Good video. I disagree on one point though: From a human interface point of view, it's not a draw at all. The Delonghi only wins on having a one button push for making an Americano. The Breville wins on everything else.
I have had several Breville espresso products in the past 8 years and I can say that Brewille is much much nicer, and it does worth the money! AFTER all it pays you back in no time compared to paying for coffee at coffee shops.
Does it make coffee as good as coffee shops though? I spend $5 almost daily on Starbucks, and I guess I dont understand much about making your own espresso, so with no knowledge about espresso or how to use the machines do you think I would be able to make coffee as good as coffee shops?
Has been having the Barista pro for a few months. Enjoying every second of it. A great espresso machine that has all the basic features and at a reasonable price.
You do not have to turn off the DeLonghi to re-tamp. You could just move and leave leave the tamping lever to a vertical position, not returning it to the horizontal. That disables the grinder until the tamping lever is returned to its horizontal position. Personally I prefer to use a leveller/redistributer after which you may not even need to tamp if you have enough dose. The bean in the hopper thing is a bit annoying, but then when I used to use Breville grinders, removing the hopper was a pita to put back on anyway. For home use I see no advantage to having a lot of beans in the hopper in the first place. With the DeLonghi you can have just a few beans in the hopper and it will warn you if it think there are not enough beans to deliver a full dose. There is a huge benefit to consistent dosing. I had tons of settings on my Breville grinders but the setting had a lot of slop and tended to drift, so did not help much. I hated the slow Breville steamer because it introduced too much water into the milk. I find it interesting that this review managed to make it look like these feature differences favored the Breville.
Regarding the La Specialista Prestigio there actually is a way to grind, pull out to redistribute and tamp afterwards without turning off the machine. You just have to rotate the very left wheel (used for dose quantity) to the bottom left symbol. That avoids the auto grinding when putting in the portafilter.
Very true! However, then you'll also be potentially changing your dose because you might not put the dial back to the exact same spot. Not to mention, its the same number of button pushes in the end, whether you turn the machine off then on, or turn the dial off then on.
My delonghi LaSP must be a slightly new revision of that machine. The steamer is much wider and incorporates a choice of Flat White or Froth ring on the arm. Also there is a different button choice where yours has a coffee temp selection button. I agree with you on the hopper it sucks that all the beans go everywhere. Another annoying feature on the new revision is that the steamer auto times out, and the milk temp is low. You have to turn the knob back and then do it again. I personally have had no problems with the grinder setting choices and the tamper is great. The coffee is perfect for me, but it did take quite some time to get all the settings right. Also here in Australia the Delonghi is a few hundred dollars cheaper. I personally like the look of the Delonghi better as well. A very good video and I agree on many aspects you have mentioned
You are right mine is an older model. I had to change the inner tray section to the new model design (one with the red float tab) the original was a poor design it would flood the bench. I cannot get a consistent creme from the machine. Love the look but i wouldn’t buy it again.
Regarding your comment of not being able to remove the coffee after grinding to redistribute: - If you grind the beans, then after this has finished move the dose dial to the pre-ground setting, you can remove the portafilter to redistribute the grounds before replacing the portafiler to tamp (without it grinding again). Only a small point, but important to note. Thanks for the review!
Yes, but this results in the same number of steps as just turning the machine off, and you will likely shift your dose amount slightly each time. So I thought the method I showed was a bit better
@@LifestyleLab_ Good shout. I didn't think of that issue as I have the maestro, which gives you the dosing amount on an LED screen. I personally use my own WDT and tamper if I'm making espresso, but tend to use the built in one for the semi automatic milk drinks if I'm being lazy.
Exceptional video as per usual. The original la specialista was my first espresso machine which I very quickly outgrew. Moving to a barista express, then a dual boiler. Although the prestigio has brought in some good changes, I genuinely would recommend against the purchase of this machine if you are even the slightest espresso hobbyist. Despite, my strongly worded comments I should note that the machine did look beautiful and had a very durable build quality.
It’s interesting, because looking online, it looks like an amazing machine and good looking. But I’m so glad I watched these videos. Went with the barista express and I love it!
