In 2024 De’Longhi launched two models within its Magnifica range. They were the De’Longhi Magnifica Plus and the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next. I have had the opportunity to try both coffee machines, and although they both have many similarities, they also have key differences that make the Magnifica Plus a more recommendable coffee machine, in fact, one of the best current coffee machines from De’Longhi.
| De’Longhi Magnifica Plus | De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
| Bars | 15 | 15 |
| Grinding settings | 13 | 13 |
| Screen | 3.5-inch touch screen | 2.4-inch TFT screen |
| Bean hopper | 250 g | 250 g |
| Ground coffee compartment |  | |
| Programmed recipes | 18 | 10 |
| Volume and intensity settings | 4, 5 | 4, 5 intensity |
| Milk texture settings | 3 |  |
| User profiles | 4 | 3 |
| Check Price |
Magnifica Plus: A better espresso
In my review of the Magnifica Plus I emphasize many times how well that coffee machine makes espresso. The truth is that I was very pleasantly surprised in this aspect, as this is the most important thing in a coffee machine, don’t you think? The reason why the Magnifica Plus makes a better espresso is that it uses a larger dose of ground coffee. In my tests, I found that the Magnifica Plus grinds up to 30 grams of coffee at its highest intensity setting, while the Magnifica Evo Next stays at 25 grams.
However, more important than this is the fact that the Magnifica Plus can brew with very fine grinds—something I couldn’t achieve in my tests with the Magnifica Evo Next. The larger dose of coffee and the ability to make coffee with very fine grinds makes the Magnifica Plus extract a very intense coffee, very close to what can be achieved with a portafilter coffee machine.
So the espresso from the Magnifica Plus is one of the best I have ever tried in a super-automatic. The difference is less significant when it comes to other longer coffee recipes, like americano or lungo, but if your priority is for the coffee machine to make a fantastic espresso, the Magnifica Plus is clearly better in this regard.
Both can froth milk, but the Magnifica Plus does it more and better
Milk-based espresso variants, like cappuccino, latte, or flat white, also benefit from better performance in the Magnifica Plus. The key difference in this aspect is that the Magnifica Plus has three milk texturization settings, from a very fine texture, with hardly any foam, which is ideal for lattes or cortados, to a much denser foam, more appropriate for a traditional Italian cappuccino.
In between, another setting, the second one, which for me is ideal, and serves milk foam with a texture very close to specialty coffee, which integrates very well with the milk and allows for delicious lattes and flat whites.
The Magnifica Evo Next froths milk very decently, but it only has one texture setting, with a dense foam appropriate for cappuccino and latte, which, on the other hand, are the only milk coffee recipes it has.
In this sense, another key advantage of the Magnifica Plus is precisely that: it has more milk recipes, including trendy recipes in the specialty coffee scene, like the flat white. Therefore, the Magnifica Plus is also clearly more recommendable for those who, like me, prepare different varieties of milk coffees daily.
Differences in design and control panel
Another difference between the two is the control panel: in the Magnifica Evo Next there are capacitive touch buttons next to a 2.4-inch TFT screen, but this screen is not touch, and to navigate through the menus and settings the buttons around the screen are used. In the Magnifica Plus the screen is fully touch, and outside of it there are only two touch buttons for quick access to coffee and milk coffee recipes, user profiles, and the on/off button.
It should also be said that the design of the Magnifica Plus is somewhat more refined, with a matte gray casing that gives it a more elegant touch, but in terms of design there are few differences. In fact, the layout of the elements is the same and things like the drip tray, water tank, or grinder hopper are exactly the same. The brewing unit is also the same, and in both coffee machines it can be removed for cleaning.
The control panel in the Magnifica Plus is more modern and intuitive, and its design somewhat better, although in this section the difference is not great either and, in my view, it is not a decisive factor. However, added to the other two points I have already analyzed – a better coffee and more possibilities in terms of milk recipes – I do believe that the balance definitely falls on the side of the Magnifica Plus.
In short: the Magnifica Plus is better and more recommendable, even being more expensive
After everything we’ve covered, my recommendation is clear: the Magnifica Plus is the stronger choice. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s not only the best super-automatic coffee machine De’Longhi currently offers, but also one of the best options you can get around $1,000.
Here’s something worth pointing out: in Europe, the Magnifica Plus is actually priced higher than the Magnifica Evo Next, which makes the decision a bit more nuanced. But in the U.S. market, both machines cost the same. That means you can get the superior model—the Magnifica Plus—without paying a premium. For me, that makes the choice in the U.S. even more obvious: same price, more value, better machine.
