Breville Barista Pro vs De'Longhi Magnifica Evo

Both grind fresh and both cost about $850, so this is purely a philosophy choice. The Barista Pro keeps you in the loop: you dose and tamp into a 54mm portafilter, steam milk on a manual wand, and use the LCD timer to dial in shots, with ThermoJet heating getting you there in 3 seconds. The Magnifica Evo removes you from the loop entirely — internal grinder, internal brewing, automatic milk carafe, one-touch recipes.

The Pro's reward for the extra effort is control and ceiling: better shot quality potential, the ability to practice latte art, and an interface that teaches. Its limits are a single boiler (no simultaneous brew and steam) and an integrated grinder that trails a dedicated unit on light roasts. The Evo's reward is effortlessness: no tamping, no portafilter, dishwasher-safe brew unit and carafe, self-cleaning cycles, and an iced-coffee program — at the cost of a lower espresso ceiling, just 13 grind settings, and a plastic-heavy build versus the Pro's stainless.

Milk handling splits the same way. The Pro's manual wand is more capable in skilled hands but does nothing automatically; the Evo's LatteCrema froths one-touch from dairy or plant milk with no technique.

Buy the Barista Pro ($850) if you want to make espresso, value shot control and latte-art practice, and don't mind manual milk and a switchover delay. Buy the Magnifica Evo ($850) if you want one-touch drinks and easy cleanup more than you want control over the cup.