The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. We've rounded up our favorite picks for your 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 is the perfect blend between automation and the need to know the ropes of espresso-making. It's our top pick for a coffee-to-cup machine.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top choice for those looking to make espresso at home without making big sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine with a small footprint was specifically designed for people who have limited counter space. It combines excellent build quality and a compact footprint. It comes with a 1.8 liter copper heat-exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head so you can steam your milk and brew your coffee at the same at the same time.

The machine also looks great and has a circular design on the side panel with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on Rocket's classic aesthetic that is already impressive for a compact machine. It also comes with a black pressure gauge that shows when the boiler is ready to use.

The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than most other models. You'll need be cautious when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is especially the case when you are using it often. This is a natural tradeoff to have a smaller footprint, though it is not a problem that is unique to this model.

This machine can easily handle your coffee needs. We suggest investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gante, to increase consistency and flavor. You can also use the machine in conjunction with a Rocket Portafilter to improve tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can make some great drinks and it is simple to make Latte Machines arts. It is important to remember that this machine is not designed for beginners. There is a small learning curve for people who are upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger can be difficult to work with and you'll have to learn how to perform 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 be able to drink cold, purified water. The latter model has smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be difficult to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you might expect from a Lavazza machine, this one is made with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to prepare your first cup of coffee in just 35 seconds. The tank can be easily refilled by removing the lid. be removed to create the large hole. It can be filled with tap water, should you wish.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest model in the models, but it is a powerful machine. 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 who don't have the money or space for an espresso maker, but who want to get their fix of authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is extremely simple to use and takes up very little counter space. By pressing a single button, you can start the machine. After pressing it again, it will start dispensing the pod you've selected. There's a light on the button so that you are able to see clearly the amount of dispensed and you can also manually stop the process if you prefer to drink your pod in smaller doses.

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

The pods aren't inexpensive, but they come in a wide range of blends that will suit all - from the lightest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are readily available in many supermarkets alongside regular coffee beans and ground coffee and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine that has an integrated milk warmer. It comes in a box with a 75cm power cord and plug as well as a quick-guide and 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 be placed under a cupboard or flat surfaces.

3. Breville BES870XL

At first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that's out of the budget of a majority of consumers. But if you're willing to take the time to learn how to use it this is a great espresso maker for your home that performs better than many of the more expensive models on the market. It's a great value for its class and is particularly helpful for beginners who don't yet own an espresso machine that can cost up to $100.

This model is a bit in the middle of the range for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive at $2,199) however, it's an excellent option for home baristas who are on a tight budget coffee machines. It has a lot of customizable features, and even an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means that it can only do brewing or steaming at one time.

Breville, relatively new to the market for espresso machines, has swiftly earned a reputation for its high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and it comes with enough control to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending a lot more than necessary.

It's not without its quirks, though. The hopper is on the side, not on the top, of this model. It's not a major problem, but it could be a problem if you wish to give multiple shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to know the amount of liquid left.

If you're willing to put in some time in learning how to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent choice for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only drawback to the Breville Barista Express is the price which could be a deterrent for certain buyers. If you're looking for a low-cost alternative, we suggest the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost a fraction of the price.

4. OXO Brew 9 Cup

A high-tech, smart coffee maker that makes excellent coffee with a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screen provides your kitchen with a stylish appearance. It has a single dial to program the number of cups you would like it to make. It also comes with a 2-4 cup setting and a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee aficionados believe produces the most delicious coffee. The water is heated up to the right temperature, then evenly poured over the coffee grounds with shower heads. The coffee that is brewed is stored in the double-walled thermal carafe and can be stored for up to 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour feature allows you to take the carafe out while making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine pauses brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it. It then it resumes and Latte machines completes brewing.

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

In our tests in our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee that filled the carafe filled in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is slightly more than the 6 minutes the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the range that coffee experts recommend to make a good cup.

It also requires you to grind your own beans prior to making. You can use a manual coffee grinder or go for a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore, which has various grind settings as well as an hopper that can hold whole 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 easily cleaned by hand, however. The OXO 9-Cup is an excellent contender for the best drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and easy to use interface.