The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all coffee maker. We've put together our top picks, starting with a superautomatic machine that grinds your beans and packs them to a semiautomatic which gives you the most control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes a perfect balance between automatizing the process and requiring you to be familiar with the art of espresso-making. It's our top choice for a bean-to-cup machine.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those who want to make espresso at their home without sacrificing quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with limited counter space in mind. It is built to last with a high-end build quality and a very small footprint. It comes equipped with a 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group head so you can steam milk and brew espresso at the same time.
The machine also looks great and has a round design on the side panel with the steam engraved 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 has the black pressure gauge, which will let you know when the boiler is ready for use.
The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this machine than others. This means that you will need to be extra vigilant when emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when you use it often. This is a natural trade-off for less footprint, however this is not a problem that is unique to this model.
This machine is capable of handling your coffee demands. We suggest investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with a Rocket Portafilter to increase the tamping.
As a prosumer espresso machine The Rocket Appartamento is capable of making some great drinks, and it's easy to create latte art. However, it's worth noting that the machine isn't designed for novices and there's some learning curve for those upgrading from appliance-grade 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 and the Rocket Appartamento offer the option of connecting to a water supply which means you'll always have clean, cold water that has been filtered for your drinks. The latter model has smaller 2.25-liter tank that is difficult to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This machine is built to Lavazza's highest standards. The machine reaches the brewing temperature quickly, which means you can make your first cup in just 35 seconds. The tank is able to be filled by removing the lid. be removed to make a large hole. It can be filled with tap water, depending on what you prefer.
This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still is a powerful machine. It's priced at less than PS100 at retail which is less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie an excellent choice for those with a limited budget or space to buy a traditional espresso maker, but who would like to experience the pleasure of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is extremely simple to use and takes up only a tiny amount of counter space. You just need to press a single button to activate the machine, and then press it again to begin dispensing your chosen brew. The button is illuminated so you can see the amount you've consumed. You can also stop the process if you want to drink the pod in smaller quantities.
The model isn't equipped with a steam wand, however, you can add creamy frosting to your milk by using an optional milk frother. The machine is also quite quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or workspace.
The pods aren't inexpensive, but they come in a variety 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 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 sleek capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes with a 75cm power plug and power cable, a warranty document, a quick guide, and a test pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasted (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is small enough to be placed under a cupboard or flat surfaces.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. If you're willing to take the time to master its use this is a great espresso maker for home use that is more efficient than some of the more expensive models available. It's an excellent value for the money and is particularly useful for those who are new to the field and don't have an espresso maker that can cost up to $100.
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 who are on a budget. It has a lot of options to customize and features, including an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means that it can only perform one task at the same time.
Although it is a relatively newcomer to the market for espresso machines, Breville has quickly made their mark by offering top-quality equipment. This machine is no exception and has enough control that it can be adjusted to let baristas who are aspiring burnish their abilities without spending more than they should.
The unit is not without its flaws. For one, the hopper in this model is located on the side of the unit, instead of on top. This isn't significant, but it can be a little frustrating if you're trying to give multiple shots at once. It's also difficult to determine how much water remains in the tank, because of its position at the rear.
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 choice for any espresso lover at home. The only drawback to the Breville Barista Express is its cost, which may be a deterrent 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 machines are comparable in their capabilities and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express. However, they are a fraction of the cost.
4. OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech, smart coffee maker that produces great coffee with a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design read more and backlit LED screen creates a chic kitchen look. It comes with one dial that allows you to set the number of cups. There are two settings available: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over that many coffee enthusiasts believe is the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the right temperature, then evenly poured over the coffee grounds using shower heads. The brewed coffee is then stored in a double-walled carafe and can be stored for up to 60 min. The pause-and-pour function lets you to take the carafe out while brewing and fill your cup. The machine stops the brewing process and shows an red light on its LED interface, until you return the carafe. Then, it resumes brewing.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker comes SCAA certified, which means it meets the organization’s strict standards for technical quality. The brew cycles are the same as 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 pot of drip coffee, with an entire carafe 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 is also necessary to grind your beans before brewing. You can choose either a manual grinder or a more automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and a hopper for whole beans.
The only issue is that the carafe and the water reservoirs aren't dishwasher safe, which could be a hassle for certain users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and easy-to-use interface make it a top contender among the top drip coffee makers.