By: The Caffeinated Gear Team
After spending countless hours testing bean-to-cup machines in our coffee lab, we’ve discovered why the DeLonghi Magnifica S ECAM 22.110.B has soared to remarkable popularity in the UK coffee scene.
Our testing reveals why this machine has claimed the coveted spot as Amazon UK’s bestselling bean-to-cup coffee maker.
This newer model has successfully taken the crown from its predecessor, the Delonghi Magnifica ESAM 4200 (now discontinued), which dominated the market for years.
Before we dive deeper, a quick note: If you’re curious about the latest iteration, the Magnifica S Smart ECAM 250, stay with us—we’ll be sharing our hands-on experience with this newer model later in this review.
Having extensively tested the previous ESAM 4200 model, we found it offered impressive value as one of the market’s most affordable options.
Through our detailed testing process, we identified two minor drawbacks: the pump runs slightly louder than we’d prefer, and the unmarked strength and volume controls can be somewhat frustrating to navigate.
However, our testing uncovered several significant advantages:
These findings explain the machine’s widespread success.
In our countless conversations with coffee enthusiasts, the DeLonghi Dedica ESAM 4200 consistently comes up as a household favourite.
Actually, we should clarify—most people simply say “it’s a silver DeLonghi,” and after a few questions, we usually confirm it’s the ESAM 4200.
These conversations typically start when people ask about our work as coffee experts, leading to fascinating discussions about their coffee machines and brewing preferences.
Recently, our customer feedback and community discussions have shown a clear shift towards the newer Magnifica S ECAM 22.
While this model isn’t brand new—launching roughly four years after its predecessor—it took time to overtake the original’s popularity. This growing trend prompted us to conduct a thorough assessment.
If you’re familiar with our review style, you’ll know we pride ourselves on offering more than surface-level observations.
We believe in thorough, practical testing. Each machine gets extensive daily use in our testing facility, allowing us to uncover both the obvious and subtle characteristics that make or break the coffee experience.
We call these our “complete picture” reviews, because every coffee machine has both strengths and limitations.
Understanding these nuances helps match coffee lovers with their ideal machine. But before we continue with our detailed findings, let’s address some crucial considerations for potential buyers.
This information also applies to the newer DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart ECAM 250, which we’ll examine in detail shortly.
While this might seem obvious to many readers, our experience shows that not everyone realises bean-to-cup machines are essentially automated espresso makers.
We regularly hear from people who mistakenly purchased these machines thinking they would produce traditional filter coffee from whole beans.
If filter coffee is your goal, you’ll want to consider dedicated bean-to-cup filter machines like the Morphy Richards vector pourover coffee machine or the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus.
Typically, when you see “bean-to-cup coffee machine,” it refers to an espresso-based system.
These machines can produce longer coffee drinks (lungo/Americano/long black) by combining espresso with hot water. While similar to filter coffee, the taste profile differs significantly.
For those specifically interested in filter coffee machines, we recommend checking our detailed guide:
Once you’ve confirmed you want an espresso-based system, the next decision involves choosing between two main categories: one-touch coffee (semi-auto) and one-touch milk (fully auto) machines, also known as super automatic or cappuccino makers.
The DeLonghi Magnifica S ECAM 22.110 falls into the semi-auto category. This means while coffee preparation is automated, milk frothing requires manual operation using the steam wand.
In contrast, fully automatic machines handle both coffee and milk preparation with a single button press, ideal for those prioritising convenience.
Semi-auto machines like this typically cost less than their fully automatic counterparts. However, price shouldn’t be your only consideration.
In our extensive testing, we’ve found that semi-automatic machines often provide superior milk texturing control. As dedicated flat white enthusiasts, we’ve noticed most one-touch milk systems struggle to create the silky microfoam we prefer.
This doesn’t mean automatic systems won’t suit your needs. If you enjoy traditional cappuccinos with firmer, more substantial foam, you might actually prefer the results from automatic machines.
However, if you share our passion for velvety microfoam and perfectly integrated milk drinks like flat whites and modern-style cappuccinos, we recommend choosing a machine where you control the milk steaming process.
Based on our testing, the only machines that truly excel at automatic milk texturing are the Sage Oracle series. These innovative systems take a unique approach to automation while maintaining professional-quality results.
For more details on these exceptional machines, see our comprehensive review:
When it comes to mastering milk texturing at home, the DeLonghi Magnifica S offers two brilliant options.
As coffee professionals, we’ve found that the built-in Panarello wand (what manufacturers often market as a cappuccino maker or turbo frother) makes milk frothing remarkably straightforward.
