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 machine 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 a perfect balance between automatizing the process and requiring you to be knowledgeable about the art of espresso-making. This is our top choice for a bean-to-cup machine.
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 for prosumers is designed with limited counter space in mind. It offers top-quality build and a very small 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 coffee at the same time.
The machine looks great as well, and has a round side panel insert with engraved hot water and steam spouts. This is a modernization of Rocket's traditional design, which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to show when the boiler is ready for use.
The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this machine than others. You'll need be extra cautious when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is especially the case in the event that you frequently use it. This is a normal trade-off for a smaller footprint, though it is not a problem particular to this model.
You can still brew plenty of coffee with this machine, and it will easily keep up with the demands. We would recommend investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante for greater consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with a Rocket Portafilter to improve tamping.
As a prosumer espresso machine The Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and is easy to make the latte art. It's important to note that the machine isn't made for novices, and there is some learning curve for those who are upgrading from appliance-grade machines. The heat exchanger can be difficult to work with, and you'll need to learn how to perform cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento provide the option of connecting to a water supply which means you'll always have cold, fresh filtering water available for your drinks. The latter has a 2.25-liter water tank that can be more difficult to fill than its competitors.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from a Lavazza machine, this one is designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 minutes. The tank is able to be filled, as the lid can be removed to create a large hole. You can fill it using tap water, should you wish.
This is the smallest machine within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still is a powerful machine. When you buy it at full price, it's priced at PS100 - which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie a great option for those without the budget or space for an espresso maker, but want to get their fix of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is easy to use and takes up little counter space. You just need to press one button to turn on the machine and again to start dispensing your chosen pod. There's a light on the button so that you can easily see the amount of liquid that has been dispersed and you can choose to manually stop the process if you prefer to drink the pod in smaller amounts.
There's no steam wand included on this model, however you can use an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you want. The machine is quiet, too, and can be used in a small workspace or in a flatshare kitchen without disturbing anyone else.
They aren't inexpensive, but there's a wide variety of blends to choose from to satisfy everyone from mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in most supermarkets, along with regular grounds coffee and coffee beans. You can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods on the internet.
The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule that comes with an integrated milk warmer. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty document and a quick reference, and a tester pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine itself is small enough to be stored on an even surface or placed under your cupboard.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. If you're willing to take the time to master its use this is a fantastic espresso maker for your home that performs better than many of the more expensive models on the market. It's a great price for the class and is especially useful for those who aren't experienced enough to have an espresso maker that costs up to $100.
This model sits right in the middle of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive at $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 experience less expensive. It's also a single boiler, which means it can only do brewing or steaming at one time.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made their mark with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and offers enough control that it can be adjusted to let aspiring baristas burnish their skills without spending hundreds of dollars more than they should.
The unit does not come without its flaws. The hopper is located on the side, not at the top of the model. It's not a big deal, but can be a problem if you wish to dispense several shots at a time. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to determine how much liquid remains.
But if you're prepared to spend some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an excellent, all-purpose appliance for anyone who is a coffee lover at home. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is its price, which may be a stumbling block for some 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 you less than the Breville model can do.
4. OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech, smart coffee machine that makes great coffee with a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen give a sophisticated website look to your kitchen. It features only one dial to program the number of cups you would like to make. It comes with a 2-4 cup setting and a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee lovers believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the right temperature, then poured evenly over the coffee grounds with a shower head. The brewed coffee then collects in the thermal, double-walled carafe for upto 60 minutes. Its pause and pour feature allows you to remove the carafe in brewing and fill your own cup. The machine stops the brewing process, and displays a red light on its LED interface, until you return the carafe. It then resumes the brewing process.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is certified by SCAA, that means it is in compliance with the rigorous standards of SCAA's technology. Its brew cycles are about the same as the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it allows for more control over temperature and brewing times.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee with the carafe filled in 7 minutes 41 seconds. This is a little more than the time that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but within the range that experts in the field recommend to make a good cup.
It also requires you to grind your own beans prior to making. You can use an old-fashioned coffee grinder or go for a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and the hopper can hold entire beans.
The only issue is that the carafe and water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe and could cause issue 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 a top contender among the best drip coffee makers.