The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all coffee maker that is perfect for every. We've rounded up our top picks for the home, from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans to semi-automatics that give you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes a perfect balance between automatizing the process while requiring you to be proficient in the art of making espresso. It's our top choice for a bean-to-cup machine.
- Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a fantastic choice for those who are looking to make espresso at home without losing quality. This espresso machine for the prosumer is designed with limited counter space in mind and combines outstanding build quality with tiny footprint. It is equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk and brew espresso simultaneously.
The machine looks great too, and comes with an elongated side panel with engraved hot water and steam spouts. This is a new take on Rocket's classic aesthetic, which is already pretty impressive for a small machine. It also includes a black boiler pressure gauge to show when the boiler is ready for use.
The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this machine than other models. This means you'll need to be extra vigilant when emptying and refilling the machine, especially when using it frequently. This is a natural trade-off to have smaller footprint, however it is not a problem particular to this model.
You can still make a large amount of coffee using this machine, and it will easily keep up with the demands of your customers. However, we would recommend purchasing a high-quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante, to ensure consistency and better 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 make Latte arts. It's important to know that this machine is not intended for novices. There is a slight learning curve for those upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler can be a little tricky to manage, and you will have to learn the ins and outs of cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento allow connecting to a water supply, which means you'll always have cold, fresh water that has been filtered for your drinks. The latter comes with a smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be harder to refill.
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you might expect from a Lavazza machine this one was made with quality in mind. The machine reaches the temperature of brewing quickly, which means you can make your first cup in less than 35 seconds. The tank is able to be filled, as the lid can be removed to make a large hole. You can fill it with tap water depending on what you prefer.
This is the smallest machine of the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it packs a punch. At full price, it's priced at PS100 - which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie an ideal choice for those with a limited budget or space to buy a traditional espresso maker, but who want to get their fix of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is incredibly simple to operate and takes up only a tiny amount of counter space. You only need to press one button to start the machine, then again to begin dispensing your chosen pod. The button has a backlight to let you know how much you have consumed. You can also 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 make use of an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you like. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen work space.
They're not inexpensive, but there's an array of blends to satisfy everyone from mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in most supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and grounds coffee. You can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods on the internet.
The Jolie and Milk is a sleek capsule machine that has an integrated milk warmer and frother. It comes in a box with a 75cm power cable and plug, a quick-guide and 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 kept on the floor or placed under your cabinet.
- Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. If you're willing put in the work to learn how to use it, this is an excellent do-it-all home espresso maker that performs better than many of the more expensive models on the market. It's the most affordable in its class, and it's especially suitable for those who do not have an espresso maker yet. This could easily set them back another $100 or more.
This model sits right below the top of the range for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive model at $2,199), but it's still an excellent option for home baristas on a tight budget. It has a lot of customizable features, and even an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a single boiler, which means it can only do brewing or steaming at one time.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the market for espresso machines, Breville has quickly made an impact by offering top-quality equipment. This machine is no exception and offers enough adjustability to let aspiring baristas improve their skills without spending more than they should.
It's not without its quirks however. The hopper is located on the side, not on the top, of this model. It's not a big issue, but it can be a hassle if you need to disperse several shots at once. It's also not very easy to know the amount of water left in the tank due to its rear placement.
If you're willing time learning to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent option for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only downside is the price, which could be a nagging issue for some buyers. If you're looking for a budget option, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and offer a little more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost only a fraction of the price. Breville model can do.
- OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech, smart coffee maker that makes excellent coffee with a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen add a stylish look to your kitchen. It has 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 method is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most flavorful coffee. The water is heated to a perfect temperature before being poured over the grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The brewed coffee is then stored in the double-walled thermal carafe, which can be stored for up to 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour feature allows you to remove the carafe during brewing and fill your cup. The machine stops the brewing process, and displays an red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. Then, it resumes brewing.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup is certified by SCAA, which means it meets the organization's rigorous technical standards. Its brew cycle is about the same length as the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides greater control over temperature, brewing time and quality.
In our tests, the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed an excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is a bit more than the 6 minutes that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but within the range of time that experts in the field recommend to make a good cup.
It also requires you to grind your own beans prior to making. You can select a manual grinder or a more automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has different grind settings and it has a hopper that can be used for whole beans.
The only downside is that the carafe and the water reservoir aren't dishwasher safe and could cause hassle for some users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO 9-Cup is a leading contender for the top drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and easy to use interface.