De'Longhi Magnifica Start review: a simple, affordable way into bean-to-cup coffee

This De’Longhi Magnifica Start review covers the ECAM220.22.GB, the grey and black version with a manual milk frother. It’s De’Longhi’s entry-level bean-to-cup machine, so it grinds fresh beans and brews at the touch of a button, without the learning curve of a manual espresso machine. I haven’t tested this in person. My verdict is based on De’Longhi’s UK specs, UK prices at time of research (28 Sep 2026), and the published test I name and link below, which covers a close sister model.

De’Longhi Magnifica Start review: the short answer

Buy the Magnifica Start if you want fresh-ground coffee at home for the lowest outlay I found among the bean-to-cup machines I’ve covered. It’s £279 at De’Longhi UK, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026). De’Longhi lists an original price of £319.99, so that reduction may end. You get a big 1.8-litre tank, simple buttons and a bypass for pre-ground coffee.

Who it isn’t for: latte and cappuccino drinkers who want everything done for them. This version has a manual steam wand, so you froth milk yourself. De’Longhi does sell a Magnifica Start with an automatic milk carafe, but that’s a different model and I haven’t priced it here.

Choose the Philips 2200 instead if you’d like the reassurance of a strong owner rating. The Philips Series 2200 EP2220/10 is £329.99 at Currys, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026), and Currys buyers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 95 reviews.

Who it isn’t for: anyone mainly after the lowest price. At the prices above, the Philips costs about £50 more than the Start, and it has fewer one-touch options: two coffee buttons plus hot water.

What it costs right now

• De’Longhi UK: £279, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026), in stock when checked. De’Longhi shows an original price of £319.99 with no end date, so the reduction may end. Stock also changed during the day, so check before you buy. See the Magnifica Start at De’Longhi UK
• Appliances Direct: £299, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026). Appliances Direct shows a £20 saving, so this may also end, and it didn’t state stock. See the Magnifica Start at Appliances Direct
• Argos: Check current price. I couldn’t load a live price. See the Magnifica Start at Argos
• Currys: I couldn’t find this exact model in a Currys search.

What you get: specs and what’s in the box

De’Longhi UK lists a 15-bar pump, a 1.8-litre water tank and a 250g bean hopper, plus a bypass so you can use pre-ground coffee instead. That’s useful if someone in the house drinks decaf and you don’t want to empty the hopper.

There are four one-touch options: espresso, coffee, a long coffee and steam. You can adjust the strength, temperature and length. The manual frother, which De’Longhi calls a “traditional milk frother”, also gives you hot water. Other listed features include programmable water hardness, a grounds container that holds 14 servings and dishwasher-safe parts. Appliances Direct mentions automatic descale and rinse programmes.

It measures 24cm wide, 44cm deep and 35cm high, weighs 8.99kg and draws 1450W, according to De’Longhi UK. It comes with a two-year guarantee (De’Longhi UK and Appliances Direct).

Neither De’Longhi UK nor Appliances Direct lists what’s in the box, so I can’t tell you whether a water filter or test strip is included.

Who it isn’t for: anyone short on worktop depth. At 44cm deep, measure the space under your cupboards before ordering.

Running costs: beans, filters and descaling

The big saving with any bean-to-cup machine is that you buy ordinary coffee beans rather than pods, so you can shop around, buy in bulk or try a subscription. My guide to the best coffee subscriptions compares the options.

De’Longhi says a water filter is “applicable” to this model, but I couldn’t confirm which filter fits the ECAM220.22.GB, so I haven’t priced one. Check with De’Longhi before buying one. You’ll also need descaler from time to time; Appliances Direct lists automatic descale and rinse programmes, and descaling matters more in hard-water areas. I couldn’t confirm a descaler price.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants zero upkeep. Like every bean-to-cup machine, it needs regular descaling and emptying of the grounds container.

What reviewers say

The best-known UK test is the Guardian’s bean-to-cup roundup (April 2026), which named the Magnifica Start its best overall and best budget pick. The important caveat is that it covered a version with an automatic milk carafe, not this manual-frother ECAM220.22.GB. The Guardian liked the coffee, the simple controls and how easy it is to adjust the grind and choose between three strength levels. Its main complaint was grinder noise, which it measured at 75dB.

The two share the Magnifica Start name, but the milk side is different on this model, so treat the Guardian’s verdict as a pointer rather than a direct test of the ECAM220.22.GB.

I couldn’t find owner ratings for this model, as the retailer pages I checked load their reviews in a way I couldn’t read, so I haven’t quoted any.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants an expert test of this exact model before spending nearly £300. I didn’t find one.

Magnifica Start vs Philips Series 2200

The Philips 2200 EP2220/10 is the obvious rival: another entry-level bean-to-cup machine with a manual steam wand.

• Price: £279 at De’Longhi UK (a reduction that may end) against £329.99 at Currys, both price at time of research (28 Sep 2026). That’s about £50 in the Start’s favour.
• Tank and hopper: both have 1.8-litre tanks. The Philips hopper is slightly bigger at 275g, against 250g on the Start.
• Drinks: the Start has four one-touch options including steam. The Philips has two coffee buttons plus hot water, and can brew two cups at once.
• Maintenance: Currys lists a removable brew group on the Philips, which you rinse by hand.
• Evidence: the Start has the Guardian’s award, but for a sister model. The Philips has no expert UK test I could find, but a 4.5 out of 5 rating from 95 Currys buyers.

If the Start’s reduction holds, it’s the better-value pick. If it goes back to £319.99, the gap narrows to about £10 and it comes down to preference.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who puts owner feedback first. The Philips has a solid Currys rating I could check, and the Start doesn’t.

Downsides

• Manual milk. You froth milk with a steam wand, which takes practice. My guide to the best milk jug for latte art will help.
• Noise. The Guardian measured 75dB while grinding on the carafe version.
• Size. 44cm deep and nearly 9kg.
• Evidence gaps. The Guardian’s test was of a sister model, and I couldn’t read any owner ratings.
• The price may not last. De’Longhi’s £279 is a reduction from its listed £319.99, and stock changed on the day I checked.

Where to go next

For more options, see my guide to the best bean-to-cup coffee machines under £500 and my Philips 2200 review. If you’d like more control over each shot, the best espresso machine under £300 guide covers manual machines, which you’d pair with a grinder from my best burr grinders under £100.

FAQ

How much is the De’Longhi Magnifica Start? £279 at De’Longhi UK and £299 at Appliances Direct, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026). Both show a reduction that may end, so check on the day.

Does the Magnifica Start froth milk? Yes, with a manual steam wand. There’s no automatic milk system on the ECAM220.22.GB.

Can I use pre-ground coffee? Yes. De’Longhi UK lists a bypass for pre-ground coffee, which is handy for decaf.

Is the Magnifica Start noisy? The Guardian measured 75dB while grinding on the carafe version, so expect it to be noticeable.

Is it the same machine the Guardian recommended? Not quite. The Guardian’s test covered a Magnifica Start with an automatic milk carafe. This ECAM220.22.GB has a manual frother instead.