Expanding functionality has long been one of the most effective tools for competition, and coffee machines are no exception. Manufacturers of fully automatic models are actively increasing the number of programs. Released in 2021, the Jura Z10 offered 32 programs and was positioned as the most innovative coffee machine. Introduced by the Swiss company in the summer of 2026, Z10 2nd gen already offer 51 programs, including Hot, Cold, Light drinks, and Sweet option with syrup. The new J10 Twin with two coffee grinders and hoppers offers ‘only’ 46 programs.
Of course, the main competitor in the innovative field, the Italian DeLonghi, is also not wasting any time. The number of programs in the new Eletta Ultra ECAM 470.85, which was officially unveiled in March 2026, also exceeds 50.
The Eletta Ultra offers 45 beverages, including the new Ristretto Italiano and Espresso Intenso. Moreover, this list does not account for signature modifiers. These include, for example, ‘Extra Shot’ (second shot of espresso for increased strength), or ‘To Go’ (dedicated volume/strength setting for travel mugs). Of course, the list includes a few questionable programs. Thus, ‘Babyccino’ makes frothed milk, effectively duplicating a similar program.
Delonghi Eletta Ultra
Visually, the Eletta Ultra looks more substantial than the Eletta Explore and can compete with the flagship PrimaDonna models.
The 4.3-inch screen surpasses the Eletta Explore’s 3.5-inch display but falls short of the 5-inch screen found on the Primadonna Aromatic. However, this size is quite sufficient for comfortably using even the smallest virtual buttons. Moreover, the touchscreens in De’Longhi models are traditionally among the most responsive on the market.
The Eletta Ultra supports all of DeLonghi’s software innovations, including Bean Adapt, Coffee Routine, Extra Shot, To-Go mode, and more.
For reference, Bean Adapt technology was first introduced in the DeLonghi PrimaDonna Soul. Essentially, it uses profiles for different coffee bean varieties, simplifying the selection of optimal settings. Furthermore, Bean Adapt applies recommended coffee strength and brewing temp settings. Finally, it offers a convenient way to quickly switch between optimal settings for different, frequently used bean varieties.
Coffee Routine feature was first implemented in the Delonghi Rivelia. Essentially, it’s an expanded version of the automatic drink sorting function on the main screen, which organizes the list based on order frequency. Simply put, for a coffee lover with a clear preference for Americano, who sometimes likes espresso and the occasional filter coffee, the coffee machine will display this sequence.
Coffee Routine automatically sorts by time of day, including ‘morning’ (4:00-11:00), ‘lunchtime’ (11:00-14:00), and ‘later in the day’ (14:00-04:00). As a result, a fan of Cappuccino Mix in the morning, espresso at lunch, and Filter Style in the evening will always see these programs first on the screen at the appropriate time. Moreover, individual sorting is remembered for each of the user profiles.
Key features
The Eletta Ultra supports remote control via a proprietary app for Android and iPhone called My Coffee Lounge. The connection uses 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
According to the company, the Eletta Ultra uses Silent tech, which reduces noise levels to 58 dB – one of the best figures in the industry.
Updating the interface has become a tradition for DeLonghi coffee machines. To be fair, almost all the improvements have been successful. As a result, the Italian company today offers one of the most user-friendly and intuitive interfaces in the industry. In particular, the machine constantly provides prompts, such as milk selection or cleaning instructions.
But dozens of programs require simplified recipe navigation. The four user profiles partially address this challenge. Each profile can be customized with an icon, name, and color, and can store a full set of 45 modes with individual settings. Additionally, the DeLonghi ECAM 470.85.MB automatically creates a fixed fifth ‘Family’ profile containing the four most popular drinks. Moreover, the company has long used popularity-based sorting on the display, and is implemented in the 470.85.MB.
If the user frequently selects, for example, Flat White, Ristretto Italiano and Black Eye, the coffee machine will place them in the first three positions.
In the previous Eletta Explore, the company introduced large, dedicated touch buttons around the display to conveniently separate cold and hot drinks. But for the new Eletta, the developers have implemented a new system called ‘Collections.’
