Not so long ago, the average household could only dream of buying a superautomatic coffee machine. Nowadays, the prices are much more consumer-friendly, thanks to fierce competition.
Here is my comparison of two masterclass espresso makers from Italy, the cradle of modern coffee culture.
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By Jozo Salmanić – Croatian barista with 15 years of experience.
Gaggia Magenta Prestige – Arguably The Best Fully Automatic Coffee Machine For Your Home
If you were previously searching for a compact and powerful home-line espresso machine, you already know this model.
If not, now is the right time.
Gaggia Magenta Prestige goes beyond its budget category and gives you features usually reserved for much more expensive coffee machines.
This model went public in 2021 and has already positioned itself as one of the most popular machines.
DeLonghi Magnifica Evo – Simplicity And Deluxe Frothing
I have a sweet spot for compact espresso makers with loads of options under a simple design. It also helps if they are reasonably priced, like DeLonghi Magnifica Evo.
I am reviewing an ECAM29043SB Magnifica Evo model that uses manual milk frothing.
Slim design and user-friendliness are the selling points of this small super-automatic machine.
Gaggia Magenta Prestige VS DeLonghi Magnifica Evo: Face-Off
Both of these devices are top-class, and it’s the little things that set them apart.
Let’s see what makes the difference.
Drink Options Are Different
I’ll start with the most obvious contrast between these models – the menu.
Gaggia Magenta Prestige can make 11 drinks, plus hot water for your tea. You can enjoy standard coffee, espresso, espresso-based beverages, and frothed milk.
On the other hand, Magnifica Evo offers coffee, espresso, lungo, and Americano. You can also choose the Over Ice or hot water.
But how can the menus be so different?
The answer is in the next section.
Gaggia VS DeLonghi – Automatic VS Manual Milk Frothing
Magenta Prestige has a removable carafe that automatically froths the milk for you. Fill the milk container, and pick your drink. The machine will do the rest.
This feature is one of the reasons why Magenta Prestige is the top superautomatic for home use.
Magnifica Evo comes with a steam wand. You will have to froth milk manually, and the menu has only espresso and coffee. You decide what you will make with the coffee base.
For inexperienced users, a steam wand can sound like a step back, but others will appreciate the amount of control you have over your recipes.
Capacity Differences
The differences in hopper capacity are minor, if that. In that sense the machines are very similar.
Don’t just throw away your used coffee grounds! Garrett Oden has eight ideas about what you can do with them.
Different Grinders
Gaggia comes with ceramic flat burr grinders, which is always good in super automatics. However, they have only five levels of adjusting. That is enough for regular users, but people prone to grinding experiments might feel off.
DeLonghi’s Magnifica Evo comes with a stainless steel conical burr grinder which you can fine-tune using 13 different settings.
Stainless steel grinders can sometimes overheat the beans, thus affecting the taste, but given the fact this is a home-line machine, you’ll be OK.
Both models also come with an option to use pre-ground coffee. Most people use this perk to make decaf in the evenings.
User Interface
Finally, Gaggia company updated the user interface, and now it’s superb. When choosing a drink, you can see and adjust all parameters using a small screen, from actual dosage to temperature and aroma strength.
You can memorize new settings or use them just one time.
DeLonghi chose simplicity, which ended up being more complicated. No screen, just buttons.
Choosing drinks is as simple, but every additional adjustment will make you read the user manual until you pass that learning curve.
Comparing Gaggia VS DeLonghi: Reddit
While browsing Reddit, people can often find silly little questions – which coffee machine is better, La Marzocco or La Pavoni? Orange or an apple?
There are no simple answers when comparing coffee machines, let alone the companies that make them.
Gaggia has more than 20 different models of super-automatic coffee makers. DeLonghi? 40 and counting. And there are no two identical models.
Reddit can be a treasure trove of knowledge if you know what to look for. Otherwise, anonymous commentators can mislead you.
So, Which Model To Choose?
Choosing between these models is a tad easier after this article.
Gaggia Magenta Prestige offers an extensive menu, an intuitive interface, and effortless milk frothing.
De’Longhi Magnifica Evo will coo you with a grinder that can be precisely tuned, simple controls, and a steam wand ready to make you the smoothest latte ever.
Which one will you pick?
Photos by Karsten Bergmann and Marc Babin.
