De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M vs Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49
Ahead
The verdict
De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M is narrowly ahead, 7.0 to Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49's 6.7. It leads on steam power & milk texturing and build quality & durability.
Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 costs $500.95 less.
Who each one suits
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, build quality & durability, ease of use & learning curve.
Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49
Anyone who wants commercial fittings at home and expects to keep the machine for a decade
Scores higher on value for money.
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 | De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M | Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shot Quality & Extraction | 22% | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| Steam Power & Milk Texturing | 16% | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Build Quality & Durability | 16% | 8.2 | 7.8 |
| Ease of Use & Learning Curve | 12% | 7.1 | 4.1 |
| Maintenance & Cleaning | 12% | 10.0 | 9.2 |
| Workflow & Ergonomics | 12% | 6.9 | 6.2 |
| Value for Money | 10% | 5.1 | 9.0 |
What each one costs
| Price | $999.95 | $499.00 |
Where they differ
Every specification the two makers publish differently. Everything they match on is in the full table below.
| De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M | Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.95 | $499.00 |
| Best for | Hands-on espresso with a grinder, assisted tamping and both an automatic and a manual milk system, plus cold brew in minutes | Anyone who wants commercial fittings at home and expects to keep the machine for a decade |
| What sets it apart | — | A 58mm commercial portafilter and a three way solenoid valve in a steel body made in Italy |
| Automatic milk frother | ✓ | — |
| Body Material | Metal | Solid steel housing with brass, Stainless steel |
| Boiler | — | 1 |
| Boiler Type | 1 Thermoblock + 1 heating system | Single uncoated aluminium boiler |
| Brew Temperature Levels | 5, Active Temperature Control | — |
| Built in Grinder | ✓ | ✕ |
| Cold Extraction | ✓ | — |
| Colour Options | Metal | — |
| Made in | — | Italy |
| 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 built-in grinder, assisted tamping and automatic milk system | Semi-automatic espresso machine |
| Model | EC9885M | — |
| One-touch drinks | 8: Espresso, Americano, Coffee, Flat White, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Iced Espresso, Cold Brew | — |
| Portafilter Size | — | 58 mm |
| Power | 1600, at 120 V | 1200 W |
| Pre Infusion | ✓ | — |
| Price Note | $999.95 on delonghi.com, marked down 23% from $1,299.95 | — |
| Pump pressure | 19 bar | 9 bar |
| 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. |
| Steam Wand Type | Manual MyLatte Art steam wand, alongside the automatic LatteCrema Hot system | Commercial steam wand |
| Tamping | Smart Tamping: pull the lever to tamp | — |
| 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 | — |
| Water Tank | 2.5, published as 84.54 oz | 2.1 L |
| Weight | 16, published as 35.28 lb | 9.1 kg |
Pros and cons
From each full review, written from the same published facts as the scores above.
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.
Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49
- +A 58mm commercial portafilter, the same size professional machines use, so every accessory fits
- +9 bar published as the actual extraction pressure rather than a pump maximum
- +Solid steel housing with brass and stainless steel, made in Italy, with a 2.1 litre tank
- −No built-in grinder
- −A single uncoated aluminium boiler, which is the part that most needs descaling
- −1200W, and no warranty term is published
Every specification, side by side
| De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M | Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price | $999.95 | $499.00 |
| Who it suits | ||
| Best for | Hands-on espresso with a grinder, assisted tamping and both an automatic and a manual milk system, plus cold brew in minutes | Anyone who wants commercial fittings at home and expects to keep the machine for a decade |
| What sets it apart | — | A 58mm commercial portafilter and a three way solenoid valve in a steel body made in Italy |
| Specifications | ||
| Automatic milk frother | ✓ | — |
| Body Material | Metal | Solid steel housing with brass, Stainless steel |
| Boiler | — | 1 |
| Boiler Type | 1 Thermoblock + 1 heating system | Single uncoated aluminium boiler |
| Brew Temperature Levels | 5, Active Temperature Control | — |
| Built in Grinder | ✓ | ✕ |
| Cold Extraction | ✓ | — |
| Colour Options | Metal | — |
| Made in | — | Italy |
| 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 built-in grinder, assisted tamping and automatic milk system | Semi-automatic espresso machine |
| Model | EC9885M | — |
| One-touch drinks | 8: Espresso, Americano, Coffee, Flat White, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Iced Espresso, Cold Brew | — |
| Portafilter Size | — | 58 mm |
| Power | 1600, at 120 V | 1200 W |
| Pre Infusion | ✓ | — |
| Price Note | $999.95 on delonghi.com, marked down 23% from $1,299.95 | — |
| Pump pressure | 19 bar | 9 bar |
| 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. |
| Steam Wand Type | Manual MyLatte Art steam wand, alongside the automatic LatteCrema Hot system | Commercial steam wand |
| Tamping | Smart Tamping: pull the lever to tamp | — |
| 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 | — |
| Water Tank | 2.5, published as 84.54 oz | 2.1 L |
| Weight | 16, published as 35.28 lb | 9.1 kg |
De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M vs Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49: common questions
Which is better, De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M or Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49?
De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M scores 7.0 against 6.7, both computed from published specifications rather than opinion. Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 is still ahead on value for money.
Is De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M or Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 cheaper?
De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro EC9885M starts at $999.95, and Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 at $499.00.
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
Who is Gaggia Classic Evo Pro RI9380/49 for?
Anyone who wants commercial fittings at home and expects to keep the machine for a decade
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