An Espresso Machine That Makes Instant Cold Brew? The Results Are Surprising.

Writer and certified coffee obsessive Millie Fender has tested some of the best coffee makers on the market and has become a certified coffee obsessive. As summer hits full swing, Fender typically retires their espresso maker and opts for homemade cold brew concentrate. Making cold brew is cheap and relatively painless, but it takes 12-24 hours and requires bulk production. De’Longhi worked with the Specialty Coffee Association to develop a line of machines that can make cold brew and cold espresso with the touch of a button.

The La Specialista Maestro Espresso Machine was sent to test De’Longhi’s Cold Extraction Technology. This machine features a hybrid design with manual elements but the benefits of automated functions. De’Longhi’s Cold Extraction Technology works by extracting the unique flavors of a cold brewed coffee by adding a dedicated water circuit to its brewing unit that extracts cold-brewed coffee with room temperature water over a longer period. Instead of exerting high levels of pressure and heat like an espresso, the cold brew setting on De’Longhi’s La Specialista Maestro steeps your grounds for up to five minutes to create a less acidic taste.

Cold brew makes sense when compared to tea, as it produces a sweeter and more nuanced flavor. The De’Longhi brews its Espresso Cool or Cold Brew shots over a much shorter period of time, making it work well with regular fine grounds.

De’Longhi’s Cold Extraction Technology is available in its Eletta Explore, Eletta Explore, and La Specialista Maestro machines. While the cold brew produced with De’Longhi’s Cold Extraction Technology may not be as good as a slowly-steeped 24-hour concentrate, it does not come out cold, but it is still better without milk. The machine also has a Cold Espresso setting, which makes a shorter and faster shot that pairs well with cold milk for an iced latte.

While making cold brew at home takes trial and error and patience, the precision and ease of an espresso machine with cold brew functionality make it a worthwhile investment. However, setting aside time to make your cold brew at least 12 hours before drinking can lead to better quality concentrate.

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