De'Longhi La Specialista vs Breville Barista Express (2026)

Bottom line: I recommend the Breville Barista Express. It makes better espresso and is usually cheaper than the La Specialista.

There are several La Specialista models. Here I compare the La Specialista Prestigio (EC9355M), the most popular one, with the Barista Express.

Both are portafilter machines with built-in grinders and multi-hole steam wands. They even look similar, with a pressure gauge in the middle of the control panel.

La Specialista or Barista Express?

The Barista Express.

Better than the La Specialista

Breville Barista Express

Usually cheaper, and it makes better espresso thanks to its finer grinder.

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The Barista Express beats the La Specialista because it:

• Makes better espresso, mainly thanks to its grinder
• Has clearer controls
• Has fewer reported reliability problems
• Usually costs less

You could argue the La Specialista's assisted tamping makes it better for beginners. But in my experience its grinder cannot go fine enough for non-pressurized baskets, so its espresso quality ceiling is low for the price.

If you want assisted tamping from Breville, look at the Barista Express Impress, ideally on sale. It tamps for you, and its grinder can handle non-pressurized baskets.

A Quick Look at De'Longhi La Specialista vs Breville Barista Express

The Differences

Grinder

The Barista Express's grinder can reach a true espresso grind. In my experience, the La Specialista's cannot.

Finer coffee extracts faster for two reasons:

• More surface area is exposed to the water
• The tighter puck slows the water down, increasing contact time

Espresso uses very little water, so the coffee has to be fine enough to extract fully in about 25 to 30 seconds. The La Specialista's grinder does not go fine enough on its own, so it relies on pressurized baskets to slow the water down.

The Barista Express's grinder is not brilliant, but it can go fine enough for non-pressurized baskets, which gives it a much higher ceiling.

Winner: Barista Express

Baskets

The La Specialista comes with pressurized baskets only. The Barista Express includes both types.

A pressurized basket has a single exit hole that creates back-pressure. That helps when the coffee is too coarse. A non-pressurized basket has hundreds of holes and relies on the coffee itself for resistance.

Pressurized baskets get a lot of snobbery online, with people comparing them to Nespresso. I think that is unfair. They make pretty good espresso. Their main downside is a thick layer of foamy "crema" that muddies the flavor a bit, especially in an Americano.

The Barista Express gives you the choice: pressurized baskets when you want easy shots, non-pressurized when you want to fine-tune. The La Specialista is beginner-friendly but has no higher gear. More in pressurized vs non-pressurized portafilter baskets.

Winner: Barista Express

Tamping

The La Specialista tamps for you; the Barista Express does not.

You grind straight into the La Specialista's portafilter, then pull a lever on the right and it tamps a level puck.

The Barista Express grinds by time and grind setting, but you tamp yourself. My Barista Pro uses the same manual tamping, and even after a year I sometimes struggle to get a perfectly level tamp, and I almost always spill a few grounds. Assisted tamping would be a welcome upgrade.

Winner: La Specialista

Heating

The La Specialista's near-instant heat-up is impressive, but the Barista Express's thermocoil heats the group head itself. Comparisons of the two brew heads show the Barista Express's group running hotter once warm, so less heat is lost during brewing.

Less heat loss means better extraction, the same way sugar dissolves faster in hot water. Since grinding takes 20 seconds or so anyway, I would take the Barista Express's stability over the La Specialista's speed.

Winner: Barista Express, depending on your priorities

Controls

Ask yourself: how do you enter program mode on each? How do you make a double? How do you change the grind amount? Most people find that much easier on the Barista Express, because its buttons are labeled in words rather than symbols. I also like that its labels are printed rather than backlit, so you can always see what everything does.

Winner: Barista Express

Size

The La Specialista is about 2.5 inches wider, 0.7 inches deeper and 1.6 inches taller. Height matters under low cabinets, especially since you need room above the machine to fill the bean hopper. The Barista Express fits more kitchens. See our guide to under-cabinet coffee makers for space tips.

Winner: Barista Express

What They Share

• Workflow: both grind into the portafilter, then you move it to the group head, and both need you to steam milk yourself
• Milk: both have similar multi-hole wands with similar results
• Cleaning: wipe the portafilter and wand after each use, empty and wash the drip tray, and run rinse and descale cycles occasionally

Espresso Quality

The Barista Express wins, thanks to its grinder. It can make easy shots with pressurized baskets or better shots with non-pressurized baskets once you have your grind, dose and tamp sorted. The La Specialista cannot make that step up.

Winner: Barista Express

Milk Quality

A tie. Both multi-hole wands can make thick foam or silky microfoam, depending on your skill. Neither limits the textures you can make, unlike a panarello wand with its air-adding sleeve.

Winner: tie

Versatility

The Barista Express. Even with fewer preset drinks, its two basket types make it both beginner-friendly and capable of great espresso.

Winner: Barista Express

Daily Use and Cleaning

The La Specialista is easier and less messy, because assisted tamping automates one of the trickiest steps and avoids spilled grounds. Even experienced home baristas appreciate a perfect tamp every time.

Winner: La Specialista

Build Quality

The Barista Express is better built:

• Grinder: more settings, finer grind, and a removable hopper so you can clear clogs without picking out beans
• Portafilter: a heavier stainless steel handle that feels far sturdier than the La Specialista's
• Water tank: I found several reports of the La Specialista's tank seal wearing out and leaking, and none for the Barista Express

The La Specialista may come with a longer warranty depending on where you buy, but I would rather have a machine less likely to break in the first place.

Winner: Barista Express

Price and Value

The Barista Express, by a lot. It is usually cheaper and simply better. The La Specialista is fine for beginners who want easy shots, but I cannot recommend it at its price.

Winner: Barista Express

So, Which Should You Buy?

The Barista Express is the better machine at a lower price, so I recommend it over the La Specialista.

If manual tamping puts you off, get the Barista Express Impress, which pairs assisted tamping with a better grinder. If you can stretch further, the Barista Pro is the best Breville with a built-in grinder. Compare it in Breville Barista Pro vs De'Longhi La Specialista and see the best espresso machines with a grinder.

Does the De'Longhi La Specialista come with non-pressurized baskets?

The Prestigio ships with pressurized baskets. You can buy 51 mm non-pressurized baskets, but its grinder struggles to grind fine enough to get the most from them.

Is the La Specialista good for beginners?

It is easy to use thanks to assisted tamping, but its espresso has a low ceiling for the price. Most beginners are better served by a Breville.

Which heats up faster?

The La Specialista, almost instantly, versus about 40 seconds for the Barista Express.