Almost all industry leaders are striving to expand their product range, and the Italian company Delonghi is no exception. The enormous popularity of the legendary budget-friendly Magnifica series is due to its superb value-quality ratio. Therefore, its latest expansion with the 310th series seems entirely logical. Thus, today the company offers three current series, including 290th, 310th and 320th.
Delonghi Magnifica
The ECAM 290 Magnifica Evo series was officially presented and released in 2022 as a classic line of entry-level automatic coffee machines.
Today they cost $ 735 – $ 900 in the US and € 340 – € 500 across Europe.
The ECAM 310 Magnifica Evo Next series was officially released in July and August 2024 across Europe.
Its priced at ~ $ 1,100 in the US and € 440-650 in Europe.
The ECAM 320 Magnifica Plus series was released in late 2023 to early 2024.
Today it’s available for $ 900 – $ 1,300 (listed at $ 1,299.95 on the official Delonghi US Store), and € 580 – € 850 in Europe.
The last 310th fits harmoniously between the 290th and 320th.
This series includes the ECAM 310.60 and ECAM 310.80 models. The letters at the end traditionally indicate color (GB – Graphite/Black, SB – Silver/Black, etc).
ECAM 310.60 has 10 programs, without ‘clasic’ Americano (Long Black). ECAM 310.80 offers 13 programs, including ‘classic’ Americano, Cappuccino+ (a very strong cappuccino based on Doppio+), and Espresso Macchiato. Additionally, it has seven direct drink buttons on the control panel, compared to five on the 310.60.
For reference, when preparing a classic Long Black, the coffee machine first brews a standard shot of espresso (25–30 ml), then adds hot water to the cup through a separate circuit. In this recipe, the water temperature is around 90–95°C, preserving the shot’s flavor. Unfortunately, most coffee machines prepare a ‘wrong’ Long Black, forcing the water through the coffee puck for more than 30 seconds. This results in an additional bitterness.
Main differences
Evo Next (ECAM 310.xx) vs Evo (ECAM 290.xx)
1 – The new Evo Next features a display that significantly simplifies operation.
2 – It offers several new programs, including the classic Cappuccino Mix (espresso with milk foam on top);
3 – ECAM 310.xx has three user profiles, selectable via a separate button, with personalized settings saved for all drinks;
4 – The Evo Next comes with a larger milk carafe (280 ml vs 230 ml), but without a milk level sensor.
Overall, the slight price increase is quite adequate for the listed bonuses.
Evo Next (ECAM 310.xx) vs Magnifica Plus (ECAM 320.xx)
1 – The Evo Next ECAM 310.60/310.80 display is not touchscreen. The coffee machine is controlled via touch-sensitive buttons around it. Although they are considered less reliable, the touch controls of the 320 series are very user-friendly. Its functionality and style are impeccable and among the best on the market.
2 – The milk jug of the 310 series is also inferior to the 320 series models which have a mechanical rotary control for milk frothing. It regulates the height of the foam and its consistency. At the maximum setting, it produces a dense foam, but unfortunately, it sometimes separates. However, the slightly dry foam in a classic cappuccino was considered the standard in Italy. But today many prefer a more uniform foam with a consistency closer to emulsion. This is achieved with the medium foam setting on the 320 series. Unfortunately, the 310/290 series milk jugs do not have this setting and always froth milk at maximum.
Furthermore, the milk jug capacity of the 320 series reaches 350 ml.
3 – 4 vs 3 user profiles and Extra Shot (drinks made with two espressos).
Programs
The ECAM 310.60 offers 10 programs, including 5 drinks directly selectable from the control panel. The ECAM 310.80 has 13 programs. Seven of these can be selected with a single click from the control panel.
– Espresso (standard pre-infusion 1 sec) – 40 ml factory setting / adjustable beverage volume – 20 – 180 ml;
– 2x Espresso (sequential preparation with two grinds and two pours, standard pre-infusion) – 80 ml;
– Coffee (without pre-infusion) – 180 ml / 100 – 270 ml;
– LONG (branded imitation filter coffee) – 160 ml (2x 80 ml) / 115 – 250 ml.
An Americano is prepared in two grinds and two pours. Each pour uses a 1-1 second intermittent pump mode, where the machine pours coffee for one second, then pauses for 1 second.
The brewing time is approximately double that of the Coffee program;
– Doppio+ (strong espresso, long and intermittent pre-infusion mode, the coffee machine uses ~14 grams of ground coffee) – 120 ml / 80 – 180 ml.
– Cappuccino – (milk and coffee on top) – 120 ml milk + 60 ml espresso / 70-350 ml milk + 20-180 ml espresso;
– Latte macchiato – 160 ml milk + 40 ml coffee;
– Cappuccino Mix (classic sequence – coffee and milk on top) – settings are similar to Cappuccino;
– Hot milk and hot water – 350 ml / 700 ml and 250 ml / 20 – 420 ml.
The ECAM 310.80 also offers:
– Americano (classic preparation – espresso + hot water) – 40 ml espresso / 20-180 ml (setting in MY mode), then hot water through the same nozzles 110 ml / 50-300 ml;
– Espresso Macchiato – lightly foamed milk with a shot of espresso on top;
– Cappuccino+ with an especially powerful coffee component, based on Doppio+.
Conclusions
The 310 series fits perfectly between the budget-friendly 290 and mid-range 320 series. Technically, its platform and specs are identical to the 290 series, including:
– conical grinder with steel burrs and 13 grind settings;
– 15 bar water pump;
– one 1450W flow-through thermoblock;
– removable brewing unit with a capacity of up to 14 grams;
– 1.8-liter water tank;
– grounds discard container capacity 14-serving.
The display, several additional programs, a larger milk carafe, and several user profiles fully justify the slight price increase.
On the other hand, it can easily replace the 320 series if you have a limited budget. While the non-touch display and lack of foam adjustment in the milk carafe may be considered disadvantages, they’re hardly critical.
Some experts sometimes criticize the redundancy of models, but they expand the choice, which is always nice for the consumer.
The video offers a setting up the Delonghi Magnifica Evo Next coffee machine for the first time.