Coffee machine comparison

Editorially reviewed 2026-07-26. Objective fields are tied to the source record for each machine.

At a glance

Essential specifications

Start with the fields most likely to change the buying decision. Different values are labelled; matching values use neutral styling and unknown values remain unconfirmed.

Machine category

Breville Barista Express
semi-automatic
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
semi-automatic

Product lifecycle

Breville Barista Express
current
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
current

Built-in grinder

Breville Barista Express
Yes
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Yes

Adjustable brew temperature

Different
Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Yes

Brew and steam together

Breville Barista Express
No
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
No

Manufacturer-stated heat-up

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Width

Different
Breville Barista Express
317.5 mm
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
355.6 mm

Depth

Different
Breville Barista Express
350.5 mm
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
381 mm
View all 41 detailed specifications

These fields support deeper research. Every populated value must be traceable to the listed sources.

Breville Barista Express

De'Longhi La Specialista Opera

Identity and design

Manufacturer

Breville Barista Express
Breville
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
De'Longhi

Model number

Breville Barista Express
BES870
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
EC9555M

Introduced

Different
Breville Barista Express
2013
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
2024

Housing material

Different
Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Stainless steel

Colour options

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Milk system

Different
Breville Barista Express
Manual steam wand
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Manual commercial-style steam wand

Controls

Different
Breville Barista Express
Buttons, grind controls, and analogue pressure gauge
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Buttons, rotary selectors, pressure gauge, and smart tamping lever

App connectivity

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

User profiles

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Portafilter diameter

Different
Breville Barista Express
54 mm
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Tamping

Different
Breville Barista Express
Manual
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Integrated assisted tamping lever

Removable water tank

Breville Barista Express
Yes
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Yes

Grinder type

Different
Breville Barista Express
Steel conical burr grinder
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Steel burr grinder

Grinder settings

Different
Breville Barista Express
16
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
15

Bean-hopper capacity

Different
Breville Barista Express
227 g
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Automatic drink presets

Different
Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Espresso, Americano, Cold Brew, Espresso Cool, Hot water

Pre-infusion

Breville Barista Express
Yes
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Yes

Selectable milk-temperature setting

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Two-cup brewing

Different
Breville Barista Express
Yes
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Hot-water outlet

Different
Breville Barista Express
Yes
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Manual hot-milk preparation

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Milk frothing without brewing

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Water-filter support

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Boiler type

Different
Breville Barista Express
thermocoil
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
thermoblock

Boiler material

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Number of boilers

Breville Barista Express
1
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
1

Boiler capacity

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Water-tank capacity

Different
Breville Barista Express
1.98 L
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
2 L

Pump type

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Published pump pressure

Different
Breville Barista Express
15 bar
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
19 bar

Group

Different
Breville Barista Express
Breville 54 mm group
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Pressure gauge

Breville Barista Express
Yes
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Yes

PID

Breville Barista Express
Yes
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Yes

Hard-plumb capable

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Height

Different
Breville Barista Express
403.9 mm
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
444.5 mm

Weight

Different
Breville Barista Express
10.02 kg
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
12.75 kg

Maximum cup height

Different
Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
104 mm

Confirmed voltage

Breville Barista Express
120V-60Hz
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
120V-60Hz

Power

Breville Barista Express
1600 W
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
1600 W

Warranty

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed

Included accessories

Breville Barista Express
Not confirmed
De'Longhi La Specialista Opera
Not confirmed
The short versionKey differences

  1. Preparation: Barista Express uses manual tamping; Opera uses an integrated tamping lever intended to reduce mess and variation.

  2. Drink controls: Opera adds three brew temperatures and cold extraction presets; Barista Express focuses on espresso, hot water, and manual milk.

  3. Counter fit: Barista Express is about 38 mm narrower, 31 mm shallower, and 41 mm shorter than Opera.

  4. Shared workflow: both grind into a portafilter, require manual milk technique, and alternate between brewing and steaming rather than doing both simultaneously.

Editorial take

Quick verdict

Both combine a burr grinder, portafilter, and manual steam wand in one body. The Barista Express is the smaller, more traditional package; La Specialista Opera adds assisted tamping, three brew temperatures, and dedicated cold-drink presets.

Breville Barista Express

  • Choose the Barista Express for a smaller integrated-grinder machine with a familiar manual tamping workflow.
  • Its 16 grinder settings and pressure gauge support hands-on adjustment without requiring a second appliance.
  • The built-in grinder saves equipment count but limits future grinder upgrade flexibility.

De'Longhi La Specialista Opera

  • Choose La Specialista Opera when assisted tamping and hot-and-cold drink presets are valuable.
  • It provides 15 grinder settings, three infusion temperatures, Cold Brew, and Espresso Cool presets.
  • It is taller, wider, deeper, and heavier, so cabinet clearance and permanent counter space need checking.
Our recommendation

Final verdict

The Barista Express remains the simpler all-in-one choice when compactness and a conventional manual routine are priorities. La Specialista Opera better suits buyers who want guided tamping, selectable temperatures, and cold-drink options in the same station. In both cases, the integrated grinder reduces equipment count but also ties grinder and machine upgrades together.

This recommendation is an editorial assessment of verified specifications and cited third-party experiences. We have not personally tested these machines.

Sources and further research

Manufacturer pages, manuals, videos, community discussions, and independent reviews.

Video reviews and demonstrations

Useful for seeing workflow and ownership perspectives; publisher relationships vary, and videos are not authoritative specifications.

Reddit and forum discussions

Anecdotal owner perspectives that may involve different revisions or maintenance histories.

Manufacturer links and manuals

Use these for product identity, operation, and technical specifications.

Continue comparing

Related coffee machine comparisons

Compare the same machines with other realistic alternatives before narrowing the shortlist.

Browse all reviewed comparisons