JURA E8 vs De’Longhi Dinamica Plus
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The easiest way to misunderstand a premium automatic espresso machine is to judge it during the first ten minutes. Almost every expensive machine feels impressive when the touchscreen is new, the hopper is full, and the first cappuccino arrives without a tamper, scale, or scattered coffee grounds. The more revealing moment comes weeks later, when the machine has become ordinary enough that only its strengths—and its small irritations—remain visible.
I have approached the JURA E8 from several angles before this comparison. I have tested its consistency against the more affordable Philips 3200 LatteGo, put its one-touch philosophy beside the hands-on workflow in my Breville Barista Pro vs JURA E8 comparison, and placed it within the broader range in my guide to the best JURA coffee machines for home use. The Dinamica Plus has appeared from the opposite direction: as the machine that keeps winning points for milk convenience, menu depth, and shared-household practicality.
JURA E8 vs De’Longhi Dinamica Plus
Ten ownership factors scored side by side to decide whether JURA’s refined hot-coffee specialist or De’Longhi’s 24-drink, four-profile family machine is the stronger purchase.
JURA E8 Piano Black 15648
out of 100
- P.A.G.2 precision grinder
- Seventeen hot specialties
- P.E.P. espresso extraction
- Large 64-ounce water tank
- Premium guided maintenance
10-Factor Buying Score
Each category scored out of 10 points
E8
Plus
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus Wins Overall
The Dinamica Plus wins for most households because 24 one-touch recipes, four profiles, three milk textures, Smart One-Touch sorting, a 13-setting grinder, and accessible removable parts create exceptional flexibility for the investment.
Choose the E8 when straight espresso, coffee, premium hot milk drinks, larger core capacities, and a more refined ownership feel matter more than menu breadth or profiles.
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB
out of 100
- Twenty-four one-touch recipes
- Four personal user profiles
- Three LatteCrema foam textures
- Thirteen grinder settings
- Smart preference sorting
Scores reflect verified specifications and a practical 30-day ownership-style evaluation of espresso, grinder behavior, milk, profiles, capacity, cleaning, and everyday use.
The JURA E8 Piano Black 15648 is the more disciplined machine. It offers 17 hot specialties, JURA’s P.A.G.2 grinder, a variable 5-to-16-gram brewing unit, Pulse Extraction Process, ten strength levels, three brewing-temperature levels, a 3.5-inch color display with physical buttons, automatic milk-system cleaning, a 64-ounce water tank, and a 9.9-ounce bean hopper.
The De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB is the more expansive machine. This newer Dinamica Plus version offers 24 one-touch recipes, four user profiles, a 13-setting conical burr grinder, Smart One-Touch menu sorting, three milk-foam textures through LatteCrema Hot, a 3.5-inch full-touch display, a 60.87-ounce water tank, and removable dishwasher-safe parts.
That 24-drink menu changes the character of the comparison. The Dinamica Plus is no longer simply a cappuccino machine with a few black-coffee options. It includes espresso, double espresso, ristretto, Americano, Long, Doppio+, Coffee Pot, cold coffee, cortado, flat white, café au lait, café con leche, galão, latte, latte macchiato, and several cappuccino variations. It is built for a household that enjoys changing its mind.
The E8 does not try to win the menu-count contest. It concentrates on espresso, coffee, Americano, lungo, cortado, cappuccino, flat white, latte macchiato, and extra-shot versions of the main milk drinks. That narrower list feels less exciting in a showroom and more relaxing on a rushed morning, because every drink belongs to the same polished hot-coffee routine.
I noticed a similar divide when comparing the Dinamica Plus with the Gaggia Cadorna Milk. De’Longhi’s strength is not merely the number of recipes; it is the way the milk carafe, visual menu, stored preferences, and repeatable foam work together for several people.
The E8 answers with cup quality and ownership feel. The P.A.G.2 grinder settles into a quiet rest mode between drinks, the variable brewing unit supports stronger doses than many compact automatics, and the extra-shot milk recipes prevent larger cappuccinos and flat whites from tasting like warm milk with a faint coffee memory.
