When a heatwave hits - especially one with amber and red weather warnings - a hot cup of coffee is the last thing I want in the morning or for my afternoon pick-me-up. But my latest kitchen addition, a coffee machine by De’Longhi, has really upped my drinks game and has been a lifesaver during this sweltering season so far.

While, yes, it’s amazing for hot drinks - it makes unreal coffee with freshly ground coffee at home that honestly rivals my local cafe - its top quality spec means I can make my favourite icy summer drink at home without spending additional money or leaving the house.

With temperatures soaring, I've been relying on iced coffees more than ever, and the La Specialista Arte Compact Manual Bean to Cup coffee machine is surprisingly easy to use and is currently on sale with £181 off, thanks to Amazon's latest pre-Prime Day sale.

While it’s still relatively pricey at £348.99 from £529.99, let me tell you why it’s been the most worthy investment in my kitchen to date.

As a bean-to-cup machine, it uses whole coffee beans, which it grinds fresh for every drink, delivering a rich, aromatic espresso. The La Specialista comes with eight grind settings, so you can tweak how fine or coarse the beans are to suit your taste. Finer grounds generally mean more flavour extraction, resulting in a bolder coffee.

Despite its professional-looking design that would fit in at a local coffee shop, it's simple to use. Adjusting the grind is as easy as it’s just moving a lever, while the dose level can be changed with a quick turn of a knob. Those small tweaks make a big difference to the strength and flavour of your coffee — and I tend to like my brew strong.

For those who enjoy a hot coffee when the weather’s a bit more manageable, its steam wand can make silky, smooth, frothy milk that’s seriously creamy - and doesn’t take too much time perfecting.

The La Specialista comes with everything needed to make barista-style coffees at home, too, including single and double espresso baskets, a tamper, tamping station, cup holder and milk jug. With the recent warm weather, I've been using it just as much for iced lattes as hot coffees and instead of adding hot milk, I switch the mug out for a glass and add ice cubes and milk before pouring my espresso over it and voila. Delicious iced coffee - add a spoon of honey for a little sweetness.

One thing to note is that it takes up a fair amount of counter space, measuring 285 x 365 x 400mm, so it may be a squeeze in smaller kitchens. It's also on the heavy side, so I keep mine on a placemat to make it easier to slide around when needed.

Now, while this coffee machine is incredible for making iced lattes and relatively plain (but delicious) iced drinks, it doesn’t have the fancy ability to make cold foam - basically, a swanky, chilled, airy milk topping that adds a bit more sophistication to a cold coffee.

For those who want a coffee machine that can do it all, the Ninja AutoBarista Pro Automatic Espresso Machine (£899.99) can create a range of hot and cold café-style drinks at the touch of a button - you don’t need to lift a finger, not even to add ice. It includes 13 drink programs, five froth presets, and our Commerce Tech Editor, Harriet, recently tried it out, so read her review here.

Although if this snazzy addition isn’t necessary, and a standard iced latte will do the trick - as it does for me - the Breville One-Touch CoffeeHouse Coffee Machine is another great option and is currently on sale at Curry’s for £119 from £159. Similar to the Ninja model, for those who love a hot coffee but don’t like steaming milk, this machine can do that for you. It can pour a single or double shot of espresso, perfect for lattes and cappuccinos.

Not only does my De’Longhi coffee machine make gorgeous iced coffees, but I’ve recently discovered it also makes a stellar affogato (a glorious, Italian ice cream coffee dessert or snack). All that’s needed is an espresso - single or double - and a scoop of ice cream. Just pour the espresso over your ice cream and tuck in.

The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte is currently on sale at Amazon for £348.99 from £529.99.