Home › Compare › Breville Barista Express vs De'Longhi La Specialista Arte
⚖️ Head-to-Head · 2026Two semi-automatic machines with a grinder in the box, sold at about the same money, from the two brands most people end up choosing between. This page puts the two review records side by side on one published rubric so the differences that matter every morning are separated from the ones that only look different on a spec sheet. Both machines were evaluated on the same published rubric, from documented evidence, and this page is those two records side by side. We have not physically tested either.
Written and reviewed by the CoffeeLabAdvisor editorial team · Published 27 September 2026
Both machines do the same job in the same way: grind, dose, tamp, pull, steam. What separates them is the portafilter platform, the tank, and how long each maker stands behind it. The Breville Barista Express is built on Breville's 54 mm platform, which is the widest accessory ecosystem in home espresso. The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte uses a 51 mm basket and answers with a longer warranty and a higher stated pump pressure. Neither is a compromise; they are two different bets about what you will want in two years.
Every row below is resolved from the two catalog records, not from a preference of ours; where the records tie, the row says so.
| If what matters most to you is… | Then | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Fitting the narrowest gap on the counter | Breville Barista Express | it is the narrower of the two on its recorded dimensions |
| Lifting it in and out of a cupboard | Breville Barista Express | it is the lighter of the two on its recorded weight |
| The longest cover if something fails | De'Longhi La Specialista Arte | its recorded warranty runs longer |
| Going longest between tank refills | Breville Barista Express | its recorded tank is the larger of the two |
| Oat and almond milk | Breville Barista Express | our record rates it higher for plant milk texturing |
| A standard-size accessory ecosystem | Breville Barista Express | the 54 mm platform is the one most third-party baskets, screens and tampers are made for |
We publish a score only for award winners, on the award page that justifies it, so this comparison is decided on what the two machines do rather than on a number. In the words of the two review records: the Breville Barista Express is A capable all-in-one starter with a built-in grinder and 54mm group. Because the grinder is integrated, moving to a separate grinder changes the workflow rather than replacing a standalone component. The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte is A guided all-in-one with smart tamping and a built-in grinder, but the proprietary 51mm portafilter and coarse grinder cap its ceiling. Good for guided beginners; less flexible than 54mm or 58mm rivals.
| Breville Barista Express | De'Longhi La Specialista Arte | |
|---|---|---|
| Machine type | Semi-Automatic | Semi-Automatic |
| Model number | BES870XL | EC9255M |
| Heating system | ThermoCoil | Single |
| Heat-up (manufacturer) | Not stated | Not stated |
| PID temperature control | Yes (manufacturer-listed) | Not listed |
| Manufacturer pressure figure | 15 bar pump rating* | 19 bar pump rating* |
| Portafilter | 54 mm | 51 mm |
| Built-in grinder | Yes | Yes |
| Steam wand | Manual | Manual |
| Plant-milk rating (ours) | 4 / 5 | 3 / 5 |
| Water tank | 2.0 L | 1.4 L |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 32.5 x 31.0 x 40.6 cm | 36.0 x 33.0 x 38.0 cm |
| Weight | 10.0 kg | 10.8 kg |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
| Catalog price | $700 | $700 |
* Pressure figures are manufacturer-published pump ratings. A pump rating is the pump's maximum, not the pressure at the coffee during a shot, and we have not measured brew pressure on either machine, so the two numbers are shown because the manufacturers publish them, not as comparable measures of extraction. † Marked figures are not confirmed on a manufacturer source for the exact model number listed above; we have left our tracked value in place rather than substitute an unverified one. Catalog prices are our tracked figures; the live price at retail applies. Plant-milk ratings are our own documented 1–5 scoring, published on each review page.
Portafilter sizes for every machine we cover, with sources, are on our portafilter size chart; footprints are on the dimensions chart.
Both machines include their grinder — Built-in grinder: Yes and Yes — so there is no hidden second purchase on either side and the arithmetic is simply the two machine prices.
| Machine | What it is | Live price |
|---|---|---|
| Breville Barista Express | Complete setup, grinder built in | $500 |
| De'Longhi La Specialista Arte | Complete setup, grinder built in | $500 |
At live prices the Breville Barista Express costs about $0 more than the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte. Prices at retail move, and this figure moves with them; what does not move is what the premium buys, which the sections below take row by row from the two records.
Start here, because the shared ground is larger than the differences. Both are semi-automatic espresso machines with a built-in conical burr grinder and a manual steam wand. Both ask you to dose, tamp and time the shot, and both reward the same habits. Neither will froth milk for you.
