Breville Barista Pro vs De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M
Ahead
The verdict
Breville Barista Pro is the better buy on our scoring, 7.6 to De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M's 7.0. It leads on shot quality & extraction and workflow & ergonomics.
Breville Barista Pro costs $150 less.
Who each one suits
Breville Barista Pro
Home baristas who want a fast, all-in-one espresso machine with an integrated grinder and minimal wait time
Scores higher on shot quality & extraction, workflow & ergonomics, value for money.
De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M
Hands-on espresso with a grinder, assisted tamping and both an automatic and a manual milk system, plus cold brew in minutes
Scores higher on steam power & milk texturing, ease of use & learning curve.
How they score, criterion by criterion
Both are scored the same way against the rest of their category, from what their makers publish. The weight is how much each criterion moves the total. How the score works
| Criterion | Weight in category | Breville Barista Pro | De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shot Quality & Extraction | 22% | 8.9 | 6.1 |
| Steam Power & Milk Texturing | 16% | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| Build Quality & Durability | 16% | 8.2 | 8.2 |
| Ease of Use & Learning Curve | 12% | 5.3 | 7.1 |
| Workflow & Ergonomics | 12% | 8.1 | 6.9 |
| Maintenance & Cleaning | 12% | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Value for Money | 10% | 6.4 | 5.1 |
What each one costs
| Price | $849.95 | $999.95 |
Where they differ
Every specification the two makers publish differently. Everything they match on is in the full table below.
| Breville Barista Pro | De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand founded | 1932 | — |
| Based in | Sydney, Australia | — |
| Price | $849.95 | $999.95 |
| Best for | Home baristas who want a fast, all-in-one espresso machine with an integrated grinder and minimal wait time | Hands-on espresso with a grinder, assisted tamping and both an automatic and a manual milk system, plus cold brew in minutes |
| What sets it apart | ThermoJet heating system reaches extraction temperature in 3 seconds and integrates Baratza European precision conical burrs with 30 grind settings in a single countertop unit. | — |
| Compared with | De'Longhi La Specialista, Gaggia Classic Pro, Jura E8 | — |
| Automatic milk frother | ✕ | ✓ |
| Body Material | Brushed stainless steel | Metal |
| Boiler Type | ThermoJet heating system | 1 Thermoblock + 1 heating system |
| Bottomless Available | ✓ | — |
| Brew Temperature Levels | — | 5, Active Temperature Control |
| Built in Grinder | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cold Extraction | — | ✓ |
| Colour Options | Brushed stainless steel, Black Truffle, Sea Salt, Damson Blue, Black Stainless Steel, Olive Tapenade, Oyster Shell, Royal Champagne, Smoked Hickory, Red Velvet Cake, an Aboriginal Culinary Journey | Metal |
| Cup clearance | — | 139, published as 5.46 in |
| Dimensions | — | Published as 14 x 16.5 x 18.5 in, axes not labelled |
| Display Type | — | LCD display with buttons and dial |
| Grind steps | — | 15 |
| Machine Type | Semi-automatic espresso machine with integrated grinder | Semi-automatic espresso machine with built-in grinder, assisted tamping and automatic milk system |
| Model | — | EC9885M |
| One-touch drinks | — | 8: Espresso, Americano, Coffee, Flat White, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Iced Espresso, Cold Brew |
| PID control | ✓ | — |
| Plumbable | ✕ | — |
| Portafilter Material | Stainless steel | — |
| Portafilter Size | 54 mm | — |
| Power | 1680 W | 1600, at 120 V |
| Pre Infusion | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pressurised Basket | ✓ | — |
| Price Note | — | $999.95 on delonghi.com, marked down 23% from $1,299.95 |
| Pump pressure | 9 (extraction pressure); 15 bar pump | 19 bar |
| Pump Type | 15 bar Italian pump | — |
| Ships to | US | — |
| Ships to Note | Confirmed on Amazon US, which is where this link points. Availability in other Amazon stores has not been checked, and a regional store may substitute a different product. | — |
| Shot Timer | ✓ | — |
| Steam Wand Type | Manual steam wand | Manual MyLatte Art steam wand, alongside the automatic LatteCrema Hot system |
| Tamping | — | Smart Tamping: pull the lever to tamp |
| Warm-up time | 3 s | — |
| Warranty Note | — | 2 years standard, plus 1 added year when the machine is registered: 3 in all, per De'Longhi's own warranty panel on the product page. |
| Water Tank | 2 L | 2.5, published as 84.54 oz |
| Weight | 9.49 kg | 16, published as 35.28 lb |
Pros and cons
From each full review, written from the same published facts as the scores above.
