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DeLonghi Magnifica Evo (ECAM 292.81.B) review

With a width of only 24 cm, the Magnifica Evo is well suited for small kitchens. The bean to cup coffee machine can also be operated completely from the front – the drip trays, milk container and water tank can be pulled out from the front. The case is made of a matte plastic and looks high-quality.

Milk system

The milk system is fully automatic – so you don’t have to measure or froth the milk yourself. In the Magnifica Evo, DeLonghi uses a new, compact milk container for the first time. On the right side are indications that show you how much milk you need to pour in for one cappuccino, one latte macchiato, two cappuccini or two latte macchiatos.

New compact milk container

On the left side you can see a scale, the first mark is for 50 ml and then it goes on in 20 ml steps. These markings are important for the “My Latte” function. With that special function you can make a drink with as much milk foam as you want. We’ll tell you how it works with the drinks.

Maximum 220 ml = 3 cappuccino or 2 latte macchiato

A maximum of 220 ml of milk can fit in the tank. The best foam, by the way, comes from milk with about 3.5% fat. Then it becomes particularly creamy and fine. But of course it also works with plant-based alternatives. Turn the lid back onto the tank and simply click it into place on the left side of the bean to cup coffee machine.

Simply click into place on the bean to cup coffee machine

If the container is not yet empty after the draw, just put it directly into the refrigerator. We’ll discuss the cleaning after we have prepared some drinks.

Milk tank fits perfectly in the refrigerator

Bean compartment

As always, the bean compartment is on top of the bean to cup coffee machine. Approximately 250g of beans fit in the compartment, with which you can prepare about 25 drinks.

Up to 250 grams of beans for about 25 drinks

When the compartment is empty, a message appears in the display. A “warning triangle” lights up and the beans for the coffee strength flash. However, only when all the beans are really empty.

Indication of empty bean compartment

Alternatively, you can use ground coffee powder. To do this, fill a level coffee spoon into the compartment in front of the bean hopper. In terms of taste and crema, however, freshly ground beans are of course much better.

Compartment for ground coffee

The lid is completely darkened to protect the aroma of the beans. Even better would be an additional, all-round rubber seal so that the compartment is airtight. But usually the beans are used up after 3-4 days anyway, so it’s not so bad 😉

Darkened lid, without rubber seal

Grinder of the DeLonghi Magnficia Evo

The grinder setting is always located directly in the bean compartment with DeLonghi coffee machines. By the way, a sturdy conical burr grinder made of hardened steel is built in.

Grinder setting control directly in the bean compartment

Compared to the other, even cheaper Magnifica models, this grinder is noticeably quieter. We measured an average of 67 dB. Compared to all bean to cup coffee machines in our test, the grinder is averagely loud.

On level 7 the beans are ground rather coarsely and on level 1 quite finely. There is one intermediate level between each of the 7 levels, so you have a total of 13 levels to choose from. You can actively adjust the taste via the grinder setting. The finer the beans are ground, the more intense and stronger your espresso or coffee. At level 3, the beans are already ground very finely.

Uniformly finely ground coffee powder

You can adjust the grinder setting during the grinding process simply by turning it in the direction you want it to go. In our test, we got the best results at level 3.5. For the very fine grinder settings, the 15-bar pump is a bit too weak. Then the espresso just drips into the cup. The DeLonghi Dinamica Plus has a 19-bar pump and thus a bit more power.

Adjust grinder setting simply by turning

Water tank

You can easily pull out the water tank to the front. It can be filled either directly under the tap or at the bean to cup coffee machine.

Water tank can be pulled out to the front

With about 1.8 liters, you can prepare about 15 drinks. The tank is made of a transparent, sturdy plastic. You can see how much water is left in the tank, but as soon as it is empty, a message appears on the control panel.

At the back of the tank is a connection for a water filter. You can use it, but of course you don’t have to. A water filter ensures that you have to decalcify less often, which is particularly useful for calciferous water in cities.

First water filter included

In any case, you should set the water hardness so that the bean to cup coffee machine can tell you when to descale. A test strip is included.

