The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. We've rounded-up our top choices, ranging from a superautomatic that grinds your beans and packs them into a semiautomatic which gives you the best home coffee maker control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch achieves the perfect balance between automation and having to be able to master the art of espresso-making. It's our top choice for a coffee-to-cup machine.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a fantastic choice for those who are looking to make espresso at home without sacrificing quality. This espresso machine for the prosumer is designed with the smallest counter space in mind. It combines outstanding build quality with tiny footprint. It is equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group head so you can steam milk and make espresso at the same time.

The machine looks great as well and features an elongated side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a new take on Rocket's classic aesthetic, which is already pretty impressive for a small machine. It also has an black pressure gauge that indicates when the boiler is ready for use.

One drawback of this compact machine is that the drip tray and reservoir for water are smaller than most other machines. This means that you'll need to be extra vigilant when emptying and refilling the machine, especially when you use it often. This is a cost that comes with having a smaller footprint. This is not an issue that is specific to this model.

You can still brew a lot of coffee using this machine, and it is able to easily keep up with your demands. However, we would recommend investing in a good grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante, for greater 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 is easy to create Latte art. It's important to note that this machine is not intended for novices. There is a small learning curve for people who are upgrading from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler can be a bit difficult to control and you'll have to learn the ins and outs of cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to an water source, which allows you to always be able to drink cold and filter-filtered water. The latter comes with a 2.25-liter water tank that could be more difficult to refill than its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you would expect from the Lavazza machine this one was made with quality in mind. The machine is able to reach the temperature for brewing quickly, meaning you can prepare your first cup in less than 35 seconds. The water tank is able to be filled by removing the lid. be removed to create the large hole. You can fill it up with tap water should you wish.

This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it has a lot of punch. When you buy it at full cost, it's less than PS100 which is lower than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. The Jolie is a great choice for those who don't have the space or funds for a traditional espresso machine, but still want to experience the authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is incredibly simple to use and takes up very little counter space. Pressing a single button will start the machine. When you press it again, it will begin dispensing the pod you have selected. The button has a backlight 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 quantities.

There's no steam wand included on this model, but you can use an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you like. The machine is quiet as well and can be utilized in a small space or in a flatshare kitchen without disturbing anyone else.

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

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule with an integrated milk warmer. It comes with a 75cm power cable and plug along with a quick-guide as well as a warranty sheet and a tester box containing nine Lavazza pods: six roasted (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is small enough to fit under a cupboard or on the floor.

3. Breville BES870XL

At first glance at first, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso maker that's out of the budget of many average consumers. If you're willing take the time to learn how to use it this is a fantastic espresso maker for home use that is more efficient than some of the more expensive models available. It's an excellent value for its class and is especially useful for beginners who don't yet own an espresso machine that can cost up to $100.

This model sits right below the top of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive at $2,199), but it's still an excellent choice for home baristas who are on a tight budget. It has plenty of customizable features, and comes with a built-in burr grinder that makes the whole experience much more affordable. It's also a single boiler that means that it can only do steaming or brewing at one time.

Breville is an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has quickly established a reputation for high-quality appliances. This machine is no exception, and it has just enough control to let new baristas hone their abilities without spending a lot more than necessary.

It's not without its flaws, though. One example is that the hopper in this model is located on the side of the unit instead of being on top. This isn't really a huge deal however it can be annoying if you're trying disperse multiple shots at a time. It's also difficult to see the amount of water left 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 option for any espresso lover at home. The only downside to the Breville Barista Express is its price which could be a hindrance for certain buyers. For those looking for a lower-cost option, check out our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally capable and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you only a fraction of the price. Breville model does.

4. OXO Brew 9 Cup

A high-tech smart coffee maker that makes excellent coffee using a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screen creates a chic kitchen look. It features a single dial to program how many cups you want it to make. It also comes with a 2-4 cup setting and a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing process is similar to pour-over the grounds, which many coffee Machine pro lovers believe produces the most delicious coffee. The water is heated up to the right temperature, then poured evenly over the coffee grounds with a shower head. The coffee brewed is then stored in the double-walled, thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour function lets you to remove the carafe during brewing and then fill your cup. The machine pauses the brewing process and displays a red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. It then resumes brewing.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is a SCAA-certified coffee maker, which means it complies with the rigorous standards of SCAA's technology. Its brew cycles are about the same as the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing times.

In our testing in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed an excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe of coffee in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but still within the range that experts in the field suggest for a decent cup of drip.

It also requires you to grind your own beans before making coffee. You can select a manual grinder or an automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and a hopper for whole beans.

The only drawback to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could pose a problem for some customers. The stainless steel is easy to clean by hand, though. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek aesthetic and user-friendly interface make it an undisputed contender among the top drip coffee makers.