The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all espresso machine. We've put together our top choices, ranging from 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 automatizing the process and requiring you to be familiar with the art of espresso-making. It's our top pick for a machine that makes coffee.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those looking to make espresso at home without making big sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine for prosumers is designed with a limited counter space in mind. It is built to last with a high-end build quality and tiny footprint. It is equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk and brew espresso at the same time.
The machine also looks great and features a round design on the side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on the classic design of Rocket, which is already pretty impressive for a compact machine. It also includes the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to indicate when the boiler is ready for use.
The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this model than others. This means that you will have to be vigilant about emptying and refilling the machine, especially when you are using it regularly. This is a sacrifice that results in smaller footprint. It's not an issue that is specific to this model.
You can still brew plenty of coffee with this machine, and it is able to easily keep up with your demands. We suggest buying a good grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Giante, to improve consistency and taste. You can also pair the machine with a Rocket Portafilter to enhance the tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes delicious drinks and it is easy to make Latte Arts. It is important to remember that this machine was not designed for novices. There is a slight learning curve for those who upgrade from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger can be difficult to work with 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 an water source, which allows you to always be able to drink cold and filter-filtered water. The latter model has smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be harder to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from the Lavazza machine this one has been made with quality in mind. 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 can be easily refilled, as the lid can be removed to create a large hole. You can even fill it with tap water if you want.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the models, but it is a powerful machine. It's priced less than PS100 at the full price - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie an ideal choice for those with a limited budget or space for an espresso maker, but would like to experience the pleasure of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and requires small counter space. You only need to press a single button to activate the machine and again to begin dispensing your chosen pod. There's a backlight that's on the button to ensure that you can easily see the amount of dispensed and you can choose to manually stop the process if you prefer to drink your pod in here 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 also quite quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or working space.
They aren't expensive, but there's a variety of blends that will satisfy everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in many supermarkets, as well as regular grounds coffee and coffee beans. You can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods online.
The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine that has an integrated milk warmer. It comes with a 75cm power plug and power cable, a warranty document along with 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 be kept on the floor or placed under the cupboard.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. But if you're willing to put in the work to learn how to use it this is a great espresso maker for your home that performs better than many of the more expensive models available. It's a good value for its class and is particularly useful for beginners who don't yet have an espresso machine that can cost up to $100.
The model is just below the top of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive model at $2,199) however, it's an excellent option for baristas at home on a tight budget. It's loaded with customizable features and even an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a single boiler, which means it can only be used for steaming or brewing at the same time.
Breville is an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has swiftly gained a reputation as a top-quality appliances. This machine is no exception and has enough adjustability to let aspiring baristas improve their skills without spending more than they should.
The unit is not without 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 a huge deal however it can be a little frustrating if you're trying to give multiple shots at once. It's also not very easy to determine how much water is left in the tank because of its position at the rear.
But if you're prepared to learn how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's a great, do-it-all appliance for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue is the price, which could be a turnoff for some buyers. For those looking for a lower-cost alternative, take a look at our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and offer 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 maker that makes excellent coffee using a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen give an elegant appearance to your kitchen. It has one dial to set how many cups you want it to make. It also comes with the 2-4 cup setting and a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing technique is similar to pour over the grounds, which many coffee lovers believe produces the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to a perfect temperature and poured over the grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The coffee brewed is then stored in 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 the brewing process and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, then it resumes and completes brewing.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker has been SCAA certified, which means it meets the strict technical standards. The brew cycle is as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides more control over temperature, brewing duration and also quality.
In our testing we found that the OXO Brew 9-Cup produced an excellent drip coffee and a full cup in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is a bit more than the 6 minutes that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but within the range of time that coffee experts recommend to make a great cup.
It also requires you to grind your own beans prior to making. You can opt for a manual grinder or a more automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and an hopper for beans that are whole.
The only downside is that the carafe and the water reservoir aren't dishwasher safe and could cause hassle for some users. The stainless steel is still easy to clean by hand, however. The OXO 9-Cup is a top contender for the top drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and simple to use interface.