De'Longhi Dinamica Plus vs De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro

De'Longhi Dinamica Plus espresso machine

De'Longhi

De'Longhi Dinamica Plus

$1,500

4.4★ (156)

vs
De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro espresso machine

De'Longhi

De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro

$1,200

3.8★ (122)

Quick take: The De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro costs $300 less; the De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro heats up faster (20 seconds).

SpecDe'Longhi Dinamica PlusDe'Longhi La Specialista Maestro
Price$1,500$1,200
Rating4.4★ (156)3.8★ (122)
TypeSuper-AutomaticSemi-Automatic
BoilerThermoblockThermoblock
Built-in grinderYesYes
Pump pressure15 bar19 bar
Water capacity60 oz84.5 oz
Warm-up time45 seconds20 seconds
Steam wandAuto (LatteCrema)Manual + Automatic Carafe
Basket typeUnpressurized
Best forApp-Controlled CustomizationEnthusiasts
Dimensions9.3 x 16.9 x 13.7 in16.5 x 14.5 x 18.3 in
Weight20 lbs35.3 lbs
Warranty2 years2 years

Pros & cons

De'Longhi Dinamica Plus

  • Full-color 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen is far easier to drive than the base Dinamica's panel
  • Coffee Link app tunes recipes, strength, and maintenance from your phone
  • LatteCrema carafe froths three foam densities and self-cleans between drinks
  • 4 user profiles remember grind, strength, and milk for the whole household
  • Steep premium over the standard Dinamica mostly buys interface upgrades
  • No cold brew mode - Eletta Explore and Magnifica Duo cover that instead
  • App pairing can be fussy and connectivity drops for some owners
  • Espresso quality ceiling is the same as cheaper De'Longhi super-autos

De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro

  • Dual thermoblocks let you pull shots while steaming milk
  • Pick LatteCrema one-touch carafe or the manual latte-art wand
  • Ready in under 20 seconds with PID temperature stability
  • Huge 84.5 oz tank and 8 one-touch recipes including cold brew
  • 3.8 rating - some owners report reliability issues
  • Costs nearly double the Arte Evo for the same 51mm portafilter
  • Big 18-inch-tall, 35 lb build dominates the counter
  • Automation layers can frustrate purists who want full control