Thematic ‘Collections’
This list includes:
– Strong and Energetic (Energising Mornings) – Espresso, Espresso Intenso, Espresso Lungo, Italian Ristretto, Filter Style, Coffee, Americano, Verlangerter, Espresso Macchiato, Cortado, Doppio+, Filter Mild, and Coffee Pot;
– Hot & Creamy (Ultra creme in Germany, Chaud & Cremeux in France) – Cappuccino, Cappuccino+, CappuccinoMix, Latte Macchiato, Caffelatte, Flat White, Cafe au Lait, Galao, Cafe con Leche, Milchkaffee, Koffie Verkeerd, Babyccino, and Hot milk;
– Fresh and vitalizing – Espresso, Americano, Coffee, Cold Brew, Cold Brew To-Mix, Cold Brew Carafe;
– Fresh & Creamy – Cold Brew Cappuccino, Cold Brew Latte, Cappuccino, Cappuccino Mix, Flat White, Latte Macchiato, Caffelatte, Cold milk;
– Signature Drinks – Cold Tiramisu Espresso, Mint & Ginger Ale Cold Brew Fizz, Cold Lemon & Rosemary, Espresso Tonic, Caramel Almond Cappuccino, Maple & Cinnamon Filter Macchiato, Peach & Lemonade Cold Brew;
– Discover and Explore – Italian Ristretto, Verlangerter, Black Eye, Red Eye, Espresso Macchiato, Cortado, Flat White, Coffee with milk, Galao, Cafe con Leche, Milchkaffee, Koffie Verkeerd;
– Selected for you – the coffee machine automatically generates a list based on your preferences after brewing a few dozen cups.
The ‘Collection’ function makes finding the desired beverage significantly easier. Of course, the navigating via the dedicated ‘Hot’ and ‘Cold’ buttons flanking the display in Eletta Explore is certainly simpler. But they do not provide the necessary functionality to quickly select the vast number of available programs.
As in the main list, the developers have implemented automatic sorting by popularity for each user profile. Consequently, the most popular drinks move to the top of the list after just a few brews.
New programs
However, a less experienced coffee lover might naturally get a bit confused by the abundance of recipes on offer. That is why a brief description of them could be useful.
Espresso Intenso and Ristretto Italiano
In essence, Espresso Intenso is an espresso that utilizes a pre-infusion process similar to the Doppio+. During the pre-infusion phase, the pump operates in a prolonged, intermittent manner. The coffee lover can select and program the shot volume from 25 ml. But standard coffee dose does not exceed 12 grams.
Ristretto Italiano offers fixed volumes of 20, 25, or 30 ml, with no option for reprogramming. Like the Doppio+, it employs a specialized pre-infusion process and an increased up to 14 g ground coffee. In this mode, the extraction time for a shot of up to 30 ml extends to 20 seconds or longer, depending on the grind setting. In essence, Ristretto Italiano can be positioned as the equivalent of an espresso brewed on a professional horn coffee maker with portafilter.
Unfortunately, neither program allows for strength adjustment, using the maximum dose for Espresso Intenso (~12 grams), and a slightly larger one for Ristretto Italiano (~14 grams). By employing pulsed pre-infusion (low-pressure pump pulse-pause-extraction), the machine produces rich, strong coffee. Essentially, Espresso Intenso and Ristretto Italiano are versions of Doppio+ for smaller volumes.
Red Eye and Black Eye are designed for coffee enthusiasts with a good health.
They originated in America, and have long been available on Melitta Barista TS coffee machines. High caffeine content and increased bitterness are their key features.
Recipes:
– Red Eye – Lungo + 40 ml espresso (total volume – 135, 160, 185, or 220 ml);
– Black Eye – Lungo + two 40 ml espresso (175, 200, 225, or 260 ml).
Mild Filter and Koffie Verkeerd
This is an expansion of the signature LONG/Filter Coffee tech. DeLonghi has long offered a signature alternative to the Americano for larger servings, known as LONG.
As known, a classic Americano consists of espresso with added hot water. De’Longhi models create a large serving by using two grinding cycles and two consecutive, slow pour-over style extractions. Many coffee enthusiasts have taken a liking to the result, often preferring it even to the classic Americano. In 2026, DeLonghi renamed the LONG program to Filter Coffee. Consequently, models such as the Eletta Ultra ECAM 470.85.MB now offer both Filter Coffee and the classic Americano.
