The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. We've put together our top picks, starting with a superautomatic machine that grinds your beans and packs them into a semiautomatic which gives you the most control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automation and needing to be able to master the art of espresso-making. It's the best bean-to-cup machine we've seen.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a fantastic choice for those who are looking to make espresso at their home without losing quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was designed for those with small counter space. It is built to last and has excellent quality and a small footprint. It is equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk and brew espresso at the same time.
The machine also looks great and has a circular insert on the side panel with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is an upgrade to Rocket's traditional design, which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also includes a black pressure gauge that shows when the boiler is ready to use.
The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this machine than others. This means that you will be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when using it frequently. This is a normal trade-off to have less footprint, however, and not an issue specific to this model.
You can still brew a lot of coffee with this machine, and it is able to easily meet the demands of your customers. However, we would suggest purchasing a high-quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante, to ensure consistency and better flavor. You can also pair the machine with a Rocket Portafilter to enhance the tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes excellent drinks and is easy to make Latte Arts. It's important to know that this machine is not designed for beginners. There is a slight learning curve for those who upgrade from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to operate, and you'll need to master the art of 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 able to drink cold, filtered water. The latter, however, comes with a 2.25-liter water tank, which could be more difficult to refill than its competitors.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This machine is built to Lavazza's high standards. The machine is able to reach the temperature of brewing quickly, which means you can prepare your first cup in just 35 second. The water tank can be easily refilled, as the lid can be removed to create the large hole. You can fill it using tap water, should you wish.
This is the smallest machine of the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still has a lot of punch. At full cost, it's less than 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 a traditional espresso maker, but want to get their fix of authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and takes up small counter space. By pressing a single button, you can activate the machine. Pressing it again will start dispense the pod you've selected. The button is illuminated to let you know how much you have consumed. You can also manually stop the process, should you prefer to consume the pod in smaller portions.
This model does not come with a steam wand however, you can add creamy foam to your milk with an optional milk frother. The machine is quite quiet also and can be used in a small space or in a flatshare kitchen without disturbing anyone else.
They're not cheap, but there is an array 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 coffee beans and grounds coffee. You can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods online.
The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule that has an integrated milk warmer. It includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty document, a quick guide, and a test pack of 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 the floor.
3. Breville BES870XL
At first glance at first, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso maker that's not within the budget of many average consumers. If you're willing to invest the time to master its use, this is an excellent espresso maker for your home that performs better than many 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 machine yet--which can easily set them back 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) However, it's a solid choice for baristas at home on a budget. It comes with plenty of adjustable features, and it even has a built-in burr grinder that makes the entire check here experience cheaper. It's also a single boiler that means it can only do brewing or steaming at one time.
Although it is a relatively newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves by offering top-quality equipment. This machine is no different and has enough control to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending more than necessary.
There are some quirks, though. For one, the hopper on this model is placed on the side of the unit, instead of on top--which isn't a huge deal, but it can be annoying if you're trying dispense multiple shots at once. The rear position of the tank makes it difficult to know the amount of liquid left.
If you're willing to put in some time in learning how to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent option for any espresso lover at home. The only drawback is the cost, which can be a turnoff for some buyers. For those seeking a cheaper alternative, read our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and offer a little more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost a fraction of the price.
4. OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech, intelligent coffee maker that makes excellent coffee with a simple user interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add an elegant appearance to your kitchen. It features one dial to set how many cups you want it to make and includes a 2-4 cup setting as well as a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over, which most coffee aficionados believe produces the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the perfect temperature and poured over the grounds with a shower-head for uniform saturation. The coffee brewed is then stored inside the double-walled thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause-and pour feature lets you remove the carafe while making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine pauses brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, then resumes and finishes brewing.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is certified by SCAA, that means it is in compliance with the organization's rigorous technical standards. Its brew cycles are about the same as those of the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing time.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is a little more than the time that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the range of time that coffee experts recommend to make a great cup.
It also requires that you grind your own beans before making coffee. You can choose either a manual grinder or a more automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and it has a hopper that can be used for whole beans.
The only downside to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a problem for some customers. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO 9-Cup is a top contender for the best drip coffee maker due to its sleek design and easy to use interface.