{"id":791780,"date":"2026-10-04T15:16:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T15:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/791780\/"},"modified":"2026-10-04T15:16:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T15:16:13","slug":"the-perfect-everyday-coffee-machine-delonghi-magnifica-start-review-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/791780\/","title":{"rendered":"The perfect everyday coffee machine: De\u2019Longhi Magnifica Start review | Coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"

You don\u2019t need to spend big money to get a good coffee machine. Strictly speaking, you don\u2019t need a coffee machine<\/a> at all \u2013 a nice cafeti\u00e8re<\/a> will do just fine. If you do crave a lower-effort solution that doesn\u2019t cost a fortune, then a fully automatic bean-to-cup machine, such as the De\u2019Longhi Magnifica Start ECAM220.60, is a good place to, um, start.<\/p>\n

It makes espresso. It makes black coffee. It makes cappuccino. It produces hot water on demand. Fill the hopper with good coffee beans, top up the water and fill the little milk carafe (if you want milk, that is), and all you need to do is plonk a cup on the drip tray and prod the corresponding button. Whirr, hum, splutter. Your cup is now full of coffee. Nice coffee, too.<\/p>\n

View at De\u2019Longhi<\/a>View at Argos<\/a>How I testedGood cup of Joe? The De\u2019Longhi can make espresso, long black and cappuccino. Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

As with every coffee machine I test, I put the Magnifica Start ECAM220.60 through its paces in my home for several weeks. I used the full range of its drink settings and assessed how easy it was to set up, use and maintain.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve tested more than 30 coffee machines for the Filter, so not only do I know a good cup of Joe when I taste one, but I also have a sense of where this machine sits in an overwhelmingly crowded market.<\/p>\n

What you need to knowAutomatic for the people: a fuss-free model for those who want to keep things simple. Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The GuardianView at De\u2019Longhi<\/a>View at Argos<\/a><\/p>\n

The Magnifica Start is one of De\u2019Longhi\u2019s most affordable fully automatic models. It\u2019s simple to use, well designed and if you time it right you can sometimes find it on sale from about \u00a3300. At this price you can expect to forgo features such as touchscreens or LCD panels, but many people will find the Start\u2019s fuss-free controls more user-friendly.<\/p>\n

Before you rush out and buy one, be aware that \u2013 as with many of De\u2019Longhi\u2019s machines \u2013 the Magnifica Start comes in an array of models \u2013 four on the brand\u2019s website, and a few retailer-specific options. Cheaper ones swap the milk carafe for a simple wand, which you can use to steam and froth milk manually. They share the same grinder, brew group and general design, though, so will make an equally pleasant espresso or longer black coffee. They\u2019ll still make a decent milk-based coffee, but you\u2019ll need to hone your barista skills to manually steam milk using the steam wand. If you develop a knack for it, this can help with the lack of adjustability you\u2019ll find with fully automatic models, but there\u2019s a learning curve. If you like the sound of manual milk steaming, look for a model with a lower number at the end of its part code, such as ECAM220.22. These are usually cheaper.<\/p>\n

If you prefer your bean-to-cup machines to be fully automated \u2013 and I think most people do \u2013 then make sure you\u2019re buying a Magnifica Start with a 6 in its part code, such as the ECAM220.60 I have here. This will create frothy coffees poured into a cup at the touch of a button.<\/p>\n

De\u2019Longhi Magnifica Start ECAM220.60 specifications<\/p>\n

Type: assisted espresso machine
Dimensions: 24 x 44 x 35cm (WDH)
Water tank: 1.8l removable
Replaceable water filter: yes
Accessories supplied: water hardness test strip, measuring scoop, milk carafe, descaler, water filter
Time to heat up: 40 seconds
Grinder included: yes, 13 settings
Noise: grind 75dB, brew 55dB, steam 60dB
Weight: 8.8kg
Warranty: two years<\/p>\n

What we loveWash and brush up: the De\u2019Longhi\u2019s parts separate for cleaning. Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

Despite all the fancy \u2013 and pricier \u2013 coffee machines at my disposal, the Magnifica Start has kept its place in my kitchen over the past few months. That\u2019s because it makes a decent coffee at the touch of a button, and it\u2019s simple to use. All the buttons are easily accessible on the front panel, meaning choosing drinks and adjusting the strength of each is straightforward. The buttons are touch-sensitive rather than old-school clicky ones, but I had no trouble with accidental presses or prods not registering.<\/p>\n

