De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker review: truly a marvelous brewing experience

Full disclosure: De’Longhi makes some of my favorite coffee and espresso machines. From drip coffee makers to automatic espresso machines to manual espresso machines, I’ve found all of their products are well-made (and good-looking).

Although the De’Longhi TrueBrew has a bulky shape, it is also a stylishly-modern machine that’s lightweight, and user-friendly. However, for an espresso coffee machine , it requires a little more effort than most to dispose of the used coffee grounds.

The De'Longhi TrueBrew is not a budget-priced coffee maker, but is well worth the price, considering it has an integrated grinder, and also makes ground coffee. In addition, the De’Longhi TrueBrew can function like an espresso maker. For example, there’s a 3 ounce espresso-style brew option, which even includes a thin crema layer. And used coffee grounds go into an internal container, similar to how espresso machines operate.

Equally as impressive is the Specialty-Coffee Association (SCA)—certification, which only a few coffee makers have. The De’Longhi TruBrew can make gold-cup coffee, in addition to various other types of brews, including over ice.

But how does it compare to the best coffee makers available? Keep reading to find out.

De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker: Price & availability

The De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker retails on Amazon for $499.95, and is currently on sale for $449.95 . It’s the exact same retail and sale price on the De'Longhi website at the time of publication. The discount makes it easier to consider if you're on a tight budget.

However, even when it's not on sale, the the integrated grinder - along with the ability to use pre-ground coffee, SCA certification, various brew types and brew sizes, and user-friendly control panel, make this well-built coffee maker (with espresso capabilities) a worthwhile investment if you can comfortably afford it.

Score: 4 out of 5

De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker: Setup

The De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker arrived in a brown cardboard box, and inside of that was the branded De'Longhi box. The machine was securely packaged and the various components and accessories were packed separately in individual compartments to protect from any damage during the shipping process.

The coffee maker includes a variety of parts and accessories. The machine includes a beans container with lid, beans grinder, pre-ground coffee funnel, removable water tank and lid, tray assemble, cup holder, cup tray, and drip tray.

Accessories include ground coffee measure, hardness water test strips, descaler, manual, and quick start-guide.

De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker: Design

The De'Longhi TrueBrew Coffee Maker is lightweight and has a modern design that looks stylish on any countertop. I tested the stainless steel/black finish, but it also comes in a black matte option.  In addition for about $100 more, you can get the model with the thermal carafe.

The beans container and integrated grinder make it easy to enjoy freshly-ground coffee. However, there are no grind settings to choose from.

For those time when I wanted to use pre-ground coffee,  there's a chute in the back of the grinder where the ground coffee can be inserted.

The generous 60 ounce water tank on the side can be removed, which makes it easy to fill, empty, and clean.

The De'Longhi TrueBrew Coffee Maker doesn't use coffee filters. Used coffee grounds are deposited into the coffee grounds container, located on the left side of the tray assemble. There's also a disposal water container as well on the right side of the tray assemble.

I included the coffee grounds container as a "pro" on my list of pros and cons for people who don't like to waste paper filters, or deal with having to empty or clean permanent filters. However, some buyers may consider this a "con," and may find it easier to use a paper filter that can merely be picked up and tossed into the trash can.

I will admit that at some point, a red light was flashing on the control panel, and it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. I checked to be sure there was enough water in the water reservoir, and enough coffee in the machine. Finally, I went back to the manual to view the list of icons, and discovered that this one indicated that I hadn't emptied the coffee grounds container.

The control panel is one of my favorite features, and makes the machine really easy to use. This is where the time is set, as well as the acoustic signal, temperature, water hardness, and auto-on.

The acoustic signal is the audible alerts that sound when the coffee has finished brewing and when the troubleshooting icons come on.

The temperature button has three temperature settings: 1 for low, 2 for medium, and 3 for high.

The water hardness measurement is used with a test indicator paper to determine if the water is soft, slightly hard, hard, or very hard. This determines how often the descaling alert will come on.

I also like the helpful troubleshooting icons on the control panel - although it took me a minute to learn what the various icons meant. For example, there's a red icon that appears when the beans container is empty, another one when the water tank is empty, yet another one when the coffee grains container or the disposal water container is full, in addition to one that comes on when the tray assemble is inserted incorrectly, and when there is not enough pre-ground coffee in the funnel.

