DeLonghi ECAM 23.420 vs DeLonghi Magnifica S ECAM 21.117

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A burr grinder works in such a way that you can get a consistent, uniform size of grind each time, which is one of the key aspects of getting great tasting espresso. On the other hand an inferior blade grinder often leaves you with an inconsistent grind.

The espresso machine has an integrated grinder so that you don’t have to buy a separate one.

You can operate the device easily, by pressing the screen with your fingers.

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An adjustable cup clearance is useful when you wish to use larger cups and mugs, such as when making a latte macchiato.

It has a steam wand, which allows you to make steamed/frothed milk to create other drinks from an espresso base.

With a cup warmer you can heat the cups before pulling your espresso so that it doesn't go cold quickly, which affects the taste and quality. It also means that you don’t have to manually heat them using hot water.

The water tank is removable, making it easier to refill.

With a larger water tank you don’t have to refill it as often.

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An integrated water filter produces cleaner water for brewing espresso. It also helps to prevent the build up of limescale.

A hot water outlet is useful as it can be used to heat cups, as well as making americanos, long blacks and teas.

With a transparent water tank you can easily see when it needs to be filled up. This is important as attempting to make an espresso with an empty tank can damage the machine.

The machine automatically cleans the milk circuit, meaning that the machine requires a minimal amount of cleaning.

After a certain period of being idle, the device will switch to a sleep mode to conserve power.

With a drip tray indicator the machine informs you of when you need to empty the tray.

It has an internal fuse/thermal sensors which prevents the machine from overheating.

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The machine automatically cleans the coffee circuit, meaning that the machine requires a minimal amount of cleaning.

These buttons can be programmed for different types of coffee such as an espresso, doppio or ristretto. This means once you have mastered a particular style of coffee, you can get it the same every time.

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With an integrated milk frother, the machine can automatically produce frothed milk for use in cappuccinos and other drinks.

With one press of a button you can create a cappuccino.

A higher number of grind settings gives you more flexibility when choosing the fineness of your ground coffee. The particle size is important as a grind which is too coarse can produce weak tasting espresso, whereas a grind which is too fine can lead to a bitter taste.

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With a pre-infusion function you get a low pressure of water before it ramps up to around 9 bar of pressure. This gently expands the grinds to get a smooth extraction and to help prevent channeling in the cake.

With a double boiler or heat exchanger system, you can brew and steam milk at the same time. This has an advantage over single boiler machines where you have to wait between brewing and steaming for the temperature to adjust.

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Ground coffee, especially if freshly roasted and ground, results in much better quality coffee than the kind of results you get with pods or capsules.