The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. We've compiled our top picks, starting with a superautomatic that grinds your beans and packs them into a semiautomatic which gives you the most control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch is the perfect blend between automation and needing to know the ropes of espresso-making. It's our top choice for a coffee-to-cup machine.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top choice for those who want to make espresso at home, without making huge sacrifices in terms quality. This espresso machine for prosumers is designed with a limited counter space in mind. It is built to last with a high-end build quality and tiny footprint. It comes with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk while making espresso at the same time.

The machine also looks great and has a round panel on the side with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a fresh coffee maker update on the classic design of Rocket that is already impressive for a machine that is so small. It also has an black pressure gauge that shows when the boiler is ready for use.

One drawback of this compact machine is that the drip tray and the water reservoir are smaller than those of other machines. This means that you will have to be vigilant about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when using it frequently. This is a normal trade-off to have less footprint, however, and not an issue particular to this model.

This machine is able to handle the demands of your coffee. We suggest purchasing a high-quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Giante, to increase consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with an Rocket Portafilter to increase the tamping.

As a prosumer espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and is easy to make latte art. It is important to remember that this machine isn't designed for beginners. There is a small learning curve for those upgrading from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler can be a bit difficult to operate and you'll need to master 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, allowing you to be capable of drinking cold, filter-filtered water. The latter model has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that is harder to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you might expect from a Lavazza machine this one was designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 seconds. The water tank is also fast and easy to refill and the lid can be removed completely to create a large opening. You can fill it up with tap water, depending on what you prefer.

This is the smallest machine within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it is a powerful machine. When you buy it at 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 to buy a traditional espresso maker, but who want to get their fix of authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is extremely simple to use and occupies only a tiny amount of counter space. By pressing a single button, you can begin the process. Pressing it again will start dispensing the specific pod you've chosen. The button is illuminated to let you know how much you have consumed. You can also manually stop the process, in case you wish to drink the pod in smaller portions.

There's no steam wand available on this model, but you can add a milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth, if you'd like. The machine is quiet, too and can be utilized in a small space or in a kitchen with flatshare without causing any disturbance to anyone else.

They're not inexpensive, but there's a variety of blends that will satisfy everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are sold in most supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and ground coffee and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods on the internet.

The Jolie and Milk is a stylish capsule machine that has an integrated milk warmer and frother. It includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty card, a quick guide, and a tester pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is compact enough to fit under a cupboard or the floor.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. If you're willing and able learn to use it, then this is a fantastic home espresso maker. It performs better than many of the more expensive models. It's the best value in its class, and it's particularly suitable for beginners who do not have an espresso maker yet, which could cost them another $100 or more.

This model is priced below the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent choice for baristas on a tight budget. It's loaded with customizable features and even an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a one-boiler machine, meaning it can only perform one task at the same time.

Breville, relatively new to the market for espresso machines, has quickly earned a reputation for its high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and has enough control that it can be adjusted to let baristas who are aspiring improve their abilities without spending more than they should.

It's not without its quirks, though. The hopper is situated on the side, not at the top, of this model. It's not a major issue, but it can be a problem if you wish to disperse multiple shots at once. It's also not very easy to determine the amount of water left in the tank due to its rear placement.

If you're willing to learn how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an ideal, all-purpose machine for anyone who is a coffee lover at home. The only downside is the price, which can be a turnoff for certain buyers. For those looking for a less expensive alternative, take a look at our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and offer a little more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost less than the price.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech smart coffee machine with a user-friendly interface that makes great coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen add a stylish appearance to your kitchen. It comes with one dial that allows you to program the amount of cups. There are two options: 2-4 cups and 5-9 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 ideal temperature, and then evenly distributed over the coffee grounds using shower heads. The brewed coffee is then collected in the double-walled thermal carafe that can be kept for up to 60 minutes. The pause and pour feature lets you remove the carafe in brewing and fill your cup to the brim. The machine pauses the brewing process, and displays the red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. It then resumes brewing.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is a SCAA-certified coffee maker, which means it complies with the strict standards of SCAA's technical standards. The brew cycle is the same length as the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides more control over temperature, brewing time and also quality.

In our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent pot of drip coffee with a carafe full in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is slightly more than the time that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster calls for, but it is within the range that experts in the field recommend to make a great cup.

It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to making coffee. You can use a manual household coffee machines grinder or choose a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and an hopper that can hold whole beans.

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