De'Longhi Eletta Explore vs Melitta CI Touch
Same class, different tax brackets.
The CI Touch runs ~41% more (listed in different currencies) — the split below is what the gap buys.
De'Longhi
US$1,499–1,799 · CA$1,745–2,000
A well-engineered bean-to-cup machine that earns its counter space for households that split their coffee habit equally between hot milk drinks and iced recipes. You must accept that craft-l…
Full record & live prices →
Melitta
US$1,900–2,000
The CI Touch does what Melitta super-automatics have always done well: pull a passable espresso, handle milk drinks automatically, and clean itself without fuss. Buyers must accept that the…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
On 9 of 11 measures these two tie. The 2 rows below are the entire argument.
Eletta Explore
CI Touch
The price
Eletta Explore costs less, decisively
CA$1,745–2,000· US$1,900–2,000
Parts & repair
Eletta Explore leads, clearly
Value per dollar
Eletta Explore leads, clearly
weakerstronger
The counter’s vote
Looks barely figure in either machine’s record — the counter can sit this one out.
CI Touch: Clean, minimalist aesthetic with touchscreen integration; kitchen-approved industrial styling but deliberately appliance-neutral—designed for countertop integration, not conversation.
Only the CI Touch: brewing and steaming at once.
Where they tie: milk & steam · shot ceiling · back-to-back drinks · ready when you are · reliability record — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the Eletta Explore if —
- The difference stays in your pocket — or goes into beans
- You plan to fix, not replace
- Every dollar has to earn its place
Take the CI Touch if —
- Mornings run on a clock
Both columns reading true? Take the Eletta Explore and put the difference into fresh, roast-dated beans — they move the cup more than this choice will.
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
Eletta Explore
CI Touch
Type
Super-automatic (bean-to-cup)
Super-automatic (bean-to-cup)
Heat-up time
45 seconds
45 seconds
Steam power
3/5
2.5/5
Brew + steam at once
No
Yes
Guest recovery
3.5/5
3/5
Shot quality ceiling
2.5/5
2.5/5
PID temperature control
No
No
Milk system
Integrated carafe (one-touch)
Auto frother
One-touch drinks
50
10
Removable brew group
Yes
Yes
Hot-water tap
Yes
Yes
Cup clearance
18 cm
14 cm
Workflow demand
0.5/5
0.5/5
Maintenance
2.5/5
2.5/5
Noise
3.5/5
3/5
Build longevity
2.5/5
2.5/5
Dimensions
26 × 45 × 38.5 cm
25.2 × 35.2 × 47.3 cm
One owner each
“The addition of cold brew technology and cold milk foaming sets it apart from the vast majority of its competitors.”
“The machine consistently produced full-bodied espresso shots with notes of chocolate, caramel and nuts.”
Wrong match-up? Change one side → — any two on file compare.
Still torn?
This page weighs them against each other. The finder weighs them against your mornings.
Two minutes of questions — milk, noise, budget, space — scored across everything on file. It’s honest when the answer is neither of these.
Take the two-minute finder →