Product Comparison
Breville Barista Express vs De'Longhi La Specialista
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Buy the De'Longhi La Specialista if you want the machine to handle grinding and tamping for you, and the Breville Barista Express if you want to learn the hands-on steps that actually improve your espresso. Both are all-in-one machines with a built-in conical burr grinder, so the real split is philosophy: the La Specialista's Smart Tamping Station and dual heating system automate the fiddly parts, while the Barista Express hands you a manual tamp, a manual steam wand, and a 54mm platform with a huge accessory aftermarket. The La Specialista typically costs more. Below: how they differ on grinder, tamping, heating, and milk - and which all-in-one is the smarter first machine.
| Spec | Breville Barista Express (BES870XL) | De'Longhi La Specialista (EC9335) |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in grinder | Conical burr, ~8 oz / 250 g hopper, 16+ grind settings | Conical burr, ~250 g hopper, sensor grinding with dose by basket |
| Tamping | Manual (magnetic latch tamper + Razor dose trimmer) | Smart Tamping Station - lever applies a consistent tamp |
| Portafilter | 54mm stainless | 51mm |
| Heating | Single thermocoil; ~1 min warm-up; PID control | Dual heating system (separate brew + steam) - no wait to switch |
| Steam wand | Manual microfoam wand | Manual wand + Advanced Latte System; pressurized baskets included |
| Pump / extraction | 15-bar pump, 9-bar extraction, low-pressure pre-infusion | 19-bar pump; Active Temperature Control |
| Water tank | 67 oz | ~2 L (some listings cite 2.5 L - verify) |
| Footprint (W x D x H) | ~13.25 x 12 x 16 in | Larger countertop footprint - confirm exact dimensions on De'Longhi's page |
| Price band | Usually mid-tier for an all-in-one espresso machine | Usually above the Barista Express because of the extra automation |
Which all-in-one espresso machine is easier for a beginner?
The De'Longhi La Specialista is the more forgiving for an outright beginner. Its Smart Tamping Station applies a consistent tamp with a pull of a lever, its sensor grinding doses by basket size, and its dual heating system lets you steam immediately after brewing with no wait. The Barista Express asks you to tamp by hand and manage a single thermocoil - more skill, more control.
The De'Longhi La Specialista is built to remove the two steps beginners get wrong most often: inconsistent tamping and dosing. The lever-operated tamping station compresses the puck the same way every time, the grinder adjusts dose to the basket it detects, and because brewing and steaming run on separate heating circuits you never wait between pulling a shot and texturing milk. The trade-offs are a smaller 51mm platform with a thinner accessory ecosystem than 54mm, pressurized baskets out of the box that flatter average grind technique rather than reward great technique, and a larger countertop footprint plus a higher price.
- Pros: Smart Tamping Station removes tamp inconsistency; dual heating means no brew-to-steam wait; sensor grinding doses by basket; 19-bar pump with Active Temperature Control.
- Cons: 51mm platform limits accessory upgrades; pressurized baskets mask rather than reward technique; larger footprint; typically the pricier of the two.
Skip this if you want to learn real barista technique and grow into bottomless portafilters and precision baskets - the automated tamping and 51mm format are conveniences that become ceilings.
Is the Breville Barista Express better for learning real espresso?
Yes. The Barista Express gives you a manual tamp, a manual microfoam steam wand, and a 54mm portafilter that takes up to 19g - the steps and the platform that let technique actually improve your shots. It demands more practice than the La Specialista, but the skills and accessories carry forward.
The Breville Barista Express integrates a conical burr grinder with 16-plus settings, low-pressure pre-infusion before a 9-bar extraction, and PID temperature control on a single thermocoil that's brew-ready in about a minute. Its 54mm size has one of the largest aftermarket ecosystems in home espresso - bottomless portafilters, precision baskets, and distribution tools are cheap and plentiful - so it's the better base to upgrade puck prep over time. The costs are a manual learning curve and a single heating system, which means a short wait when you switch from brewing to steaming.
- Pros: 54mm platform with a deep, cheap accessory aftermarket; manual tamp and wand reward technique; PID temperature control; integrated grinder with wide adjustment range.
- Cons: manual tamping is a learning curve; single thermocoil adds a brew-to-steam wait; ~1-minute warm-up versus instant-on machines; milk texturing is fully manual.
Skip this if you want a hands-off morning where the machine doses, tamps, and never makes you wait to steam - that's the La Specialista's job, not this one's.
Which one should you buy?
Start here: the Barista Express if you want to learn espresso on a 54mm platform you can keep upgrading, and the La Specialista if you want consistent results today with the machine handling tamping and dual-heat convenience. They optimize for opposite things - skill-building versus guided consistency - and the La Specialista usually costs more, so let temperament and budget decide.
Skip this first: if you already know you want bottomless portafilters and precision baskets, skip the La Specialista's 51mm format. If the idea of practicing tamping and milk steaming sounds like a chore rather than a hobby, skip the Barista Express.
Frequently asked questions
Do these machines come with a grinder? Yes - both have an integrated conical burr grinder, which is the main reason to buy either over a standalone machine. You won't need a separate grinder to start, though a dedicated grinder is a common later upgrade for the Barista Express.
What's the difference between 54mm and 51mm portafilters? The Barista Express's 54mm platform has a far larger accessory aftermarket than the La Specialista's 51mm. If you plan to upgrade baskets, tampers, or add a bottomless portafilter, 54mm gives you more and cheaper options.
Can you steam milk right after brewing? On the La Specialista, yes - its dual heating system runs brew and steam separately, so there's no wait. The Barista Express uses a single thermocoil, so there's a short delay switching from brewing to steaming.
Why does the La Specialista cost more? You're paying for the Smart Tamping Station and dual heating system - convenience features the Barista Express doesn't have. Whether that's worth the premium depends on whether you want to automate or learn those steps.
Related: See our coffee gear hub, the Breville Bambino Plus vs Gaggia Classic Pro comparison, and the BestPickZone homepage.
Last verified: June 2026. Specs confirmed against Breville and De'Longhi product pages and retailer listings; prices change frequently, so confirm the live Amazon pricing before purchasing.