That means the usual buying question, which machine makes better espresso, is mostly the wrong question here. Either will make good espresso in the hands of someone who dials it in, and neither will rescue a bad grind. What differs is the platform you are buying into and what happens when something breaks.
This is the difference with the longest tail. The Breville Barista Express takes a 54 mm portafilter, Breville's standard across its range, and that size has the broadest accessory support in home espresso: bottomless portafilters, precision baskets, puck screens, dosing funnels and distribution tools are all made for it as a matter of course.
The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte uses a 51 mm basket. Accessories exist, but the range is thinner and you will spend longer looking. If you intend to leave the machine as it came, this changes nothing. If you expect to be buying a bottomless portafilter within the year, it changes a great deal. Our portafilter size chart sets out what fits what.
The two records list different pump pressures, and it is worth saying plainly that a higher number is not a better machine. Espresso is brewed at roughly 9 bar at the puck. A pump rated higher simply has headroom; the machine regulates down. Every consumer machine in this class advertises a pump figure well above what reaches the coffee.
Read it as a marketing number rather than a quality one, and judge these two on the things you will actually touch: the basket size, the tank, the steam wand and the warranty. Our guide to what makes espresso machines expensive covers which specifications carry real cost.
The Breville Barista Express carries the larger water tank of the two, which on a machine used for milk drinks is the difference between refilling once a week and refilling twice. Our record also rates it higher for plant milk, which matters if oat milk is the default in your house.
The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte answers with the longer warranty. On an appliance with a pump, a boiler and a grinder in one housing, that is not a small thing, and it is the clearest argument in its favour.
Both need descaling on the same schedule and both suffer the same way if you skip it. Our Breville descaling guide and De'Longhi guide cover each.
Both machines include a conical burr grinder, which is the main reason either costs what it does. For most buyers it is enough, and it is the single biggest convenience in an all-in-one machine.
It is also the first thing serious users replace, on either machine. If you reach that point, our grinder pairing pages cover what pairs with what, and our flat versus conical guide explains what changes when you do.
| Breville Barista Express | De'Longhi La Specialista Arte |
|---|---|
| Built-in conical burr grinder — fresh grinding on demand | Smart tamping lever removes guesswork from dosing |
| Adjustable grind size and dose control | Built-in grinder with 8 settings |
| PID temperature control (manufacturer-listed) | Dual heating for brew and steam |
| Manual steam wand | Stainless steel build quality |
And where each loses — from the same review records:
| Breville Barista Express | De'Longhi La Specialista Arte |
|---|---|
| Grinder has a limited adjustment range for fine espresso settings | Proprietary 51mm portafilter limits accessory options |
| Thermocoil heating system — requires waiting between brewing and steaming | Grinder lacks fine adjustment for precise dial-in |
| Takes up significant counter space | Small 1.4L water tank |
| Steam wand performance trails Breville's offerings |
Semi-Automatic · 54 mm portafilter · Built-in grinder · Manual steam
A capable all-in-one starter with a built-in grinder and 54mm group. Because the grinder is integrated, moving to a separate grinder changes the workflow rather than replacing a standalone component.
Check price on Amazon →
Semi-Automatic · 51 mm portafilter · Built-in grinder · Manual steam
A guided all-in-one with smart tamping and a built-in grinder, but the proprietary 51mm portafilter and coarse grinder cap its ceiling. Good for guided beginners; less flexible than 54mm or 58mm rivals.
Check price on Amazon →Neither is better in general. Both are semi-automatic machines with a built-in grinder and a manual steam wand, evaluated on the same rubric. The Breville Barista Express is on the 54 mm platform with the wider accessory range and the larger tank; the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte carries the longer warranty. Pick the trade you care about.
No. It uses a 51 mm basket. Accessories exist for it, but the 54 mm range the Breville Barista Express sits in is considerably larger, which matters if you plan to buy a bottomless portafilter or a precision basket.
No. Espresso is brewed at around 9 bar at the puck and the machine regulates down from the pump rating, so the advertised figure is headroom rather than quality. It is one of the least useful numbers on either spec sheet.
Our record rates the Breville Barista Express higher for plant milk texturing. Both have manual steam wands, so technique matters more than the machine either way.
Not to start. Both include a conical burr grinder that is adequate for the machine it sits in. A separate grinder is the usual first upgrade for either, not a requirement.
Sources for this page: every score, spec, pro and con is rendered from the same two records that produce the Breville Barista Express review and the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte review; manufacturer figures carry the spec source recorded on each catalog entry (Breville Barista Express: Breville BES870XL product page structured data, read 2026-08-31). We have not physically tested either machine.