The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There’s no universally-fit-all coffee maker that is perfect for every. We’ve rounded-up our top picks, from an automatic that grinds your beans and packs them into semi-automatic machines that give you the most control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automation and needing to know the ropes of espresso-making. It’s our top choice for a bean-to-cup machine.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top option for those looking to make espresso at home without having to make huge sacrifices in terms quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was designed for those who have limited counter space. It combines excellent build quality and a small footprint. It is equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group head, so you can steam milk and make espresso simultaneously.

The machine looks fantastic and has a round insert on the side panel with the steam engraved and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on the classic look of Rocket and is already 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.

One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than most other machines. You’ll need be cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is especially true in the event that you frequently use it. This is a normal trade-off for smaller footprint, however, and not an issue that is unique to this model.

This machine is able to handle the demands of your coffee. We would recommend investing in a quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Gigante, to ensure consistency and better flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with an Rocket portafilter to enhance the process of tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes excellent drinks and is easy to create Latte Arts. It is important to remember that this machine was not designed for beginners. There is a small learning curve for those upgrading from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger can be tricky to handle and you’ll have to learn how to perform cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento offer the option of connecting to a water supply which allows you to always have cold, fresh filtered water on hand for your drinks. The latter model has smaller 2.25-liter tank that is more difficult to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you might expect from the Lavazza machine, this one is made with quality in mind. It is quick to reach brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee in just 35 seconds. The water tank is able to be filled, as the lid can be removed to create an enormous hole. It can be filled using tap water, should you wish.

This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it 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 alternative for those who don’t have the space or funds for traditional espresso machines however, they still want to experience a real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is incredibly simple to use and takes up only a tiny amount of counter space. You just need to press one button to turn on the machine, and then press it again to start dispensing your chosen brew. There’s a backlight on the button so that you can easily see the amount of dispensed, and you can stop the process at any time should you prefer to drink the pod in smaller amounts.

This model does not come with a steam wand, but you can add some creamy frosting to your milk by using an optional milk frother. It’s also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or workspace.

Pods aren’t inexpensive, but there’s a variety of blends available to satisfy everyone from mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in most supermarkets along with regular coffee machine best beans and ground coffee and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods on the internet.

The Jolie and Milk is a smart-looking capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes in a box with a 75cm power cable and plug along with a quick-guide as well as a warranty sheet, and a test box that contains nine Lavazza pods that include six roasts (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine itself is small enough to be able to be stowed on a flat surface or slipped under your 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 master its use, this is an excellent do-it-all home espresso maker that performs better than many of the more expensive models on the market. It’s the most affordable in its class, and it’s especially good for novices who don’t have an espresso grinder yet. This could easily cost them another $100 or more.

This model sits right below the top of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive, costing $2,199) however, it’s an excellent choice for baristas at home who are on a tight 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 that means it can only be used for brewing or steaming at one time.

Breville is relatively new to the market for espresso machines, has rapidly gained a reputation as a top-quality appliances. This machine is no different, and it offers just enough control that it can be adjusted to let aspiring baristas burnish their abilities without spending hundreds of dollars more than they should.

The unit has its flaws. The hopper is on the side, not at the top, of this model. It’s not a major issue, but it can be a problem if you wish to give several shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to know the amount of liquid left.

If you’re willing some time in learning how to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it’s an excellent choice for any coffee lover at home. The only drawback to the Breville Barista Express is its price which could be a deterrent for some buyers. If you’re looking for a budget option, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and offer a little more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost a fraction of the cost.

4. OXO Brew 9 Cup

A high-tech smart coffee machine with a user-friendly interface that makes great coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen add an elegant appearance to your kitchen. It comes with one dial that lets you to set the amount of cups. There are two options: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. The brewing method is similar to pour-over, which most coffee enthusiasts believe makes the best tasting coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature and then poured over grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The coffee is then brewed inside the double-walled thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour function lets you remove the carafe while making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine pauses the brewing process and shows the red light on its LED interface, until you return the carafe. The machine then begins the brewing process.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee machine best maker is an SCAA-certified coffee maker that means it is in compliance with the rigorous standards of SCAA’s technology. Its brew cycles are about the same as those of the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it lets you control the temperature and brewing time.

In our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee that filled a carafe full in just 7 minutes 41 seconds. That’s a little longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well within the range experts in the field recommend for a great cup of drip.

It also requires you to grind your own beans before making coffee. You can use a manual coffee grinder or go for a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and the hopper can hold entire beans.

The only downside to this product is that it’s not dishwasher safe. This could be a problem for some customers. The stainless steel is easily cleaned by hand, however. The OXO 9-Cup is an excellent contender for the best home coffee machine drip coffee maker due to its sleek design and easy-to use interface.