Delonghi have quite the catalogue of bean to cup coffee makers and two of the most notable could have you deciding between the Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica. Delonghi is a brand known for its excellent line of bean to cup coffee makers, and two of its most notable offerings are the Delonghi Magnifica and Dinamica. Both machines offer exceptional features for coffee lovers, but deciding between them can be a challenge. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how they compare in terms of their choice of coffee, milk frother, type of coffee they take, customisation, size, and ease of use.
Both machines offer excellent features for users and come highly recommended by users but how do you choose between the Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica?
Firstly, when it comes to the choice of coffee, both machines offer a wide range of options. The Delonghi Magnifica allows users to select from various coffee strengths and sizes, while the Dinamica goes further by offering a range of coffee drinks, including lattes, cappuccinos, and espresso. If you’re someone who likes a variety of coffee drinks, the Dinamica may be the better choice.
Secondly, the milk frother is an essential feature for many coffee lovers. The Delonghi Magnifica comes with a manual frother, which requires some practice to get right. The Dinamica, on the other hand, features an automatic frother, making it easier to use and ensuring consistent results.
Thirdly, the type of coffee the machines take also differs. The Delonghi Magnifica is compatible with both ground coffee and coffee beans, while the Dinamica only takes coffee beans. If you prefer using ground coffee, the Magnifica may be the better choice.
Fourthly, customisation is an essential feature for coffee enthusiasts. The Delonghi Magnifica allows users to customise the strength, temperature, and quantity of their coffee, while the Dinamica goes a step further by offering individual profiles for up to six users.
Fifthly, size and capacity are factors to consider, especially if you have limited counter space. The Delonghi Magnifica is more compact, making it ideal for smaller kitchens, while the Dinamica is larger but has a larger water tank and bean hopper capacity.
Lastly, ease of use is crucial, especially for those new to using coffee machines. Both machines are relatively easy to use, but the Dinamica has a more user-friendly interface and touch screen display.
In this article we are going to take a look at how they compare in terms of:
- Choice of Coffee
- Milk Frother
- Type of Coffee It Takes
- Customisation
- Size & Capacity
- Ease of Use
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Name | Delonghi Magnifica | Delonghi Dinamica |
Display |   |   |
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Model Number | ESAM 4200.S | ECAM 350.75.S |
Milk Frother | Manual | Automatic |
Coffee Machine Type | Bean to Cup (& Pre-Ground) | Bean to Cup (& Pre-Ground) |
Size | 28.5 (W) x 37.5 (D) x 36 (H) cm | 23.6 (W) x 42.9 (D) x 34.8 (H) cm |
Capacity | 200g bean container; 1.8 litre water tank | 300g bean container; 1.8 litre water tank |
Colour; Finish | Silver; Painted Plastic | Silver; Painted Plastic |
LCD Display Screen | No | Yes |
What Users Think | Excellent bean to cup coffee machine at a great price | Great premium coffee machine without having to pay too much |
Delonghi Magnifica
Contents
Note this article is based on the Delonghi Magnifica ESAM 4200.S available from Amazon.co.uk. The model available on Amazon.com will have some differences which you should be clear on before any purchase.
The Delonghi Magnifica comes with a stellar set of user recommendations from years of being in service to customers. The Delonghi Magnifica offers a highly user rated bean to cup coffee machine at an excellent price point compared to many offerings in the market. Equipped with an integrated coffee grinder with 7 settings and a manual milk frother, the Delonghi Magnifica offers several features to help take the hassle out of making your favourite drink as well as helping to make it as fresh as possible.
Delonghi Dinamica
Note this article is based on the Delonghi Dinamica ECAM 350.75.S available from Amazon.co.uk. The model available on Amazon.com will have some differences which you should be clear on before any purchase.
The Delonghi Dinamica offers users a highly automated coffee-making experience. The Dinamaca comes with a range of one-touch coffee drinks selection as well as an integrated milk frother. The Delonghi Dinamica comes highly rated by users.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica
Let’s now take a deep dive into a range of different factors to see how the Delonghi Magnifica compares to the Dinamica.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: How They Work
Let’s first take a look at how the Delonghi Magnifica and Dinamica compare in terms of hoe they operate.
The Delonghi Magnifica is a bean to cup coffee machine with an integrated coffee grinder as well as a manual steam milk frother.
The Delonghi Magnifica appears to be set up for simplicity. It has a bean container for you to place whole beans which are then ground, extracted, and brewed for you after making a few selections.
If you are after more than an espresso you also have a manual milk frother where you can then combine it for a milk-based drink.
The Delonghi Dinamica is also a bean to cup coffee machine but offers more automation and less manual intervention.
The Dinamica has an integrated coffee bean grinder and brewing unit as well as an integrated automatic milk frother. This means you also get a range of one-touch coffee drink choices including milk-based drinks. It essentially means your coffee can be prepared at the touch of a few buttons.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: Choice of Drinks
When it comes to the choice of drinks on offer, a key factor is looking at what drinks are available from an automated menu as well as what drinks could be made with more manual intervention.
