dedica Duo, have to offer? Well, for starters, it's a model perfect for smaller spaces. At just 5.9" wide, it has an ultra-slim design that'll fit almost anywhere.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
And once it's slotted into your space, you'll be able to whip up hot espresso or cold brew in under 5 minutes. And it's as simple as pressing a preset button as there's three modes locked, loaded and ready to go; espresso, double espresso and cold brew.
There's a digital touch display, too, with full-color icons that are simple and soft to touch, a removable drip tray and My LatteArt steam wand if you're keen to add foam – or practice your latte art.
Just in time for summer, De'Longhi has embraced a love of color. And the Dedica Duo is available in four different gelato-inspired options – classic Stainless Steel, Vanilla, Pistachio and Rose.
It's a trend that has become, well, really trendy in 2025, with other iconic coffee maker brands releasing their own eye-catching colors, like the Technivorm Moccamaster in Ocean or the Fellow Aiden in Matte White.
It's certainly a refreshing change from the usual Stainless Steel option, that while classic, has also become a unwavering staple for many coffee makers. I'd love to pop the Pistachio Dedica Duo onto my kitchen countertop and fortunately, I won't have to free up much space to do so.

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I'm a certified coffee snob, but the new Ninja Luxe Café Pro has won me over — here's why
I'm a certified coffee snob, but the new Ninja Luxe Café Pro has won me over — here's why

Tom's Guide

time5 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.

I thought $149 was too cheap for a good espresso machine, but De'Longhi proved me wrong
I thought $149 was too cheap for a good espresso machine, but De'Longhi proved me wrong

Tom's Guide

time11 hours ago

  • Tom's Guide

I thought $149 was too cheap for a good espresso machine, but De'Longhi proved me wrong

Getting into coffee feels like learning a new language — and that's coming from someone who literally has a professional background in it. Don't even get me started on the specialist equipment that looks like medieval torture devices. While it's definitely worth getting one of the best coffee grinders and best coffee scales, all this equipment can be really daunting at the start. So I'll help you out by recommending the De'Longhi Stilosa. The best espresso machines are often around the $1,000 mark, especially big names like Breville. The De'Longhi Stilosa is one of the best beginner-friendly budget-friendly espresso machines. Although it needs some practice and finesse to get café-quality shots, I'll teach you exactly how to achieve that right now. I discuss everything in 2,000-word detail in my 4-star De'Longhi Stilosa review, but here's the TLDR: the Stilosa is a remarkable machine considering its price. It makes technically wonderful espresso, heats up quickly, and has a very powerful steam wand capable of aerating velvety milk. More often than not, when you try and snag a cheap espresso machine, you're left with watery, weak espresso that takes nothing like the cafe down the road, or even the Starbucks across town. Not the De'Longhi Stilosa, though. As promised, I'll teach you exactly how to turn this $149 gadget into an almost-Breville coffeemaking machine. Don't get me wrong, right out of the box, the Stilosa is great. It's capable of reaching 15-bar pressure and comes with single-walled portafilter baskets for 'proper' espresso. But for just $149, some sacrifices will have been made, and that comes in the form of accessories. First, I'd recommend repurposing the tamper that comes with the Stilosa and getting a cheap metal tamper. As the Stilosa has a 51mm portafilter basket (where the coffee goes, as you can see in the picture below), you'll need one of the same size. You can get a budget one for $6-9 on Amazon or a spring-loaded one for $42 on Amazon. Next, you'll need either an accurate kitchen scale, or one of the best coffee scales. This is to ensure you've got your ratios right. You should be aiming for around a 1:2 coffee to espresso ratio. For a double shot, I always dose 18g of finely-ground coffee for 36g of espresso. With my Wacaco Exagram Pro scale, this is very easy to achieve. Last, but very much not least, you'll need to check out the best coffee grinders. For my testing, I used the Eureka Mignon Specialita and the Comandante C40 MK4, but the Baratza Encore ESP is much more affordable and will be more than enough. With just the $199 Baratza grinder and the $49 Wacaco scale, you're well on your way to cafe-quality coffee with this $149 De'Longhi machine. You should also know that if you don't have a proper grinder, you will never achieve perfect espresso. Even if you have a $2,000 Breville Dual Boiler machine, your espresso will not be right. A good grinder is more important than the espresso machine itself — and the De'Longhi Stilosa is case in point. With a good grinder and professional technique, you can achieve technically perfect espresso with just a $149 machine. For more thorough info, I've already written about tips for making perfect coffee at home. Although I have a background in professional coffeemaking (barista-ing doesn't really have the same ring to it), it's very possible to get these results without fancy, professional equipment. The Baratza grinder and Wacaco scale I recommended above are both very reasonably priced for what they are, and can help you achieve results like this. The steam wand on the De'Longhi Stilosa is very powerful — at first, I thought perhaps even too powerful. However, with a little practice, I was able to get deliciously velvety microfoam. To do this, I just had to control my steaming angle. I held the milk jug at about a 45° angle and put the tip of the steam wand halfway in the milk. After tweaking a little to create a vortex, I aerated the milk and was able to pour the gorgeous latte art you can see above. The Stilosa's steam wand performs like a $500 espresso machine's, and I was incredibly impressed by it. This is truly a latte-art lover's dream. Don't get me wrong — I know the Stilosa doesn't look great. With a plasticky finish and an almost flimsy weight of just 2 pounds, it looks like it costs $149. Even so, I didn't find that this design impacted performance. Actually, the compact size of just 8 x 11 x 12 inches could actually be a plus for people with small kitchens. Although the Stilosa is very plasticky, you can't really ask for everything for something so affordable. It's just $149 (the U.K. version is £104), and some sacrifices will have been made to get achieve this super-low price. Function is, of course, more important than appearance, so I think it's reasonable to look past this plasticky aesthetic. However, it could raise some questions about longevity. As I'm often reviewing espresso machines simultaneously and in quick succession, I haven't had a chance to put the Stilosa to the long-term test yet. Sometimes plastic drip trays can erode and get a little flaky after long-term use, and sometimes plastic attachments can break off. However, De'Longhi offers a minimum warranty of one year, and my parents' De'Longhi Icona Vintage (£126, not available in the U.S. anymore) is still clinging onto life at nine years old. So, I'd have some faith in the cheap and cheerful Stilosa. In terms of cheap espresso machines, there's really no competition. No other budget machines I've used can rival the Stilosa. Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you think that the Stilosa worth $149/£104? Do you think it could go head-to-head with a pricier espresso machine?