Milk workflow is where the physical difference becomes obvious. JURA draws milk through a hose and integrated spout, then expects the automatic cleaning routine to become part of the day. De’Longhi uses a detachable LatteCrema carafe with light, creamy, and dense foam settings. The carafe can return to the refrigerator, which many families find easier to understand and share.
I have repeatedly seen milk convenience become the deciding factor while working through the best espresso machines for latte and cappuccino drinkers. Buyers begin by discussing pressure and grinders, then discover that the machine they actually use is the one whose milk cleanup fits naturally after breakfast.
Capacity is unusually close. The E8 has a slightly larger water tank, bean hopper, and grounds container, while the Dinamica Plus is narrower and a little shallower. Neither feels small, but both can support a busy home routine without the constant refilling that defines compact models.
Personalization creates the sharper split. JURA lets you program strength, water, milk, foam, temperature, drink positions, and displayed names. De’Longhi adds four user profiles and a Smart One-Touch system that moves frequently selected drinks toward the front. In a shared kitchen, that organization can matter more than another half-step of espresso refinement.
For this JURA E8 vs De’Longhi Dinamica Plus comparison, I ranked espresso character, grinder performance, hot milk texture, drink variety, profiles, ease of use, capacity, cleaning, build quality, and value. I also considered the ordinary frustrations that specification sheets rarely mention: whether guests can find a cappuccino, whether the milk system is cleaned before bed, and whether one person’s settings repeatedly overwrite another’s.
The final decision is close. The E8 is the stronger hot-coffee specialist and the machine I prefer for straight espresso, coffee, and refined milk drinks. The Dinamica Plus wins overall because its 24 recipes, four profiles, detachable carafe, accessible maintenance, and substantially lower typical purchase cost solve more problems for more households.
How I review and compare these premium super-automatic machines
I compare these machines as long-term kitchen equipment rather than as showroom demonstrations. The important differences appear after the favorites are programmed; several people have used the menu, milk has been cleaned repeatedly, beans have changed, and the first-week novelty has disappeared.
I taste the espresso before testing the menu.
A machine with 24 recipes can still disappoint if every drink begins with thin coffee. I compare espresso, double espresso, coffee, Americano, and longer recipes first, paying attention to body, aroma, bitterness, temperature, and repeatability.
Then I compare milk as a complete routine.
Foam quality is only half the test. I compare the speed of preparing cappuccino and flat white, the way coffee survives larger milk volumes, the ease of changing texture, the storage of the milk container, and the cleanup required afterward.
Profiles and capacity are tested under shared use.
I deliberately prepare several different drinks in sequence. That reveals whether profiles save time, whether the menu remains easy to navigate, and how quickly water, beans, grounds, and drip trays need attention.
Maintenance decides whether convenience lasts.
I compare guided cleaning, removable parts, brew-group access, filters, rinse cycles, and the amount of equipment that must be handled after milk drinks. A super-automatic is only convenient when the cleaning routine is realistic enough to repeat.
Overview
JURA E8—the refined hot-coffee specialist
The JURA E8 Piano Black 15648 builds its identity around 17 hot specialties, premium grinder and extraction technology, a large dose range, and highly structured maintenance. It feels like a mature daily machine for people who already know that espresso, coffee, cappuccino, and flat white are the drinks they want.
The E8 has the larger water tank, bean hopper, grounds container, and cup clearance in this comparison. It is also the machine with the more convincing straight espresso and the more premium mechanical feel.
Best super-automatic for premium espresso, coffee, and classic milk drinks
JURA E8 Piano Black 15648This is the machine I would choose when the cup matters more than the menu count. Its P.A.G.2 grinder, P.E.P. extraction, strong dose range, extra-shot milk recipes, and guided maintenance create a calm premium routine.
Price on AmazonTechnical Specifications & Features
- Machine type: Premium fully automatic bean-to-cup
- Specialties: 17
- Grinder: P.A.G.2
- Grind control: 7 programmable consistency levels
- Dose range: 5–16 g
- Coffee strength: 10 levels
- Brewing temperature: 3 levels
- Display: 3.5-inch color display with buttons
- Water tank: 64 oz / 1.9 L
- Bean hopper: 9.9 oz / 280 g
- Grounds capacity: About 16 servings
- Dimensions: 11 × 13.8 × 17.6 in
- Milk system: HP3/CX3 hose and spout
- Cleaning: Automatic milk cleaning and integrated programs
Pros & Cons After 30 Days of Use
Pros
- Straight espresso remains the benchmark: it tastes denser and more deliberate than the average one-touch shot.
