De'Longhi All-in-One Review 2026: Espresso + Drip

Setup & Learning Curve

Unboxing and first use takes approximately 20 minutes — longer than a standalone drip machine, comparable to a standalone espresso machine. The initial setup requires running water through both systems to purge air from the lines, then a test brew on each side before using coffee. The manual walks through this clearly.

The learning curve has two phases, and the panel helps with both:

• Drip side: immediately familiar — fill reservoir, add filter and coffee, press brew.
• Espresso side: requires understanding grind size, tamping pressure, and extraction time, as any espresso machine does. If you've never pulled an espresso shot before, expect a week of dial-in before you're getting consistent results.
• Panel: the dual-function panel is logically laid out, with drip controls on the right side and espresso and steam controls on the left.

You can operate both sides simultaneously — start the drip carafe, then pull an espresso while it brews. This is the machine's headline convenience feature, and it works without either side compromising the other.

Dial-In Workflow

Espresso dial-in at baseline parameters: 14g in a double shot basket, 28ml out, 27–30 seconds at 15-bar pressure. The first three pull attempts across dial-in produced inconsistent results — typical for any new espresso machine. By session four with a medium-dark roast and grind dialled to a medium-fine setting on a Baratza Encore ESP, shots were landing consistently with a caramel-toned crema that held for 45–60 seconds.

• Thermoblock heat-up: brew-ready temperature in approximately 40 seconds, faster than traditional boiler machines and a real advantage for morning use when you don't want to wait.
• Thermoblock stability: temperature across consecutive shots is slightly less consistent than a dedicated boiler. For home use pulling 1–2 shots at a time this isn't a practical problem, but for a household pulling 6+ shots in sequence, temperature drift becomes noticeable.
• Drip side: dial-in was immediate. At the medium grind setting on a 10-cup full carafe, TDS readings measured 1.27–1.32% across five consecutive brews — within SCA's preferred range of 1.15–1.35%.
• Drip temperature: a consistent 197°F, within the SCA-recommended 195–205°F brewing band and meaningfully better than the sub-185°F brew temperatures common in budget drip machines.

Shot Extraction Notes

Espresso extraction quality across testing: good for a combination machine, and better than any sub-$150 dedicated pump machine tested against it. The 15-bar pump provides adequate pressure for consistent extraction when grind and dose are properly dialled.

• TDS: espresso at a 1:2 ratio (14g in / 28ml out) averaged 8.7%, within the 8–12% range that defines espresso extraction.
• Crema: present and persistent on well-rested beans, lighter and faster-breaking on beans roasted within 3 days. This is normal behaviour for any espresso machine.
• Americanos and lungos: Americanos tested well — the drip-temperature hot water from the steam/hot water spout produced clean, properly diluted Americanos without the off-flavours some thermoblock machines introduce. Long espresso drinks (lungo) pulled cleanly at 1:3 ratio.

Where the espresso side shows its combination-machine limits: the single thermoblock serves both the espresso and steam functions. Switching between pulling a shot and steaming milk requires a 30–45 second wait for the boiler to transition temperatures, whereas on a dedicated espresso machine with a heat exchanger or dual boiler the transition is immediate. For a home user making one cappuccino at a time, the wait is acceptable; for anyone accustomed to a proper dual-boiler machine, it's a noticeable workflow interruption.

Milk Steaming Experience

The Panarello-style steam wand is the most important feature to understand correctly before purchasing. A Panarello wand automatically injects air into the steam flow — this makes frothing easier for beginners (you don't need to precisely position the wand) but limits the quality ceiling. The foam it produces is denser and more bubble-heavy than properly microfoamed milk from a skilled barista with a traditional wand.

• Cappuccinos: excellent. The Panarello produces thick, stable foam that sits on top of the espresso — visually appealing, texturally satisfying. Whole milk in a cold 6oz pitcher produced dense foam in approximately 45–55 seconds, and the result looks and tastes like a proper cappuccino to any reasonable standard.
• Lattes: adequate. The foam is slightly too thick for a smooth latte texture, because a thin, silky microfoam that integrates with the espresso is harder to achieve with a Panarello. You can reduce foam density by keeping the pitcher lower in the steam flow, but it requires experimentation. Latte art is not practical with this wand.
• Other milks: oat milk frothed well with the Panarello. 2% milk produced slightly less stable foam than whole milk but workable results. Almond milk performance was inconsistent.

Cleanup & Maintenance

Daily cleanup is manageable for a dual-function machine.

• Drip side: the filter basket swings out for easy grounds removal, and the drip carafe and permanent filter basket are dishwasher safe.
• Portafilter: knocks out grounds and rinses clean in 30 seconds.
• Steam wand: wipe it immediately after each use — purge the wand with a 2-second steam burst, then wipe with a damp cloth. Dried milk on a Panarello wand is harder to clean than on a traditional wand due to the internal air injection mechanism.
• Reservoir: the 40oz water reservoir removes from the back for filling and cleaning, a less convenient placement than front-fill reservoirs on standalone machines.

Descaling is required periodically (every 1–3 months depending on water hardness), and the machine has an indicator light for the descale prompt. Run standard espresso machine descaling solution through both the espresso side and the drip side separately — the manual provides clear step-by-step instructions for each. Allow 45–60 minutes for a full dual-function descale cycle.