Thurman Prosser

The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee maker. We've rounded-up our top picks, from an automatic that grinds your beans and packs them to semi-automatic machines that give you the best control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automating the process and needing you to be knowledgeable about the art of making espresso. This is our top choice for a machine that makes coffee.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top option for those looking to make espresso at home, without making huge sacrifices in terms quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was specifically designed for people with small counter space. It has a great build quality and a small footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head, so you can steam your milk and brew your coffee at the same simultaneously.

The machine looks great as well, and has an elongated side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a new take on the classic look of Rocket that is already impressive for a small machine. It also includes a black boiler pressure gauge to indicate when the boiler is ready to use.

One drawback of this compact machine is that the drip tray and the water reservoir are smaller than those of other machines. It is important be cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is especially the case when you are using it often. This is a sacrifice that comes with having a smaller footprint. This isn't an issue that is specific to this model.

This machine is able to handle your coffee demands. We would suggest investing in a good grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante, to ensure consistency and better flavor. You can also pair the machine with an Rocket Portafilter to increase tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes excellent drinks and is easy to make Latte arts. It's important to know that this machine was not designed for beginners. There is a small learning curve for those upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger can be difficult to work with and you'll need to learn how to do cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to an water source, allowing you to always be capable of drinking cold pure, filtered water. The latter comes with smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be more difficult to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you might expect from a Lavazza machine this one has been designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee machine offers in less than 35 seconds. The water tank is fast and easy to refill, with the lid detaching completely to reveal a large opening. You can also fill it up with tap water if you want.

This is the smallest machine of the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it packs a punch. It's priced at less than PS100 at retail - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. The Jolie is a great alternative for those who do not have the space or budget for a traditional espresso machine however, they still want to experience the authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is incredibly simple to operate and takes up just a little counter space. You just need to press one button to start the machine, and then press it again to begin dispensing your chosen pod. The button has a backlight so you can see how much you have consumed. You can also manually stop the process in case you wish to drink the pod in smaller portions.

There's no steam wand on this model, but you can add a milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you like. The machine is quite quiet as well and can be utilized in a small space or in a flatshare kitchen without causing any disturbance to anyone else.

The pods aren't cheap, but they come in a wide range of blends that can be used by all - from the lightest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are readily available in many supermarkets along with regular ground coffee and coffee beans and you can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods on the internet.

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer. It comes with a 75cm power cord and plug along with a quick-guide as well as a warranty card, as well as a test box that contains nine Lavazza pods: six roasted (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is small enough to be placed under a cupboard or the floor.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be a costly espresso machine. If you're willing to invest the time to master its use, this is an excellent do-it-all home espresso maker that performs better than some of the more expensive models on the market. It's a good value for the money and is particularly helpful for those who are new to the field and don't have an espresso machine that costs up to $100.

The model is priced lower than the top-of-the-line Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent choice for baristas working on a budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and it even has a built-in burr grinder to make the entire experience less expensive. It's also a single boiler that means it can only do steaming or brewing at one time.

Despite being a relatively newcomer to the market for espresso machines, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and has enough control to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending a lot more than is necessary.

It's not without its flaws however. The hopper is located on the side, not at the top, of this model. It's not a major issue, but it can be frustrating if you want to disperse several shots at a time. It's also difficult to see how much water is left in the tank, because of its position at the rear.

If you're willing to put in some time in learning how to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent option for any coffee lover at home. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is the price which could be a deterrent for some buyers. If you're looking for a budget alternative, we suggest the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are comparable in their capabilities and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express. However, they are a fraction of the cost.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech smart portable coffee machine machine with a user-friendly interface that produces excellent coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen add a stylish design to your kitchen. It features one dial to set the amount of cups you want it to make and includes a 2-4 cup setting as well as a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over, which many coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most flavorful coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature, and then poured evenly over the coffee grounds using a shower head. The coffee is then brewed in the thermal, double-walled carafe, which can last up to 60 minutes. The pause and pour function allows you to remove the carafe during brewing to fill your cup to the brim. The machine pauses the brewing process and shows a red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. The machine then begins brewing.

The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker is SCAA certified, which means that it meets the organization’s strict technical standards. The brew cycle is as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides more control over temperature, brewing time and also quality.

In our tests in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed a pot of excellent drip coffee and a full-carafe of coffee in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but it falls within the range that experts in the field recommend for a great cup of drip.

It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to making. You can opt for an manual grinder or a more automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and an hopper for beans that are whole.

The only issue with this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a problem for some customers. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO 9-Cup is a leading contender for the best small coffee machine drip coffee maker due to its sleek design and easy to use interface.