- The larger dose range helps: extra-shot milk recipes retain coffee character.
- The interface stays focused: physical buttons and clear graphics reduce menu fatigue.
- Capacity is excellent: water, beans, and grounds support repeated drinks.
- Maintenance guidance is unusually complete: filters, trays, milk, cleaning, and descaling are monitored.
Cons
- No personal profiles: several users must organize customized drinks without dedicated spaces.
- The milk hose needs discipline: automatic cleaning is easy but must be performed.
- Premium value is selective: buyers pay for refinement rather than a long recipe list.
My Final Verdict
After a month, the E8 feels like a machine that has already decided what matters. It makes a smaller number of hot drinks with confidence and rarely asks the owner to think about the mechanics behind them.
I would buy it for a household centered on espresso, coffee, cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato. I would skip it when four profiles and a global 24-drink menu are central to the purchase.
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus—the 24-drink family all-rounder
The De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB expands the formula through 24 recipes, four profiles, three milk textures, 13 grinder settings, Smart One-Touch preference sorting, and a full-touch display. It is designed to satisfy several drinkers rather than perfect one narrow routine.
The Dinamica Plus is the better overview choice for families, couples with different preferences, and anyone who wants milk variety, international recipes, cold coffee, and Coffee Pot mode without moving to a more expensive flagship.
Best super-automatic for profiles, milk variety, and feature value
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SBThis is the machine I would choose when several people want different drinks. Its four profiles, 24 recipes, three milk textures, 13 grinder settings, and preference-sorting menu make a shared coffee routine much easier.
Price on AmazonTechnical Specifications & Features
- Machine type: Fully automatic bean-to-cup
- Recipes: 24 one-touch drinks
- Profiles: 4
- Grinder: Conical burr grinder
- Grind settings: 13
- Display: 3.5-inch full-touch TFT
- Milk system: LatteCrema Hot
- Milk textures: Light, creamy, and dense
- Water tank: 60.87 oz
- Grounds capacity: 14 servings
- Dimensions: 16.9 × 9.3 × 13.7 in
- Weight: 21.74 lb
- Pump: 15 bar
- Power: 1250 W
- Cleaning: Removable dishwasher-safe parts
Pros & Cons After 30 Days of Use
Pros
- The recipe range stays useful: black coffee, milk drinks, cold coffee, and international recipes serve different users.
- Four profiles reduce friction: personal favorites stop overwriting one another.
- LatteCrema is easy to share: the carafe offers three foam textures and refrigerator storage.
- Smart One-Touch saves navigation: frequently selected drinks move forward.
- Accessible cleaning builds confidence: removable parts can be washed directly.
Cons
- Espresso is slightly less refined: the E8 wins when straight coffee is the only test.
- The menu needs organization: 24 drinks can initially feel busy.
- Core capacity is slightly lower: JURA holds more water, beans, and spent pucks.
My Final Verdict
After a month, the Dinamica Plus feels less like a specialist espresso appliance and more like a household café. The profiles and milk system remain useful long after the novelty of the menu disappears.
I would buy it for couples or families with different preferences and for anyone who wants more functionality per dollar. I would skip it only when premium espresso character is worth paying more for.
Which is better?
Pick the JURA E8 if…
You mainly drink espresso, coffee, Americano, cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato and care more about flavor refinement, dose strength, cup consistency, and premium build than profiles or recipe count.
Pick the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus if…
You want a machine that several people can personalize, with 24 drinks, four profiles, three milk textures, cold coffee, a coffee pot, international recipes, a visual touchscreen, and more features for the price.
JURA vs. De’Longhi—quick personality snapshot
JURA E8: “Make my core hot drinks feel premium and repeatable every morning.”
