The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. We've rounded up our top picks for the home, from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, to a semiautomatic that gives you the most control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes a perfect balance between automating the process and needing you to be familiar with the art of making espresso. It's the best bean-to-cup machine we've come across.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those who wish to make espresso at home without having to make big sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine with a small footprint was designed for those who have small counter space. It is built to last and has excellent quality with a compact footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Heads so that you can steam your milk and brew your coffee at the same at the same time.
The machine looks fantastic and has a circular design on the side panel with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a new take on the classic design of Rocket that is already impressive for a small machine. It also has an black gauge for boiler pressure to indicate when the boiler is ready for use.
The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this machine than most others. This means that you'll be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, especially when you are using it regularly. This is a natural trade-off to have a smaller footprint, though, and not an issue particular to this model.
You can still brew a lot of coffee using this machine, and it will easily keep up with your demands. However, we would suggest purchasing a high-quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Gigante, for greater consistency and flavor. You can also pair this machine with the Rocket portafilter to improve the process of tamping.
As a prosumer espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and is easy to make Latte art. It's important to know that this machine was not intended for novices. There is a small learning curve for people who are upgrading from espresso machines that are appliance-grade. The heat exchanger is tricky to handle and you'll need to learn how to do cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento offer the option of connecting to a water supply which means you'll always have clean, cold filtering water available for your drinks. The latter has smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be more difficult to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from a Lavazza machine this one has been made with quality in mind. It is quick to reach brewing temperature, allowing you to prepare your first cup of coffee in less than 35 seconds. The water tank is also quick and easy to fill and the lid can be removed completely to reveal a large opening. It can be filled with tap water, should you wish.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest model in the range, but it is a powerful machine. At full price, it's priced at PS100 which is lower 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 for a traditional espresso maker, but want to get their fix of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and occupies very small counter space. You just need to press one button to turn on the machine and again to begin dispensing your chosen pod. The button has a backlight 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 amounts.
This model does not come with a steam wand but you can add some creamy foam to your milk with an optional milk frother. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or working space.
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 most supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and ground coffee and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.
The Jolie and Milk is a smart-looking capsule machine that has an integrated milk warmer and frother. It comes with a 75cm power cord and plug as more info well as a quick-guide and warranty sheet, and a test box of nine Lavazza pods which include six roasted (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is compact enough to fit under a cabinet or on the floor.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be a costly espresso machine. If you're willing to take the time to master its use this is a fantastic espresso maker for home use that performs better than many of the more expensive models on the market. It's a good value for its class and is particularly helpful for beginners who don't yet have an espresso machine that costs up to $100.
The model is priced lower than the top-of-the-line Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199), but is still a good choice for baristas on a budget. It comes with a variety of customizable features and even an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means that it can only perform one task at the same time.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made an impact with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and has enough adjustable control to let aspiring baristas develop their skills without spending hundreds of dollars more than they should.
The unit has its quirks. One example is that the hopper in this model is located on the side of the unit, instead of on top--which isn't an issue, but it can be annoying if you're trying give multiple shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to determine the amount of liquid left.
If you're willing to put in some time to learn how to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent choice for any espresso lover at home. The only downside to the Breville Barista Express is the price which could be a stumbling block for certain buyers. If you're looking for a low-cost alternative, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost less than the price.
4. OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech smart coffee machine with a simple user interface that produces excellent coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen add a sophisticated design to your kitchen. It comes with a single dial that allows you to program the number of cups. There are two settings available: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. Its brewing process is similar to pour-over, which most coffee enthusiasts believe is the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature and poured over the grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The brewed coffee then collects in the thermal, double-walled carafe for up to 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour feature allows you to remove the carafe during making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine pauses the brewing process 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 Brew 9-Cup is a SCAA-certified coffee maker, which means it complies with the organization's rigorous technical standards. The brew cycles are the same as those of the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing times.
In our tests in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup made an excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. That's a little longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but it falls within the range of time that coffee experts recommend for a great cup of drip.
It also requires you to grind your own beans prior to brewing. You can use a manual coffee grinder or choose a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has different grind settings and a hopper that holds whole beans.
The only issue 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 9-Cup is a leading contender for the top drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and simple to use interface.