Update February 2022
The Breville One-Touch CoffeeHouse vs THE DELONGHI EC 860. M.
Which one is better?
Breville vs Delonghi
Comparing different machines is paramount when it’s time to make a purchase.
Here’s we have compared two great commercial coffee machines for home use that are on the same price range. To compare these machines we have taken into account 4 factors which are:
- Brew temperature stability –> consistency in the cup
- Quality of microfoam delivered;
- Aesthetic design;
- Market price.
Let’s get into details.
The Breville One-Touch espresso machine CoffeeHouse vs THE DELONGHI EC 860 M
The first thing we need to look at is how stable the machine is. We want our machine to be as much consistent as possible even if we are making a few shots a day.
You may wonder why we should care about thermal stability when we may just need to make 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day.
Well, to put it simply, we need the same brewing temperature during all the extraction process as we want to extract all the good flavours from the coffee puck. If there’s no consistency in temperature how can we manage to get the best out even when just making a few shots of coffee in a row?
The result was a win for the CoffeeHouse. We made four espressos in a row with both the machines and the Delonghi EC 860. M was pretty unstable, especially from the third shot, losing up to 5 degrees from the ideal temperature.
Such this difference in temperature delivers inconsistency in the cup: the last couple of shot were tasting kind of flat and obviously under-extracted.
In addition, despite the instability factor, different in volume delivered is something we should expect from automatic machines. You will see it if you measure the volume delivered with a scale. Anyway, not a big deal at all!
For what concerns the quality of microfoam delivered, the Breville still perform better.
Unlike with the Delonghi EC 860. M, the control dial of the Breville let you play a bit more, setting the texture of the foam according to your taste. Also, the foam made by the Breville looks more uniform unlike the more fluffy and bubbly one of the Delonghi.
For what concerns the design, the Breville stands out. I personally do care about aesthetics and I would never buy a coffee machine that doesn’t get my attention when it comes to design. A coffee machine for home use is part of your everyday morning routine, not only for brewing delicious coffee but also to shine over your kitchen counter.
Lastly, as regards the market price, both the machine are in the same price range.
Last Considerations
The battle between the Breville CoffeeHouse VS the Delonghi EC 860. M saw the Breville winning.
Considering the fact that the market price is similar, I have found the Breville One-Touch far better than the Delonghi EC 860. M.
The key aspects such as the brewing temperature stability and consistency delivered in the cup have shown a large gap between the two machines.
I am an Italian coffee lover that pushed for the love of this “amazing drug” decided to come to London to study about coffee and its different extraction procedures and tastes.
