De’Longhi all-in-one coffee and espresso machine review

Your first cup of coffee in the morning should be something you can look forward to—not something you dread putting together. The De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee and Espresso Machine makes that process easy. Whether you’re turning on its espresso drip with a single touch of the button or you scheduled your pot of joe the morning before, this stylish, countertop coffee machine is all about simplicity.

What’s in the box of the De’Longhi all-in-one combination coffee and espresso machine?

The De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee and Espresso Machine is a machine that’s great for beginners. It handles everything from cappuccino foam to drip coffee in one easy-to-use appliance, and it’s priced so that even casual coffee drinkers can give it a try.

The first thing that you notice about the De’Longhi All-in-One is how light its box is. That’s because this appliance is made from plastic and stainless steel, which is great for at-home use. There are both pros and cons when it comes to a plastic build: on one hand, though it looks great from a distance, the lightweight design means that this machine feels a little cheap when you use it. You’ll need two hands when making a cup of espresso; one to set your portafilter, and one to hold the machine in place.

However, that lightweight design also means that your machine will be easy to move around and clean. I unboxed it and set it up on my own, which I definitely couldn’t do with an all-metal machine! It’s also just really easy to wipe up around and underneath. De’Longhi makes a few different All-in-One models, but this one (COM532M, released in 2020) has a wonderful, sleek front with minimalistic buttons that are easy to press.

What’s in the box of the De’Longhi all-in-one combination coffee and espresso machine?

In the box of the D’Longhi COM532M All-in-One, you’ll find the machine itself, which has two sides. The machine features a dual heating system, so you can use the two systems at the same time.

On the left is the espresso side. It comes with a removable water tank and some (but not all) of the accessories you’ll need. The COM532M All-in-One makes one or two cups of espresso at once, with an Italian 15-bar pressure pump that delivers café-quality beverages from your home kitchen. Its premium frother steams milk and creates a beautiful, dense microfoam for cappuccinos.

You’ll also find an espresso portafilter included with the machine, which feels very heavy and luxurious. It comes with three inserts: a one-cup filter, a two-cup filter, and a filter for pre-packaged espresso pods. The coffee measure and presser that’s included, however, feels lightweight and flimsy. It’s made from plastic, and while it works well, it’s mediocre. The machine also lacks a metal frothing jug, so those are two things (the coffee measure and frothing jug) that you could definitely upgrade your experience with in the future.

On the right is the machine’s 10 cup spill-proof drip coffee carafe. It’s made from glass and plastic, and sits  on a drip coffee warming plate. The drip coffee machine’s filter is permanent and reusable, with a fine metal mesh.

The machine also comes with a descaler and antichlorine filter support for ongoing maintenance.

Let’s make a cup of joe in the De’Longhi all-in-one combination coffee and espresso machine

You know that feeling of dread that you get when you let a machine do something on its own for the first time? The same one that you feel when you’re letting your new puppy off-leash for the first time, or when your little one goes on their first sleep-over?

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m always really nervous the first time something happens outside of my watchful eye. With this 24-hour programmable machine, however, I wasn’t worried at all—and I didn’t need to be.

This consumer-grade coffee and espresso machine from De’Longhi is really easy to use. It comes with a small instruction manual, and the simple, step-by-step guide for each function leaves very little room for error. The night that I set this machine up, I punched in the time, set a timer for the morning, and had a fresh pot of coffee hot and ready by the time I brushed my teeth.

Or, I mean, I would have… But I woke up late and my partner had already finished the whole carafe by the time I remembered that there was coffee in the kitchen. His measure of the machine, without any context? “There was less coffee than I was expecting from a full carafe of water, but it was super dark, which is just how I like it. The coffee tasted way darker and smoother than it does in my French press.” I hadn’t told him what to expect ahead of time, so I guess the De’Longhi All-in-One’s “BOLD” function really does make a difference!

Coffee and espresso for beginners

This all-in-one machine was perfect for my household because my partner and I are two very different coffee drinkers. He likes his coffee dark and plentiful, and has his first cup by 6 AM every day before drinking five or six (or sometimes seven or eight) more by the evening. I like my coffee as a latte or cappuccino, in small, occasional amounts. With our different tastes in coffee and our different needs (mine has to be decaf), it’s really nice to be able to make two different kinds of coffee on this machine at the same time.

Even more than convenience, I think this machine shines with just how easy it is to use. Its portafilter is heavy and beautifully-made, and you can really tell the difference between the De’Longhi All-in-One’s varied functions. Just like you can tell which pots of coffee are bold versus regular, the espresso that’s made in this machine is flavourful and distinct—even when made by a novice. There’s a huge flavour difference between our decaf and regular beans, and a big difference in both the volume and density of the steam wand’s two types of foam.

Below the espresso machine on this De’Longhi combination model, you’ll find a very handy spill tray. It’s lightweight and easy to remove, but it fits in very nicely. The built-in red floatation device makes it easy to know when you need to empty out the tray.

Steam and foam with the De’Longhi all-in-one combination coffee and espresso machine

The final function of this great little machine is its steam arm. Like the rest of the machine, it isn’t top-tier—but it works very well for the price. The arm swings within about a 40˚ angle, and it’s easy to adjust from milk steam to cappuccino foam.

I love having both options on even this basic coffee machine model. The steamed milk function is excellent for lattes and steamed milk (which I love on its own with a bit of vanilla extract or hazelnut syrup), and the cappuccino function creates a nice, dense microfoam. Both options are ideal for using with milk, but the steam function is fairly powerful; I can use either one with cream or oat milk as well, though I still prefer the dense, hot or cold foam from my Nespresso Aeroccino.

Whether you’re a casual coffee lover or an at-home enthusiast, this coffee machine from De’Longhi is a great way to introduce a bit of a barista experience into your kitchen at home.

Shop the De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee and Espresso Machine online at Best Buy today.