ConsFirst / Espresso machines / Compare

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch vs Breville Barista Touch

Which one has the downsides you can live with?

We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes what we report. Learn more

The short answer

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch ranks higher (#1 vs #2 of 11) and scores better on espresso quality, durability. Breville Barista Touch wins on milk frothing.

The biggest complaint about the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch is fiddly hand-steaming; for the Breville Barista Touch it's durability is mixed. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.

#1 of 11 · $$$De'Longhi La Specialista Touch

Good for: Beginners who want a guided grinder-and-brewer

Its catch: fiddly hand-steaming

Check price on Amazon
#2 of 11 · $$Breville Barista Touch

Good for: Beginners who want guidance and a grinder in one

Its catch: durability is mixed

Check price on Amazon

Paid links. We don't list prices — they change daily. Neither one feels right?

Side by side

De'Longhi La Specialista TouchBreville Barista Touch
Rank in espresso machines#1#2
Price tier$$$$$
TypeWith built-in grinderWith built-in grinder
Amazon 1–2★ share13%16%
Overall score3.93.8
Espresso quality4.03.5
Milk frothing4.04.5
Ease of use4.54.5
Cleaning & upkeep4.04.0
Durability3.02.5

Price tiers: $ under $300 · $$ $300–800 · $$$ over $800. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.

Top complaints

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch

  • Fiddly hand-steaming

    Tom's Guide says the wand design, including the temperature gauge, gets in the way when steaming by hand; it got used to it, but found it annoying at first.

    Source: Tom's Guide (best espresso machines), Tom's Guide review
  • Guided, not built-in, tamping

    Tom's Guide says the guided tamping is good, but in-built tamping would be better. It also notes the cold-brew function doesn't make cold espresso.

    Source: Tom's Guide (best espresso machines)
  • Some units arrive faulty

    Amazon's summary says owners find it easy to clean and reliable, though some report units that don't work properly.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)

Breville Barista Touch

  • Durability is mixed

    Amazon's review summary says durability gets mixed reviews, with several customers reporting it broke within 7 months, and some find it overpriced.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Harder to dial in, less nuance

    Wirecutter says it offers less control and makes less-nuanced espresso than its top pick, and its narrower, deeper portafilter introduces more variability into each shot.

    Source: Wirecutter (NYT)
  • Small annoyances

    Wirecutter says the pitcher can sit slightly off balance on the auto-froth sensor, and a long-term tester finds repeated filter and descale reminders annoying.

    Source: Wirecutter (NYT)

Who should pick which

Pick the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch if

  • Beginners who want a guided grinder-and-brewer

  • Small kitchens

  • Switching between saved bean settings

Skip it if: You want built-in automatic tamping; You mostly steam milk by hand; You want a long owner track record

Check price on AmazonAll complaints →

Pick the Breville Barista Touch if

  • Beginners who want guidance and a grinder in one

  • Hands-free milk at different temperatures

  • Households that want to grow into manual settings

Skip it if: You want the most nuanced shots for the money; You want a strong long-term reliability record; You want a standard-size portafilter

Check price on AmazonAll complaints →

We don't list prices — they change daily. Paid links.

Neither one feels right?

If both catches are deal-breakers, start here.

Best value · #10 in espresso machinesBreville Bambino

Tom's Guide's five-star compact pick: PID, pre-infusion, volumetric shots and a flexible wand that made velvety milk, plus a milk jug in the box. Wirecutter found its shots less flavorful and consistent than the Bambino Plus's, the wand is weaker, there's no auto-froth or auto-purge, and you need a separate grinder.

Its catch: shots and steaming a step below the PlusA third option · #4Gaggia Classic Evo Pro (E24)

The budget enthusiast's pick, and it pulls more nuanced shots than pricier Brevilles. You'll need a separate grinder and a better tamper, plus practice: it has no PID, and testers disagree on how good the steam wand is.

Its catch: no PID: inconsistent temperature and shotsAll 11 comparedSee every espresso machine, ranked

Each one's biggest complaint at a glance, with the full ranking.

Browse espresso machines →

More head-to-heads