This clever device consists of a plastic sleeve fitted over the steam pipe, with a specifically designed air hole that automatically incorporates the perfect amount of air into your milk.
For traditional cappuccino lovers, this system creates that characteristically thick, luxurious foam that defines the classic Italian style.
The process couldn’t be simpler – just position your milk jug correctly, activate the steam, and watch until you achieve your desired temperature.
Here’s where it gets interesting though – our team discovered that the Magnifica S has a hidden talent.
By removing the Panarello attachment, you’ll uncover a traditional steam wand underneath.
While this method requires more practice, we’ve found it’s absolutely worth the effort.
Once you’ve mastered the technique, you’ll be creating that silky microfoam that we use in our cafés for crafting stunning latte art.
Speaking of which, this DeLonghi Magnifica S ECAM 22.110 sits firmly in the semi-automatic bean-to-cup category.
Let’s dive into our detailed assessment.
Upon delivery, we were pleased to see DeLonghi’s attention to shipping protection.
The machine arrives in a double-boxed configuration with precisely fitted polystyrene inserts – exactly what we’d expect from a market leader in coffee machine manufacturing.
Though we should mention that during our unboxing, we noticed an opportunity for more sustainable packaging.
The amount of protective plastic wrapping, while effective, feels excessive by today’s environmental standards.
Initial impressions of the machine itself were quite positive.
The Magnifica S strikes an impressive balance between capability and compactness.
Its dimensions – 24cm wide, 43cm tall (including the bean hopper lid), and just over 35cm deep – make it perfect for most kitchen countertops.
The design combines glossy black surfaces with strategic silver accents.
We particularly appreciated the contrast between the chrome finishes on the drip tray, steam knob, and strength dial, alongside the sophisticated matt silver front panel.
Setting up the Magnifica S proved refreshingly straightforward.
Our team followed these simple steps:
However, there’s an important detail we discovered through testing – you’ll want to make several test coffees before brewing your first proper cup.
While the manual suggests four initial brews, our experience showed that 8-9 shots produced the best results.
This isn’t just arbitrary – we believe it’s connected to the machine’s self-learning dosing system (similar to Gaggia’s “optidose” technology).
The system appears to calibrate itself with each shot, fine-tuning the pressure until it achieves optimal extraction.
You’ll notice this progression – the initial shots might look rather weak, but by around the eighth or ninth, you should see a marked improvement in quality.
A crucial tip about grind adjustment – always modify the grind setting while the grinder is running.
Start your shot, wait for the grinding sound, then adjust.
From our extensive testing, we recommend starting near the finest setting.
Our best results came from positioning the grinder just half a notch away from the finest setting – we found the absolute finest slightly over-extracted our beans.
After thoroughly testing every feature – from milk steaming to shot pulling and Americano making – we’ve compiled our key findings to help you determine if this machine matches your coffee needs.
In terms of pure coffee quality, this machine impresses.
Once you’ve dialled in your preferred settings (more on that shortly), you’d need to spend significantly more to notice any meaningful improvement in cup quality.
Here’s why: most bean-to-cup machines in this category use remarkably similar brewing systems.
The core technology that extracts your coffee operates on the same fundamental principles across different models.
Even when you venture into higher price brackets within the same brand, you’re often getting the same brewing mechanism.
The premium price typically reflects additional features rather than enhanced coffee quality.
Currently, we’ve only found one notable exception to this rule – the
Here’s something crucial we’ve learned through years of testing: your choice of coffee beans matters more than your choice of machine.
Even the finest machine can’t compensate for subpar beans.
In our experience, coffee quality can be compromised in three main ways:
Many supermarket coffees unfortunately tick all these boxes.
The commodity coffee market, where beans are traded purely on volume without quality considerations, often produces coffee that’s roasted extremely dark.
This approach masks quality issues and ensures consistency across massive batches.
We believe this partly explains why some people think “all coffee tastes the same.”
To be clear – we’re not criticising dark roasts in general.
Some beans genuinely shine with a darker roast profile.
We’re specifically addressing mass-produced commodity coffee versus specialty beans.
By the way, did you know that I sell coffee beans?
I wanted to become even more immersed in the world of coffee by starting a business selling some of the best tasting coffee I could get my hands on.
I’ll be honest, this is largely an excuse to try lots of coffee, and I probably drink most of the profits ;-).
But I reached out to my fellow coffee botherers (the term I use to describe my lovely readers and viewers, so that’s you now, since you’re here) via a series of polls to find out what people wanted, mainly when it came to the kind of flavour profiles people were looking for, and the result is The Coffeeworks.
