De’Longhi Rivelia Review: Is It Worth the Money?

The De’Longhi Rivelia is one of the most interesting bean-to-cup coffee machines in De’Longhi’s current range.

It sits above the Magnifica family but below the really expensive premium automatics, combining a colour touchscreen, automatic milk preparation, multiple user profiles and one feature you won't find on most competitors:

interchangeable bean hoppers.

That Bean Switch system makes Rivelia particularly attractive if you regularly swap between different beans or caffeinated and decaf coffee.

But Rivelia isn't cheap.

With different versions now available — including manual-milk, LatteCrema and newer Rivelia Start models — it's also important to understand exactly which Rivelia you're buying.

So is the full Rivelia worth paying extra for?

Coffee Machine Reviews Verdict

Overall: 9.2/10

Best for: Households wanting excellent one-touch coffee with lots of personalisation.

Avoid if: You mainly drink simple black coffee or want manual control over espresso.

Typical price: Approximately £575–£750 depending on version and promotion.

Machine type: Fully automatic bean-to-cup

Built-in grinder: Yes

Automatic milk: Yes on LatteCrema versions

Our verdict: Rivelia hits one of the best balances in De’Longhi’s range. It's easier and more sophisticated than Magnifica Start without moving into the extreme pricing of high-end automatic machines.

De’Longhi Rivelia: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent one-touch operation
• Freshly ground beans
• Clever interchangeable bean hoppers
• Up to 16 customisable drinks on full LatteCrema models
• Automatic milk preparation
• Colour touchscreen
• Multiple user profiles
• Relatively compact
• Easy to personalise

Cons

• Expensive compared with Magnifica Start
• Different Rivelia versions can be confusing
• Milk system needs regular cleaning
• Less control than a manual espresso setup
• Bean Switch is less useful if you always use the same beans

What Is the De’Longhi Rivelia?

Rivelia is a fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine.

That means it handles the main stages of making coffee automatically:

1. grinding the beans;
2. dosing the coffee;
3. brewing;
4. disposing of the used coffee internally;
5. preparing milk automatically on LatteCrema models.

You aren't using a portafilter.

You don't need a separate grinder.

And you don't need to learn how to tamp coffee.

The idea is to provide freshly ground coffee with roughly the convenience you'd associate with a capsule machine.

Which Rivelia Should You Buy?

This is important because “De’Longhi Rivelia” no longer refers to one single specification.

Rivelia with Manual Milk

This version gives you the Bean Switch system and automatic black-coffee drinks but uses a traditional milk frother.

It's the better choice if:

• you mainly drink espresso or americano;
• you enjoy steaming milk yourself;
• you don't need one-touch latte or cappuccino.

Rivelia LatteCrema

This is the version we'd recommend to most buyers considering Rivelia.

You get the automatic LatteCrema milk system and the broadest one-touch drink selection.

It's the version we're primarily referring to throughout this review.

Rivelia Start

Rivelia Start is a newer addition to the family.

Don't assume it's identical to the full Rivelia simply because it carries the same name.

We'll compare the two separately.

Bean Switch: Gimmick or Genuinely Useful?

This is Rivelia's standout feature.

Most bean-to-cup machines have a fixed bean hopper.

Want different coffee?

You either wait until the hopper is nearly empty or remove the remaining beans.

Rivelia instead uses removable, interchangeable hoppers.

That means you could have:

Hopper 1: everyday espresso beans

Hopper 2: decaf

Or:

Hopper 1: medium roast

Hopper 2: dark roast for milk drinks

The machine also has a switching process designed to deal with beans remaining inside the grinder.

Who Will Love It?

Households where different people prefer different coffee.

Anyone switching to decaf later in the day.

People who enjoy trying different beans.

Who Won't Care?

If you buy the same 1kg bag of beans every month and never change it, Bean Switch shouldn't be the reason you pay extra for Rivelia.

What Coffee Does Rivelia Make?

The full automatic LatteCrema version offers up to 16 customisable drinks.

These include drinks such as:

• espresso;
• coffee;
• americano;
• cappuccino;
• latte macchiato;
• flat white;
• other milk-based recipes;
• hot water.

The exact menu depends on the Rivelia version you're buying.

That's another reason to check the model number rather than buying purely from the word “Rivelia” in a retailer title.

Coffee Quality

Rivelia is designed around consistency rather than experimentation.

The machine grinds the coffee immediately before brewing and lets you personalise variables such as coffee intensity and drink quantity.

For the target buyer, that's exactly what we want.

You're not buying Rivelia to experiment with pressure profiling and precise brew ratios.

You're buying it because you want:

good coffee repeatedly without having to think too hard about it.

If you use decent beans and spend some time adjusting the grinder and strength settings to suit them, Rivelia should comfortably outperform the experience of basic capsule coffee.

Is It as Good as a Manual Espresso Machine?

That's the wrong comparison without context.

A skilled user with:

• an excellent grinder;
• freshly roasted beans;
• a capable espresso machine;
• good technique;

can exercise considerably more control.

But Rivelia can make a coffee before that person has finished weighing their beans.

Convenience is part of what you're buying.

Espresso

Espresso is where bean-to-cup machines can divide opinion.

