De’Longhi Perfecta Review: the ESAM 5500.B Model

Article Summary

Editor’s rating:

If there’s one De’Longhi super-automatic machine that we deem to be perfect, it is the De’Longhi Perfecta. We, who scrutinize and thoroughly inspect the capabilities of coffee machines for living, couldn’t find a single flaw of the Perfecta aside from its plastic casing which we happen to like as well!

With all the features that the bean-to-cup Perfecta comes, the only thing left for it to be able to do is fly! As you’ll read in our De’Longhi Perfecta review, the machine defends its uniqueness with delicious milk-based drinks that are programmable and adjustable even on the fly. Overriding the milk and coffee volume and increasing or decreasing the brewing temperature is as easy as winking. Choosing the perfect froth for your latte is as simple as choosing your cappuccino froth on the automatic carafe. The De’Longhi Perfecta is the omnipotent defender of your coffee rights and desires by being automatic, even when it comes to its maintenance.

Key Features:

Offers espresso, cappuccino, latte, caffé latte, long coffee, and hot milk
A bean-to-cup machine that works with pre-ground coffee as well
Patented milk and direct-to-brew systems
15-Bar pump
7 grind settings
60-ounce water reservoir
Programmable coffee strength, volume, temperature, and milk volume
Settings are adjustable on the fly as well
Height-adjustable spouts
Integrated cleaning, rinsing, and descaling programs
Removable brew unit
Cup warmer
Removable drip tray

Pros

Drinks are so customizable that it is possible to fine-tune them exactly to your taste

The automatic milk carafe dispenses the milk foam and steamed milk directly into your cup, so no need to move your cup around

The conical burr grinders and the 7 grind settings allow you to make your coffees from freshly-ground beans while preserving their aroma

Energy efficient

Easy maintenance of both the machine and the milk carafe are guaranteed

Cons

Plastic casing, but a durable and an ingenious-looking one

Check Price

A Machine That Brings the Jura Touch to Simpler Coffee Drinks

A good finish of a coffee machine is something we especially admire, and the Perfecta definitely has it. In spite of the plastic background of its casing, we still find the machine to be lovely and externally well-composed.

If it wasn’t for the large automated milk carafe, the De’Longhi Perfecta would’ve looked like a music system. Fully-black with nice twists to silver and a couple of stainless steel debuts here and there, the Perfecta keeps its looks in the lovely spot of ‘stylish, but not distastefully posh.’ It is compact, with liner contours of the edges, and with a beautifully-integrated digital control panel that splashes a bit of blue light into the uniformity of the black and gray color outline of the casing.

The Perfecta is a 15-Bar pump bean-to-cup machine that takes pride in its accessible and removable components. The brew group is easily removable to rinse and you can also take the 60-ounce tank with it for a quick refill if needed. Once the drip tray ‘tells’ your water is about to overflow, you can access it from the front and empty it in a blink of an eye. All in all, the machine brings you great value through a well-completed design.

A Luxurious Milk System

The De’Longhi Perfecta gets its sophistication through its patented hot milk system. Following its customers’ demands, De’Longhi designed this automated milk carafe to give people a reliable milk unit that can serve them before and after making coffee.

The automated milk carafe complements Perfecta’s style and is transparent for milk level visibility. It is carefully sealed with a lid that conserves the heat within the carafe, creating the perfect conditions for frothing. The lid being there also makes it possible for you to refrigerate the leftover milk within the carafe itself. Also, one more thing— the carafe heats up as much milk as needed for your drink, keeping the rest of it cold.

What’s special about Perfecta’s hot milk system is that it is one-touch and adjustable, with the settings being both programmable and adjustable on the fly. Since programming the milk volume was expected to see on the De’Longhi Perfecta, it is the on-the-fly adjustments that make us love the machine a bit more. These changes are perfect for larger households where milk is the favorite ‘spice’ for lattes and cappuccinos, but not always textured the same way.

Once hooked to the right-hand side of the machine, the tall carafe won’t stand in the way of your milk volume and foam amount amendments. The lever on the carafe will help you choose your foam for cappuccino or latte and the control panel of the De’Longhi Perfecta will see you through the changes in milk volume for your coffee.

