The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. This is why we've compiled our favorite picks for your home, from a fully automated 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 and requiring you to be knowledgeable about the art of espresso-making. It's the best bean-to cup machine we've found.
- Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those who want to make espresso at their home without sacrificing quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was specifically designed for people with little counter space. It has a great build quality and a small footprint. It comes equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group head so you can steam milk and make espresso at the same time.
The machine also looks great and has a round design on the side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a modernization of Rocket's classic design, which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has an black pressure gauge that indicates when the boiler is ready to use.
The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this model than others. This means that you'll need to be extra vigilant when emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when you are using it regularly. This is a cost that is a result of having less footprint. It's not something that is unique to this model.
You can still make a large amount of coffee using this machine, and it is able to easily meet the demands. We suggest investing in a quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Gante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair this machine with the Rocket portafilter to enhance the tamping process.
As a professional espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making great drinks, and is easy to create the latte art. However, it's worth noting that the machine was not designed for beginners and there's a bit of a learning curve for those who are upgrading from appliances. The heat exchanger can be difficult to operate, and you'll need to learn how to perform cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to a water source, allowing you to be capable of drinking cold pure, filtered water. The latter, however, has a 2.25-liter water tank, which is more difficult to fill than its competitors.
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from the Lavazza machine, this one is made with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, which allows you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 minutes. The tank is able to be filled by removing the lid. be removed to make the large hole. You can even fill it with tap water if that's what you prefer.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the range, but it packs a punch. It's priced at less than PS100 at the full price and is much less expensive than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. The Jolie is a great choice for those who don't have the space or budget for a traditional espresso machine, but still want to experience an authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is easy to use and requires small counter space. Pressing a single button will activate the machine. When you press it again, it will begin dispensing the pod you have selected. There's a backlight that's on the button, so you can clearly see the amount of dispensed and you can choose to manually stop the process should you prefer to drink the pod in smaller amounts.
The model isn't equipped with a steam wand however, you can add creamy frosting to your milk by using an optional milk frother. The machine is quiet also, and can be used in a small workspace or in a flatshare kitchen without causing any disturbance to anyone else.
They aren't cheap, but there is an array of blends to choose from that will satisfy everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in most 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 and a frother. It comes with an 75cm power cable, plug as well as a quick-guide and warranty sheet and a tester box of nine Lavazza pods which include six roasts (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is small enough to fit under a cabinet or on the floor.
- Breville BES870XL
At first glance at first, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso maker that's out of the budget of most average consumers. If you're willing put in the work to learn how to use it this is a fantastic espresso maker for your home that is more efficient than some of the more expensive models available. It's the most affordable in its class, and is especially good for novices who do not have an espresso maker yet--which can easily cost them $100 or more.
This model is a bit in the middle of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive model at $2,199) however, it's an excellent choice for baristas at home on a budget. It comes with a variety of options to customize and features, including an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler, which means it can only be used for steaming or brewing at the same time.
Breville, an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has quickly earned a reputation for its high-quality appliances. This machine is no exception, and it offers just enough control that it can be adjusted to let baristas who are aspiring improve their skills without spending more than they need to.
It's not without its flaws however. For one, the hopper in this model is located on the side of the unit instead of being on top. This isn't really an issue however it can be a little frustrating if you're trying to dispense multiple shots at once. It's also difficult to know the amount of water left in the tank, because of its rear position.
If you're willing to spend some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's a great, do-it-all appliance for anyone who is a coffee lover at home. The only downside is the price, which can be a nagging issue for certain buyers. If you're looking for an affordable alternative, 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 a fraction of what this Breville model can do.
- OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech smart machine for coffee with a simple user interface that produces excellent coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen give a sophisticated appearance to your kitchen. It comes with one dial that lets you to set the amount of cups. There are two settings available: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour over that many coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to a perfect temperature and poured over the grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The coffee brewed is then stored inside the double-walled thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause and pour function lets you take out the carafe in brewing and fill your own cup. The machine pauses the brewing process, and displays a red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. The machine then begins the brewing process.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is certified by SCAA, which means it complies with the strict standards of SCAA's technical standards. The brew cycle is longer than the Bodum BISTRO and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides more control over temperature, brewing time and also quality.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee with the carafe filled in 7 minutes 41 seconds. This is a bit more than the time that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster calls for, but it is within the range of time that coffee experts recommend for making a quality cup.
It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to making coffee. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder or choose 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 issue is that the carafe and water reservoir aren't dishwasher safe this could be a issue for certain users. The stainless steel is easy to clean by hand, but. The OXO 9-Cup is a leading contender for the top drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and simple to use interface.