Some reason...i love de'longhi. I bought my first "real" expresso machine in 2007... the de'longhi rialto. I still have it and still use it and still love it. To be honest...i now have 2 of them. The first one i bought for$1,800 brand new from Starbucks. The 2nd one i bought from an appliance store that services my first one for $300 as a thank you for being a dedicated customer. I use the 2nd one in my shop/ barn (so i don't have to walk 200 feet to my house, lol). Anywho, I've been looking for an updated unit that might be a bit less noisy (grinding) with maybe more features. The only difference this de'longhi has are bigger quantities.... which are nice. But after your honest great review...i guess i need to wait a little longer to see what there next unit brings out.
I got a delonghi and after you’ve done the setup, it’s a one button affair. I rarely change settings and when I do I enjoy it coz I’m connecting with the goods and finding the right setup. It’s manual and I like manual
In France you would pay up to 850€ ($923) for the Prestigio. In this price range, it is UNACCEPTABLE to have an imprecise grinder. Also I though it was all metal before I watched this video: covering plastic with fake chrome paint is so cheap, I can't help but despising them for such a low blow, how can you trust a brand after this? BTW in this price range you can buy a second hand Mignon grinder and a brand new La Pavoni or full-metal Lelit pl41+. No brainer. (thanks for this excellent video)
Nice review, bought one myself couple a months ago. No need to switch off the machine for tamping. Turn the knob to "dosing powder" then grinding is off :)
The tamping handle also containes an internal switch and when you slightly pull the handle towards you until you hear a click, you’re able to place the portafilter under the tamper without grinding coffee 😉
I agree with many of your thoughts on these machines. I hate plastic chrome. It makes the unit feel cheap like. I don’t, however, agree with you that the onboard tamp is a positive. Channeling is a killer for me. This addition just adds to my work flow. Very surprised with the number negatives for me with the DeLonghi. Thanks for the review. Cheers from Canader eh!
Depends what drinks you primarily make. Just espresso, quality will be better with the Gaggia and a seperate grinder. However if you steam lots of milk, the Braista Pro is considerably faster
I am in the market for a coffee machine and although I drink long coffee more often than espresso, I am going to go with the Sage. I'm primarily interested in quality coffee and the Sage has more flexibility to deliver that. Also, plastic chrome and unintuitive controls are two of my pet hates on any appliance, particularly at this price point.
This is an amazing comparison. You lay everything out so clearly and also give the way the differences affect the end result. I love the features on the delonghi and also the classic look but breville does seem to be the superior machine here. Awesome job.
i litterally was on the fence with both of them for months and eventully just went with the one that i got the best offer on tbh i was ok to downgrade a bit the coffe for the simplicity of the delonghi its really clean and fast to make with it and i drink a couple of coffes/day and i would really mind the mess and time for the breville this really is a matter of preference as with the design (dont like the breville look )
Do you think the Breville Barista Pro is better than the original Delonghi La Specialista? Considering the Breville Pro is 265$ more expensive+ I've heard some pretty negative things about the Breville Pro machine
Yes, it is $265 better al least. The original La Specialista uses strictly pressurized baskets, and doesn't have enough grind steps to dial in otherwise
Great review. Really sad they still keep missing the mark on the delonghi cause I think some real competition to Breville really doesn’t exist for built in grinder style machines. I’ve heard the maestro is better but it’s way to much money to basically just start competing with the Breville barista pro
I had owned all models of Breville coffee machines, including the Oracle, and after a short break with coffee, I bought the Delonghi. Delonghi surprised me with the quality of milk it was able to produce as well as the day to day consistency of the grinder , espresso extraction timing and quality - I am happy with it and will be looking to get the EC9665 top model soon.
thank you for the video, very interesting. I am still trying to understand what is the best machine for me. Although Barista Pro looks like a better choice... is there something better out there? what you guys would recommend for Espresso and cappuccino's mainly? @Lifesyle Lab?
In this price range with a built in grinder, the Barista Pro is a no-brainer choice for me especially if you're steaming lots for cappuccinos. The steaming performance is absolutely great
Very nice video! It helped me figure out some stuff about my new La Specialista machine. I'd have a question though: is it normal that the pressure is under the optimal zone when I choose the coffee setting instead of espresso? I'm not changing anything else. I'd say it's normal because it doesn't taste sour like an under extracted espresso shot but I may be wrong.
