Every De’Longhi automatic espresso machine compared, from Magnifica to Eletta

The De’Longhi range at a glance

The whole range, side by side

Here is every machine I tested, from the simplest to the most capable. The overall scores come from my single reviews, each based on four weeks of daily use.

Read across the milk and drinks columns first, because that is where the money goes.

My overall scores

Overall scores out of 10 from my single reviews.

How De’Longhi names its machines

The naming confused me before I started, so here is the short version.

Magnifica is the entry family. Start and XS are the basics with a manual wand, Evo adds an automatic LatteCrema carafe, and Duo adds a second carafe for cold foam plus cold brew.

Rivelia, Dinamica Plus and Eletta Explore sit above it, with color touchscreens, more drinks, user profiles and app control on some models. Rivelia is the one with two swappable bean hoppers.

One more trap: the same name can cover several versions. The Magnifica Start, for example, comes with either a steam wand or a LatteCrema carafe, and the drink buttons change with it. The links on this page go to the versions I tested.

Our tip: Check the drink icons in the product photos before you buy any Magnifica, because steam wand and LatteCrema versions often share a name.

What they all share

This is the most reassuring thing I learned. Every machine in this test uses a steel conical burr✕Conical burr grinderTwo cone-shaped grinding parts, one inside the other. The gap between them sets how fine the coffee is. grinder with 13 settings and a removable brew unit✕Brew unitThe part that compresses the ground coffee, holds it while water passes through and ejects the used puck. On De’Longhi machines it slides out for rinsing under the tap. that slides out and rinses under the tap, with no tablets needed.

Most of them dose generously for automatic machines. The Magnifica Evo ground about 15 grams on its strongest setting, the Rivelia about 15 grams and the Eletta Explore up to 16 grams.

Top dose I measured

Weighed on my scale right after grinding on the strongest setting.

Heating is shared too. Every model uses a thermoblock✕ThermoblockA compact heater that warms water as it flows through a metal block. It heats up fast and uses little energy at idle. that was ready in under a minute from cold. The Magnifica line uses a 15-bar pump, while Rivelia, Dinamica Plus and Eletta Explore list 19 bar.

In the cup, that pump difference didn’t matter. Shot quality tracked dose, grind and how well I dialed the grind in, not the pressure on the box.

Our tip: Grind three or four steps finer than the factory middle setting on any De’Longhi, because that made the biggest single difference to espresso in my tests.

Milk systems explained

This is where the range really splits, so it is worth understanding before you look at drinks.

LatteCrema carafes pour foam first and espresso on top.

The LatteCrema carafes all go into the fridge after their Clean cycle, which I loved. You keep milk in the carafe between drinks and skip pouring fresh milk every time.

The wands are a different experience. On the Start and XS, the Panarello sleeve made tall, airy cappuccino foam from the first try, and with the sleeve off I made silky microfoam✕MicrofoamMilk foam with bubbles so small you can barely see them. It feels silky and glossy, which is what a good flat white needs. after about a week of practice.

Espresso by model

The good news first: there is no bad espresso in this range. Every model scored at least 8.3 for espresso in my testing.

The Dinamica Plus made the densest, most syrupy shots once I shortened its default volumes. The Magnifica XS surprised me with rich, sweet espresso that matched much pricier machines, and the Magnifica Evo’s shots landed around 8 percent TDS✕TDS (total dissolved solids)The share of coffee that ends up dissolved in your cup. Higher numbers mean a stronger, more concentrated drink., a balanced result for an automatic.

My espresso ratings

My scores out of 10 for body, crema, flavor and consistency.

The Magnifica Duo’s espresso reached up to 8.6% TDS in my tests, dense and strong despite its smaller dose. The Rivelia’s shots were full-bodied at about 15 grams in and 30 grams out, a classic 1:2 ratio.

The Dinamica Plus pulled the densest shots in the range once I shortened its volumes.

Our tip: Shorten the default espresso volume by about a third on the Dinamica Plus and Rivelia, because the factory settings pour a little long.

Milk drinks by model

Milk is where the price steps show up most clearly.

The Eletta Explore scored highest for milk because it does both hot and cold foam well. The Dinamica Plus’s thermal carafe made some of the best hot foam I have had from an automatic, and the Magnifica Duo’s two carafes came close.

