DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart ECAM23270 Review: Are Your Coffee Senses Tingling Yet?

Last updated on April 23rd, 2023 by Jules Winnfield

If you have ventured the world of espresso for some time, you will find yourself in a few categories of coffee drinkers. Personally, I am in the automatic bucket: I like my espresso done for me and prepared hot and ready with minimum effort.

I don’t really want to get into the nitty gritty of espresso grinds, tamping, strengths, temperatures, timing, and all that.  

So when something like the De’Longhi Magnifica S Smart came to my attention, I already knew I would fall in love. My coffee senses were tingling and easy lattes two three times a day was easily in my future! 

But just because this super automatic espresso delight is my kind of machine, doesn’t mean its right for you.

So in this quick straight to the gist DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart ECAM23270 review, we answer the question and give our overall rating to help you decide.

Last update on 2024-04-07

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DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart Review and Rating

Build/Quality (8.7/10)

What is it made of? Plastic, Stainless steel?	Plastic exterior, but looks sleek and nice like most modern machines you see nowadays.
How durable is it?	Customers report you can get 5-8+ years of service minimum if you take care of the machine and do the proper maintenance.

Performance (9/10)

What brew modes does it have?	Espresso, Coffee, Long, Latte macchiato, Cappuccino.  Makes twin shots to share with a friend.
Pressure?	15 bars
Strength control?	Yes, 3 settings; increases dose of coffee beans used
Temperature control?	No, but is designed to brew at the optimum temp for a proper espresso extraction
How fast does it brew one cup or batch? Heat up time?	Heat up time is pretty fast (about 60 sec), and from bean to latte or cappuccino, you’re looking at less than 2 min!
How many cups does it make?	Can vary depending on your volume preferences, but in general:  Espresso: 1-2 oz. (30-60 ml)  Coffee: 4-8 oz. (120-240 ml)  Long: 4-8 oz. (120-240 ml)
Steam wand for frothing?	Not exactly, instead you get the LatteCrema milk system, which is DeLonghi’s automatic milk jug foaming system.  Has milk froth adjustments too.
How quiet is it?	Other than the grinder, the Magnifica S Smart has a standard noise level, close to what you would expect from an all in one machine.
How is the taste and flavor?	There’s no question that the Magnifica S Smart assembles just about the tastiest, creamiest, robust full flavored espresso beverages you will get anywhere.  You definitely get what you pay for!  Be sure to run 4-5 cups of coffee through the machine the first time you use it so you get the best taste

Ease of use/Maintenance (9/10)

How big is it?	At 9.4 in wide, 16.9 in. deep, and 13.4 in tall, the Magnifica S Smart is considered to be compact for a fully automatic machine.
How heavy? Portable?	Weighs 19.8 lb., so not easily moved
LCD display or push buttons or both?	Easy press control pad buttons with digital display and dial knobs
How easy is it to use?	The Magnifica S Smart may take some time to familiarize yourself with but is pretty easy to get started.   Simply pour in your coffee beans, select a grind, then select a beverage type, select a dose strength, choose between a single or double, select a temperature, hit the Brew button and your brew is on its way.  Whether you choose a simple delicious espresso or milky beverage delight, you’ll have it in a matter of minutes!
Maintenance reminders?	Yes, quite a few including for – full grounds container – empty beans container – empty water tank – descaling – clean milk frother
How easy is it to clean?	Cleanup is what you would expect, not difficult but involved: Simply clean out the drip tray, ground waste container, coffee spouts, water tank.   Brewing unit can be removed easily and infuser cleaned.  The LatteCrema milk jug has a self-cleaning feature. Descaling is pretty simple too, just follow the machine instructions.  Does come with an automated heating and rinsing function before and after each use.

Design/Features (8.5/10)

Does it use pods or ground coffee or both?	Only takes either whole beans or pre ground coffee.  Avoid oily beans as the chances of the grinder jamming goes up; Lavazza and Illy coffee beans are good choices
Heating mechanism	Dual Thermoblock
Built in grinder?	Yes, conical burr grinder with 7 settings  Bean hopper capacity is 8.8 oz.
Programmable autostart?	No autostart
Auto shut off, energy saving mode?	Yes, can be set to auto turn off between 15 min and 3 hours of non-use.
Any other notable tech features?	No
Removable water reservoir? How big?	Yes, 60.8 oz.
Come with accessories?	Yes, a few things including a measuring scoop, cleaning brush and hot water spout.  Also you may get some pre ground coffee, water filter, and descaling solution.
Can it dispense hot water?	Yes, comes with a hot water/steam nozzle for soups, hot cocoa or tea. You have to remove the LatteCrema milk jug first to use it.
Drip tray removable to accommodate larger mugs?	Yes, and can accommodate a mug up to 5.6 in. tall.  Coffee spout is also adjustable.
Any other unique features?	Water hardness settings – helps customize when you should descale based on your water hardness  Water softening filter – for the best tasting coffee
Come in different colors?	Only silver and black
Pricing	Retails at $1299.95, so definitely an investment.

User Satisfaction (8.3/10)

Warranty?	2 years
Specific customer feedback, good AND bad	Overall, most coffee drinkers love the delicious flavor of coffee espresso the Magnifica S Smart makes. The built in grinder, the extra coffee mug clearance, and the separate milk froth tank are the favorites.  The downsides most mentioned is the noise level, lack of customizations, and size of water tank.