Coffee and milk spout

You can adjust the height of the coffee spouts from 7.5 to 14 cm. For small espresso cups, the lowest setting is ideal. On the highest setting, even large latte macchiato glasses fit underneath.

Height adjustable coffee spouts

The milk spout is a bit tight, though, because you can only adjust it to a around 12 cm. We have to tilt our latte glass slightly. Therefore, bulbous glasses would be more suitable.

We had to slightly tilt our large latte macchiato glass

On the other hand, the quality of the outlets is very good and they can easily be adjusted in height. The veneer is even made of stainless steel. For espresso there is of course also a double cup option. Unfortunately not for coffee. We can’t explain why either, too bad.

Double cup option for espresso possible

Display of the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo

The display is much more modern than, for example, the DeLonghi Magnifica S. It has large, colorful icons and can be operated completely via touch. The control panel is now perfectly readable from above. With older models, you sometimes had to bend down slightly.

Modern, easy to understand control panel

Overall, the display is kept very simple and clear. All drinks are represented by large images . Use the button at the top right to switch on the bean to cup coffee machine. Then it heats up briefly and performs a flushing process.

Large coloured drink icons

For special settings, such as the brewing temperature or water hardness, a look at the manual is necessary. But you will probably change these settings only very rarely. The instructions are very simply formulated and supplemented by many pictures and symbols. If you ever need it, it really helps.

Housing & Quality in general

During the two weeks of intensive use, we noticed the case’s workmanship in a positive light. It looks more upscale than the older Magnifica models. The drip trays and water tank close very precisely with the housing. The milk container and drip trays are easy to attach to and remove from the bean to cup coffee machine.

We discovered a clever detail in the stainless steel cup tray. There is a barely visible, slightly raised plastic grille in it. It protects the stainless steel from scratches, because the cups stand on it and not on the stainless steel. We only missed the rubber seal on the bean compartment. Overall, the quality is still a bit better than expected for this price.

Clever detail: plastic grid protects stainless steel from scratches

After switching on, it only takes about 40 seconds until you can prepare the first drink. By then, the bean to cup coffee machine has preheated and performed a rinse cycle. You can choose from a total of 5 drinks and the “My Latte” function. We will now introduce you to all the drinks and give you a few tips about them.

• Espresso
• Coffee
• Long
• Cappuccino
• Latte Macchiato
• My Latte

Espresso

We start with a simple espresso. It should have a nice intense and aromatic taste. And, of course, we want to see a fine brown crema. To do this, we first set the grinder setting to level 3.5. Ex works, the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo is set to level 5. This is clearly too coarse for good espresso.

By the way, the grinder is much quieter than other Magnifica models with an average of about 67 dB. Compared to all the bean to cup coffee machines in our test, the Magnifica Evo is in the midfield. You can still talk during the grinding process in any case.

Aromatic, intense espresso

The preparation takes only about 45 seconds in total. At 70°C, the espresso is also at the ideal temperature.

70°C on medium brewing temperature, perfect

Colour is a nice and strong brown and the crema is very dense and shimmers golden. From a purely visual point of view, the espresso looks great. In terms of taste, it also convinces with intense hazelnut flavors. While not the very best espresso we’ve ever had, it was a pretty good one.

Uniform, fine crema – that’s how it should be

Coffee

Next, let’s take a look at classic coffee. It should be aromatic and strong, just a proper wake-up call in the morning. At the same time, it must not become too bitter. This is the best way to set up the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo.

With classic coffee, preparation takes about one minute. If you want to drink a large cup of coffee, we recommend preparing 2 cups of 140 ml each, one after the other. Then two coffee pucks are used and your coffee tastes much more intense than if you prepare the maximum amount of 240 ml once.

Maximum 240 ml per cup

At 72°C, the coffee is pretty hot, just as it should be. We always let it cool down to a around 60°C, because then the flavors of the beans come through particularly well.

Hot wake-up call – 72°C on medium level

The crema is uniformly fine and light brown, exactly as we want it. Taste-wise, the coffee is good and, above all, very strong. Unfortunately, it is also a little bitter, so we recommend you take a look at the Long.

