The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. This is why we've compiled our top picks for the home, ranging from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, to semi-automatic machines that give you the most control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automatizing the process while needing you to be familiar with the art of making espresso. It's the best bean-to-cup machine we've seen.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those who wish to make espresso at home, without making huge sacrifices in terms quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was specifically designed for people who have limited counter space. It has a great build quality with a compact footprint. It comes equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk and brew espresso at the same time.
The machine looks fantastic too, and comes with an elongated side panel with the engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is an update to Rocket's traditional design which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to let you know when the boiler is ready to use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than most others. You will need to be careful when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is especially the case when you are using it often. This is a sacrifice that is a result of having a smaller footprint. It's not something that is unique to this model.
This machine can easily handle your coffee demands. We would recommend investing in a quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante, for increased consistency and flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with the Rocket portafilter to help improve the grinding process.
As a professional espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and is easy to create Latte art. It is important to remember that this machine is not designed for novices. There is a little learning curve for those who upgrade from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler can be a bit tricky to control, and you will have to master the ins and outs of cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to an water source, allowing you to be able to drink cold, filter-filtered water. The latter, however, comes with a 2.25-liter water tank that could be 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 designed with quality in mind. The machine can reach the brewing temperature quickly, meaning you can prepare your first cup in just 35 seconds. The water tank is also fast and easy to refill by removing the lid completely to create a large opening. You can fill it up with tap water if you want.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the range, but it is a powerful machine. 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 excellent choice for those with a limited budget or space for an espresso maker, but want to get their fix of authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and takes up small counter space. Pressing one button will activate the machine. When you press it again, it will start dispensing the specific pod you've chosen. There's coffee machines for shops on the button to ensure that you are able to see clearly how much has been dispensed and you can choose to manually stop the process in case you prefer drinking your pod in smaller doses.
There's no steam wand available on this model, however you can use an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you like. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or workspace.
Pods aren't expensive, but there's a wide variety of blends to choose from to suit everyone from the mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are sold in most supermarkets, along with regular ground coffee and coffee beans and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.
The Jolie and Milk is a smart-looking capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes in a box with a 75cm power cord and plug, a quick-guide and warranty card, as well as a test box of nine Lavazza pods which include six roasted (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is small enough to be placed under a cupboard or on the floor.
3. Breville BES870XL
At first glance at first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that's out of the budget of most average consumers. But if you're willing to take the time to learn how to use it this is a great espresso maker for your home that performs better than some of the more expensive models on the market. It's an excellent value for its class and is especially useful for beginners who don't yet have an espresso machine that can cost up to $100.
The model is priced lower than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) However, it's a good choice for baristas who are on a budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and has a built-in burr grinder to make the whole experience much cheaper. It's also a single boiler machine, which means it can only be used for steaming or brewing at one time.
Although it is a relatively newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made their mark with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and offers enough control that it can be adjusted to let baristas who are aspiring improve their abilities without spending more than they have to.
The unit has its flaws. The hopper is located on the side, not the top, of this model. It's not a big deal, but can be a problem if you wish to give multiple shots at once. It's also difficult to see how much water remains in the tank due to its rear placement.
If you're willing to put in some time to learn how to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent appliance for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only drawback to the Breville Barista Express is its cost, which may be a deterrent for certain buyers. If you're looking for a low-cost option, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and offer a little more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you only a fraction of the price. Breville model does.
4. OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech smart coffee maker with a simple user interface that makes great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED display creates a chic kitchen appearance. It comes with only one dial to program the amount of cups you want it to make and includes a 2-4 cup setting and a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing process is similar to pour-over the grounds, which many coffee lovers believe is the best tasting coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature and poured over the grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The brewed coffee then collects in the double-walled, thermal carafe, which can last up to 60 minutes. Its pause and pour feature lets you take out the carafe in brewing and fill your individual cup. The machine pauses brewing and shows a red light for the carafe on its LED interface until you return it, after which it resumes brewing and is finished.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker comes SCAA certified, which means it meets the strict standards for technical quality. The brew cycles are the same as the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing time.
In our tests, the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed excellent drip coffee that was served in a full cup in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is a little more than the 6 minutes the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the time range that coffee experts recommend to make a good cup.
It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to making. You can use an old-fashioned coffee grinder or go for a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and an hopper that can hold whole beans.
The only issue is that the carafe and the water reservoirs aren't dishwasher safe, which could be a hassle for certain users. The stainless steel is easily cleaned by hand, however. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek aesthetic and easy-to-use interface make it an undisputed contender among the best drip coffee makers.