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus: “Give everyone a profile and let the household explore the full menu.”
The E8 feels like the more refined coffee machine. The Dinamica Plus feels like the more generous household appliance.
| Key Feature | JURA E8 Piano Black 15648 | De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Image | | |
| Machine type | Premium fully automatic bean-to-cup | Fully automatic bean-to-cup |
| Core personality | Focused hot-coffee specialist | 24-drink family café |
| Overall winner | Best premium specialist | Best for most households |
| Number of specialties | 17 | 24 |
| Straight espresso | More refined and concentrated | Very good and smooth |
| Coffee and Americano | Excellent repeatability | More recipe variations |
| Cold coffee | No dedicated recipe | Dedicated Cold Coffee |
| International recipes | Focused classics | Café con leche, galão, café au lait, and more |
| Grinder | P.A.G.2 | Conical burr grinder |
| Grinder settings | 7 programmed consistency levels | 13 settings |
| Dose range | 5–16 g | Automatic recipe dosing |
| Extraction technology | P.E.P. | Automatic espresso extraction |
| Pump pressure | 15 bar | 15 bar |
| Heating system | Thermoblock | Thermoblock |
| Coffee strength | 10 levels | Customizable aroma |
| Brewing temperature | 3 levels | Recipe temperature settings |
| Milk system | HP3/CX3 hose and spout | LatteCrema Hot carafe |
| Milk textures | Integrated fine foam | Light, creamy, and dense |
| Milk storage | Separate milk container | Carafe stores in refrigerator |
| Cappuccino character | Stronger espresso presence | Easier household preparation |
| Large milk drinks | Dedicated extra-shot versions | Broad size and foam customization |
| Display | 3.5-inch color display with buttons | 3.5-inch full-touch TFT |
| Physical buttons | Six tactile controls | Soft-touch and touchscreen |
| Menu simplicity | Focused and fast | Broader and busier |
| Smart menu sorting | Manual product arrangement | Smart One-Touch preferences |
| User profiles | No dedicated profiles | Four profiles |
| Drink customization | Strength, volume, milk, temperature, position | Profiles plus detailed recipe settings |
| App compatibility | J.O.E. compatible | Model focuses on on-machine personalization |
| Two-cup espresso | Yes | Yes |
| Two-cup coffee | Yes | Twin-shot support |
| Coffee Pot mode | No | Yes |
| Pre-ground coffee | Yes | Yes |
| Water tank | 64 oz / 1.9 L | 60.87 oz |
| Bean hopper | 9.9 oz / 280 g | 8.82 oz |
| Grounds container | About 16 servings | 14 servings |
| Width | 11 inches | 9.3 inches |
| Height | 13.8 inches | 13.7 inches |
| Depth | 17.6 inches | 16.9 inches |
| Weight | 22.1 lb | 21.74 lb |
| Maximum cup height | Cappuccino spout up to 6 inches | 5.19 inches |
| Back-to-back black coffee | Excellent capacity and speed | Very good |
| Back-to-back milk drinks | Fast and polished | Carafe and profiles simplify groups |
| Guest friendliness | Simple focused menu | Visual recipe selection |
| Family friendliness | Good capacity without profiles | Four users and 24 recipes |
| Milk cleaning | Automatic One-Touch program | Carafe clean setting and washable parts |
| Brew-group access | Internal service design | Accessible removable components |
| Dishwasher-safe parts | Directed manual care | Multiple removable parts |
| Filter detection | Automatic CLEARYL Smart+ detection | Water-filter compatible |
| Drip-tray monitoring | Monitored tray | Standard alerts |
| Descaling guidance | Highly structured | Guided automatic cycle |
| Noise and refinement | More premium mechanical feel | Typical automatic-machine sound |
| Build impression | More engineered and restrained | Feature-rich painted appliance |
| Best for espresso drinkers | JURA E8 | Very good alternative |
| Best for milk variety | Classic premium drinks | Dinamica Plus |
| Best for several users | No separate profiles | Dinamica Plus |
| Best for larger capacities | JURA E8 | Slightly smaller reservoirs |
| Best premium simplicity | JURA E8 | More menu-heavy |
| Best overall value | Refinement-focused premium | Dinamica Plus |
| Price on Amazon | Price on Amazon | Price on Amazon |
JURA E8 Piano Black 15648
JURA E8 Piano Black 15648
The E8 is designed for people who want espresso, coffee, cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato to feel consistent enough that the machine disappears into the morning routine. Its grinder, dose range, extraction system, and guided cleaning are all focused on premium hot drinks rather than menu spectacle.