Wonderful hazelnut brown crema

Long Coffee

The “Long” is the better alternative to the classic coffee. This is because 2 coffee pucks are used and extracted in a gentle surge brewing process. This makes the long particularly intense and less bitter taste.

We set the aroma to level 2 again, i.e. medium. We use the factory-set beverage quantity of 160 ml. As for all beverages, we leave the grinder setting at level 3.5 and the brewing temperature at medium.

In the Long, the water is pressed through the coffee puck in many small bursts and at low pressure. This is to reduce the bitter substances and increase the caffeine content. And it actually works. The combination of 2 coffee pucks per cup and the gentle extraction makes the long significantly more intense and at the same time easier to digest.

A second grinding process is started after half of the draw.

Due to the two grinding processes, the preparation takes about 2 minutes. At 73°C, the temperature is still a little higher than for coffee.

The crema looks just as good as with the coffee. But in terms of taste, the Long packs a punch and particularly convinced us in the test. We therefore recommend the Long to all coffee drinkers.

Cappuccino

Now we come to the milk foam classics and start with the cappuccino. We want to see fine and silky milk foam with a slight sweetness. But of course, the aromatic espresso should also stand out. We have prepared some cappuccini and recommend the following settings to you.

First, the milk foam is prepared. You can easily adjust the milk spout to fit your glass or cup. The shorter the distance to the cup, the hotter the milk foam. Unfortunately, a double cup option is not possible for beverages with milk foam, because there is only one milk spout.

The preparation takes about 1:30 minutes

The preparation takes a total of just under 1:30 minutes. After the milk foam, the espresso is added. A super sight when it flows into the milk. Then we immediately measure the temperature. We measured 76°C. This makes it the hottest cappuccino we’ve had so far.

Very hot 76°C – ideal for those who want hot milk foam

The milk foam has a good consistency and adheres nicely to the spoon. It is uniform and fine, with a slight sweetness. In terms of taste, overall a round thing. However, there are small deductions in the foam, because it is not a real micro foam, so super fine foam. But that’s complaining at a high level.

Uniformly fine and creamy – a good result

Latte Macchiato

The latte macchiato is particularly characterized by its typical 3 layers and mild taste. Despite the high milk content, the espresso flavors should not be lost. We tried a few settings and this is how we liked it best:

For latte macchiato, we put all the outlets all the way up. However, we still have to tilt our tall glass a little so that it fits underneath. The milk foam is prepared first, but this time much more. Unfortunately, when the milk spout is set all the way up, it sometimes splatters a bit.

Even large jars are easily filled

On the default settings, even our large glass gets full, very good. This is not the case with all bean to cup coffee machines.

Super sight as the espresso flows in

Immediately after the espresso is ready, we measure the temperature. Nice and hot again, about 72°C. Fans of hot milk foam are definitely in the right place.

At 72°C, even the latte macchiato is nice and hot

Taste just like the cappuccino pretty good. The flavors of our espresso also come into their own here. The milk foam is again mostly uniform and fine, with a few coarser bubbles in between. Overall a super result.

Fine milk foam, clear aromas – good latte macchiato

My Latte

A real innovation is the My Latte function. Then the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo always uses all the milk in the milk container. This is very convenient, because you can fill exactly the amount you want in the drink.

My Latte – special additional function

No milk is left over and you can clean the milk container afterwards. In any case, note that the volume of the milk doubles during frothing. We had to experiment a bit at first until we had the perfect amount to get our jar full.

All the milk is foamed – ideal for large drinks

The small scale on the left gives you a good orientation. The first mark represents 50ml, then it continues in 20ml increments. For example, you can perfectly prepare a large, slightly milder cappuccino. The espresso always has the preset 40 ml.

We poured in around 100 ml of milk to fill our cappuccino glass completly. Frothing continues until the Magnifica Evo detects that the milk tank is empty. Afterwards, the espresso is prepared.

Perfect to completely empty the milk containers

This way you can easily vary the amount of milk without having to reprogram the cappuccino or latte macchiato. A really useful improvement. This is because the milk container is also always completely empty so that it can be cleaned.

