The De'Longhi La Specialista Touch EC9455M is a semi-automatic espresso machine that grinds, doses, brews and froths, with a touch display that guides the process. De'Longhi lists it at $799.95 on its US store.
What is the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch EC9455M?
It is the touch-screen member of De'Longhi's La Specialista family. De'Longhi describes it as a semi-automatic machine that offers real-time guidance, so you can make espresso hands-on with confidence. The pieces it names are Bean Adapt Technology, a 3.5 inch color touch display, an automatic milk frother and a customizable menu of hot and iced drinks, in a metal finish.
A barista kit with a precision tamper is part of the package. De'Longhi says the tamper gives instant feedback and helps reach a dose of up to 20 g.
Personalization is a large part of the pitch. With 4 user profiles, 6 saved bean profiles, 10 preset recipes, 4 pre-infusion temperatures, 4 milk temperature settings and 5 froth levels, De'Longhi says the possibilities cover lattes, iced lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and espresso martinis. Those are counts of settings, not a promise of how the drinks taste.
De'Longhi La Specialista Touch EC9455M specs
| Model | EC9455M |
|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic, with built-in grinder |
| Grinder | Conical burr, 15 settings |
| Heating | Thermoblock |
| Pre-infusion | Dynamic |
| Brew temperature settings | 4 |
| Milk | Automatic steam wand, 5 froth levels, 4 temperatures |
| Preset recipes | 10, including cold brew |
| Profiles | 4 users, 6 beans |
| Display | 3.5 inch color touch |
| Also listed | Cup holder, removable drip tray, water level indicator, Auto LatteArt |
| Color | Metal |
| Price | $799.95 |
De'Longhi's page does not state the pump pressure, tank size, power, weight, dimensions or warranty term, and it does not mention a pressure gauge or PID temperature control. Those are left out rather than borrowed from sibling models. The page also gives two customization counts, 8 customizable drinks in one list and 10 presets that are all customizable in another, so no figure is used here.
How does the La Specialista Touch's automatic steam wand work?
De'Longhi says the automatic steam wand adjusts between 5 froth levels and 4 temperature settings based on your drink selection and your milk preference, dairy or plant-based, to make velvety microfoam. That is the part that separates it from the manual wands on the other machines compared below, where you steam by hand. The page also lists an Auto LatteArt feature and says an autocappuccino system is available, without explaining either in detail.
On the coffee side, the grinder produces a single or double espresso dose and also feeds the cold brew recipe. Pre-infusion is dynamic, and there are 4 brew temperature settings. De'Longhi does not state the pre-infusion time, pump pressure or warm-up time, so those figures are unknown.
De'Longhi La Specialista Touch vs De'Longhi La Specialista Opera EC9555M
The De'Longhi La Specialista Opera EC9555M is listed on this site at $799.95, the same price. The Opera lists 19 bar with 9 bar at extraction, a 2 L tank, 1600 W, 15 grind settings, PID temperature control, 3 brew temperatures and a pressure gauge, and its steam wand is manual.
So the choice is about who froths. The Touch froths automatically and guides you on a touch display, and the Opera leaves you to steam milk and read a gauge. The Opera page publishes more hardware, and the Touch page publishes more about the guided workflow and milk automation. If you want to learn manual steaming, the Opera is the machine; if you want the milk handled, the Touch is.
La Specialista Touch vs De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo
The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo is listed at $699.95, $100 less. It has a manual wand, 4 preset recipes, 3 infusion temperatures, a 1.66 L tank and 1600 W, and it has no display, only buttons and a dial. The Touch adds the display, the automatic steam wand and the 10 recipes. The Arte Evo's page also states a warranty of 2 years, or 3 with registration, which the Touch page does not.
Is the La Specialista Touch worth it?
At $799.95 it matches the Opera and costs $100 more than the Arte Evo. The extra money buys automation: a milk wand that froths for you, a guided display and a larger recipe list. If you want semi-automatic control without learning to steam, that is a fair trade on paper.
The weakness is the missing numbers. Without a pump pressure, tank size or warranty term on the page, a buyer has to check the manual. Nobody has tested the shots or the wand, so judge the claims as claims.
One more point is the title on De'Longhi's page, which calls it an espresso machine with cold brew. Cold brew shows up as a preset and as a badge, but there is no description of how it is made, so the claim is worth checking in the manual if iced drinks are the reason to buy.
Who should buy the La Specialista Touch (and who should not)?
It suits someone who wants to grind and tamp their own espresso with help, and does not want to learn manual steaming. It also suits households that drink iced and cold brew drinks, since cold brew is a preset.
Skip it if you want to practice steaming by hand, if you need a pressure gauge or PID listed, or if a published warranty term matters before you buy. In that case the Opera or the Arte Evo is a better fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the La Specialista Touch have a built-in grinder?
Yes. De'Longhi lists an Italian-made conical burr grinder with 15 grind settings for a single or double espresso and for cold brew drinks.
Does it froth milk automatically?
Yes. De'Longhi describes an automatic steam wand that adjusts between 5 froth levels and 4 temperature settings, based on the drink and on dairy or plant-based milk.
How many drinks does the EC9455M make?
De'Longhi lists 10 preset recipes: espresso, americano, long black, cold brew, cappuccino, latte, latte macchiato, flat white, hot milk and hot water.
Does the La Specialista Touch make cold brew?
Cold brew is one of the 10 presets, and the page carries a cold brew badge. It gives no brew time or method.
Is the La Specialista Touch fully automatic?
No. De'Longhi calls it semi-automatic and describes hands-on espresso making with real-time guidance. It grinds, doses, brews and froths, and a precision tamper comes in the barista kit.
What is the difference between the Touch and the Opera?
Both are listed at $799.95. The Touch has an automatic steam wand and a touch display, and the Opera has a manual wand, a pressure gauge and PID temperature control on its page.
