Helena Seymore

The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no one-size-fits-all espresso machine. We've rounded up our top picks for your home, ranging from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, 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 makes a great choice for those who want to make espresso at home without having to compromise on quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with the smallest counter space in mind. It offers top-quality build and tiny footprint. It is equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group head so you can steam milk and make espresso at the same time.

The machine looks fantastic and has a round panel on the side with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is an update to Rocket's traditional design which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to show when the boiler is ready to use.

One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than most other machines. You will need to be careful when emptying and refilling the machine. This is especially the case when you are using it often. This is a natural trade-off to have less footprint, however this is not a problem specific to this model.

You can still make a large amount of coffee with this machine, and it will easily keep up with your demands. We recommend investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with an Rocket portafilter to enhance the grinding process.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can make delicious drinks and it is simple to make Latte arts. It is important to remember that this machine was not designed for novices. There is a little learning curve for those who upgrade from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is tricky to handle and you'll have to learn how to perform cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to an water source, which allows you to be in a position to drink cold, purified water. The latter model has smaller 2.25-liter tank that is harder to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built in coffee machine to Lavazza's top standards. The machine can reach the temperature for brewing quickly, so you can prepare your first cup in less than 35 seconds. The water tank is also quick and easy to fill and the lid can be removed completely to reveal a large opening. You can even fill it with tap water if you prefer.

This is the smallest machine within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still has a lot of punch. It's priced 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 money for a traditional espresso machine however nevertheless want to drink the authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is incredibly simple to use and occupies only a tiny amount of counter space. Pressing a single button will activate the machine. After pressing it again, it will start dispensing the specific pod you've chosen. The button is illuminated so that you can see the amount you've consumed. You can also stop the process in case you wish to drink the pod in smaller amounts.

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

They aren't expensive, but there's an array of blends available to suit everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in the majority of supermarkets, along with regular grounds coffee and coffee beans. You can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods on the internet.

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine that has an integrated milk warmer. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty sheet and a quick reference, and a tester pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine itself 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 glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that is out of the budget of many average consumers. If you're willing and able learn how to use it and make it work, then this is a great at-home espresso maker. It's more efficient than many of the more expensive models. It's an excellent price for the class and is especially useful for those who are new to the field and don't have an espresso maker that can cost up to $100.

This model sits right in the middle of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive, costing $2,199), but it's still an excellent option for baristas at home who are on a tight budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and has a built-in burr grinder, making the entire experience more affordable. It is also a single-boiler machine, which means it can only do one thing at one time.

Despite being a relative newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves by offering top-quality equipment. This machine isn't an exception, and it offers just enough adjustable control to allow aspiring baristas to develop their skills without spending more than they need to.

The unit is not without its flaws. The hopper is on the side, not at the top of the model. It's not a huge issue, but it can be frustrating if you want to disperse multiple shots at once. It's also not very easy to know how much water is left in the tank, because of its rear position.

If you're willing to invest time learning to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent option for any coffee lover at home. The only downside to the Breville Barista Express is the price, which may be a deterrent for certain buyers. If you're looking for a budget alternative, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally powerful and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you less than the Breville model can do.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech smart coffee maker that produces great coffee using a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add a sophisticated appearance to your kitchen. It has only one dial to program the number of cups you would like it to make and includes a 2-4 cup setting as well as a 5-9 cup setting. The brewing process is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee enthusiasts believe makes the best-tasting coffee machine maker. The water is heated to the ideal temperature and poured over the grounds with a shower-head for uniform saturation. The coffee is then brewed in the thermal, double-walled carafe, which can last up to 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour feature allows you remove the carafe while brewing and fill your cup. The machine pauses brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, after which it resumes brewing and is finished.

The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker comes SCAA certified, meaning it meets the organization’s strict technical standards. Its brew cycle is about longer than the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, however, it has greater control over temperature, brewing duration, and quality.

In our tests, the OXO Brew 9-Cup produced a pot of excellent drip coffee with a full-carafe in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is a bit longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well within the range that coffee machines for home experts recommend for a great cup of drip.

You must also grind your own beans prior to making. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder or go for a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has different grind settings and an hopper that can hold whole beans.

The only drawback to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a problem for some users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek design and user-friendly interface make it an undisputed contender among the best drip coffee makers.