The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There is no one-size-fits-all coffee machine. We’ve put together our top choices, ranging from a superautomatic machine that grinds your beans and packs them into semiautomatics that give you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automatizing the process while needing you to be knowledgeable about the art of making espresso. It’s the best Coffee machine bean-to-cup machine we’ve come across.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those looking to make espresso at home without having to make huge sacrifices in terms quality. This espresso machine for prosumers is designed with a limited counter space in mind and offers top-quality build and the smallest footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head, so you can steam your milk and brew coffee at the same at the same time.
The machine looks fantastic too, and comes with an elongated side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a modernization of Rocket’s traditional design, which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to show when the boiler is ready for use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than most other models. This means you’ll be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, especially when you use it often. This is a natural trade-off for a smaller footprint, though it is not a problem specific to this model.
You can still make a large amount of coffee using this machine, and it will easily meet the demands. We suggest buying a good grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante, to increase consistency and flavor. You can also use the machine in conjunction with an Rocket Portafilter to improve tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can make 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 slight learning curve for those upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to operate, 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 always be capable of drinking cold and purified water. The latter has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that is more difficult to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This machine is built to Lavazza’s top standards. The machine can reach the brewing temperature quickly, which means you can make your first cup in less than 35 second. The water tank is also quick and easy to fill, with the lid detaching completely to create a large opening. You can fill it with tap water if you prefer.
This is the smallest machine within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still packs a punch. At full cost, it’s less than PS100 – which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie a great option for those with a limited budget or space for a traditional espresso maker, but would like to experience the pleasure of authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is easy to use and occupies very small counter space. Pressing one button will activate the machine. After pressing it again, it will start dispense the pod you’ve selected. The button is illuminated so that you can see the amount you’ve consumed. You can also stop the process, in case you wish to drink the pod in smaller amounts.
This model does not come with a steam wand, however, you can add creamy foam to your milk with an optional milk frother. The machine is quite quiet as well and can be utilized in a small area or in a flatshare kitchen without disturbing anyone else.
They’re not cheap, but there is a 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 alongside regular coffee machine brands beans and ground coffee and you can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods on the internet.
The Jolie and Milk is a smart-looking capsule machine that includes a milk warmer and frother. It comes with a 75cm power cord and plug, a quick-guide and warranty sheet and a tester 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 compact enough to fit under a cabinet or on the floor.
3. Breville BES870XL
At first glance at first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso maker that’s not within the budget of most average consumers. If you’re willing invest the time to master its use this is a great espresso maker for home use that is more efficient than some of the more expensive models on the market. It’s the best value in its class, and it’s particularly suitable for beginners who don’t have an espresso machine yet. This could easily cost them $100 or more.
The model is priced lower than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) however it is an excellent option for baristas who are 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 one-boiler machine, meaning it can only perform one task at one time.
Although it is a relatively newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves with their high-quality appliances. This machine is no exception and has enough control to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending a lot more than is necessary.
The unit has its flaws. The hopper is situated on the side, not on the top, of this model. It’s not a huge deal, but can be frustrating if you want to disperse multiple shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to determine how much liquid is left.
If you’re willing to invest some time to learn how to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it’s an excellent appliance for any coffee lover at home. The only issue is the price, which can be a turnoff for certain buyers. If you’re looking for a budget alternative, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are comparable in their capabilities and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express. However, they are a fraction of the cost.
4. OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech smart coffee maker that makes excellent coffee with a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screen provides your kitchen with a stylish design. It comes with a single dial to program the number of cups you would like it to make. It also comes with a 2-4 cup setting as well as a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing technique is similar to pour over, which most coffee enthusiasts believe makes the best tasting coffee. The water is heated to a perfect temperature before being poured over the grounds with a shower-head for uniform saturation. The coffee that is brewed is collected in the double-walled thermal carafe that can be kept for up to 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour function lets you to remove the carafe during brewing and then fill your cup. The machine pauses brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it. then it resumes and completes brewing.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup is an SCAA-certified coffee maker which means it meets the strict standards of SCAA’s technical standards. Its brew cycle is about longer than the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides more control over temperature, brewing duration and also quality.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent cup of drip coffee, with the carafe filled in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is slightly more than the 6 minutes the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the range that coffee experts recommend to make a great cup.
It is also necessary to grind your beans before brewing. You can choose a manual grinder or a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore. It has multiple grind settings, and a hopper for whole beans.
The only downside is that the carafe as well as the water reservoirs aren’t dishwasher safe and could cause issue for certain users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO 9-Cup is an excellent contender for the top drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and easy to use interface.