De’Longhi Magnifica Evo vs Breville Barista Express

Who pulls the shot: one touch, or your hands on the portafilter — at almost the same price.

De’Longhi Magnifica Evo

Breville Barista Express

The short version

Criterion	De’Longhi Magnifica Evo	Breville Barista Express
Machine type	Super-automatic: one press grinds, doses, tamps and brews	Semi-automatic: you dose, tamp and start the shot
Grind settings	13	16
Price	$749.95	$699.95

Which one fits

Consider De’Longhi Magnifica Evo if

You want six one-touch drinks with no portafilter to handle
You want the grinding, dosing and brewing done at one press, for $749.95
You want a 60.87 oz water tank you can lift out and refill

Consider Breville Barista Express if

You want 16 grind settings on a dial built into the machine
You want published PID temperature control at $699.95
You want an integrated tamper and expect to press each dose yourself

Main tradeoffs

Six one-touch drinks with no portafilter to handleno access to the dose, the tamp or the shot
Every variable in your handsa technique to learn before the first good cup

At a glance

Criterion	De’Longhi Magnifica Evo	Breville Barista Express
Best for	Someone who wants coffee at one touch without learning to dose or tamp, and does not mind steaming the milk themselves	Someone who wants grinding and brewing in one machine at $699.95 and is willing to tamp each dose and texture the milk by hand
Pricing	$749.95	$699.95
Key differentiator	Six one-touch drinks with no portafilter to handle, from a built-in grinder with 13 settings, for $749.95	16 grind settings, published PID temperature control and a 54 mm portafilter, in a machine that grinds, doses and brews for $699.95
Category	Espresso Machines	Espresso Machines

Key facts

Fact	De’Longhi Magnifica Evo	Breville Barista Express
Price	$749.95	$699.95
Machine type	Super-automatic: one press grinds, doses, tamps and brews	Semi-automatic: you dose, tamp and start the shot
Grinder	Built-in conical burr grinder	Integrated conical burr grinder
Grind settings	13	16
Pump pressure	15 bar	15 bar Italian pump
Milk system	Manual: milk frother you work yourself	Manual: steam wand you work yourself
Drink presets	6 one-touch drinks	—
Water tank	60.87 oz	—
Weight	20.82 lb	—
Power	1250 W at 120 V	—
Housing	Painted	Brushed stainless steel
Tamping	—	By hand, with an integrated tamper included
Heating system	—	Thermocoil
Temperature control	—	PID temperature control, water delivered at 200°F
Brew pressure	—	9 bar extraction
Portafilter	—	54 mm stainless steel, with 1 and 2 cup single and dual wall baskets
Dimensions	—	15.9 x 13.1 x 12.4 in (W x D x H)

Almost the same money, and a different relationship with the machine. The Magnifica Evo grinds, doses, tamps and brews at one press, with six one-touch drinks and 13 grind settings, for $749.95. The Barista Express hands you the portafilter: you tamp it, you start and stop the shot, with 16 grind settings, for $699.95. Both leave the milk to you.

Take the next step