Refurbished DeLonghi Magnifica Super Automatic Coffee Center

Simple and flexible – makes fantastic espresso

Not purchased via Amazon or this seller – this is just a review of the machine.

I used to use the Breville Die Cast Espresso machine, and I actually loved it. It made good, consistent espresso (once you figured out the nuances). But it was ultimately the nuances and the manual operation that led me to seek out a good super-automatic machine.

DeLonghi was at the top of my list because of a friend of mine who owned one (this exact model, actually). He spoke highly of it, being a pretty serious coffee drinker himself. I have found that the machine has lived up to the expectations he set.

The setup was very simple – the LCD display guides you through the process (supplementing the manual, of course). Starting with all of the default settings for water temperature, grind size, and shot volume, even the very first shot from the machine was good (though the manual warns you may not be satisfied until it has produced 4 or 5). I have been increasingly impressed…

the one to get

I agree with the other reviews. I have two of these, a his and hers. We drink a lot of espresso, and had an earlier model that developed a leak at the steam valve. We have had several of the Jura machines, which had short lives and were not easily user serviceable. The coffee from them wasn’t as hot and they were more expensive. And that’s the real beauty of the DeLonghis. Turn the unit off but still plugged in, open the door and squeeze the two red buttons, out comes the brewunit. So easy! Rinse it with your fingers and pop it back in. Clean everything every couple of weeks and it gives beautiful hot pulls with great crema <crema strongly dependent on the coffee used, for reasons unknown to me. Caffe Vita especially good, my family’s choice. I like the more bitter beans>. As with any superautomatic, it seems important to avoid oily beans. They cause trouble. And the ideal grind seems to be within one click of the midpoint on the grindcontrol, otherwise the brewfilter…

Great espresso for anyone

After about 10 years using a LaPavoni lever machine I tired of the routine and decided to get a superautomatic. When I first used the Delonghi 4400 I thought I had made a major mistake. However after making adjustments on the grinder and the water volumes it makes wonderful espresso with more crema than I ever got before. My only concern was the steam wand that froths the milk so fast it does not get hot enough. But I found that putting my finger on the air hole on the wand allows it to heat the milk without frothing and then releasing it results in nice hot microfoam. Still it would be nice if they offered an optional commercial wand like that on the LaPavoni Europiccolo that makes excellent microfoam and is easily wiped clean. Everything else about this machine cannot be beat. It is amazing to watch it grind, tamp, make a perfect double shot and dump the grinds at the touch of a button.

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