Delonghi Dinamica vs Magnifica: Which Machine Best Suits You?

Updated on

delonghi dinamica vs magnifica

Here is our comparison review of the Delonghi Dinamica vs Magnifica.

The Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica are both superb machines when it comes to its overall value. That’s why it’s important to compare these two machines and talk about their differences.

In this review you will learn about the features between these machines, its pros and cons, and which machine is going to be best for you.

So, let’s get started:

Delonghi Dinamica vs Magnifica: At A Glance

When it comes to the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica,  both have a reputation behind their names. The Delonghi Dinamica is known to be modern and youthful whilst the Delonghi Magnifica is a true old soul that gets the job done.

So to summarise, there is quite the difference between the two machines in terms of features and design. So before choosing a machine right away, make sure to read through the full review.

Delonghi Dinamica Overview

The Delonghi Dinamica is what one would consider a mid range premium espresso machine. It is most well known for its impressive iced coffee technology which allows you to make rich full bodied cold brew. The Delonghi Dinamica also allows you to choose from 6 different beverages, has a good level of programmability, and has some additional features too.

Pros

Modern sleek and stylish design: The Delonghi Dinamica is one of my favorite designed espresso machines on the market. With its compact build and sleek digital display, it’s really a machine for showing off to your friends.

High level of programmability: The Delonghi Dinamica has a range of programmable features and has the ability to create custom user profiles unlike the Delonghi Magnifica.

Brews a great cup of iced coffee: The Delonghi Dinamica is arguably the best go to espresso machine when it comes to brewing iced coffee. It’s built for brewing full bodied iced coffee and ensuring that it never tastes watered down.

Cons

More expensive than the Delonghi Magnifica: The Delonghi Dinamica is actually not badly priced however, it is more expensive than the Delonghi Magnifica. It’s just under $200 more expensive and still manages to be under the $1000 range.

Can be complex to use at first: The Delonghi Dinamica can be confusing to use at first if you are not familiar with programming and customizing beverages. But once you get the hang of it, it shouldn’t be a problem to use from then.



Delonghi Magnifica Overview

The Delonghi Magnifica is the perfect machine for an espresso purist. Some consider this espresso machine outdated but it still lives up to its name from its superb brewing quality. There aren’t many extra features to the Delonghi Magnifica but it has a basic level of programmability and has super brewing quality. The best thing about this machine is its affordability as this machine ranges under $700.

Pros

Budget friendly: When it comes to affordability, the Delonghi Magnifica is definitely in the budget-friendly range. It is well under $1000 for a super automatic espresso machine which is great for someone who looks at affordability.

Excellent brewing quality: When you buy a Delonghi, you’re always going to get a great shot of espresso. So if brewing quality is all that matters for you then consider the Delonghi Magnifica as its perfect for the espresso purist.

Easy to use, clean, and maintain: The Delonghi Magnifica is built to last you for years which is why this machine is so popular. It’s really simple to operate and descale which means you can use it for a really long time before it gives in.

Cons

Overall design needs to be improved: The Delonghi Magnifica is an old model of Delonghi so it’s justifiable as to why the design is outdated. However, you still cannot compare the Magnifica’s overall design and ease of use to the Delonghi Dinamica.

Has no digital display: Most budget-friendly or entry level machines lack a digital display so I’m not surprised that this machine lacks one. This can make the machine feel less luxurious and you should consider another machine if a digital display is needed.

Grinder can be quite noisy: One thing about the Delonghi Magnifica is that the grinder is quite noisy as it is an older grinder model. So you may want to make your morning espresso shot once everyone is awake.



Delonghi Dinamica Vs Magnifica: Features Compared

Here is a comparison table showing the features included in the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica:

FeaturesDinamicaMagnifica
Milk frotherAutomaticManual
Digital display
Memory function
Aroma control
Auto shut off
Coffee strength levels510
Brew tamp levels4
Grind settings137
Delonghi Dinamica vs Magnifica: Features Compared

Design

There’s a big difference in design between the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica:

The Delonghi Dinamica has by far the best looking design with its sleek digital display in my opinion. To me, the Delonghi Magnifica just looks bulky and outdated which can scare some people away from this machine. 

