The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. That's why 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 most control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automating the process and making you familiar with the art of espresso-making. It's our top pick for a bean-to-cup machine.
- Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those looking to make espresso at home without having to compromise on quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was specifically designed for people with small counter space. It combines excellent build quality and a compact footprint. It comes equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk while making espresso at the same time.
The machine looks great as well, and has an elongated side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a new take on the classic design of Rocket, which is already pretty impressive for a small machine. It also includes a black pressure gauge that shows when the boiler is ready for use.
One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and the water reservoir are smaller than most other machines. This means that you will be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when you are using it regularly. This is a normal trade-off for less footprint, however, and not an issue particular to this model.
You can still brew a lot of coffee with this machine, and it is able to easily keep up with the demands of your customers. We recommend investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair this machine with the Rocket portafilter to improve the tamping process.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes some great drinks and it is easy to create Latte Arts. It's important to note that the machine isn't designed for novices, and there is a bit of a learning curve for those who are upgrading from appliance-grade machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to work with and you'll need to master the art 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 capable of drinking cold, purified water. The latter, however, has a 2.25-liter water tank, which could be more difficult to refill than its competitors.
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from the Lavazza machine this one was designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee in just 35 minutes. The water tank is quick and simple to refill and the lid can be removed completely to make a wide opening. You can fill it up with tap water, if you like.
This is the smallest machine within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still is a powerful machine. It's priced less than PS100 at retail - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. The Jolie is a great choice for those who do not have the space or budget for an espresso machine of the traditional type however nevertheless want to drink a real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and requires little counter space. You only need to press one button to start the machine, then again to begin dispensing your chosen brew. There's a backlight on the button to ensure that you can clearly see how much has been dispensed and you can also stop the process at any time if you prefer to drink the pod in smaller amounts.
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. It's also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or working space.
Pods aren't expensive, but there's a wide variety of blends to choose from that will satisfy everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in most supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and ground coffee and you can also buy 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 includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty document, 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 small enough to be able to be stowed on a flat surface or slipped under the cabinet.
- Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. If you're willing and able to learn how to use it this is a great home espresso maker. It performs better than many of the more expensive models. It's the most affordable in its class, and it's particularly suitable for beginners 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), but it's still an excellent option for baristas at home on a tight budget. It's loaded with options to customize and features, including an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler, which means that it can only do steaming or brewing at the same time.
Breville, relatively new to the market for espresso machines, has swiftly gained a reputation as a top-quality appliances. This machine isn't an exception and offers enough adjustable control to let aspiring baristas improve their skills without spending more than they have to.
The unit does not come without its quirks. For one, the hopper on this model is positioned on the side of the unit instead of on top. This isn't significant however it can be difficult to disperse multiple shots at a time. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to see the amount of liquid left.
But if you're prepared to invest some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an excellent, all-purpose appliance for any home espresso lover. The only downside to the Breville Barista Express is its price, which may be a hindrance for some buyers. If you're looking for a less expensive option, check out our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally powerful and offer a little 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 coffee machine with a simple user interface that makes great coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED screen give a stylish appearance to your kitchen. It has one dial that lets you to set the number of cups. There are two settings available: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour over, which most coffee machines coffee enthusiasts believe is the best tasting coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature and poured over the grounds with a shower-head for uniform saturation. The coffee is stored in the double-walled thermal carafe and can be stored for up to 60 minutes. Its pause and pour feature lets you remove the carafe in brewing and fill your own cup. The machine stops 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 9-Cup coffee maker comes SCAA certified, meaning it meets the strict technical standards. The brew cycles it uses are the same as those of the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it lets you control the temperature and brewing time.
In our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup made an excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but it falls within the range coffee experts recommend for a good cup of drip.
You should also grind your beans before brewing. You can choose either a manual grinder or a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore. It has various grind settings, as well as an hopper for beans that are whole.
The only downside is that the carafe as well as the water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe, which could be a hassle for some users. The stainless steel is still easy to clean by hand, but. The OXO 9-Cup is a top contender for the best drip coffee maker due to its sleek design and simple to use interface.