Aldi’s Special Buys for Wednesday 7 October 2026 include one genuine coffee-gear steal: the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte semi-automatic espresso machine with built-in grinder, yours for $429. It’s a one-day-only Special Buy on a machine whose standard variant sells for around $499 on the street — and the Aldi version quietly improves on the standard in at least one respect that nobody’s talking about.
Special Buys run for one day only (while stocks last), so if you want in, today is the day.
The deal
The La Specialista Arte is De’Longhi’s entry-level semi-automatic: a one-box espresso starter kit with an integrated conical burr grinder, so you can grind, dose, tamp, extract and steam without buying a separate grinder. Aldi’s Special Buys price of $429 puts it roughly $70 below the current street price of the standard model. For context, the standard EC9155.MB carries an RRP of $749.99, CHOICE lists it at $519 and The Good Guys sells it for $499. This is a genuine discount, not an inflated-RRP game.
Key specs
- Semi-automatic espresso machine with built-in conical burr grinder
- Model EC9155AL — an Aldi-specific variant (more below)
- 15 grind settings (vs 8 on the standard EC9155.MB)
- Slightly larger water tank than the standard model
- 15-bar pump
- My Latte Art steam wand for manual milk texturing
- 3 one-touch presets: espresso, long black, hot water
The Aldi twist: this isn’t the standard model
Here’s the wrinkle. Aldi isn’t selling the standard EC9155.MB — it’s selling the EC9155AL, an Aldi-specific variant. That model number comes from CHOICE (reporting 1 October 2026); Aldi’s own catalogue doesn’t print it, and you won’t find the EC9155AL on De’Longhi’s Australian website. It’s near-identical to the standard EC9155.MB — with two quiet upgrades.
The Aldi variant has 15 grind settings versus 8 on the standard model, plus a slightly larger water tank. Nobody covering this deal seems to have picked up on that, but it matters: more grind steps mean finer control over extraction, which is exactly the upgrade path a developing home barista needs as their palate improves. On the numbers, Aldi’s variant is arguably the better-specced machine.
Price check: how $429 stacks up
- De’Longhi La Specialista Arte EC9155.MB RRP: $749.99
- CHOICE listed price: $519
- The Good Guys: $499
- Aldi Special Buys (7 Oct 2026): $429
That’s about $70 under the best street price we’ve tracked for the standard model — for a variant with more grind settings. There’s also a New Zealand angle: the same EC9155AL is currently discounted in NZ to $599NZD (roughly $485AUD), down from $899NZD. So Aldi Australia’s $429 is cheaper than New Zealand’s sale price — a genuinely good outcome for Australian buyers for once.
What CHOICE says (and the caveat)
CHOICE’s take, published 1 October 2026: the headline is that this machine comes in under $450 — but their lab verdict is that “there are better buys out there”, with the detailed reasoning behind their paywall. More importantly, CHOICE is explicit that it has not tested the AL variant internally: it “can’t tell you whether it’s exactly the same on the inside” as the tested MB model. So treat reviews of the standard EC9155.MB as indicative rather than gospel for the Aldi machine.
Verdict: Worth it
At $429, this undercuts the standard model’s ~$499 street price while adding more grind settings — it’s rare to see a De’Longhi semi-automatic with a built-in grinder this cheap. If you’ve been waiting for an entry point into proper espresso, this is a genuine one. The main risk is the usual Special Buys caveat: when the stock’s gone, it’s gone.
For comparison at the premium end, see our Breville Oracle Dual Boiler verdict ($4,499) — and for another kitchen deal, our Smeg AFC01 air fryer verdict.
Where to Buy
Aldi Australia — $429 (Special Buys, 7 October 2026, while stocks last). See the Special Buys range at Aldi.
FAQ
Is the EC9155AL the same as the standard La Specialista Arte?
Near-identical to the standard EC9155.MB, with two upgrades: 15 grind settings (vs 8) and a slightly larger water tank. CHOICE notes it hasn’t tested the AL variant internally, so reviews of the MB model should be treated as indicative.
When does the deal end?
It’s a 7 October 2026 Special Buy, available while stocks last. Special Buys are one-day offers and popular items routinely sell out.
Is $429 the cheapest it’s been?
By our tracking, yes — it undercuts the standard model’s ~$499 street price by about $70, making it the cheapest we’ve seen a La Specialista Arte variant in Australia.
