The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. We've rounded up our favorite picks for your home, ranging from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, to semi-automatic machines that give you the most control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automatizing the process while making you knowledgeable about the art of making espresso. It's the most efficient bean-to-cup machine we've found.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top option for those looking to make espresso at home without having to make huge sacrifices in terms quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was designed for those with small counter space. It is built to last and has excellent quality and a compact footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8 Liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Heads so that you can steam your milk and brew your coffee at the same time.

The machine looks fantastic and features a round panel on the side with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is an upgrade to Rocket's original design which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has an black pressure gauge that will let you know when the boiler is ready for use.

One disadvantage of this tiny 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 refilling the machine. This is especially true in the event that you frequently use it. This is a normal trade-off for less footprint, however, and not an issue particular to this model.

You can still brew a lot of coffee using this machine, and it will easily meet your demands. We suggest purchasing a high-quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Gante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with an Rocket Portafilter to enhance the tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes excellent drinks and is easy to create latte arts. However, it's worth noting that the machine was not designed for beginners, and there is a bit of a learning curve for those upgrading from appliance-grade machines. The heat exchange boiler may be a bit difficult to control, and you will have to learn the ins and outs of cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento provide the option of connecting to a water supply, which allows you to always have clean, cold filtered water on hand for your drinks. The latter comes with a 2.25-liter water tank, which can be more difficult to refill than its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's highest standards. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, which allows you to prepare your first cup of coffee in just 35 minutes. The tank is able to be filled with ease, since the lid can be removed to make an enormous hole. You can fill it up with tap water if you want.

This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still is a powerful machine. It costs less than PS100 at the full price - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie an ideal choice for those with a limited budget or space for a traditional espresso maker, but who want to get their fix of authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is easy to use and takes up small counter space. Pressing a single button will begin the process. Pressing it again will start dispense the pod you've selected. There's a backlight that's on the button, so you are able to see clearly the amount of dispensed and you can choose to manually stop the process in case you prefer drinking the pod in smaller amounts.

The model isn't equipped with a steam wand, but you can add some creamy frosting to your milk by using an optional milk frother. The machine is quite quiet, too and can be used in a small area or in a flatshare kitchen without disturbing others.

The pods aren't inexpensive, but they come in a wide range of blends that can be used by everyone - from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are available in many supermarkets, as well as regular Coffee Machine Pro beans and grounds coffee. You can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods online.

The Jolie and Milk is a smart-looking capsule machine that has an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes in a box with an 75cm power cable, plug along with a quick-guide as well as a warranty sheet and a tester box containing nine Lavazza pods which include six roasts (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine itself is small enough to be able to be stowed on an even surface or placed under the cabinet.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be a costly espresso machine. If you're willing to take the time to master its use this is a great espresso maker for home use that performs better than some of the more expensive models available. It's the best budget coffee machine value in its class, and it's especially suitable for those who don't have an espresso grinder yet, which could cost them $100 or more.

This model is priced less than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) However, it's a good choice for baristas working on a budget. It has a lot of customizable features and even an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means that it can only do one thing at the same time.

Despite being a relative newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made their mark through their top-quality machines. This machine is no different, and it has just enough control to let new baristas hone their abilities without spending a lot more than necessary.

The unit does not come without its quirks. 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 frustrating if you're trying to give multiple shots at once. The rear-facing position of the tank makes it difficult to determine how much liquid remains.

But if you're prepared to learn how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an excellent, all-purpose appliance for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue is the cost, which can be a turnoff 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 are equally capable and offer a little 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 machine for coffee with a user-friendly interface that makes great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED display provides your kitchen with a stylish appearance. It comes with a single dial that allows you to set the amount of cups. There are two settings available: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over, which many coffee lovers believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the perfect temperature and poured over the grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The brewed coffee then collects in the thermal, double-walled carafe for upto 60 minutes. Its pause and pour feature lets you remove the carafe while brewing to fill your cup to the brim. The machine pauses 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 comes SCAA certified, meaning it meets the organization’s strict standards for technical quality. Its brew cycles are about the same as the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it lets you control the temperature and brewing time.

In our tests we found that 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. This is a bit longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but still within the range experts in the field recommend for a good cup of drip.

It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to making coffee. You can opt for an manual grinder or a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and an hopper for beans that are whole.

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