I traded my usual coffee ritual for this speedy automatic machine – and the De'Longhi Rivelia Start has made me fall back in love with my coffee break

As soon as we found out De'Longhi was releasing a cheaper alternative to it's top-rated Rivelia machine, we couldn't wait to get our hands on it. The Italian brand is a worldwide leader for home baristas, with a fleet of premium machines for every type of coffee lover, so expectations were high.

Having tested a few coffee machines, many of which happen to be from De'Longhi, I was the right person for the job. Looking to upgrade from my De'Longhi Scultura – a workshorse of a manual espresso machine – I was keen to test contenders for the best bean-to-cup coffee machine, especially if they are come with cold brew and iced coffee options.

In a nutshell

I'm quite particular about my coffee, so I wasn't sure an automatic would be able to offer the level of customisation I need in my brew. However, with my work-from-home coffees sometimes taking as long as 15 minutes to make in my existing machine, I definitely needed speed. The De'Longhi Rivelia Start has not only impressed me for convenience, making my flat white in just a couple of minutes, but the taste leaves no complaints.

Saving money by omitting touch-screen displays and smart bean-adaptation technology, has helped De'Longhi create a brilliant alternative to the De'Longhi Rivelia which we rated five stars. It comes in at a price point that feels well justified when you can make flat white, latte, cappuccino, espresso, American, filter, cold brew and iced coffees in just a couple of button presses. And it can pour hot water or steamed milk for your guests, too.

It comes with some great design features like swappable bean hoppers, hidden storage and a slick look that comes in several colourways. Overall, it offers a lot of functionality and quality in an afforadable and neat little package.

Who tested this coffee machine?

Lindsey Davis

Lindsey Davis has been leading our shopping strategy for nearly 10 years and as a keen home-cook, kitchen appliances are definitely her favourite test subject. She has been using a manual De'Longhi espresso machine for over five years, and tested bean-to-cups, but this is her first time reviewing a fully automatic machine. She is keen to see if handing over control will still allow her to create her go-to coffee – a double shot oat flat white. She tested this machine for a month in September 2026 when the changeable weather allowed her to make the most of hot and cold coffee options.

Unboxing the product

This compact machine is fairly light (just under 10 kilograms), but comes with a few accessories to negotiate during unpacking. The two hoppers, milk tank, water tank, and part of the drip tray were wrapped in (recyclable) plastic bags to prevent scuffs, but other than that, everything is neatly packaged in cardboard. You also need to locate the water testing kit for setup, and put the cleaning tabs away for future use.

I initially couldn't find the scoop, but this is stowed in a handy integrated storage space on top of the machine, along with a spare nozzle for hot water and a place to add grounds. There is also a brush for keeping this area clean (more on that later).

Overall, the machine looks smart, and despite being predominantly plastic, the combo of smooth and textured finishes adds to a premium look. The neat footprint adds to the slick look, and while I received the Onyx Black colourway, the Sand Beige and Jade Green options would have looked at home in my cottage kitchen.

I also like that more utilitarian parts like the grounds inlet and nozzle/milk carafe attachment are hidden when out of use. There is a clever sliding panel for the latter. When the milk carafe is in place, it is somewhat less appealing, but it is never left attached to the machine.

Though compact, the machine does need a fair bit of headspace for the hopper, but being just under 40cm high, the unit will fit under most cabinets – even with the 15cm use clearance factored in. Note that the control panel is on top, so it needs placing where this will be easy to view, and could impact use for shorter users or those who use a wheelchair.

Getting started

Unpacking and construction took under 10 minutes once I had washed some of the parts and allowed them to dry. This gave me a good opportunity to read the instructions.

You get a visual quick-start guide and can also scan a QR code on the machine and instructions for more info. Though some parts of the quick start guide were very easy to follow, I always follow the recommendation to read the main guide for anything not covered. In this case, the main instructions explained that you have to run through several functions, before you are able to pull a drinkable coffee.

This configuration and cleaning element took a good 40 minutes, extended by my need to watch a few of De'Longhi's videos to check I understood the instructions correctly. If you are not familiar with coffee makers, and have never used a bean-to-cup, it could well take longer.