The drinks menu is small, but it\u2019ll suffice for most people. You can choose between espresso, long black coffee, cappuccino or hot water. I found the default amounts on the small side \u2013 45ml espresso, 150ml cappuccino and 200ml of black coffee. Thankfully, it\u2019s easy to adjust each drink if you want a longer coffee. For cappuccino, you can adjust the volume of coffee and milk individually to get the strength and consistency you want \u2013 and that means you make it more of a flat white, or a latte, depending on what settings you choose. Just hold the corresponding drinks button for a few seconds, then tap it once you\u2019re happy with the amounts of coffee or milk in your cup.<\/p>\n

The Start\u2019s milk carafe is smaller than on pricier models, but it clips on and off easily and opens the door to one-touch cappuccinos. It does a cracking job of producing a reasonably fine, creamy foam, too. It\u2019s not as silky as the best bean-to-cup machines, but it\u2019s not a million miles away.<\/p>\n

double quotation markA dial gives you 13 steps of grind adjustment, which is plenty enough to suit most coffee beans<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no ability to adjust the amount of froth, however: if you want hot, unfrothed milk, then you\u2019ll need to either make it yourself in the microwave or on the hob, or upgrade to one of De\u2019Longhi\u2019s machines with more adjustability, such as the rather excellent Rivelia<\/a>, which starts at \u00a3599.<\/p>\n

Black coffee and tea drinkers can press the quick-release button on the carafe\u2019s side, slot the water spout into place, and the little LED light under the hot water button illuminates. This allows you to top up a black coffee or turn an espresso into an americano. Or even just make a cup of tea if you don\u2019t want to boil the kettle, although puritans should be warned that the water is hot, not boiling.<\/p>\n

The rest of the design is similarly sensible. Lift off the plastic lid on top of the machine, and you can fill the bean hopper with up to 250g of coffee beans. A dial in the middle gives you 13 steps of grind adjustment, which is plenty enough to suit most coffee beans. In its centre, a flap hides the ground coffee chute \u2013 if you run out of beans or you want to switch to decaf, you can add a dose of preground coffee with the supplied plastic scoop.<\/p>\n

The 1.8-litre water tank slots in on the right-hand side and is made from clear plastic so you can see how much is remaining. A water filter comes in the box, and this lasts for about two months under normal usage. Replacements cost about \u00a315 at full price from De\u2019Longhi, but if you shop around you can get the price down to about \u00a37<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The drip tray has a decent capacity, so it doesn\u2019t need emptying too often. Slide it out, and you\u2019ll discover that it\u2019s attached to the grounds bin, which is large enough to contain at least a few days of coffee grounds, depending on your dose settings and caffeine consumption. The various parts separate for easy cleaning \u2013 and are dishwasher safe aside from the grounds bin \u2013 but normally a quick rinse and wipe down to remove coffee and milk residue and clean coffee grounds out of the bin is all that\u2019s required.<\/p>\n

Once the water tank is out, you can quickly pull out the coffee infuser, also known as the brewing head, where the ground coffee sits during brewing. This is very welcome. These kinds of machines can get mucky inside, so being able to pull out the infuser and give it a thorough rinse is definitely a good thing.<\/p>\n

What we don\u2019t loveThe white stuff: a dedicated hot milk button would be a huge improvement. Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

One minor irk is that, at 75dB, the Start\u2019s grinder is noisier than any coffee machine I\u2019ve tested. That\u2019s 12dB louder than the otherwise comparable Philips LatteGo 5500<\/a>. This is mostly because the thin plastic lid doesn\u2019t have a tight seal, so it doesn\u2019t muffle the noise as much as other designs.<\/p>\n

My main complaint, though, is that the milk carafe could \u2013 and should \u2013 be bigger. Its 220ml capacity is much smaller than on De\u2019Longhi\u2019s pricier models \u2013 such as the Rivelia<\/a>, which is more than double the size. You\u2019ll get a couple of small, default-sized cappuccinos out of it, but if you increase the preset volume of milk, you\u2019ll need to refill the carafe after every drink.<\/p>\n

Also, unlike De\u2019Longhi\u2019s pricier machines, there\u2019s no dial to adjust the milk froth \u2013 you get a fixed amount, and that\u2019s it. Yes, it produces a fine, creamy foam without too many big bubbles, but it\u2019s a shame you can\u2019t adjust it to your preference, especially if you\u2019re a fan of a flat white, which tends to have less frothy milk than a cappuccino.<\/p>\n

