In brief: how we read the data
Based on spec sheets, not on measurements of our own.
The narrowest of the three, one bracket lower
De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Manual espresso maker EC9155.MB
15 grind settings, single-wall baskets, a pressure gauge and a 1.7 l tank in 28.5 cm of width. Mid-range bracket. De'Longhi states neither the burr material nor the hopper size.
- Pump pressure
- 15 bar
- Heating system
- Thermoblock
- Water tank
- 1.7 l
- Width
- 28.5 cm
Price at Amazon:£349.00Including VAT; delivery may be extra. The price is checked once a day and may have changed since. The price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase is the one that applies.
Regular price on the manufacturer’s website:£529.99
The most complete spec sheet
Sage the Barista Express (SES875)
Steel conical burrs with 16 settings, a 250 g hopper, a 54 mm portafilter, PID control, a pressure gauge and a 2 l tank. Upper mid-range bracket.
- Pump pressure
- 15 bar
- Heating system
- Thermocoil
- Portafilter diameter
- 54 mm
- Water tank
- 2 l
- Width
- 31.8 cm
Price at Amazon:£499.00Including VAT; delivery may be extra. The price is checked once a day and may have changed since. The price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase is the one that applies.
Regular price on the manufacturer’s website:£629.95
With a scale and automatic milk frothing
Ninja Luxe Café Premier (ES601UK)
25 grind settings, dosing by weight, an automatic frother, plus filter coffee and cold brew. 33.6 cm wide, 11.7 kg. Upper mid-range bracket.
- Water tank
- 2 l
- Width
- 33.6 cm
Price at Amazon:£549.00Including VAT; delivery may be extra. The price is checked once a day and may have changed since. The price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase is the one that applies.
Regular price on the manufacturer’s website:£579.99
The models compared on the data
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| Model | Dosing | Bean hopper | Weight | Offer | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Manual espresso maker EC9155.MB | 15 | not stated | not stated | Steam wand | 1.7 l | Yes | 28.5 × 40 × 36.5 cm | not stated | Mid-range | £349.00 | £529.99 | Check price on Amazon |
 Sage the Barista Express (SES875) | 16 | not stated | 250 g | Steam wand | 2 l | Yes | 31.8 × 40.4 × 35.1 cm | not stated | Upper mid-range | £499.00 | £629.95 | Check price on Amazon |
 Ninja Luxe Café Premier (ES601UK) | 25 | By weight | not stated | Automatic frother | 2 l | not stated | 33.6 × 37.2 × 34.4 cm | 11.7 kg | Upper mid-range | £549.00 | £579.99 | Check price on Amazon |
No model matches this selection.
Sources: manufacturer spec sheets and product pages. “not stated” means not stated by the manufacturer or not yet verified by us. Prices at Amazon: as of 10 Nov 2026, 10:31, checked once a day. They may have changed since; the price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase applies. Price stated by the manufacturer, excluding promotions. The retailer’s current price may differ. Photos: the respective manufacturers. Offer: Paid link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The short answer
- You want to do every step yourself and see every figure: the Sage Barista Express. Sage states the burrs, the hopper and the portafilter diameter.
- You want the machine to weigh and to froth: the Ninja Luxe Café Premier. It doses by weight and also makes filter coffee and cold brew.
- You want the narrowest appliance in the mid-range bracket: the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte.
One point of vocabulary: an espresso machine with a grinder is not a bean-to-cup machine. The appliance grinds; tamping and locking in the portafilter stay manual. If you want everything from one button, see the bean-to-cup comparison.
The grinder: settings, burrs, dosing
The number of settings tells you how finely you can step the grind: 15 on La Specialista Arte, 16 on the Barista Express, 25 on the Ninja. How fine each step is appears on no spec sheet.
All three have conical burrs. Only Sage names the material: steel. De’Longhi and Ninja do not say.
On dosing the Ninja goes its own way: it doses by weight, with a built-in scale. For the other two, our database holds no dosing figure.
Only Sage states a hopper size: 250 g. For De’Longhi and Ninja it is not documented.
Baskets, gauge, temperature
- Sage Barista Express: a 54 mm portafilter, single-wall and dual-wall baskets, PID temperature control, a pressure gauge.
- De’Longhi La Specialista Arte: single-wall baskets according to the product page, a pressure gauge, 3 brew temperature levels. De’Longhi does not state the portafilter diameter.
- Ninja Luxe Café Premier: 3 baskets supplied. Pump pressure and portafilter diameter are not given in the sources we read.