- P.A.G.2 grinder: precise grinding with rest mode between preparations.
- P.E.P. extraction: pulsed brewing for short coffee specialties.
- 17 specialties: focused hot menu with extra-shot milk recipes.
- 5–16 g brewing unit: stronger dose flexibility than many automatics.
- One-Touch cleaning: automatic milk-system hygiene program.
- Pros: excellent espresso character; strong capacities; refined milk drinks; premium build; structured maintenance; simple interface.
- Cons: no dedicated profiles; no cold-coffee program; milk hose cleanup; high premium for a shorter menu.
- The espresso base remains present after milk is added.
- The larger water tank and grounds bin support a busy household.
- Physical buttons remain easier than a touchscreen with wet fingers.
- Extra-shot recipes make larger cappuccinos and flat whites more convincing.
- Dedicated user profiles would make shared use easier.
- A removable brew unit would appeal to hands-on owners.
- The menu could include a true cold-coffee recipe for summer use.
| Specialties | 17 |
| Grinder | P.A.G.2 |
| Dose range | 5–16 g |
| Strength | 10 levels |
| Temperature | 3 levels |
| Water tank | 64 oz |
| Bean hopper | 9.9 oz |
| Grounds capacity | 16 servings |
| Straight espresso | Excellent |
| Automatic milk | Yes |
| Profiles | No dedicated profiles |
| Cold coffee | No dedicated program |
| Pre-ground coffee | Yes |
| App | J.O.E. compatible |
| Brew group | Internal service design |
| Best use | Premium hot drinks |
Who is this for? Choose it when espresso quality and mature hot-drink consistency matter more than menu count. Skip it when several people need separate profiles or regularly choose international milk recipes and cold coffee.LEARN MORE
JURA E8—detailed review
The JURA E8 Piano Black 15648 is a machine that becomes easier to appreciate after the feature comparison is finished. On paper, the Dinamica Plus appears more generous: more recipes, more profiles, more foam choices, and a lower typical purchase price. The E8 earns its place through the way familiar drinks taste and the way the machine behaves after the routine becomes repetitive.
The P.A.G.2 grinder is central to that experience. It does not merely grind beans; it settles into a rest position between drinks, allows seven programmed consistency levels, and feels mechanically calmer than many automatic grinders. Medium and medium-dark beans are the easiest partners, but the machine offers enough strength and temperature control to work with a broader range.
I usually begin with a medium roast and set espresso strength higher before touching the grinder. Grinder adjustments should be made deliberately and given several drinks to settle. Once the bean, grind, temperature, and strength align, the E8 produces an espresso base that is unusually consistent from morning to morning.
The pulse extraction process matters most with espresso and short drinks. The machine pulses water through the puck rather than using one uninterrupted flow. The result is not the same as a carefully dialed manual shot, but it has more body, aroma, and structure than the average push-button espresso.
The 5-to-16-gram brewing unit gives the E8 a useful range. That maximum dose helps the machine create stronger coffee and protects larger milk drinks from becoming too dilute. It is one of the reasons the E8 feels more substantial than smaller JURA models.
Extra-shot cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato recipes are not decorative duplicates. They solve a real problem. Automatic milk machines often create beautiful layers while allowing the espresso to disappear. The extra-shot versions restore roast character and make larger cups taste intentional.
The 17-drink menu is focused rather than minimal. Espresso, two espressos, coffee, two coffees, Americano, lungo, espresso doppio, cortado, espresso macchiato, cappuccino, flat white, latte macchiato, extra-shot versions, milk foam, and hot water cover the majority of premium hot-coffee routines.
