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 Sage Oracle Espresso Machine: Perfect Coffee Effortlessly Frothed! Touch strikes the perfect balance between automatizing the process and needing you to be knowledgeable about the art of espresso-making. It's the most efficient bean-to-cup machine we've come across.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a fantastic choice for those looking to make espresso at home without having to compromise on quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with limited counter space in mind and is built to last with a high-end build quality and tiny footprint. It comes with a 1.8 liter copper heat-exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head, so you can steam your milk and brew coffee at same at the same time.

The machine looks fantastic as well, and has an insert for the side of the machine with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on the classic design of Rocket and is already impressive for a small machine. It also comes with a black pressure gauge that indicates when the boiler is ready for use.

One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than most other machines. You'll need be cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is particularly true when you are using it often. This is a sacrifice that is a result of having less footprint. This isn't a problem specific to this model.

This machine can easily handle your coffee needs. We would recommend investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante, for increased consistency and flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with the Rocket portafilter to improve the process of tamping.

As a prosumer espresso machine The Rocket Appartamento is capable of making some great drinks, and it's simple to create Latte art. It is important to remember that this machine was not designed for novices. There is a slight learning curve for those who upgrade from espresso machines that are appliance-grade. The heat exchange boiler can be a bit difficult to operate and you'll need to master the ins and outs 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 be in a position to drink cold and filter-filtered water. The latter has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be difficult to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you would expect from the Lavazza machine, this one is designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 minutes. The water tank is quick and easy to fill and the lid can be removed completely to reveal a large opening. You can fill it up with tap water if you prefer.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the series, yet it 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 without the budget or space to buy a traditional espresso maker, but who would like to experience the pleasure of authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is easy to use and takes up little counter space. Pressing a single button will activate the machine. Pressing it again will begin dispensing the pod you have selected. The button is illuminated so that you can see the amount you've consumed. You can also stop the process, if you want to drink the pod in smaller quantities.

The model isn't equipped with a steam wand, but you can add some creamy foam to your milk with an optional milk frother. The machine is quiet, too and can be utilized in a small workspace or in a kitchen with flatshare without disturbing others.

The pods are not expensive, but they are available in a variety of blends that can be used by everyone - from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. You can find them in the majority of supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and grounds coffee. You can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods online.

The Jolie and Milk is a stylish capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty card, a quick guide, and a tester pack comprising nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasted (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is small enough to fit under a cupboard or on the floor.

3. Breville BES870XL

At first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that is beyond the budget of a majority of consumers. If you're willing to learn how to use it and make it work, then this is a great home espresso maker. It performs better than most of the more expensive models. It's among the best priced in its class, and it's especially suitable for those who don't have an espresso machine yet--which can easily cost them another $100 or more.

This model is a bit in the middle of the range for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive, costing $2,199), but it's still a solid choice for baristas at home on a budget. It's loaded with customizable features and even an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means it can only be used for brewing or steaming at one time.

Breville is an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has quickly established a reputation for high-quality appliances. This machine is no exception and has enough adjustable control to let baristas who are aspiring develop their abilities without spending hundreds of dollars more than they have to.

It's not without its quirks however. The hopper is located on the side, not the top, of this model. It's not a major issue, but it can be a hassle if you need to disperse several shots at once. The rear position of the tank makes it difficult to know the amount of liquid left.

But if you're prepared to learn how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an ideal, all-purpose machine for any home espresso lover. The only drawback is the cost, which can be a deterrent for certain buyers. For those looking for a lower-cost alternative, take a look at our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you only a fraction of the price. Breville model does.

4. OXO Brew 9 Cup

A high-tech smart coffee maker with a user-friendly interface that makes great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screen gives your kitchen a sophisticated appearance. It features one dial to set how many cups you want it to make. It also comes with two cup settings as well as a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee aficionados believe produces the most flavorful coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature and poured over the grounds with a shower-head for uniform saturation. The coffee brewed is then stored in the double-walled, thermal carafe, which can last up to 60 minutes. 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. Then, it resumes the brewing process.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is an SCAA-certified coffee maker which means it complies with the organization's rigorous technical standards. The brew cycle is the same length as the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, Coffeee.Uk but it offers greater control over temperature, brewing duration and also quality.

In our tests in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed excellent drip coffee with a full-carafe of coffee in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is a bit more than the 6 minutes the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the range that experts in the field recommend for making a quality cup.

You must also grind your beans before brewing. You can select a manual grinder or an automated model such as the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and it has a hopper that can be used for whole beans.

The only drawback is that the carafe and water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe, which could be a problem for certain users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek design and easy-to-use interface make it one of the top contenders among top drip coffee makers.