In terms of choice of drinks the Dinamica offers a wide range of automated one-touch options including:
- espresso
- latte
- flat white
- cappucino and
- latte macchiato.
The Delonghi Magnifica does not offer the same range of choice as the Dinamica in terms of one-touch selection as the milk frother is manual rather than automatic meaning with any milk-based drink, you will have to manually complete it yourself.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: Milk Frother
If you’re particularly keen on milk-based beverages such as lattes and cappuccinos then the features of the milk frother are something to look for when searching for a machine.
They are usually either automatic and integrated or to be used with an external jug, or they’ll need to be operated manually (typically with a steam wand/function) via a jug or cup.
In terms of milk frothers, both the Delonghi Magnifica and Dinamica come equipped with one.
The Delonghi Magnifica has a manual milk frother which means when making a milk-based beverage, once the espresso is done you will need to manually combine the milk you froth or heat up.
To use the milk frother is a matter of placing a suitable container with milk under the nozzle and heat up the milk or froth it depending on the drink you are trying to make. Indeed many users note how well the milk frother performs on the Magnifica.
The Delonghi Dinamica on the other hand has an automatic integrated milk frother. This means that rather than having to manually intervene to heat or froth your milk to make a cappuccino or latte, for example, the machine will take care of it for you and you’ll pick up your complete coffee at the end.
For many, this is one of the major attractions of going for a more premium option in the Dinamica. Quite helpfully the unit will allow you to choose between two amounts of foam as well as simply heating up your milk. Many users have noted how well the milk frother performs.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: Type of Coffee It Takes
Both the Delonghi Magnifica and Delonghi Dinamica are bean to cup coffee machines.
For a lot of coffee lovers, there’s unlikely to be any other coffee machine they would consider purchasing other than a bean to cup machine. They typically provide the freshest coffee possible at home as the whole roasted beans can be ground just at the point you actually want to brew the coffee.
This coupled with a roasting date that would be supportive of freshness gives you the freshest coffee possible out of the various types of machines available for home use.
For some however, the quick convenience of pre-ground coffee is also a draw.
The Delonghi Magnifica is designed to take whole beans and grind then extract and brew them for your desired drink just when you want it.
Quite helpfully, however, it can also take pre-ground coffee giving you added flexibility. Note however that you can only make one cup of coffee at a time with the pre-ground option.
The Delonghi Dinamica is also equipped to grind whole beans at the point of use but it can also take pre-ground coffee. Like the Magnifica however, you can only make one cup of coffee at a time using the pre-ground variety.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: Customisation
In terms of customisation features, some coffee machines will allow users to alter the strength of their coffee as well as the grind level and the amount in each cup.
Some automated machines will also allow the user to create their own custom program with specific preferences so that they don’t have to keep re-entering the various options to make their favourite cup of coffee.
The Delonghi Magnifica will allow you to customise the aroma strength as well as the quantity of your coffee. Quite helpfully it also gives you the choice of 7 different coarseness levels for the grinder.
The Magnifica also gives you control over the water temperature that is used to brew your coffee
The Delonghi Dinamica offers users more customisation than the Magnifica. As well as allowing users to determine the strength and quantity of their coffee, it also allows for customised programs.
This means that you can save the settings for your own favourite drink and saves you the hassle of having to re-enter the settings every time you want to make a drink. The Dinamica will also let you select the temperature of the hot water used to make the coffee giving you a choice of 4 levels.
When it comes to grind levels, the Dinamica also allows users to choose from 7 different settings.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: Size, Weight & Capacity
When selecting a new appliance for your kitchen counter the size of the machine you are looking at can often play a key part in the selection. This is particularly the case for coffee makers and bean to cup machines in particular as they can often take up a considerable amount of space.
They typically have a larger footprint to accommodate the various functions within the machines including their grinders which pod and ground coffee machines do not have.
The Delonghi Magnifica measures as follows:
- 28.5cm(W) x 37.5cm (D) x 36cm (H)
The Delonghi Dinamica has the following dimensions:
- 23.6cm(W) x 42.9cm (D) x 34.8cm (H)
From this, we can see that the Magnifica is an extra roughly 5cm wider than the Dinamica though is 5.4cm shorter in-depth meaning it will take up less space up against the wall. In terms of height, the Magnifica is an extra 1.2cm taller than the Dinamica. So the Dinamica is thinner and shorter than the Magnifica but does have a longer depth.
In terms of weight, the Delonghi Magnifica weighs roughly 10kg whereas the Dinamica comes in at 9.5kg.
When it comes to capacity the key factors to look at are the bean container size and volume of the water tank.
