Delonghi Eletta Explore Espresso Machine Review
Eletta Explore
Eletta Explore Overview
Let us review the Delonghi Eletta Explore – so far the most eclectic superautomatic coffee and espresso machine I have ever tested, for its wide array of 50+ espresso and milk drinks, and even cold drinks! I mean, this machine even comes with 2 milk carafes: one for hot milk, and one for cold.
Before the Eletta Explore and older brother Dinamica Plus, I honestly didn’t think that a real espresso, or a well textured milk was possible from such a machine. In particular, with the Espresso Doppio+ option, and the excellent LatteCrema milk frothing attachment, this machine impresses, just as the Dinamica Plus did.
Before we go further in the review, keep in mind that this Eletta Explore is actually made in Italy. That is already a plus point in my book. Their cheaper models are made in China.
Delonghi Eletta Explore – water tank
Delonghi Eletta Explore – side ventilation
The Looks and Features of the Eletta Explore
True to Delonghi form, and standard for superautomatics in general, this machine is made out of a mixture of metal and plastics. The body is made of plastic, while the drip tray cover, cup warmer, and burrs are made of stainless steel. Of course the bean hopper cover, water resevoir, and drip tray are made out of high quality plastic. Nevertheless, the plastic parts feel solid and well made.
The Eletta has a similar form to other Delonghi superautomatic coffee machines, extending long towards the back, but somewhat slim in the width. The grounds catch tray pulls back towards the user, and the screen is tilted towards your eyes, for better legibility.
Speaking of the HMI display, it is of the swipe type, and it’s in full color and with good contrast. On the display, you will find all the drink possibilities, from espresso based drinks, to milk based drinks. There are macro buttons, grouping the selections between To Go (larger container drinks), cold drinks, and hot drinks. There’s also a button for Favourites, which is convenient.
To switch between drinks, just choose To Go, Cold or Hot, and swipe to the left or right. Choose your drink, and if setting up for the first time, choose the aroma. This directly affects the timer of the grinder, to allow more or less coffee to be ground. You can also choose the volume, or the amount to end up in the cup.
Delonghi Eletta Explore – HMI
Delonghi Eletta Explore – bean hopper
Delonghi Eletta Explore – pre-ground coffee chute
On the top of the machine, you will find a cup tray, as well as the beans hopper, and grinder. There is also a little chute, to toss in your own ground beans, if you so choose to. Let’s talk about the grinder next, which does a nice job.
One more thing: the rest of the machine looks pretty standard for Delonghi. I’d say the water resevoir, drip tray, and housing are quite standard, albeit the drip tray cover is nice and massive.
Integrated Grinder
I was happy to notice that the grinder in the Eletta Explore, and really all Delonghi superautomatics, is a stainless steel conical burr. This ensures better drink quality in the cup, and longevity in the lifespan of the burrs. Compare this to a cheaper ceramic burred machine, such as the Philips LatteGo, and you’ll be happy to have chosen a Delonghi.
Something positive I can report about the grinder is that it can actually grind fine enough to choke the machine. Let me repeat that – this grinder can actually grind so fine, that the pump struggles to push water through the puck. This is a good thing, and something lacking on most superautomatics.
What this means is that we can actually get the pressure of the extraction up into espresso range, so that we can get a nice syrupy drink with delightful crema. Especially when using the ‘Doppio+’ option, we get actual espresso pucks, 14-15 grams in weight, and ground fine enough for a good espresso. That is AWESOME!
The grinder is adjusted within the bean hopper, and has 13 settings. I find that a setting of 4-5 works well for my freshly roasted beans. For older beans, I would advise to grind finer, more in the range of 2-3.
See the stainless steel burrs at work below:
How is the Espresso?
You might be surprised how good the espresso is, out of the Eletta Explore. I attribute it to two important things when it comes to espresso extraction:
- The use of stainless steel burrs, that can grind fine enough for espresso.
- The allowance for proper dosing. With the Doppio+, you can get a proper 14-15 gram dose.
Grinding fine enough for espresso, and grinding the proper amount are paramount for getting a good espresso with crema. If you don’t grind fine enough, you will not get any pressure, and therefore no crema. Same goes for the dose.
So how is the espresso? Pretty darn good, I have to admit. I have tested this machine side by side with actual portafilter espresso machines, and it fairs well. The shots are chocolatey, syrupy and full of crema. They might not get as complex in flavor as say a Breville Barista machine, but all things considered, it is a proper espresso. Just be sure to use freshly roasted beans.
How’s the Milk? LatteCrema System
Another delightful surprise on this machine is how well it textures milk. The Delonghi LatteCrema system really does a great job of texturing both for cappuccino and for latte, and gives me a nice drinking temperature, too. Clean up is quite easy, and the results in the cup are really good. I feel that this LatteCrema system provides even better textured milk than does the LatteGo system from Philips.