De'Longhi's colorful new coffee maker is so compact you could put it in your carry-on
De'Longhi's colorful new coffee maker is so compact you could put it in your carry-on

Tom's Guide

time4 days ago

  • Tom's Guide

De'Longhi's colorful new coffee maker is so compact you could put it in your carry-on

De'Longhi makes brilliant espresso machines. In fact, the De'Longhi La Specialist Opera holds top spot amongst the best espresso machines we've ever tested. So, when De'Longhi released its newest innovation, the Dedica Duo, a dual brew espresso machine in the brand's iconic ultra-slim design, I was thrilled to see a new addition to their line-up suited to smaller spaces. And I was even more pleasantly surprised to see that De'Longhi has embraced a huge trend right now – adding a splash of color. The Dedica Duo is available in not one, not two, not even three, but four colors. All of which are spectacularly summery. Available in Stainless Steel, Vanilla, Pistachio and Rose in both the US and UK for $299.95/£279.99 at The De'Longhi Dedica Duo is a dual brew espresso machine that sizes up at just 5.9" wide, which means if you're living in a smaller apartment, dorm or you're just short on space, it's a perfect fit. There are three preset recipes, a professional pump, digital touch display, and a commercial-style steam wand. All packed into a perfectly slimline design. De'Longhi is well-versed in making great coffee. The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo and De'Longhi La Specialista Touch are some of the most recent models our expert team has tested – and we've been incredibly impressed. So, what does its newest addition to the De'Longhi range, the Dedica Duo, have to offer? Well, for starters, it's a model perfect for smaller spaces. At just 5.9" wide, it has an ultra-slim design that'll fit almost anywhere. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. And once it's slotted into your space, you'll be able to whip up hot espresso or cold brew in under 5 minutes. And it's as simple as pressing a preset button as there's three modes locked, loaded and ready to go; espresso, double espresso and cold brew. There's a digital touch display, too, with full-color icons that are simple and soft to touch, a removable drip tray and My LatteArt steam wand if you're keen to add foam – or practice your latte art. Just in time for summer, De'Longhi has embraced a love of color. And the Dedica Duo is available in four different gelato-inspired options – classic Stainless Steel, Vanilla, Pistachio and Rose. It's a trend that has become, well, really trendy in 2025, with other iconic coffee maker brands releasing their own eye-catching colors, like the Technivorm Moccamaster in Ocean or the Fellow Aiden in Matte White. It's certainly a refreshing change from the usual Stainless Steel option, that while classic, has also become a unwavering staple for many coffee makers. I'd love to pop the Pistachio Dedica Duo onto my kitchen countertop and fortunately, I won't have to free up much space to do so.

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