The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all coffee maker that is perfect for every. We've compiled our top picks, starting with a superautomatic that grinds your beans and packs them into 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 requiring you to be proficient in the art of making espresso. This is our top choice for a bean-to-cup machine.
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 prosumer espresso machine is designed with a limited counter space in mind. It combines outstanding build quality with a very small footprint. It is equipped 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 simultaneously.
The machine looks stunning as well, and has a round side panel insert with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a modernization of Rocket's traditional design, which is already impressive for a small appliance. It also comes with the black pressure gauge, which shows when the boiler is ready to use.
One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than the majority of machines. You'll need be extra cautious when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is especially true in the event that you frequently use it. This is a cost that comes with having smaller footprint. This isn't a problem specific to this model.
This machine can easily handle your coffee demands. However, we would recommend purchasing a high-quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante for greater consistency and flavor. You can also pair this machine with the Rocket portafilter to improve the tamping process.
As a professional espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making some great drinks, and is easy to make Latte art. It is important to remember that this machine isn't designed for beginners. There is a small learning curve for people who are upgrading from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to operate, and you'll need to learn how to perform cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to a water source, allowing you to be in a position to drink cold and filtered water. The latter has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that is more difficult to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This machine is built to Lavazza's high standards. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, which allows you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 minutes. The water tank is quick and easy to fill, with the lid detaching completely to make a wide opening. You can even fill it up with tap water if that's what you prefer.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest model in the series, yet it packs a punch. It's priced less than PS100 at retail - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie a great option for those with a limited budget or space to buy a traditional espresso maker, but want to get their fix of authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and requires little counter space. It's as easy as pressing one button to start the machine, then again to start dispensing your chosen pod. There's a backlight on the button to ensure that you can easily see how much has been dispensed and you can choose to stop the process at any time if you prefer 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 like. The machine is quite quiet as well and can be used in a small area or in a kitchen with flatshare without disturbing others.
Pods aren't cheap, but there is a wide variety of blends 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 online.
The Jolie and Milk is a smart-looking capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes with 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 placed under a cupboard or on a flat surface.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be a costly espresso machine. If you're willing invest the time to learn how to use it this is a fantastic espresso maker for home use that performs better than some of the more expensive models available. It's a great value for the money and is particularly useful for those who are new to the field and don't have an espresso maker that costs up to $100.
The model is priced lower than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent option for baristas working on a budget. It has a lot of options to customize and features, including an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine that means it can only do brewing or steaming at one time.
Breville is an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has rapidly earned a reputation for its 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.
The unit has its quirks. The hopper is on the side, not at the top of the model. It's not a big issue, but it can be a hassle if you need to dispense several shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to see how much liquid remains.
If you're willing to invest time learning to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent choice for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is its price which could be a hindrance for some buyers. For those seeking a cheaper option, check out 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 less than the Breville model does.
4. OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech smart coffee maker with a simple user interface that produces excellent coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen give a sophisticated design to your kitchen. It has only one dial to program how many cups you want to make. It comes with two cup settings as well as a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing technique is similar to pour over, which most coffee enthusiasts believe produces the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature and then poured over grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The coffee that is brewed is collected in the double-walled thermal carafe and can be stored for up to 60 minutes. The pause and pour feature lets you remove the carafe in brewing and fill your own cup. The machine stops brewing and shows a red light for the carafe on its LED interface until you return it. It then it resumes and completes brewing.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker has been SCAA certified, which means it meets the organization’s strict standards for technical quality. Its brew cycle is about as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and 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 that filled coffee machines for sale a carafe full in just 7 minutes 41 seconds. That's a little longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but still within the range experts in the field recommend for a good cup of drip.
It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to brewing. You can opt for a manual grinder or an automated model such as the Baratza Encore. It has various grind settings, as well as it has a hopper that can be used for whole beans.
The only downside is that the carafe and water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe this could be a problem for certain users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek aesthetic and easy-to-use interface make it an undisputed contender among the top drip coffee makers.