Once you have used both machines, you know the key advantage of delonghi is the integrated tamper with the sensor grinder. It definitely minimises the mess and it’s a win in long run, if you do drink coffee everyday with your families.
Yes, but as Lifestyle lab pointed out the coffee is not evenly distributed and if you tamp down on it like that you will not get a good extraction. As others have pointed out, you can just lift the tamping lever to (perhaps slightly past) vertical, remove the portafiler and redistribute the coffee and retamp. This does not make much mess, especially since the sensor grinder dosed just about the right amount of coffee.
Thanks for the informative video! One thing, with the tamping with the Delonghi, thee are two ways of tamping without grinding: either turn the Dose knob all the way “off” to the little icon, or just leave the lever party engaged. Both will stop the grinding. Also, there appears to be a setting to change the grind, not sure yet what that does.
For me, upgrading from a Pod machine, the coffee quality is so much better. The mess of tamping turned me off my basic espresso machine years ago, so the cleanliness of the Delonghi is a clear winner for me. Thanks for your balanced review that makes it clear what features may matter for different people.
@@robmcqualter4653 Yes the cleanliness of the DeLonghi compared to the Breville I used to own, or even the fully automatic DeLonghi I used to own is profound.
Thank you for the videos - Well, I don't know if the manual is wrong or my new machine is faulty - on page 16 of the manual "Programming Espresso Shot", the manual says I should hear a beep once I press the button to stop the extraction - I don't hear a beep. I know it was programmed, because the extraction time that I chose is saved in subsequent shots. It's a new machine, and if I'm suppose to hear the beep, I'll exchange it. Can someone assist please by confirming on their machine or follow page 16 of the manual and let me know the results?
I have been using the Sage Barista Pro for a year, which is identical to the Breville. For this price, the device is really good quality. However, there is one big drawback: the coffee is simply not hot. The heat up is really fast but that's no use if the coffee is just not as hot as it should be.
@@LifestyleLab_ Thanks for the hint. I had tried that. Unfortunately, this does not solve the problem. The coffee is simply not hot compared to a "real" portafilter. The heating block simply does not provide the temperature that it should. Thanks for the video!
Wow great video This summed up my experience with my delonghi in a way I couldn't quite do myself. It was impressive in some areas but not the ones that actually mattered most
Very informative and skilled young man! You definitely knowwhat he talks about. I have decided to buy a machine, after going through my bills and found out, that I am spending minimum 150 euro a month on nespresso capsels! I am tempted to buy a pre-owned Miel 6350, under two years old, brewed about 2000 units for the amount of 350 euros. But I am also looking at the Sage barista Pro, semi automatic, and therefore more work and it takes also more attention from me! But what about the tasete...the quality of the espresso for my latte. I only drink latte and always added with sugar.... Is the semi granding me a better coffee or is the difference in taste so little, that it is not the effort of doing the grinding and stamping my self worth?? What does other people here think-. . . Pls,
Great review, clear and concise. I love the Delonghi's shiny sliver industrial looking machine that would look great in my kitchen. However the Breville seems to be the best machine for actually making coffee. I like coffee and making it but am no expert so it would be a battle between my head and my heart to see which machine I parted my hard earned cash for!!
@@MichaelPSmith-mp1fk Thank you, I didn't realise that. I haven't upgraded my coffee machine yet but if/when I do I will factor in the fact that the Breville is available in chrome.
I was able to redistribute the grinds and use the tamp manually on the DeLonghi machine by turning the dosage off on the dial. I would suggest that you read the manual as it can be done without turning the machine off as mentioned in your video. Also here in Oz there is a remarkable price difference ($400 Aud) between the two that what swayed me towards the DeLonghi.
This is the same number of steps as turning the machine on and off, and causes you to lose your dose dial position. In most markets, the Delonghi is slightly MORE expensive
Own La Specialista, but frankly my Barrista Max makes damn near perfect coffee for 1/2 the price of La Specialista. Bought both of them lightly used. I hate the fact that DeLonghi as become a charlatan company basically ripping customers off. Still - you cannot argue with the looks - DeLonghi La Specialista is a magnificent looking thing.
I have a stupid question. On the Delonghi, wouldn't it be easier scooping the beans from the grinder when removing the lid than taking them out when the entire top portion of the grinder is removed?
