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 better, more complete, more recommendable coffee machine. In this comparison, I explain why.
Scroll the screen sideways to see the entire table if you are viewing this from a mobile or tablet.
| De’Longhi Magnifica Plus | De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next | |
|---|---|---|
 Check Price On Amazon |  Check Price On Amazon | |
| Mi rating |  |  |
| Bars | 15 | 15 |
| Grind settings | 13 | 13 |
| Screen | 3.5-inch touch screen | 2.4-inch TFT screen |
| Beans hopper | 250 g hopper | 250 g hopper |
| Ground coffee compartment |  | |
| Programmed recipes | 18 | 10 |
| Volume and dosage settings | 4, 5 | 4, 5 |
| Milk texture settings | 3 |  |
| User profiles | 4 | 3 |
Magnifica Plus: A better espresso
The most important advantage of the Magnifica Plus is that it makes better coffee, especially when it comes to espresso. And this is the most important thing in a coffee machine, don’t you think? The reason 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 is limited to 25 grams.
However, more important than this is the fact that the Magnifica Plus can extract with very fine grinds, something I found impossible to achieve with the Magnifica Evo Next. The larger dose of coffee and the ability to brew coffee with very fine grinds make the Magnifica Plus extract a very intense coffee, very close to what can be achieved with a portafilter machine.
So the espresso from the Magnifica Plus is one of the best I have ever tasted in a super-automatic machine. The difference is less significant when it comes to other longer coffee recipes, such as 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, such as 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 macchiatos, to a much denser foam, more suitable 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 that of specialty coffee, which integrates very well with the milk and allows for delicious lattes and flat whites.
The Magnifica Evo Next froths milk quite decently, but it only has one texture setting, with a dense foam suitable for cappuccino and latte, which, on the other hand, are the only milk coffee recipes it has.
In this regard, another key advantage of the Magnifica Plus is precisely that: it has more milk recipes, including trendy recipes in the specialty coffee scene, such as 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-sensitive, and to navigate through the menus and settings, the buttons around the screen are used. In the Magnifica Plus, the screen is fully touch-sensitive, 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 noted 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 on the Magnifica Plus is more modern and intuitive, and its design is somewhat better, although in this section the difference is not significant, and in my view, it is not a decisive factor. However, combined with the other two points I have already analyzed – better coffee and more possibilities in terms of milk recipes – I do believe that the balance definitely tips in favor of the Magnifica Plus.
In conclusion: the Magnifica Plus is better and more recommendable, even though it is more expensive
After everything said, I think there are few doubts about what I think: the Magnifica Plus is a much more recommendable coffee machine. In fact, I believe that right now it is probably the best super-automatic from De’Longhi, and probably the best super-automatic on the market.
And all this while acknowledging that it is not a particularly cheap coffee machine, far from it. In fact, it ranks just behind the PrimaDonna Soul and Eletta Explore, being one of the most expensive models of the brand. The Magnifica Evo Next is cheaper, and that can be tempting for some, but I think it’s worth making the effort to buy the Magnifica Plus.
Another alternative you can consider, intermediate between both models in this comparison, is the Dinamica Plus, a super-automatic also with quite a few recipes, with three milk texture settings and the ability to serve an intense and quality espresso, especially in its Doppio+ recipe.
José Noguera
