De'Longhi Magnifica Evo, Bean to Cup Coffee and Cappuccino Maker, ECAM292.81.B, Black

Product Information

Once you add hot water or hot frothy milk to the Evo One Touch’s espressos, however, you’re unlikely to care: the result is a very drinkable cup of coffee. Any issues with bitterness are masked with the sweetness of the hot milk, or diluted by the hot water enough to make the flavour more appealing. As I mentioned earlier in this DeLonghi Magnifica Evo review, using the LatteCrema milk carafe couldn’t be easier. You just add milk, attach the flask to the machine, and away you go! Once you’ve made a drink, it’s really easy to flush the milk system without having to take everything apart. Should DeLonghi orient itself more towards modern microfoam here? I don’t think so. The cappuccino is super hot, which indicates the milk has almost been denatured. Still, I know you guys like really hot milk, so that’ll be good news!

You can easily remove the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo’s brew group which is definitely a bonus. If you’re new to the world of super automatics, you should know that the brewing unit is where all the magic happens. Talking of which, the steam wand is a far cry from those found on better manual machines. Instead, it’s designed to be as foolproof as possible. Slide the collar on the wand to “Cappuccino” and all you need to do is pop it into a jug of cold milk and turn it on: the result is hot, frothy milk. You don’t get the deliciously silky microfoam that you can coax out with a proper manual wand – or the automatic milk-frothing options on Sage’s manual espresso machines for that matter – but it’s okay. Milk frothing is a manual affair but the steam wand is designed for beginners. There’s no expertise required here at all, and even a complete novice can make a serviceable latte or cappuccino with minimal effort.With that done, the results were much improved. The espresso was still too thin and watery, however, so I used the option to manually adjust how much water the machine uses for each espresso shot. Reducing it a little helped matters immeasurably, and the result was a tasty espresso with a pleasant flavour and texture. Apart from this pretty idea, the Magnifica Evo is one of the DeLonghi espresso machines obviously oriented toward a popular model from an equally popular competitor. More on that later too. Features User Interface Grinder Ground Coffee Bypas Milk Foam Specialty Drinks User Profiles Brew Group Cup Height Warranty Earlier in this DeLonghi Magnifica Evo review I mentioned the influence of a certain Dutch manufacturer on the machine’s milk system. Let’s take a closer look at how the Magnifica Evo fares in comparison with a few other machines. DeLonghi Magnifica Evo With LatteCrema vs Magnifica Evo With Steam Wand The steam arm doesn’t come with a compatible milk jug as standard so when we used a steaming jug we already owned, the wand wasn’t long enough to reach into the milk. This, of course, is easily fixed with a smaller milk jug but do bear in mind that you won’t be able to froth as much milk in one go. It was also a little disappointing not to have a milk jug included, despite the price of this machine. When we did make a cappuccino, the steam arm did a great job of frothing and adequately heating the milk within 20 seconds. The milk was silky and well-frothed and held its shape well when mixed with the espresso.

There are two spouts on the coffee dispenser which means you can make two coffees at once. We found the machine sturdy enough to prevent the espresso cups from sliding around on the drip tray and the adjustable height of the dispenser meant it was very easy to fit a variety of cup sizes beneath it. Start by filling the water reservoir and adding coffee beans to the hopper. Once you’ve turned the machine on, you’ll need to enter your water hardness. You’ll also have to wait for the machine to go about its business. This involves preheating, rinsing and filling the water circuit. Thankfully, it’s easy to adjust grind size on this machine: where some rivals require a fiddly tool, the De’Longhi allows you to simply turn the dial with your fingers. The only proviso is that it should only be adjusted when the grinder is running, and the manual advises users to adjust it one step at a time, giving the settings time to bed in. The DeLonghi Magnifica Evo ECAM290.81.TB is a countertop espresso machine that offers a variety of features for coffee lovers. With a water tank capacity of 1.8 liters, it can hold a substantial amount of water, reducing the need for frequent refilling. This coffee maker allows users to choose between coffee beans or ground coffee as their preferred input type, providing flexibility for different brewing preferences. The coffee bean capacity is 250 grams, allowing for a decent amount of beans to be stored at one time.Once all that’s out of the way, I’d recommend preparing a few coffees and throwing them out. That way you’ll season the machine and get rid of any factory residue that could be hanging out in the nooks and crannies. Drink Preparation In here, the machine doses and tamps ground coffee before extracting your beautiful espresso. So, get used to removing the brew group and giving it the attention it deserves! By that, I mean rinsing it, drying it and singing to it softly. Cup Height Still, as a concept it’s great. You have the option of programming milk foam settings or obtaining exactly the amount that you’ve poured into the compact carafe. If you need hot water for an americano, you have to remove the milk flask and exchange it for an extra nozzle, which comes as part of the accessories. That’s all there is to it! DeLonghi Magnifica Evo Cleaning What’s more, there are 13 grind adjustment levels, which means you have plenty of room to maneuver when you’re dialing in your espresso. Just remember to always make adjustments when the grinder is running! Ground Coffee Bypas

Of course, there is the My Latte button, which allows you to customize and save recipes. Still, if there are several coffee lovers using the machine, it’ll be a constant game of “whose latte is it anyway?” Brew Group None of this is a big deal. But in my experience, simplicity in the right places is never a disadvantage. DeLonghi Magnifica Evo First Impressions I like to complain a lot. Usually about half-baked “new releases” in my super automatic espresso machine guide 2023.The espresso volume is preset to 1.4 ounces (40 milliliters) which results in a nice, strong double shot. However, you should reduce the coffee volume from the preset 6 ounces (180 milliliters) to 4 ounces (120 milliliters). I haven’t changed any temperature and aroma strength settings this time. One final minor quibble is that it’s not possible to adjust the milk temperature at all. I suspect that many people prefer their coffee steaming hot, but the De’Longhi is a tad too hot in my opinion. In my direct comparisons, steamed milk from the De’Longhi didn’t taste as sweet and creamy as when I manually frothed it on a manual espresso machine, and this suggests the milk is being overheated enough to change its flavour. There are soft touch icons for all the drinks on offer, as well as a few icons for making adjustments. Of course, you’ll need to learn which buttons to press, and how long to hold them down, but that’ll take about 30 seconds! Grinder