Breville Barista Pro
- +A 3-second warm-up from the ThermoJet system, against roughly 120 seconds on the Mattino
- +A 30-setting hardened steel conical grinder, PID, and an LCD shot clock
- +Low pressure pre-infusion then 9 bar extraction, with single and dual-wall baskets and a bottomless option available
- +A 2 litre tank and a two-year warranty
- −$849.95 against a $699.99 median
- −A manual steam wand, where the Barista Touch at $987.99 automates it
- −Not plumbable, so the tank is filled by hand
De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M
- +Two milk systems: one-touch LatteCrema Hot and a manual steam wand.
- +Built-in 15-setting grinder with Sensor Grinding and lever-operated Smart Tamping.
- +Cold brew and iced espresso in under five minutes.
- +Five brew temperatures, 8 presets, and a 2.5 litre tank.
- −Heavy at 35.28 lb and large at 14 x 16.5 x 18.5 in.
- −De'Longhi does not publish the portafilter size.
- −More automation means less room for fine manual control than a separate grinder and machine.
Every specification, side by side
| Breville Barista Pro | De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M | |
|---|---|---|
| The maker | ||
| Brand founded | 1932 | — |
| Based in | Sydney, Australia | — |
| Price | ||
| Price | $849.95 | $999.95 |
| Who it suits | ||
| Best for | Home baristas who want a fast, all-in-one espresso machine with an integrated grinder and minimal wait time | Hands-on espresso with a grinder, assisted tamping and both an automatic and a manual milk system, plus cold brew in minutes |
| What sets it apart | ThermoJet heating system reaches extraction temperature in 3 seconds and integrates Baratza European precision conical burrs with 30 grind settings in a single countertop unit. | — |
| Compared with | De'Longhi La Specialista, Gaggia Classic Pro, Jura E8 | — |
| Specifications | ||
| Automatic milk frother | ✕ | ✓ |
| Body Material | Brushed stainless steel | Metal |
| Boiler Type | ThermoJet heating system | 1 Thermoblock + 1 heating system |
| Bottomless Available | ✓ | — |
| Brew Temperature Levels | — | 5, Active Temperature Control |
| Built in Grinder | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cold Extraction | — | ✓ |
| Colour Options | Brushed stainless steel, Black Truffle, Sea Salt, Damson Blue, Black Stainless Steel, Olive Tapenade, Oyster Shell, Royal Champagne, Smoked Hickory, Red Velvet Cake, an Aboriginal Culinary Journey | Metal |
| Cup clearance | — | 139, published as 5.46 in |
| Dimensions | — | Published as 14 x 16.5 x 18.5 in, axes not labelled |
| Display Type | — | LCD display with buttons and dial |
| Grind steps | — | 15 |
| Machine Type | Semi-automatic espresso machine with integrated grinder | Semi-automatic espresso machine with built-in grinder, assisted tamping and automatic milk system |
| Model | — | EC9885M |
| One-touch drinks | — | 8: Espresso, Americano, Coffee, Flat White, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Iced Espresso, Cold Brew |
| PID control | ✓ | — |
| Plumbable | ✕ | — |
| Portafilter Material | Stainless steel | — |
| Portafilter Size | 54 mm | — |
| Power | 1680 W | 1600, at 120 V |
| Pre Infusion | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pressurised Basket | ✓ | — |
| Price Note | — | $999.95 on delonghi.com, marked down 23% from $1,299.95 |
| Pump pressure | 9 (extraction pressure); 15 bar pump | 19 bar |
| Pump Type | 15 bar Italian pump | — |
| Ships to | US | — |
| Ships to Note | Confirmed on Amazon US, which is where this link points. Availability in other Amazon stores has not been checked, and a regional store may substitute a different product. | — |
| Shot Timer | ✓ | — |
| Steam Wand Type | Manual steam wand | Manual MyLatte Art steam wand, alongside the automatic LatteCrema Hot system |
| Tamping | — | Smart Tamping: pull the lever to tamp |
| Warm-up time | 3 s | — |
| Warranty Note | — | 2 years standard, plus 1 added year when the machine is registered: 3 in all, per De'Longhi's own warranty panel on the product page. |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
| Water Tank | 2 L | 2.5, published as 84.54 oz |
| Weight | 9.49 kg | 16, published as 35.28 lb |
Breville Barista Pro vs De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M: common questions
Which is better, Breville Barista Pro or De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M?
Breville Barista Pro scores 7.6 against 7.0, both computed from published specifications rather than opinion. De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M is still ahead on steam power & milk texturing.
Is Breville Barista Pro or De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M cheaper?
Breville Barista Pro starts at $849.95, and De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M at $999.95.
Who is Breville Barista Pro for?
Home baristas who want a fast, all-in-one espresso machine with an integrated grinder and minimal wait time
Who is De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M for?
Hands-on espresso with a grinder, assisted tamping and both an automatic and a manual milk system, plus cold brew in minutes
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