There are 4 important settings that you can use to adjust the taste of your beverages. In addition to coffee strength or aroma and beverage quantity, the grinder setting and, of course, good coffee beans are also important factors.

The aroma, i.e. how strong your coffee or espresso will be, can be set in 3 levels on the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo (only). They are represented as beans. One bean is “mild”, two beans are “normal” and three beans are “strong”. The higher the level, the more coffee beans the bean to cup coffee machine grinds for your drink. Alternatively, you can use pre-ground coffee powder on the coffee spoon icon.

The cheaper DeLonghi Magnifica S (no automatic milk system) or the DeLonghi Dinamica Plus offer you more flavor options.

You can also set the brewing temperature in 3 levels. We have always used the middle levels. The highest level is best for lighter roasts. By the way, you can only set a double cup option for espresso. To do this, press the “x2” key.

Double cup option for espresso only

The grinder setting is exciting, because there are 13 levels to choose from. The finer the grinder setting, the more intense and stronger the beverages. We have achieved the best results with grinder setting level 3.5. If you like it a little milder, just set the grinder setting a little coarser.

Adjust beverage quantity

As with all Magnifica models, the beverage quantity is pre-programmed at the factory for each beverage.

For espresso you get 40 ml, for coffee 180 ml and for long 160 ml. In the same way, the cappuccino and latte macchiato are pre-programmed. For the cappuccino, 40 ml of espresso and 80 ml of milk are used; for the latte macchiato, 120 ml of milk are used.

Possible beverage quantities during programming

There are no levels for beverage quantity, e.g. for small, medium or large cups. However, you can freely program the beverage quantity for each drink. To do this, press and hold the respective beverage icon for 3 seconds. As soon as the small LED of the beverage flashes quickly, you are in programming mode.

To program, press and hold drink for 3 seconds

The bean to cup coffee machine will now start brewing as usual. When you have reached the desired beverage quantity, press the beverage icon again. Exactly this amount is stored and prepared in the future when you select the drink.

In the same way, you can also adjust the amount of hot water to your tea cup.

The beverage quantity can also be adjusted for cappuccino and latte macchiato. Then the bean to cup coffee machine dispenses the milk foam first. When you are satisfied with the amount, tap the beverage icon. The espresso is then prepared automatically. When you have reached your desired amount, tap the beverage icon again. Exactly these settings are now permanently stored.

Cappuccino simply customize to your cup

If you want the original beverage quantities again, you can simply reset the device to factory settings. To do this, switch off the machine and then press and hold the two beverage buttons on the far left and the double cup option button for 5 seconds. When you hear a beep, the device is reset. Note, however, that all settings are really reset here.

Customize general settings

In addition to the drinks, you can make a few more general settings. These include, for example, the brewing temperature, the water hardness and the standby time. You can adjust these settings using the cogwheel in the upper left corner.

First, press and hold the gear icon for 5 seconds . Then select one of the 4 left beverage icons for the different settings. You can adjust the brewing temperature via “My Latte”. One bean is “low” and three beans are “high”. You can activate or deactivate the energy-saving mode in the “Latte Macchiato”. The“Cappuccino” allows you to set the water hardness in 4 levels and the “Espresso” allows you to set the standby time in 4 levels (15, 30, 60 or 180 minutes).

Possible settings in the “Menu

If you first hold down the gear wheel and then press the symbol for the milk container to the left, you can activate the water filter. When the beans light up it says “water filter inserted” and when the coffee spoon lights up it says “water filter removed”.

Only a well-maintained bean to cup coffee machine can prepare an intense espresso and fine milk foam. Cleaning the milk system, the brewing unit and the drip trays is therefore particularly important.If you prepare about 20 drinks per week, you will only need 15-20 minutes for cleaning, if that.

In addition, you must descale your bean to cup coffee machine every 1-3 months. If you are using water filters throughout, you will need to do the decalcification much less frequently. The program takes about 45 minutes, while the effective effort for you is only 5 minutes.

We have selected an original from DeLonghi and a cheaper alternative for all important care products. We recommend using the original descaler, at least during the warranty period.

