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De’Longhi Magnifica Evo vs Magnifica Start (UK): Which Should You Buy?
Two De’Longhi bean-to-cup machines, two different ways to make milk drinks. Our research-led comparison focuses on the exact UK versions, their daily routine and their published regional Machine & Bean scores.
The short answer
Start or Evo? The everyday difference
Choose the Magnifica Evo LatteCrema when your household regularly makes cappuccinos or lattes and wants the machine to prepare milk automatically. Choose the Magnifica Start if your usual drinks are espresso or black coffee, and you are happy to use a traditional steam wand when you occasionally want milk.
The Evo's automation saves a preparation step but adds a milk carafe to manage. The Start asks more of the user when frothing milk, yet avoids an automatic milk system. Neither layout guarantees better coffee flavour: beans, setup, cleaning and individual preferences still matter.
Choose Evo LatteCrema if…
- You make milk drinks several times a week or serve several people.
- One-touch cappuccino-style preparation is your main priority.
- You are happy to clean and store a detachable milk carafe.
Choose Magnifica Start if…
- Espresso, black coffee or Americano makes up most of your routine.
- You don't mind learning steam-wand milk technique.
- You'd rather avoid paying for automated milk features you may rarely use.
Magnifica Evo vs Start: side-by-side
| Buying consideration | Magnifica Evo LatteCrema | Magnifica Start |
|---|---|---|
| Exact UK model | ECAM290.83.TB EX:1 | ECAM220.22.GB |
| Machine & Bean rating | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Milk preparation | Automatic LatteCrema Hot carafe | Traditional manual steam wand |
| Advertised choices | MyLatte, cappuccino, espresso, coffee, long, latte macchiato and hot water (as advertised in the UK product overview) | Espresso, coffee and Americano or a longer coffee, depending on the display labelling; steam is a separate function |
| Coffee preparation | Built-in grinder and automated brewing | Built-in grinder and automated brewing |
| Milk equipment cleaning | Carafe with automatic rinse function; further cleaning still required | Wipe and purge steam wand after use; no separate automatic carafe |
| Best suited to | Frequent milk-drink households | Mainly black-coffee drinkers and occasional milk frothers |
These ratings are editorial assessments of separate regional models. A higher overall score is not a measured head-to-head coffee-taste victory or a promise that the machine is better value at today's selling price.
Milk drinks: automation versus control
The Evo’s detachable LatteCrema Hot carafe makes automated milk drinks part of its normal button-led workflow. The UK and US reviews both describe a colour-coded panel, MyLatte milk-quantity function and an automatic carafe-clean cycle. A rinse function does not remove the need to wash milk-contact parts and follow the manufacturer’s hygiene instructions.
The Start prepares the espresso automatically, but a latte or cappuccino is not finished until you steam milk separately. The traditional wand can appeal to someone who enjoys practising foam texture, but it takes attention and prompt cleaning. If several people expect finished milk drinks with minimal work, the Evo makes the stronger practical case.
Do not confuse these exact manual-frother Start models with other Magnifica Start versions fitted with an automatic LatteCrema carafe. Those are different configurations.
What each model can make
For the exact UK Evo ECAM290.83.TB EX:1, the manufacturer describes mylatte, cappuccino, espresso, coffee, long, latte macchiato and hot water (as advertised in the uk product overview). Some De’Longhi pages group drinks differently in their technical tables, so use the controls and exact product reference if a particular recipe is essential.
The exact UK Start ECAM220.22.GB uses a smaller direct coffee menu plus manual milk preparation. Espresso, coffee and Americano or a longer coffee, depending on the display labelling; steam is a separate function. A finished cappuccino still involves a separate steaming step.
The exact UK Evo product overview lists seven one-touch drinks but does not advertise the US model’s Over Ice programme. UK buyers should not assume they are buying the US drink menu.
UK-specific buying details
The published UK review documents a 240 mm width for both models. Evo is listed at 240 × 440 × 360 mm (W × D × H), while Start is 240 × 440 × 350 mm. These dimensions exclude access room for lids, the steam wand and milk equipment; neither is a shallow machine.
The Start UK review lists a 1.8-litre water tank and 250 g bean hopper from exact UK documentation. The Evo UK review confirms a 1.8-litre water container but cautions against assigning an unverified exact-revision hopper figure from an older review. We therefore avoid presenting a like-for-like hopper-size comparison.
De’Longhi’s published Evo feature descriptions and UK technical list are not fully consistent about individual drink names. That makes checking the exact ECAM290.83.TB EX:1 controls especially sensible.
Cleaning and maintenance: which is simpler?
The Start eliminates milk-carafe cleaning but requires immediate steam-wand care after use. The Evo saves hands-on milk frothing, yet its carafe still needs rinsing, inspection and periodic disassembly or washing as instructed. Neither coffee system is maintenance-free.
Both machines require routine care of drip trays, coffee grounds, water supplies and descaling. Before purchasing, consider how frequently you will make milk drinks and how willing you are to clean the relevant components. A machine that suits your actual routine is easier to live with than one chosen by recipe count alone.
Price and value: check the exact model
A recommended retail price (MRRP) is a reference point, not a live checkout price or a saving. The published Machine & Bean ratings include a value category assessed using dated evidence; real retailer prices can change. We therefore do not rank these two machines by an unverified current deal.
Use the full Evo UK review and Start UK review for their available approved retailer links and relevant buying disclosures. Confirm the model suffix on the retailer listing before purchasing. We do not claim to show the cheapest offer across the market.
Before choosing, ask yourself
- How often do you drink milk coffee? Frequent cappuccinos favour an automatic carafe; occasional ones make the manual wand more tolerable.
- Will you clean the system you buy? Steam wands and carafes involve different routines, not zero work.
- Are you comparing the same national model? The UK codes here are deliberate; other Magnifica suffixes can have different recipes and milk systems.
- What is the real current retailer price? Compare the exact approved listings reached through the regional review pages, not an old MRRP or a family-level promotion.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Magnifica Start make cappuccino automatically?
No. The UK model ECAM220.22.GB in this comparison has a traditional manual frother. It can brew the coffee automatically, but you steam and add milk separately.
Does the Magnifica Evo make milk drinks at one touch?
The UK Evo ECAM290.83.TB EX:1 is the LatteCrema automatic-milk variant, with advertised one-touch milk choices. The carafe still needs regular maintenance.
Which machine has the better Machine & Bean rating?
Our published UK overall ratings are 7.8/10 for Evo and 7.5/10 for Start. They are editorial ratings for separate model assessments, not a controlled tasting experiment.
Can I use a different model suffix from another region?
Do not assume equivalence. Other regional or milk-system versions can differ. Check the exact model code and local warranty terms before buying.
How this guide was researched
This is an independent editorial synthesis of the published Machine & Bean regional reviews, which draw on manufacturer specifications and attributed external reporting where appropriate. The choice framework distinguishes confirmed exact-model features from broader family evidence. It does not represent a controlled side-by-side laboratory test.
Regional editorial scores reflect our existing eight-category assessment and are independent of affiliate commissions. Prices, availability and promotions may change; this page does not display retailer offers.
Read the evidence and full buying notes: Magnifica Evo LatteCrema UK review and Magnifica Start UK review.