Both machines are designed to be easy to use so you don’t need to worry about which one is more complicated. Although the Delonghi Dinamica has an intuitive digital display, the Delonghi Magnifica is just as simple to use when brewing your beverages.

When it comes to sizing and dimensions, the Delonghi Dinamica is more compact overall. It’s also over 7 lbs lighter than the Delonghi Magnifica but both machines have similar bean hopper and water tank capacities.

Weight and Dimensions

Here is a table showing the sizing and dimensions between the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica:

SpecificationDinamicaMagnifica
Height (inches)34.836
Width (inches)23.628.5
Depth (inches)42.937.5
Weight (lbs)20.9427.79
Bean Hopper Capacity (oz)10.612
Water Tank Capacity (oz)6160
Delonghi Dinamica vs Magnifica: Sizing and Dimensions

Grinder

The Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica have built in grinders with both having up to 7 grind settings. This amount of grind settings will allow you to brew from coarse to fine grind sizes depending on which beverage you make.

The main difference between these machine’s grinders is that the Delonghi Dinamica‘s grinder is newer and much quieter. The one downside to the Delonghi Magnifica is that the machine can be quite noisy when grinding the coffee beans.

One last thing about the grinder in both these machines is that the pressure pump seems to struggle when using the finest setting. So if you’d like to brew a true full shot of espresso, then consider using a slightly coarse setting.

Programmability

When it comes to programmability, both these machines have a good range of programmability:

The Delonghi Dinamica has 5 adjustable levels of coffee strength, 4 brewing temperature levels, and 13 different grind settings.

The Delonghi Magnifica on the other hand has 10 levels of coffee strength and up to 7 different grind settings. Unfortunately, the Delonghi Magnifica does not allow you to adjust the brewing temperature.

Both these machines have an auto shut off function, aroma control, and memory function. Because the Delonghi Magnifica is more of a semi automatic type machine, it allows you to adjust the amount of steam produced.

Other Features

In terms of other features, there are a few that set the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica apart.

The Delonghi Dinamica includes features such as an energy saving mode, one touch functionality, customized beverages, and its unique cold brew technology.

The Delonghi Magnifica unfortunately does not have many additional features but it does come with an energy saving mode, integrated rinsing function.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning and maintenance is a necessity to every coffee machine you are going to buy. I will discuss the cleaning required for both the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica in order to keep them in superb condition.

When cleaning the water reservoir, the Delonghi Dinamica allows you to use water filters to make it easier for maintenance, however, you should do a deep clean every now and then. The one downside to the Delonghi Magnifica is that it’s not capable of using water filters which means that manual descaling is going to be required. 

In terms of cleaning the milk frother, the Delonghi Dinamica is a little bit more automatic when it comes to cleaning compared to the Delonghi Magnifica. It comes with an integrated cleaning function for the milk frother which helps descale and clean out any internal residue. For the Delonghi Magnifica, you will need to use the steam function to clean out internal residue on this machine.

And lastly, both these machines require a regular wipe on the exteriors. You can just use a damp cloth and make sure to clean off the milk and water residue off the spouts.

Pricing

When it comes to pricing, both the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica are quite affordable.

The Delonghi Dinamica goes for under $900 while the Delonghi Magnifica can be bought for under $700. They are both budget friendly machines so when choosing either, the price of both shouldn’t bother you.

Delonghi Dinamica Vs Magnifica: The Winner

Unfortunately, there is no clear winner between the Delonghi Dinamica and Delonghi Magnifica. Both are entirely different machines which means that they are going to be suited for different people.

The Delonghi Dinamica is an affordable machine with some premiumness to it so you’re going to get a bit more programmability with this machine. This means it’s for someone who’d like to customize and brew their basic milk beverages with more automation. (Plus you can make superb iced coffee beverages)

The Delonghi Magnifica on the other hand is slightly more affordable than the Delonghi Dinamica but is going to feel more outdated. It is a perfect machine for someone who loves their espresso shots and doesn’t mind making milk based beverages more manually.



If these budget friendly machines are not for you, then make sure to check out our review on the Breville Bambino Plus vs Gaggia Classic Pro.