Rivelia produces consistent, fresh-bean espresso with adjustable intensity.

For most everyday coffee drinkers, that's exactly what they're looking for.

Someone who drinks straight espresso and wants to endlessly adjust dose, grind, extraction time and ratio should probably buy an espresso machine instead.

Rivelia is about repeatability rather than ritual.

Cappuccino, Latte and Flat White

This is where we'd strongly favour the LatteCrema version.

The milk carafe automatically prepares textured milk and dispenses it directly into the drink.

There's no milk jug.

No steam-wand technique.

No trying to work out why yesterday's milk was silky and today's looks like bath foam.

For households drinking several milk-based coffees each day, that convenience is a major part of Rivelia's appeal.

Is the Milk Actually Good?

Automatic milk systems prioritise consistency and convenience over absolute manual control.

For cappuccino and latte drinkers, that trade-off makes plenty of sense.

Flat-white enthusiasts and anyone obsessed with latte art may still prefer a capable steam wand.

The important distinction is:

Rivelia makes the milk for you.

A traditional espresso machine lets you make the milk exactly how you want it.

Choose based on which experience you actually want.

Ease of Use

This is one of Rivelia's strongest areas.

The 3.5-inch colour touchscreen is a substantial improvement over the icon-based controls found on cheaper bean-to-cup machines.

The machine can guide users through setup and drink selection rather than expecting them to memorise combinations of buttons.

That's particularly valuable in a multi-person household.

User Profiles

Multiple profiles allow different users to save their preferences.

That means one person can have stronger coffee without constantly changing settings for everyone else.

This sounds minor.

In everyday use, it's one of the features that separates more sophisticated automatic machines from basic ones.

Size and Design

Rivelia has deliberately been designed to be relatively compact for a fully automatic machine.

That's significant because bean-to-cup machines need to accommodate:

• grinder;
• brewing unit;
• bean hopper;
• water tank;
• grounds container;
• milk system.

It isn't tiny.

But you're getting a complete grinder-to-cup setup in one appliance.

Remember to allow clearance for removing the bean hopper and accessing the water tank rather than checking only the footprint.

Cleaning Rivelia

Automatic doesn't mean maintenance-free.

You'll still need to:

• empty the coffee grounds container;
• empty and clean the drip tray;
• clean milk-contact components;
• rinse appropriate components;
• descale when required;
• keep the machine's internals clean according to De’Longhi's instructions.

LatteCrema incorporates automatic cleaning functionality, which helps.

But milk systems always add maintenance compared with black-coffee-only machines.

If you're someone who refuses to clean anything, no milk-based coffee machine is going to solve that problem.

Running Costs

There are four main costs:

Coffee Beans

This varies enormously depending on what you buy.

Water Filters

Optional/required use will depend on your water and setup.

Descaler and Cleaning Products

Budget for ongoing maintenance.

Milk

Easy to overlook if you're comparing with black coffee.

Unlike capsule machines, you're not locked into proprietary coffee pods.

That can make bean-to-cup attractive to high-volume coffee drinkers.

Rivelia vs Magnifica Start

This is one of the most important comparisons.

Buy Magnifica Start if:

• budget matters;
• you want straightforward automatic coffee;
• you don't care about a touchscreen;
• you use one type of bean;
• you don't need lots of personalisation.

Buy Rivelia if:

• multiple people use the machine;
• you swap beans;
• you want more drinks;
• you value the touchscreen;
• personalisation matters;
• you're happy paying more for convenience.

Magnifica Start is the value choice.

Rivelia is the better overall experience.

Rivelia vs Magnifica Evo Next

This is a much closer comparison.

Evo Next offers a colour interface, automatic milk and a substantial drink selection.

Rivelia's key advantages are its compact design, Bean Switch system and overall positioning as a more distinctive premium machine.

Price should influence this decision heavily.

Rivelia vs JURA E8

JURA E8 sits another level up in price.

The question is whether the extra refinement and broader premium experience justify spending considerably more.

For many households, Rivelia is where diminishing returns begin.

Who Should Buy the De’Longhi Rivelia?

Buy it if:

• you want fresh beans;
• you don't want manual espresso;
• you regularly drink milk drinks;
• multiple people use the machine;
• you switch between beans or decaf;
• you value convenience;
• you want something more sophisticated than an entry-level bean-to-cup machine.

Who Shouldn't Buy It?

Look elsewhere if:

• you mainly drink black coffee and don't need automatic milk;
• you enjoy manually making espresso;
• you're on a tight budget;
• you don't care about profiles or bean switching;
• you want genuine manual milk control.

De’Longhi Rivelia: Final Verdict

Rivelia succeeds because its features mostly solve genuine everyday problems.

The touchscreen makes the machine easier to use.

Profiles make sense in multi-user households.

LatteCrema makes milk drinks easier.

And Bean Switch solves one of the genuinely annoying limitations of conventional bean-to-cup machines.

Is it necessary?

No.

Magnifica Start can grind beans and make coffee for substantially less money.

But Rivelia feels like a meaningful upgrade rather than a cheaper machine with a few cosmetic extras.

Coffee Machine Reviews Score: 9.2/10

Best for: One-touch fresh coffee without moving into four-figure premium-machine territory.

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