The Dalla Corte Studio is a dual boiler espresso machine in the upper price segment. We put it to the test in our review and used it according to all the rules of barista craft. One weekend we even took the machine to a catering event to test its performance under load. Did the Dalla Corte Studio pass the test? We can say upfront: yes, in very many categories the dual boiler delivers, and criticism only comes on a very high level. Nevertheless, the Dalla Corte Studio is not the right machine for everyone. Whether it suits you, you'll find out in our video and test.
Dalla Corte Studio in a nutshell
Strengths
- excellent temperature stability after just 12 minutes heat-up time
- for a dual boiler, a quick heat-up time of just 12 minutes
- steam boiler and brewing boiler function independently of each other
- 0.5 L brewing boiler positioned in the group above the portafilter
- Low noise level of only 54 decibels, even with cups on the machine
- Very good espresso performance
- Very good and fast milk steaming performance
- Volumetric control, which allows programming of the drink quantity
- comprehensive and good accessory set
- 54mm basket diameter is well suited for beginners
- Factory no offset, which means that the displayed temperature corresponds to the actual water temperature (for shots after startup)
Weaknesses
- With prolonged standing time, the machine heats above the target temperature. In the WBC protocol, the temperature was approximately 2 degrees above the set temperature on average
- Good pre-infusion function only possible with fixed water connection
- No hot water outlet on the base Studio, only when purchasing the Dalla Corte Studio Acqua
- Tamper does not close flush with the portafilter
- Holes in the baskets do not extend close enough to the edge and the holes appear punched rather than laser-drilled, which is why hole sizes vary slightly
- No drain pipe provided
- No double-walled steam wand and consequently burn hazard
Buy Dalla Corte Studio
The following specialist retailers carry the Dalla Corte Studio and we can recommend purchasing from these businesses. All offer the option to adjust the machine's offset.
Germany:
Switzerland:
We are constantly searching for specialist partners who we know provide good work and service, and we are in close contact with the retailers mentioned. The links are so-called affiliate links. If you order through one of these links, you won't pay a cent more – however, we receive a small commission that we invest directly in new test equipment.
We continue to search for competent partners in the DACH region for you.
Dalla Corte Style for Home
Dalla Corte has always done things differently, both in gastronomy and in home espresso machines. Different from the fleet of Faema E61 manufacturers on one side and different from the community of 58mm portafilter producers. And different above all is also the brewing group with integrated boiler. Because in the Dalla Corte Studio, the 0.5 liter copper boiler sits directly above the brew group. Since the sensors are also located there, which can be controlled via the LCD display, the Studio is also temperature stable.
Dalla Corte is also known for equipping its machines classically with 54mm portafilters. The majority of the industry uses portafilters or baskets with a diameter of 58mm both in home espresso machines and in gastronomy. Dalla Corte believes that portafilters with a smaller diameter are particularly easier to handle for beginners. Due to the higher bed of the coffee cake, total channeling, which runs from top to bottom through the coffee bed, occurs less frequently. 54mm portafilters require less precise distribution of the coffee cake.
Also typical of Dalla Corte is the material of the portafilter, namely brass. Brass has high thermal conductivity, which supports rapid heating of the portafilter. However, brass also has problematic tendencies, as it loses parts of its alloy through abrasion, which can potentially be harmful to health. To prevent this, Dalla Corte coats the portafilters at the bottom with stainless steel to prevent or delay the abrasion effect. Dalla Corte uses lead-free brass CW510L for all components that come into contact with water.
Temperature Stability and Heat-up Time
The Dalla Corte Studio reaches operating temperature in twelve minutes. That's what our temperature measurements of the espresso machine revealed. To determine the heat-up time, we use our KM temperature protocol over several days in succession and let the machine cool down over a day in between. We check from which heat-up time the first shot reaches 92 degrees Celsius.
During the shot, we measure the temperature between the 5th and 25th second of extraction. The minimum value in the first shot was 91.77°C, the highest was 92.59°C. The fluctuation in the shot was therefore only 0.82°C. That is a very stable value. Across all 5 shots and thus across 105 data points, the temperature varied by 1.57°C. That is also very good and places the Dalle Corte Studio in the top tier of espresso machines we have tested so far. The standard deviation was 0.52°C.
On average, we achieve a temperature of 92.31°C across the 105 data points with a set temperature of 93 degrees. Important: without adjusting the offset.
This precision and performance after 12 minutes is outstanding!
After the espresso machine has been running for an hour, it is examined with the WBC Protocol. For this, shots are pulled at increasingly shorter intervals, and like with the KM protocol, temperatures are measured using the Scace device.
With the WBC Protocol, we measure an average temperature of 94.17°C across 315 data points. The machine is thus above the set brewing temperature, mainly due to the first shots after an hour of standing time. With further shots, the machine stabilizes.
The horizontal line marks the 14 shots pulled. The vertical column indicates the seconds of extraction.
Across all shots, we measure a maximum difference of 2.6 degrees Celsius and a standard deviation of 0.51°C.
In terms of temperature performance, we can unreservedly recommend the Dalla Corte Studio for all applications. With prolonged standing time, we would tend to flush it a bit longer. The machine shows its strength immediately after heating up after 12 minutes and under load, meaning with many consecutive shots.