@@LifestyleLab_ Maybe I didn't make myself clear before. I'm referring to the cover that's taken off to fill the beans. Can't that cover be taken off so the beans could be scooped out to replace with new beans?
It can, but there is another non-removable guard that stops you from getting them all out. You will still have 100g or so left that will come splitting out
@@LifestyleLab_ And that's 18.5 percent of what? I understand that tells you the concentration but what is that? Dissolved solids? How do you measure that?
great video! please help, when making a double shot espresso on the breville barista pro it stops after 15 seconds. ive tried different grinds settings and still the same. how can i get the perfect double shot?
Hi There , I see you have a lot of review about barista pro and combo machines ! Do you familiar with LeLit PL042TEMD an other combo machine with nice futures ?!
Can this machine (Breville) grind more than 1 of coffee kind together in a bean hopper (ie; arabica+brazil+robusta grind together)? Because someone told that it can occur malfunction of the machine?
@@LifestyleLab_ Thank you..1 more to ask expertise ;) I forgot to fill up the water in the tank (water is empty in tank) while doing an extract and switch the wand ON to steam milk...will this affects the machine and caused the break down or malfunction?
Just got finished packing up the Prestigio, unpacking the Barista Touch and pulled a couple lukewarm shots….I’m scratching my head and thinking wtf have I done?! The Prestigio is most certainly 100% higher quality!! and I bought the upgraded version of the Pro he featured in this review comparison! The Portafilter is much heavier (by 16% to be specific), the whole machine is at least 10lbs heavier, the water tank is better designed and more robust, and the drip tray is by far a huge step up on the De’Longhi! And the tamping system…once you have it, geez I don’t know if I can be without it now - it’s so fast and clean. And the smart grinding on the De’Longhi NEVER overdoses, even if you adjust the grind…it’s magic. I feel completely duped by online reviews like this that put the Breville on fake platform above all the others. The people that buy a home espresso machine like this want something that is good value for the money, reliable, simple to use and effective - we don’t want a damn cafe lab in our kitchen with endless tweaking of this and that. The De’Longhi Prestigio did all that with flying colors. I’m upset…don’t be misled by online reviews. Fml
The Barista Pro is a more capable machine when it comes to drink quality. Hands down. The Prestigio is more convenience oriented. This was clearly explained in this video. If you're getting lukewarm shots on the Breville, the portafilter was likely not adequately warmed. It should be HOT to the touch. This is true for any espresso machine :) You haven't been "duped" or "lied to", you just need to learn to properly use the machine.
@@LifestyleLab_ no, you shot down the Prestigio on build quality - and that is not fair and not a true representation. I own many Breville appliances (8 not including this Touch machine) so I’m a $upporter…but you got this one wrong man. Just own it vs defend
Unfortunately I don't think there's a way to quantify "build quality" but the filter basket / portafilter on the Delonghi is very rough to say the least... remove the filter basket from both and then re-install them. The filter on the Breville is identical to any standard espresso machine. The delonghi is thin, flimsy, any completely proprietary. I am looking at these machines from the perspective of someone who has owned and reviewed a LOT of espresso machines at a variety of price points.
yup. The drip trays on my Breville's used to drive me nuts, with their messy cleanup. Pulling out the Delonghi to see hardly any grounds and water in it is a joy every time. The notion of opening a Breville drip tray to get at gadgets really made me smile.
Could you please tell me why why our stupid la specialista is overflowing when we try to make a coffee,it’s just drips for all over the rim and there is pressure building a small explosion when we remove the Scoop from the machine,please help
Bonjour ! I bought the Delonghi's Prestigio a couple of weeks while ago. Since I watched your video I understand why each cup of coffee with the same settings doesn't taste the same. Turning off the machine before tempering is indeed a solution but for such an expensive machine pfffff what a disappointment... ;-( I also noticed that when I've finally found the perfect settings for a great cup of single expresso and I push on ×2 for a double, the amount of coffee that comes out is not the double of the weight of a single (I'm not sure to be clear enough). That means that the pressure changes and that I get a complete different taste. Did you notice anything like that ? A third thing that I noticed has to do with the steam nozzle. The result of the milk froth is not always the same. Have of the time I get a result. Although I make it exactly the same way. Of course I tried many times with different kinds of milk... As you understand I am not satisfied at all with this machine and I regret I bought it! Could you please tell if you have noticed anything of what I wrote? Thanks! Juliette
The only flaw I see with the Barista Pro is that the cup warmer does not warm the cups...the group head is not warmed as in the BBE. This is due to the heating mechanism. Which begs the question...why have a cup warmer that does not do what it needs to do?