The Magnifica Evo’s LatteCrema foam was dense and hot, around 140°F, and the Rivelia’s milk came out at about 140 to 149°F. The two wand machines scored lowest, not because the milk was bad, but because it is all on you.

My milk drink ratings

My scores out of 10 for foam texture, temperature and convenience.

One gap runs across the cheaper carafe models: there is no hot milk button. On the Evo, warm milk for a child takes a workaround, while the wand machines make it easy by hand.

Our tip: Use cold whole milk or a barista-style oat drink in any LatteCrema carafe, because regular plant drinks make big, loose bubbles.

Iced and cold coffee

This is the newest battleground in the range, and the models handle it very differently.

The Magnifica Evo and Dinamica Plus have an Over Ice drink, which brews a concentrated, cooler coffee to pour over a full glass of ice. It was genuinely good on warm days, as long as I used plenty of ice.

The Magnifica Duo and Eletta Explore go further. Both make a cold brew-style coffee in about three minutes, and both have a second carafe that whips cold milk into cold foam.

My cold brew from the Eletta Explore finished at just 2 to 3°C over ice. That is properly cold, not just coffee that happens to be poured on ice.

Two carafes and real cold extraction make the Eletta Explore the iced-drinks specialist.

Our tip: Fill the glass completely with ice for any Over Ice drink, because a few cubes just make a watery, lukewarm coffee.

Screens, profiles and apps

The entry models have no screen at all. The Start and Evo use backlit touch icons, and the XS uses buttons, a dial and warning lights you will need the manual to decode.

The Magnifica Duo adds a 2.4-inch color display with soft-touch buttons and three profiles. The Rivelia, Dinamica Plus and Eletta Explore all have 3.5-inch color touchscreens.

The apps were the weakest part of the premium models. On both the Dinamica Plus and the Eletta Explore, the app was slow to connect and slow to save changes, and I ended up using the touchscreen for everything.

The Rivelia’s screen sits flat on top of the machine, which looks clean but is awkward for kids and anyone sitting down.

Size and weight

Most of the range shares a slim, front-loading body about 9.4 inches wide and 17.3 inches deep. That makes the Magnifica models and the Dinamica Plus easy to fit under standard wall cabinets.

The Rivelia is taller at about 15.2 inches, plus you need headroom to lift a bean hopper off. The Eletta Explore is the biggest at about 10.2 inches wide, 17.7 inches deep, 15.2 inches tall and roughly 25 pounds.

Height on the counter

Measured without the bean hopper lid open.

The Rivelia needs extra headroom to swap its bean hoppers.

Our tip: Leave at least 4 inches above any Rivelia or Eletta Explore, because you lift the hopper or its lid straight up to refill.

Cleaning and upkeep

Every model rinses its coffee path on start-up and shutdown, and every model has a brew unit you slide out and rinse with water once a week. That alone makes De’Longhi machines easy to keep clean on the coffee side.

The milk side decides the rest. The wand models are quickest: purge and wipe after each use. The carafe models run a Clean cycle after every milk drink, but the lid and tubes need a proper wash every few days to a week.

My cleaning scores

My scores out of 10. Two carafes mean more parts to wash.

On the Dinamica Plus, the brew unit sits behind the water tank, which makes the weekly rinse a little more awkward. On the two-carafe models, the second carafe also needs a spot in the fridge and the dishwasher.

The used pucks come out dry and compact on all of them, and they make good compost.

Our tip: Rinse every De’Longhi brew unit with water only, because soap strips the grease on its seals and rails.

Noise

The grinder is the loudest moment on every model. On the Magnifica Evo, it peaked at about 70 to 71 dB for the first few seconds, while frothing and the pump stayed around 60 dB.

The Eletta Explore was the quietest grinder of the range at under 65 dB, and the Rivelia measured 66 to 68 dB. The Magnifica XS was loud on every drink, and the Magnifica Duo’s grinder had a sharp, high-pitched whine.

Grinder noise I measured

Measured from about 3 feet away. Normal conversation is about 60 dB.

Each model in detail

Here is what each machine does best, where it falls short and who it suits, with three pros and three cons for every model.

Magnifica Start: best for black coffee

The Magnifica Start I tested has a steam wand and three drinks, including a true americano that brews an espresso and then adds hot water. It made the best big mug of black coffee in the range.

