Best Super Automatic Espresso Machine Under 1000 Dollars Review 2023

Delonghi basically owns this segment of the market, dominating our chart, and this is the best of their machines at this price point.

The first thing to note about this model is the fact that it comes in two variants, the “S” and the “XS,” but the only difference between the two is that the XS is slightly smaller, managing to shave two inches and change off the total height of the machine, without sacrificing anything in the way of functionality.

Sporting a 57-ounce water reservoir, the machine’s capacity is slightly less than what we’d prefer, but it doesn’t miss the mark by much (for us, the magic number we’re looking for is at least 60-ounces. At that size, the machine offers enough capacity to keep power drinkers happy, without being “too much” for casual drinkers and smaller households.

In this case, we rate it as being “close enough” and didn’t deduct much from its final score for barely missing the mark, although as ever, we view more as being better!

The integrated grinder is good, but falls short of being great. It’s stainless steel where we’d prefer to see ceramic, but it does boast an impressive 13 grind settings, which is enough to please even diehard purists who are looking for maximum flavor customization.

There’s an ongoing, lively debate regarding stainless steel versus ceramic grinders, and at the end of the day it comes down to this:

In most cases, you won’t notice much of a difference, but if you’re making several back-to-back shots, then the stainless-steel burrs can heat up with repeated use, which will burn your grounds. Not only does this waste beans, but it will also burn the grounds and ruin the flavor of whatever drink you’re trying to make.

Even so, for casual users, the stainless-steel grinder won’t be an issue.

The Magnifica’s coffee spigots offer a fairly wide range of motion, being able to accommodate cups up to 5.5” in height. That’s good, but almost certainly won’t provide you with enough clearance to accommodate your favorite jumbo-sized coffee mug beneath it. Still a solid win though!

As you can see then, the Delonghi Magnifica is a serious machine, offered at a surprisingly low price. Almost all of its shortcomings can be attributed to cost-savings moves by the manufacturer, and are therefore, easy to forgive. If you’re looking for a stellar machine offered for a song, this is the one you want.

Overall, the thing we liked best about the Magnifica is that although it uses somewhat dated tech, it does so creatively, and the end result is that it doesn’t feel like an older model. Two thumbs up to Delonghi for that.

Placing second, the Delonghi Perfecta is an excellent all-around choice with a lot going for it.

The main reason that it didn’t win top honors here is that this one tends to be a fairly tightly focused machine, designed for a specific type of user: Namely, it’s ideal for single people, or smaller households where there’s just one regular coffee drinker.

That’s not to say it couldn’t work for other people, but it’s geared toward that type of user, so if that describes you, then don’t be surprised if you wind up liking this one better than our top pick.

The first thing you’ll notice about this model is that it’s mostly made of plastic.

We don’t hate plastic; it’s just that stainless steel is more durable, more rugged, and machines boasting a stainless-steel case will generally last longer. Having said that, with proper care and maintenance, there’s no reason this model can’t serve reliably in your home for years to come.

Like the Magnifica, it boasts a 57-ounce water tank and an 8.8-ounce bean hopper. Again, the tank capacity is a shade smaller than we’d prefer, but it doesn’t miss the mark by much and is well-paired with the bean hopper capacity.

The model uses an auto-frother instead of a steam wand, which gives you hands-free steamed milk and foam, and even better, the milk spout can be angled right into your cup, so when you order a milk-based drink, you literally push the button, sit back and wait, while the machine does everything for you.

That’s fantastic and convenient, but of course, coffee purists will bemoan the fact that it lacks a proper steam wand.

The other drawback is that you can only save one person’s preferred drink settings, which is why we said that it’s optimized to be the coffee machine for one user. If someone else tries to save their flavor and strength preferences for a cappuccino, for example, it’ll overwrite yours.

That’s not a deal breaker for most people, but it is something to keep in mind.

The Perfecta has its weaknesses, but they’re relatively minor. For instance, the range of motion on the coffee spigots is quite limited, and it’ll only accommodate cups up to 4.5” in height. There are only two programmable buttons, one for coffee or espresso, and one for milk-based drinks.

On more expensive models, you’ll sometimes find dozens of different drink options, all of which can be customized and saved, and here, you begin to see some of the limitations of the model’s older technology.

In a perfect world, we’d love to see more of everything. A bigger water reservoir, a bigger bean hopper, more grind settings and more save slots, but taken together, all of those things would raise the price of the unit, and it’s already sitting near the top of our $1000 cap.

The final thing to note about this model is that it’s got the worst range of motion for its coffee spouts of any unit on our list of the best fully automatic espresso machine under 1000 dollars, and can only accommodate coffee cups up to 4.4” in height. That’s a minor feature, but it does mean there’s no chance in Hades of getting your favorite supersized coffee mug under the spouts!

All in all, though, this is a great machine, even given its limitations and shortcomings, and is probably the ideal machine for newbies and power drinkers who are looking for convenience.

While it’s true that this model’s limitations keep it from true greatness, it has a lot going for it, and for the right user, it would be a superb choice.

Who is that “right user,” exactly?

That’s an interesting question, and more difficult to answer than first meets the eye.

On the one hand, this machine does offer several things that make it attractive to newbies: It’s got a simple (if dated) interface and a straightforward design which makes it fairly easy to operate. It’s also got a fairly small footprint, which means that even people with smaller kitchens and limited countertop space will be able to find a permanent home for it.

On the other hand though, it has some features that are better suited to coffee purists, such as the impressive thirteen grind settings and the conventional steam wand.

In the final analysis then, we’d have to say that this machine is ideal for newbies who already know they have an interest in taking a more active role in crafting their drinks. Someone who prefers customization options over convenience, and who isn’t afraid of dated tech.

That obviously doesn’t describe a broad swath of the market, so many people will find this model wanting for various reasons, and this is reflected in the unit’s somewhat lower score.

For the right user though, none of the machine’s limitations and shortcomings will really matter.

In our complete review, we gave it a provisional recommendation because it does speak to a fairly specific kind of user, but if, after reviewing its features and reading our full review on it, it speaks to you, then our honest opinion is that it’ll serve you better than any other machine on this list.

Consider it to be like “Chow Chow” dog breed. They’re not for everyone. They tend to be one-owner dogs and form an amazingly strong bond with one person. This machine is a lot like that, save for the fact that it won’t drool on you or play fetch. A great choice, but not for everyone.