It can be a lot of fun testing various machines and their coffee to find the best ones. However, when you are thinking of purchasing a new machine, you want to make sure you get the right one for you.
And that’s why we have spent so long testing out the various options to ensure you get barista style coffee easily and quickly every time.
We love the De'Longhi Magnifica, and because of that, we have chosen it as our best dual purpose coffee maker.
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This article will:
- Tell you about the features of the machine
- Tell you what’s great about it
- Tell you what’s not so great about it
By the end of the article, you will be able to decide much more easily if this is the right machine for you!
What Features Can You Expect with the De'Longhi Magnifica?
“This machine has the features of a full sized automatic machine, but in a streamlined, compact design that fits beautifully on your kitchen counter top.”
Here are some of the fab features:
- Dual capability: This machine can use either full beans which are ground prior to brewing, or it can use pre-ground beans. The choice is yours. You can use regular coffee, speciality coffee or decaff coffee beans with this machine.
- Fully customisable: You can customise the strength of the coffee, so everyone gets their perfect tasting coffee and you can also select the cup size so you’re not tied to a specific cup. Sometimes, you just need a bigger drink to get you going on a morning right!
- Rapid Cappuccino System: This system allows you to make drink after drink with no need to pause between them. The temperature will remain consistent, meaning there’s no waiting time.
- Memory functions: When you customise your drink, the machine remembers your choices so you can recreate your perfect drink easily. This is ideal if more than one person uses the machine and everyone likes their coffee differently.
- Self adjusting brew unit: Simply select if you would like one espresso shot or two and the machine will automatically adjust the coffee needed to produce the right amount of shots at your desired strength.
- Easily adjust the milk frother: The milk frother can easily be adjusted to go between long lasting foam for cappuccinos and steamed milk for lattes, ensuring both drinks are made to perfection.
- Cup warmer: Never again pour your coffee into a cold cup that will instantly lower the temperature of it. Use this cup warmer to ensure your coffee stays at the right temperature as you drink it. This feature is used on most trade barista coffee machines and it can be the major difference between at home coffee or coffee house coffee.
The Delonghi Magnifica comes a standard one year warranty, and also allows the options for extended warranties. Choose from:
- A three year warranty or
- A four year warranty
Delonghi also provide a specialist call centre to help customers with setting up their machine and maintaining it.
Video: De'Longhi Magnifica Reviewed
How the De'Longhi Magnifica Works
This machine works through a simple control panel with programmable settings. With five strength settings and four cup size settings, you will be sure to find your perfect drink settings. Than simply allow the machine to remember your preferences.
The milk frother is super easy to use. There’s no need to mess around filling up and attaching a milk tank. Simply place your milk in a jug and insert the frother for instant, barista style results.
The brew unit is really easy to remove and reattach for cleaning.
PRO TIP: For a really intense espresso, try using the strongest flavour setting with the smallest water setting. You can then easily work back until you find your perfect taste.
The Pros of the De'Longhi Magnifica
- Easy to use – The automated setting produces coffee at the touch of a button, and the customisable options are simple to understand and use.
- Choice of pre-ground or regular beans.
- Easy to use milk frother with no need to fill up a milk tank and risk having sour milk left in them machine.
- Adjustable spigot to allow for any size container.Adjustable cup tray to prevent splashing.
- Compact. This machine will fit comfortably on your counter top and won’t look bulky or out of place.A good sized hopper for spent coffee grounds meaning you’re not constantly emptying it out.
The Cons of the De'Longhi Magnifica
- The drip tray tends to scratch quite easily so be sure to lift the cup on and off rather than pushing/pulling it to ensure it always looks its best.
- The descaling process is quite time consuming and sometimes, after descaling is complete the rinse light remains on. This is rectified by running another descaling program or calling the Delonghi helpline who will talk you through the process of resetting your machine.
Tips for Getting the Best Results with the De'Longhi Magnifica
As with all products, there are some tips that can help you use it to its maximum efficiency:
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions at all times
- Ensure the machine is cleaned regularly and thoroughly
- Ensure the machine is descaled regularly
- For the best results, use a coffee bean that’s less oily – ideally a medium roast
- Always use a good quality coffee
- For best results, use non-ground coffee. The flavour will be more intense when letting the machine grind, the coffee as it will be much fresher
What's the Bottom Line?
We hope that you can now see why we chose the De'Longhi Magnifica as our best dual purpose machine. With perfect espresso and perfect milky coffees, this model gives you the best of both worlds. It’s also one of the cheaper offerings from De'Longhi, coming in at slightly more than $500 – that money saved can be put towards some artisan coffee for a drink you will never get tired of!
