The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no one-size-fits-all espresso machine. That's why 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 is the perfect blend between automation and needing to be able to master the art of espresso-making. It's the most efficient bean-to-cup machine we've come across.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those who want to make espresso at home without sacrificing quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was specifically designed for people with little counter space. It has a great build quality and a small 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 coffee at the same time.

The machine looks great as well and features a round side panel insert with the engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a fresh update on Rocket's classic aesthetic and is already impressive for a compact machine. It also includes a black boiler pressure gauge to indicate when the boiler is ready for use.

One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than the majority of machines. This means you'll need to be extra vigilant when emptying and refilling the machine, especially when you are using it regularly. This is a normal trade-off for having smaller footprint, however it is not a problem specific to this model.

This machine is capable of handling the demands of your coffee. We suggest buying a good grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with an Rocket Portafilter to enhance tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes delicious drinks and it is easy to create latte arts. It's important to note that this machine was not designed for novices. There is a little learning curve for those who upgrade from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler can be a bit difficult to operate, and you will have to learn the ins and outs of 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 capable of drinking cold and filter-filtered water. The latter comes with smaller 2.25-liter tank that is more difficult to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's top standards. It is quick to reach brewing temperature, which allows you to prepare your first cup of coffee in just 35 seconds. The water tank is quick and simple to refill, with the lid detaching completely to create a large opening. You can fill it with tap water if that's what you prefer.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the range, but it packs a punch. It's priced less than PS100 at full price and is much less expensive than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. The Jolie is a great choice for those who don't have the space or money for an espresso machine of the traditional type however still want to enjoy the authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is extremely simple to operate and takes up just a little counter space. It's as easy as pressing a single button to activate the machine, and then press it again to start dispensing your chosen pod. There's a light on the button so that you are able to see clearly the amount of liquid that has been dispersed, and you can manually stop the process if you prefer to drink your drink in smaller portions.

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'd like. The machine is quite quiet also and can be utilized in a small workspace or in a kitchen with flatshare without disturbing anyone else.

They aren't inexpensive, but there's a variety of blends to choose from that will satisfy everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in most supermarkets along with regular ground coffee and coffee beans and 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. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty sheet along with a quick guide and a tester pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasted (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is compact enough to fit under a cabinet or on flat surfaces.

3. Breville BES870XL

At first glance at first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that's beyond the budget of a majority of consumers. If you're willing and able to learn to use it and make it work, then this is a great at-home espresso maker. It's far superior to many of the more expensive models. It's a great value for the money and is especially useful for beginners who don't yet have an espresso machine, which can cost up to $100.

This model sits right below the top of the range for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive model at $2,199) However, it's an excellent option for home baristas who are on a tight budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and comes with a built-in burr grinder to make the whole experience much less expensive. It's also a single boiler machine, meaning it can only handle one thing at one time.

Although it is a relatively newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no different, and it has just enough control to let aspiring baristas develop their abilities without spending more than necessary.

There are some quirks, though. The hopper is situated on the side, not the top, of this model. It's not a major deal, but can be a problem if you wish to disperse multiple shots at once. It's also difficult to determine the amount of water left in the tank because of its rear position.

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 any home espresso lover. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is its price, which may be a deterrent for certain buyers. For those looking for a less expensive alternative, read our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally capable and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you only a fraction of the price. Breville model can do.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech smart coffee maker with a user-friendly interface that produces great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen creates a chic kitchen look. 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 technique is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most flavorful coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature before being poured over the grounds with a shower-head for uniform saturation. The coffee is then brewed inside the double-walled thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause and pour feature allows you to remove the carafe while brewing to fill your individual cup. The machine pauses brewing and shows a red light for the carafe on its LED interface until you return it. It after which it resumes brewing and is finished.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is an SCAA-certified coffee maker which means it meets the strict standards of SCAA's technical standards. The brew cycles are the same as those of the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it lets you control the temperature and brewing time.

In our tests in our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent pot of drip coffee that filled the carafe filled in 7 minutes 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well 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 making coffee. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder, or choose a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has various grind settings as well as an hopper that can hold whole beans.

The only issue is that the carafe and the water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe and could cause issue for certain users. The stainless steel is still easy to clean by hand, but. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and user-friendly interface make it an undisputed contender among the top drip coffee makers.