As a former barista, I couldn't wait to see if the De'Longhi Rivelia Espresso Machine lived up to the hype.
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I Just Learned How to Make Cold Foam at Home, and My Life Will Never Be the Same
Published on Jun. 27, 2025
I miss my first barista job. While I was in college, I worked in my undergrad library’s coffee shop. It was small and hectic, but the experience was unique. That’s when I really fell in love with coffee. We pulled perfectly crafted shots of espresso from a massive espresso machine for every single drink. I absolutely loved it. It taught me precision, accuracy and creativity. I still remember the patience demanded of me as I stood in front of the bar waiting for each shot to finish as the line piled up.
So when I was offered the chance to test the De’Longhi Rivelia espresso machine, sweet nostalgia flashed in front of my eyes. I’d never owned my own espresso machine, although I had spent many an hour sifting through all different makes and models looking for the perfect fit. Alas, I never found one. Well, until now. This all-in-one espresso machine seemed too good to be true, but my heart knew I had to give it the old college try. Here’s how I tested it, and here’s what you need to know.
De'Longhi Rivelia Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
What is the Rivelia espresso machine?
When I envisioned my own espresso bar, I always wanted the manual machine I had back in my college days. But that would entail a lot of cleaning and upkeep. This machine isn’t nearly as large as a full espresso bar, but it does the work no problem. It takes up only about a third of my coffee cart and fits snugly front to back. I opted for the Arctic White color scheme. It’s sleek with a coffee grinder attached at the top, a designated spout for espresso pulls, a water tank and an open slot to switch out different carafe attachments.
While I’d love to relive the old days, the fact that it creates a full espresso drink in mere seconds is a lifesaver for a girl who’s constantly onto her next event. I worked the one-button Starbucks espresso machine as a barista back in the day too. This machine is similar—one touch and the machine does all the extra work for you. It’s not as satisfying as a manual machine, but I won’t complain.
That one button can make cappuccinos, espresso, cortados, lattes, iced coffees, flat whites and other coffee drinks. You can even set up a profile and pre-customize the drinks exactly how you like them. It comes with a hot carafe attachment for hot drinks. You can also purchase a separate LatteCrema Cool Upgrade set for cold drinks, including cold foam. We’ll get to that later.
As far as learning the machine, it was easy. As soon as you turn it on, the touch screen walks you through all the steps. I tried to prep myself with the user manual, but honestly, it’s easier to let it tell you the process. It even reminds you to clean the carafe after every use. As someone with chronic memory failure, that’s a huge plus in my book.
How I Tested This Cold Foam Maker
Picture this: it’s been a terribly long day. It’s scorching outside. You just got home from doing so many adult things that you want to rot away on the couch, but you don’t want to fall asleep just yet. Enter: the at-home cold foam maker.
While I’d had the machine for a little over a week, I hadn’t yet cracked open the LatteCrema Cool Upgrade set. I knew it was time. I was hankerin’ for an icy cold latte, so I opened the box and began my journey. The carafes themselves are super easy to use. Just pop the top open and pour in any milk of your choosing. Attach it to the machine. When you’re done, detach the carafe still full of milk and place it in the fridge for your next espresso foray.
While I was out earlier in the day, I had picked up a cold foam iced latte from Starbucks since they’d become my recent coffee obsession. I thought to myself, how will this live up to the Starbucks hype? It was time to compare.
Originally, I had 2% milk in my carafe, but the machine actually advised me to use skim or plant-based milks for the best cold foam outcome. I switched it out for my oat milk, attached the carafe, and chose the iced latte option. It started brewing right away.
Rivelia cold foam vs. Starbucks cold foam
If you’ve had Starbucks cold foam, you understand the hype. Creamy, flavorful and the sweetest metaphorical cherry on top of any drink, it’s honestly tough to beat.
As for the Rivelia cold foam, I still had high hopes. The machine does all the frothing for you, so you don’t have to sit there and make a mess, or worse, risk ruining the milk altogether. I’ve burned a fair amount in my day, trust me. When it finished frothing, the foam was evident, but it didn’t seem as creamy as Starbucks. I gave it a taste. It was significantly airier than Starbucks cold foam, and not nearly as sweet. While that may be a deal-breaker for some, I don’t mind it. Too much sugar in my coffee tends to turn me off. I imagine it would have been even better with coconut milk.
It definitely doesn’t feel as high quality as Starbs, but it’s still delicious. A grande iced latte from Starbucks is $5.25 with cold foam being an extra $1.25. After tax, that’s a little over $7 total. My carton of oat milk was less than $4, and it will last me way longer than one drink. I also don’t have to worry about waiting in the drive-thru line. I can make it while I get ready, and go!
Rivelia cold foam vs. homemade cold foam
If you’ve never made cold foam at home, it’s pretty simple. You can use a milk frother, a blender, or you can just shake it in a jar. I have a milk frother myself, so that’s the direction I tend to lean. Does it take a little bit longer? Yes. Am I able to make whatever flavor cold foam I want on the fly? Also yes. While it’s possible to add flavor to your milk carafe, if you don’t use all the milk for the cold foam, you’re stuck with that flavor until it’s all gone.
Making cold foam with a milk frother tends to let it get creamier, a lot like Starbucks’ cold foam. However, it also tends to melt into the coffee quicker. Because the cold foam from the Rivelia has more air, it keeps its shape much longer. Again, it’s not as thick, so that’s something to consider. Using the milk frother is certainly less expensive than a whole espresso machine, but it’s less convenient too.
Final Verdict
Overall, as someone who consumes an obscene amount of coffee, it’s borderline dangerous how easy the De’Longhi Rivelia espresso machine is to use. I don’t have to consider anything but what kind of espresso I’m feeling that day. Otherwise, it’s just about placing a cup down and pressing a button. Then I go off and do my other morning rituals before circling back for a freshly made espresso beverage. College me would have loved this convenience.
As for the quality, the slight difference isn’t a make or break for me. All the drinks I’ve had have been delicious (my favorite espresso beans are Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso). Honestly, I tend to favor consistency and convenience over anything else. If I can expect it to taste relatively the same every time, and it takes almost no effort on my part, I’m probably going to fall in love with it pretty fast. I have too many things to do in the morning. I need speed! That being said, I think the De’Longhi Rivelia is very worthwhile for your espresso bar if it’s in your budget.
Where to Find the De’Longhi Rivelia
De'Longhi Rivelia Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
You can find the De’Longhi Rivelia espresso machine on the De’Longhi website, Williams Sonoma, Macy’s or Amazon. Retail starts at $1,499.95 for the Pebble Gray, Arctic White and Black Onyx colors. While it may seem a little pricey, all the best espresso machines are going to be more than worth their price when it comes to quality and repetitive use. If you had a Starbucks grande iced latte with cold foam five days a week for the entire year, you’d be spending over $1,800. And that’s just for a single year. You could really get some great mileage out of a machine like this if you take care of it properly.