Moreover, the developers have introduced two additional recipes based on this concept. Essentially, Mild Filter offers a more authentic simulation of the filter brewing method. Unlike the Filter Coffee setting with intermittent pump operation, Mild Filter further reduces both pressure and flow rate. As a result, the brewing process closely mimics water dripping through the coffee puck with almost no pressure. Consequently, the drink’s flavor profile is very close to classic filter coffee prepared in a pour-over or drip coffee maker.
Koffie Verkeerd consists of the LONG/Filter base (standard, not Mild) combined with frothed milk.
This recipe is designed for fans of milk-based drinks. Admittedly, the machine already offers a Lungo plus milk option via the Cafe au Lait or Milchkaffee programs. But the Filter Coffee-based version is a new product.
Hot black coffee
The remaining 39 programs are identical to last year’s flagship Delonghi Primadonna Aromatic. This list includes:
– Espresso;
– 2x Espresso – one grind cycle + single pour. At the maximum setting of 5 strength, the coffee machine uses an increased amount of ground coffee to 14 grams;
– Coffee – Lungo without pre-infusion;
– Americano (classic recipe) – espresso + hot water;
– Doppio+ (a stronger espresso with intensified pre-infusion and 14 grams of ground coffee).
Unfortunately, the minimum volume is limited to 80 ml. However, the similar new ‘Espresso Intenso’ and ‘Ristretto Italiano’ programs offer a smaller volume;
– Filter Coffee (a large serving of black coffee) – the ‘LONG’ program renamed;
– Espresso Lungo – a lungo variant with pre-infusion;
– Verlangert – Americano with a default coffee-to-water ratio of 1:1;
– Coffee Carafe (2 – 6 servings of lungo in a row, 125 ml each).
All milk-based drinks differ only in the order in which coffee and milk are added to the cup, the milk-to-coffee ratios, and the recommended setting for the frothing dial on the LatteCrema Hot milk carafe. For reference, each recipe suggests ‘Dense’ or ‘Max Foam’ (far-right dial position), ‘Creamy’ (middle position), or ‘Light’ (far-left) milk foam. However, this is adjustable. Moreover, in ‘My’ mode, the user can program the milk-to-coffee ratio across the entire available range (coffee: 20–200 ml; milk: up to 500 ml).
Milk-based coffee drinks
– Cappuccino – milk + espresso;
– Flat White – 2x espresso + a minimal layer of microfoam;
– Cappuccino Mix – espresso + frothed milk at Max Foam setting;
– Latte Macchiato – milk + espresso + milk foam in a 3:1 ratio;
– Cafe con Leche – Spanish coffee with milk, made with a 1:1 ratio of strong espresso and hot milk;
– Caffelatte.
Beginner coffee lovers often often ask about the difference between a Cappuccino and a Latte.
Cappuccino vs Latte
– equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and dense milk foam in 1:1:1 ratio vs espresso and a large amount of milk with a thin layer of foam;
– balanced coffee flavor with a perceptible espresso strength strength vs milder and creamier with a subtle coffee note;
– dense, velvety foam 1–1.5 cm thick vs a thin layer of smooth foam;
– standard shot of 140–180 ml vs 240–360 ml.
– Cappuccino+ (milk + Doppio+);
– Cafe au Lait – Lungo + milk;
– Milchkaffee – Lungo + milk with an increased amount of coffee;
– Espresso Macchiato – espresso + a little milk foam (strong milk-based coffee drink);
– Galao – Portuguese hot coffee drink, similar to Italian Latte (espresso and three parts hot foamed milk in a ratio of 1:3).
– Cortado – coffee + milk;
Cortado vs Cappuccino
– double espresso + warm milk in a ratio of 1:1 vs equal parts of espresso, hot milk and milk foam (1:1:1);
– a thin layer of microfoam vs a thick, dense and creamy layer of foam;
– bright, rich and strong coffee taste vs soft and balanced between the sweetness of milk and the bitterness of coffee;
– 60–90 ml vs 150 – 180 ml.
