REASONS TO BUY
Good taste
Easy to clean
REASONS TO AVOID
A bit messy
Harder to use
De'Longhi Magnifica Review
A good, capable automatic machine, but not a great value and the interface is a bit confusing
Credit: De'Longhi
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Our Verdict
The De'Longhi Magnifica is a super-automatic machine that can make a nice cappuccino. It has a built-in grinder, and the descaling process is fully automated, making maintenance a breeze. However, it has a slightly confusing interface, and its chunky steam wand can be a bit messy and difficult to use. In the same price range (or less), you can get a much more convenient machine that will make drinks just as well or better. For the top dollar that the Magnifica sells for, we think there are better espresso machine options.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Magnifica has some things going for it but, overall, it left us a bit underwhelmed.
Super-automatic machines only require you to toss beans into the bean hopper, then they grind, tamp, and brew for you.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Espresso Quality
The Magnifica scored well in our taste tests. The shots tasted a bit stronger and bolder than shots from a capsule machine. However, they also tasted significantly more watery than espresso made with some of our top-scoring models which is disappointing when you consider the price point of this machine. Topping it off with steamed milk from the steam wand did indeed make a nice cappuccino. However, it took some practice to get good milk results with the slightly clunky steam wand.
This steam want was not our favorite due to its chunky design.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Use
The Magnifica scored about average here. It comes with easy-to-follow setup instructions and includes a built-in grinder, so we were pleasantly caffeinated within 20 minutes of opening the box. That said, while the controls are easy to use once you're used to them, they can be puzzling for a newcomer. All the buttons are only labeled with small pictures, so unless a picture of a mostly empty cup says 'single shot of espresso' to you, you'll probably be a bit confused at first.
It takes a minute to get used to the symbols used on the Magnifica's interface.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
It took us a little over four minutes to make a cappuccino with the Magnifica, putting it on the slower side of our tested models. This was mostly due to its steam wand, which takes longer to steam milk than the automatic frothers on some of the other machines. This wand also makes quite a mess. When warming up it spits water onto the counter rather than in the drip tray. It's quite an annoying design flaw.
The Magnifica makes quite a mess, mostly because its steam wand likes to shoot water all over the place.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Cleaning
The Magnifica is very easy to clean and earned top marks for this metric. The only part that requires constant cleaning is the steam wand, but this is true of any machine. After each use it needs to be wiped down and should be more thoroughly cleaned every few days, depending on how many milk drinks you make. The wand can be taken apart making it easy to clean both inside and out. The Magnifica comes with a packet of descaling solutions and the process is automated. Though it took over 30 minutes to complete it did not require constant attention, unlike many other machines in our lineup.
With a fully automated descaling process, the Magnifica is among the easiest machines to clean and maintain.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Milk Quality
The steam wand on the Magnifica produced average quality milk. It frothed nice, voluminous foam, but it wasn't quite as rich or creamy as we'd prefer. The chunky design of the wand also isn't optimized to make the kind of microfoam ideal for latte art.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
This is an expensive machine. Considering the price point and subsequent performance, we don't find this a very high-value option. Other machines in the same price range are more convenient with a better overall design.
Conclusion
The De'Longhi Magnifica is a good espresso machine, but there are better machines available in its price range.
—Max Mutter and Steven Tata
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