A built-in grinder, three brew temperatures and a manual steam wand in a 28.5 cm wide body, priced below Sage's Barista Express Impress.
Updated
- Steam wand Milk system
- 1.7 L Water tank
- 2 years Warranty
- 40 cm Height
Pros
- Integrated grinder with 15 settings for single or double doses
- Active temperature control with 3 temperature settings
- Presets for espresso, americano and hot water
- 1.7 L tank, takes a water filter and has a water hardness setting
- Thermoblock heating and a 15 bar pump
Cons
- Manual steam wand only: no milk temperature or texture settings
- 40 cm tall, so check the space under wall cupboards
- 15 grind settings, fewer than the 25 on Sage's Barista Express Impress
- Best for
- Buyers who want espresso from fresh beans with the grinder included and are happy to steam milk by hand.
- Not for
- People who want milk textured automatically, or who have little height under their wall cupboards.
Our verdict
La Specialista Arte puts a grinder, a steam wand and a choice of brew temperatures in one body, and De’Longhi’s own store sells it for less than Sage sells the Barista Express Impress. The built-in grinder has 15 settings and doses a single or a double shot. Active Temperature Control holds the brew water steady at one of three temperatures, and there are buttons for espresso, americano and hot water.
Milk is steamed by hand with a conventional wand; there are no milk temperature or texture settings. De’Longhi lists a programmable water hardness setting and support for a water filter, with a 1.7 litre tank, Thermoblock heating and a 15 bar pump. At 28.5 cm wide it takes less worktop than the Sage, but it is 40 cm tall and 36.5 cm deep, so measure under your wall cupboards. Cups up to 12 cm tall fit under the spout.
Cleaning and running costs
Set the water hardness to match your supply: De’Longhi’s support pages say a descale light that comes on very often usually means the setting is higher than your water needs. De’Longhi sells Decalk Care descaler (DLSC500, a 500 ml bottle of five doses) and uses 100 ml per descale, poured into the tank before you start the descaling function. It warns that an unsuitable descaler or wrong descaling can cause faults its guarantee won’t cover. We couldn’t read the manual or confirm a water filter part number. De’Longhi’s UK store lists a 2-year warranty and online product registration.
Owner reports
We read 32 owner reviews: 22 collected by De’Longhi, including its lowest-rated, and 10 on eBay, mostly for refurbished units. Most praise the coffee once the grind and dose are set, though a few relied on online videos to get there and two found steaming milk well takes practice. A few reported early faults: one machine broke within four months, one leaked underneath on its first rinse and one had condensation inside the pressure gauge from day one. That is a handful of owners’ reports, not a failure rate.
Who should look elsewhere
If you want help getting the dose right, the Sage Barista Express Impress shows whether each dose was low or high and has 25 grind settings. If you want the machine to froth the milk for you, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier pairs a grinder and scale with four froth presets. Compare them all with every espresso machine we track, or read our pick of the best espresso machines for home.
De’Longhi La Specialista Arte EC9155.MB specs
- Steam wand Milk system
- 1.7 L Water tank
- 2 years Warranty
- 40 cm Height
Coffee
| Built-in grinder | Yes |
|---|---|
| Heating system | Thermoblock |
| Portafilter size | not listed |
| Heat-up time | not listed |
| Grind settings | 15 |
| Pump pressure | 15 bar |
Milk
| Milk system | Steam wand |
|---|
Size
| Water tank | 1.7 L |
|---|---|
| Width | 28.5 cm |
| Height | 40 cm |
| Depth | 36.5 cm |
| Weight | 9.76 kg |
Ownership
| Warranty | 2 years |
|---|
Cleaning
| Takes a water filter | Yes |
|---|
Features
| Power | 1,400 W |
|---|
Manufacturer figures, checked 2 Nov 2026. — means not listed.
Where to buy the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte EC9155.MB
- De’Longhi£529.99Go to De’Longhi (opens in a new tab)
- John Lewis£529Go to John Lewis (opens in a new tab)
Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.
La Specialista Arte questions
Why does the descale light keep coming on?
Usually because the water hardness setting is higher than your water needs. De’Longhi’s support page for the La Specialista Arte says to set it to match your water and keep descaling when the light asks. Your water company can tell you how hard your supply is; the Drinking Water Inspectorate counts 200 to 300 mg/l of calcium carbonate as hard and anything above as very hard.
How many grind settings does it have?
Fifteen. The built-in grinder delivers a single or a double dose, and De’Longhi suggests adjusting the grind to suit the beans you use, so expect to change it when you change coffee. For comparison, Sage’s Barista Express Impress and the Ninja Luxe Café Premier both list 25 grind settings.
Does La Specialista Arte froth milk automatically?
No. Milk is textured by hand with the steam wand, and De’Longhi lists no milk temperature or texture settings. You control the foam yourself with the jug and the wand. There is a hot water button for americanos and tea. If you want milk done for you, look at a machine with an automatic wand or frother instead.
Which descaler should I use?
De’Longhi’s own Decalk Care, DLSC500, which it says suits all its coffee machines. The 500 ml bottle holds five doses: pour 100 ml into the water tank, then start the machine’s descaling function. De’Longhi warns that an unsuitable descaler, or descaling the wrong way, can cause faults its guarantee does not cover, so check before using a generic product.
Will it fit under my wall cupboards?
Measure first: De’Longhi lists it at 40 cm tall, 28.5 cm wide and 36.5 cm deep, weighing 9.76 kg. Cups up to 12 cm tall fit under the spout. Leave room to fill the bean hopper and refill the 1.7 litre tank.
Why do all the lights flash when I switch it on?
That is the normal start-up self-check, according to De’Longhi’s support page for the La Specialista Arte: wait for it to finish before you make a drink. If the machine then won’t brew, contact the retailer or De’Longhi. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a fault that appears within six months of delivery is presumed to have been there from the start.