Magnifica Start

Magnifica XS: the long-running classic

The Magnifica XS is the old favorite: buttons, a strength dial and a Panarello wand. Its espresso was rich and sweet enough to match machines that cost far more.

Simple, slim and proven: the Magnifica XS still makes excellent espresso.

Magnifica XS

Magnifica Evo: best value

The Magnifica Evo adds a LatteCrema carafe, seven one-touch drinks and an Over Ice button. MyLatte uses whatever milk you pour in, from a cortado to a big latte.

Magnifica Evo

Magnifica Duo: hot and cold on a budget

The Magnifica Duo brings two carafes, LatteCrema Hot and LatteCrema Cool, to the Magnifica body. It makes cold brew in under three minutes and was the most versatile machine I have used at this size.

Two carafes on a compact Magnifica body make the Duo the budget iced-drinks pick.

Magnifica Duo

Rivelia: best for two kinds of beans

The Rivelia has two 8.8-ounce hoppers that swap with a quarter turn, so regular and decaf live side by side. Each swap leaves about 10 grams of beans in the grinder, which you either brew as a transition coffee or grind out.

Rivelia

Dinamica Plus: best overall

The Dinamica Plus made the best espresso and some of the best hot foam in this test. Its thermal carafe keeps foam stable, and three profiles plus a guest mode keep everyone’s drinks separate.

The thermal carafe made some of the best automatic foam I have tested.

Dinamica Plus

Eletta Explore: best hot and cold

The Eletta Explore does it all: 50+ recipes on the machine, separate hot and cold carafes, cold extraction in about three minutes and the quietest grinder of the range.

Eletta Explore

Is each upgrade worth it?

Because the coffee core is shared, every step up the range buys convenience rather than a better shot. Here is how I would judge each step after living with all seven.

From Start or XS to Evo, you buy one-touch milk and an Over Ice drink. For anyone who drinks a cappuccino most days, that is the most worthwhile upgrade in the whole range.

From Evo to Dinamica Plus, you buy a thermal carafe, a touchscreen, profiles and slightly better espresso once dialed in. Worth it for three or more coffee drinkers, much less so for one.

From Evo to Duo or Eletta Explore, you buy cold foam and cold brew. Worth it only if iced drinks are a weekly habit, not a once-a-summer treat.

Real-life scenarios

Specs only go so far. These are the situations where one model clearly pulled ahead during my testing.

For hot and cold drinks every day, the Eletta Explore covers everything.

My scorecard

These are my own category scores out of 10 from my single reviews. Hot and cold milk on the two-carafe models counts as their milk score.

Ease of use

My scores out of 10 for controls, menus and setup.

Overall, three machines tied at the top on 8.6, for three different households. The Magnifica Evo at 8.3 is the best balance of drinks, quality and simplicity.

Which one should you buy?

Start with milk. If you don’t drink it, buy a Start or an XS. If you drink hot milk drinks, buy an Evo or a Dinamica Plus. If you want iced lattes and cold foam, buy a Duo or an Eletta Explore. If you switch beans, buy a Rivelia. For the wider picture beyond this matchup, see my guide to the best super-automatic espresso machines.

For deeper head-to-heads, read my Magnifica Evo vs Magnifica Start, Magnifica Duo vs Rivelia and Duo vs Rivelia vs Eletta Explore comparisons, or my guide to the best De’Longhi super-automatic machines.

For most homes, the Magnifica Evo is the sweet spot of the range.

De’Longhi automatic espresso machine specifications

From manufacturer specifications and my own testing.

How I tested and compared them

I used each of the seven machines as my everyday coffee maker for four weeks, making espresso, long coffee, americanos, cappuccinos, latte macchiatos and, where available, iced coffee, cold brew and cold foam.

I weighed doses on the strongest setting, measured milk, coffee and hot water temperatures with a probe thermometer, measured grinder noise with a sound meter app, and timed my daily cleaning.

I ran every cleaning routine, including descaling, and then compared my notes with De’Longhi specifications, owner documentation and published test data.

• Coffee: dose, crema, body and consistency.
• Milk: foam texture, temperature and hot and cold options.
• Workflow: controls, screens, profiles and apps.
• Ownership: cleaning, noise, water care and footprint.