The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There is no single-size-fits all coffee maker that is perfect for every. This is why we've compiled our favorite picks for your home, ranging from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans to semi-automatics that give you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch achieves the perfect balance between automation and needing to understand the basics of espresso-making. It's our top choice for a coffee-to-cup machine.
- Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those who wish to make espresso at home, without making big sacrifices in terms of quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with a limited counter space in mind and offers top-quality build and tiny footprint. It comes with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head, so you can steam your milk and brew coffee at same time.
The machine is also beautiful and has a circular design on the side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a modernization of Rocket's original design, which is already impressive for a small appliance. It also has an black pressure gauge that will let you know when the boiler is ready to use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than others. This means you'll need to be extra vigilant when emptying and refilling the machine, especially when using it frequently. This is a trade-off that comes with having smaller footprint. This is not an issue that is specific to this model.
This machine can easily handle your coffee demands. We suggest buying a good grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also use the machine in conjunction with an Rocket Portafilter to increase tamping.
As a prosumer espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making great drinks, and it's easy to create Latte art. It's important to note that this machine isn't designed for novices. There is a small learning curve for those upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to work with, and you'll need to learn how to perform 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 in a position to drink cold, purified water. The latter, however, has a 2.25-liter water tank, which could be more difficult to refill than some of its competitors.
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This machine is built to Lavazza's high standards. The machine can reach the temperature for brewing quickly, so you can prepare your first cup in less than 35 second. The water tank is fast and easy to refill by removing the lid completely to make a wide opening. You can even fill it with tap water if you prefer.
This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it is a powerful machine. When you buy it 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 who don't have the money or space for a traditional espresso maker, but are looking to enjoy the benefits of authentic Italian espresso.
The Jolie is extremely easy to use and takes up only a tiny amount of counter space. It's as easy as pressing a single button to activate the machine, then again to start dispensing your chosen brew. There's a backlight that's on the button, so you can easily see the amount of liquid that has been dispersed, and you can stop the process at any time in case you prefer drinking your drink in smaller portions.
The model isn't equipped with a steam wand, however, you can add creamy froth to your milk using an optional milk frother. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or working space.
The pods are not expensive, but they are available in a wide range of blends that can be used by all - from the lightest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are readily available in many 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 stylish capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and frother. It includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty card and a quick reference, and a test pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is small enough to be kept on the floor or placed under your cupboard.
- 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, then this is a great at-home espresso maker. It's far superior to many of the more expensive models. It's the most affordable in its class, and is particularly suitable for beginners who do not have an espresso maker yet--which can easily cost them another $100 or more.
The model is priced lower than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) However, it's an excellent choice for baristas on a tight budget. It comes with a variety of options to customize and features, including an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a one-boiler machine, which means that it can only handle one thing at one time.
Breville is an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has swiftly established a reputation for high-quality appliances. This machine is no different and it comes with enough control to let budding baristas improve their abilities without spending a lot more than necessary.
It's not without its quirks, though. The hopper is located 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 disperse several shots at once. It's also difficult to see the amount of water left in the tank due to its rear placement.
If you're willing to invest some time in learning how to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent choice for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue with the Breville Barista Express is the price, which may be a deterrent for some 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 capable and offer a bit 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 machine for coffee with a simple user interface that makes great Coffee machine cheap. The sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display gives your kitchen a sophisticated appearance. It has one dial that allows you to set the amount of cups. There are two options: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over, which many coffee aficionados believe produces the most delicious coffee. The water is heated up to the perfect temperature and then evenly distributed over the coffee grounds with shower heads. The coffee is collected in the double-walled thermal carafe, which can be stored for up to 60 min. The pause and pour feature allows you to remove the carafe while brewing to fill your cup to the brim. The machine stops brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it. It then resumes and finishes brewing.
The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker is SCAA certified, which means that it complies with the strict standards in terms of technology. Its brew cycle is about as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides greater control over temperature, brewing time and also quality.
In our testing in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed excellent drip coffee that was served in a full cup in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. That's a little longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but it falls within the range that experts in the field recommend for a good cup of drip.
It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to brewing. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder, or opt for a more automatic 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 this could be a issue for certain users. The stainless steel is easily cleaned by hand, however. The OXO 9-Cup is an excellent contender for the top drip coffee maker due to its sleek design and easy to use interface.