Features

Thermoblock

Heating

MakerFormatTierScore

SageBambino PlusThree seconds from cold to ready, and an automatic wand that textures milk better than most people do by hand. Buy it for the milk and the speed; buy the grinder separately, because there isn't one.EspressoMid-range8.4
De'LonghiLa Specialista Arte EC9155A grinder, non-pressurised baskets and a wand the maker genuinely aims at latte art, in a body smaller than its rivals. Eight grind settings is the constraint, and 51 mm baskets limit what you can buy for it.EspressoPremium7.9
De'LonghiMagnifica S ECAM22.110Fifteen years on sale and still the bean-to-cup most British households end up with. The brew group comes out for cleaning, which is the feature that decides year five, and the two finest grind settings jam it.BeanToCupMid-range7.8
De'LonghiDedica Style EC685Fifteen centimetres wide, which is the whole point: it fits where nothing else does. It ships with a pressurised basket and a panarello frother, so it flatters the coffee and caps what you can do with milk.EspressoMid-range7.0
De'LonghiStilosa EC230The cheapest way to own a real portafilter machine, and it makes a better shot than its price suggests. What you give up is the milk: the wand is short, slow and the reason nobody makes a flat white on one.EspressoBudget6.8

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Features that travel together

15-bar pump Removable water tank Descaling programme Removable drip tray 51 mm portafilter Stainless steel body Manual steam wand Pressurised basket