You can keep the LatteCrema carafe in the refrigerator with milk inside, but Delonghi does suggest to clean it out regularly. To do so, just remove the top from the canister, remove the rubber hose inside, and give everything a thorough rinse under the sink. Of course, don’t forget to start the “Clean” cycle as well, while the carafe is still mounted to the machine, which clears out the lines of milk after frothing.
Delonghi Eletta Explore – with LatteCrema milk attachment
Delonghi Eletta Explore – LatteCrema carafes
Drink Arrangement
The sheer amount of drinks on this machine is quite crazy: you can make an Espresso, Espresso Doppio+, Long (repeatedly pulsed coffee crema-like), Coffee Crema, Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino Mix, straight up Milk Foam, water for tea, and more. Delonghi states a total of 50+ “one-touch” recipes!
It will take a lot of time to go through all the options. Luckily, there are profiles to use, to select the ‘aroma’ or amount of beans to be ground, as well as the drink volume, and that for up to 4 different users. Finally, there is an app, ‘Coffee Link’, which can be used for the initial machine setup, as well as for setting the parameters of the drinks for each user.
Delonghi Eletta Explore – Hot drinks selection
Delonghi Eletta Explore – Cold drinks selection
User Profiles and App
It seems that at this price range, we come to expect user profiles built into the machines. So for example, if I want a Coffee Crema with full strength, but my wife wants it just to be super mild, then we can set our profiles that way. If I want a nice intense and short drink, while she wants a long and mild drink, that is possible. It’s quite a convenient feature, which is also offered on the Philips LatteGo 4300.
The app on the other hand, is nothing to write home about. While it is functional, and good for making the initial choices, it is slow and kind of buggy, as of the time of this writing. It takes 1 minute to connect to the machine, and sometimes it just crashes. What is cool though, is that it shows the process of the drink being made, which is neat. Hopefully, they will improve the app over time.
Pros and Cons of the Eletta Explore?
After using the Eletta Explore for a while, and getting the grind dialed in, I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised! It can actually make real espresso, which I didn’t think was possible. It can also texture milk really well. It’s quick to warm up, doesn’t take up too much counter space, and has a ton of drink options. I think a lot of people will enjoy the cold drink selections, too!
Clean up of the LatteCrema system is quite easy for such a device, and it comes with 2 milk carafes which also allows for two different milk types. All in all, the drinks are very good, the interface is easy to use, and the cherry on top is that this is even made in Italy!
Pros:
- Excellent espresso results, especially for a SA
- Very nicely textured milk
- Hot and Cold drinks
- 50+ drinks to choose from
- User profiles and app
- 30 second heat up time
- Enough space for travel mugs
- Made in Italy
Cons
- App is buggy and very laggy
- Price is on the high side, depending on market
Delonghi Eletta Explore – Made in Italy
Specifications of the Eletta Explore:
– Dimensions: 10 1/4″ wide, 15 1/8″ tall, 17 1/2″ deep
– 1250 watt thermoblock heater
– 50+ hot and cold drinks
– Milk texturing for: cappuccino, latte macchiato, hot milk, caffe latte, flat white, espresso macchiato
– 4 user profiles
– 3.5″ TFT color touch display
– 60 ounce water tank
– Made in Italy
Suggestions
I really think that Delonghi provided what consumers were looking for in this model, especially with the cold drinks and travel mug accommodation. That said, the app does suck because it’s so slow and is often disconnects. Working on the app would be important, but in the end, it’s the drinks that matter, and this superautomatic does a great job.
Competitors
Competition is fierce among superautomatics. The Philips LatteGo 5500 has very similar features, but does not perform as well IMHO. The drinks on the Philips are weak, and limited by 8 gram doses. Also, I find that the Dinamica Plus, as well as the Magnifica Evo both texture milk a bit better than the Philips LatteGo.
Jura machines would come closer, and perhaps surpass the Dinamica Plus. I am planning to review the Jura E6 or E8 in the near future, as I have enjoyed very tasty drinks from these swiss designed superautomatics.
Otherwise, perhaps a fully integrated espresso machine like the Barista Express would be a good competitor, for those who like it more hands on. Until then, thanks for dropping by!
Eletta Explore vs Magnifica Plus
In their respective price ranges, the Magnifica Plus (€600-$700) and Eletta Explore (€700-$1800) offer the best performance among their peers, in my opinion. I find them for example both better than any offering from Philips, from the cheaper 1200 up to the expensive 5500. In fact, the Magnifica Plus is my new go to superautomatic recommendation, if you don’t want cold drinks.
If you do want cold drinks, I think the Eletta Explore is the way to go, as it provides everything the Magnifica Plus provides, and more. Also on my machines, the Eletta Explore is made in Italy, while the Magnifica Plus was made in Romania.