Choosing the size icons on the control panel, the coffee maker can make several coffee sizes, including 3-ounce espresso, and also coffee in 8 ounces, 12 ounces, 16 ounces, 20 ounces, and 24 ounces.

There are also selections on the control panel for making an assortment of coffee strengths: light, gold, bold, as well as over ice coffee, and I can also select ground coffee from the control panel (otherwise, it defaults to grinding coffee beans).

When making smaller sizes, I can use the cup holder, which folds out. However, when brewing larger quanities, like into a travel mug, I can flip the cup holder up and out of the way.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker: Key specs

De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker: Performance

After unpacking the De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Machine, I washed all of its parts, and filled the water tank. Then, I placed a container under the coffee spout, and pressed Brew. This brews a water-only serving to flush any dust and debris out of the machine.

My first test was to make an espresso drink using coffee beans. I filled the bean hopper with beans, and selected the 3 ounce size, and the Gold type. Gold is the SCA-certified mode, which automatically uses the right temperature and extraction process to deliver the perfect cup of coffee.

This cup of espresso was good and had a slight cream layer. Now, was it the best espresso I've every tasted? No. But it was good - darn good for a coffee maker.

I would also make 8-ounce, 12-ounce, 16-ounce, 20-ounce and 24-ounce sizes. I was impressed with the coffee maker's ability to adjust as necessary to make a robust cup of coffee, regardless of size. It wasn't weak, and it wasn't bitter.

I also liked the ability to change the strengths and types of coffee. I would later make coffee using the LIght setting to decrease the strength, and the Bold setting for stronger coffee. The lighter setting was actually my favorite, since I prefer slightly "weaker" coffee, whereas the bolder setting produced coffee that was too strong for my palatte (since, as I stated, I prefer a lighter strengh).

I made an over-ice coffee just to go through all of the settings. However, I didn't taste it because I don't like or drink over-ice coffee.

Overall, the coffee maker does an excellent job of producing various types and strengths of coffee. It's rich and robust, with no bitterness.

The noise level was around 65.8dB, which isn't quiet, but it doesn't take long to brew coffee, so it's certainly bearable.

Cleanup is relatively easy. When the red icon for the coffee grounds container comes on, I remove the tray assemble, dump the grounds into trash (after two or 3 days, the grounds are hard, making it easy to dispose of). I also pour the water from the disposal water container and drip tray down the drain.

The containers and drip tray can be washed with a damp cloth or in the sink. The other parts, like the water tank, coffee spout, and pre-ground coffee funnel, can also be cleaned with a damp cloth and dishwashing liquid.

The only tedious part was cleaning the beans container, since it is not removable. So, I would turn it sideways and clean with a small brush, and shake everything out.

The descaler light comes on when the coffee maker needs to be descaled. De'Longhi includes descaling solution for this purpose.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker: User reviews

On Amazon, the De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker has 938 reviews and an average 3.5 rating.  Buyers liked the quality build, versatility, appearance, and ease of use. Among customers with complaints, some said it leaked, and the strengh of the coffee was weak.

On De'Longhi's website, there are 1,652 reviews and an overall 4.2 rating. Buyers loved the easy operation, various strengths and sizes, and the ability to brew fresh coffee every day. However, other buyers complained that cleanup was a hassle if you don't do it on a routine basis.

Should you buy the De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How does the L’OR Barista Coffee & Espresso System compare?

If you're into espresso makers, the De’Longhi La Specialista Maestro ($1,159.95) is, in my opinion, the most beautiful espresso machine on the market. While it is , it does  also has an integrated burr grinder and bean hopper. In addition, it has a tamper station and five temperature controls, MyLatteArt Steam Wand, and automatic milk solution.

At the other end of the pricing spectrum, the L'OR Barista ($189), has plastic components and there's no milk frother. However, it does have double spouts, produces a rich crema layer, and is compatible with both espresso and coffee capsules.

How I tested the KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine

I test the De'Longhi TrueBrew Drip Coffee Maker off and on for a year, trying different sizes, types, and strengths of coffee.

When testing, I evaluated build quality, ease of use, performance, ease of cleaning, and, of course, taste.

Read more about how we test .

• First reviewed: May 2024