The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There’s no one-size-fits-all coffee maker price maker. That’s why we’ve rounded up our top picks for the home, from a fully automated that grinds and packs your beans to a semiautomatic that gives you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch achieves the perfect balance between automation and the need to know the ropes of espresso-making. It’s the most efficient bean-to-cup machine we’ve found.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those who want to make espresso at their home without having to compromise on quality. This espresso machine for the prosumer is designed with the smallest counter space in mind and is built to last with a high-end build quality and a very small footprint. It is equipped 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 at the same time.
The machine looks fantastic and has a round design on the side panel with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is an update to Rocket’s traditional design that is already impressive for a small appliance. It also includes a black pressure gauge that will let you know when the boiler is ready for use.
One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and the water reservoir are smaller than those of other machines. You will need be extra cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is especially the case when you are using it often. This is a natural tradeoff for having a smaller footprint, though this is not a problem that is unique to this model.
This machine is capable of handling the demands of your coffee. We suggest purchasing a high-quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante to improve consistency and taste. You can also pair the machine with a Rocket Portafilter to enhance tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can make some great drinks and it is easy to create Latte Arts. It’s important to note that this machine was not designed for novices. There is a little learning curve for people who are upgrading from espresso machines that are appliance-grade. The heat exchange boiler could be a bit difficult to manage, and you will have to learn the basics of 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 in a position to drink cold pure, filter-filtered water. The latter has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that is harder to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you might expect from the Lavazza machine this one has been designed with quality in mind. The machine is able to reach the temperature for brewing quickly, meaning you can make your first cup in less than 35 second. The water tank is quick and simple to refill, with the lid detaching completely to make a wide opening. You can fill it using tap water, depending on what you prefer.
This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range however, it still packs a punch. It costs less than PS100 at the full price and is much less expensive than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie an excellent choice 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 easy to use and takes up small counter space. Pressing a single button will start the machine. When you press it again, it will start dispensing the specific pod you’ve chosen. The button has a backlight so that you can see 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 on this model, but you can make use of an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you want. The machine is very quiet, too, and can be used in a small workspace or in a kitchen with flatshare without disturbing others.
The pods are not inexpensive, but they come in a variety of blends that can be used by anyone from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. 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 online.
The Jolie and Milk is a stylish capsule machine that includes a milk warmer and a frother. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty document, a quick guide, and a test 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 on 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. If you’re willing take the time to master its use this is a fantastic espresso maker for home use that performs better than some of the more expensive models available. It’s an excellent price for the class and is particularly useful for those who are new to the field and don’t own an espresso machine, which can cost up to $100.
This model is priced below the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent option for baristas on a budget. It comes with plenty of adjustable features, and it even has a built-in burr grinder to make the whole experience much less expensive. It’s also a one-boiler machine, which means that it can only handle one thing at a time.
Despite being a relatively newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made their mark through their top-quality machines. This machine is no exception, and it offers just enough adjustability to allow aspiring baristas to develop their skills without spending more than they need to.
The unit has its quirks. The hopper is on the side, not the top of the model. It’s not a major deal, but can be a hassle if you need to give 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 to invest some time in learning how to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it’s an excellent choice for any coffee lover at home. The only drawback is the price, which could be a turnoff for some buyers. For those looking for a lower-cost alternative, read 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 are a fraction of the price.
4. OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech smart coffee maker with a user-friendly interface that produces excellent coffee. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screens gives your kitchen a sophisticated design. It has a single dial that allows you to set the amount of cups. There are two options: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. The brewing method is similar to pour over that many coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated up to the perfect temperature and then evenly distributed over the coffee grounds using a shower head. 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 lets you to take the carafe out while brewing and fill your cup. 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 Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is a SCAA-certified coffee maker, which means it complies with the organization’s rigorous technical standards. Its brew cycle is about as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it offers more control over temperature, brewing time and also quality.
In our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup produced a pot of excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is slightly more than the 6 minutes the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster calls for, but it is within the range that experts in the field recommend for making a quality cup.
You must also grind your own beans prior to brewing. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder or choose a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and a hopper that holds whole beans.
The only drawback to this product is that it’s not dishwasher safe. This could be a problem for some users. The stainless steel is easy to clean by hand, however. The OXO Brew 9-Cup’s sleek aesthetic and easy-to-use interface make it one of the top contenders among best drip coffee makers.