I’d love to have you as a customer, and to do my best to tempt you – here’s a nice healthy discount for you!
After extensive testing, we found the control system has received a welcome upgrade compared to its predecessor, though there’s still space for refinement.
The interface redesign represents a significant step forward from the ECAM 4200’s somewhat confusing layout.
Gone are the dual sliding scales that left us guessing with their lack of reference points for strength and volume settings.
In their place, we now have a more intuitive setup: a single front-mounted dial handles coffee strength, while volume adjustment uses a straightforward press-and-hold system.
To set your preferred coffee volume, simply hold down the desired drink button until the light begins flashing, then press again when you’ve reached your ideal amount.
However, we do have one notable criticism: the grind setting dial still lacks clear, user-friendly markings.
For comparison, let’s look at the Gaggia bean to cup machines. Their approach to user controls truly impressed us during our testing sessions.
Take the Gaggia Brera and Magenta models – they implement a brilliantly simple bean-based system that leaves no room for confusion:
This precise measurement system makes it remarkably simple to find your perfect coffee-to-water ratio and consistently achieve it with each brew.
The Magnifica S’s strength adjustment dial, while functional, lacks reference markings.
This means you’ll need to rely on memory or create your own marking system to replicate your perfect settings.
While not a major issue, it seems a missed opportunity from DeLonghi – adding simple indicators would have made it much easier to track your preferred coffee-to-water ratios.
We’d have preferred to see clear markings showing approximate gram measurements for each setting.
During our testing, we noticed something peculiar about the double shot function.
When you press the double shot button, the machine doesn’t actually double the amount of ground coffee used.
Our measurements showed only a slight increase – about 2-3 grams more than a single shot.
What you’re actually getting is double the water with just a touch more coffee – not what most coffee enthusiasts would consider a proper double shot.
This design choice puzzles us, especially since other manufacturers like Gaggia and Melitta have mastered true double shots.
DeLonghi themselves have solved this in their newer Magnifica S Smart model, which makes this limitation even more perplexing.
Based on our dried puck measurements, at maximum strength settings, you’re looking at roughly 12 grams for a single shot and 15 grams for a ‘double’.
Mind you, these aren’t laboratory-precise measurements – just careful observations from dried pucks.
Our recommendation? Set the strength to maximum for that 12-gram sweet spot.
Then grab a Rhinowares measure glass to dial in your perfect ratio.
The factory setting delivers about 40ml from a single shot. If that’s not hitting the spot, try adjusting to 30ml and see how that tastes.
For a proper double shot, we suggest using the single shot button twice in succession.
Yes, it means pressing the button an extra time, but the few additional seconds won’t significantly impact your coffee ritual.
Coffee-to-water ratio is crucial for taste. With 12 grams of coffee producing 36ml of espresso, you’re working with a 1:3 ratio.
The factory preset at maximum strength slightly exceeds this, giving about 40ml output.
Traditional espresso enthusiasts might prefer a tighter 1:2 ratio – that’s 24ml of espresso from 12 grams of coffee.
If you’re transitioning from Nespresso, you might be used to longer ratios – their pods typically use a 1:8 ratio (5 grams of coffee to 40ml water).
Though it’s worth noting that Nespresso’s system operates differently, using finer grinds and higher pressure with slightly cooler water.
Still, this explains why Nespresso produces a mellower drink compared to traditional espresso. Feel free to experiment until you find your ideal ratio.
Surprisingly Quiet Operation
In terms of noise levels, the Magnifica S shows real improvement over its predecessors.
The grinder operates at a reasonable volume, while the pump runs notably quieter than many competitors.
We’ve seen reviews claiming it’s noisy, but in our extensive testing of espresso machines, including much pricier models, it sits comfortably in the middle range for noise output.
For truly whisper-quiet operation, you’d need to invest in a rotary pump machine – typically starting around £2,000.
Most machines in this price range use vibration pumps, which naturally produce some noise. DeLonghi has done a commendable job minimising this in the Magnifica S.
For more comprehensive information about home espresso machines, check out our:
Our extensive testing revealed notable improvements in the milk steaming function of this newer Magnifica S model.
The steam generation kicks in more rapidly compared to its predecessor, which makes a real difference during busy mornings.
We noticed a marked increase in steam pressure too—our tests showed consistently faster steaming times for a standard 200ml pitcher of milk.
A particularly brilliant design feature that carries over from the previous model is the steam pipe length when the Panarello is removed.