Cold drinks
The programs for cold drinks have identical names, but their icons on the display contain ice cubes.
– Cold Brew – cold extraction.
It uses longer extraction with cold water at low pressure. Water flow through the coffee puck for a maximum serving of 205 ml lasts 4 minutes, excluding grinding;
– Cold Brew to Mix – a reduced portion of Cold Brew, which is convenient for making cocktails and other cold drinks with coffee.
– Iced coffee / iced espresso / iced Americano – Lungo / espresso / Americano with ice cubes;
– Carafe Cold Brew – 2 – 6 servings of Cold Brew in a row, maximum volume up to 720 ml;
– Cold Cappuccino / Latte Macchiato / Caffelatte / Cappuccino Mix / Flat White – analogues of the ‘hot’ recipes of the same name, but with cold milk from the white LatteCrema Cool jug. In addition, the machine offers the addition of ice cubes to further reduce the temperature;
– Cold Brew Cappuccino – Cold Brew with cold fluffy milk foam.
This program is available on the Eletta Explore or La Specialista Maestro. Preparation time does not exceed 5 minutes. The coffee machine uses room-temperature water (around 20°C) via a separate internal water circuit;
– Cold Brew Latte – medium-height cold foam + Cold Brew coffee;
– Cold milk;
– Tea – settings offer 4 water temperatures;
– Hot water – unlike the flagship Aromatic, the Eletta Ultra requires attaching a separate spout in place of the milk carafe. Notably, the water dispenser features a unique design with a spout that extends downwards to minimize splashing.
– Babyccino – frothed milk with a ‘baby’ name and a cute pictogram;
– Warm milk.
Controversial aspects
Comparing the Eletta Ultra with the premium Delonghi Aromatic or its predecessor, the Delonghi Soul, is not entirely correct due to the latter models’ innovative flat-burr grinders. As known, flat burrs cut coffee beans more cleanly and evenly without crushing them, resulting in less coffee dust. As a result, they ensure a finer grind without the risk of clogging the brewing unit. The Eletta Ultra uses a traditional conical steel-burr grinder, which tends to mute the acidity of the beans and emphasize bitter flavor notes. In contrast, the grinders in the Aromatic and Soul models preserve a neutral flavor profile and better highlight the berry and floral notes of the coffee beans.
As known, the Eletta Explore features a flip-down section in the cup tray, increasing the maximum clearance under the dispenser to 18 cm. This is enough for accommodating 18 cm travel mugs for the ‘To Go’ mode.
The indicator for the LatteCrema Hot/Cool carafes, located to the left of the display, lights up in three colors:
– white – no milk carafe;
– red – LatteCrema Hot for hot frothing;
– blue – LatteCrema Cool for cold frothing.
However, this feature seems somewhat superfluous. First, the milk containers feature different top panel colors (black for Hot, white for Cool). Second, the coffee machine automatically recognizes the containers and issues a warning if a program is started with the wrong one. Therefore, allocating space on the panel for redundant monitoring appears irrational.
Conclusion
Some experts criticize companies for the ‘unbridled’ expansion of features, dismissing certain programs as merely ‘marketing gimmicks.’ However, such criticisms seem ill-founded. After all, any coffee lover has the right to opt for a cold sweet coffee on a hot summer day. Naturally, expanding the range of recipes requires new technology and comes with a higher price tag. However, students or newlyweds can easily choose a budget-friendly model that makes only espresso. Multifunctional premium coffee machines are designed primarily for coffee enthusiasts with a substantial budget who enjoy experimenting. Therefore, the trend toward expanding the functionality of coffee machines from industry innovation leaders – Italian DeLonghi and Swiss Jura – is entirely logical. Of course, Jura models are quite expensive. But the price of the DeLonghi Eletta Ultra is quite reasonable, at approximately $1,550–$1,800 / £1,150 / €1,350.
At some point, the sheer number of available programs will likely make control too complex for the user. But companies are aware of this issue and are constantly improving navigation. The ‘Collections’ feature implemented in the Eletta Ultra model could well pave the way for similar technologies.
The video demonstrates how to navigate the Delonghi Eletta Ultra coffee machine’s control panel.
