The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There is no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. We've rounded-up our top choices, ranging from a superautomatic that grinds your beans and packs them to semi-automatic machines that give you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch is the perfect blend between automation and having to know the ropes of espresso-making. This is our top choice for a bean-to-cup machine.
- Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a great option for those who are looking to make espresso at their home without sacrificing quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was created for those who have little counter space. It is built to last and has excellent quality with a compact footprint. It comes equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk while making espresso simultaneously.
The machine looks fantastic and features a round insert on the side panel with the steam engraved and hot water spouts. This is a fresh update on Rocket's classic aesthetic and is already impressive for a machine that is so small. It also has the black pressure gauge, which indicates when the boiler is ready to use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than others. This means that you'll be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when you are using it regularly. This is a sacrifice that is a result of having less footprint. It's not a problem specific to this model.
This machine can easily 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 this machine with a Rocket portafilter to help improve the grinding process.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can create delicious drinks and it is simple to make latte arts. It's important to note that the machine isn't designed for beginners and has some learning curve for those who are upgrading from appliances. The heat exchanger can be difficult to work with, and you'll need to learn how to perform cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento provide the option of connecting to a water source, which means you'll always have clean, cold water that has been filtered for your drinks. The latter model has smaller 2.25-liter tank that is harder to refill.
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you might expect from a Lavazza machine, this one is designed with quality in mind. The machine reaches the temperature for brewing quickly, so you can make your first cup in just 35 second. The water tank is also quick and simple to refill by removing the lid completely to reveal a large opening. You can also fill it up with tap water if you prefer.
This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range however, it still packs a punch. At full price, it costs under PS100 - which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. The Jolie is a great option for those who do not have the space or money for a traditional espresso machine however nevertheless want to drink an authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and occupies very little counter space. It's as easy as pressing one button to turn on the machine, and then press it again to start dispensing your chosen pod. There's a backlight on the button, so you can easily see the amount of dispensed and you can choose to manually stop the process should you prefer to drink your drink 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 want. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen workspace.
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 available in most supermarkets, along with regular ground coffee and coffee beans and you can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.
The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer. It comes with a 75cm power plug and power cable, a warranty sheet, a quick guide, and a tester pack comprising nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is small enough to be placed under a cupboard or on flat surfaces.
- Breville BES870XL
At first glance at first, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that is out of the budget of most average consumers. If you're willing and able to master it, then this is a fantastic home espresso maker. It's more efficient than many of the more expensive models. It's the most affordable in its class, and it's especially suitable for those who do not have an espresso maker yet, which could set them back another $100 or more.
This model is priced below the top-of-the-line Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent choice for baristas who are on a tight budget. It comes with plenty of adjustable features, and it even has a built-in burr grinder to make the whole experience much less expensive. It's also a one-boiler machine, which means that it can only perform one task at a time.
Breville is a relative newcomer on the market for espresso machines, has swiftly gained a reputation as a top-quality appliances. This machine is no exception and offers enough control that it can be adjusted to let aspiring baristas burnish their abilities without spending hundreds of dollars more than they have to.
The unit has its flaws. For one, the hopper on this model is positioned on the side of the unit instead of on top--which isn't an issue however it can be a little difficult to dispense multiple shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to know how much liquid remains.
If you're willing to invest some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an ideal, all-purpose machine for anyone who is a coffee lover at home. The only downside is the cost, which can be a deterrent for certain buyers. If you're looking for a low-cost alternative, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and offer a little more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost only a fraction of the price. Breville model does.
- OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech smart machine for coffee with a user-friendly interface that produces great coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen add a stylish design to your kitchen. It comes with one dial that lets you to set the amount of cups. There are two options: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing process is similar to pour over that many coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated up to the perfect temperature and then poured evenly over the coffee grounds with a shower head. The coffee is stored in the double-walled thermal carafe, which can be stored for up to 60 minutes. The pause and pour feature lets you take out the carafe during brewing to fill your individual cup. The machine stops the brewing process and displays the red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. The machine then begins the brewing process.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker comes SCAA certified, which means it meets the strict standards in terms of technology. Its brew time is approximately the same length as the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, however, it has more control over temperature, brewing duration, and quality.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9-Cup produced a pot of excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe of coffee in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is slightly more than the 6 minutes the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster calls for, but it is within the time range that coffee experts recommend for making a quality cup.
It also requires that you grind your own beans before making. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder, or go for a more automated model, such as the Baratza Encore, which has different grind settings and an hopper that can hold whole beans.
The only issue is that the carafe and water reservoirs aren't dishwasher safe this could be a issue for certain users. The stainless steel is still easy to clean by hand, though. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek aesthetic and user-friendly interface make it an undisputed contender among the best drip coffee makers.