The 3.5-inch display combines graphics with six physical buttons. This interface feels less futuristic than a full touchscreen, but it is often easier in a real kitchen. Wet fingers are not a problem; guests can identify the main drinks, and the product positions can be rearranged around the household’s favorites.
Ten coffee-strength levels and three brewing-temperature levels provide enough room to make the machine respond to different beans. The settings are deep without making every drink feel like a project. Once a recipe is correct, I stop adjusting it and let repeatability become the point.
The milk system uses a hose and interchangeable spout rather than a fixed carafe. Milk can be drawn from a separate container, a glass vessel, or a carton. The result looks integrated and premium, particularly in cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato.
That elegant workflow has one non-negotiable condition: cleaning. Milk residue is never compatible with laziness. JURA’s automatic one-touch milk-system cleaning makes the routine straightforward, but it still needs to happen after milk use.
The E8 is generous in capacity. A 64-ounce water tank, 9.9-ounce bean hopper, and grounds container for approximately 16 servings support several people better than the exterior suggests. It is not a compact machine, but the reservoirs make its size productive.
Cup clearance is another practical strength for milk drinks. The cappuccino spout reaches approximately six inches, allowing taller glasses than the Dinamica Plus specification suggests. Espresso and coffee spouts adjust lower for smaller cups.
JURA’s maintenance philosophy is highly guided and internally controlled. The CLEARYL Smart+ filter is detected automatically, the drip tray is monitored, and rinsing, cleaning, descaling, and milk care appear in the Cockpit. The brew group remains inside the machine.
That sealed brew-group design divides owners. Some prefer the reassurance of removing and rinsing an infuser. Others prefer to follow the machine’s program without handling internal components. The E8 works best for the second group.
The machine can work with J.O.E. through a compatible connection setup, but I do not consider the app essential. The physical interface is already fast enough, and the E8 is strongest when it simplifies the morning rather than extending coffee preparation into the phone.
Noise and tactile quality reinforce the premium position. The grinder, internal movements, buttons, and spouts feel composed. These details do not appear in a recipe count, yet they influence how the machine feels after several years of daily contact.
The lack of dedicated user profiles is the clearest daily disadvantage besides the Dinamica Plus. Drinks can be customized and rearranged, but four people do not receive four separate spaces. A shared household has to agree on product positions or create recognizable variants.
The absence of a dedicated cold-coffee recipe is another limitation. The E8 can brew espresso or coffee over ice manually, but the Dinamica Plus places cold coffee directly within the menu. Buyers who make iced coffee regularly will notice the difference.
The E8 therefore wins the sensory and ownership-quality argument rather than the feature argument. It is the machine I would choose when I drink espresso, coffee, cappuccino, and flat white every day and want those drinks to feel polished without browsing a global menu.
It loses overall only because the Dinamica Plus satisfies more types of users at a much broader value point. That does not make the E8 overpriced for its intended buyer. It makes the E8 a specialist recommendation rather than the universal one.
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB
The Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB is a major menu and profile upgrade. It gives the household 24 drinks, four separate users, a 13-setting grinder, three milk textures, Smart One-Touch sorting, a large touchscreen, and removable parts without moving into Eletta Explore pricing.
- 24 recipes: black coffee, milk drinks, cold coffee, and international specialties.
- Four profiles: separate saved preferences for shared use.
- LatteCrema Hot: light, creamy, or dense automatic milk texture.
- Smart One-Touch: frequently used drinks move toward the front.
- 13 grinder settings: useful adjustment for different beans.
- Pros: broad menu; four profiles; easy milk carafe; strong value; intuitive touchscreen; accessible cleaning.
- Cons: slightly softer espresso; busy menu; lower capacities than E8; less premium mechanical feel.
- Profiles meaningfully reduce shared-kitchen friction.
- The three foam textures make the milk system more adaptable.
- Cold Coffee, Coffee Pot, and international recipes expand daily use.
- Removable parts make the internal routine feel less mysterious.
- A favorites-only home screen would reduce early menu overload.
- A slightly taller cup clearance would improve travel-mug use.
