Summary
Pros
- Thermoblock System
- Advanced electronic system
- 19 bar
- Dual-boiler system
Cons
- Programming new recipes can be buggy
- Grinder is loud
- Expensive
De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite Overview
Imagine a morning without coffee. If you can do this without thinking about how much that would suck, then you’re probably not crazy about coffee. People who are truly passionate about their morning java know how important it is to have a high-quality hit of caffeine in the morning and/or in the day. The coffee experience can be very impactful on the quality of one’s day.
It’s important that you start your day with a great coffee experience because it has the power to carry you through the rest of the day or leave you high and dry. A delicious coffee is the perfect way to wake you up and prepare you for the tasks at hand. To give users that ideal morning perk, De’Longhi created the PrimaDonna Elite Experience.
The PrimaDonna Elite Experience is a state-of-the-art coffee machine that stands out among its competitors. It is one of the highest quality machines on the market that brews some of the best coffee. How is it able to do this? Meticulous engineering and automated processes have allowed great advancements in coffee machines. De’Longhi has found the sweet spot where delicious coffee and automatic operations intersect to create a better coffee experience.
Painted a brushed stainless steel colour, the De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite is splendid to look at. It’s sized perfectly for any kitchen counter, and it’ll snuggle in nicely next to your appliances as it stands more tall than wide. De’Longhi has created a seamless coffee making process with multiple coffee drinks available at the touch of a button. The PrimaDonna Elite will do all the work for you, so all you have to do is press the button, and wait.
The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite is the perfect machine for you. It has a stunning design that’s paired with an intuitive interface and a highly functional 4.3” colour touch display. It comes with a wide selection of pre-programmed coffee recipes, including cappuccino, flat white, macchiato, and much more. More, you can personalize your coffee, save your recipes, and manage up to six user profiles. You can customize the recipes to your taste in many ways; the aroma, milk quantity, temperature, and coffee quantity are all adjustable. So you can adjust the coffee exactly as you like and have that recipe ready for you every time.
The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite can do so much and has a range of capabilities, but we should address what sort of coffee it makes. Now, the coffee it makes has so much potential and variety, but what matters more is whether it can bring the basics: rich espresso with a strong crema and good milk froth. In terms of milk frothing powers, the PrimaDonna Elite does it all for you. Plus its LatteCrema system ensures a silky froth that tastes great. It makes lasting milk froth at any temperature you like. And you don’t have to lift a finger.
It’s hard to imagine a coffee machine that does it better than an experienced barista operating a commercial machine, but the PrimaDonna Elite gets pretty close. Not only is it one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines with automatic coffee preparation, but it can link to your phone. With this feature, you can design your own drinks and make them straight from your phone. Imagine having your coffee made for you from the comfort of your couch.
The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite is an adept machine with a wide range of features. Before you make such a sizable investment, you should know whether this coffee maker is right for you. Let’s take a deep dive into the machine so that you know everything there is to know about the coffee maker.
Look and Feel of the De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite
This coffee maker stands like a silver tower. It’s very deep and tall, likely more so than the other appliances on your kitchen counter. It’s not subtle nor is it small. It has a large display built into the front, which gives off the impression of a coffee ‘computer’ more than a coffee maker. It’s pillar-like structure and shining chrome guarantees it will stand out in any kitchen.
The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite stands tall, so it definitely won’t be hidden. Its classic silver colour allows it to slide right into any kitchen. Similar to other bean-to-cup machines, the coffee beans are loaded in from the top so that the machine can grind it up for you. The large water reservoir easily slides out of the right side of the machine for a painless refill. It also has a milk carafe that you can keep in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
If we’re getting to know the machine, we definitely want to see the specifications. As stated, the water reservoir is large – 2 liters large. Standing tall, it’s 37.5 cm high, 47 cm deep, and 26 cm wide. Some may describe it as “behemoth,” but it’s built like that for a reason – it’s highly capable and holds a wide range of features.
What are the features of the De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite?
Great coffee starts with the perfect grind. De’Longhi has integrated grinding technology into the PrimaDonna that ensures your coffee has the best flavour. The PrimaDonna Elite uses conical metal grinders that are calibrated with 100% accuracy. They’re also put through rigorous testing to ensure they make the perfect coffee grind. Personalize your grind; the level of the grind can be adjusted to your taste and the bean blend you’re using.
Temperature is vital when it comes to the perfect coffee. The ideal extraction temperature is between 88° and 96°, and it’s fundamental to getting the best aroma in a fresh ground coffee. This is why the PrimaDonna Elite is equipped with a thermoblock system that is dedicated only to heat the water for coffee preparation. Their independent heating system for steam and milk helps guarantee that the extraction temperature is just right. This advanced electronic system guarantees that the optimal brewing temperature is always precise.