Clean milk system

According to the instructions, you should rinse the milk container after each use. An LED will light up to remind you. At the touch of a button, you can start a quick clean with hot water and steam.This is done at the top left of the button with the milk container icon.

Tip: Place an empty cup underneath to catch the rinsing water.

Rinsing the milk system at the touch of a button

If you prepare several drinks in succession, you must of course start the rinsing process after the last drink. If there is milk left over, it is best to put the container directly into the refrigerator.

According to the instructions, you should clean the container thoroughly every day. If you refrigerate it immediately, we think it’s also enough to clean the container every other day.

To do this, rinse the container thoroughly by hand or simply place it in the dishwasher. To clean it, you can disassemble the milk container into 5 parts, which you then immerse in warm water with a mild dishwashing detergent or preferably in milk system cleaner in milk system cleaner.

Simple milk container – dishwasher safe

At least 1x per week we recommend you to put the milk container into the dishwasher. There you put it on top of the cutlery tray, or at the bottom of the cutlery basket.

Best to put in the cutlery basket or on the upper level

In total, you need about 10 minutes per week to clean the milk system.

Empty drip tray & coffee grounds container

The drip trays can be removed, as always with DeLonghi bean to cup coffee machines.pull out towards the front. After 14 coffee pucks or 3 days at the latest, a message appears on the display to remind you to empty them. Thus, the container is relatively large compared to other bean to cup coffee machines.

As you can see, the coffee pucks are cleanly pressed and relatively dry. This shows us that the brewing unit is doing a good job. In the beginning, like the first 30 drinks, the pucks may not look perfect. But that is normal and gives itself with time.

Cleanly pressed pucks = good work of the brewing unit

The water from the rinsing processes collects in front under the drip tray. We always put a cup underneath, then hardly any water ends up here.

The water from the rinsing processes collects under the drip tray

Both containers should be rinsed thoroughly by hand once a week. According to the instructions, they must not be put in the dishwasher. In our case, however, nothing happened at 40°C in Eco mode.

Only the plastic grid on which the float is fixed (under the drip tray) may also be officially cleaned in the dishwasher. This is also convenient, because by hand it is somewhat cumbersome to rinse.

Thoroughly rinse the bowls by hand every week

All in all, you only need about 5 minutes a week to clean the containers.

brewing unit

You can easily remove the brewing unit of the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo. To do this, switch off the bean to cup coffee machine, remove the water tank and then open the service door behind it.

Then press the two red buttons together and pull the brewing unit straight out.

Brewing unit accessible via service flap

There are a few coffee residues on every brewing unit, and this one is no different. In comparison with other bean to cup coffee machines in our testthis brewing unit is relatively clean here and easy to clean due to its compact size. There are no hidden corners.

We always find some coffee leftovers – with every bean to cup coffee machine

You should rinse the brewing unit with clean water once a week, because only then will it prepare delicious espresso for you for a long time. Please do not use any rinsing agent so that you do not remove the grease.

rinse 1-2x per week with clear water, ready

In the interior, you should also wipe the plunger with a damp cloth. Seen from the service hatch, it is at the top left. This piston presses the pucks, so there is also some coffee powder there.

Overall, cleaning the brewing unit is done in about 2 minutes per week.

Decalcification

How often you need to descale depends on the water hardness and whether you use a water filter. If you have very hard water and do not use a filter, you need to descale once a month. With soft water, you need to descale about every 3 months. With a water filter, you can go 2-3 months longer without decalcification.

So you can either descale more often or invest a few euros in water filters. We have brought you both the original, as well as a cheap alternative for descaler and water filter picked out. Larger packages are always a few euros cheaper.

The descaling program runs for about 45 minutes and your effective effort is 5 minutes. This is also very similar for all bean to cup coffee machines. Basically, you just fill some water and the descaler into the tank, put a bowl underneath and start the program. After about half an hour, rinse the water tank, refill it and empty the bowl. Then rinse thoroughly again and that’s it.

It’s easier than the instructions make it sound. However, you will need this because the Magnifica Evo does not have a display and therefore cannot guide you step-by-step through the program.

You still have a question yourself or tips for other users about this device? Then feel free to leave us a comment.