- The espresso base could retain more intensity in the largest milk drinks.
| Recipes | 24 |
| Profiles | 4 |
| Grinder settings | 13 |
| Milk textures | 3 |
| Display | 3.5-inch full-touch |
| Water tank | 60.87 oz |
| Grounds capacity | 14 servings |
| Dimensions | 16.9 × 9.3 × 13.7 in |
| Straight espresso | Very good |
| Automatic milk | LatteCrema Hot |
| Profiles | Four |
| Cold coffee | Yes |
| Pre-ground coffee | Yes |
| Twin shot | Yes |
| Cleaning | Removable dishwasher-safe parts |
| Best use | Families and varied menus |
Who is this for? Choose it when the machine must serve several people and several types of drink. Skip it when the entire purchase is about obtaining the most polished possible one-touch espresso.LEARN MORE
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus—detailed review
The De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB is a noticeably more ambitious machine than the earlier Dinamica Plus versions many buyers remember. The ECAM38085SB expands the menu to 24 one-touch recipes, provides four profiles, and turns Smart One-Touch preference sorting into a central part of the interface.
The first impression is menu breadth. Espresso and cappuccino are only the beginning. Ristretto, double espresso, Americano, espresso lungo, Long, Doppio+, Coffee Pot, cold coffee, cortado, flat white, café au lait, café con leche, galão, latte, latte macchiato, and multiple cappuccino recipes give the machine a genuinely international personality.
A long list becomes useful only when navigation remains manageable. The 3.5-inch full-touch display uses clear graphics, while Smart One-Touch recognizes repeated choices and moves frequently used drinks forward. The machine gradually begins to look more like the household’s menu and less like the factory menu.
Four user profiles deepen that advantage. One person can keep a short, strong espresso; another a mild café au lait; another a dense cappuccino; and a fourth a larger coffee. Profiles protect those choices from being overwritten and reduce the constant adjustment that makes shared machines frustrating.
The 13-setting conical burr grinder gives the owner enough room to adapt medium, medium-dark, and some lighter beans. As with any super-automatic, grinder changes should be made while the grinder is operating and then evaluated over several drinks rather than judged instantly.
Straight espresso is very good. The crema is attractive, the body is smooth, and the machine can make a satisfying short drink. In direct comparison, the E8 still produces the more concentrated and aromatic cup. The difference is clearest without milk.
That gap becomes much smaller in cappuccino and flat white. LatteCrema Hot can create light, creamy, or dense foam, which gives the user more control over texture than a one-setting automatic carafe. The foam is consistent and works with both dairy milk and suitable alternatives.
The detachable carafe is one of the machine’s strongest ownership features. It can be filled, attached, used, switched to the clean setting, and returned to the refrigerator. Several people understand this workflow immediately, which matters more than technical elegance in a busy kitchen.
Milk texture selection also makes the 24-drink menu feel less repetitive. A cappuccino with dense foam, a flat white with lighter foam, and a café au lait with a softer milk balance can feel genuinely different rather than like the same recipe renamed.
The Cold Coffee recipe gives the machine a useful warm-weather advantage. It is not the under-three-minute cold extraction found in the Eletta Explore, but it creates a menu-supported iced-coffee workflow instead of asking the owner to improvise every time.
Coffee Pot mode is similarly practical. It will not replace a large drip brewer for a crowd, but it helps when several cups of black coffee are needed, and the household does not want to run individual espresso-based recipes repeatedly.
The water tank holds 60.87 ounces, the ground container approximately 14 servings, and the bean hopper approximately 8.82 ounces. These figures are slightly lower than the E8’s capacities but still comfortable for a shared home machine.
The body is narrower and slightly shallower than the E8, even though the front feels more screen-focused. At 9.3 inches wide, it can fit surprisingly well between other appliances. The 5.19-inch maximum cup height is less generous for tall latte glasses and travel mugs.
Cleaning follows a more accessible philosophy than JURA’s. De’Longhi highlights removable and dishwasher-safe parts, and the milk carafe can be disassembled. Owners who like to see and wash the pieces carrying coffee and milk may prefer this approach.
The trade-off is that accessible parts become additional objects to manage. The carafe, milk components, drip tray, grounds container, and internal pieces need somewhere to dry. The Dinamica Plus is easy to clean, but it is not invisible maintenance.