The best espresso is poured from freshly ground coffee beans. The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite replicates the method used in coffee shops. To be precise, this machine grinds only the necessary amount of coffee needed for each drink, so that it can preserve the aroma of the beans. It has a Tubeless System that reduces the number of grinds left in the grind circuit after each drink is made. Its aroma saving cover sits atop the bean hopper to preserve the freshness of the beans.
Just like a barista, the brewing unit doses and tamps the coffee grinds to make sure there is optional infusion pressure. It makes sure the pressure is between 9-12 bar in each brewing cycle and that it extracts the perfect espresso with a frothy crema and aromatic taste. Its patented brewing unit uses an adjustable chamber that can hold different quantities of coffee grinds, which helps it make a perfect cup of coffee. It can even simultaneously brew 2 cups of coffee without sacrificing quality.
You can’t make a great latte without high-quality milk foam. The PrimaDonna Elite Experience has an exclusive function called the LatteCrema system. This feature helps it make a dense, creamy froth with a silky smooth texture, perfect for cappuccinos and other milk-based coffees. Its thermal carafe with double-wall keeps milk at an ideal temperature for longer.
Maintenance of the PrimaDonna Elite is simple and easy to do, thanks to its removable brewing unit, automatic, hygienic carafe, and easy to clean drip tray. It’ll clean itself automatically, and its drip-tray is dishwasher-safe with a removable grid.
What are the downsides of the PrimaDonna Elite Experience?
With this machine, it’s clear that De’Longhi was aiming for perfection. Since there is such a focus on automation and high-tech, there will always be areas where these types of coffee makers fall short. Let’s go through them to see if any of the disadvantages are deal-breakers.
Some reviewers state that the user interface on the PrimaDonna Elite is better than the smartphone application. They said the app was very helpful for programming new recipes, however, “it’s buggy, on occasion getting caught in a ‘loading’ loop when it, seemingly, can’t figure out what the machine itself is doing. (Source)”
Another issue this reviewer stated is definitely something to think about. They say that the smart user interface, while nice and immediate, doesn’t justify the expense of the machine. They state that it’s neat, but comes across as a shiny addition to a fairly conventional (albeit high-end), bean-to-cup machine. Unless there’s a feature that you really love, you may want to look at the less flashy area of the bean-to-cup market and save that cash for a rainy day (Source).
Conclusion: The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite Experience is a silver tower of royal coffee
The PrimaDonna Elite Experience is a great machine for those who enjoy being in control of how their coffee is made while having all the hard work done for them. This machine is equipped with technology that ensures a great cup of coffee with the best aroma, flavour, and quality.
This coffee machine will stand tall on your counter, but it has a stunning look that’ll suit any kitchen. It’s also designed for ease of use and optimal hygiene without you having to do any of the cleaning. It’s convenient and it makes great coffee.
The PrimaDonna Elite Experience has a large interface that’s simple and easy to use. Plus you can customize your coffee to exactly your taste as the aroma, milk quantity, temperature, and coffee quantity are all adjustable. It’s enabled for multiple users; you can save the recipes on up to 6 user profiles.
As a capable, high-tech coffee maker, the PrimaDonna Elite Experience creates a simplified, personalized coffee experience that is worth the investment.
- MULTIFUNCTIONAL Super-automatic espresso coffee machine with a patented AUTOMATIC CAPPUCCINO system that delivers a tasty barista-quality Cappuccino, Caffelatte, Latte Macchiato, frothed or hot Milk, Chocolate in less than 3 minutes. Can be used with either coffee beans or ground coffee for preparation of two cups of coffee within a single brewing cycle.
- PROFESSIONAL Brew two cups of magic drink simultaneously with Top-of-the-line Delonghi bean-to-cup brews two cups. Great brewing without having to learn how to be a barista. This fully automated machine has an integrated silent coffee grinder with 13 adjustable grinding settings, a bypass doser, a pump generating up to 15 bars of pressure, a water filter, a double boiler system, an automatic milk frother, a milk jug and cup warmer, as well as electronic temperature control.
- USER FRIENDLY. A super-automatic espresso maker can deliver the coffee shop experience to the comfort of your home, any time you feel the urge. System equipped with a sensor metal touch control panel, a front-loading water tank, a frothing unit, a telescoping spigot, a bean hopper & coffee-grounds container with a capacity indicator and also provides adjustable water, milk & coffee drink quantity.
- EASY TO CLEAN Automatic cleaning with Descaling, cleaning and rinsing programs with a Cappuccino System cleaning indicator. All removable components of the Delonghi super-automatic espresso coffee machine are dishwasher safe
- WORRY-FREE PURCHASE: Delonghi super-automatic coffee machine backed with an Unconditional Satisfaction Guarantee and a 12-month Warranty. If you are not 100% satisfied, please CONTACT US immediately and we will help you right away. Our world-class customer support is available 7 days per week.
