The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There is no single-size-fits all coffee machine. We've compiled our top picks, starting with a superautomatic machine that grinds your beans and packs them to semiautomatics that give you the best control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automation and needing to be able to master the art of espresso-making. It's our top pick for a machine that makes coffee.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those who wish to make espresso at home, without making significant sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine for prosumers is designed with a limited counter space in mind. It offers top-quality build and a very small footprint. It comes equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk and make espresso at the same time.

The machine is also beautiful and has a round panel on the side with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on Rocket's classic aesthetic, which is already pretty impressive for a machine that is so small. It also includes an black pressure gauge that shows when the boiler is ready for use.

One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than those of other machines. You will need to be careful when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is particularly true if you use it frequently. This is a cost that results in less footprint. This isn't an issue that is specific to this model.

This machine is capable of handling the demands of your coffee. That being said, we would recommend investing in a good grinder, like the Baratza Sette Gigante, to ensure consistency and better flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with a Rocket portafilter to help improve the tamping process.

As a prosumer espresso machine The Rocket Appartamento is capable of making great drinks, and it's simple to make Latte art. However, it's worth noting that the machine was not designed for beginners and has some learning curve for those upgrading from appliances. The heat exchanger is difficult to work with, and you'll need to learn how to perform cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento allow connecting to a water source, that means you will always have clean, cold water that has been filtered for your drinks. The latter comes with a 2.25-liter water tank that is more difficult to refill than some of its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you might expect from a Lavazza machine this one has been designed with quality in mind. The machine can reach the temperature for brewing quickly, so you can make your first cup in just 35 seconds. The water tank is also fast and easy to refill by removing the lid completely to reveal a large opening. It can be filled using tap water, if you like.

This is the smallest machine within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still is a powerful machine. It's priced at less than PS100 at retail - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie a great option for those with a limited budget or space to buy a traditional espresso maker, but would like to experience the pleasure of real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is extremely easy to use and occupies only a tiny amount of counter space. You only need to press one button to turn on the machine, then again to begin dispensing your chosen brew. There's a light on the button, so you can clearly see how much has been dispensed, and you can manually stop the process should you prefer to drink your drink in smaller portions.

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

The pods are not inexpensive, but they come in a range of blends that can be used by anyone from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are sold in most supermarkets along with regular ground coffee and coffee machine for office beans and you can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.

The Jolie and Milk is a stylish capsule machine that includes a milk warmer and a frother. It comes with a 75cm power plug and power cable, a warranty card and a quick reference, and a tester pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine itself is small enough to be stored on an even surface or placed under your cabinet.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. 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 more efficient than many of the more expensive models. It's a great price for the class and is particularly useful for beginners who don't yet have an espresso maker that can cost up to $100.

This model is priced less than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent choice for baristas working on a budget. It comes with a variety of customizable features and even an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a single boiler that means it can only be used for steaming or brewing at the same time.

Despite being a relative newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made an impact with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and it comes with enough control to let aspiring baristas hone their abilities without spending more than is necessary.

The unit has its quirks. The hopper is located on the side, not on the top, of this model. It's not a major deal, but can be frustrating if you want to give several shots at a time. The rear position of the tank makes it difficult to see how much liquid is left.

If you're willing to learn how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an ideal, all-purpose machine for anyone who is a coffee lover at home. The only downside to the Breville Barista Express is its cost, which may be a hindrance for certain buyers. If you're looking for a low-cost alternative, we suggest the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally powerful and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you a fraction of what this Breville model does.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech, smart coffee maker that makes excellent coffee with a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screens gives your kitchen a sophisticated look. It has one dial that allows you to program the amount of cups. There are two settings available: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over the grounds, which many coffee lovers believe is the best tasting coffee. The water is heated to the right temperature, then poured evenly over the coffee machine office grounds with a shower head. The coffee brewed is then stored inside the double-walled thermal carafe, which can last up to 60 minutes. The pause and pour feature lets you remove the carafe while brewing to fill your cup to the brim. The machine pauses the brewing process and shows an red light on its LED interface, until you return the carafe. Then, it resumes the brewing process.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is an SCAA-certified coffee maker that means it is in compliance with the organization's rigorous technical standards. Its brew cycles are about the same as the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing times.

In our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee, with the carafe filled built in coffee machine 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 select a manual grinder or a more automated model, such as the Baratza Encore. It has multiple grind settings, and it has a hopper that can be used for whole beans.

The only downside to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could pose a problem for some users. The stainless steel is easily cleaned by hand, though. The OXO 9-Cup is a top contender for the best drip coffee maker due to its sleek design and easy to use interface.