You know when you’ve reached full adult status? When you agree to gift each other a coffee machine for your nine year wedding anniversary. We aren’t big gift givers anyways, we usually do a weekend trip or staycation (this is our favorite Dallas staycation). But 2020 had other plans and we held on to the one thing we can depend on this year - caffeine.

I get asked SO often about our coffee machine anytime I post it on Instagram and I always am a little hesitant to share because it ain’t cheap. But hear me out - now that Al is working from home for who knows how long, he drinks coffee essentially all day (and sometimes all night). I normally have one to two cups a day and often in the afternoons stop to get a pick me up at Starbucks or a local coffee shop. Well, now that Al is home, being the nice wife that I am, I would also get him a drink and then the kids a snack and all of the sudden we were spending $20 an afternoon at Starbucks three times a week!

I first saw this machine in a QVC presentation last December (fun fact I watch QVC almost every night to unwind) and instantly knew we “needed” it. It only took me nine months and one global pandemic to convince Al. The biggest tool in my argument to him - this machine not only does hot coffee drinks, but ICED as well! My husband is one of the cold only beverage people (I will never understand) so this was such a good solution for us to have hot or iced coffee any time of the day without leaving our house!

What is this machine you ask? It is the DeLonghi Dinamica Fully Automatic Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine and we are obsessed. Here is some helpful information that I wish I could have found in one handy place when I was doing my research.

What kinds of beverages can The DeLonghi Dinamica make?

single shot espresso
double shot espresso
latte
americano
cappuccino
steamed milk (“steamer”)
regular cup of coffee
hot water for tea
cold coffee for over ice

Is The DeLonghi Dinamica difficult to use?

No! The instruction manual may be the most user-friend manual I’ve ever “read.” This video of the QVC presentation also taught me so much and she covers how to make multiple drinks in the segment. For the most part, the screen of the machine is pretty intuitive. Each type of drink has a button and you just push it and go!

Is The DeLonghi Dinamica hard to care for/clean?

Not an more than a regular Keurig or coffee pot. You have to refill the water reservoir (a button alerts you when it’s empty). It comes with one water filter and water test kit. I ordered more filters for back up. You do need to descale the machine probably once every 2 months or so. A button will also alert you when this is needed. The machine comes with a small bottle of descaling solution and the instructions in the manual make it pretty easy. I’m glad it has this alert feature because this is something I definitely did not do regularly enough on the coffee machines of my past and I think that’s partly to blame for the acidic taste after awhile.

What kind of coffee do you use?

The machine grinds whole beans each time it prepares a beverage (actually it grinds it twice - once at the beginning and once in the middle - for a cup of coffee so that the part you drink first is super fresh). It does have a spout for pre-ground coffee too which is great if want to make a cup of decaf without removing all of the beans in the tank. I usually buy the El Salvador or Honduras whole bean coffees from Trader Joes. They both are a great price point for fair-trade coffee. The Dinamica’s instructional booklet has a whole section on the best kind of coffee for the machine - I found it super helpful and interesting to read!

Where can I buy The DeLonghi Dinamica?

Right now it is available at the following retailers. I am listing them all so that if you’re planning to buy one as a holiday gift you can watch for the best sales on Black Friday etc.

Amazon

Williams Sonoma (leftover wedding registry credits? Apply them toward this!)

Dillard’s

Saks

QVC

Best Buy (black only)

Bed Bath & Beyond (black only)

What other accessories do I need with The DeLonghi Dinamica?

I purchased a set of these espresso glasses which are great for making shots to add to coffee or sip on their own (I like to add a shot of espresso to my Trader Joes Chai Tea Latte Mix). I also purchased this milk frother mug which is a must buy if you plan to froth/steam any milk for your lattes and cappuccinos. I like drinking out of these clear glass insulated mugs to see the crema form on top of the coffee (crema is the golden foam that forms on top of good espressos - that’s how you know you have quality coffee beans). But my go-to mugs will forever be the Vietri white mugs. The size, heft, and handles are all perfect in my opinion.

Any negatives of The DeLonghi Dinamica?

It is a large machine. I’m thankful that we have an appliance counter built in to our pantry so that it lives in there and not out in the open. BUT it does come in white (it’s more of a bone/off-white) which is SO nice if you have lighter cabinetry and counters. It blends right in! The other con is that when it turns on and off it lets out some water. We just keep one of the espresso cups underneath it to collect it. There is a tray/drain below it so it’s not like the water is going on the floor or anything, but when I use the cup I have to empty the drain less frequently. We also found we like the machine to stay on longer so we adjusted it via the instructions in the manual to stay on for two hours before it automatically shuts off. (Side note: You can also change the temperature of beverage, strength of coffee, and amount of a standard cup of coffee all via the instruction manual.

Final Thoughts

Is it expensive? Yes. Do we use it multiple times a day, every day? Yes. Does it 100% replace all coffeeshop drinks? Yes! Look, if you are a coffee aficionado, or know one - this will change your life (and your spending habits at coffee shops *cough* Starbucks *cough*). This would make such a phenomenal gift for someone who loves coffee and caffeine as much as us. Maybe treat yourself and/or your spouse/roommate/partner to unbelievable gourmet coffee at the touch of a button this Christmas season. To us, the DeLonghi Dinamica Fully Automatic Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine is our best buy of 2020.