The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. We've compiled our top picks, starting with 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 a perfect balance between automating the process and needing you to be knowledgeable about the art of making espresso. This is our top choice for a machine that makes coffee.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a great option for those who want to make espresso at their home without having to compromise on quality. This espresso machine for prosumers is designed with limited counter space in mind and offers top-quality build and a very 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 your coffee at the same at the same time.

The machine is also beautiful and has a circular insert on the side panel with the steam engraved and hot water spouts. This is a fresh update on the classic look of Rocket and is already impressive for a machine that is so small. It also comes with the black pressure gauge, which indicates when the boiler is ready to use.

One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than most other machines. You will need be extra cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is particularly true when you are using it often. This is a cost that comes with having smaller footprint. This isn't something that is unique to this model.

You can still brew a lot of coffee using this machine, and it can easily meet the demands of your customers. That being said, we would recommend purchasing a high-quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante, for greater consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with an Rocket Portafilter to improve tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes excellent drinks and is easy to create latte arts. It's important to know that this machine is not designed for beginners. There is a little learning curve for people who are upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler may be a bit tricky to manage, and you will have to master the basics of cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to an water source, allowing you to always be able to drink cold pure, filtered water. The latter has a 2.25-liter water tank, which can be more difficult to fill than its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's highest standards. It is quick to reach brewing temperature, allowing you to prepare your first cup of coffee in less than 35 minutes. The water tank is fast and easy to refill and the lid can be removed completely to reveal a large opening. It can be filled with tap water should you wish.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest model in the series, yet it packs a punch. It's priced less than PS100 at full price - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. The Jolie is a great option for those who don't have the space or budget for an espresso machine of the traditional type however nevertheless want to drink a real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is incredibly simple to use and takes up just a little counter space. It's as easy as pressing one button to turn on the machine, and then press it again to begin dispensing the chosen pod. The button has a backlight to let you know the amount you've consumed. You can also manually stop the process if you want to drink the pod in smaller quantities.

There's no steam wand included on this model, however you can make use of an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you like. It's also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or workspace.

Pods aren't cheap, but there is an array of blends to choose from to suit everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are readily available in many supermarkets alongside regular ground coffee and coffee beans and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods on the internet.

The Jolie and Milk is a stylish capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and frother. It comes with a 75cm power cord and plug along with a quick-guide as well as a warranty card, as well as a test box containing nine Lavazza pods: six roasts (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is compact Espresso machines enough to fit under a cupboard or on the floor.

3. Breville BES870XL

At first glance at first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that is not within the budget of a majority of consumers. If you're willing and able to learn to use it, then this is a fantastic home espresso maker. It performs better than many of the more expensive models. It's among the best priced in its class, and is particularly suitable for beginners who don't have an espresso machine 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 choice for baristas working on a tight budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and has a built-in burr grinder that makes the entire experience cheaper. It's also a single boiler machine, which means it can only do steaming or brewing at one time.

Breville is relatively new to the market for espresso machines, has rapidly earned a reputation for its high-quality appliances. This machine is no exception, and it offers just enough control that it can be adjusted to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending more than they should.

It's not without its quirks, though. One example is that the hopper on this model is positioned on the side of the unit, instead of on top. This isn't a huge deal however it can be difficult to disperse multiple shots at a time. The rear-facing position of the tank makes it difficult to know how much liquid is left.

If you're willing to invest some time to learn how to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent choice for any coffee lover at home. The only drawback is the price, which could be a nagging issue for some buyers. For those looking for a lower-cost option, check out our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and offer a little more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost less than the price.

4. OXO Brew 9 Cup

A high-tech smart machine for coffee with a user-friendly interface that produces great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen creates a chic kitchen appearance. It comes with one dial that lets you to program the amount of cups. There are two options: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. Its brewing method is similar to pour over coffee makers-over, user-Friendly Coffee machines which many coffee lovers believe makes the best-tasting coffee. The water is heated up to the ideal temperature, and then evenly distributed over the coffee grounds using shower heads. The coffee is then brewed in the thermal, double-walled carafe, which can last up to 60 minutes. The pause-and pour feature lets you remove the carafe while brewing and then fill your cup. The machine stops brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, then it resumes and completes brewing.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is certified by SCAA, which means it meets the rigorous standards of SCAA's technology. The brew cycles it uses are the same as the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing time.

In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent pot of drip coffee that filled a carafe full in just 7 minutes 41 seconds. This is a bit longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well within the range coffee experts recommend for a great cup of drip.

You must also grind your own beans prior to making. You can opt for an manual grinder or a more automated model, such as the Baratza Encore. It has various grind settings, as well as it has a hopper that can be used for 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 is still easy to clean by hand, though. The OXO 9-Cup is an excellent contender for the top drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and simple to use interface.