Thank you for nice comparison For me clear winner DeLonghi because grinder works without any mess (two Home Use Only machines). Also I have full automatic CRUPS machine with only 5 grind settings, and believe me it works fine for making nice espresso. This new model updated Prestigio was much improved machine. Will update my note after some use my DeLonghi (on delivery already).
Because they aren’t designed for industrial duty cycles, they are designed for home use. That is why the two product categories exist. Commercial machines need to be rated for commercial use in most countries The pumps, gaskets, heating elements, joints etc will wear out if used for 8 hours straight and hundreds of drinks per day.
No that's my fault. It's because I usually tend to skip the whole intro part of any RU-vid video, to avoid unnecessary introductions. Perhaps I should do that less frequently, thanks for the fast clarification anyway.
I went to Bed Bath and Beyond a few days ago and I compared the La Specialista Prestigio vs the barista pro, I think the DeLonghi has a much higher build quality... It is full stainless steel instead of the plastic feeling of the barista pro, also the DeLonghi is much bigger and heavier with better build quality to the touch.
I feel like people who can afford these are most concerned how each would fit the rest of their kitchen aesthetically or how easy will it be for their employees to use it
No. If you lift the tamping arm, the machine won't grind. Indeed the hopper can't be emptied, I only do single dosing. It is a perfect machine if you dial in one and only one sort of beans all the time. If like me you switch depending and your mood, grinds settings are useless anyway, on both machine. Each time your have to set grind size and dosing back and forth between beans type. I wish these machines would include beans profiles - 'til then I scratch in a settings notebook :(
This is a great review…you certainly took a much gentler approach to the original LaSpecialista review. However, it looks like DeLonghi has learned a lot since the first gen LaSpecialista. Now, i wonder is the LaSpecialista Maestro compares well to the more auto machines like the Oracle or Oracle Touch.
Nothing makes me happier than when companies listen to feedback and act on it. They still have a way to go with this platform, but this was a step in the right direction
@@LifestyleLab_ I agree. I still wonder about the 51mm portafilter...why not go with at least 54? But then I guess I could say the same with breville...why not go 58mm across the line?
Amazing and useful review! I'd definitely prefer now the Barista Pro for the additional control it provides for both, grinding and tamping. Thanks a lot!
Im still on the offence why beginners should start with these semi autos. For the same money, you could get a bambino plus or sth similar and get a good quality grinder I have found the integrated grinders to be meh at best and quite bad the most time. About as good as those 50-70eur coffee grinders from amazon
And in many ways you’re correct! A Gaggia Classic Pro and a good grinder can make better espresso. However, the all in one solution is very attractive, if you’re steaming milk the Barista Pro is unbeatable at its price point, and the grinders have improved significantly since Breville acquired Baratza
Great video. I have a gift card for the De`longhi. Do you know what is the largest ounce of Americano it makes? I'm excited for this review. It seems to be great.
To the lucky folks who own either of these beauties, could someone confirm for me if you can hook up a water line these guys? really don't feel like filling up water on a weekly basis
Because this would mean moving the grinding dial, and changing the dose I had dialed in. You can try to put the dial back to the same spot, but will never get it quite the same
From the start I've noticed you have more affection for the breville, and it's okay, totally subjective. From my perspective, deLonghi has more appealing retro design - that both of machines are. That Nintendo display is maybe convenient but totally disgusting. I'm not a fan for fake chrome (stainless) nor the "smart" tamping. You forgot to make a comment on the tamper from the breville, is it removeable or fixed to the machine? I like the pressure gauge on the Prestigio because it feels more professional to know your pressure and it's definitely more eye appealing than that 90's display for sure. Didn't make the coffee on both of these but I've seen them in person and felt them, and 100% would go deLonghi just for the touch and looks. Being taller, deLonghi has more clearance for the long shots like latte macchiato and that sort of drinks - I guess.
