De'Longhi Magnifica Start (ECAM220 series)

For anyone dipping a toe into automatic espresso, the Magnifica Start strips things back to the essentials and keeps the price low. You still get a 13-setting steel burr grinder and De'Longhi's removable, rinsable brew unit, so the parts that matter for good coffee and easy cleaning are present. Most variants use a manual milk wand rather than an automatic carafe, which means you froth by hand — a small learning curve, but it keeps costs down and gives you control over texture. It lacks the profiles, touchscreens and one-touch specialities of pricier models, and won't satisfy someone who wants a barista-grade flat white at a button-press, but as a first machine or a second-kitchen workhorse it's excellent value and shares the same well-proven brewing hardware as its dearer siblings.