The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There is no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. We've compiled our top picks, from an automatic that grinds your beans and packs them into semi-automatic machines that give you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automation and needing 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 great option for those who are looking to make espresso at their home without losing quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was specifically designed for people who have small counter space. It is built to last and has excellent quality and a small footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group head so you can steam milk while making espresso simultaneously.
The machine also looks great and has a round panel on the side with engravings of 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 a black boiler pressure gauge to indicate 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 most other machines. This means that you'll be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, especially when using it frequently. This is a sacrifice that is a result of having less footprint. It's not a problem specific to this model.
You can still brew a lot of coffee with this machine, and it can easily keep up with the demands of your customers. We suggest investing in a quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Giante, to increase consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with an Rocket Portafilter to increase the tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can make some great drinks and it is simple to make Latte Arts. It's important to note that this machine isn't intended for novices. There is a little learning curve for people who are upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler can be a little tricky to control and you'll have to learn 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 in a position to drink cold pure, purified water. The latter, however, comes with a 2.25-liter water tank that could be more difficult to refill than its competitors.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you might expect from the Lavazza machine this one was designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 minutes. The tank can be filled easily, as the lid can be removed to create a large hole. You can fill it with tap water should you wish.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest of the models, but it packs a punch. When you buy it at full price, it costs under PS100 which is lower than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie an ideal 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 easy to use and takes up little counter space. You just need to press one button to start the machine and again to begin dispensing your chosen pod. The button has a backlight so you can see how much you have consumed. You can also stop the process, in case you wish to drink the pod in smaller portions.
This model does not come with a steam wand, but you can add some creamy foam to your milk with an optional milk frother. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen work space.
The pods are not inexpensive, but they come in a range of blends that can be used by everyone - from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. You can find them in many supermarkets, as well as regular grounds coffee and coffee beans. You can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods online.
The Jolie and Milk is a smart-looking capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and frother. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty sheet and a quick reference, 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 stored on the floor or placed under your cupboard.
3. Breville BES870XL
At first glance at first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that's beyond the budget of most average consumers. If you're willing and able master it, then this is a great at-home espresso maker. It performs better than most of the more expensive models. It's an excellent value for its class and is especially useful for those who are new to the field and don't have an espresso machine that can cost up to $100.
This model sits right below the top of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive, costing $2,199) however, it's a solid choice for home baristas on a budget. It has plenty of customizable features, and includes an integrated burr grinder to make the entire experience cheaper. It's also a single boiler machine, 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 different and has enough control that it can be adjusted to allow aspiring baristas to improve their abilities without spending more than they should.
It's not without its flaws, though. The hopper is situated on the side, not the top, of this model. It's not a major problem, but it could be a hassle if you need to dispense several shots at once. The rear position of the tank makes it difficult to see how much liquid is left.
But if you're prepared to spend some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's a great, do-it-all appliance for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is its price which could be a deterrent for certain buyers. If you're looking for a less expensive alternative, read our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally powerful and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you only a fraction of the price. Breville model does.
4. OXO best home coffee machine -Cup
A high-tech smart coffee machine with a user-friendly interface that makes great coffee. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add a stylish design to your kitchen. It has one dial that lets you to program the amount of cups. There are two settings available: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over the grounds, which many coffee lovers believe produces the best tasting coffee. The water is heated up to the ideal temperature, and then poured evenly over the coffee grounds using shower heads. The coffee that is brewed is collected in the double-walled thermal carafe that can be kept for up to 60 min. The pause-and-pour feature allows 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 is an SCAA-certified coffee maker which means it meets the rigorous standards of SCAA's technology. The brew cycles it uses are the same as the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it allows for more control over temperature and brewing times.
In our testing in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup produced excellent drip coffee with a full cup 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 well within the range coffee experts recommend for a great cup of drip.
You should also grind your own beans prior to making. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder or choose a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and a hopper that holds whole beans.
The only downside is that the carafe and the water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe, which could be a issue for certain users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO 9-Cup is an excellent contender for the best drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and simple to use interface.