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 into semiautomatics that give you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automation and having to be able to master the art of espresso-making. It's our top choice for a bean-to-cup machine.
- Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top option for those looking to make espresso at home without making big sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine for the prosumer is designed with the smallest counter space in mind. It offers top-quality build and tiny footprint. It comes with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head, so you can steam your milk and brew your coffee at the same time.
The machine looks great too, and comes with a round side panel insert with the engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on Rocket's classic aesthetic, which is already pretty impressive for a machine that is so small. It also includes the black pressure gauge, which indicates when the boiler is ready for use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than others. You'll need to be careful when emptying and refilling the machine. This is especially true if you use it frequently. This is a trade-off that comes with having smaller footprint. It's not something that is unique to this model.
This machine is able to handle the demands of your coffee. We recommend investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Giante to improve consistency and flavor. You can also use the machine in conjunction with a Rocket Portafilter to increase the tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes delicious drinks and it is simple to make Latte arts. It is important to remember that this machine was not intended for novices. There is a slight learning curve for people who are upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is tricky to handle and you'll need to learn how to do 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 purified water. The latter has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be more difficult to refill.
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This machine is built to Lavazza's highest standards. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, which allows you to prepare your first cup of coffee in just 35 seconds. The tank can be easily refilled with ease, since the lid can be removed to create the large hole. You can fill it with tap water depending on what you prefer.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest model in the series, yet it packs a punch. It costs less than PS100 at retail which is less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie a great option for those who don't have the money or space for a traditional espresso maker, but would like to experience the pleasure of authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is incredibly simple to use and occupies very little counter space. By pressing a single button, you can begin the process. Pressing it again will begin dispensing the specific pod you've chosen. There's a backlight that's on the button to ensure that you can clearly see the amount of liquid that has been dispersed and you can choose to manually stop the process in case you prefer drinking your pod in smaller doses.
There's no steam wand available on this model, but you can use an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you want. The machine is very quiet also and can be used in a small workspace or in a kitchen with flatshare without causing any disturbance to anyone else.
Pods aren't expensive, but there's a wide variety of blends available that will satisfy everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. You can find them in most 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 with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes in a box with a 75cm power cord and plug, a quick-guide and warranty card, as well as a test box that contains nine Lavazza pods that include six roasts (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is small enough to fit under a cupboard or a flat surface.
- 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 take the time to learn how to use it this is a great do-it-all home espresso maker that performs better than some 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 cost them $100 or more.
This model is priced less than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) However, it's an excellent option for baristas on a tight budget. It's loaded with customizable features, and even an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It is also a single-boiler machine, meaning it can only do one thing at a time.
Breville, an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has swiftly established a reputation for high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and has enough adjustable control to let aspiring baristas improve their skills without spending more than they have to.
It's not without its quirks, though. For instance, 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 annoying if you're trying give multiple shots at once. The rear-facing position of the tank makes it difficult to know the amount of liquid left.
If you're willing to invest time learning to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent appliance for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is the price, which may be a deterrent for certain buyers. If you're 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 offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost a fraction of what this Breville model does.
- OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech smart machine for coffee with a simple user interface that produces great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screens creates a chic kitchen look. It has one dial that allows you to program the number of cups. There are two settings: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. The brewing method is similar to pour over, which most coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated up to the right temperature, then poured evenly over the coffee grounds with a shower head. The brewed coffee is then stored in the double-walled thermal carafe that can be kept for up to 60 minutes. The pause-and pour feature lets you to take the carafe out 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, which means it meets the strict technical standards. The brew cycles it uses are the same as the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it allows for more control over temperature and brewing time.
In our tests in our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee with a carafe full in just 7 minutes 41 seconds. This is a bit more than the 6 minutes the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the range that coffee experts suggest to make a good cup.
It is also necessary to grind your beans before brewing. You can select either a manual grinder or an automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has various grind settings, as well as an hopper for beans that are whole.
The only issue with this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could pose a problem for some users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and user-friendly interface make it a top contender among the best drip coffee makers.