The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all espresso machine. We've compiled our top picks, from a superautomatic machine that grinds your beans and packs them into a semiautomatic which gives you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes a perfect balance between automatizing the process while needing you to be familiar with the art of making espresso. It's the best bean-to-cup machine we've seen.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top choice for those who wish to make espresso at home without having to make significant sacrifices in terms of quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with a limited counter space in mind. It offers top-quality build and tiny footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8 Liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head, so you can steam your milk and brew your coffee at the same time.
The machine is also beautiful and features a round design on the side panel with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is an upgrade to Rocket's classic design which is already impressive for a small appliance. It also has a black pressure gauge that will let you know when the boiler is ready to use.
One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and the water reservoir are smaller than those of other machines. It is important be extra cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is particularly true if you use it frequently. This is a trade-off that comes with having a smaller footprint. This is not something that is unique to this model.
This machine is able to handle your coffee demands. We would recommend investing in a quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Gigante, to ensure consistency and better flavor. You can also pair this machine with a Rocket portafilter to enhance the grinding process.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can make delicious drinks and it is easy to make Latte arts. However, it's worth noting that the machine was not designed 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 do 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, however, comes with a 2.25-liter water tank, which is more difficult to fill than its competitors.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This machine is built to Lavazza's high standards. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, which allows you to make your first cup of coffee in just 35 seconds. The tank can be easily refilled, as the lid can be removed to make an enormous hole. You can fill it with tap water if you prefer.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the models, but it packs a punch. When you buy it at full price, it's priced at PS100 which is lower than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie an ideal choice for those without the budget or space to buy a traditional espresso maker, but are looking to enjoy the benefits of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is easy to use and takes up small counter space. Pressing a single button will begin the process. After pressing it again, it will start dispense the specific pod you've chosen. The button is illuminated so you can see how much you have consumed. You can also manually stop the process, if you want to drink the pod in smaller amounts.
There's no steam wand available on this model, however you can make use of 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.
The pods aren't cheap, but they come in a wide range of blends that are suitable for all - from the lightest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are readily available in many supermarkets alongside regular coffee 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 frother. It comes in a box with an 75cm power cable, plug, a quick-guide and warranty sheet, and a test box containing nine Lavazza pods that include six roasts (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is compact enough to fit under a cupboard or the floor.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be a costly espresso machine. If you're willing and able master it and make it work, then this is a great at-home espresso maker. It's far superior to most of the more expensive models. It's among the best priced in its class, and is especially good for novices who do not have an espresso maker yet--which can easily cost them $100 or more.
This model is priced less than the top-of-the-line Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) However, it's an excellent option for baristas on a tight budget. It comes with plenty of adjustable features, and it even includes an integrated burr grinder, making the whole experience much more affordable. It's also a single boiler, which means it can only be used for steaming or brewing at one time.
Despite being a relatively newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made an impact by offering top-quality equipment. This machine is no different and offers enough control that it can be adjusted to allow aspiring baristas to improve their skills without spending more than they need to.
The unit has its flaws. The hopper is on the side, not at the top of the model. It's not a big problem, but it could be a hassle if you need to give several shots at once. The rear-facing position of the tank makes it difficult to see how much liquid is left.
If you're willing to put in some time to learn how to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent appliance for any espresso lover at home. The only drawback to the Breville Barista Express is its cost which could be a hindrance for certain buyers. If you're looking for a lower-cost option, check out our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally powerful and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you a fraction of what this Breville model can do.
4. OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech smart coffee machine that makes great coffee with a simple user interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add an elegant design to your kitchen. It has one dial that lets you to set the number of cups. There are two settings: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over the grounds, which many coffee lovers believe makes the best tasting coffee. The water is heated to the right temperature, then poured evenly over the coffee grounds with shower heads. The coffee brewed is then stored inside the double-walled thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour function lets you to remove get more info the carafe during making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine pauses brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it. It then resumes and finishes brewing.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker comes SCAA certified, which means that it meets the strict technical standards. Its brew cycle is about the same length as the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides greater control over temperature, brewing duration, and quality.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee that filled the carafe filled in 7 minutes 41 seconds. This is a bit longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but it falls within the range that coffee experts recommend for a good cup of drip.
It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to brewing. You can select a manual grinder or an automated model, such as the Baratza Encore. It has various grind settings, as well as an hopper for beans that are whole.
The only drawback to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a problem for some customers. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and user-friendly interface make it a top contender among the top drip coffee makers.