The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. We've rounded-up our top picks, starting with an automatic that grinds your beans and packs them to semi-automatic machines that give you the best control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automation and needing to understand the basics of espresso-making. This is our top choice for a machine that makes coffee.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a great option for those who are looking to make espresso at their home without losing quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with a limited counter space in mind. It offers top-quality build and the smallest footprint. It comes with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group head, so you can steam milk and brew espresso simultaneously.

The machine is also beautiful and has a round panel on the side with the steam engraved and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on Rocket's classic aesthetic, which is already pretty impressive for a machine that is so small. It also includes the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to indicate when the boiler is ready for use.

One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and reservoir for water are smaller than the majority of machines. This means that you will have to be vigilant about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when you are using it regularly. This is a trade-off that results in a smaller footprint. It's not something that is unique to this model.

This machine can easily handle your coffee demands. However, we would recommend purchasing a high-quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gigante to ensure consistency and better flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with an Rocket portafilter to improve the grinding process.

As a professional espresso machine The Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and is easy to make latte art. 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 may be a bit tricky to manage, and you will have to master the ins and outs of cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento provide the option of connecting to a water source, which means you'll always have cold, fresh filtered water on hand for your drinks. The latter comes with a smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be difficult to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you would expect from a Lavazza machine, this one is designed with quality in mind. The machine can reach the temperature of brewing quickly, which means you can prepare your first cup in less than 35 second. The water tank is fast and easy to refill by removing the lid completely to make a wide opening. You can even fill it with tap water if you want.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest model in the models, but 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 without the budget or space for an espresso maker, but who would like to experience the pleasure of real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is easy to use and takes up small counter space. By pressing a single serve coffee makers (learn here) button, you can begin the process. When you press it again, it will start dispensing the pod you've selected. The button is illuminated to let you know the amount you've consumed. You can also manually stop the process if you want to drink the pod in smaller amounts.

This model does not come with a steam wand however, you can add creamy froth to your milk using an optional milk frother. The machine is quite quiet as well and can be utilized in a small area or in a kitchen with flatshare without disturbing anyone else.

The pods are not cheap, 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 ground coffee and built-in coffee machines beans and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule that comes with an integrated milk warmer. It includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty card along with a quick guide and a test pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasted (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is compact enough to fit under a cabinet or on the floor.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. If you're willing to learn to use it this is a great home espresso maker. It performs better than many of the more expensive models. It's among the best priced in its class, and is especially suitable for those who don't have an espresso grinder yet. This could easily cost them another $100 or more.

The model is just below the top of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive, costing $2,199), but it's still a solid choice for home baristas on a tight budget coffee machines. It has a lot of options to customize and features, including an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means that it can only perform one task at a time.

Despite being a relative newcomer to the market for espresso machines, Single serve coffee makers Breville has quickly made an impact with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no exception, and it offers just enough adjustable control to allow aspiring baristas to develop their skills without spending hundreds of dollars more than they have to.

It's not without its quirks however. The hopper is on the side, not at the top, of this model. It's not a major issue, but it can be frustrating if you want to dispense several shots at once. The rear position of the tank makes it difficult to know how much liquid is left.

If you're willing to invest time learning to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent option for any coffee lover at home. The only drawback to the Breville Barista Express is its price, which may be a hindrance for certain buyers. If you're looking for an affordable option, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost only a fraction of the price. Breville model can do.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech smart machine for coffee with a simple user interface that produces excellent coffee. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screen creates a chic kitchen appearance. It comes with one dial that allows you to program the amount of cups. There are two settings: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over, which many 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 then collects inside the double-walled thermal carafe for up to 60 minutes. The pause-and pour feature lets you to remove the carafe during making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine pauses the brewing process and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, then resumes and finishes brewing.

The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker is SCAA certified, meaning it meets the strict standards for technical quality. The brew cycle is as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it offers more control over temperature, brewing duration and quality.

In our tests in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup made an excellent drip coffee with a full cup in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but it falls within the range coffee experts recommend for a good cup of drip.

You must also grind your own beans prior to brewing. You can use an old-fashioned coffee grinder or choose a more automated model, such as the Baratza Encore, which has different grind settings and the hopper can hold entire beans.

The only issue with this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a concern for some customers. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO 9-Cup is a top contender for the top drip coffee maker due to its sleek design and easy to use interface.