The automated milk carafe is also a joy to clean, and we know that cleaning is rarely defined as joyful. With the carafe of the Perfecta, however, you do have that pleasure. Simply press its big Clean button and have the carafe clean itself as the self-maintainable frother that it is.

Beans or Pre-Ground Coffee— It’s up to You

As a prepared bean-to-cup machine, the De’Longhi Perfecta will crush every bean in its 8.8-ounce hopper to excellence. The premium aroma and flavor of the espresso is guaranteed with the conical burr grinder of the coffee machine. When espresso is the underlay of the steamed milk delicacies available on the machine, it retains its strength and aroma as it blends in with the milk.

The grinder of the Perfecta, furthermore, has seven grind settings that let you have noticeable transitions from finely to coarsely ground coffee. It is easily adjustable and it helps you figure out which grind nuance you love the most. With seven settings, you have plenty of in-between options to try and a nice way to play with the coffee grounds for different drinks. When you just want the most straightforward coffee possible or a relaxing shot of decaff, however, the bypass doser of the machine will let pre-ground coffee brew its way into your cup.

A Smooth Ride With the Features, but What About the Drinks?

The De’Longhi Perfecta offers six smooth recipe drinks, some with layers and silky froth, others simple and intense, and some complex, delicate, and longer.

On this coffee machine, you’ll have espresso, latte, cappuccino, long coffee, and caffé late to make your mornings, afternoons, and evenings flavorful. Steamed milk is also an option if you’re in your British tea mood, and the option for hot water is available for an abundance of hot beverages.

Before you make your coffee delights, the cup warmer of the Perfecta will quietly assist you into pre-heating your cup. Once hot, your cup can go under the height-adjustable coffee spouts even if it’s taller.

Programmable to the Core

‘What is not programmable on the De’Longhi Perfecta?’ is an unnecessary question because this coffee machine lets you program it all. Give priority to the milk and cut off on the coffee amount, make your beverage burning hot or keep it on the milder end— with the Perfecta, these adjustments are the start of a pleasurable, creamy drink.

The Perfecta lets you adjust the texture of the milk as well for a delicate and foamy beginning of your coffee break. Experiment with the five coffee strength settings and you will dose yourself a fitting caffeine quantity.

With the De’Longhi Perfecta, you can even create your own personalized coffee— the next logical step after the programmability of settings. This feature will also allow you to go around the four pre-set cup sizes of the machine and create a unique cup size if you wish so. Deliciousness is about flexibility, a quality brew system, and a great milk system. Luckily, the De’Longhi Perfecta gives you this kind of deliciousness.

Easy to Clean

Cleaning is, by intuition, not an issue here. As a super-automatic, the De’Longhi Perfecta goes super-automatic when it comes to cleaning and maintenance as well.

The integrated cleaning, rinsing, and descaling programs are available through the display of the Perfecta, with the machine giving you on-time descaling alerts. In the case of the milk system, you need to only press the Clean button on the carafe to clean it.

The reservoir, the drip tray, and the brew unit are easily accessible and also removable for an easier maintenance. As a proponent of simplicity in cleaning, the De’Longhi Perfecta also has the drip tray ‘show you’ when its full with a floater. With this machine everything is easy peasy lemon squeezy.

FAQ About the De’Longhi Perfecta

1. Does this machine have an auto on function?

Yes, the De’Longhi Perfecta does have a programmable auto on function and an auto off function as well.

2. Can the automated carafe auto-purge itself?

No, but pressing on its Clean button to get it cleaned is easy peasy lemon squeezy.

3. What is the cup clearance on this machine?

It’s about 5″.

Conclusion

Because it is so easy to use, the De’Longhi Perfecta is really easy to choose. The machine goes above and beyond to fit the coffee to your taste, taking care of everything, from the grinding of the beans to the in-cup coffee temperature. We gladly recommend this bean-to-cup machine for coffee enthusiasts dedicated to taste the finesses of every ingredient of their coffee through a super-automatic coffee machine.