I recommend the Breville Barista Pro. It makes better espresso than the La Specialista Prestigio.
I compare the Barista Pro with the La Specialista Prestigio specifically, because they are priced similarly and people on the espresso subreddit are often torn between them.
I have owned the Barista Pro for over a year and have used a friend's La Specialista Prestigio.
Which Is Better?
The Barista Pro. Its grinder has far more settings, and its shot timer helps you dial in, so you can fine-tune your espresso much more than on the Prestigio.
Breville Barista Pro
Thirty grind settings and a built-in shot timer for better espresso.
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Its display also makes it easier to set up. The Prestigio relies on buttons with vague symbols, so expect to study the manual.
A Quick Look at Breville Barista Pro vs De'Longhi La Specialista Prestigio
Both are portafilter machines with built-in grinders and multi-hole steam wands.
| Breville Barista Pro | De'Longhi La Specialista Prestigio | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic with grinder and programmable shots | Semi-automatic with grinder and programmable shots |
| Controls | Display with buttons | Buttons and dials |
| Single and double shots | Yes | Yes |
| Grinder | Conical burr | Conical burr |
| Grind settings | 30 | Far fewer |
| Assisted tamping | No | Yes |
| Heating | ThermoJet | Dual heating system |
| Portafilter size | 54 mm | 51 mm |
| Baskets | Pressurized and non-pressurized | Pressurized |
| Steam wand | Four-hole | Multi-hole |
| Water tank | ~67 oz | ~61 oz |
| Pressure gauge | No | Yes |
| Shot timer | Yes | No |
| Hot water | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 13" x 12" x 13" | 15" x 14.8" x 17.5" |
The Key Differences
Controls
The Barista Pro's display walks you through grinding and pulling a shot. The Prestigio uses buttons only.
The Barista Pro's display shows:
- Grind setting
- Dose (set by grind time)
- Shot time, which tells you whether to grind finer or coarser
You can also change brew temperature and start cleaning and descaling from the screen.
The Prestigio has similar settings, but you reach them through buttons with unclear symbols.
Its workflow is simple once learned, but it can frustrate beginners at first.
Winner: Barista Pro
Tamping
The Prestigio tamps for you. On the Barista Pro, you tamp by hand.
The Prestigio has a lever-operated tamper, which helps in two ways:
- A level puck every time. An uneven tamp leads to uneven extraction and sour shots.
- Less mess. Hand-tamping often scatters grounds on the counter as they stick to the tamper.
Winner: La Specialista Prestigio
Grind Settings
The Barista Pro has 30 settings; the Prestigio has far fewer. Grind size is the best way to fine-tune espresso, so smaller steps give the Barista Pro a much higher ceiling. In my experience, the Prestigio also cannot grind fine enough for non-pressurized baskets, which is why it relies on pressurized ones.
Winner: Barista Pro
Shot Timer vs Pressure Gauge
The Barista Pro gives you shot time; the Prestigio gives you a pressure gauge.
I find a timer more useful. A gauge tells you if pressure is too low (grind finer), but once it reaches its maximum, it cannot tell you how far you have overshot. A timer tells you both ways: under about 25 seconds, grind finer; over about 30 seconds, grind coarser (for a typical 1:2 ratio).
That extra information means you will improve faster on the Barista Pro.
Winner: Barista Pro
What They Share
- Steam wands: both have quality multi-hole wands and make similar milk
- Size and look: the Prestigio is a bit bigger, but they look alike and will fit the same spaces
- Pre-ground friendly: both come with pressurized baskets for easy shots, though only the Barista Pro also includes non-pressurized baskets for fresh ground coffee
- Fast heat-up: both are ready quickly
Espresso
The Barista Pro makes better espresso, thanks to its finer grind control. The Prestigio's assisted tamping makes shots more consistent, but once you have practiced tamping a level puck, that advantage shrinks.
Winner: Barista Pro
Milk
About the same. The Prestigio has separate heating for brewing and steam, so it switches to steaming a little faster. That only matters if you make many milk drinks in a row; it does not change milk quality.
Winner: tie
Functions and Settings
Identical. Both brew single and double shots, grind, steam milk and dispense hot water.
Winner: tie
Ease of Use
The Prestigio is easier, thanks to assisted tamping.
The Barista Pro's display is most helpful when you are learning; once you know the machine, you rely on it less. The Prestigio's buttons take longer to learn, but then its workflow is similar. Assisted tamping, though, helps with every single shot. Even after hundreds of shots, hand-tamping can go wrong.
Winner: La Specialista Prestigio
Cleaning
The Prestigio needs less cleanup after each coffee, again because assisted tamping avoids spilled grounds. Long-term maintenance is the same.
Winner: La Specialista Prestigio
Build Quality
The Barista Pro feels better built.
Both have good internals and should last well with regular rinsing and descaling. Warranty terms vary by region.
Breville's support has been excellent for me. When I had an issue with my Barista Pro, a rep stayed on the phone for 40 minutes to troubleshoot it with me.
The Prestigio's grinder creaks and sputters when you adjust it, and some owners report its portafilter handle loosening over time. The Barista Pro's portafilter feels more solid.
Winner: Barista Pro
Value
The Barista Pro. They cost about the same, and it makes better coffee, has better controls and feels slightly better built.
Winner: Barista Pro
An Alternative to Both: Bambino Plus and a Quality Grinder
The Breville Bambino Plus is essentially a Barista Pro without the grinder and display. For about the price of a Barista Pro, you can buy a Bambino Plus and a much better standalone espresso grinder.
The Barista Pro's grinder beats the Prestigio's, but it is still the weakest link. A better grinder will let you make better espresso than the Barista Pro ever could, and you can upgrade it later.
Breville Bambino Plus
Paired with a high-quality grinder, it can make better espresso than the Barista Pro.
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See our pick of the best espresso grinders to pair with it.
Which One I'd Choose
The Barista Pro makes better espresso than the La Specialista Prestigio, and they cost about the same, so I recommend the Barista Pro.
For more, see my Barista Pro review, De'Longhi La Specialista vs Breville Barista Express and Breville vs De'Longhi.
FAQs
Does the De'Longhi La Specialista tamp for you?
Yes. A lever-operated tamper compresses the coffee in the portafilter, so you get a level puck without hand-tamping.
Which has the better grinder, the Barista Pro or La Specialista?
The Barista Pro. Its 30 settings allow much finer adjustment.
Is the Breville Barista Pro good for beginners?
Yes. Its display and shot timer make learning to dial in much easier.
Written by · reviewed by the Cicada Coffee Bar team
Daniel Voss
Lead Equipment Reviewer, Cicada Coffee Bar
Daniel leads the equipment-testing side of Cicada Coffee Bar. Every super-automatic, semi-automatic, and grinder featured on this site is bought or sourced independently, set up on the test bench, and brewed with daily for at least two weeks before a single word is written — tracking espresso quality, milk texture, ease of cleaning, and long-term reliability. Reviews are updated whenever pricing or firmware changes.
