Although I'm the furthest thing from a coffee snob or an espresso connoisseur, I think I'm uniquely qualified to compare the Primadonna Aromatic to some of De'Longhi's other superautomatics because I've owned the Magnifica Evo, the Magnifica Plus, and the Eletta Explore. I've also owned the Tru-Brew grind-and-brew coffeemaker. As some reviewers state, the brew group on the Primadonna is pretty much the same for all of my units. So what makes the Primadonna more desirable? Well, first of all, the build quality is superior. And I don't just mean the stainless steel trim. When you remove the grounds discard cup to clean the unit, there is a real difference in how much easier it is to clean. De'Longhi seems to have perfected this one so as not to have as much dropping of grounds all over the inside. Having cleaned the aforementioned De'Longhi machines thoroughly, I can tell you that the Primadonna stays cleaner inside--they seem to have improved the amount of water and grounds that get into the nooks and crannies of the machine. This makes a big difference for weekly and/or monthly cleanings. Another great feature is the electronic grinder settings. No more reaching into the hopper while grinding to change settings. Combined with the Bean Adapt feature, it really helps you get to that perfect-tasting cup much more quickly. Then every time you use one of your favorite beans, you can just choose it from the machine's memory and you are back to a perfect consistent cup, no matter how often you change beans. Of course, you can also use pre-ground coffee if you choose. Another nice touch is the on-board storage for your ground coffee scoop and the auxiliary water spout-- they are always there when you need them. Some folks have complained A LOT about the Coffee Lounge app that you can use to control the machine remotely. Honestly, it always works for me, so I cannot address those other users' experiences. I will say, however, that I do not see any great use scenarios for the app, since I usually am at the machine when using it. But the app DOES work for me as it's supposed to. In a nutshell, I love this machine and it was worth the extra money (make sure you get that 10% discount if you are ordering directly from De'Longhi). If you get one, don't feel like you absolutely need to use "better" coffee beans than what you are used to. I spent too much money searching for the best taste because I bought into all of the "connoisseur" hype. But the real shocker was the first time I used my extremely common store-bought coffee beans (Eight O'clock Original Roast) using the Primadonna's "drip-style" coffee setting and it tasted like a completely different brew than what I'd been getting out of my actual drip coffeemaker for years. So take it from a guy who loves coffee in all its forms, whether hot, cold, with foam or without it--this is a great machine if you want a top-notch superautomatic. It makes you look like an expert whether you are or not!
I upgraded to the De’Longhi PrimaDonna after owning the Eletta Explore, which I loved enough to move to my work office rather than give up entirely. The PrimaDonna is now my home machine, and it genuinely feels like a step up in refinement.
First, it’s a beautiful machine and looks fantastic on the counter. It’s also noticeably quieter than the Eletta Explore, which makes a surprisingly big difference, especially first thing in the morning.
The larger water tank is another major improvement for me—I’m refilling it far less often—and the larger touchscreen feels much more premium, polished and seamless to use. The whole experience just feels more sophisticated.
The Eletta Explore is still an excellent machine, but the PrimaDonna takes everything I liked about it and makes the everyday experience feel more luxurious and refined. Absolutely worth the upgrade for me. Five stars.
I upgraded from the La Specailista and I couldn’t have been happier! The La Specialista made amazing coffee but this coffee maker takes coffee to the highest level of quality and I can never turn back!
I needed a new coffee/espresso machine and I was doing all this research to find the perfect one and I can say hands down this is worth the money! This machine is very user friendly and easy to use while still producing consistent and amazing espresso/coffee. I am very happy with this purchase.
The Prima Donna has changed my mornings. This is the best coffee I’ve ever had. Because it is so automatic I don’t have a chance to mess it up and the upkeep is easy. The machine tells me exactly what and when to do things. I love it!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Awesome machine. You can customize any type of coffee you’d like. It’s very heavy duty, and a solid made machine. Would recommend purchasing, definitely a professional machine.