When you're starting your day with coffee, it's always nice to have options. Sometimes, a carafe of piping hot coffee will fuel you through the day, while other days a decadent espresso is calling your name.
The De'Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker and Espresso machine lets you have both, in one compact machine. The most recent iteration adds the functions of a digital touchscreen, a bold setting for stronger coffee, a spill-proof carafe, and pod compatibility.
Even the best espresso machines don't offer this kind of versatility, so we were keen to see whether this could deliver consistently delicious results across the board. After extensive use, we're here to tell you whether we think it's worth it and to help you determine if it's the perfect setup for you.
Specifications
Who would it suit?
The De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker is ideal for people who like variety in their coffee routine, as it can make four different beverages. This also makes it suitable for households with individuals who may have differing tastes. It’s also a good choice for people who want a moderately priced machine by a company known for quality products – and it is certainly less expensive (and space-saving) than purchasing both a coffee maker and an espresso machine.
Unboxing
The De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker arrived in good shape. It was packed very securely in recyclable cardboard and also plastic bags, and the trays and other movable parts were taped down. The accessories were also packed in cardboard and covered in plastic.
The left side of the machine houses everything needed to make espresso, cappuccino, and latte. The water tank for espresso drinks is on the back left side. In the photo above, you can also see the steam dial on the top, the frother and steam connection nozzle, and the portafilter.
The right side of the machine contains the drip coffee components. At the top is water fill compartment and filter holder. Note that the water compartment and filter holder are combined in one section, which swings out and this makes it easy to fill. It also saves vertical space since it doesn’t butt up against the bottom of your top cabinets. In the back of the machine (next to the espresso water tank) is the anti-chlorine filter holder.
The other accessories in the box include the 10-cup spill-proof drip glass carafe, one cup espresso filter, two cup espresso filter, filter for espresso pods, coffee measure/presser, anti-chlorine filter, descaler solution, and instructions.
The anti-chlorine filter is designed to eliminate the taste of chlorine in the water when making drip coffee. De’Longhi recommends replacing the anti-chlorine filter after 80 cycles or 6 months, whichever comes first.
What is it like to use?
The De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine has a digital display and pretty simple controls. The three buttons on the far-left side are as follows: the top button is the espresso on/off button, the middle button is the espresso coffee/hot water button, and the bottom button is the steam button.
The black display panel houses the touch display functions, there’s a coffee on/off button, a clock, and four buttons at the bottom: bold (for more flavorful coffee), along with the buttons for auto, hours, and minutes, which are used to set the clock and program the coffee maker to start automatically.
Test 1: drip coffee
Making a pot of coffee was as simple as pouring coffee grounds into the basket, filling the water tank, and pressing the on/off button to start the brewing process. You can see the final result in the photo above. That whole carafe brewed in under ten minutes, it was light and delicate to drink, although, if I'm being critical, I think it lacked a little body and depth. It's a good cup of filter coffee, but not the best I've ever had.
Test 2: espresso
To make espresso, the machine needs to be preheated. I turned the appliance on, inserted the filter holder (without coffee), and placed one of the De’Longhi double-walled glasses (sold separately at Amazon) underneath. Then, I turned the espresso maker on to deliver hot water into the glass, which I then emptied. Then I repeated the process again, this time with coffee beans that I ground (but not too finely) in one of my own coffee bean grinders. (When I make espresso-based beverages, I prefer to grind beans, and the De'Longhi does not have one built-in.)
Each espresso turned out well. There was a nice, thick crema on top, which indicates that all the delicious coffee oils had been well extracted. The size of each varies by a few sips, which isn't ideal, but I've had machines with greater variations. It's more of a concern over the machine's consistency than any of the flavors.
Test 3: latte
To make a latte, I prepared the espresso as described above, and then pressed the steam button (waiting for it to reach the right temperature), put a cup of 2% milk underneath, turned the steam dial to On, and moved the cup in slow upward motions. When it reached the desired consistency, I poured over the espresso.
Some machines will brew milk and espresso together. It's more convenient that way, but this is a little compromise that you make for having such a versatile machine. The coffee flavors were good, my milk was silky smooth: it had all the qualities of a perfect latte.
Cleaning, storage, and maintenance
De’Longhi recommends cleaning the frother after each use. It can be easily removed and washed with warm water. The drip tray contains a red level indicator, which helps you see when it’s at risk of overflowing (although I emptied it after every use). When the red level indicator starts poking up from the tray, it’s time to empty and clean the tray. In the photo above, I slid the drip tray partially to the right so you can see the red level indicator.
The filters should be cleaned weekly under running water. The coffee maker itself can be cleaned with a damp cloth. After 300 coffees, De’Longhi recommends cleaning the boiler outlet, and the manual provides instructions on how to remove it – which will require a screwdriver.
The appliance should be descaled every 200 coffees. The company includes a descaling solution and provides instructions for the descaling process.
How does it rate online?
The De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker has 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon and at Best Buy, the coffee maker has 4.0 out of 5 stars. The complaints were spotty. For example, one customer complained that the coffee maker only makes 10 cups of coffee instead of 12 cups. Another customer complained that the audible beep when the coffee is done was too low. Yet another complaint was about the absence of a frother cup.
Generally, all of the issues that people had were household-dependent. A ten-cup capacity, for example, is desirable on some coffee makers, as is a quieter beeping noise. I also found plenty of reviews from people who enjoyed the De'Longhi's versatility. Whilst people seem to prefer the filter coffee, there were plenty of happy customers who enjoyed the espressos too.
How does it compare?
The De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker makes both coffee and espresso-based beverages, which puts it in a class by itself. In fact, it's part of our best espresso machines and best drip coffee makers lists because of this feature. There are only a handful of appliances that can do both, and the Ninja Specialty Brewer is the only competitor in this price range that we’ve tried and can vouch for.
We would give Ninja a slight edge because it has 6 brew sizes and is at least $100 cheaper – but it doesn’t have a 15-bar pump system, and the manual frother doesn’t feel as sturdy. While the De’Longhi has a lot of plastic on the top, the rest of the unit is on par with the level of quality we’ve come to expect from this company.
Should you buy it?
Most of the De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker’s features can be summed up in its title. A machine that does everything – and does it well – can’t be overstated. The few things I would change are personal quirks. For example, I prefer a stainless-steel carafe to one made of glass. Also, it seems tedious to have to put a cup under the filter holder every time to preheat the coffee unit.
However, the ability to make 4 drinks in one machine may be worth the extra work. Aside from those issues, it’s a very good machine.
