The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There is no single-size-fits all coffee machine. We’ve rounded up our top picks for the home, from a fully automated that grinds and packs your beans to a semiautomatic that gives you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automatizing the process while requiring you to be knowledgeable about the art of making espresso. It’s the most efficient bean-to-cup machine we’ve found.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those who want to make espresso at home without making big sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine for prosumers is designed with the smallest counter space in mind and is built to last with a high-end build quality and tiny 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 is also beautiful and has a round panel on the side with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is an upgrade to Rocket’s original design, which Coffee machines are best is already impressive for a small appliance. It also comes with a black boiler pressure gauge to let you know when the boiler is ready for use.
One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and reservoir for water are smaller than those of other machines. You will need be extra cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is especially the case in the event that you frequently use it. This is a natural tradeoff for smaller footprint, however, and not an issue particular to this model.
This machine is able to handle your coffee needs. We recommend purchasing a high-quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Giante to increase consistency and flavor. You can also pair this machine with a Rocket portafilter to enhance the grinding process.
As a prosumer espresso machine The Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and it’s easy to create latte art. However, it’s worth noting that the machine isn’t designed for novices and there’s an enlightening curve for those who are upgrading from appliances. The heat exchanger can be tricky to handle and you’ll have to learn how to perform cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to a water source, allowing you to always be in a position to drink cold pure, purified water. The latter has smaller 2.25-liter tank that is harder to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you might expect from a Lavazza machine, this one is made with quality in mind. The machine reaches the temperature of brewing quickly, so you can prepare your first cup in less than 35 second. The water tank is quick and simple to refill by removing the lid completely to reveal a large opening. You can fill it with tap water if that’s what you prefer.
This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range however, 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. The Jolie is a great option for those who don’t have the space or funds for traditional espresso machines, but still want to experience the authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is extremely easy to use and takes up just a little counter space. Pressing one button will begin the process. Pressing it again will begin dispensing the specific pod you’ve chosen. The button has a backlight so you can see how much you have consumed. You can also manually stop the process in case you wish to drink the pod in smaller portions.
There’s no steam wand available on this model, but you can make use of an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth, if you’d like. The machine is quite quiet as well, and can be used in a small area or in a flatshare kitchen without disturbing anyone else.
Pods aren’t expensive, but there’s an array of blends to choose from that will satisfy everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. You can find them in the majority of supermarkets, along with 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 and frother. 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 roasted (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine itself is small enough to be able to be stowed on an even surface or placed under your cupboard.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. If you’re willing and able learn to use it this is a great at-home espresso maker. It’s more efficient than many of the more expensive models. It’s a great value for its class and is especially useful for beginners who don’t yet have an espresso machine that costs up to $100.
This model is priced less than the top-of-the-line Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199), but is still an excellent choice for baristas on a tight budget. It’s loaded with customizable features and even an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It’s also a single boiler that means it can only do brewing or steaming at one time.
Breville is relatively new to the market for espresso machines, has quickly established a reputation for high-quality appliances. This machine is no different, and it has just enough control to let new baristas develop their abilities without spending more than is necessary.
The unit is not without its quirks. The hopper is on the side, not at the top, of this model. It’s not a big issue, but it can be frustrating if you want to give multiple shots at once. The rear position of the tank makes it difficult to determine the amount of liquid left.
If you’re willing to spend some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it’s a great, do-it-all appliance for any home espresso lover. The only downside to the Breville Barista Express is the price which could be a stumbling block for some buyers. If you’re looking for a budget option, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and offer a little more control than the Barista Express, but they’ll cost you only a fraction of the price. Breville model does.
4. OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech smart coffee maker that produces great coffee with a simple user interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen give a stylish design to your kitchen. It has a single dial that allows you to set the amount of cups. There are two settings: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over, which many coffee lovers believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature before being poured over the grounds with a shower-head for uniform saturation. The brewed coffee is then collected in the double-walled thermal carafe that can be kept for up to 60 min. The pause-and-pour function lets you to take the carafe out while brewing and fill your cup. The machine pauses the brewing process, and displays an red light on its LED interface, until you return the carafe. It then resumes brewing.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker has been SCAA certified, which means that it meets the strict standards in terms of technology. Its brew cycles are about the same as those of the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing time.
In our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent pot of drip coffee that filled the carafe filled in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is slightly more than the time that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the range that coffee experts recommend for making a quality cup.
It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to making. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder, or choose a more automated model, such as the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and a hopper that holds whole beans.
The only issue with this product is that it’s not dishwasher safe. This could pose a problem for some customers. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup’s sleek design and easy-to-use interface make it an undisputed contender among the top drip coffee makers.