De'Longhi Stilosa review

Hard to find cheaper for proper espresso, with a grinder and a tamper to add7.7/10

Value is the one thing the Stilosa is consistently praised for. Lance Hedrick, who took his apart, calls it a "very very impressive machine" for the price point.1 The list price is $194.95, and several sources report paying well under that by shopping around.

The sticker is not the whole bill. The espresso depends on a good external grinder, which can cost as much as the machine and takes up about as much counter. The included tamper is the most criticized item in the box; Coffeeness calls it a "plastic piece of trash".2

The portafilter is smaller than the café standard. Replacement baskets and handles exist for it, though there is no agreement on how easy they are to find.

Rich shots from fresh beans and a good grinder, thin and bitter ones without5.3/10

Shot quality divides opinion, and the split follows the coffee going in. Coffee Kev says that paired with a capable grinder it makes "flipping good espresso".3 The Coffee Chronicler measured its shots as well extracted after some tinkering.

“the Stilosa pulls a shot that holds its own against machines three times the price. Without those inputs, it pulls a shot that tastes like the budget machine it is.”

The other side is just as specific. TechGearLab's shots came out "watery and bitter-tasting", with thin crema that vanished quickly.4 Coffeeness got a thin double from the pressurized baskets that it likened to moka pot coffee more than true espresso.5

Which baskets you get matters, and the box is not the same everywhere. Some units arrive with pressurized baskets only, which forgive pre-ground coffee and cap what the machine can do. Others come with standard unpressurized ones, which need fresh, finely ground beans.

Temperature is the caveat. A simple thermostat runs the boiler, so the water drifts between shots and tends to run hot. Tom's Coffee Corner warns that an inattentive pull can taste a little burnt.6 Flushing some water through first is the usual fix.

Enough steam for silky milk, and a wand that makes big bubbles easily5.6/10

Milk steaming suits some kitchens and not others. The boiler builds decent pressure for the price, and Coffee Coach RYDE got milk silky enough to pour a small heart.7 Lance Hedrick and Coffee Kev both found the steam strong and steady for a machine this cheap.

The failures are plain too. TechGearLab's best result was "heated milk with big bubbles that quickly faded away".8 The wand lets in air fast and is hard to control, and the pressure can sag mid-jug while the boiler reheats.

The wand itself varies by version. Some units carry a frothing sleeve that makes foam easy and latte art difficult; Espresso Doc. got silkier milk by pulling the sleeve off and steaming with the bare nozzle underneath.9 Whichever wand you get, it suits a small jug, and you cannot steam while a shot runs.

A stainless boiler inside light plastic that slides when you lock in4.3/10

The boiler is the good decision; the body around it is the compromise. Seattle Coffee Gear calls a stainless steel boiler "kind of unique for something in this price point".10 It sits directly on the brew head, which helps hold temperature through a shot.

Everything else is plastic: the tank, the drip tray, the top and the housing. The machine is light enough to shift on the counter when you twist in the portafilter.

Inside, Lance Hedrick found a plastic steam valve and a plastic tube carrying steam to the wand, parts he expects may need replacing one day. Faults are on record as well. The first unit Coffeeness received leaked from a faulty water tank valve, and getting a replacement was harder than it should have been.11 Hedrick's arrived with an air lock in the pump, which he fixed easily.

One knob and a green light, and every decision left to you5.7/10

The controls take a minute to learn; the coffee takes much longer. There is a knob, a ready light and a steam control. The tank lifts out for filling, and its water level is visible from the front.

Beyond that, in Balance Journal's words, the Stilosa gives the user "no help".12 There is no pressure gauge, no temperature setting and no automatic stop, so the shot runs until you end it or the water is gone. Balance Journal argues this teaches faster than a forgiving machine would. BetterKitchenware simply warns of a significant learning curve.

Cup clearance is tight with the stock portafilter. The upper tray lifts out to fit a taller cup or a scale, but the group keeps dripping after a shot, so the tray is hard to do without.

Quick to a first shot, slow between brewing and steaming6.7/10

Warm-up is short, and that part is well liked. The small boiler heats rapidly and the green light arrives within minutes of switching on.13 TechGearLab found it a little slower than rivals in its class but still had a cappuccino made soon after a cold start.

The wait comes later. After a shot the single boiler must climb to steam temperature before you can texture milk, and after steaming it has to cool back down before the next espresso. The Coffee Chronicler finds that makes back-to-back shots "a bit annoying".14 This is a machine for one or two drinks, not a queue.

Easy to rinse, with wet pucks, a dripping group and a small tray5.0/10

Daily cleaning is simple and a little messy. The tank and drip tray lift out, and on versions with a frothing sleeve the outer part of the wand comes off for rinsing. Wipe and purge the wand straight after steaming, because dried milk is very hard to shift.

The mess comes from what the machine lacks. There is no valve to release pressure after a shot, so the pucks stay wet, the group keeps dripping and an early twist of the handle brings what Balance Journal calls "portafilter sneeze".15 Wait a few moments before removing it. The drip tray is small and fills fast.

Descaling is the longer chore. It calls for De'Longhi's own solution and you have to stand by the machine for the whole cycle.

Our verdict

Buy the Stilosa if you want to learn espresso by hand for as little money as possible and will pair it with a capable grinder and fresh beans. Skip it if you want consistency without effort, milk drinks for several people or a machine with some weight to it. Replace the tamper on day one. In the shop, check which baskets and which steam wand are in the box, then lock in the portafilter and see how much the machine moves.