The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. We've rounded up our top picks for your home, from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, to semi-automatics that give you the most control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch achieves the perfect balance between automation and the need to know the ropes of espresso-making. 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 espresso machine with a small footprint was created for those with little counter space. It is built to last and has excellent quality and a small footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group head, so you can steam milk and make espresso simultaneously.
The machine looks stunning as well and features an insert for the side of the machine with engraved hot water and steam spouts. This is a new take on the classic design of Rocket that is already impressive for a compact machine. It also comes with an black pressure gauge that will let you know when the boiler is ready to use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this model than other models. This means that you'll need to be extra vigilant when emptying and refilling the machine, especially when using it frequently. This is a trade-off that comes with having smaller footprint. This is not a problem specific to this model.
You can still brew a lot of coffee using this machine, and it can easily meet your demands. We suggest buying a good grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gante, to increase consistency and flavor. You can also use the machine in conjunction with an Rocket Portafilter to enhance the tamping.
As a prosumer espresso machine The Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and is easy to make Latte art. It's important to note that the machine isn't designed for beginners, and there is an enlightening curve for those who are upgrading from appliance-grade machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to work with and you'll need to master the art of cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento allow connecting to a water supply which allows you to always have clean, cold filtered water on hand for your drinks. The latter model has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be harder to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from the Lavazza machine this one was designed with quality in mind. The machine is able to reach the temperature for brewing quickly, which means you can prepare your first cup in less than 35 second. The water tank is fast and easy to refill, with the lid detaching completely to create a large opening. You can even fill it with tap water if you want.
This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it has a lot of punch. At its full price, it costs under PS100 which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie a great option for those without the budget or space for an espresso maker, but would like to experience the pleasure of authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is incredibly simple to operate and takes up very little counter space. It's as easy as pressing one button to start the machine, then again to start dispensing your chosen brew. The button has a backlight so you can see the amount you've consumed. You can also manually stop the process should you prefer to consume the pod in smaller portions.
There's no steam wand on this model, but you can use 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 work space.
Pods aren't inexpensive, but there's an array of blends available to suit everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are sold in most supermarkets alongside regular ground coffee and coffee beans and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.
The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule with an integrated milk warmer. It comes with an 75cm power cable, plug as well as a quick-guide and warranty sheet, and a test box containing nine Lavazza pods that include six roasted (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine itself is small enough to be stored on a flat surface or slipped under the cabinet.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. If you're willing to learn how to use 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 an excellent value for the money and is especially useful for those who are new to the field and don't own an espresso machine, which can cost up to $100.
The model is priced lower than the top-of-the-line Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199), but is still a good choice for baristas on a budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and it even has a built-in burr grinder that makes the whole experience much less expensive. It's also a one-boiler machine, which means it can only do one thing at the same time.
Breville, an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has quickly established a reputation for high-quality appliances. This machine isn't an exception and has enough adjustability to allow aspiring baristas to burnish their skills without spending more than they need to.
It's not without its flaws however. The hopper is located on the side, not on the top of the model. It's not a big problem, but it could be a problem if you wish to dispense several shots at once. The rear-facing position of the tank makes it difficult to see how much liquid remains.
If you're willing to invest some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an excellent, all-purpose appliance for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is the price which could be a deterrent for certain buyers. For those looking for a less expensive alternative, read our review of the Gaggia Classic or website the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost less than the Breville model does.
4. OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech smart coffee machine that makes great coffee with a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screen provides your kitchen with a stylish appearance. It comes with a single 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 brewing, which coffee lovers believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the perfect temperature and then poured over grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The coffee brewed is then stored in the double-walled, thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause and pour feature lets you remove the carafe while brewing to fill your cup to the brim. The machine stops brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it. after which it resumes brewing and is finished.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker is SCAA certified, meaning 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 allows for more control over temperature and brewing time.
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 and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but it falls within the range that experts in the field recommend for a great cup of drip.
It is also necessary to grind your beans before brewing. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder, or opt for a more automatic model, such as the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and the hopper can hold entire beans.
The only drawback to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a problem for some customers. The stainless steel is easy to clean by hand, however. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and user-friendly interface make it a top contender among the best drip coffee makers.