That said, my review model did occasionally produce barely frothed hot milk. It turned out, however, that this wasn\u2019t a hidden setting. It was because I hadn\u2019t cleaned one crucial part of the carafe. The button on the side of the carafe doesn\u2019t just allow you to remove it from the machine, it also releases the light-coloured plastic connector for cleaning. Fail to rinse this regularly, and even small amounts of residue will block the air hole and prevent optimal frothing. Lesson learned.<\/p>\n

Although not exclusive to the Magnifica Start ECAM220.60, a downside of any coffee machine with a removable milk carafe is that you need to be diligent when it comes to cleaning \u2013 forget, and the milk residue may mature overnight. Milk has a tendency to taint plastics when it goes off, so once it\u2019s got into the rubber tubes and plastic parts, you\u2019ll need to buy milk cleaning tablets to soak it off \u2013 or potentially replace them. Washing-up liquid does not suffice. My advice is to dismantle and clean it after every use, either by hand or in the dishwasher if you\u2019re feeling lazy. And if there is milk left in it, then pop the carafe in the fridge overnight to prevent the milk from spoiling. Some users may find this fiddly \u2013 if you\u2019re at risk of forgetting to clean the frother, you might want to consider a manual steam wand instead.<\/p>\n

Grinding my gears? The coffee preset caused some annoyance, leaving long blacks tasting overly bitter. Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

And if all this talk of spoiled milk hasn\u2019t put you off your babyccino, then you\u2019ll be disappointed to hear that there is no dedicated hot milk button with the Magnifica Start. To get the Start to froth milk without making a coffee, it\u2019s necessary to use a trick: namely, to select the cappuccino option and set the strength setting to use ground coffee. Do this without adding any ground coffee to the chute, and the Start will froth hot milk into your cup. Once it detects that there\u2019s no coffee, it abandons the brewing cycle. I\u2019d prefer a button, but as workarounds go, it\u2019s not hard.<\/p>\n

The only other criticism is one I could level at most bean-to-cup machines that come through my door: the coffee preset \u2013 the long black \u2013 tends to taste bitter. This is because the machine uses the same dosage and grind size of coffee as it does for an espresso, but pulls more water through the grounds to brew a longer drink. This is drinkable at default settings, but noticeably more bitter than espresso. Adjust it to pour a longer coffee, however, and bitterness overwhelms.<\/p>\n

This can be fixed. One option is to grind coarser, but then you\u2019ll find that your espresso will become weak, watery and under-extracted. My advice with this \u2013 and most bean-to-cup machines \u2013 is to make an americano instead. Get the espresso tasting good by adjusting the grind size (normally a little finer than default) and reducing the volume slightly. Then simply top this up with hot water to make an americano. You can add milk if you like. Yes, it\u2019s a bit more of a faff, but it tastes way better.<\/p>\n

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Warranty and repairabilityGood coffee, guaranteed \u2026 with a two-year warranty, plus care and repair options. Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

You get a standard two-year warranty from De\u2019Longhi, covering the usual faults, and the brand will attempt free repairs in that period. If not, you\u2019ll get a replacement, which may be new or a refurbished model \u2013 at De\u2019Longhi\u2019s discretion.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re out of warranty, De\u2019Longhi still offers servicing for a flat fee. With its \u00a399 Essential Service, De\u2019Longhi will pick up the machine from your home, identify any show-stopping or potential issues, descale the machine, change seals and advise of any repairs. If there are issues to be fixed, you can either upgrade to the \u00a3150 Comprehensive Service, or else pay that fee upfront if you\u2019re specifically sending it to repair a problem. Bear in mind, though, that parts will cost extra \u2013 depending on the scope of the repairs required, it may cost significantly more.<\/p>\n

An alternative is to use an independent coffee repair engineer. I spoke to our go-to coffee whisperer, Radu Bria, and his experience with these machines is that repairs are viable. Replacement parts can be sourced from approved parts resellers such as 4DeLonghi<\/a>. If you\u2019re a dab hand at fixing things yourself, you can always buy the replacement parts direct and give it a go, although bear in mind that you\u2019re very likely to void your warranty in the process.<\/p>\n

