Delonghi ESAM6700: Full Auto Espresso Machine for Beginners

If you’ve ever wanted café-style lattes or espresso at home—but found semi-automatic machines intimidating or capsules too limited—there’s a middle path. Many casual coffee drinkers now look for something that delivers real espresso-based drinks without requiring barista skills.

The DeLonghi ESAM6700 is a fully automatic machine marketed in China that promises lattes and espresso with minimal effort. It fits the niche for users who want better-than-instant quality but don’t want the complexity of manual brewing.

What Is the DeLonghi ESAM6700?

The DeLonghi ESAM6700 (marketed as the Primadonna Avant in some regions) is a fully automatic espresso machine designed for home use. It can grind beans, tamp, brew espresso, and froth milk for drinks like lattes—all at the touch of a button. While not a professional machine, it aims to deliver better results than capsule systems or instant coffee.

Why Light Users Are Turning to Automatic Machines

There’s a noticeable shift among casual coffee drinkers: many are moving away from instant coffee or low-grade pods toward drinks made with real ground coffee. But semi-automatic espresso machines—like traditional moka pots or pump-driven espresso makers—often feel too technical or time-consuming. That leaves a gap that fully automatic machines like the ESAM6700 aim to fill: good-enough quality with minimal learning curve.

Manufacturers continue releasing such machines because there’s consistent demand from beginners who want café-quality drinks at home without committing to mastering grind settings, tamping pressure, or milk texturing.

How the ESAM6700 Compares to Other Brewing Methods

Unlike manual espresso machines, the ESAM6700 automates the entire process—from bean grinding to milk frothing. Here’s how it stacks up against other common home brewing methods:

• Capsule machines: Easier but limited in taste; often produce weaker or less authentic espresso.
• Manual espresso machines: Offer higher control and better results, but require skill, practice, and time.
• Moka pots or filter coffee: Great for pure coffee, but can’t make true milk-based espresso drinks.
• DeLonghi ESAM6700: Automates espresso and milk drinks; decent for beginners, though not specialty-grade.

Who Is This Machine For?

The ESAM6700 is aimed at users who:

• Drink coffee regularly at home but aren’t interested in learning to pull espresso shots manually.
• Want to make milk drinks like lattes or cappuccinos without visiting a café daily.
• Prefer a push-button experience over grinding, tamping, and frothing milk manually.
• Are stepping up from instant coffee or basic pod machines but aren’t ready for serious home barista gear.

It’s not designed for coffee enthusiasts seeking optimal extraction, crema control, or single-origin flavor profiles—but it does offer a step up in customization and taste from ultra-convenient options.

What to Expect in Terms of Coffee Quality

The machine uses built-in grinding and brewing functions, and can steam milk for lattes. However, it doesn’t offer the precision or control of a manual setup. As with most fully automatic machines, the resulting espresso and milk drinks are decent for everyday use, but won’t reach the clarity, body, or crema of a skilled manual extraction.

For someone upgrading from instant or capsule coffee, the ESAM6700 can deliver a more satisfying drink with real crema and milk texture. But it’s not aimed at highlighting subtle flavors from specialty beans or achieving third-wave coffee standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the DeLonghi ESAM6700 make real espresso?

Yes, the ESAM6700 grinds beans and brews espresso automatically, producing a shot similar to standard café espresso. However, it’s not optimized for specialty coffee standards and may lack the crema, body, or clarity of manually extracted espresso from a high-end machine or by a skilled barista.

Can I make milk drinks like lattes with the ESAM6700?

Yes, the machine includes an integrated milk frother, allowing you to prepare milk-based drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos. It automates the milk texturing process, though the quality may not match that of a skilled manual steam wand.

Is the ESAM6700 suitable for coffee beginners?

Absolutely. The ESAM6700 is designed for users who want an easy way to make espresso and milk drinks without learning to tamp, grind, or froth manually. It’s ideal for beginners looking to improve their home coffee experience beyond capsules or instant.

How does the ESAM6700 compare to semi-automatic espresso machines?

Semi-automatic machines require the user to grind, dose, tamp, and operate the brew manually, offering greater control and potentially better extraction. The ESAM6700 automates the whole process for convenience, sacrificing some precision and quality in exchange for ease of use.

What kind of coffee beans work best in the ESAM6700?

The machine is designed to work with standard pre-ground or whole beans. While it doesn’t highlight specialty beans as clearly as manual methods would, using freshly roasted, medium to dark roast beans will generally yield better flavor. FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend, Black Cocoa Blend, and Strawberry Candy Espresso are all suited for milk-based drinks and espresso.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee Beans for Milk Drinks

For use with the DeLonghi ESAM6700 or any home espresso setup, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend for its rich crema and smooth body, perfect for lattes. The Black Cocoa Blend offers bold, affordable flavor with solid crema—great for daily milk drinks. For fruity sweetness, the Strawberry Candy Espresso adds a soft berry note to your cappuccino or latte. All three blends work well under automatic or semi-automatic brewing. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.