Energy Consumption Performance Measurement
The quick heat-up time results in relatively low power consumption for a dual boiler, which is especially evident when used without steam. Since the two boilers are completely decoupled from each other, the Dalla Corte can also be operated without the steam boiler. Since this draws considerable power with a volume of 1.5 liters, it is advisable to do without it for pure espresso enjoyment. We measure a consumption of 0.14 kWh for heating up and 10 double shots. This keeps pace with some thermoblocks at the espresso level.
If we switch on the steam boiler, we see 0.26 kWh on the meter. That is good for a dual boiler and still competitive in the dual-circuit range. Compared to thermoblocks or even film heaters, however, we're using two to three times the amount.
Steaming Wonder with a Weakness
If you like to steam quickly and vigorously, you'll get your money's worth with the Dalla Corte Studio. For the fact that the steam boiler with "only" 1.5 liters is not among the largest, the steaming performance is remarkable. We basically test performance at the highest setting and measure steaming and heating performance with cold water. Within 20 seconds we reach the target temperature. This makes the Studio one of the fastest in its class.
If you prefer to steam more slowly, you can easily adjust the boiler's performance downward. A real drawback is the steam wand that heats up significantly. It is surprising that Dalla Corte does not, like competitors, use a double-walled cool-touch wand. The Dalla Corte Studio's steam wand heats up considerably and can then only be moved with a rubber grip.
Solid and High-Quality
The Dalla Corte Studio is overall high-quality workmanship, although some details fall short. The main frame is made of galvanized steel, while the visible outer cladding and cup supports are made of stainless steel. The side panels are powder-coated and standard in black or white. The drip tray is made of plastic with a stainless steel front and holds 800 ml. The plastic may seem practical here, but it falls short in terms of quality.
The water tank, which is large at 4.3 liters, is also rather an ungainly contraption and looks like it was just picked up from the hardware store. You won't find sharp edges on the machine, which pleases baristas who are injury-conscious.
The machine's dimensions: 41.5 cm height, 40.5 cm depth (51 cm with portafilter) and 31.4 cm width. The Dalla Corte Studio weighs 27.5 kg. This is also why it stands immovably on the work surface.
The machine is equipped on the top left and right with levers that start the brewing process and steam delivery. They are sufficiently stable, yet still give an impression of wobbliness.
Operating the Dalla Corte Studio
With the right lever, you can start a shot on the Dalla Corte Studio. Three levels are selectable. If the lever is pulled down only slightly to the first position, manual mode begins. The shot runs until it is stopped again. One level down at position "1" according to the operating manual saves the single shot, and at position "2" at the very bottom of the lever range, you can start and program the double shot.
Starting and programming—that's the key word. The Dalla Corte Studio uses good volumetric control, which we also find in Dalla Corte's gastronomy line. To program, an espresso is pulled with matching grind and a desired water or espresso output quantity. This water quantity is saved and output precisely for each shot. Weighing the shot quantity as with other espresso machines is therefore not necessary.
We programmed our Dalla Corte Studio somewhat differently. In our case, level 1 has the flush function to clean the shower between shots.
Annoying about the operation is that the levers must be manually returned to their starting position. Here, obviously the desire for a certain aesthetic (lever) prevented a more practical solution (button).
All essential controls of the machine are operated via the small LCD. In addition to the boiler temperatures, start times for each day of the week and volumetric control can be set. Dalla Corte dispenses with an app and allows all settings to be made directly on the machine. The LCD also shows the extraction time during espresso extraction.
Among other things, a pre-infusion can be set. However, this only works with a fixed water connection. While videos circulate online that the pre-infusion function—which according to Dalla Corte can only be used with a fixed water connection—can be circumvented. Our tests of this method, however, consistently resulted in the pump drawing air, which is why we do not recommend the procedure.
Good Coffee, No Americano
The espresso and steaming performance of the Dalla Corte Studio undoubtedly guarantees very good coffee drinks. Regardless of what type of espresso we pulled, the machine delivered. Responsible for this are the consistent temperature performance, the good workmanship, the precise pressure, and the clean workflow that the machine allows.
There was only one wish the machine could not fulfill: it has no hot water outlet, which means that both the preparation of tea drinks and the water output for brewing americano is not possible.
Dalla Corte offers the Studio Aqua model for an additional 500 euros, which additionally has a water outlet.
Conclusion on the Dalla Corte Studio
The Dalla Corte delivers an overall very good result in our test. There are few wishes that would make the machine even better. The machine is powerful and doesn't falter even when faced with many people. However, it would be desirable for the drip tray to also be equipped with a drain when I connect the machine to fixed water. On fixed water, the rotary pump delivers very good pre-infusion, which allows gentle swelling of the cake with line pressure. The temperature stability is very good especially after the medium heat-up time of 12 minutes. After prolonged standing time, the machine tends to rise slightly above the target temperature. We were pleased that the machine was delivered without significant offset.
The low noise level of just 54 decibels is a testament to a high-quality, well-made espresso machine. Design choices such as levers instead of buttons can be debated, but judgment on that lies in the eye of the beholder.
The comprehensive accessory set is a positive feature, which includes Dalla Corte espresso and cappuccino cups, a high-quality tamper, an apron, cloths, and cleaning powder for the machine. Even a tamping mat is included in the scope of delivery. Attention to detail gets full marks, except the tamper could be a bit larger and would close better with the portafilter.
Otherwise, the Dalla Corte Studio impresses across the board and has little to hide next to the competition, as long as the home barista doesn't accidentally burn themselves on the milk wand.