The Magnifica has the following properties in these two areas:
- Bean container: 200g
- Water tank: 1.8 litres
The Dinamica on the other hand has the following:
- Bean container: 300g
- Water tank: 1.8 litres
As we can see though the Magnifica and Dinamica have the same size water tank, the Dinamica has a much larger bean container giving you an extra 50% capacity.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: Ease of Use
Regardless of the type of coffee machine, they opt for users typically want something that they can use without too much hassle. A significant part of this will come down to the control panel setup as well as the level of automation involved.
Making your own coffee can be complicated so generally speaking the more automation a machine provides, the easier it will be to make the most of the machine. This is particularly a concern for those who do not wish to get too hands-on.
The Delonghi Magnifica is deemed an automatic bean to cup coffee machine so it will take care of the grinding, extraction, tamping, and brewing of your espresso. Where you have to get more involved is if you are then making a milk-based beverage as you’ll need to operate the milk frother manually.
In terms of the control panel, the Magnifica appears simple enough to use with only a limited number of buttons and dials which are well explained in the instruction manual. Indeed many users mention that they feel the Magnifica is very easy to operate.
The Dinamica is also an automatic bean to cup coffee machine meaning it does the job of grinding, extraction, tamping, and brewing your coffee. However, it also then takes care of preparing the milk for your milk-based beverages without your manual intervention, unlike the Magnifica.
The Dinamica’s control panel tries to make operation as easy as possible with an LCD display which helps with selection. Things are made easier with a range of one-touch options on the menu.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: What Users Think
In terms of user reviews, the Delonghi Magnifica comes very highly regarded and is clearly very popular given the number of high-rated reviews. Many users note how easy it is to setup and use whilst others also feel it makes excellent coffee.
Several users note how well this machine performs over time and they feel it offers excellent value for money.
In terms of drawbacks, some users have noted that it can be tricky to clean the internals of the machine when that is required though this is not a universal complaint it’s still something to pay attention to.
The Delonghi Dinamica also comes highly rated from users with many noting how easy it is to use particularly with its one-touch programs. Several users also feel that it offers an excellent option as a premium automatic bean to cup machine without paying some of the far higher prices from alternatives. Indeed many users note that the Dinamica is better than the more expensive machines they’ve used in the past.
There are however, some who feel the Dinamica goes through water relatively quickly as it uses it for rinsing. Indeed some note a larger water tank could be better. In addition, some users mention that it is quite long though as noted above it is best to check the dimensions of any machine suit where you would like to position in your home.
Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica: Price
Bean to cup coffee machines can have a significant price range. You can typically find decent budget models from around £250 – £300 with more premium-like offerings starting from around £500 up. There are however some machines that can cost as much as £2,000.
A higher price, however, doesn’t always mean happier users as there are many machines like the Delonghi Magnifica for example that are budget options but get far better user reviews than more expensive models.
In terms of price, the Delonghi Magnifica does offer a very good budget option. It can typically be found for around £250 – £300.
The Dinamica on the other hand is far more expensive and can typically be found at around £700. The price difference is reflected most significantly in the fact the Dinamica is a machine with fully automatic milk frothing whereas the Magnifica is manually operated.
Conclusion – Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica
Overall when considering the Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica there’s lots to appreciate about both machines. Both are easy to use bean to cup coffee makers according to users and can also take pre-ground coffee.
The major difference in terms of how they operate is the fact that with the Delonghi Magnifica you get manual milk frothing whereas the Dinamica offers fully automatic milk treatment giving you a range of one-touch coffee choices. In general, the Dinamica needs less manual intervention than the Magnifica and it also benefits from an LCD display for the menu.
The Delonghi Magnifica takes up more width on your counter but the Dinamica eats up more depth. The Dinamica will also give you more bean capacity meaning less need to refill the container.
Both machines appear to get generally positive user reviews although the Magnifica has far more of a user base going on the availability of reviews than the Dinamica. Both of course have their drawbacks according to users though none appear to have any deal-breakers though this will depend on your own preferences.
Ultimately if you want a high-quality budget option with great feedback from users and don’t mind manual milk frothing then the Delonghi Magnifica would be best suited for you. On the other hand, if you like the idea of a fully automatic milk frothing experience offering one-touch selections then the Dinamica would be better over the Magnifica.
when it comes to the Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica, it ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you’re someone who values customisation, variety in coffee drinks, and a user-friendly interface, the Dinamica may be the better choice. However, if you prefer the flexibility of using both ground coffee and beans, a more compact size, and are willing to put in the effort to master the manual frother, the Delonghi Magnifica could be a perfect fit for you.
Between Delonghi Magnifica vs Dinamica the choice is ultimately yours based on your prerefences and of course budget.
Delonghi Magnifica
Note this article is based on the Delonghi Magnifica ESAM 4200.S available from Amazon.co.uk. The model available on Amazon.com will have some differences which you should be clear on before any purchase.
Delonghi Dinamica
Note this article is based on the Delonghi Dinamica ECAM 350.75.S available from Amazon.co.uk. The model available on Amazon.com will have some differences which you should be clear on before any purchase.