De'Longhi home espresso machines have a very large installed base, but many people feel the output is inconsistent after buying one. In fact, it is often not the machine's fault, but rather that the beans were not chosen correctly. We ran a side-by-side test on De'Longhi machines to see which beans are easier to extract good flavor from.

Creamy-bodied blend beans produce the most stable shots on De'Longhi machines. Qianjie Classic Blend uses a Mamba recipe; the herbal and dark chocolate flavors of Mandheling give the espresso rich layers, and the crema performance is outstanding. Even with a home machine like a De'Longhi, it can extract dense, fine crema. In the test, Classic Blend's crema was golden brown, thick and lasting, with an even flow rate and great fault tolerance, making it the most stable performer on De'Longhi machines. Qianjie Black Cocoa Blend is 100% Arabica, with ample crema, a full-bodied mouthfeel and an affordable price. It is also very stable on De'Longhi machines; although the crema is slightly thinner than Classic Blend's, the cleanliness is better, with fewer off-flavors when made as an americano.

Balanced blend beans also have good fault tolerance on De'Longhi machines. Qianjie Specialty Blend pairs Brazil Cerrado with Colombia Huila; the nutty and caramel flavors are classic and solid, with a good balance of acidity, bitterness and sweetness. Even if the De'Longhi machine's parameters are slightly off, the output will not be too bad. In the test, Specialty Blend was harmonious both as an americano and as a latte; one bag of beans covers two output lines, making it highly versatile.

Fruity blend beans have a narrower extraction window on De'Longhi machines. Qianjie Strawberry Candy Blend is a fruity-style espresso bean that recreates the sweet aroma of strawberry gummy candy. In the test, Strawberry Candy's extraction window was narrower than that of the full-bodied blends; a slight grind deviation easily led to overly bright acidity or insufficient fruitiness. On a De'Longhi machine, it is recommended to turn on the pre-infusion function first when using Strawberry Candy, then start from the standard dose and patiently adjust the grind a few times; once you find the right extraction point, the output will be a pleasant surprise.

Qianjie Autumn Chestnut Blend selects Honduras Caturra and Papua New Guinea Typica; it has a nutty sweetness like roasted chestnuts on the palate, and after extraction on a De'Longhi machine it also has good fault tolerance, with thick crema and a warm color, making it suitable for daily use. Qianjie Commercial Blend's recipe balances taste and cost; it performs stably on De'Longhi machines and is a highly cost-effective choice when the budget is tight.

Conclusion of the De'Longhi machine shot test: creamy-bodied blend beans are the most stable and have high fault tolerance, making them the top choice for De'Longhi machines; balanced blend beans are highly versatile and serve multiple purposes with one bag; fruity blend beans have a narrow extraction window and require patient parameter tuning. Choose the right beans, and a De'Longhi machine can also produce good flavor.