Unlike many machines that leave you with an awkwardly short steam pipe, this one offers proper depth for your milk pitcher, making it much easier to create that perfect microfoam.
For those who prefer using the Panarello attachment, that’s absolutely fine.
If you find the foam too stiff with the Panarello, we’ve discovered a useful technique: steam your milk as usual, then transfer it between jugs a couple of times.
This method helps break down overly firm foam, though keep in mind it will cool your milk slightly.
The single-cup Americano feature truly impressed us during our testing phase.
Whether you call it Americano, Lungo, or Long Black (and we’ve heard all the debates!), what matters is finding your perfect brew.
Our preference lies with pulling the shot directly into hot water, but we encourage experimentation to find your ideal method.
Here’s an interesting historical tidbit about the Americano’s origins:
During World War II, American soldiers stationed abroad found traditional espresso too concentrated for their taste—they were accustomed to larger servings of filter coffee.
Their solution? Adding hot water to espresso, thus creating what we now know as the Americano.
According to the New York Times Blog, American military personnel required approximately 15 kg of coffee per person annually during wartime operations.
The military considered coffee so essential that they established dedicated coffee roasting and vacuum-packing operations to supply troops worldwide.
Returning to the DeLonghi Magnifica S’s performance, we found the single-cup Americano setting produces a well-balanced brew.
However, the double-cup setting left something to be desired.
Our measurements showed the single-cup function uses about 12 grams of coffee with 120ml of water.
The double-cup setting increases to roughly 15 grams of coffee but doubles the water to 240ml, resulting in a noticeably weaker brew.
We recommend programming your preferred ratio using the single-cup button, then simply pressing it twice for a larger serving.
A few professional tips for brewing Americanos:
Consider using fresh water rather than relying solely on the one-touch function.
While the machine’s automated process works fine, it continues pushing water through the used coffee puck, which can introduce over-extracted notes.
Watch the extraction process—you’ll notice the initial espresso flow gradually transitions to slightly discoloured water as it continues through the used grounds.
For the purists among us, try pulling a separate espresso shot and adding hot water via the steam wand or kettle.
Experiment with different preparation methods:
While not without its minor quirks, this machine offers exceptional value in the bean-to-cup category.
It delivers coffee quality matching that of significantly pricier models.
The only notable drawback is the two-cup function—a common issue across many bean-to-cup machines.
For those seeking freshly ground, barista-style coffee on a budget who don’t mind pressing the button twice for a double shot, the DeLonghi Magnifica S represents outstanding value, especially at its current price point (which, interestingly, undercuts its predecessor).
Still weighing your options?
That’s perfectly reasonable—the market offers plenty of alternatives.
For a comprehensive look at other excellent choices, check out our detailed guide:
When it comes to bean-to-cup innovation, the DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart ECAM 250 represents a significant step forward in the Magnifica lineup. Our testing team was particularly interested in this newer model, which has recently become much more competitively priced thanks to Amazon’s direct stock availability.
The price point has shifted dramatically in recent months, making it an even more compelling option than its predecessor. In fact, at the time of writing, we’ve found it’s actually more affordable than the standard Magnifica S. We’ve added this machine to our testing queue for a thorough examination and detailed comparison.
The contrast between the models is striking – while the original Magnifica S debuted in 2011, the S Smart arrived in 2021, bringing a decade’s worth of technological advancement. This generational gap shows in several key features, though the proven reliability of the original Magnifica S, supported by its substantial number of positive reviews, shouldn’t be overlooked.
During our initial research, we noticed DeLonghi’s somewhat sparse official documentation. However, their YouTube channel reveals several notable improvements worth discussing:
Key Innovations:
The dual grinding feature particularly caught our attention. While it’s an intriguing addition for long coffee preparation, we’re keen to explore whether this technology extends to double espresso shots as well.
Another fascinating feature mentioned in DeLonghi’s materials is the “Doppio Plus” function, described as a larger double espresso using more ground coffee and intensive pre-brewing for enhanced flavour extraction. However, we’ve noticed some discrepancy between the marketing materials and the actual machine interface regarding this feature.
A standout feature we’ve identified is the advanced Panarello wand, similar to the one found on the DeLonghi Dedica. Based on our extensive testing of various steam wands, this dual-mode design stands out as particularly versatile:
This innovative approach to milk texturing offers remarkable flexibility. Users can create everything from rich, spoonable froth to silky microfoam suitable for latte art. The ability to switch between modes mid-steaming provides unprecedented control over milk texture – a feature we find particularly valuable for crafting various milk-based drinks.
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