Same family, auto milk
De'Longhi La Specialista Touch
- Touchscreen recipes
- Five milk textures
Cheaper alternatives to the De'Longhi La Specialista Opera EC9555.M
Three cheaper espresso machines. You give up the smart tamp and cold brew.
Updated 12 November 2026
Under half the Opera
De'Longhi La Specialista Arte
- Grinds into the handle
- Metal tamper and mat
Smallest of the three
Sage Bambino Plus
- Ready in seconds
- Hands-free milk
The original
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Worth it if: You drink cold coffee often
- Smart tamping lever, no mess
- 15 grind sizes
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What are you actually paying extra for with the La Specialista Opera?
What the extra money buys
- Smart tamping lever, no mess
- 15 grind sizes
- Cold brew and Espresso Cool
Worth it if
- You drink cold coffee often
- You want even tamping every time
Not worth it if
- Hot drinks are all you make
- You'd rather the machine steamed milk for you
Good to know
Why each one made the list, and our final recommendation.
De'Longhi La Specialista Touch
TechRadar found it compact and packed with features for the money; Trusted Reviews said it makes great results easy. Milk froths itself at four temperatures. It suits someone who wants the Opera's grinder idea with less work.
De'Longhi La Specialista Arte
Trusted Reviews says the Evo version pulls excellent espresso with a little practice, and Tom's Guide rated it the best value of its kind. TechRadar flags its weight and a little splashing as it pours. Tamping is all yours.
Sage Bambino Plus
It heats in about three seconds and froths milk without help, as TechRadar found. Tom's Guide warns it only shines with a capable grinder. It suits someone who already owns one and wants café milk in a tiny space.
Final recommendation: The La Specialista Touch is the easiest swap, with milk that froths itself. The Specialista Arte keeps a grinder for well under half the cost. Got a grinder? The Sage Bambino Plus is the space saver. Keep the Opera EC9555.M if cold brew and the smart tamp matter.
Side by side
Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.
| Model | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Top of the range | Premium | Premium | Premium |
| Type | – | Manual espresso with grinder and touchscreen | Manual espresso with grinder | Manual espresso, no grinder |
| Milk | – | Automatic, 4 temperatures and 5 textures | Steam wand | Automatic steam wand |
| Drinks | – | – | – | Espresso, milk drinks |
| Grinder | 15 grind sizes | – | – | None: needs a separate grinder |
| Pump pressure | – | 15 bar | 15 bar | 15 bar |
| Water tank | – | 1.8 L | 1.7 L | 1.9 L |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Questions people ask
Is the La Specialista Touch the same as the Opera?
Both grind into the handle. The Touch froths milk by itself and has a screen menu; the Opera tamps for you and brews cold coffee.
Does the Opera EC9555.M make cold brew?
Yes, with a cold extraction mode. None of these three cheaper machines has one.
How many grind sizes does the Specialista Arte have?
Eight, against the Opera's fifteen.
Related guides
How we reached this
We compared the De'Longhi La Specialista Opera with the alternatives most often recommended by independent reviewers, then checked each against the makers' own specs and current prices.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: De'Longhi: De'Longhi La Specialista Opera, T3: De'Longhi La Specialista Opera review: is this the best domestic espresso machine ever?, Trusted Reviews: De'Longhi La Specialista Opera Review, Tom's Guide: De'Longhi La Specialista Opera review: I'm crafting barista-quality drinks at home, Ideal Home: De'Longhi's La Specialista Opera is expensive but worth it, De'Longhi: De'Longhi La Specialista Touch, TechRadar: De'Longhi La Specialista Touch: one of the best compact semi-automatic espresso machines you can buy, Trusted Reviews: The De'Longhi La Specialista Touch is so close perfection, De'Longhi: De'Longhi La Specialista Arte, Les Numériques: Test Specialista Arte : la plus accessible des cafetières semi-automatiques de Delonghi, TechRadar: De'Longhi La Specialista Arte EC9155MB review, Trusted Reviews: DeLonghi La Specialista Arte Evo Review, Tom's Guide: De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo review: The best-value bean-to-cup on the market, Sage: the Bambino Plus, TechRadar: Breville Bambino Plus review, Tom's Guide: Breville Bambino Plus review.