Do you want an espresso machine that makes the cup for you at the push of a button, or one that teaches you in two weeks how grind, roast and milk actually change the taste? That is the choice the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch (model EC9455.M) puts in front of you. It is a semi-automatic machine with a built-in grinder and a 3.5-inch colour touchscreen.
One thing up front. We planned to review a Philips LatteGo or a Breville Barista, but Amazon.ae showed no new-generation listing for either, only refurbished units and older models. So we picked this one instead. It is one of De’Longhi’s newest machines in the category, it goes head to head with the Breville Barista Touch we had in mind, and it carries about 243 ratings on Amazon.ae at an average of 4.7.
This review is built from De’Longhi’s published specs, the Amazon.ae listing and independent reviews. We did not run our own measurements, and where something is a brand claim or one reviewer’s opinion we say so. If you are weighing it against a fully automatic machine, read our De’Longhi Magnifica Start review or our Arabic guide to the best coffee machines in the UAE for 2026.
Design and build: light for its class, metallic look
The machine weighs roughly 10.5 kg, which is light for an espresso machine with a grinder inside. The reason is a plastic body with a metallic finish rather than the steel the photos suggest. It looks sharp on a marble counter, but it will not feel like solid metal, and that trade keeps it easy to slide out when you clean behind it.
The water tank holds about 1.7 litres and slots into the back, so leave some clearance. One reviewer found the tank narrow enough to need a long-handled brush for cleaning. The drip tray is well designed and has a platform for small espresso cups, so you are not shooting coffee into a deep tray.
The bean hopper takes around 250 g, about a week for two people having two cups a day. A hot-water spout fills the mug under the portafilter, which tops up an americano without moving the cup.
Grinding and brewing: where it differs from a fully automatic
The built-in grinder uses conical burrs with 15 settings. In practice that is enough to dial an espresso in to a shot of around 28 seconds, which is what one reviewer reached, and then save it. It is fewer than the 30 settings on the Breville Barista Touch Impress, so people who love fine-tuning will hit the ceiling sooner.
Bean Adapt is the smartest feature. The screen asks whether your beans are arabica or robusta and how dark the roast is, then adjusts brew temperature and pre-infusion. It does not replace a barista’s judgement, but it saves you a week of bad shots, and you can store a profile for each bag of beans.
Dosing is by volume, not weight. A guide clips onto the portafilter and shows whether the dose is right, and a twist tool trims the excess. There is no built-in tamping arm, so you tamp by hand, and the grinder will not run without the dosing guide fitted. You pick it up in a few days, but it is an extra step the Magnifica Start never asks of you.
Touchscreen, drinks and milk
The screen offers ten preset drinks: espresso, cappuccino, cold brew, latte macchiato, latte, flat white, hot milk, long black and americano, plus hot water. It stores nine personal recipes. Reviewers agree the interface is quick and easy to follow.
The steam wand works in manual or automatic mode with a temperature probe, and it handles dairy and plant milks. Automatic texturing was consistent for cappuccinos and lattes, though one reviewer found the latte macchiato foam too airy. The probe gets in the way if you like hand-steaming a swirling vortex, so it irritates a skilled home barista more than a beginner.
Cold brew chills the water first and drips it through the grounds at low pressure in about four minutes. It tastes smooth but thinner than the cold brew from pricier machines like the Jura J10, according to one reviewer. The machine does not make cold espresso, so an iced latte means pulling a hot shot first.
Cleaning and upkeep: the weak spot
This is where reviewers list real complaints. You cannot rinse the group head between drinks, there is no button to purge old grounds when you change grind size, and there is no obvious way to open the grinder for cleaning. One reviewer’s grinder turned sticky over time and the manual does not show how to take it apart. If you want a machine you never think about cleaning, a fully automatic one is easier: the Magnifica Start has a brew unit you pull out and rinse under the tap. A water-hardness test strip comes in the box, which helps set the descaling reminder, and that matters with UAE tap water.
Quick comparison: La Specialista Touch vs Magnifica Start vs Vertuo Next
| Feature | De’Longhi La Specialista Touch | De’Longhi Magnifica Start | Nespresso Vertuo Next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic with portafilter | Fully automatic bean-to-cup | Capsule machine |
| Grinder | Conical burr, 15 settings | Built-in, 13 settings | None, pre-ground capsules |
| Milk | Manual or automatic steam wand with temperature probe | Automatic LatteCrema jug | No built-in milk system |
| Controls | 3.5-inch colour touchscreen, 9 saved recipes | Simple icon buttons | One button |
| Daily effort | Highest: tamp, adjust, clean | Low | Lowest |
| Best for | People who want to learn espresso | People who want a steady cup in one press | People who want speed and minimal cleanup |
The pattern is simple: the more control you get, the more work lands on you. The La Specialista Touch sits at the end that gives you the most room to experiment.
Price and value in the UAE
The current price shows live in the product card below, pulled from Amazon.ae, so we are not printing a number that will go stale. As a rule it costs more than entry-level fully automatics and less than the pro-grade machines, and TechRadar scored it 5 out of 5 for value. You are paying for the screen, Bean Adapt and a good steam wand, not for convenience.
Budget for the extras too: fresh beans you like, descaler and cleaning tablets, and maybe a tamper or a milk jug to improve your results. If you only drink one coffee a day or hate cleaning, a fully automatic machine will cost you less effort for the same money.
Pros and cons
- Responsive colour touchscreen with ten preset drinks and nine saved recipes
- Bean Adapt tunes temperature and pre-infusion to your beans and roast
- Strong steam wand in manual and automatic modes, works with plant milk
- Relatively light at around 10.5 kg and compact enough for a small kitchen
- Built-in cold brew through cold extraction
- Plastic body with a metal-look finish, not solid metal
- No group-head rinse and no purge button for old grounds
- Grinder is hard to open for cleaning and can turn sticky
- No built-in tamping arm and no cold espresso for iced lattes
- Narrow water tank that needs a long brush
Frequently asked questions
Is the La Specialista Touch worth it over the Magnifica Start?
If you enjoy controlling the grind and dose and want to learn milk texturing, yes. If you want the same cup every time with little effort, the Magnifica Start is simpler and has an automatic milk jug and a removable brew unit.
How does it compare with the Breville Barista Touch?
The idea is the same: grinder, touchscreen, preset drinks. The Barista Touch Impress offers 30 grind settings against 15 here, which gives finer tuning, but we found no new-generation Breville listing on Amazon.ae when we checked.
Is it good for beginners?
Mostly yes. The dosing guide and Bean Adapt take the edge off, but expect a week or two to dial in the grind and accept hand-tamping and regular cleaning.
Can I make iced coffee with it?
It makes cold brew in about four minutes, but not cold espresso, so an iced latte needs a hot shot poured over ice.
Does it work with plant-based milk?
Yes. The automatic settings cover dairy and plant milks, and the probe shows the milk temperature as you steam.
How do I clean it?
Wash the drip tray and dosing guide often and use the included strip to set the water-hardness descaling alert. The grinder is hard to reach, so check De’Longhi’s guidance before trying to take anything apart.
Verdict
The De’Longhi La Specialista Touch suits anyone who wants a home espresso machine that teaches them and gives them control without the complexity of a pro machine, and who accepts hand-tamping and regular cleaning. If you want maximum convenience, a fully automatic or capsule machine fits better. Whichever you choose, check the live price and the latest ratings before you buy.
Check the current price on Amazon.ae
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