Pre-ground coffee support is useful for occasional decaf, while twin-shot capability helps when two short black drinks are needed. The four profiles mean a decaf guest can use the bypass without disturbing the main household bean settings.
The machine does not include Bean Adapt Technology, and the US product specification does not position recipe creation as an open-ended app feature. Its personalization is strongest through the on-machine profiles, drink adjustments, foam settings, and Smart One-Touch ordering.
This distinction is important because it keeps the machine from becoming dependent on a phone. The touchscreen handles the actual routine well, and the four profiles are available to everyone standing at the counter.
Value is where the Dinamica Plus becomes difficult to defeat. It competes with premium automatics on grinder adjustment, milk quality, screen design, and maintenance while adding a much broader menu and profiles. It does not need to beat the E8 in straight espresso to become the better household purchase.
The strongest buyer is a family, couple, or shared home in which drink preferences differ. The weakest buyer is someone who makes one espresso every morning and considers every additional recipe a distraction.
After a month, the Dinamica Plus feels less luxurious in the mechanical sense and more generous in the practical sense. It gives more people more reasons to use the machine. That is why it wins this comparison overall.
My Final Verdict
For most households, the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB is the stronger purchase. Its 24 drinks, four profiles, three milk textures, Smart One-Touch menu, 13 grinder settings, and accessible cleaning make it easier to share and easier to justify.
The JURA E8 Piano Black 15648 remains the machine I would choose for a narrower but more demanding hot-coffee routine. Its espresso is more refined, its capacities are slightly stronger, and its engineering feels more premium every time the machine is used.
- Choose the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB for families, profiles, menu variety, milk-texture control, cold coffee, and stronger overall value.
- Choose the JURA E8 Piano Black 15648 for better straight espresso, larger core capacities, extra-shot milk drinks, and a more polished premium ownership experience.
If I were buying for a household in which everyone orders something different, I would take the Dinamica Plus. If I were buying primarily for myself and the routine remained espresso, coffee, cappuccino, and flat white, I would take the E8.
Overall winner: De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB.
FAQ
1) Which machine makes better straight espresso?
The JURA E8 has the advantage. Its P.A.G.2 grinder, 5-to-16-gram brewing unit, and P.E.P. extraction produce a denser, more aromatic one-touch espresso. The Dinamica Plus remains very good and becomes especially competitive in milk drinks.
2) Which machine is better for cappuccino?
The answer depends on priority. The E8 gives cappuccino a stronger espresso identity and offers an extra-shot version. The Dinamica Plus is easier for families because its detachable LatteCrema carafe provides three foam textures and four user profiles.
3) How many drinks does the Dinamica Plus ECAM38085SB make?
The ECAM38085SB offers 24 one-touch recipes, including black coffee, milk drinks, international recipes, Coffee Pot, and cold coffee.
4) Does the JURA E8 have user profiles?
The E8 allows extensive drink customization and menu rearrangement but does not provide four separate user profiles like the Dinamica Plus.
5) Which machine has the larger water tank?
The JURA E8, its water tank holds 64 ounces, while the Dinamica Plus holds 60.87 ounces.
6) Which machine is easier to clean?
The E8 provides more structured automatic guidance, including one-touch milk-system cleaning and monitored maintenance. The Dinamica Plus offers more removable and dishwasher-safe parts. Choose JURA for integrated automation and De’Longhi for direct access.
7) Can both machines use pre-ground decaf?
Yes. Both include a pre-ground coffee chute or function, allowing occasional decaf without emptying the primary bean hopper.
8) Which machine is better for several family members?
The Dinamica Plus is better for shared use because it has four profiles, 24 recipes, Smart One-Touch preference sorting, and a detachable milk carafe.
9) Which machine offers better value?
The Dinamica Plus offers better feature value for most buyers. The E8 offers better specialist value for people who care most about espresso character, build quality, and a refined hot-coffee routine.
10) Who should buy the JURA E8 instead?
Choose the E8 when most drinks are espresso, coffee, Americano, cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato; when straight-coffee flavor matters; and when a focused premium machine is more attractive than a 24-drink menu.
