Breville Barista Express vs De'Longhi Magnifica Evo: do you want to make the coffee, or just drink it

This comes down to one question. Does anyone in your home want a morning routine with a tamper in it? If yes, the Barista Express at $699.95. If no, the Magnifica Evo at $749.95. Prices were checked November 2, 2026.

I haven't used either machine. The test findings come from CoffeeGeek for the Breville and TechRadar for the De'Longhi, and I name them where they appear.

The work each one leaves you

The Barista Express grinds into the portafilter at a touch, using 16 settings. After that the job is yours. You level the dose, tamp, lock the portafilter in, choose a shot and steam your milk. CoffeeGeek says that levelling a dose evenly "comes with practice", and I'd expect to pour some bad shots in week one.

The Magnifica Evo skips nearly all of that. De'Longhi calls it fully automatic, with 13 settings on the grinder and 6 drinks on the panel. TechRadar, which tested a UK version with a steam arm, is plain about it: "There's no need to tamper coffee or pull your own espresso."

Milk is the trap. On both machines, milk is manual:

• Barista Express: Manual, and CoffeeGeek found a 16 oz pitcher in the box.
• Magnifica Evo: Manual frothing. TechRadar's UK unit came with no jug, and its steam arm was too short for a deep one.

If a one-touch latte is the reason you're looking at the De'Longhi, this version won't do it. Reviewed's Evo review covers the LatteCrema version with a self-frothing carafe, so neither its praise nor its complaints about latte milk apply here.

Space, and where it catches you

Neither suits a short counter or a low cabinet, so get the tape out.

The Breville's sheet gives 15.9 in wide, 13.1 in deep and 12.4 in tall. CoffeeGeek describes it differently: 15.8 inches tall, 12.6 wide and 13.2 deep, and says it fits under most cupboards. I'd clear space for whichever figure is larger on each side. CoffeeGeek shows a low-profile hopper on top, so leave room to pour beans in.

De'Longhi lists 17.32 x 9.45 x 14.17 in as length, width and height. TechRadar gives metric figures with the longest side as width, so check which way round it'll stand on your counter. TechRadar calls it one of the biggest coffee machines it has tested and warns that beans and pre-ground both go in through the top, so you need to reach the lid under a wall cabinet. Its water tank is on the side, which helps if the back of the machine is against a wall.

Check that long side against your counter depth.

Noise and clean-up

TechRadar measured the Evo at 78 dB while grinding, which it does for every drink, and 55 dB while pouring. In a studio or a home with a sleeping baby, that grinder matters. It compares the 78 dB to a vacuum cleaner.

CoffeeGeek calls the Barista Express quiet for a combination machine, thanks to rubber grommets and insulation, but gave no reading. So I can't tell you which is louder.

Clean-up favours the De'Longhi. TechRadar says it takes seconds and the machine purges itself when turned off. CoffeeGeek found a cleaning kit and a disk for backflushing in the Breville's box, and that's a job you'll have to do yourself.

Speed

TechRadar timed the Evo at 41 seconds for an espresso, slower than the 28 seconds it got from a Sage Bambino, the UK name for Breville's machine. Breville rates the Express at "less than a minute" from bean to espresso, which is a maker's claim, and practice will decide how close you get. Two people wanting drinks at once have an advantage on the De'Longhi: its two spouts brew a pair of coffees together, according to TechRadar.

When one breaks

CoffeeGeek's objection to combination machines was written about the Breville, and I'd apply it to the De'Longhi too: if the grinder dies, you've got "a partial brick" on the counter. CoffeeGeek also calls the Express's grinder well suited to the job. The Breville's warranty is 1 year limited. I'd keep the receipt.

What I'd do

For a couple who'll share the routine and like the fiddling, I'd take the Barista Express. For a busy home where three people want a coffee before leaving and none of them care how it happens, the Magnifica Evo, and I'd accept the slower shot.

I'd skip both if your counter is shallow or you only want one drink a day. The Bambino review covers a much smaller machine, though you'd add a grinder. For the wider field, see espresso machines for beginners with little counter space, or browse all the espresso machines I've priced.