I don't know about you, but I sometimes wonder how I once managed to survive without a coffee machine. Not only are they incredibly easy to use, especially if you've stumbled into the kitchen half asleep, but they produce a mouthwatering brew within minutes. Gawd, you can tell I haven't had a caffeine hit in a few hours.
The latest addition to my ever growing kitchen appliance collection is the De'Longhi Eletta Explore bean to cup coffee machine. After such a successful experience with its predecessor, the De'Longhi Rivelia, I've been expecting big things.
Shall we find what happened, and whether De'Longhi's latest model is up there with the best bean to cup coffee machines available now?
De'Longhi Eletta Explore review: price and availability
The Eletta Explore bean to cup coffee machine has an RRP of £999.99/$1,899.99 and can be purchased from the De'Longhi website and other selected retailers, including Amazon, John Lewis and Currys. It's available in silver and dark grey, and I've been reviewing the latter.
We'll talk more on this further but the machine comes with a variety of accessories, including a travel mug, two milk carafes, hot water nozzle, an ice tray, a grounds scoop and a brush. There's also a descaling kit and one water filter included, which you’ll need to replace to keep the machine in good working order.
Yes, there's no denying that the Eletta Explore is extremely expensive for a coffee machine. However, De'Longhi is a fantastic brand that has already proved itself with the Eletta Explore's predecessors, so you're definitely getting a lot for your buck.
De'Longhi Eletta Explore review: unboxing and set up
The machine itself came assembled and the setup process was relatively simple. I began by giving everything a quick rinse as recommended, filled the water container and followed the instructions on the screen to finalise the rest. It was all easy to follow but there were paper instructions included just in case.
The Eletta Explore can also be controlled remotely via the De'Longhi app. You just have to set up an account, connect to the internet and pair your coffee machine.
After sorting the tank out, I opened the bean hopper lid and poured in my beans. It's important to note that the container isn't air tight, so if you find yourself neglecting your coffee machine every now and then, you're better off with a different model.
The Eletta Explore works by automatically grinding the beans when a specific drink is chosen, but there's also an option to adjust the grinder to your preferred fineness. This is easy to do, but I was happy with the automatic setting.
It should also be said that the Eletta Explore takes up a considerable amount of space, measuring 38.5 x 26 x 45cm. It fit quite nicely on my countertop, but wouldn't have done in my cabinets came down any lower.
De'Longhi Eletta Explore review: design and features
Design wise, the Eletta Explore weighs around 11kg and is housed in a hard plastic body that stands 38.5cm high, 45cm deep and 24cm wide. Unlike the Rivelia's external water tank, the Eletta Explore's tanks fits within the machine's structure.
One feature I instantly loved was the adjustable drip tray. It has the option to flip up, allowing you to fill up a travel mug or large glass. This is quite unique, and as someone who relies on an on the go coffee, I was very pleased to see it.
The grinds container can be found behind the drip tray, and the drip tray itself has a red indicator float that notifies the machine to tell you to empty it.
The 300g bean container is on the top of the machine and has a lift-off smoky opaque lid. This is on the larger side for a coffee machine, and whilst I did like the Rivelia's interchangeable bean hoppers, I didn't find myself using them as much as I thought I would. I therefore think I'm a lot more suited to the Eletta Explore's single container.
Right next to the bean container is a chute for ground coffee, but I've tended to avoid this. The grinds need washing out of the system before you can switch back to using the beans, so it all just seems a bit of a faff. However, I see how some people would appreciate having the choice.
The control panel is a full colour touchscreen which displays its drinks options, setting menu and profile selection prompt. However, there are two shortcut buttons either side of the touchscreen which prevent you from having to scroll through the entire menu to find your chosen drink.
Just like the Rivelia, the Eletta Explore takes personalised coffee to a new level. You're able to create up to four profiles, allowing you to personalise drinks and save them to your profile for next time. You can also set the coffee strength and volume for each person, which is ideal if there are multiple coffee drinkers in your household that all have different tastes and preferences.
The machine also comes with two LatteCrema milk carafes, one for hot beverages and one for cold beverages. I did question whether two separate carafes was a necessary decision, but De'Longhi explained that different nozzles are needed to foam milk with and without heat. However, this could be a point of future development for the brand.
There's a dial on top of each carafe that allows you to choose between min, mid and max froth, as well as the cleaning setting. Although, don't panic, the display prompts you to set the dial to the foam level that’s most appropriate for your drink choice.
The carafes are also ideal if there are people in your household drink different kinds of milk, particularly plant-based alternatives.
As I've already said, a large to-go cup is included. As well as the drip tray flipping up to accommodate its larger size, the menu also allows you to adjust the drink size. This means every time you make a drink in your travel mug, the perfect amount is dispensed.
De'Longhi Eletta Explore review: performance
I've thoroughly enjoyed using the De'Longhi Eletta Explore, and it's been a firm staple in my morning coffee routine. After liking the Rivelia so much, I wasn't sure how I'd feel, but it's safe to say I like it even more.
Let's start with my coffee of choice. For this review, I've been loving the Get to the Hopper blend from Lost Sheep Coffee. It has a super smooth and chocolatey taste that makes me want to make another cup as soon as I've finished my first one. I'd highly recommend not scrimping on coffee beans, especially as high quality freshly roasted beans are always better than vacuum sealed supermarket beans.
When switched on, the machine takes around 45 seconds to warm up and 15 seconds to perform a rinse. I'll be honest, this is the main reason why I don't like controlling the machine from my phone. The only way I'd see this being useful is if I could have a hot brew waiting for me as soon as I go into the kitchen, but as a rinse has to take place first, I'd just come down to a diluted mug of lukewarm coffee. Yep, it didn't appeal to me either.
As I recently reviewed the Rivelia (yes Lizzie, we know), I felt pretty accustomed with what De'Longhi had to offer. However, despite both machines offering cold beverages, it's clear that the Eletta Explore offers so much more. It features unique cold extraction technology, allowing it to compress a slow brewing process into just a few minutes. Some cold brew machines take up to 24 hours to do this!
I'm not just saying this, but every drink I made came out perfectly. The iced latte probably had to be my favourite during summer afternoons, and I loved how the machine instructs you to put a specific number of ice cubes into the glass. However, a classic americano in the large to-go cup has been my morning staple, and I can't even express how delicious it is.
I did find myself growing slightly frustrated at the milk carafes every now and then, mostly because the top isn't securely fastened. This sometimes resulted in a few spillages, and it's definitely something to note before using it for the first time.
De'Longhi Eletta Explore review: verdict
If you couldn't tell, I'm extremely impressed with the De'Longhi Eletta Explore, and I now can't imagine using another machine. It's a top-tier choice for coffee enthusiasts, especially those who appreciate versatility and high quality brews. There's no secret that it comes with a higher price tag, but its features, design and menu variation explains it all.
De'Longhi Eletta Explore review: alternatives to consider
Yes, I know I've already mentioned it a worryingly amount of times, but the top alternative I'd recommend has to be the De'Longhi Rivelia. It's a simpler version of the Eletta Explore, but if you can't justify spending a grand on a coffee machine, it's the perfect choice.
Another alternative to consider would be the Sage Barista Touch Impress. After winning our best coffee machine award in this year's T3 Awards, it has a variety of impressive functions that make it a wonderful addition to anyone's kitchen. Its Auto MilQ settings, integrated bean hopper and grinder, steam wand and multiple drink selection make it very similar to the Eletta Explore, with a similar price tag as well.
