Delonghi Plus Espresso Machine

Last updated: October 2, 2026

What Is the DeLonghi “Plus”?

DeLonghi doesn’t sell one machine called the “Plus” — the name shows up across several lines, which causes most of the confusion when you’re shopping. The two you’ll see most often are the Magnifica Plus and the La Specialista Arte Evo / La Specialista Opera line where “Plus” refers to a bundle or feature set, not a single new platform.

In practice, when people say “DeLonghi Plus” they usually mean the DeLonghi Magnifica Plus. It’s a compact super-automatic from the Magnifica family, positioned between the entry-level Magnifica Evo and the more expensive Dinamica Plus and Eletta Explore. It grinds, tamps, and brews at the push of a button, steams milk automatically with DeLonghi’s LatteCrema system, and is aimed at people who want one-touch milk drinks without learning manual espresso.

There is also the Dedica Arte Plus and older EC series sometimes listed as “Plus” by retailers. Those are semi-automatic, single-boiler machines where you grind, dose, and tamp yourself. Very different workflow, very different buyer. If you are comparing, make sure the full model number matches — EC950, EC860, Magnifica Plus ECAM32070, etc. — otherwise you are not comparing the same category.

Who the Magnifica Plus Is Actually For

See also: Breville Bench Saver • Rocket Espresso Coffee Machine

This machine makes sense if you want milk drinks daily, you don’t want to weigh and distribute grounds, and counter space matters. It is 14-15 inches wide and much shorter than DeLonghi’s premium automatics, so it fits under most cabinets. The bean hopper holds about 250g, the water tank is around 1.8L, and it will make espresso, americano (by adding hot water), cappuccino, latte, and flat white from the menu.

It is a good fit for:

Households where two people want different drinks back-to-back. The automatic milk carafe means you don’t have to purge and wipe a steam wand between drinks.

Beginners who were considering pods for convenience but want better coffee. The Plus is faster than a semi-automatic and far more forgiving on grind and tamp, though not as hands-off as a pod machine.

Offices or kitchens where the machine needs to be approachable for guests. No portafilter to lock in, no knock box needed.

It is not ideal if you want to get into light roasts, single origins, or dialing in extraction by taste. You can adjust grind size (13 settings on the conical burr) and coffee strength/aroma, but you can’t control dose weight precisely, pre-infusion time, or brew temperature beyond the preset low/medium/high. If that tinkering is the point for you, a semi-automatic with a proper grinder will make you happier.

Key Features and How They Hold Up Day to Day

Grinder and brew unit: The steel conical burr grinder is quiet enough for an automatic and consistent for medium to dark roasts. It struggles with very light, dense beans — you’ll get slower shots and more sour notes because the machine can’t grind fine enough or extend extraction to compensate. The brew unit is removable for rinsing, which is a real advantage over sealed systems. Rinse it weekly; otherwise oils build up and you get bitter, stale flavors even with fresh beans.

LatteCrema milk system: This is the headline feature on the Plus. You fill the carafe, attach it, and the machine froths and pours automatically. Texture is thick, creamy microfoam that holds for latte art for about 10 seconds — it is not the silky, pourable foam a good manual wand produces, but it is consistent. Milk temperature tops out around 150-155°F on the hot setting. The carafe has a dial for foam level and a clean cycle that runs after each milk drink. If you skip the clean cycle, milk bakes onto the frother and clogs within a week.

Controls: The Magnifica Plus uses a 3.5-inch color touch display with drink icons. You can save three user profiles with custom strength and milk volume. There is no app control on most US versions, which is actually a plus for reliability — fewer connectivity headaches.

Heat-up and workflow: From cold start to ready is about 45-60 seconds. Back-to-back milk drinks take about 90 seconds each. The drip tray fills quickly if you make a lot of milk drinks and rinse cycles; plan to empty it daily with heavy use. Noise is moderate — grinding is the loudest part, brewing is quieter than a Dedica with a vibratory pump.

How It Compares to Similar DeLonghi Options

Choosing within DeLonghi usually comes down to how much manual work you want and how much you care about milk texture versus convenience.

If your priority is convenience, the Magnifica Plus justifies its premium over the Evo — the carafe and the profile saving are worth it if you make milk drinks daily. If your priority is taste ceiling, the cheaper DeLonghi La Specialista Arte Evo paired with a capable grinder will outperform any Magnifica on medium-light coffees, but it will ask more of you each morning.