Pros and Cons

When it comes to Italian made DeLonghi machines, you can pretty much expect high quality and performance as a baseline feature. But the DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart sets itself apart in the following ways:

Things I like 

• Full/super automatic espresso machine that looks nice and is compact in size 
• But also makes either drip coffee or lattes and cappuccinos automatically for you with just one button! 
• Built in grinder; because you ain’t drinking real coffee unless its been ground fresh! 
  • Nothing beats the aroma of fresh ground coffee…nothing… 
• Dual heating systems means no waiting for brewing and frothing separately; get it done together! 
• Love the LatteCrema system 
  • Brilliant way to get rich thick creamy milk foam on autopilot while keeping the maintenance and cleaning super easy and simple 
  • DeLonghi Nespesso machines and the Dinamica and Eletta series have them too.  
• Interchangeable hot water spout and milk reservoir connections 
• Easy refilling since water reservoir comes out in front 
• Lots of clearance for your favorite mug 
• Cleanup is simplified and easy from compact formed coffee ground pucks, to automated cleaning systems 

Things I don’t like 

• May be a bit tricky to get set up; make use of YouTube videos and you should be fine. 
• The automatic rinsing before and after each brew can mean refilling the water reservoir more often.  
  • Consider keeping a bowl underneath the spout to avoid an overflowing drip tray 
• Cleanup and maintenance can be a bit time consuming, but is typical for this type of machine and probably still faster than running to a coffee shop daily 
• Not a lot of customizations you would expect for a machine at this price point 
  • No temp, fewer grind and strength settings 
  • Plus you can’t save your own manual customizations either which is a bummer 
• A bit pricey

How Does it Compare? 

To get an idea of where the Magnifica S Smart stands amongst its peers, we decided to compare it to a similar caliber fully automatic espresso machine, such as the Gaggia Velasca Prestige.

DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart vs Gaggia Velasca Prestige 

Off the bat, we noticed that both machines: 

• Will make delicious rich frothy cappuccinos or lattes from bean to cup with just one button 
• Come with preprogrammed recipes to speed up your morning 
• Are built with a circuit rinsing function to streamline your cleaning and maintenance 
• Utilize a detachable milk jug carafe system to automatically create milk foam for your beverages 

But the differences are: 

• Gaggia Velasca comes with temperature adjustments for customizing your brew while the Magnifica S does not
• The Gaggia has more customizations vs the Magnifica S in strength settings (5 vs 3) and grind settings (10 vs. 7)
• The Gaggia water reservoir is smaller than the Magnifica S (54 oz. vs 50 oz.), but the bean hopper is bigger (10.5 oz. vs 8.8 oz.) 
• The Gaggia Velasca Prestige retails a couple hundred bucks cheaper, but a current deal has it almost half the price of the Magnifica S. 

The winner? 

• If you’re looking for more customizations in grind, strength, temperature and volume setting for your brew at an affordable price, you should take a longer look at the Gaggia Velasca Prestige.
• If you prefer the power and flexibility of a dual boiler, a larger water reservoir and superior internal cleaning system, then go with the Magnifica S Smart.

Final Verdict 

The DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart cappuccino maker is a “magnified” version of its cousin the Magnifica XS: a sleek hybrid of a compact fully automatic machine with the full service drink capabilities of super automatic machine.  

Not only can you choose your own grind (built in grinder), strength, volume, and froth (milk LatteCrema system), but the entire process from bean to cup is done for you. It’s easy to learn how to brew your own delicious mouthwatering espresso, latte, or cappuccino and it’s designed to be simple to clean and maintain with its auto clean functions. It’s like having a legit personal barista in your kitchen 24/7! 

It’s basically almost like the Dinamica except it’s not as big, takes up a smaller footprint in your kitchen and doesn’t have as many pre built coffee recipes or features.  

The downside is that it’s a pricey machine. But as usual, you will likely find that what you save in time, money and resources from not going to the coffee shop everyday will very quickly return your investment. 

If you’re a beginner espresso drinker or if you’re like me and don’t want to get involved in the nitty gritty of espresso pulling and you’re not concerned with having a ton of customization options, and you just want your beverage in hands asap, then the Magnifica S Smart is a good choice for you.

Last update on 2024-04-07

But if you want more options for super automatic machines that do it all, check out the Eletta machines.

• DeLonghi Eletta
• DeLonghi Eletta Explore

For fully automatics that provide a hands-off bean to cup experience but still give you the delicious coffee house aroma and taste you can’t live without, check out the Dinamica or other Magnifica machines.

• DeLonghi Dinamica
• DeLonghi Dinamica Plus
• DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM3300
• DeLonghi Magnifica Evo ECAM29084

For a more semi automatic feel that gives you a little more involvement in the brewing process, consider the La Specialista series.

• DeLonghi La Specialista Arte
• DeLonghi La Specialista Prestigio
• DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro

If you want to keep things more basic, then check out the Dedica or ECP series. These machines are manual semi-automatics that are much simpler with no grinder built in.

• DeLonghi ECP3420
• DeLonghi Icona
• DeLonghi Dedica Arte
• DeLonghi Dedica Deluxe

FAQ

What’s the difference between the Magnifica XS and Magnifica S Smart? 

	Magnifica XS	Magnifica S Smart
Pressure	15 bars	15 bars
Heating system	Single Thermoblock	Dual Thermoblock
Built in grinder settings	13	7
Bean hopper capacity	8.8 oz.	8.8 oz.
Preprogrammed coffee recipes	Espresso Americano	Coffee Espresso Americano Latte-macchiato Cappuccino
Temperature control settings	4	No
Strength settings	5	3
Manual MyLatteArt steam wand	Yes	Yes
Automatic LatteCrema system	No	Yes
Water reservoir	60.8 oz.	60.8 oz.
Eco MultiClean	Yes	Yes
Retail Price	$699	$1299