Review Of The DeLonghi Magnifica Espresso Machine

A bean-to-cup espresso machine is as close as you can get to a fully automatic espresso maker. Coffee beans go into the holder, water into the 1.8l reservoir and that's it. Switch on and the machine measures out the right quantity of beans, grinds them to the correct coarseness and tamps them down automatically to the right density.

The heated water is then pumped at 15 bar pressure, through the coffee, into the cups.

A steam wand fitted with a frother head can be used to froth up some milk for cappuccino or latte if you want.

The theory is fine in principle, and it's fair to say that the DeLonghi Magnifica gives superb results, as long as the controls are properly set. You have plenty of adjustments to make:-

•     The setting of the grinder - too fine and there is too much resistance to the water, too coarse and the coffee lacks flavour and you don't get a crema on the top.
•     The amount of water and coffee that is used in each brewing
•     The number of cups per brew
•     The temperature and pressure of the steam

The trick is to balance all these variables so that you get the strength and amount of coffee that you want. The manufacturers set up the machine before it leaves the factory, but anybody buying one of these coffee makers ought to be prepared to spend some time getting the adjustments correct.

The machine has a number of other valuable features:-

•     The spent coffee grounds are automatically moved into a container after each brew. An alarm tells you when it needs to be emptied.
•     The machine will periodically rinse itself through during the day
•     The machine will take ready ground beans if that suits you. Useful for decaf drinkers
•     Yet another alarm will alert you when the machine is ready to be de-scaled.

In conclusion, it's hard not to agree that the DeLonghi Magnifica has an awful lot going for it. The important thing to remember is that you need to learn how to use it - do that and you won't be disappointed.