Delonghi La Specialista vs Breville Barista Pro are two choices that many people consider among the mid-range espresso machines on the market. So I have searched and aggregated information about these two machines to be able to give you the right advice.
If you are busy and do not want to read a long article, then hen the quick answer is Breville Barista Pro is exactly my priority. It deserves to be the winner due to its barista-quality performance and outstanding features such as 30 grind settings, ThermoJet heating system, and digital temperature control.
However, given what the runner-up – La Specialista is able to do, it has all the right features to be a real competitor to other mid-end pressurized machines. With some salient features like dual heating system, smart tamping station and advanced latte system, this machine is really ideal for people who are busy and want the automatic.
Delonghi La Specialista vs Breville Barista Pro: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Delonghi La Specialista vs Breville Barista Pro: Differences
The Breville Barista Pro wins 4-2 against its predecessor, the Delonghi La Specialista, for its professional-looking design, more intuitive display, more grind settings, and precise temperature control.
1. Build Quality
The Winner: Breville Barista Pro
As soon as I opened the La Specialista package, I had noticed that the build quality was significantly lower compared to that of the Breville. My first impression was that there was far more hard, brittle, cheap-feeling plastic, particularly on parts that you are going to be using quite frequently like the portafilter handle, the bean hopper, the tamper, even the way the filter basket snaps in.
The Barista, on the other hand, feels much more well built. Having a sleek and professional-looking design, the Breville Barista Pro espresso machine makes a great addition to your kitchen counter.
That is rather disappointing since the La Specialista actually costs slightly more than the La Specialista.
2. Interface
The Winner: Breville Barista Pro
The LCD screen on the Barista Pro makes it very easy to use. On the machine’s LCD display, you will be able to see all of the information you need as well as the progress of the coffee-making process. The LCD display also serves as a guide during the grinding and extracting processes.
It is also possible to check the size and number of shots from this screen. Thus, making coffee with this machine is easy, giving you clear instructions
The user interface on the La Specialista was not as intuitive as that on the Breville. There are dials and buttons, some labelled with vague symbols and words, such as the ‘OK’ button in the middle. Once you read the manual, it’s fine, but I much prefer the more simple layout of the Breville.
3. Grind Settings
The Winner: Breville Barista Pro
Barista Pro espresso machines feature a conical burr grinder that offers 30 settings. This is another feature of the Barista Pro that leaves the DeLonghi La Specialista trailing, as the former machine only has 5 grind steps.
With the Breville Barista Pro, then, you can dial in your espresso shots more accurately and efficiently.
4. Tamping
The Winner: Delonghi La Specialista
In terms of grinding workflow, I prefer the La Specialista. It’s great how the grinding is self-contained, and it begins right away when you lock in the portafilter. I really like the Smart tamping station on the La Specialista. When the coffee has been ground in the filter basket, all you need to do is press the lever on the side of the machine for the coffee in the filter basket to be pressed.
In my opinion, this is a great way to ensure that a new user will get a consistent and level tamp. The portafilter doesn’t need to be removed, so you get to enjoy a mess-free experience.
The Barista is more traditional, with a basic manual tamper. Once you have your grinds, you have to remove the portafilter, and you need to use the provided tamper to tamp your grinds. It can quite messy sometimes.
5. Heating system
The Winner: Delonghi La Specialista
Using Breville’s unique heating system, ThermoJet, the Barista Pro has a highly effective heating system. The water will only take 3 seconds to heat up to make espresso. The Breville single heater, however, is used both for extracting coffee and steaming milk.
The De’Longhi machine is equipped with two independent heating systems: one thermoblock for extracting coffee, and an independent heating system for steaming milk or frothing. With this configuration, frothing or steaming milk-based drinks can be prepared immediately.
The advantage of having two heaters is that once the coffee is ready, steaming your milk for beverages like latte and macchiato doesn’t require additional heating time.
To me, Delonghi is the more appealing option in this respect.
6. Temperature Control
The Winner: Breville Barista Pro
Extraction of coffee is affected by water temperature. During the brewing process, you should have the right temperature if you want your coffee to have a rich and full flavor.
This machine by De’Longhi allows you to adjust the water temperature to either “Alta” (high temperature) or “Normale” (normal temperature). In terms of PID technology, it does not have any.
The Barista Pro uses PID technology to regulate the espresso extraction temperature just like high-end commercial machines, and this works beautifully every time. You will always get consistent and delicious tasting extraction results thanks to this feature..
Quick Rundown of Breville Barista Pro
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of Delonghi La Specialista
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Breville Barista Pro by Breville: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes878.html
- De’longhi La Specialista by De’longhi: https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/la-specialista-espresso-machine-with-sensor-grinder-and-dual-heating-system-stainless-steel-ec9335m/p/EC9335M
I am a passionate coffee drinker. Since I left my job as a barista a few years back in 2012, I’ve been sharing my expertise on coffee and buying the best coffee equipment online. That’s how Wild Boar Coffee came to life.
I write about everything coffee-related under the sun. Where to buy the freshest coffee beans from? How to test coffee beans based on texture, aroma, and acidity?
I know all this from scratch – all thanks to my years and years of experience as a barista. So I’ve gotten real up-close-and-personal with coffee beans and different brewing techniques.