First, you have to do a water test to check your water hardness and tune the settings accordingly with a couple of button presses. This tells the machine how it might need to adjust brewing to compensate, and how often the machine will need descaling. This is a quick dip-test, and it determined my water to be medium-hard: a surprise to me, as our water is known to be hard. I have since found out our readings are fairly low compared to a lot of Italy where De'Longhi machines are designed.

Then, you have to make a series of drinks (including milky drinks using the milk carafe), to prep the machine for use. This includes five hot coffees; three steam/milk cycles (using the carafe); three hot water cycles; and three cold brew cycles. This uses a lot of coffee and seems long-winded, but it rinses the system and calibrates the various pressure and temperature controls that help the machine work automatically. It also clears the grinder, which is tested before sale and might contain some bean residue.

This process also got me used to operating the machine so that I was ready to make my first coffee. All I had to do was place my mug under the adjustable coffee spout and press one button for a flat white.

The 'Morning Rush' test

Whenever we test a coffee machine, we prioritise the Morning Rush test. This is to see how quickly you can prepare two milky coffees, back-to-back. With the De'Longhi Rivelia Start, I can make two flat whites in just under four minutes (three minutes 59 seconds), including the time taken for the machine to prime, and do a cleaning cycle after making the coffees. With my prior espresso machine – a non-automatic – this would take me at least 10 to 15 minutes.

I tend to have an extra shot, and again, the process is impressively quick. Each shot takes an extra 30 seconds, so our usual Sunday morning order of two double flat whites can be made in exactly five minutes.

Having the milk carafe means I don't even need to attend to the steamed milk. There is a froth adjustment dial on top to keep the process hands off. This allows you to select minimum for light foam (just hot milk), medium for creamy froth (latte and flat white), to maximum for a thick cappuccino foam. It decants straight to mug, so no fancy latte art, but gives good results and allows you to do something else while your coffee is made – perfect for busy mornings.

User experience

This machine is very easy to use, and I quickly worked my way through the range of hot, cold, milky and straight coffees on offer. Most drinks are one or two button presses away, and the machine primes automatically. The control panel has pictorial icons that make it easy to understand. There isn't an overwhelming menu of options, yet you have a good level of customisability.

However, it can take a little while to learn everything to take full advantage of the range of tweaks you can make with this machine. To reduce costs compared to the original De'Longhi Rivelia, the Rivelia Start doesn't have a touch screen menu, so changing things like drink length or temperature requires you to learn the correct sequence of button presses.

For example, the temperature is controlled by pressing 'settings', then the 'Milk/Hot Water' button, then using the 'Intensity' setting (the beans) to choose low, medium or high heat. It would therefore be fair to assume 'the beans' are used to control any other low-to-high options, but they are not. They do change water hardness; auto-off time; and whether you want the machine to beep or not; but drink size is a different process altogether.

This is not a dealbreaker at all. It just means you will want to download the full instructions to your phone (via QR code on the machine) and have them to hand until you know the ropes.

The De'Longhi Rivelia Start also has a set of warning lights to help you properly use and care for your machine. Again, you will need the instructions to hand until you are fluent in what all of these mean.

What is great about this machine is that it is really straightforward to make classic coffees, but doesn't remove all of the tinkering some of us enjoy with a non-automatic espresso machine. You can still adjust the grind size if needed, and control coffee and milk ratios to your preferences – or you can press a button and leave the machine to making a very decent cup of coffee based on its factory settings.

Other features

As mentioned before, this machine can make iced coffees (espresso over ice), as well as cold brew. There is a button for iced options to adapt the extraction temperature which works well, though I prefer a slow-extraction cold brew for the best flavour. For an additional cost (£99.99 including four glasses on the De'Longhi website), you can get a cold carafe to froth cold milk into your drink. It would be nice to have this included, but it isn't essential for enjoying the cold coffees the machine makes.

It also has the benefit of swappable hoppers so you can switch to decaf in the afternoon, or have different beans for different tastes. The 'Bean Switch' system is designed to purge any grounds so you only the new grounds for your next cup.

