DeLonghi EN520BK Lattissima Plus Review (2018)

If you believe it is time to say goodbye to long queues and expensive drinks at your local diner, then it’s time you took a closer look at the Lattissima Plus by DeLonghi.

This snazzy machine gives you everything you need to create barista-quality drinks in the comforts of your home. Your guests will be thoroughly impressed by the delicious cappuccinos, lattes, and espressos you can easily brew with this machine.

In our experience with the Lattissima Plus, the strongest point we found about it is the automatic brewing of milk-based drinks. As far as design is concerned, we liked its sleek blacks and grey stainless steel exterior and the size too felt quite cozy. It is not too bulky as to demand much in the kitchen real estate. The Lattissima Plus fits perfectly well on the kitchen countertop without being too obstructive. You can even fit it inside a bookshelf comfortably.

We’ve tested other models of a similar price range before and we can claim none has a larger water tank than the Lattissima Plus. We only needed to refill the machine once per day or two. Its capsule container is also another plus too. It is rather large and quite convenient as you no longer have to empty it as often as you did with the other machines.

The Lattissima Plus makes warm milk too. This is quite useful when you feel like having a cup of hot chocolate late at night.

Did we mention that the machine makes frothed milk too?

Yes, it does, and a few other things your loyal microwave could never accomplish.

Lattissima Plus Review: First Impressions

Delonghi lattissima plus review

The Lattissima Plus is made from a combination of Nespresso coffee capsule and DeLonghi technology. The milk container, for instance, is a brainchild of DeLonghi technology. Making a cup of genuine Italian drink with this machine is a breeze. Remember, the entire process is automated and all you need to do is follow the steps as outlined in the easy to understand user’s manual.

Take time to read the manual before you start any brew endeavors to avoid unnecessary frustrations. Using the machine is quite simple. You only need to insert the pod, put a cup under the nozzle, select the drink you feel like having from one of its 4 buttons, press the button, and you are done. The machine handles the rest in the shortest time possible. You get your barista-level drinks with a single touch of a button. How cool is that?

The machine virtually does everything for you. Its milk container is completely detachable allowing you to remove all unused milk and reserve it in your refrigerator for future use. You don’t have to waste milk anymore. The used capsules eject automatically into a well-placed container for easy removal.

You can start making quality drinks your family will love as soon as this machine hits your kitchen countertop. There are no complicated learning curves involved. It comes with a welcome kit complete with several capsules to start you off.

Design and other features

The Lattissima Plus manufacturers ensured this machine would be a perfect fit for your beautiful kitchen. It comes in fine black and brushed aluminum finish from the external body to the metal drip tray.

It is not too bulky and neither is it too tall like some other coffee makers you find out there. Other key features include a nice drip tray that will hold your latte cups securely, illuminated buttons and other controls for ease of use, an energy saving timer that is fully automatic, and its revolutionary self-priming operation.

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Another great feature you will surely love with the Lattissima Plus is its ability to let you customize your drinks to your preferred taste. It has pre-set water and milk amounts that are used in the drink preparation process.

If the factory pre-set amounts do not match your personal preferences, just go ahead and customize everything to your liking easily. You simply do that by pressing and then holding down the drink button until you get your desired amount of milk or water.

Next time you make another drink the machine will use the last settings you used. However, there is a limit to which you can customize any of the four drinks it creates.

Another great plus for the Lattissima Plus is the fact that it uses a pod-based system which is not as messy as when you use machines that are non-pod based. The machine’s look and convenience are its best selling points.

Daily usage

lattissima plus daily use reviewThe Lattissima Plus is your perfect morning companion. It is quite easy to use and gives you a wide range of combinations you can use to create your perfect drink. Its Nespresso range has two main categories; namely the milk and non-milk drinks.

Like other high-end models, it comes with a quick-heating thermoblock capable of creating a cup of coffee in about 25 seconds and 40 seconds for milk-based drinks.

It has a generously sized water tank that you would only need to refill once each day or even once after every two days depending on your appetite for hot refreshing drinks. The water tank is an important feature to consider when choosing your best model.

Unlike other highly priced espresso machines that rely on coffee grounds, the Lattissima Plus is easier to use and comes with more functionalities. It gives you a wide range of choices whether you like milk-based drinks, pure espresso, or the traditional one-button coffee brew.

We have heard concerns about the temperature of coffee the machine brews, but seriously, who needs palate-scalding hot coffee on a rushed morning? Would you rather take a few seconds to brew a cup of coffee then wait 4 to 5 minutes for it to cool down before you can risk a sip? However, we still found the temperature of the coffee brewed by the Lattissima Plus quite agreeable with our palates. If you really need a very hot drink you can start by running the system once then give it another go.

We also noticed that the hot milk produced is not really hot enough. However, we found an easy way to go around this. Simply preheat the system and with the milk system loaded in, press down the clean button for approximately ten seconds. The machine will spew out steam heating everything inside, including the milk.

There have also been concerns about water leaking at the base of the unit. We didn’t experience this problem in our tests and if such a thing should occur, we recommend you stop using the machine immediately and reach out to the customer service without delay.

Pros

  • Made from patented Nespresso and DeLonghi technology, which are reliable names in espresso and cappuccino brewing world.
  • Comes with a single-touch milk system, which gives you an automatic creation of milk based drinks with ease.
  • The milk tank can easily slide to the front of the machine, making it easier to clean and maintain.
  • Has an automatic off-timer which saves you energy when the machine is not in use.
  • Has a sliding drip tray that easily holds your latte cups.

Cons

  • There have been concerns of the machine having dripping issues. Consult customer care if you notice leakage at the base of the machine.
  • It uses the capsule system which is a bit restrictive since you can only use Nespresso capsules.
  • There have been complains about the machine producing lukewarm coffee or milk but you can always run it once to heat it up before you make your drink.

Lattissima Plus Review: Editor Verdict

It is sometimes quite difficult to choose the perfect coffee machine given the wide range of choices available in the market. However, if you are looking for something in the Nespresso range, this Lattissima Plus would a perfect choice. It is an automatic milk-based machine with everything you need to make drinks of the same quality as the ones you buy at your dinner, if not better. We highly recommend it to you.

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