Breville vs Delonghi | The Complete Guide

When looking for your own home espresso setup, you’ll repeatedly see two leading brands mentioned among the best options - Breville and Delonghi. In this blog, we’ll break down the key differences between Breville vs Delonghi so readers can confidently choose between them based on budget, brewing style and skill level. 

Breville – Strengths, Weaknesses, and Best Fits

In the next section, we’ll discuss some of the Breville machines' broad strengths and weaknesses and the cases where they may best fit you.

Build quality and materials

With their stainless steel builds, Breville’s award-winning coffee and espresso machines have gained a reputation for being both durable and high-quality. But there are also some distinct aesthetic and design choices that you can associate with Breville’s espresso machines. These include:

• More heavy-duty builds with stainless steel finishes and premium materials

• Modern, minimalist, sustainable designs that are less concerned with being portable and more concerned with offering versatile and user-centric features

• Emphasis on precision with temperature controls and technological capabilities in the brewing methods. 

• Known for ergonomic design and user-friendly controls

• It is more appropriate for coffee drinkers planning long-term ownership of their coffee or espresso machine.

• Harmony of beauty and function with constant innovation

• Same colors in all products and a similar feel and use

• More expensive than De’Longhi, but longer lasting

Espresso quality and consistency

Breville espresso machines, like the entry models Breville Bambino and Breville Bambino Plus, up to the Barista Express and the Breville Oracle, are all renowned for the quality of their espresso and the options offered that ensure consistent shots and extractions. Here are some other characteristics associated with Breville machines:

• Consistently strong steam power across multiple products with PID temperature control (an internal controller that regulates extremely precise and consistent temperatures) that ensures stable, consistent shots

• Single and double-shot filter baskets come standard

• Uniformly great for milk-based drinks and microfoam creation thanks to the 360-degree steam wand design 

• Offers a higher level of control over the volume of espresso

• Ideal for intermediate to advanced users who want to delve into the nitty-gritty of manual espresso-making

Price range and value for money

Breville espresso machines range from around $300 to $3,000, so there’s a wide variety of price points depending on your expertise level with making espresso and coffee drinks. Generally, though, here is how Breville is viewed compared to other options on the market:

• Positioned as a premium choice, but more competitively priced compared to high-end prosumer models or commercial-grade options

• Models like the Breville Barista Express are considered comparable to commercial-grade results, and can be a great choice for veteran espresso makers who want an all-in-one option

• Target audience for each price tier

• Low-tier: Breville Bambino or Bambino Plus ($300/$500)

• More automated features

• Convenient and easy to use

• High-quality espresso

• Mid-tier:  Breville Barista Express or Barista Express Impress ($700/$800)

• Willing to spend more money

• Integrated grinder sets it apart from De’Longhi Dedica

• Suitable for those who want complete control of the dialing-in process with grind sizes and tamping

• Many features that are usually found in more expensive machines

• Those who don’t want to build a home setup piece by piece

• High-Tier: Breville Dual Boiler ($1,600)

• Closest to high-end professional machines in coffee shops

• No waiting between pulling a shot and getting milk ready

• A huge pressure gauge on the machine

• Huge range of customizable options and semi-automatic settings

• For experienced baristas who want everything but the most luxurious products

Whether you’re an entry-level espresso maker or have made hundreds of coffee drinks in the past few months, Pesado offers high-quality, precision tools and accessories that can make you feel like a pro.

De’Longhi – Strengths, Weaknesses, and Best Fits

In the next section, we’ll discuss some of the strengths and weaknesses of De’Longhi machines and the cases where they may be the right fit for you.

Build Quality and Design

Distinguished by their curved lines and chrome accents, De’Longhi’s award-winning brand has become known for its intuitive controls, competitive price points, and high-quality products. Design and aesthetic choices that you can associate  De’Longhi manual espresso machines with include: 

• Lighter, more compact designs with plastic components and metallic reinforcements

• Easier portability, ideal for small kitchens and countertop spaces

• Systems are designed for convenience and consistency over manual control

• Automatic milk frothing systems and integrated features

• More accessible to those on a strict budget

Espresso Quality and Ease of Use

De’Longhi machines may focus more on ease than on being a premium imitation of a café-level drink. Still, they’re reliably known for producing smooth, rich shots and offering extensive automatic capabilities. Here are some other characteristics associated with De’Longhi machines:

• Smooth, creamy shots are mostly constant across all price points, even if they are mostly very simple and lack extraction or grinding control at lower price points

• Beginners have automated features that won’t alienate them, while more experienced drinkers can play with some manual features - but not with the same level of detail as Breville

• Less maintenance and cleaning are required due to a focus on a user-friendly design

• Automatic milk frothing, carafe systems, or automatic cappuccino systems

• Steam wands in De’Longhi are Panarello-style, which introduce air automatically into milk 

• Latte art is less possible

• Manual cleanup 

Price range and target buyer

De’Longhi manual espresso machines range from about $150 to $1300, so they’re already quite a bit cheaper than some Breville options. But like Breville, there are also pros and cons to each individual price tier and the respective value for these machines. Here are some general details that characterize the De’Longhi brand:

• Positioned as a more budget-friendly way for new home baristas to make espresso

• Known for strong warranty and customer service that is accommodating for both replacement parts and troubleshooting

• Minimal maintenance for De’Longhi machines

• Convenience trumps customization with every model

• Target audience for each price tier

• Low Tier: De’Longhi Stilosa and De’Longhi Dedica Pump Espresso ($150/$250)

• Entry-level without paying a premium

• Lower espresso quality

• Half as expensive as the Breville Bambino

• More than budget home espresso machines, but with fewer capabilities

• Mid-Tier: De’Longhi La Specialista Arte ($650)

• Integrated grinders and automatic milk frothing systems

• Extra choices of temperature and drink type

• High-Tier: De’Longhi La Specialista Maestro ($1400)

• Premium materials and even more automation features

• Very good milk frothing

• Cold brew capabilities

• Eight pre-programmed coffee recipes

• Built-in grinder with 15 grind settings

When you’re ready to invest in high-quality materials, Pesado can offer competitively priced, ergonomically designed tools and accessories.

Which Should You Choose?

Breville and DeLonghi are undeniably strong brands, but it all depends on what you’re looking for in your espresso machine. With Breville, you’ll have exceptional control over every aspect of making coffee or espresso. You’re guaranteed a premium build, and it’s a tinkerer’s dream with all the customizable options.

With DeLonghi, on the other hand, you’re investing in something that’s more affordable, accessible, and intuitive. Something that will be more compact in your kitchen and forgiving when it comes to optimal parameters with brewing. It’s ultimately up to you and your skill level, budgetary range, and your brewing goals that will determine the right brand for you.

But whether you choose Breville or DeLonghi machines, you need high-quality accessories and parts that can improve any machine’s performance like bottomless portafilters, high extraction filter basket, and expertly designed dosage tools from Pesado.