Coffee quality

The De'Longhi Rivelia Start does not have Bean Adapt Technology – a feature in smart De'Longhi machines that optimises the grind, dose and temperature for specific beans – but still pours a well-rounded and delicious coffee. I used Cafe Direct Honduras Arabica beans (available at Ocado) and as expected, the result was a smooth and chocolatey coffee that was enjoyable as espresso and punchy enough in milky drinks. The coffee spout can be moved close to the mug to help produce a golden crema that lasts well.

The default settings did make a slightly smaller and milkier drink than I like, so I have learned my go to is a flat white with an extra shot and a slightly shorter dose of milk. I also upped the temperature because I am a slow sipper and like my coffee a bit hotter. It didn't overextract the coffee or impair flavour.

The filter coffee was initially a bit weak for me, but I had been a bit cautious with the amount of ground coffee I added to the machine because the instructions warn against using too much. After an adjustment the results were much better. And I like that you have the choice to do ground and bean-to-cup with this machine.

The milk frother is also effective. It creates a glossy milk that looks like the 'wet paint' standard needed for a good microfoam. Because of the carafe, you do lack the finesse of a machine that froths and allows you to free-pour, but this option is more aligned to my lack of latte art skills.

Noise test

This is where the machine does let itself down a little. It isn't deafening by any means, but some of the best bean to cup coffee machines we have tested are only 60 decibels in use. This one averages 66 decibels, hitting around 75dB when it grinds and maxing at 82 when it ran out of milk at the end of a froth.

This is similar in volume to a hair dryer – loud enough to be a bit jarring at 6am.

What's it like to clean?

Autoclean runs every time you turn the machine on and off, rinsing the pipes and tubes that deliver your coffee. I keep a small glass under the coffee spout for this as it reduces the frequency of drip-tray emptying. The milk carafe also alerts you to turn the dial to clean after each use, emitting a bursts of steam/water until the nozzle is cleared. The carafe can store milk in the fridge for up to two days, after which you need to give it a thorough clean.

I find the drip tray and coffee ground container need emptying every 10 coffees or so. The drip tray has an indicator on the tray to keep an eye on, but the machine will alert you when the coffee ground tray is full.

On top of that, you need to do a circuit drain if you leave the machine for three days or more (easy to do at the press of a button). And you must run the start-up process of using the steam, hot water and coffee functions to clear the interior when you return.

Deep cleans are recommended every 30 days, and the machine will alert you when it needs descaling. Both processes run automatically with minimal intervention and a deep clean takes a few minutes, while the descale can take up to 30. For cleaning, you will also be prompted to remove the brewing unit for rinsing. The brush included with the machine comes in handy here for cleaning housing and fiddly spaces.

Some parts are dishwasher safe and some aren't. Those which aren't are labelled as such, but I have tended to hand wash everything to be on the safe side. The exterior of the machine wipes clean easily, and aside from the metal grill over the drip tray which does show water stains, nothing marks too badly.

How does it compare to competitors?

At under £600, the De'Longhi Rivelia Start is one of the most affordable automatic bean-to-cup machines, including iced coffee and cold brew options. You do have to pay nearly £100 for the cold carafe to froth cold milk, but it is not essential to enjoy iced drinks from this machine.

A comparable model for a one-touch range of coffees like this is the Ninja Autobarista. That comes in at around £150 more as it has Grind IQ – Ninja's equivalent of Bean Adapt. You could alternatively get the Start's predecessor and our current top-rated coffee maker – the De'Longhi Rivelia which is also £150 more. It can fine-tune based on your beans and has a touch screen that offers a little more guidance than the Start. However, I feel that Bean Adapt is not something you would know you were missing unless you had it before, and the controls on the Start are plentiful for easy everyday coffees.

Should you buy the De'Longhi Rivelia Start Coffee Machine?

If you were looking for an automatic coffee maker that has cold coffee options, the De'Longhi Rivelia Start is a very smart buy. It is quick and offers plenty of customisation, alongside easy operation once you get used to it. Busy families will appreciate the speed with which you can make several coffees, and it will soon earn its worth for homeworkers partial to takeaway barista drinks.

The noise is a tolerable drawback and worse when beans, water or milk are running low – in other words, don't let it dissuade you. And, the machine looks good with a better range of colourways than most brands offer. From the masters in Italian coffee at home, you can't go far wrong with the De'Longhi Rivelia Start.