Downsides and Failure Modes to Know Before You Buy

No automatic is maintenance-free, and DeLonghi’s automatics have predictable weak points.

Grinder blockages: Oily, dark-roast beans and flavored beans cause clumps and can jam the chute. The machine will then grind but brew watery coffee. Fix is to run Grindz tablets or uncooked instant rice is not recommended — use the cleaning cycle and switch to a medium roast if it keeps happening. DeLonghi explicitly warns against oily beans for this reason.

Brew unit wear: After 12-18 months of daily use, the two red O-rings on the brew unit dry out. Symptoms are leaks into the drip tray and less crema. They are cheap to replace and most users can do it themselves, but if ignored the motor strains and throws a “brew unit blocked” error.

Milk carafe neglect: The LatteCrema carafe has a small air intake pinhole that clogs with dried milk. Once clogged, you get hot milk with no foam. The auto-clean helps, but you still need to disassemble and rinse the carafe lid under warm water after a day of milk drinks. The carafe also has a rubber gasket that can be lost in the dishwasher.

Descaling: The Plus is aggressive about its descale reminder. If you have hard water, you’ll see it every 6-8 weeks. Use DeLonghi’s descaler or another citric-acid based descaler without vinegar — vinegar degrades internal seals. Skipping descale leads to weak flow and eventually a thermoblock replacement, which costs nearly half the price of the machine.

Temperature: Like most DeLonghi thermoblock automatics, brew temperature runs cooler than commercial machines. Dark and medium roasts taste balanced, but light roasts taste thin and sour unless you preheat the cup and select the highest temperature setting. There is no way to set exact brew temp.

Should You Buy It, or Save Money?

Be honest about how you make coffee at home. If you currently use a drip machine or pods and want lattes without a new hobby, the Magnifica Plus is the sweet spot in DeLonghi’s line. It is more reliable than the cheaper Evo — fewer wand issues — and $300-400 less than the Dinamica Plus or Eletta Explore, which mainly add more cold brew presets and a larger display you may not need.

The cheaper option is fine if: you drink straight espresso or americano, you don’t mind manual frothing, and you want to spend less. In that case, the non-carafe Magnifica Evo or even a Dedica with a seperate grinder will make similar-tasting black coffee for less money. You are not giving up much shot quality, only convenience.

Spend more only if: you want true cold brew on demand, or you want to fine-tune temperature and want the Eletta’s bean-to-cup cold extraction. For most households that extra money is better spent on fresh beans and filtered water.

If you shop outside DeLonghi, compare the Plus directly to the Philips 3200 LatteGo and Gaggia Magenta Plus. Philips cleans easier (the LatteGo carafe has two parts with no tubes), Gaggia gives you a bit more brew control. DeLonghi wins on fit-and-finish and the availability of parts. For sheer reliability in automatics under $1,000, also look at super automatic espresso machines with automatic milk carafe as a category before you lock in — prices swing $100-200 month to month and that often decides the best value.

When buying, check warranty terms. DeLonghi US typically offers 2 years if you register, but Amazon marketplace sellers sometimes list imported EU versions with only seller warranty and no US parts support. Buy from an authorized seller if you want the service network.

FAQ

Does the DeLonghi Magnifica Plus make real espresso or just strong coffee?

It makes real espresso with crema using pressurized brewing at around 9 bars, but extraction is preset. For medium and dark roasts it tastes like good cafe espresso. It lacks the adjustability to properly extract very light roasts the way a manual machine with a good grinder can.

Can I use pre-ground coffee or pods in the Magnifica Plus?

You can use pre-ground through the bypass chute for one serving, including decaf, but you can’t use pods. The grinder is the primary feed; the bypass is handy if someone wants decaf without emptying the hopper.

How often do I need to clean and descale it?

Empty the drip tray and grounds container daily, rinse the brew unit weekly, and disassemble the milk carafe lid after each day you steam milk. Descale when prompted — roughly every 2-3 months with filtered water, more often with hard tap water.

Is the Magnifica Plus worth it over the cheaper Magnifica Evo?

If you make milk drinks most days, yes — the automatic LatteCrema carafe, touch display, and user profiles save time and give more consistent foam. If you mostly drink black coffee and don’t mind a manual wand, the Evo makes nearly identical espresso for less.