De\u2019Longhi Magnifica Start ECAM220.60: should I buy it?Easy does it: \u2018makes good coffee with little faff\u2019. Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re concerned that you should be spending more than this machine costs, then don\u2019t be. When it comes to fully automatic machines, the differences in coffee quality between a really good \u00a3400 model and a \u00a31,000 rival aren\u2019t that pronounced. The upgrades are more drink choices, bigger milk carafes and more adjustability to suit a wider range of coffee beans.<\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re looking for an affordable fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine, then the Magnifica Start lives up to its name. It\u2019s simple to use, sensibly designed and makes good coffee with little faff. For everyday coffee drinkers, it\u2019s a great buy.<\/p>\n

View at De\u2019Longhi<\/a>View at Argos<\/a>De\u2019Longhi Magnifica Start ECAM220.60 vs \u2026De\u2019Longhi Rivelia Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian\u00a3749.99 at De\u2019Longhi<\/a><\/p>\n

Wondering what a more upmarket bean-to-cup machine can offer? There are several reasons to upgrade to De\u2019Longhi\u2019s Rivelia. The key one is better coffee; another is choice.<\/p>\n

The Rivelia offers a wide menu of coffee drinks \u2013 16 one-touch drinks for starters \u2013 and each recipe can be saved to one of the four user profiles, with adjustments for strength, drink size and temperature. The amount of milk foam is adjustable, too, and there are two interchangeable bean hoppers in the box, so you can swap to decaf or different beans without having to empty the hopper.<\/p>\n

The Rivelia\u2019s Bean Adapt technology is the standout feature, though. This helps you fine-tune the brewing process to eke out the most refined flavours from light, medium or dark roast coffee beans. The touchscreen runs you through the process, and after a few test shots, uses your feedback to change the brew settings and dial in the perfect grind size. It really works, too.<\/p>\n

Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima\u00a3199 at John Lewis<\/a>\u00a3199 at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Sometimes, even an automatic bean-to-cup machine can be too much faff \u2013 and this is where a capsule machine may be a better choice. For instance, because De\u2019Longhi manufactures a number of Nespresso machines under licence, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima upgrades one of the brand\u2019s standard Vertuo machines with the same De\u2019Longhi LatteCrema technology found on the Magnifica Start. The result? A relatively compact machine that brews pretty much everything from espresso to long black coffees through to cappuccinos and indulgently long, creamy latte macchiatos at the touch of a button.<\/p>\n

The library of Vertuo capsules is vast, and all are tailored to a specific length of drink. These capsules can brew anything from 25ml to 80ml shots of espresso, through to 150ml to 355ml black coffees \u2013 or even a 535ml jug. Opt for a milk-based coffee, however, and the machine will automatically tailor the recipe to create the tastiest drink possible. All that\u2019s left is for you to slot in a capsule, fill up the milk carafe, and find a suitably giant cup.<\/p>\n

De\u2019Longhi Stilosa EC230 Photograph: Sasha Muller\/The Guardian\u00a389.99 at De\u2019Longhi<\/a>\u00a379 at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Espresso is the bedrock of great coffee. All the machines here will create a tasty shot, but none can compete with an attentively brewed cup from a manual espresso machine. This is where the Stilosa saunters in: if you\u2019re willing to grind your own beans, steam every jug of milk by hand and perfect your own brews, this budget manual machine will leave its automatic brethren in the dust.<\/p>\n

For good results, it\u2019s essential to budget for a small set of scales and a grinder, but with about \u00a3300 in your pocket \u2013 or even a little less \u2013 you can put together a capable package. For instance, buy a Kingrinder K6 hand grinder<\/a>, and you\u2019ve got a pairing that, with a little elbow grease, can soon see you rivalling your local coffee shops. And if you prefer an electric grinder, something such as the Baratza Encore ESP<\/a> is a great pick. The kicker? You can spend the money you\u2019ve saved on great coffee beans and start practising.<\/p>\n

For more:
The best coffee machines for every home and budget<\/a>
The best espresso machines, tested<\/a>
Sage Oracle Jet espresso machine review<\/a>
Ninja Luxe Cafe review<\/a><\/p>\n

Sasha Muller is a tech and consumer journalist, avid coffee drinker and craft beer enthusiast with more than two decades of experience in testing products and avoiding deadlines. If he\u2019s not exploring the local woods with his kids, boring people talking about mountain bike tyres or spending ill-advised amounts on classic drum\u2019n\u2019bass vinyl, he\u2019s probably to be found somewhere swearing at an inanimate object<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You don\u2019t need to spend big money to get a good coffee machine. Strictly speaking, you don\u2019t need…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":791781,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[84,59,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-791780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-gb","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791780"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791780\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/791781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}