Neither La Specialista Arte nor the Ninja takes ESE pods, according to their makers.
Milk: steam wand or automatic
La Specialista Arte and the Barista Express have a manual steam wand. The Ninja has an automatic frother with 4 presets.
Tank and footprint
La Specialista Arte is the narrowest at 28.5 cm, the Ninja the widest at 33.6 cm. In height, La Specialista Arte (40 cm) and the Barista Express (40.4 cm) stand taller than the Ninja (37.2 cm). Measure the gap under your wall cupboard: beans go in from the top.
The tank holds 1.7 l on La Specialista Arte and 2 l on both the Barista Express and the Ninja. Only Ninja states a weight: 11.7 kg.
The three models, one by one
Mid-range, 28.5 cm wide
De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Manual espresso maker EC9155.MB
Mid-range bracket. Hopper size and weight are not documented.
- Grind settings
- 15
- Water tank
- 1.7 l
- Pressure gauge
- Yes
- Brew temperature settings
- 3
- Width
- 28.5 cm
Price at Amazon:£349.00Including VAT; delivery may be extra. The price is checked once a day and may have changed since. The price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase is the one that applies.
Regular price on the manufacturer’s website:£529.99
Upper mid-range, steel conical burrs
Sage the Barista Express (SES875)
Upper mid-range bracket. Whether a Bambino with a separate grinder is the better route is set out on the Sage range page.
- Grinder
- Steel conical burrs
- Grind settings
- 16
- Bean hopper
- 250 g
- Water tank
- 2 l
- Pressure gauge
- Yes
Price at Amazon:£499.00Including VAT; delivery may be extra. The price is checked once a day and may have changed since. The price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase is the one that applies.
Regular price on the manufacturer’s website:£629.95
Upper mid-range, built-in scale
Ninja Luxe Café Premier (ES601UK)
Upper mid-range bracket. The figures come from Ninja’s Irish site and the UK manual, because Ninja’s UK site could not be read automatically. How it compares with the Sage is covered in Barista Express vs Ninja Luxe Café.
- Grind settings
- 25
- Dosing
- By weight
- Milk system
- Automatic frother
- Water tank
- 2 l
- Weight
- 11.7 kg
Price at Amazon:£549.00Including VAT; delivery may be extra. The price is checked once a day and may have changed since. The price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase is the one that applies.
Regular price on the manufacturer’s website:£579.99
One appliance or two?
The alternative to a built-in grinder is a machine without one and a grinder beside it. The separate Sage Smart Grinder Pro states 60 settings, far more than any of the three built-in grinders. The price is two appliances on the worktop. Matching pairs are set out in budget espresso machine and grinder pairings, and every grinder in the grinder comparison.
What the spec sheets leave open
This page rests on the manufacturers’ product pages and manuals, not on measurements of our own.
- Burr material: stated by Sage only.
- Hopper size: stated by Sage only.
- Weight: stated by Ninja only.
- The Ninja’s power rating: the product page and the manual give different figures, so we show none.
- Noise from grinder and pump: not given for any of the three.
- Taste and temperature in the cup: no manufacturer data, and no claim from us.
For setting the grind, see the grind size guide. Every espresso machine in our database is in the home espresso machine comparison.
ToolWhich coffee machine should I buy? A chooser based on your needsFrequently asked questions
Which espresso machine with a grinder should I choose?
If you want to do every step by hand and know every figure, the Sage Barista Express. If you want the machine to weigh the dose and froth the milk, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier. If you want the narrowest appliance one price bracket lower, the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte.
How many grind settings do these machines have?
According to the manufacturers, 15 on the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte, 16 on the Sage Barista Express and 25 on the Ninja Luxe Café Premier. For comparison, the separate Sage Smart Grinder Pro states 60.
Is a built-in grinder better than a machine and a separate grinder?
On the data, each route has its advantages. One appliance needs one footprint and one plug. A separate grinder often states more settings and stays with you when you change machine. We have not measured either set-up yet.
How wide is an espresso machine with a built-in grinder?
The three in our database are 28.5 cm (De'Longhi La Specialista Arte), 31.8 cm (Sage Barista Express) and 33.6 cm (Ninja Luxe Café Premier) wide. A De'Longhi Dedica without a grinder is 14.9 cm wide, but then the grinder stands next to it.
Can these machines froth milk?
Yes, all three. The De'Longhi La Specialista Arte and the Sage Barista Express have a manual steam wand. The Ninja Luxe Café Premier has an automatic frother with 4 presets.