The DeLonghi Magnifica is a collection of a few automatic espresso machines put out by DeLonghi. As you might know from reading some of my other posts, DeLonghi is an established Italian appliance company based in Treviso, Italy. With a rich heritage that goes back to 1902 they are mostly known nowadays for their excellent and stylish espresso machines and coffee machines.
You wouldn’t know it from the company that it is today, but they started as an industrial parts manufacturing workshop, and it wasn’t until after the second world war that they started making espresso and coffee machines. As an aside, they are also quite well known for their portable air conditioners and portable heaters.
But that’s not what this article is about, today we focus more specifically on the DeLonghi Magnifica series of espresso machines. Their espresso machines that I would say are their middle line. The Goldilocks edition, not too cheap, not too expensive, just right. You can expect to pay anywhere from around $500 to $1500 for the DeLonghi Magnifica espresso machine depending on your choice, at the time of this writing.
First option of DeLonghi Magnifica
First up to bat is the DeLonghi esam3300 Magnifica super automatic espresso coffee machine which is one of their mid-range models in the Magnifica line. The DeLonghi hopper grinds the beans instantly for the freshest espresso with what DeLonghi terms their “Direct-to-Brew” system. This hopper is also removable for easy cleaning. Grinding is done by a conical burr grinder which is probably the best choice for the best grinding of coffee beans. Burr grinders offer even grinding that you can’t get otherwise. The DeLonghi Magnifica 3300 used a double boiler which is very helpful if you haven’t had one before. With a double boiler you can steam milk at the same time that you can pour espresso shots, so no waiting for your steamed milk while the espresso shots get cold.
This machine also offers hot water for making teas as well as a cup warmer for pre-warming your cups before making your favorite beverage. The coffee spout is adjustable for different sized mugs and it has a decalcification system to make cleaning your DeLonghi Magnifica that much easier. The water reservoir is removable and a decent 60 ounce size or 1 and 3/4 liters. The coffee grinds are collected in an easy to remove tray.
Another DeLonghi Magnifica
The DeLonghi Magnifica super automatic espresso machine esam 4400 was a popular model sold by Starbucks for some time. In addition to many of the features that the DeLonghi Magnifica 3300 has, the DeLonghi esam 4400 Magnifica is exceptionally easy to clean as the double boiler unit is completely removable allowing you to get into the machine where you couldn’t previously. It also has an easy to use digital interface so that you can program your favorite espresso drink settings for future use in its memory.
All of the DeLonghi espresso Magnifica machines are fully automatic which is very convenient for those wanting no muss, no fuss espresso convenience.
The same is very true for the DeLonghi Magnifica 3500. This machine also has a digital programmable display for adjusting coffee strength and size of beverage. This DeLonghi Magnifica also has their patented “Single Touch” cappuccino and latte system, which they claim makes a perfect latte or cappuccino with the touch of a button. I suppose this is true if you’re not that familiar with frothing milk or adjusting your espresso strength manually, however, I’ve never found these type of features to be as reliable as my own manual labor. Along with many of the other machine’s features, the DeLonghi Magnifica 3500 allows for some good leeway as far as adjusting the grind of the espresso beans that you are choosing.
Now as I’ve mentioned before, the more automatic the machine is, the more moving parts it has. And the more moving parts it has, the more opportunities for things to break down. This is true for any mechanical or electrical system. So bear that in mind. I’m not suggesting that the DeLonghi Magnifica will break down on you. In fact, these machines are of fairly high quality from what I’ve heard. Though as you know, I’m a purest and so I enjoy my steam driven manual espresso machine which I’ve had for several years. But if you fancy an automatic machine, the DeLonghi Magnifica is a solid choice.