The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There is no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. We've put together our top picks, from a superautomatic that grinds your beans and packs them to semi-automatic machines that give you the most control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automation and having to know the ropes of espresso-making. It's the best bean-to-cup machine we've come across.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those who want to make espresso at home without having to make big sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine with a small footprint was created for those with small counter space. It combines excellent build quality with a compact footprint. It comes with a 1.8 liter copper heat-exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Heads so that you can steam your milk and brew coffee at the same simultaneously.

The machine looks fantastic too, and comes with an elongated side panel with the engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a new take on Rocket's classic aesthetic that is already impressive for a small machine. It also comes with an black pressure gauge that indicates when the boiler is ready to use.

One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and reservoir for water are smaller than most other machines. You will need be cautious when emptying and refilling the machine. This is particularly true when you are using it often. This is a trade-off that is a result of having smaller footprint. This isn't a problem specific to this model.

This machine is capable of handling your coffee needs. We recommend purchasing a high-quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante to increase consistency and flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with a Rocket portafilter to improve the tamping process.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can create some great drinks and it is easy to make latte arts. It is important to remember that this machine is not designed for novices. There is a little learning curve for those who upgrade from espresso machines that are appliance-grade. The heat exchanger can be tricky to handle, and you'll need to learn how to perform cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento allow connecting to a water source, which means you'll always have fresh, cold water that has been filtered for your drinks. The latter, however, comes with a 2.25-liter water tank that is more difficult to refill than some of its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you might expect from a Lavazza machine this one was made with quality in mind. It is quick to reach brewing temperature, which allows you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 seconds. The tank is able to be filled by removing the lid. be removed to create the large hole. You can fill it up with tap water if you like.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the series, yet it packs a punch. It's priced less than PS100 at retail which is less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie an ideal choice for those who don't have the money or space for a traditional espresso maker, but who would like to experience the pleasure of authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is incredibly simple to use and takes up just a little counter space. You just need to press one button to turn on the machine, and then press it again to start dispensing your chosen brew. There's a backlight on the button so that you can easily see the amount of dispensed and you can also stop the process at any time in case you prefer drinking the pod in smaller amounts.

There's no steam wand included on this model, however 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 workspace.

Pods aren't expensive, but there's a variety of blends available to suit everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are readily available in many supermarkets along with regular ground coffee and coffee machine brands beans and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer. It includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty document along with a quick guide and a tester pack comprising nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is small enough to be able to be stowed on an even surface or placed under your cupboard.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. If you're willing and able to learn to use it this is a great home espresso maker. It performs better than most 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, which could set them back another $100 or more.

This model is priced less than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199), but is still an excellent option for baristas on a budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and it even has a built-in burr grinder that makes the entire experience less expensive. It's also a single boiler, which means it can only be used for brewing or steaming at one time.

Despite being a relatively newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made an impact through their top-quality machines. This machine is no different and offers enough adjustability to allow aspiring baristas to burnish their skills without spending hundreds of dollars more than they need to.

The unit is not without its flaws. The hopper is located on the side, not on the top of the model. It's not a major issue, but it can be frustrating if you want to give several shots at once. It's also difficult to determine the amount of water left in the tank because of its rear position.

If you're willing to invest some time to learn how to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent option for any espresso lover at home. The only drawback is the cost, which can be a turnoff for some buyers. If you're looking for an affordable alternative, we suggest the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines have similar capabilities and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost less than the price.

4. OXO Brew 9 Cup

A high-tech smart coffee maker that makes excellent coffee machines for offices using a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add a sophisticated appearance to your kitchen. It comes with a single dial that allows you to set the number of cups. There are two settings: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour over that many coffee enthusiasts believe produces the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the perfect temperature and poured over the grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The coffee is then brewed in the double-walled, thermal carafe, which can last up to 60 minutes. The pause-and pour feature lets you to take the carafe out while brewing and then fill your cup. The machine pauses the brewing process and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it. after which it resumes brewing and is finished.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is an SCAA-certified coffee maker which means it meets the organization's rigorous technical standards. The brew cycle is as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, however, it has greater control over temperature, brewing time and also quality.

In our tests, the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent pot of drip coffee with a carafe full in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well within the range experts in the field recommend for a great cup of drip.

You should also grind your beans before brewing. You can choose a manual grinder or a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore. It has various grind settings, as well as a hopper for whole beans.

The only drawback to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could pose a problem for some users. The stainless steel is easy to clean by hand, though. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and user-friendly interface make it an undisputed contender among the top drip coffee makers.