Genia Rusconi

The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no one-size-fits-all espresso machine. We've rounded-up our top choices, ranging from an automatic that grinds your beans and packs them into semiautomatics that give you the best control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automatizing the process and making you familiar with the art of making espresso. It's the best bean-to-cup machine we've found.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those who are looking to make espresso at their home without sacrificing quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with the smallest counter space in mind. It combines outstanding build quality with tiny footprint. It comes with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Heads so that you can steam your milk and brew your coffee at the same at the same time.

The machine looks fantastic and has a circular panel on the side with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a new take on Rocket's classic aesthetic, which is already pretty impressive for a machine that is so small. It also has an black pressure gauge that indicates when the boiler is ready for use.

One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and the water reservoir are smaller than those of other machines. This means you'll be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when you use it often. This is a normal trade-off for having less footprint, however, and not an issue specific to this model.

You can still brew a lot of coffee using this machine, and it will easily keep up with the demands. We suggest investing in a quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante to improve consistency and taste. You can also use this machine in conjunction with the Rocket portafilter to improve the tamping process.

As a prosumer espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making great drinks, and it's easy to make Latte art. It's important to know that this machine was not intended for novices. There is a small learning curve for those upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler may be a bit difficult to operate and you'll need to learn the basics of 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 and purified water. The latter comes with a 2.25-liter water tank that could be more difficult to refill than some of its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's highest standards. The machine can reach the temperature of brewing quickly, meaning you can prepare your first cup in less than 35 second. The tank is able to be filled, as the lid can be removed to make an enormous hole. You can also fill it up with tap water if that's what you prefer.

This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range however, it still is a powerful machine. At its full price, it costs under PS100 which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie an excellent choice for those with a limited budget or space for an espresso maker, but who would like to experience the pleasure of real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is easy to use and takes up little counter space. You only need to press a single button to activate the machine and again to start dispensing the chosen pod. There's a light on the button to ensure that you can easily see the amount of liquid that has been dispersed, and you can stop the process at any time in case you prefer drinking your drink in smaller portions.

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

The pods are not inexpensive, 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 alongside regular ground coffee and coffee beans and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine that comes with an integrated milk warmer. It includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty document and a quick reference, and a test pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is small enough to be able to be stowed on a flat surface or slipped under the cupboard.

3. Breville BES870XL

At first glance at first, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that's out of the budget of a majority of consumers. If you're willing invest the time to master its use this is a fantastic espresso maker for home coffee machines use that is more efficient than some of the more expensive models on the market. It's the best value in its class, and it's particularly suitable for beginners who don't have an espresso grinder yet, which could cost them another $100 or more.

This model is priced less than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent choice for baristas who are on a budget. It comes with a variety of customizable features, and even an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a single boiler, which means it can only do steaming or brewing at one time.

Although it is a relatively newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made an impact by offering top-quality equipment. This machine is no exception and has enough control to let new baristas develop their skills without spending hundreds more than is necessary.

There are some quirks however. For instance, the hopper on this model is positioned on the side of the unit instead of on top. This isn't an issue however it can be frustrating if you're trying to disperse multiple shots at a time. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to see the amount of liquid left.

But if you're prepared to spend some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an excellent, all-purpose appliance for any home espresso lover. The only issue is the price, which could be a nagging issue for certain buyers. For those looking for a less expensive option, check out our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are comparable in their capabilities and offer a little more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost less than the price.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech, intelligent coffee machine that makes great coffee with a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add an elegant appearance to your kitchen. It comes with one dial that lets you to set the amount of cups. There are two settings: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee aficionados believe produces the most flavorful coffee. The water is heated to the perfect temperature and then poured over grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The brewed uk coffee machines is then stored in a double-walled carafe that can be kept for up to 60 min. The pause-and pour feature lets you to take the carafe out while making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine pauses the brewing process and shows the red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. The machine then begins brewing.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is an SCAA-certified coffee maker that means it is in compliance with the strict standards of SCAA's technical standards. Its brew time is approximately longer than the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides greater control over temperature, brewing time, and quality.

In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee with the carafe filled in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well within the range that experts in the field recommend for a good cup of drip.

You must also grind your own beans prior to making. You can use an old-fashioned coffee grinder or choose a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and a hopper that holds whole beans.

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