Conducting Espresso with the Dedica Maestro Plus

Rise and Shine! A brand-new espresso machine can change the whole day.

Working remotely, at mid-morning or mid-day, we head out of our home-office to our local barista for just the right dosage of revitalization. And yet, when it comes to book-keeping time, our jaws drop at the realization of how much of our budget has been spent on going out for coffee.

This is where De’Longhi has focused its innovation: a home espresso machine that enables us to create a perfect espresso and beautiful lattes at home, while saving us from spending all the time and money that we accrue when making daily café purchases.

When I first unwrapped the Dedica Maestro Plus, I felt daunted by all the instructions, but after thoroughly cleaning each part, I set it on my counter-top and, with excitement, brewed my first cup. Success. It was that easy.

However, for the optimal value of the Maestro, I conducted some experiments. As it turned out, my espresso grind was too fine; the temperature, too high, and so I was under-extracting and over-heating the espresso. I needed to lower my temperature setting, raise my hard water setting and switch baskets to the pressurized filter provided. I also needed a coarser grind, and a 14g measured-dose. Then I had to make sure I wasn’t tamping too tightly.

Here is the key: the grind must correspond to pressure of the machine. The Dedica Maestro Plus is set to 15-Bar pressure. This is what we have to tell the person grinding the espresso, to make sure the grind is at the appropriate setting. Otherwise, an incorrect grind yields an over-extracted or under-extracted espresso. We also don’t want to burn the espresso, and so we need to try each temperature setting until we reach our Goldilocks zone.

Pro-tip: I run the hot water through two times, before I fill the portafilter with espresso. That serves to both clean the filter and heat up the machine to the right a point before I begin my caffeinated-concerto.

Half the fun is in the joy of discovering all these variables that make the perfect cup, with just the right flow, extraction and crema. Since I’ve mastered my espresso, I can play with the magic LatteArt steam wand. I now have friends dropping by for my macchiato, and my cappuccino, which I am perfecting by the day. My son’s friends are asking about my frothy hot chocolate with unique designs. It’s such an easy pleasure, and even a source of pride, to incorporate this ritual into my daily espresso experience.

The simple, sleek design of the Dedica Maestro Plus looks right at home on my kitchen counter-top. It doesn’t take up space, but it is definitely the star of the show.

With my De’Longhi Dedica Maestro Plus, I conduct a symphony-in-a-cup that feeds my artistic expression along with crafting my delicious espresso whenever I want it, and in addition to saving me money and time. Bravo Maestro! Bravo!

** De’Longhi is currently offering a Mother’s Day Sale with up to $200 OFF on select coffee and espresso machines now through May 11th. The products that are part of the promotion can be found at the link
here.

For more information go to: www.delonghi.com/en-ca/dedica-maestro-plus-espresso-machine-with-automatic-steam-wand/p/EC950M